Marketing Report: Strategic Analysis of Marks and Spencer

This report examines the marketing activities of Marks and Spencer, a prominent retail company. It begins with an introduction to marketing and the company's background, including its history and global presence. Task 1 focuses on the role of the marketing department, detailing its responsibilities in brand value improvement, campaign channelization, sales enhancement, and market research. The report then explores the interrelationships between the marketing department and other functional departments like sales, HR, public relations, and finance. Task 2 delves into the Marketing 7Ps (Place, People, Product, Physical evidence, Promotion, Price, Process) within the context of Marks and Spencer. Finally, Task 3 outlines a strategic marketing plan for the company, utilizing the SOSTAC model for situational analysis and planning.

Marketing
Essentials
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TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................3
Role of marketing........................................................................................................................3
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
Marketing 7ps..............................................................................................................................5
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
Strategic Marketing plan of Marks and Spencer.........................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCE................................................................................................................................12
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INTRODUCTION
Marketing is defined as promoting company’s products and services in market. This
report is based on the case study of Marks and Spencer Company in respect to its marketing
activities. Company initiated its operations in the year 1884 and currently is a part of the retail
sector. Michael Marks and Thomas Spencer are the founder of the company. Company operates
in more than 1400 locations all across the globe. Company is specialises in selling high quality
clothing products, food products and home products. Marks and Spencer Company is listed in
London Stock Exchange. This report will demonstrate different aspects of company’s marketing
activities. Henceforth, report emphasis on different roles marketing department play in company.
This report will also project the interrelationship between marketing department and other
functional department in company. Different aspects related to marketing mix will also
summarise in this report. Furthermore, report also emphasis over strategic marketing plan for the
company.
Task 1
Role of marketing
Roles and responsibilities associated with marketing department in Marks and Spencer
Company can be summarises in the following points.
Improve brand value of company: Marketing department in Marks and Spencer Company
channelize different campaigns to improve the brand value of company in target market.
Improving brand value is among the key role and responsibilities associated with the marketing
department in company. As the brand value play a huge role in improving company’s growth
potential in market. This also influence the buying decision made by upper class category
customers. It can be stated that in process to achieve all objectives of company brand value of
company play an important role.
Channelizing marketing campaigns: This is also a primary role marketing department play in
Marks and Spencer Company. Department needs to launch different campaign and other
campaigns such as recruitment campaigns on the basis of the needs of different functional
activities in company (Ferreira and Coelho, 2017). Department also play role in controlling and
managing such campaigns. This is the responsibility of the marketing department to improve the
reach of such campaigns also. Campaigns launch by marketing team put a huge impacts over
sales potentials of company as it attracts customers in market towards buying company’s
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products. Marketing campaigns drive company to make its products trendy and fashionable in
the target market all across the globe.
Improve sales of company: Marketing department of the Marks and Spencer also play a crucial
role in improving sale potentials of company. All campaigns launch by company aimed to
improve the sales potential of company and also to improve the profitability. Improving the sales
potential is among the primary objectives behind the operations of the marketing department.
Marketing team make the campaign relevant that can attract customers.
Conduct market research: Marketing department of the Company play an important role in
conducting market research. This is among the important functional role marketing team play in
company. With the support of market research marketing department provide brief about current
trend, fashion, expectation of customers and other key features that can also improve the growth
potentials of company in market (Eissa and Lester, 2017). The research conducted by marketing
department also involves research about different brands associated with retail sector. As the
company do not manufacture retail product and only engaged with selling retail products
manufacture by other brands. Marketing team conducts research about performance and potential
of different brands so that company can make strategic alliances with such brands to improve its
growth potential in market.
The above mentioned points project about the key roles and responsibilities associated
with the marketing department of the Marks and Spencer Company.
Interrelations of marketing department with other functional department in
company
Organisation hierarchy of the Marks and Spencer Company is segregated into different
departments based on the functional activities. In order to achieve all business objectives it is
important for the company that all functional departments of company work collaboratively to
achieve all objectives of company.
