Comprehensive Marketing Analysis of Superdrug PLC Operations

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the marketing strategies and functions employed by Superdrug PLC, a leading UK health and beauty retailer. The report begins with an introduction to the importance of marketing in the current competitive landscape, followed by an examination of the key roles and responsibilities of the marketing function within Superdrug. It delves into the company's approach to understanding customer needs, tracking market trends, and managing brand values. The report also explores the interrelation between the marketing function and other functional units of the organization, such as HR and finance, highlighting the importance of coordination and communication. Furthermore, it covers the use of various marketing tools, including digital platforms, to enhance sales and customer engagement. The analysis includes Superdrug's strategic marketing plans, budget management, and the calculation of ROI. Finally, the report provides insights into how Superdrug can improve its sales processes and customer relationships. This report is contributed by a student to be published on Desklib, a platform which provides all the necessary AI based study tools for students.

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
Marketing Essentials.....................................................................................................................1
Introduction .....................................................................................................................................3
Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function Super drug PLC......................................4
Marketing functions and their interrelation with other functional units of the organization......6
Comparison between super-drug and AstraZeneca.....................................................................8
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................10
7p of the marketing plan of Superdrug company......................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................13
References..................................................................................................................13

Introduction
Marketing is the lifeline of any business as without marketing the products which a business produces will not
be sold so to increase the sale the organizations have to study the new techniques and strategies which could be
applied to increase the sales of the organization. The importance of marketing has been evaluated due to rise in
competition in the market as it had forced the marketers to innovate their business strategies which gave their
main emphasis on marketing skills to ensure the right delivery of the product. In this report there is a in depth
study about Super-drug which is UK's second largest health care and beauty products retail company. Super
drug was established in 1964,UK which is a retail store chain all over UK and dome other countries with the
help of its online store. The company has analyzed they need of evaluating the market trends and focused on
marking strategies to ensure consumer satisfaction and profit maximization, consumer retention and consumer
loyalty is the major aspect of the company which they need to solve. This report give a detail study about all the
market essential which an analysts need to analyze while preparing new marketing strategies for Super-drug to
ensure that the company reaches its set objectives effectively and efficiently.
Key roles and responsibilities of marketing function Super drug PLC.
Super-drug is one of the largest retailer of health and beauty products in U.K. Super-drug has many supermarket
stores situated in U.K. The marketing function is followed effectively for the success of the organization. And
also for the Super-drug for the success of their organization and the key responsibilities of the marketing
function for the success of the super-drug.
Roles and Responsibilities of the marketing Function
1. Listening to customer needs
To become leading company and compete with other companies in health and beauty industries. The super drug
needs t o prepare plan according to customers needs. The super-drug needs to know what customer want from
them type of product customer wants to consume. Super-drug needs to get customer feedback on their recent

products with the help of feedback's the changes were made in their product. The company can conduct surveys
for both internal and external departments of the companies the information gathered from the departments help
super drug to prepare the strategies for their product in future
(Babin B.J. and Zikmund W.G. 2015.). Due to increasing use of the internet and social media the super-drug
can conduct surveys online that help them to engage with large number of customers.
2.Track trends and monitor competition
The super-drug needs to know their position in the market to maintain their company in the market. The
company needs to know the trend in the market about different products and services. The super-drug needs to
analyze the products of their competitors in the markets and their strategies of marketing their product the
customers they are aiming for the success of their business this analyze required to prepare a plan for marketing
products of super-drug. The super-drug needs to know the errors done by the competitors in their products and
try to skip those errors of the competitors.
3. Work and brand values
The brand image and the value of the company effects the success of its products and services in the market.
The super-drug needs to prepare their product according to customers wants and their brand image in the market
without any compromise with quality of the product. The marketing department of the super-drug has to prepare
the strategies for their product that suites the image of the brand. The marketing departments need to be careful l
while preparing strategies for their business.
4. Searching for new marketing tools
The marketing department of Super-drug needs various tools for marketing their products. Marketing tools are
required to minimize the workload of employees and helps to analyze the different trends in the market.
Nowadays social media and digital market platforms are increasing day by day. The super-drug can use these
tools for the success of their business(Baker M.J. and Saren M eds 2016). The digital marketing helps super-
drug to expand their business at large scale and cover a large part of the market.
5. Coordinate efforts with marketing partners of the company
The other partners of the business in marketing department must be work coordinately with their efforts in the
success of the business. The other partners are publishers, journalists, inventors are coordinate effectively to
achieve the objectives of the business. The super-drug needs to bring coordination in their sales department,
marketing, advertisers, designers, marketing agents for the smooth working of the organization and achieve the
objectives of the business.
6. Innovate
The marketing department of super-drug needs to think creatively and bring innovation in their products. The
customers mindset to be analyzed by the marketers. The marketing departments needs to bring new offers on
the new products to increase the sale of a new product. Different offerings on the products are given to

