Richmond University: Waitrose Digital Marketing Campaign Project

This project provides a comprehensive analysis of a digital marketing campaign for Waitrose, a British supermarket chain. The report begins with an introduction to digital marketing and its relevance to Waitrose, followed by a discussion of the digital marketing process, including research, strategy development, design, launch, measurement, and optimization. A detailed situational analysis is conducted, utilizing PESTLE and SWOT analyses to assess the external and internal environments. Porter's Five Forces are used to evaluate the competitive landscape. The project then explores the link between digital business and digital marketing strategy, highlighting how digital channels can be used to target customers, advertise, and manage customer relationships. Specific marketing objectives are formulated, focusing on increasing market share, reducing marketing costs, and improving conversion rates. An implementation plan is outlined, including audience segmentation, targeting, and positioning; the development of a marketing strategy encompassing product, price, place, and promotion; content creation; and channel selection (social media, email, and affiliate marketing). The report concludes with a budgeting section, detailing how Waitrose can allocate resources effectively across various digital marketing channels. This project is designed to provide a realistic digital marketing campaign for Waitrose, suitable for presentation to a board of directors. The assignment adheres to the guidelines set by Richmond University for their MKT 6800 module, focusing on the critical analysis and development of digital marketing strategies, emphasizing the connection between digital business and digital marketing.

Brief

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION WAITROSE.............................................................................................................3
Digital marketing process................................................................................................................3
Digital marketing campaign.............................................................................................................4
Step 1 – Situational Analysis........................................................................................................4
Step 2 – Digital business with digital marketing strategy............................................................7
Step 3 – Formulate Objectives.....................................................................................................8
Step 4 – Implementation plan.....................................................................................................8
Step 5 – Budgeting.....................................................................................................................10
Step 6 – measure the campaign................................................................................................11
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES...................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Digital marketing can be defined as encompassing all marketing efforts that utilises
electronic and digital channels and social media channels. This report aims at discussing digital
marketing and will contextualise Waitrose a brand of British supermarkets, selling groceries as
part of Britain’s largest employee owned retailer John Lewis Partnership. It was founded in
1904 and is headquartered at London, UK. It has 338 locations around UK and offers food as a
product and employs around 52590 employees. This report will discuss about digital marketing
process and later will involve creating a digital marketing campaign. Creation of digital
marketing campaign involves situation analysis, link of digital business with digital marketing
strategy and later will develop a implementation plan to achieve objectives of digital marketing
along with budgeting.
Digital marketing process
Digital marketing process involves steps that organisation undertake in order to create
and implement digital marketing. Steps of digital marketing process are as follows-
Research
This is first step in process of digital marketing and this step involves undertaking
research regarding potential customers. Research also involves identifying several factors in
environment of business that can affect digital marketing and its success (Saini, 2017).
Digital marketing strategy
Digital marketing strategy involves determination of different elements related to digital
marketing. This involve determination of channels, determination of content to be utilised and
planning complete digital marketing through which Waitrose can achieve its digital marketing
objectives.
Design and production

This is another step in digital marketing process in which Waitrose design and develops
content and strategy that it will utilise for its digital marketing. This step further involves
production of digital marketing campaign.
Launch and connect
This step involves launch of digital marketing campaign over different channels and
connecting with target audience of Waitrose (Hanlon, 2019).
Deliver and convert
This means delivering content and engaging audiences with digital marketing of
Waitrose and with Waitrose through its digital marketing. Later this involves conversion, this
means converting audience and prospects into customers.
Measurement
This is a step in which Waitrose measures its digital marketing success. This is done by
analysing actual and standard or objective performance of digital marketing.
Optimize
This is a step in which Waitrose ensures that difference between actual and standard
performance of Waitrose can be reduced and it is able to bring best results through its digital
marketing strategy (Aleksandrova Georgieva, 2017).
Digital marketing campaign
Step 1 – Situational Analysis
Pestle Analysis
Political
Political factors that affect digital marketing includes different protocols and regulations that
government impose on organisations regarding use of internet and digital channels. Waitrose

have to ensure that channels being utilised and content being delivered is right and suitable on
the basis of protocol.
Economical
Economic factors that affect digital marketing of Waitrose includes cost of digital marketing and
digital marketing resources. Another factors affecting is infrastructure development and
availability of internet and digital channels for target market (Barik and Kumar, 2018).
Social
This is a very important factor as this involves identifying which digital channel is most likely to
succeed in UK. Increasing digital channels has made it difficult to analyse success of digital
channels and their utilisation for digital marketing.
Technological
This is most important factor to consider in digital marketing. Technological development
includes technology for creating effective and attractive content, and use of different digital
channels for marketing.
Legal
This involves different regulations affecting and influencing digital marketing of Waitrose.
Digital marketing involves considering data protection, collecting and storing personal data of
users and audience. This further includes intellectual property issue and regulations governing
advertising (Barik and Kumar, 2018).
Environmental
Digital marketing has a positive influence and impact on environment because through digital
marketing using less energy Waitrose can reach to mass audience.
Swot Analysis
Strength