Marketing and sales department: Marketing and sales department in Marks and Spencer
Company put combined effort to achieve company’s sales potential in market. Both departments
share a very close professional relationship due to nature of operations (Ghosh and Sarkar,
2016). Sales department take the support of marketing department in launching different
campaigns to entertain sales in market. Marketing department also take support from sales
department in projecting different features associated with products in its marketing campaigns.
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Marketing and Human Resource Department: Marketing and human resource department are
also interconnected with each others. Human resource department launch various recruitment
campaigns with the support of marketing department to meet the need of the company related to
human resources (Bajrami and Fejza, 2019). Human resource department of the company also
support marketing department by providing skilled human resources at different designated
positions in department.
Marketing department and Public Relation department: Marketing department and public
relation department are also interconnected with each otters. Both the departments play an
important role in communicating with potential customers of company. Marketing department
conveys about the potential customers base of Marks and Spencer Company to Public Relation
Department so that they can communicate with such potential customer to improve the
relationship with customers.
Marketing and Finance Department: Marketing Department support finance department of
company with the support of effective market research about the sector. Research provided by
the marketing department also includes research about other key competitors and brands
associated with the retail sector (Blachetta and Kleinaltenkamp, 2019). This research support
finance department in taking decisions related to business expansion and product expansion.
Finance department make strategic alliances with different brands on the basis of the research
conducted by marketing department. Finance department also support marketing department by
allocating funds to launch different marketing campaigns and other marketing operations.
The above mentioned points are projected about the interrelationship of marketing
department with other functional department in Marks and Spencer Company. All such
departments put collaborative efforts to achieve all objectives of the Marks and Spencer
Company. Marketing department is among the key functional department associated with the
company that monitor control operations of almost all functional departments associated with
company.
TASK 2
Marketing 7ps
Marketing mix can be understood as detailed analysis of all factors which enables in
developing stronger neworking chains among various paramters for higher profitability and
developed business scenario which needs to be programed into various functioanl chains to
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actively promote its products and services. Larger the innovation and creariviuty among
marketing mix fcators, higher are the comapny products sold in market with higher margins of
profoitabiliy and quick relative development among business scaenrio. M &S bieng one of the
most wide developing retail brand having wide portfolio of various products, high innovative
business services nad large compisition of marketing mix fcators built within its porfolio to
advertise its prodcusts on global patterns for lager productvity among customers marekt share
pradigms. Mraketing mix 7ps are conisdered to be one of the biggest paramter of marekting for
generating larger creativity and focused advertismnets onto wide relative services for gaining
detailed customer market share (Abdul-Hamid, Hinson and Yaw,2017).
Place: M & S bieng one of the biggest retail company in indutry of UK has various stores
present within doimestic as well as international markets which is one of the biggest factor of
availibility among consumers share. The comapny has high developed place factor whcih is one
of the most strignent fcator of marleting mix to promote high marketing fcators as it levarages
large customer maket potentaility on long term fcator. The compay is also present on online
websites which makes wide avaiability for biussiness services expanions, innovative marketing
parmeters and to develope stronger marekting whcih will enale to develop high end marekting.
People: The people working within company are an integral part of business framerwork which
enable to cater large high efficient services which can create debveloped working scneario and
technical effcieincy for developd vaerstaility onto varipous grounds. The marketers and
customers to whom services are speard among products are an important active par whcih
enables to generate strong profitbaility and to segement customers vividly among marketers for
higher vaiblity in their perfomances (Saidani and Sudiarditha, 2019).
Prodcut: M&S has been higlly active to bring creative innaovtion among all products,
fashsionable apparels and to gain high customisation factor in business which will be higjly
helpful to develop strong efefctivness for long term profiatbiliy. The product is one of the most
important arena whcih can genertae highe dveloped customer scenraio and to collectivley built
higher working framework for larger productivity.