customers, provide extra discounts to permanent customers to retain customers. The surveys and conversion
with the customers about the company needs to be improved.
7. Communicate with the rest of the company
The marketing department of super-drug needs to communicate with all other departments of the company like
production department, financial departments. The coordination and effective communication with these
department helps marketing department to market the products. If financial department of the Super-drug are
working effectively and spending the funds on the basis of requirements and marketing department wasting a
large amount of funds on advertising the products(Bhatt R.K. and Gupta D 2018). Then it will effect the success
of the business to achieve the objectives of the business.
8. Help improve sales process and customers
The marketing department needs to know their customers and their need from the product. The super-drug try to
analyze the customers need with help of all the other departments of the company who have a contact with
customers can work coordinately for the success of the business.
9. Manage marketing budgets and calculate ROI of the company
The super-drug needs marketing of their product and for marketing they need funds. The marketing department
need to analyze the return on the investment of their marketing activities and with the help of the analysis the
plan for the budget of marketing is prepared in the business. The super-drug needs to plan for where they are
going to invest money in digital marketing or traditional marketing.
10. Define strategic marketing plans
The super-drug needs to prepare their plan for the success of their business. The plan is prepared in the basis of
the competitors product in the market analyzing the target market where super-drug is going to market their
product. Strategic plans are prepared on the basis of sources available to the business. The plans are prepared on
the basis of the strength of the different departments of the business.
Marketing functions and their interrelation with other functional units of the organization
Marketing is important for each and every business its is required to prepare strategies for the companies
product and services for effective working to achieve the goals of the business.
Marketing with HR
Marketing and HR both are important for the business both needs to be effective for the success of the business.
Marketing is done to introduce the product and attract the customers towards the product and HR is done
towards the human resource available in the business(Campbell R Martin C and Fabos B 2018). Both the
department of the business needs to be coordinate effectively for the success of the business. Marketing and HR
both the departments are important for each other.
Influencing behavior

The behavior of both employees and customers are different from each other and marketing and HR
departments of Super-drug needs to work coordinately towards the success of the business. The HR of the
Super-drug will influence the employees towards the work for achievement of goals. the HR can use different
type of activities like demotion, promotion, motivation to influence the employees. The marketing influence the
customers to buy the product of super-drug. For marketing the company can use different marketing tools like
digital marketing, telemarketing, email marketing.
Solve the conflicts
The HR of the super-drug works to solve the conflicts in an organization. But when the conflicts arises between
HR and marketing department due to their different work cultures and different process to solve the problems.
Both the department need to solve the conflicts for the smooth working in the business.
Benefits of consumerization
marketing and HR work together for the success of the business the teamwork of both of them helps business to
achieve objectives(Eng P 2017). The HR department concentrate over the employees in the organization and
their association with marketing help them to provide the employees information about the situation of a
product in a market, effectiveness of their brand with the help of evaluation programs, training session. And
with connections with marketing department HR department can share the values and mission of the Super-drug
with customers because marketing department has a close contact with the customers.
Building the team
Both HR and marketing department needs tom concentrate over building a effective team for the success of
super-drug . Both departments need to conduct meetings and the problems related to the organization function
or any conflict arises in an organization then the problems are solved in the meetings and strategies to achieve
the objectives of the business are prepared.
Use of digital platforms
Marketing and HR both can use social media to promote their services, The HR department promote the vision ,
mission , culture , goals and achievements of the business to customers as well as the employees of the
organization. The marketing department can promote the products and services provided by the organization to
engage the customers towards the organization products.
Share data
The success of the business depends on the effectiveness of its departments. The HR and marketing department
of super-drug can share data with each other HR department provide the information from employees about the
working and effectiveness of products to customers and marketing department provides information gathered
from customer about their need and wants from the product.
Marketing with finance
Finance is one of the most important function of the organization. Without finance the organization is not able
to work effectively(Lane P 2016). Marketing needs finance for the smooth working of their business without

