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Marketing communication objective Planning is everything when it comes to measuring your success. If you fail to plan, it’s like a sailboat in the middle of the ocean without sails; you have no clue in which direction you will be sailing. This is why developing a??marketing communication objective??is paramount to your marketing success. What is??marketing communications??without having an objective? After all, an objective is the goal intended to be attained, which should be attainable and can be measured. Objectives should also be accomplished within a time period.
Now, having said that, what specifically is a marketing communications objective? Found in both the??marcomm??plan and creative strategy statements, the marketing communication objectives are determined by problems the target or product category may encounter and any market opportunities the product has to solve to overcome these problems. Your marketing communication objective should describe what you want your target audience to??think,??feel, and??do??after they are exposed to your marketing message. It should answer the fundamental question,??”What’s in it for me? . To often, marketing messages fail to deliver the benefits the target audience will get if the target uses the companies product or service. People make purchases based on what they will receive out of the purchase or service. This is why it’s important to include the benefit the target will receive, in your marketing message. Some common marketing communication objectives include: 1. Create a brand awareness for your company 2. Defining a need the product or service can fulfill 3. Encouraging action from the target
Defining your objectives may be a challenge at first, however, once you have a clear objective, then you will be able to move forward with your marketing communication strategy. Marketing Communications Objectives: ? To successfully penetrate the Canadian QSR by generating awareness and brand building preference by 25%. ? To stimulate trail purchase by 20% and repeat purchase by 13% by offering incentives that encourage brand switching. ? To gain a 3. 5% share of the Canadian QSR market by the end of one year. ? To establish Carl’s Jr. s the new and preferred provider of the ‘classic’ style hamburger by a minimum of 10% among Canadian consumers. ? To introduce Carl’s Jr. new ‘Six dollar’ jalapeno burger and get and stimulate trial purchase of 10% by offering quantity discount incentives. Marketing Communications Strategies: The overall message to be communicated to the target audience is that Carl’s Jr. is the ‘new kid’ in the Canadian QSR market and they have a lot of new and unique meal offerings not currently found in the Canadian fast food industry. The creative plan used to deliver this message will include key points such as Carl’s Jr. xtensive menu selection, offering both ‘meaty’ burgers and sandwiches along with salads and other low carb options. Other key points will emphasize Carl’s Jr. premium offerings such as the ‘Six Dollar’ jalapeno burger, which is the first of its kind in the North American market and their innovative partial table service. The main technique used to deliver this message will include humor and controversial issues, in order to generate awareness that can later be developed into consumer demand. T. V. and radio commercials would be the most effective vehicles to deliver this message.
The media plan would include a Direct Response Plan, Interactive Communications Plan, Sales Promotion Plan and a Public Relations Plan. Creative Plan Objectives: ? To introduce Carl’s Jr. as the new style of QSR in the Canadian market. ? To communicate Carl’s Jr. extensive menu selection including light and low carb options ? To communicate Carl’s Jr. innovative partial table service ? To promote Carl’s Jr. new ‘Six Dollar’ jalapeno burger ? To position Carl’s Jr. as the QSR for men who like a lot of meat in their burgers and sandwiches. Creative Strategy Key Benefit Statement: Carl’s Jr. brings a refreshingly new style of QSR to Canadian consumers by offering both large, tasty meat filled burgers and sandwiches along with salads and other low carb options with an innovative first of its kind partial table service. Support Claims Statement: ? While leading competitors offer ‘little burgers for little dollars’, Carl’s Jr. gives you a line of meat filling burgers worth $6 for only $3. 99. Because after 60 years and over 1300 restaurants, Carl’s Jr. has become known as the place to go all across the West for juicy, delicious charbroiled burgers.
