Instructions:
Based on logical Situation Analysis in assessment 1, you are required to develop a 2-month effective marketing communications campaign plan report for the period June to July 2023. Please note that you need to develop the campaign plan report for the same brand, product or service offering you chose for your assessment 1. Please make sure that you apply relevant marketing communications concepts, theories and models, as appropriate.
- Introduction
Based on Situation Analysis from your presentation material of assessment 1, briefly explain the purpose of your marketing communications campaign plan.
- Marketing communications objectives (Where do we want to go?)
Please set quantifiable communications and sales objectives using appropriate metrics, KPIs and time scales based on chosen scenario. You may apply the SMART principle in setting objectives. Provide a rationale for choosing specific figures or percentages and also explain how your objectives were derived from your context analysis. Distinguish between the current- and desired- level of communications objectives by setting metrics e.g., to increase brand awareness from 10% (cite a source here) to 20% over a 2-month period from June to July 2023. Similarly, distinguish between the current- and desired- level of sales objectives by setting metrics, e.g., to increase market share from 5% (cite a source here) to 12% over a three-month period from June to July 2023.
- Marketing communications strategy- STDP strategy (How do we get there?)
STDP stands for Segmentation, Targeting, Differentiation and Positioning. You need to craft a marketing communications strategy explaining the key components of your strategy.
Explain the basis for market segmentation. You may apply geo-demographic classification by referring to ACORN, VALS, MOSAIC or other published sources, as appropriate.
Identify specific target audiences for your marketing communications, e.g., new customers, existing customers, lapsed customers, competitor’s customers, etc.
Buyer persona- you need to develop buyer persona for your chosen target audience providing relevant details of your buyer persona. Explain how your chosen brand, product or service offering meet the needs of your target audience. Your buyer persona need to reflect diverse cultures.
Compare and contrast the point of parity (POP) and point of difference (POD) of your chosen brand, product or service offering against its direct competitors. Doing such a comparison, will enable you to identify specific and targeted value proposition i.e., unique selling proposition (USP) or emotional selling proposition (ESP).
You need to prepare your own perceptual map distinguishing between the current and desired positioning of your brand, product or service offering. Explain how your perceptual map has been derived from the situation analysis.
- Creative strategy (How do we get there?)
Explain clearly your message strategy such as key messages, mandatory guidelines, etc.
Explain your creative idea, creative appeal and execution strategy and provide details of how your creative idea and execution have been derived from the context analysis and campaign objectives. Please note that execution refers to the way in which your creative idea/ concept is visually and verbally executed.
- Promotion mix and media selection (How exactly do we get there?)
5.1 Assess the communication environment based on category spending, available media mix, competitive parity in relation to share of market and share of voice (how much a company should be heard/seen compared to its competitors.
5.2 Define specific sub-target groups within your main target groups. You need to classify subgroups not only based on age but more importantly on other criteria such as product preferences, media consumption habits. etc. You need to clarify how your subgroups are related to your target audiences.
5.3 Set quantifiable media objectives and demonstrate how each media objective is related to each marketing communication objective i.e., communications objective and sales objective. You may set your media objectives based on reach, frequency, Gross Reach Point, etc. For example, to achieve your desired level of brand awareness how many people from your sub-groups do you need to reach and how frequently do you intend to reach them?
5.4 Explain and justify your choice of promotion mix (e.g., advertising, public relations, sales promotion, etc.) and media mix. Here, you need to justify that your subgroups interact with your chosen media mix and media vehicles. You need to consider the full range of available traditional and media tools and channels. You may present your promotion mix and media choice by form (e.g., promotion tool- advertising, media class- broadcast, channel-TV and vehicle – X Factor in Channel 4). You may use a table to demonstrate the link between your specific marketing communication objective (communication objectives and sales objective), media objective, chosen subgroups, stages of consumer decision process (e.g., creating awareness, knowledge, liking, purchase, etc.) and media choice.
- Campaign implementation (How exactly do we get there?)
Using a Gantt chart illustrate the weekly activities in relation to specific promotion tool, media channels and vehicles deployed. Please explain key contents of the Gantt chart.
- Measures of campaign outcomes (How do we monitor performance-Are we getting there?)
Build in a review process to your campaign plans and set control systems that let you know whether you are on target to achieve the marketing communications objectives (communications objectives and sales objectives) you set earlier and schedule for regular monitoring. Explain how you intend to achieve your communication and sales objectives within two months by setting weekly key performance indicators (KPIs). Also, explain your contingency plans.
- Setting indicative campaign budget
Set indicative budget for the creative strategy, media mix, campaign implementation, monitoring performance and contingency plans. Please justify your allocation of specific budget.