funds they are not able to perform all required marketing activities. Marketing helps in earning funds for the
business due to effective marketing of the products the customers come to purchase the product this will
increases the funds for the customers.
Skills required
Marketing and finance department both required the skills for development of their business. The marketing
needs skills to promote the product and engage the customers to the products. The finance require skills to
develop the products and effective use of funds in other departments of the business.
Performance report
The market report is required to analyze the success and failure of the business. The market report is prepared to
analyze the effectiveness of the product of super-drug and on market research, consumer surveys, sales and
purchase of the product. The finance report is prepared on the basis cost incurred on the business and flow of
funds in an organization and profit and loss statement of the business.
Revenue generate and effective use of revenue
The marketing department of Super-drug helps them to generate revenue for their business(Rowley J.E 2017.) .
The effective marketing of the products and services of the business helps them to engage the customers with
their business. The revenue earn by the effective marketing used by the finance department of the business for
the success of the organization.
Marketing with research and development
The marketing is essential for each and every business. Research and development helps organization to gather
information about their customers and what they want their needs and their preference. The research helps
businesses to analyze the competitors product and market trends.
Improved efficiency
The marketing department increase revenue for the business and research and development department of
business helps marketing to invest in a productive way(Larson J and Draper S 2015). The research and
development department helps all the department of the business to provide instructions to invest in particular
activity.
To prepare strategies
The research and development department of the business helps marketing department to prepare the strategies
for their marketing activities. The R&D department analyze the market and competitors and provide guidelines
to the marketing departments about the areas to invest for the success of the business.
Comparison between super-drug and AstraZeneca
Basis Super-drug AstraZeneca
Introduction Super-drug is one of the top The AstraZeneca is one of the

retailers in U.K. The super-
drug retail in health and beauty
products. The Super-drug
owns 900 shops in all over the
U.K. The employees in super-
drug working around 14000.
The super-drug also owns
some of the pharmacies in the
U.K. Before super-drug it is
known as gold stein brothers.
Founded in 1964 and revenue
around 1.20 billion.
multinational pharmaceutical
companies in U.K. The
astrazeneca provide medicines
like cancer, respiratory,
gastrointestinal. The
AstraZeneca founded on 1999
its one of the largest
pharmaceutical companies all
over world. The AstraZeneca
revenue is around 22.090
billion.
Price The super-drug is one of the
leading companies in U.K.
There goal is to reduce the
price and increase the quality
of their product(Malhotra N.K
2015). The pricing of the
products of super-drug can be
done with the help of
analyzing cost of production,
marketing
The Astrazeneca is one of the
leading companies in U.K . the
prices of the products of the
Astrazeneca is higher than
products of other companies.
In recent years the
AstraZeneca announces the
rise in the prices of their
products.
Place The place is where the
products of the manufacturer is
stored and delivered to the
customer when required. The
place is a location of a
business Super-drug have
around 900 stores some of
them are in horse fair center,
west Yorkshire, kings mall
hammer smith, London,
The AstraZeneca is one of the
bid drug companies of U.K.
And branches around Molndal,
Sweden. The places are the
physical appearance of the
business.
Products The product is a physical item
for a customer that he buys.
The AstraZeneca is one of
biggest companies in the world

The products is an
identification of a company.
The super-drug has a products
like chickenpox vaccines they
provide products like skin care
and makeup, hair removal and
facials.
but their products represent the
value of their brand. The
AstraZeneca provide products
like medicines for anesthetics,
cardiovascular, diabetes,
gastrointestinal, Infectious
diseases, respiratory.
Promotion The tools that are used for
marketing their products in the
market(Muralidharan K and
Raval N 2017). The super-drug
wants to increase the customer
interaction and build more
clients fir the success of their
business then they needs a
effective team and marketing
tools for their products and
services. The super-drug
started a campaign take
another look for the
development of the company.
The AstraZeneca is one of the
leading company and each and
every person knows about it
but still they also need
marketing of their product for
the success of their business.
The AstraZeneca starrts doing
advertising over online
platforms and digital media.
The online advertising of their
products is required to engage
large number of customers
with the company.
Physical evidence The physical evidence shows
the place where a company
operates. The physical
evidence shows the buildings,
website or product, equipments
which are used for a business
to achieve its goals and
objectives
The physical evidence is a
place where a company
operates. The physical
evidence shows the presence
of the company may be online
or offline.
People People is a person who are
involved in the working of the
organization(Nirschl M and
Steinberg L 2018). People
includes the employees
The people is one of the most
important function people
includes the buyers and sellers
and customers of the
organization. To meet the