Tone and Style: The tone and style used to communicate the message would be presented in a persuasive, friendly, upbeat manner. This would reflect the personality of Carl’s Jr. restaurants while also helping to further segment the target market based on the response to the tone and style of the ads. Creative Execution: Since we recommend that a fair percent of the advertising be done with tv and radio various techniques can be used to best present Carl’s Jr. benefits to the target audience. Endorsements is a technique that Carl’s Jr. as already used somewhat successfully and could continue to do so by getting endorsements from celebrities that would be easily recognized and accepted by the target audience. This would include Lindsy Lohan, Jessica Alba and Sarah Jessica Parker who could add to the presentation with sexually blatant appeals that could be easily “confused” with benefits of the product. Such as an ad where one of the above celebrities would mention how they have met someone who gives them everything they want and keeps them satisfied with his “big…. , thick…. , so large I can barely get both hands on it….. , these references would of course be toward Carl’s Jr. and the size of their new ‘Six Dollar’ Jalapeno burger. Shaquile O’neal, and Kobe Bryant could also be used to target the segment of customers who may be more influenced by the endorsements of professional athletes and their reference to the amount of meat found in the premier burger. With this type of commercial we would also introduce taglines and slogans to complete the message. For the ad endorsed by an attractive female celebrity the tagline would be “If we can get her this HOT, imagine what we can do for you. , this would introduce the Jalapeno burger as a spicy meal to consumers who prefer a ‘kick’ to their food. The slogan used for the entire advertising campaign would be “We’re new. We’re more. And we can make it HOT. ” Media Plan Objectives: ? Who: male and female consumers between the ages of 18 ??? 25 with an average education level of a high school graduate or higher and a income level of $25000 – $65000. This also includes family consumers who typically consist of married or single parents with 1- 4 stay at home children and roughly $1300 of disposable income that is usually spent at QSR’s.
Common lifestyle characteristics include parents who work full time and who are not always able to prepare a meal for their family, house holds where 3 of the four people in a typical family do not know how to cook, consumers who spend 71% of their time or more outside the house, consumers who spend a majority of their time in busy high traffic districts of the city and teenagers between the age of 15 ??? 19 who work full or part time jobs and or go to school full time.
Consumers in this target market regularly make purchases at QSR’s 1 ??? 2 times a week and expect healthier more nutritious meal options such as specialty salads, deli style sandwiches and grilled chicken sandwiches. ? What: The overall nature of the message would be image intensive with a majority of advertisements directed toward tv, print (including coupons etc. ) and internet banners/stream videos. ? Where: The target market exists mainly in suburban areas, high traffic business districts and in some rural areas of Canada.
The weight of the media funding would be allocated primarily based on this info and population patterns. ? When: Since a majority of ads will be spent on tv, commercials would be aired Monday to Friday from 3pm to 10:30pm, playing 3, 40 second commercials in an hour. On weekends commercials would air from 11:00am to 10:00pm, 2 times an hour. ? How: By using the profile-matching strategy in all chosen forms of media Carl’s Jr. would be able to achieve the desired regional coverage needed to successfully launch into the Canadian market.
This effort combined with ‘skip’ schedule advertising will generate awareness, interest and trial purchase. Rationale for Media Selection TV was the first and most obvious choice of media, for the simple fact that most if not all of Carl’s Jr. consumers watch tv regularly. This was proven with their most recent ad campaign involving Paris Hilton. We have decided to continue with controversial sexually charged commercials. TV is also effective because of its broad range and its ability to quickly generate awareness and interest and even a response from the target market.
Print ads are image intensive and allow for the product to be convincingly displayed in a very persuasive manner. Magazine ads, inserts that initiate immediate response and outdoor billboards are print ads that are accessible to the target market and able to easily communicate why the consumer should buy our burger. Internet Banner ads and other forms of interactive communications are effective because they are measurable forms marketing, with the use of this form of media Carl’s Jr. would be able to develop databases and better segmented consumer profiles for future marketing efforts. Radio ads offer he target market more information on the descriptive features and benefits of the product such as big, juicy 1lb burger with pepper jack cheese, spicy mayo, crisp roman lettuce, red onions and jalapeno peppers on a toasted sesame seed bun. Radio ads can also be tied in with the “sexy” celebrity endorsements who can deliver the same sexually charged message followed by a detailed description of the featured burger and the benefit of knowing your getting a “full” meal. Execution: The primary medium chosen is TV, with the secondary media being print, interactive communications and radio.
