Strategic Marketing Analysis of Whittaker's Chocolate - AMMK700 Report

This report presents a strategic marketing analysis of Whittaker's Chocolate, focusing on its marketing mix elements (product, place, promotion, and price) and resource allocation strategies. It examines how Whittaker's Chocolate utilizes its tangible and intangible resources to achieve its marketing objectives, considering internal and external factors through a SWOT analysis. The analysis includes recommendations for the marketing mix, discussing product strategies, distribution channels, promotional activities, and pricing strategies. The report further explores the company's segmentation, differentiation, and growth strategies using frameworks like the Ansoff Matrix and Porter's generic strategies to provide a comprehensive understanding of Whittaker's Chocolate's marketing approach and its potential for future growth in the competitive chocolate market.

Running head: STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
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1STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Recommendation and discussion the strategic marketing of the marketing mix for one of their
existing products (good or service)..................................................................................................2
Identification of the appropriate resource allocation of tangible and intangible organisational
resources the company could utilise for achieving the marketing mix strategy..............................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9

2STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
Introduction
J.H. Whittaker & Sons, Ltd. is a confectionery manufacturing based organization that
specializes in providing palm oil-free chocolates. The organization is mainly based in Porirua,
New Zealand and is the second biggest chocolate brand in the country after Cadbury. Whittaker
Chocolates has been able to gain around 41% of local block based market. Around 30% of the
total production is exported to various other countries of the world and the organization is also
able to control the entire process of manufacturing in the facility that is located in Porirua. The
business had been started by John Whittaker in the year 1896 and the operations were further
moved to Wellington (Whittakers.co.nz, 2020).
The report will be based on the analysis of marketing mix that can be developed by the
organization in order to maintain its future operations. The allocation of tangible and intangible
resources of Whittaker’s Chocolate in order to fulfill the strategic marketing based objectives
will also be discussed in the report in detail. The marketing mix and resource allocation process
of the organization will be developed with respect to the internal analysis by implementation of
SWOT analysis. On the other hand, the external environment based aspects of Whittaker’s
Chocolate will also be taken into consideration for the purpose of developing marketing mix of
the firm.
Recommendation and discussion the strategic marketing of the marketing mix
for one of their existing products (good or service)
Products – The major product that has been taken into consideration for the purpose of
developing marketing mix in order to offer its products to the consumers is the Chocolate. The
chocolates are considered to be the most important part of the product base offered by

3STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
Whittaker’s Chocolate to the consumers. The high quality of chocolate products is considered to
be a major factor that can help in proper enhancement of the revenues and customer base of the
firm (Abril & Rodriguez-Cánovas, 2016). The strategic marketing plan of Whittaker’s Chocolate
will be implemented in an effective manner with the support that is provided the chocolate
products of the organization. The organization will also be able to provide a wide variety of
flavors of the chocolate that have the ability to fulfil demands and needs of the customers. The
wide product portfolio of Whittaker’s based on chocolate products will support the growth of
revenues of the organization and expansion of its operations in a different region or area as well
(Aras et al. 2017).
Place – The website and stores of Whittaker’s Chocolate are considered to be the major
aspects that are related to the ways by which the products can be provided to the consumers in
different parts of the world. The website of Whittaker’s is able to offer the products to a large
group of consumers and can also help in development of a loyal customer base (Dileep &
Mathew, 2017). The stores of the organization on the other hand can also play a major role in
reaching the customers and offering the products to the consumers as well. The chocolate based
products of Whittaker’s will also be provided to the consumers with the help of various retail
stores. The retail stores have also proved to be helpful for Whittaker’s Chocolate in order to
enhance the customer base and fulfil their expectations and needs as well (Datta, Ailawadi &
Van Heerde, 2017).
Promotions – The marketing and promotional activities performed by Whittaker’s
Chocolates have been able to enhance the brand value of the organization in the industry. The
TV advertising has been the most important part of promotional activities that are performed by
Whittaker’s Chocolate. TVC has been considered to be a key channel by Whittaker’s Chocolate

4STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
as the company has aimed at the development of an emotional connect with the consumers.
The recent TV commercial that has been developed by Whittaker’s had been named as “Through
the Ages” (Hollensen & Opresnik, 2019). The commercial has been able to illustrate the 120
year history that has been formed by Whittaker’s Chocolate in the last few decades. The
traditional promotional mediums including billboards and points of sale have been used by the
organization in a selective manner for the purpose of reaching the consumers faster. The social
media advertising activities and digital marketing techniques have also been used by the
organization for the purpose of reaching a larger group of consumers (Hollensen & Opresnik,
2019). The organization has gained success in communicating with the consumers easily with the
support that is provided by its marketing strategy and promotional activities as well. The
Facebook page that has been developed by Whittaker’s Chocolate is also able to enhance the
promotional activities performed by the organization and the communication that is formed with
the customers as well (Hwang & Thomadsen, 2016).
Price – The prices of various chocolate products that have been set by Whittaker’s
Chocolate have also been able to play a major role in development of the marketing mix that is
based on the future operations. The differentiated pricing strategy has been implemented by
Whittaker’s in order to maintain its operations in the industry. The high quality chocolate
products are offered to the loyal customers at high prices to the consumers in New Zealand and
different other countries as well (Pomering, 2017). The loyal consumers in this case are much
more concerned about the quality of products in comparison to the prices that have been set. The
implementation of differentiated strategy has been able to influence the ways by which an
organization like Whittaker’s Chocolate has been able to maintain its operations and can
implement the marketing mix for the future operations (Jackson & Ahuja, 2016).

5STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
The marketing mix of Whittaker’s Chocolate will be able to play a major role in the ways
by which the organization can maintain its loyal customers and can also enhance the revenues
gained in the industry. The proper implementation of different aspects of the marketing mix of
Whittaker’s Chocolate will be able to support the growth of the organization in the industry and
the enhancement of its revenues as well (Stead & Hastings, 2018).
Identification of the appropriate resource allocation of tangible and intangible
organisational resources the company could utilise for achieving the
marketing mix strategy
The segmentation and differentiation based aspects of Whittaker’s Chocolate can be
taken into consideration for the purpose of analyzing the proper allocation of resources in the
operations of the organization. The segmentation strategy of Whittaker’s Chocolate will be
based on the mix of psychographic factors, demographics and the behavioral factors. The
consumers belonging to different age groups and demography that can enjoy the products that
are offered by Whittaker’s Chocolates. The prices of different products can also be decided with
respect to the packaging and quality of the products as well (De Waal, 2016). The company has
targeted consumers from various age groups with respect to the distinguished products that are
offered as a part of the product portfolio. The various products that are a part of the extensive
product portfolio of Whittaker’s Chocolate include Creamy Milk, Dark Ghana, Dark Chocolate,
Dark Cacao, Almond Gold, Dark Salted Caramel, Creamy Caramel, Berry & Biscuit, Coconut
Black, Dark Almond and many more. The different types of products are able to fulfil the needs
of consumers who belong to different segments or age groups. The differentiation of the
chocolate products of Whittaker’s Chocolates is mainly based on the high quality and high prices
of the products as well. The broad differentiation based Porter’s generic strategy has been

6STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
implemented by the organization in order to offer the products to the loyal customer base (Dileep
& Mathew, 2017).
The implementation of Ansoff Growth matrix will be able to support the analysis of the
future growth based activities of Whittaker’s Chocolate in the industry. The four major segments
that are a part of the Ansoff’s Growth matrix include market penetration, product development,
market development and diversification. The market penetration strategy had been implemented
by Whittaker’s Chocolate with the help of promotional strategies and TVCs of the organization
that have led to the formation of an emotional connect with the consumers (Gurcaylilar-
Yenidogan & Aksoy, 2018). The product development strategy on the other hand is mainly
based on the introduction of new chocolate based products within the product portfolio of the
organization. The high quality chocolate products that will be introduced as a part of the product
portfolio of the organization will be able to increase the consumer base of the firm (Murdock,
2017).
The market development strategy of the organization will be based on the expansion
based plans that can be implemented by Whittaker’s Chocolate in order to offer its products in
new country or region. The existing product base of the firm can be offered to consumers in the
international market in order to gain large number of consumers. The market expansion strategy
of Whittaker’s Chocolate on the other hand will be based on the ways by which the firm will be
able to enhance the revenue levels and profitability earned in the industry as well (Verhoeven &
Johnson, 2017).
The allocation of resources that are both tangible and intangible in nature will be based
on the ways by which they can be used for proper implementation of marketing mix strategy.

7STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
The different tangible resources and intangible resources of Whittaker’s Chocolate are as
follows,
Tangible resources
Human resource – Whittaker’s Chocolate has employed huge number of employees in
order to manage the operations and to various positions in the organization as well. The rewards
are also provided to the employees for the efforts that are made by them. The employees have
worked hard and provided their contribution to the proper growth of the firm as well.
Financial resources – The wide variety of products that are offered by Whittaker’s to the
consumers and this has led to enhancement of the revenues of the firm in the industry. The huge
investments that have been made by Whittaker’s Chocolate in different operations have also
been able to enhance the revenue levels of the firm in the industry (Hollensen & Opresnik,
2019).
Organizational resources – The global business functions and various business units are
considered to be an important part of the organizational resources that have been gained and used
by Whittaker’s Chocolate. The team of directors of the organization are also able to play a major
role in proper enhancement of revenues as well.
Physical resources – The implementation of physical resources of Whittaker’s Chocolate
is mainly based on the development of production process in an ethical and environmental
manner.
Technological resources – The new technologies have been used in the production
process of Whittaker’s Chocolate for the purpose of reducing the impact of manufacturing
process on the external environment (Stead & Hastings, 2018).

8STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
Intangible resources
Reputational resources – The brand value that has been gained by Whittaker’s Chocolate
over the years of its operations is mainly based on the loyal customer base of the organization
and ways by which the firm has been able to fulfil their demands and needs as well.
Innovation resources – The innovative products and processes of Whittaker’s Chocolate
have been able to offer different types of chocolates to the consumers in the country (Hollensen
& Opresnik, 2019).
Conclusion
The report can be concluded by stating that Whittaker’s Chocolate will be able to
enhance its operations with the help of proper development and implementation of marketing
mix that is developed with respect to analysis of the internal and external environment of the
firm. The tangible and intangible resources of the organization can be allocated in the different
operations of Whittaker’s Chocolate so that it is able to fulfil the demands and needs of the
customers. The growth of Whittaker’s will also be based on effective market penetration and
market development strategies as well.

9STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
References
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Aras, M., Syam, H., Jasruddin, J., Akib, H., & Haris, H. (2017, July). The effect of service
marketing mix on consumer decision making. In International Conference on Education,
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Datta, H., Ailawadi, K. L., & Van Heerde, H. J. (2017). How well does consumer-based brand
equity align with sales-based brand equity and marketing-mix response?. Journal of
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10STRATEGIC MARKETING ANALYSIS OF WHITTAKER’S CHOCOLATE
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Available at: <https://www.whittakers.co.nz/> [Accessed 5 April 2020].