Digital Marketing Strategy Analysis: Subway's Challenges and Solutions

This report provides an analysis of Subway's digital marketing strategies, focusing on the challenges the brand faces in the digital landscape. It examines the reasons behind the company's unsuccessful digital marketing campaigns, particularly on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and analyzes the importance of understanding the target customers. The report assesses Subway's implementation of Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube strategies, linking these to relevant marketing theories such as Media Richness Theory, Parasocial Interaction Theory, and Gratifications Theory. It suggests improvements for each platform, including creating engaging content and understanding the needs of the target audience. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for Subway to adopt a more strategic and customer-centric approach to digital marketing to improve its online presence and reach its target consumers effectively.

Running head: DIGITAL MARKETING
Digital Marketing
Digital Strategy Report
Student’s name:
Name of the university:
Author’s note:

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Explaining the reasons behind Subway’s unsuccessful digital marketing strategy.........................3
Identifying and describing target customers in digitally.................................................................4
Implementation of Instagram strategy of Subway...........................................................................8
Implementation of YouTube platform of Subway.........................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
Reference List................................................................................................................................12

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Introduction
This study is based on mainly the analysis of Subway’s digital marketing strategies as
they are deviating from the right track from digital platforms. Moreover, Subway has been facing
the issues of digital media strategies across the world in meeting the target market needs in the
digital platform. In this study, Facebook and Instagram strategies of Subway will be discussed
with linking up theoretical perspectives. Moreover, Subway's chances of utilizing another social
media platform that is YouTube will be analysed with illustrations. In addition, a few images
will be provided with practical demonstrations.
Explaining the reasons behind Subway’s unsuccessful digital marketing strategy
The marketing campaign is about getting the results from different target customers.
Subway brand fails to understand the target market from the perspective of their product selling.
Subway cannot overshadow the competitors and they cannot convince the target market to
engage on social media pages. In the last year, each of the brands focused on women
empowerment, on the contrary, Subway made a digital platform ad to look attractive for women
to eat right from Subway. The woman in the advertisement wore Halloween costumes and
audiences fired back and Subway pulled the advertisement from YouTube (Digiday.com 2017).
In addition, Subway fails to understand the needs of target customers and the topic what the
customers interested in. Secondly, Subway fails in quality of content what they are trying to sell
the customers. Creating wrong expectations through advertisement in digital media has huge
potential to destroy the social media strategy. Subway pitchman Mr Jared Fogle was amid the
crisis as Public Relation team failed with a bad reputation. Subway cannot match the use of

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digital media platform as they have a limitation in the digital promotional platform. Subway fails
to interact with fans and followers on digital media platforms.
Identifying and describing target customers in digitally
Digital marketing is the formalised method of targeting the audiences intentionally
through the using of connections, contents of specific psychographic and demographic audiences
(Carter 2011). In case of Subway, it is a global brand and the brand targets mainly the young
generation as this generation uses social media and digital platforms in large numbers. This
demographic targeting is the reason for this generation also enjoys the delicious fast food in
groups. In digital media platforms, the organisation believes in making a relationship, not the
target.
Subway lacks in understanding needs of customers on social media platform and their
interest. Subway fails in understanding the analogy of target customers as Subway always aims
in various categories and scenarios that miss the original one. The PR team may not measure the
focus of digital marketing and demands of the young generation. The PR team lacks to hit the
target market in online platforms. If target customers do not like to engage the brand through
online, the organisation will suffer financially. Subway has to understand the target they want to
reach and they need to measure the efforts of digital marketing. Subway needs to focus on core
marketing that must address the concern, issues and targets of the customers.
Implementation of Facebook strategy of Subway
Facebook is the largest social media platform and it can give access to the largest
audiences. Facebook mainly gives benefits of flexibility in using third-party apps to make

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customised questions and images. Facebook is used by almost all countries’ people and Subway
can use this to go where the customers are.
1. Subway should make a strong website as the website is the main hub for a business that gives
credibility to the customers. This website should be professional looking and it must provide
offers to the customers. On this website, developers must give a Facebook link for the customers
to connect with. Setting the overall goals is necessary that increases overall exposure and helps t
gather leads.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/subway/ (Facebook)
2. Subway should make a business model and a clear plan to make money. Facebook is cost-
effective and Subway should make a plan for giving the advertisements through Facebook.
Facebook marketing is all about posting engaging images, posts, videos that can attract more
users.
3. While sending the email to the customers, PR team can give the link of Facebook to the
customers for liking. Posting about discounts and membership on Facebook pages will help the

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brand to have more likes. The cover photo on Facebook pages must be attractive and Subway
can use cover video as well. The display picture must show the innovation.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/subway/ (Facebook)
4. The research team of subway must know audiences, latest techniques and competitors'
strategies on Facebook.
5. Subway needs to set up an editorial calendar that helps to streamline the activities.