 Fresh quality food and own farms is one of the strength of Waitrose that it can involve
into its digital marketing to highlight its offerings
 Customer loyalty is another strength and through digital marketing company can focus
on loyal customers and also encourage others regarding benefits of loyalty
Weaknesses
 Ineffective online shopping affect overall digital marketing negatively
 Social media backlash regarding article written in magazine Waitrose kitchen
Opportunities
 Expansion of Waitrose and utilising digital marketing to gain identify and success in new
markets
 Improving online selling/ shopping of Waitrose
Threats
 Increasing competition for retail and e-commerce business
These are certain strengths and weaknesses of Waitrose regarding digital marketing and
opportunities and threats regarding digital marketing ().
Porter’s five forces
Threats of new entrants
Waitrose is a supermarket and retailer and concerned with digital marketing of Waitrose
several organisations are entering directly through digital marketing and online channels. It has
become easy for new entrants to enter into industry and because of this position of Waitrose is
weak in this aspect (Porter's Five Forces Analysis, 2020).
Threats of substitutes

There are several substitutes available for Waitrose. This means that for its digital
marketing and digital business substitute is supermarket and retail stores for groceries. This is
why position of Waitrose in this force is also weak.
Bargaining power of suppliers
There are several suppliers for supplying digital marketing and its resources and this is
why overall position of Waitrose in this force is strong. This is because bargaining power of
suppliers mainly gets affected by number of suppliers (Lewis, 2017).
Bargaining power of buyers
Bargaining power of buyer involves power of customers, in present customer focused
businesses, power of customers is high. This further gets affected by number of buyers and
number of sellers and both are high related to Waitrose. In digital marketing there are several
sellers and this is why overall position of Waitrose is at moderate level.
Industry rivalry
Increasing number of firms and increasing number of online sellers has encouraged
extensive competition and this is why industry rivalry is also strong for Waitrose and its digita
marketing (Porter's Five Forces Analysis, 2020).
Step 2 – Digital business with digital marketing strategy
Digital businesses are those businesses that utilise technology has centre of business to
create value for business mode, customers, and to support its core business activities. Waitrose
is also a digital business concerned with its e-commerce business activities. There are several
ways digital business are linked with digital marketing strategy and get benefit of digital
marketing strategy. Certain ways digital business link with digital marketing strategy are-
Targeting online customers- Using digital marketing strategy digital businesses can target
customers those who are engaged on digital or online channels. Online customers are more
likely to utilise services of digital businesses and this is possible to target them through digital
marketing strategy (Brandsma, 2018).

Social media advertisements- This is another way in which digital marketing strategy and digital
businesses are linked with each other. This means that Waitrose can utilise social media
channels to advertise about Waitrose and its services. This helps in increasing visibility of
Waitrose and also connects more people with Waitrose (Saini, 2017).
Electronic customer relationship management- This way digital businesses are linked with
digital marketing strategy. This means that using digital channels and different online platforms
Waitrose can manage relationship with customers. This help Waitrose in directly and effectively
connect with its customers and this helps them in managing relationship with customers and
this encourages loyalty of customers (Hanlon, 2019).
Step 3 – Formulate Objectives
 Increasing market share of Waitrose by 10% by 2021 through online sales (Online sales
is that in which Waitrose sale its product through website of Waitrose and through this
company aims at increasing market share)
 Decreasing cost of digital marketing by 15% by 2021 by increasing efficient utilisation of
digital marketing channels (this means that company employs effective strategies on
less digital channels reducing cost and increasing customers)
 Increasing conversion rate by 15% in 2021 (conversion rate can be increased by giving
seamless experience to customers on different digital marketing channels of Waitrose)
Step 4 – Implementation plan
Determination and understanding of audience
In order to determine and understand audience for digital marketing Waitrose requires
segmentation, targeting and positioning of audience and potential customers.
Segmentation
Segmentation involves segmenting customers on the basis of their identical characteristics.
Waitrose utilises segmentation on the basis of demographic, psychographic, geographic and
behavioural basis (Saura, Palos-Sanchez and Rodríguez Herráez, 2020).

Targeting
Targeting strategy of Waitrose is differentiated targeting strategy. In this strategy Waitrose
provide different products for its different customer segments (Verhoef and Bijmolt, 2019).
Positioning
Waitrose has positioned company based on quality based positioning strategy. Waitrose
provide high quality products to customers and this is basis of positioning of Waitrose in its
target market (Saura, Palos-Sanchez and Rodríguez Herráez, 2020).
Determination of goals and objectives
This is concerned with determination of goals and objectives that company wants to
achieve through its digital marketing strategy. Goals and objectives of Waitrose has been
discussed above.
Developing marketing strategy
Product
Product of Waitrose involves wide range of products in groceries to meet requirements of
different types of customers. Products of Waitrose also involve products of its own brands and
products of Waitrose are of high quality. Other than this, certain stores of Waitrose are
designed to meet requirements of high-class customers. Products of Waitrose also get affected
by strategy and products of its customers (Dizdarevic, Evanschitzky and Backhaus, 2020).
Price
Price strategy of Waitrose is value based price strategy in this strategy. This price strategy is
based on customers’ perceived value of product and service. Other than this, Waitrose also
change its price on the basis of expected customers on the basis of different regions. Price also
differs in its online product availability (Baltes, 2016).
Place

