International Marketing Analysis: Unilever's Global Strategy

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Unilever's international marketing strategies, examining its competitive advantages, market structure, and the challenges it faces in a globalized environment. The report delves into market trends, including the impact of digital advancements, changing consumer preferences, and economic factors, providing a detailed overview of the external and internal factors influencing Unilever's performance. It assesses Unilever's product and market focus, competitive positioning, and strategic marketing challenges, such as competition and the need to adapt to diverse cultural and legal environments. The report also offers recommendations for developing a sustainable long-term global marketing strategy, emphasizing the importance of market segmentation, promotional activities, and adapting to the changing market dynamics. The analysis covers key elements like political, economic, legal, technological, and cultural factors affecting the business and the need for companies to adapt their strategies accordingly. The report also highlights the importance of understanding consumer behavior and creating growth within budget constraints, alongside creating digital strategies and making products to satisfy customers' needs. Overall, the report offers a strategic perspective on Unilever's international marketing efforts, providing insights into its current position and future prospects.

international marketing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
Section 1 ..........................................................................................................................................3
Trends in environment and market..............................................................................................3
Market structure for sector .........................................................................................................5
Section 2 ..........................................................................................................................................6
Summary of product and market focus .......................................................................................6
Basis of current competitive advantage ......................................................................................6
Strategic marketing challenges ...................................................................................................7
Section 3 ..........................................................................................................................................8
Recommendations .......................................................................................................................8
Implementations actions .............................................................................................................9
.......................................................................................................................................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
International marketing refers to doing business which involves, plans are
made regarding how to make product, promotion, price and place. It is
important to make strategies so that they can do business in other countries
(Morgan, Feng and Whitler, 2018). There are some types of international
marketing such as, export, licensing, franchising, joint venture and foreign
direct investment. In report, trends in the environment, market structure for
sector which includes, spread of products, customer segmentation,
competitive positioning is described. Summary of product and market focus
is described. Basis of current competitive advantage and strategic marketing
challenges, competition which is to be face in international market. Some
recommendations are given and implementation actions which help in
building competitive advantage.
Unilever is a public limited company which was founded in the year 1929.
It’s headquarter is in London, England. Founders of company are, Lever
brother, William Lever and James Darcy Lever. It serves all over the world,
products are being purchased by people across nation and it is one of the
famous organisations. It provides products such as, food items, coffee,
breakfast cereal, water and air purifiers, beauty products and many others.
Section 1
Trends in environment and market
In this digital world, trends are changing rapidly so, it is difficult for
managers to make products according to need of customers. There are many

trends which are affecting development of an organisation such as,
communication barrier, transportation problem, increasing population,
changes in choices of customers and technology are also changing (Cateora
and et.al., 2020). These are some trends which are present in the
environment affecting development of company. Managers of company has
to face many challenges so that they can satisfy needs of customers and it
will lead to generating more profit. Managers of Unilever company are facing
many problems and trying to find solutions so that they can make better
products than competitors. It will help in gaining competitive advantage and
more revenue will be generated.
There are internal and external factors which affect development of
company such as, political, economic, legal, technological, cultural etc.
These factors affect performance of an organisation and managers has to
make plans for development of firm.
 Political factors refer to tax policy, tariff barriers, trade barrier and
other restrictions which are imposed by government. When a firm want
to expand its business in international market then they have to make
rules and regulations according to that. Managers of Unilever company
should make plans or strategies so that they can face challenges and
government policies are uncontrollable but some steps should be
taken or plans must be made for facing challenges.
 Economic factor refers to interest rate, law policies, wages,
government activities and other. This will affect performance of an