Physical evidnece: The physcial evicdence is one of the most important fcator in marekting mix
whcih enables to genrate high range of customer developed marketi ngb scenario where the
customers can actively look forward to shop. The shopping exprince onto which graphs and
place factors can be effectively built among comapnies business scenraios is also an important
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factor whcih will enable to genetate higher growth prodictvity for longertime basis. The physical
evidene also fucntgionally incareses effectivness among marketrs where customers satisfaction
and their approach to gain larger benfits of shopping shall be dveloped ampong buisness factors
as one one of the biggest strength (Hashemi,Shahbazi and Sarhadi, 2017).
Promotion: M&S is one of the biggest retailer comapny in UK Industry where high promotional
stratgies and fuctioanl stregth of digital media and marelting channels are iused to efefctoevly
promote business services and bring customers close to shopping paramters and actively
develop high ratioanl profatblity. The comapny is highly strong to yeils best marekting factors
whcih enabel on fovcusing towards digoiatl promotiaonl strategies through which innovation can
be developed among sales promotinal factors and to reah large customers segments maong
world.
Price: The price factor is also one of the biggest fctor among marketing mix whcih will enable to
competeitivly poistion itself as one of the largest comapny of effective prcinng adopted within
products, which will emable to acter high proposed custoemr segments among world level. The
price startegy must fathom to get strong prcing range among all competietive retail companies
operating their business for wide proposed customer segmnets whihc needs to be actoively used
onto. M &S must aim to keep an high strategic paramter onto price factotr to achieve higher
growth promotional fcator for large effective working strength and attrcat large proportios of
cutsomers to shop (SOFICĂ and Cosma, 2018).
Process: The process of operations and supply chain to actively promnte best targets set
benchmarks among customers expanded services which will enable to generate higher technical
effectivness and also to genrate strong connectivity among customers. M&S has been highly
detrtminental to keep up with th varied fcators of process which aslo posses high parmeter for
gainaing laregr propotrtion of customers market share. The process also is an important
determinnat whcih will activley enable to cater high grwoth factor among marketrs for strong
positional factors and to actively indulge for higher working effectiveness.
These factors enbale to generates high paramters of innoavtive marketing mix
whcih works as an important asset to regain strong strignent position among customers. M&S
bieng one of the msot innoavtive anf highly goodwill attianed retail company has ben strongly
focusing on developoing market which is customers focused and marketing highly creative to gain
larhe profitbality.
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TASK 3
Strategic Marketing plan of Marks and Spencer
Marketing plan helps firm to plan in advance various steps that need to be taken in order
to promote products and services and attract maximum number of customers for increasing sales
volume and profitability of organisation. Marketing plan of Marks and Spencer can be evaluated
through use of SOSTAC model that helps company in gaining competitive advantages and
maximum market share (Williams and Williams, 2017). Therefore marketing plan of M&S using
SOSTAC model is as follows:
Marketing plan
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
It is analysis of internal and external factors of environment in which company operate so that
effective strategies can be formulated to gain maximum market share. SWOT model can be used
to analysis internal and external factors that impact on overall performance and productivity of
M&S in retail industry. Such as:
Strength: M&S strength lies in its products and services as company continuously innovates its
products and reduce cost to influence maximum number of customers to purchase products of
marks and Spencer over others (Duman and Sánchez, 2018).
Weakness: Company still use obsolete technology to deliver services therefore use of innovative
method such as delivery of products at door steps of customers can helps in increasing market
share of Marks and Spencer.
Opportunities: M&S operate in UK where there are large number of young generation that likes
to have only shopping thus firm has opportunity to easily expand its markets share and brand
image through offering its products and services through website. Social media can also used for
promotion of organic products range so that large number of customers can be aware of quality
of products and services offered by firm.
Threats: There are numerous competitors in retail industry therefore consumer have more
switching power which is threats for M&S. Company by manufacturing qualitative products can
satisfy customer’s needs and gain competitive advantages.