Concerned with place Waitrose has its services available at 338 locations around UK and further
product and services of Waitrose are also available online. This is digital marketing of Waitrose
(Dizdarevic, Evanschitzky and Backhaus, 2020).
Promotion
Promotion of Waitrose takes place in newspaper, and media and other than this promotion of
Waitrose also appears on digital channels. This means that Waitrose utilises digital marketing
and promotional strategy. Channels that Waitrose will utilise in its digital marketing are-
 Social media
 Email marketing
 Affiliated marketing
Developing marketing content
This is another step in implementing plan for digital marketing. This involves designing
and creating content that Waitrose is likely to utilise for its digital marketing. Content play very
important role in success of Waitrose and this is why it is important that content is designed
effectively that is able to attract and engage audiences. In its content Waitrose can utilise
stories and events of Waitrose and blogs are also effective way to connect with audience
(Albee, 2018).
Employing marketing strategy
This is step in which marketing strategy of Waitrose in actually implemented on
different digital channels and platforms. This is implemented to connect with audiences and
engage them with Waitrose. Engaging customers is an important objective for employing digital
marketing strategy. Customers engagement leads them to connect with Waitrose and this
encourage them to buy products of Waitrose and this way potential customers and audience
become customers. This process is also known as conversion of audience into customers
(Vieira, V. A., and et.al. 2019).

Step 5 – Budgeting
Budgeting can be defined as process through which Waitrose determine and plans how
they will spend their financial resources. This is an important and key element of strategy of
Waitrose. This is because Waitrose determines at which channel it will spend higher resources
compared to other channels. This decision in digital marketing is based on potential success of
digital marketing channel in achievement of objectives. Other than determination and
expenditure of monetary resources on digital marketing channels, digital marketing strategy
also involves research and other practices that require financial resources of Waitrose.
Employing budget for marketing channel also involve preference of customers for certain
channels. This means that if customers can be effectively engaged with social media marketing
Waitrose required involving high financial resources for social media marketing. But in case
customers can be effectively engaged with email marketing in such case Waitrose is likely to
allocate higher budget for Email marketing (Cantador and Cortés-Cediel, 2018).
Budgeting also requires focusing on other activities like market research and developing and
creating content. Market research is a process through which company can identify preferences
and behaviour of potential customers and target market. However, other than this, certain
elements that requires consideration for budgeting digital marketing strategy involves-
 Identifying and analysing past results
 Evaluation of digital marketing options
 Goals of digital marketing
 Creation of content
 Considering requirements for attaining objectives and goals
 Channel for digital marketing
These are certain elements that Waitrose requires to consider regarding its digital marketing
budget, because these are important in success of overall digital marketing strategy (Cantador
and Cortés-Cediel, 2018).

Step 6 – measure the campaign
Measuring campaign is very important this is because measuring helps in determining
success of marketing campaign. There are several elements that can be measured and analysed
through measuring the campaign. This means identifying success of particular channels,
identifying and analysing results generated Vs result expected by digital marketing campaign of
Waitrose. Certain methods to utilise while measuring digital marketing campaign of Waitrose
are as follows-
Total sites visits – This method of measuring digital marketing is concerned with analysing total
site visits on the website of Waitrose. This outlines and suggest interest that audience and
customers have taken in Waitrose as a result of employing digital marketing strategy. Waitrose
can identify that higher websites visits indicate to success of digital marketing campaign that
lead to curious customers looking for website of Waitrose (Cantador and Cortés-Cediel, 2018).
Traffic by Source- This is another way to measure digital marketing campaign of Waitrose. This
involves identifying contribution of particular resource where Waitrose has implemented its
digital marketing campaign. Traffic by source in other words can be defined as identifying
source that lead to higher traffic on website. With help of this measure Waitrose can identify
whether Facebook contributed more traffic to website or direct search and search engine
optimisation. With help of this Waitrose can identify success of particular channel and source in
contributing traffic to website of Waitrose.
Cost per visit- This is another way to measure success of digital marketing campaign. Cost per
visit is cost that incurs in acquiring one valuable customer for Waitrose. Low cost per visit
indicates higher success of digital marketing campaign. Higher cost indicates that there are
elements that require improvement in digital marketing of Waitrose. This can be related to
content or material and this can be related to selection of channel (Laakso, 2017).
These are certain methods through which Waitrose can measure success of its digital
marketing.

CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion, it can be concluded that digital marketing has become
very important for success of organisations. This is more important for digital businesses that
are operating through technology. Report discussed about different elements of digital
marketing and digital marketing strategy. This report discussed about effect and impact of
macro environment and its factors on digital marketing and how digital marketing is linked with
digital businesses. Report further discussed and involves formulation of objectives for digital
marketing of Waitrose and this was followed by developing implementation plan to meet
objectives that has been developed for Waitrose. Report also involved and discussed about
budgeting, because budget plays important role in success of digital marketing and revenue
generated through implementing digital marketing strategy.

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