organisation because if a firm want to expand its business, then they
have to make plans according to that. Managers of Unilever company
have to face problems while expanding their business (Hult and et.al.,
2018).
 Legal factor is also affecting development of company as in different
countries laws and regulations vary. So, if managers of Unilever
company want to expand their business in international market, then
they have to conduct market analysis to identify that what rules they
have to made. It is important to apply rules to maintain safe and
healthy environment in organisation.
 Technological factor means to apply new machines or techniques so
that good quality products can be made. When an organisation wants
to expand its business in international market then they should use
new technology to make new and innovative products which will help
in entering into new market and better products can be made. If a
company will not use the latest technique, then it will be difficult to
attract more people. It is not possible for managers of Unilever
company to invest in purchasing new techniques because it requires
huge amount of investment. So, this is a barrier for development of
company because changing new technology is not possible.
 Cultural factor is another issue which will affect development of
company because employees are recruited from different area and
there is difference in their language, culture, tradition (Donthu and

et.al., 2021). So, it is difficult for managers to solve conflicts among
workers and they will face problem.
There are some internal factors which are present within the
organisation and it can be controlled by managers but if they are not
controlled then it may affect performance of company. To identify internal
factors, swot analysis should be done, which means strengths, weakness,
opportunity and threats must be identified. It will help in making better plans
and goals of organisation will be accomplished.
Market structure for sector
Unilever is one of the well- known brand and people like its products. It is
important to make plans or strategies better than competitors to gain
competitive advantage and it will help in generating more profit. A firm
should first build good image in local market and then make plans for
expansion in international market. Products of Unilever company are
available all over the world and they are making innovative products to
capture wide area. Marketing of a product should be good so that more
customers are attracted and it will lead to earning more revenue. There are
different tools available for promotion of products such as, advertisement
can be given in newspaper, social media so that people can get information
about new products (Agwu and Onwuegbuzie, 2018). Nowadays, people are
more active on social networking sites so this is the best way to attract
customers and wide area can be covered. It is important to promote products
to increase sales of company and more revenue can be generated.

Customer segmentation refer to divide people on the basis of location,
area, behaviour. There are some types of segmentation like, behavioural,
psycho graphic, demographic, geographic. When a firm enters into
international market, they have to attract customers so they should divide
market according to location, choice and taste of customers. It will be easy
to capture a wide area and to earn more revenue. It is important to make
plans or strategies according to choice of customers and it will hep in making
good quality products and more profit can be earned (Farrell, 2020).
In this fast- moving world, competition is increasing day by day so
managers of Unilever company should make plans to enter into new market.
It is crucial that better plans should be made by competitors to gain
competitive advantage in market and it will be easy for them to enter into
new market or expand business in international market. It is the
responsibility of managers to handle all issues and solve problems of
customers. Marketing should be good so that more people are attracted and
it will help in generating more profit.
Section 2
Summary of product and market focus
Managers of Unilever company want to attract people and they should
use promotional activities to increase sales of company. It is the

responsibility of managers to focus on competitors present in the market.
They should make plans or strategies for development of an organisation. It
is important to focus on satisfying needs of customers and provide them
good quality products. They are spending money for buying products and
they want quality products (Baack, Czarnecka and Baack, 2018). Managers
of Unilever company should conduct market analysis to identify strengths,
weakness, opportunity and threats. This will be beneficial in growth of
company and better products can be made. It is essential to determine
opportunities and threats for growth and development of organisation. When
a firm want to enter into international business then they should identify
weak points of company and also positive points so that plans can be made
according to that.
Opportunity for Unilever company is that they make new and unique
products to satisfy need of customers and they are providing better quality
products to people. It is essential to determine threats such as, competition,
other firms which are providing similar type of products. There are many
competitors present in market and managers of Unilever company has to
face challenges and they have to make plans for growth of organisation.
When good quality products are provided to customers at reasonable price
then more customers are attracted (Lu, Scholz and Nguyen, 2018).
Basis of current competitive advantage
Basis of current competitive advantage are, cost leadership,
differentiation and focus. These are basis by which an organisation can gain