working in the organization.
The super-drug have
employees around 14000. the
customer are also considered
in people of the organization.
consumer needs and
expectation of the consumers
Process Process is working of a
company. Super-drug form
their products in different
sources of the business. Their
are number of people in the
organization.
The process shows the process
from manufacturing to the
formation of the product in the
business.
INTRODUCTION
Business Tactics a well as strategies
strategies of the company like Superdrug have central aim is to meet the business goals of a firm(Perreault
W.D 2018). It requires to communicate the staff properly as well as discuss with them goals and objectives
with individuals and also with team goals. It also needed budgeting,monitoring as well as measurement of
special performance.
Tactics 1 Clarify vison,mission as well as overarching goals.
Superdrug company could take stock of all the issues that may be either helps or interfere progress of the
company. Senior managers of the company can capture staff members,shareholder to recognize the strengths as
well as weakness ,opportunities and threats. Sometimes it's a wise decision to give the priorities to the
customers 's feedback ,as every from future depends on its capacity to handle their consumers better rather than
their competitors. Thus, it is considered as the depth analysis of the from outside that what is essential for the
right course within changing world.
Managers(Senior)
Special tasks of the business objectives are divided among the senior managers of the Superdrug company .It is
totally based on the department,business function and also the products and services. One particular manager
delegate elements within an objective. They can make the operational strategies as well as business plans to
recognizes the activities and tasks that are ceded to complete the objectives. It usually involves assigning teams
as well as individuals to delegate particular components of the delegated tasks of the business objectives.
Individuals
Tactics 2 -By measuring the progress

Once the primary goals of the Superdrug company is established than the firm can make sure to develop
strategies to accomplish them(Pike S 2015.) . To develop concrete metrics for each and every strategy will
make allow them to track the progress of the firm.
Here Retain the best Strategy is used
Superdrug can retain the performance each and every task at every level by giving a challenging environment
with the more opportunities to grow faster.
Performance metrics: Staff member's retention
Existing performance: 75%
Pacesetter:85%
Tactics 3- Shift long-term goal into short terms goals.
After the clear cut goals,metrics as well as strategies this is time when firm needs to fill the gaps between the
existing performance and the benchmark.
Tactics 4 To get everybody on Board
Once the Drugsdtore company can find of tactical plan regarding the upcoming year that there is a requirement
of firm to use a concept called Time span of control.
Management team of Superdrug team ca deliver 4 best quarters to accomplish the annual objectives.
Their team can deliver 2 good months in every good quarter.
Each staff members has to deliver 5 good days each and every week.
Tactics 5: Follow the result oriented management control program
After making the winning strategies as well as management control plan there must be done work according to
get the best results
Here each manger of the Super drug company can develop the process as well as scorecard within time span
control.
7p of the marketing plan of Superdrug company.
Product-It considers that what kind of products sell by the company. As super drug is pharmaceutical company
as well as beauty products. it sells the medicines also including its features ,benefits that the consumers can get
relief while buying the goods as well as services. Superdrug products are free from animal testing as it also
produces its own logo I.e is cruelty free log
Price-This came under the pricing strategy of the company used low pricing strategy as it will attract the
customers .As in United Kingdom many companies grab the customers by using low price strategy so
Superdrug also follow the same strategy and also provide huge sale on the festive season.
Promotion- Supedrug can used the promotional strategies. such as through the online website or social
platform such as Facebook ,you tube(Puddle T 2015). . Firm also used the recognized face to promote their
promotion such as famous stars as stars are idea l of the people, so they can promote their products .

People- For Superdrug company if the organization wants to effectively grow in the market, then it has to give
the best customer service. By creating the positive experience among the consumers the company could
definitely able to establish a reputed brand name in the market. Thus , existing customer's will tends to spread
the positive review of the product and this will increase the brand value among the costumers. Through
recruiting the right people for right job and also provide training to the staff members of the company
Superdrug can give the competitive advantage to their business. Superdrug was launch a campaign “to take
another look” so that it encourage the customers.
Process-Process involved means the process are involved to deliver the products as well as services to the
consumers .Superdrug included the process called online delivery options. Here people can buy the products
online with their debit or credit cards or the cash on delivery payment methods. They also provide the discounts
when customers choose the online payment methods.
Place-Place is considered as where the products as well as services are seen ,sold as well as
distributed .Superdrug company can sell or distributed its products all over the united kingdom through retailer
store .
Physical evidence-It involves the packaging, branding ,layout or interior deign as well as physical environment
where organization could provide products as well as services. First impression is last impression .Here from
within the 30 sec customers seeing the firm or people .Superdrug as more impressive building so that when the
customers came to their office than they would attracted towards it(Purvis J 2015.). They also have well-trained
staff . Packaging also refers to the people of the superdrug that how well their dressing sense is. The waiting
room of the firm is also good . Company also instructs the employees that stand properly and giver all the
answer of the customer's queries without any hesitation.
Conclusion
According to this study on super drug shows the different marketing skills, different marketing roles and
responsibility and marketing function shows like how super drug listen to there customer needs and track the
trends and monitor competition with a safeguard as the are selling the product which is related with peoples
health. marketing with human resources with the help and how they cop up with the marketing team.
Marketing and finance department both required the skills for development of their business. The marketing
needs skills to promote the product and engage the customers to the products. This study also takes Comparison
between super-drug and AstraZeneca their price, policy and strategy related to the marketing, how they
advertise their product as they are dealing with drugs and medicines.

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