OBJECTIVES
There are various objective for making marketing plan of Marks and Spencer such as:
 To expand market share by 20% through satisfaction of customer need.
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 To ensure better health and safety of people by launch of organic food till end of 2020.
 To enhance customers satisfaction and loyalty by 10% for long term growth and
expansion of enterprise.
 To introduce new value to products and services in order to satisfy customers needs and
preferences on priority basis so that M&S can gain competitive advantages.
 To take steps for reduction of wastage by 4-5% for better health and safety of UK
population.
STRATEGY
It illustrated about various plan and steps that need to be followed by employees so that
company objective can be achieved. Marketing manager of M&S have segmented, target and
position company brand image for effective and smooth operation of enterprise in retail industry.
Such as:
Segmentation: Marketing manager of M&S has planned to classified customers on basis of
psychological, behavioural, geographical and demographical structure of particular country. It
has wide varieties of products such as clothe, home care products and financial services to satisfy
needs of each customer such as Kids, adult and old generation (Thonnard, 2019). Company have
planned to make products as per their preference, income level to enhance its sales volume and
profitability.
Targeting: M&S has target younger generation for its organic products and services as they are
more concerned about their health and safety. Thus, they are willing to pay extra or specific
amount of money to have organic and hygiene products for better living standard.
Positioning: It can be stated that M&S have established strong brand image in mind and heart of
each and every customers because of its good after sales services. Company through continuous
updating its products have gain maximum customers satisfaction and loyalty.
TACTICS
It describes about various stages, procedure that need to be followed by company to achieve
particular goals. Marks and Spencer have use marketing mix tool to influence customers such as:
Products: Marks and Spencer offer wide range of valuable products and services to customers so
that they are ready to pay high prices (Guimerà Edo, 2017). Organic food range of Marks and
Spencer will lead to increase in profitability as they are mostly liked by younger generation.
Place: Company have various stores that offer qualitative services to customers so people are
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free to come and have purchase of products to satisfy their needs. It has also planned to offer
product through online sites to influence large number of customers and earn maximum
profitability.
Promotion: Marketing manager of M&S has planned to promote products though sales
promotion, personal selling and offering of discount so that people can easily make purchase.
Social media and display of products in stores are some of the method to promote products of
M&S to end user.
Price: Company have planned to charge appropriate price as per value of products in order to
retention customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Physical evidence: It have strong supply chain, warehouse so that products and services can be
delivered to customers within minimum time and cost.
Process: Marketing manager has set standard process that needs to be followed by particular
individual so that customers are provided qualitative experience.
People: M&S have highly skilled and qualified employees that are ready to work for maintain
quality of products so that company can grow and expand its market share.
ACTION
Marketing manager has decided in advance various actions, procedure that needs to be followed
by particular individual so that task can be accomplished. Roles and responsibilities of
employees are clearly defined in order to reduce confusion and misunderstanding in future
circumstances (Taylor, 2016). Manager has arranged various resources so that employees can
easily perform their duties and contribute towards growth of organisation.
CONTROL
It is also planned by marketing manager of M&S in order to take corrective action in case of
deviation from particular steps. Marketing manage continuously supervise, monitors and
evaluates performance of individual and time taken for perform particular activities so that
various strategies can be formulated to achieve desired goals. Each employee is responsible to
report about daily performance so training program can be organised by manager for effective
utilisation of available capabilities and satisfaction of customers needs.
CONCLUSION
The report can be concluded on the parameters which explain various essential of
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marketing within context of M&S which is one of the fastest innovatively developing retail
company producing wide innovative fashionable products and services for wide customer
market. Report also concludes role of marketing and elements which related to functional units
within business framework for high profitability optimum functionality. The report also
concludes marketing 7Ps which are important determinants for developing strong benchmarks
and to capture large positional factors for wide operational services. The report also concludes
an effective marketing plan to generate strong marketing fundamental and to strategically plan
forward various activities which M&S can undertakeb for higher development and craetive
fucntionality (Capik, 2019).
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