competitive advantage and they can generate more profit. There are many
competitors present in market who are making better products and have the
ability to attract more people. So, managers are responsible for making plans
or strategies so that they can focus on satisfying needs of customers and it
will help in achieving goals and objectives of company. A firm should focus
on how to accomplish targets and teach employees to perform well. There
are six factors of competitive advantage such as, quality, price, location,
speed, service and selection (Katsikeas, 2018). Managers of an organisation
must focus on these factors to gain competitive advantage in market and
more people will buy products. To enter into an international market, it is
important that good quality products should be made and provide to
customers at reasonable rate.
These are some ways by which people are attracted and it helps in
building good image in market. Before entering into international market,
managers should conduct market survey to identify choice of customers and
make products according to that. It will help in satisfying needs of people
and better-quality products can be made. It is important to focus on demand
of customers and prices should be kept low as compared to competitors so
that more profit can be generated and it will help in increasing revenue of
organisation. Different products should be made to attract customers and
make plans better than competitors. Quality of product must be good, prices
should be kept low, location should be decided by managers so that
employees can come safely (Morgan and et.al., 2019). Good services must

be provided to customers like, when online shopping is done by people then
delivery of products should be on time. It is important to make strategies so
that more customers can be attracted and quality of products must be made.
Managers of Unilever company were applying penetration pricing strategy to
attract more customers.
Strategic marketing challenges
There are many threats and opportunities for Unilever company which
they have to face. Threats can be competitors who are present in market
and an organisation has to make plans or strategies for growth of company.
It will help in increasing profit and employees will perform well. Managers of
company should identify market policies and according to that make plans
must be made. It is important to identify competitors and their policies so
that better plans can be made and it will help in attracting more people
(Mogaji, Maringe and Hinson, 2020). When a firm enters into new market
then they have to face many challenges like, competitors strategies, pricing
policy they are using and other issues. It is crucial to determine strategies
which are being applied by competitors to make better plans and it will help
in influencing more people.
Some challenges which is faced by managers while expanding their
business in international market are, lack of fundamental marketing
knowledge, demonstrating marketing's value, understanding behaviour of
consumers, creating growth on budget, making digital strategic, determining
choice of customers and making products according to that to satisfy needs

of customers. Managers of Unilever company want to expand their business
in international market and for that they have to make plans and strategies
so that goals and objectives can be accomplished. It is important to identify
choice of consumers to make good quality products and it will be beneficial
in increasing sales of company and helps in building good image in market.
When entering into new market there are some challenges which are faced
by managers such as, tariff barriers, administrative policies, change in norms
and ethics, difference in exchange rates, political instability of environment
(Dzamic and Kirby, 2018).
When a firm enters into new market then they have to make new rules
and regulations, policies and procedures are changed because in different
countries, there is change in tradition, culture, language and policies also
vary. Unilever company faces problem because they have to attract new
customers and want to build good image in minds of customers. In different
countries there is change in policies and working pattern of employees.
There is difference in currency rates and salary structure, communication
difference among workers and this creates issue. Managers of company
should identify choice of customers and how much they can spend to buy a
particular product. It is important to determine trends in market and they
should make plans for development of organisation. It is essential to identify
needs of customers and make products according to that. When a firm want
to enter into new market then they have to make plans so that needs of
customers can be satisfied and it will help in achieving goals of organisation

(Sham and et.al., 2021). There are many challenges which managers have to
face while expanding their business in international market such as, change
in rules and regulations, policies and procedures, tariff barriers, trade
restriction, difference in tax rates, culture and language is different. All these
issues are to be handled by mangers and they have to manage all activities
at the workplace.
Section 3
Recommendations
When an organisation enters into new market then they have to face
many problems or challenges. It is not easy to expand business in
international market because there is difference in language, culture, rules
and regulations, policies and procedures. To develop a sustainable
competitive advantage an organisation has to follow some steps such as,
understand market segments, develop an understanding of what consumers
want, work out key areas which will help in increasing sales of company.
Understand strengths, weakness, opportunity and threats so that better
plans can be made and it will help in generating more profit. Design your
business model and identify plans of competitors. This will help in making
better plans from competitors and goals can be achieved.
Before entering into new market, managers of Unilever company
should determine choice of customers and make strategies according to
that. It is essential to understand strengths and weakness of an organisation
so that it will be easy to enter into international market. Managers should