TV advertisements will consist of conventional national networks (CTV, CBC, Global) and specialty channels, using $4. 9 million to make three, 40 second commercials, purchase a 12 week campaign on Prim Time tv and 16 weeks on specialty channels such as MuchMusic, TSN and Spike. Coverage will be through Network advertising, selective spot advertising and local spot advertising to ensure the best media penetration. The profile-matching strategy will direct which radio station to broadcast our ads on, $540 000 will be spent creating two commercials for a 8 week campaign. 120 000 will be spent on inserts and one ad placed in a broadsheet newspaper selected such as the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star, for a period of 4 days. $580 000 will be spent on three ads placed in 3 General Interest magazines for 3 months such as Readers Digest and Macleans. $960 000 will be spent on backlit outdoor billboards for 4 months. $ 1. 8 million will be spent on exterior kings and interior transit advertising for a period of 8 weeks. $ 125 000 will be spent on internet banner ads that are browsed by the target consumer, such as tsn. om, maxim. com and carsandwheels. com, for a period of 2 months. The entire media plan would be executed in spring as follows, first the tv campaign will be launched, followed by internet and banner ads, then newspaper inserts and ads will be launched with magazine ads, followed by the launch of outdoor billboards and transit ads which will be completed by the radio campaign. Calendar of Events: ? 05/06/06; TV campaign is launched; finishes on 08/05/06 ? 05/21/06; Internet and Banner ads launched; finishes on 07/21/06 ? 6/06/06; Newspaper inserts and ads launched; finishes on 06/10/06 ? 06/06/06; General Interest Magazine ad launch; finishes on 09/06/06 ? 07/01/06; Outdoor Billboards ads launch; finishes on 11/01/06 ? 07/01/06; Transit ads launch; finishes on 09/01/06 ? 07/20/06; Radio ads launch; finishes on 9/20/06 Budget Summary: TV advertisements = $4. 9 million Radio advertisements = $540 000 Newspaper inserts and advertisements = $120 000 General Interest Magazine advertisements = $580 000 Backlit Outdoor Billboards = $960 000
Transit advertisements = $ 1. 8 million Internet Banner advertisements = $ 125 000 Total Cost = $9 025 000 Communication is always one of the most important and vital strategic areas of an organization’s success. You can have the best or most innovative products or services, but if your internal and external communications are weak, then the demand for your products or services raises a personal flag of concern. When communicating the value of your products or services, you want to focus on how they will benefit your clients.
When planning your strategy for Integrated Marketing Communication or IMC, you want to have dialogue with your customers by inviting interaction through the coordinated efforts of content, timing and delivery of your products or services. By ensuring direction, clarity, consistency, timing and appearance of your messages, conveyed to your targeted audience, these factors will help avoid any confusion about the benefits of your brand, through the connection of instant product recognition. When looking at your marketing mix, you’re examining price, distribution, advertising and promotion, along with??customer service.
Integrated marketing communication is part of that marketing mix included in your marketing plan. IMC strategies define your target audience, establishes objectives and budgets, analyzes any social, competitive, cultural or technological issues, and conducts research to evaluate the effectiveness of your promotional strategies. If companies are ethically planning, communicating, and following industry guidelines, they will most likely earn the trust of their customers and target audience. There are five basic tools of integrated marketing communication: 1.
Advertising: This tool can get your messages to large audiences efficiently through such avenues as radio, TV,??Magazines, Newspapers (ROP), Internet, Billboards and other mobile technological communication devices. This method can efficiently reach a large number of consumers, although the costs may be somewhat expensive. 2. Sales Promotion: This tool is used through coupons, contests, samples, premiums, demonstrations, displays or incentives. It is used to accelerate short-term sales, by building brand awareness and encouraging repeat buying. . Public Relations: This integrated marketing communications tool is initiated through public appearances, news/press releases or event sponsorships, to build trust and goodwill by presenting the product, company or person in a positive light. 4. Direct Marketing: This tool will utilized email, mail, catalogs, encourage direct responses to radio and TV, in order to reach targeted audiences to increase sales and test new products and alternate marketing tactics. 5. Personal Selling:
Setting sales appointments and meetings, home parties, making presentations and any type of one-to-one communication, to reach your customers and strengthen your relationship with your clients, initiate this IMC tool. Decisions linking the overall objectives and strategies during the marketing planning phases help to evaluate and fine-tune the specific activities of integrated marketing communication. Before selecting an IMC tool, marketing, product and brand managers must look at social, competitive, legal, regulatory, ethics, cultural and technological considerations.
One thing you want to avoid when activating the tools of integrated marketing communication is reaching inappropriate audiences and causing controversy. That could be damaging when trying to build brand awareness and encourage consumer spending with your company. When marketing managers examine the beliefs, emotions and??behavior??of their targeted audience towards their brand, they can influence their beliefs to achieve product awareness, by attracting attention to their promotional campaigns.