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Source: https://www.facebook.com/subway/ (Facebook)
According to Saat and Selamat (2014), Media Richness Theory describes the medium of
communication to reproduce the information, however, a primary driver is the most important to
give the message, interpreted data. If Subway uses Facebook customer support stations in most
of the countries that would give them to post real-time engaging social media post for customers.
Subway already has a team of 150 members for digital marketing and they need to find out the
needs of the users.

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Implementation of Instagram strategy of Subway
Subway targets mainly the young generation in offering the products and approximately
70% of the Instagram users are aged between 18-30 years.
1. Subway needs to determine the objectives of Instagram marketing and purpose of using the
Instagram in particular as it is a photo and video sharing the social network.
Source: https://www.instagram.com/subway/?hl=en (Instagram)
2. Subway should use mainly mobile capture videos and photos as Instagram is about in-the-
moment images. In-the-moment visual allows the followers to give them a personal chance to
interact (Ryan 2016). Company culture can be increased through this.
3. PR team of Subway needs to develop Instagram content as they should choose themes that can
connect the users and customers. Visuals related to festivity and happiness can be posted with
real-time.

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Source: https://www.instagram.com/subway/?hl=en (Instagram)
4. Instagram analytic tools, like Sprout Social, will help Subway to merge it with other social
network platforms and share the same posts.

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Source: https://www.instagram.com/subway/?hl=en (Instagram)
According to Labrecque (2014), parasocial Interaction Theory is about media effects and
interpersonal connection of the individuals. Media contents should enthral the users. Subway will
get the benefits from Instagram as target audiences of Subway use the same. Instagram will give
the advantages to showcase people's culture in addition to food items of Subway.
Implementation of YouTube platform of Subway
Subway can use YouTube platform to reach more customers as nothing can beat the
captivate videos. Viewers spend millions of hours on YouTube videos as internet speed in most
of the countries is getting higher (Cfaffey et al. 2013). Funny, interesting and short videos can
engage users. YouTube has the capability to make viral marketing for Subway.
1. Subway can use YouTube network as there is a package for every business. Subway needs to
make an online community through subscription of YouTube channel.

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2. PR team needs to make engaging videos on various topics and cost of videos should be less.
These videos can be shared on other social media platforms to generate more views.
3. Subway can launch new products through a trailer video on YouTube.
4. PR team needs to create shareable contents of YouTube that will give more traffic.
As stated by Ifinedo (2016), Gratifications Theory is about understanding the people and
understand the reasons behind seeking specific media to gratify the needs of the people.
YouTube will give the advantage to have an audience-centred approach to Subway as audiences
are not passive consumers.
Conclusion
It has been observed that Subway has been facing challenges from digital marketing as
PR team cannot understand the exact strategies to be taken. The PR team of Subway is not wise
enough to resolve the issues of a digital platform. The wrong selection of communication
medium and poor contents on social media pages are main reasons behind this. Focus during the
campaign of digital marketing is important for Subway, however, messages through the digital
market are not clear. Moreover, three platforms that have stated above would give benefits to
Subway in engaging the target consumers.

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Reference List
Carter, B. 2011. Digital marketing for dummies. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Accessed on 21
September 2017, Viewed at http://as.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-
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Chaffey, D., Smith, P.R. and Smith, P.R., 2013. eMarketing eXcellence: Planning and
optimizing your digital marketing. Abingdon: Routledge. Accessed on 21 September 2017,
Viewed at https://books.google.co.in/books?
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Digiday. 2017. Subway plans to spend big in digital with a 150-person team - Digiday. [online]
Available at: https://digiday.com/careers/subway-plans-spend-big-digital-150-person-team/
[Accessed 21 Sep. 2017].
Ifinedo, P., 2016. Applying uses and gratifications theory and social influence processes to
understand students' pervasive adoption of social networking sites: Perspectives from the
Americas. International Journal of Information Management, 36(2), pp.192-206. Accessed on
21 September 2017, Viewed at
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268401215001085
Labrecque, L.I., 2014. Fostering consumer–brand relationships in social media environments:
The role of parasocial interaction. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 28(2), pp.134-148. Accessed
on 21 September 2017,Viewed at:
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/0aee/0ed8579cff5baffdcbf0a7adce9982b40289.pdf

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Mullins, J. and Walker, O. 2013. Marketing management. New York: McGraw-Hill. Accessed
on 21 September 2017,Viewed at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/19372088
Ryan, D., 2016. Understanding digital marketing: marketing strategies for engaging the digital
generation. Kogan Page Publishers. Accessed on 21 September 2017,Viewed at:
http://ewing.ir/download/Understanding-Digital-Marketing.pdf
Saat, R.M. and Selamat, M.H., 2014. An examination of consumer's attitude towards corporate
social responsibility (CSR) web communication using media richness theory. Procedia-Social
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