The following document consists of the IMC plan for Synergade- the new sports drink on the market, designed to use a natural approach to give its target market the energy boost when needed the most.
The purpose of an IMC plan is to serve as a blueprint of the complete marketing communications for a brand. It evaluates the background of the brand and presents a set of guidelines and an action program for the advertising and promotions campaign. An IMC plan is a part of the marketing plan that involves all promotional and communication aspects.
The introduction consists of a brief description of Synergade (the product) and Zafters (the company).
The attributes of the products are discussed along with all necessary justifications. A discussion of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Synergade can be found in the SWOT analysis section of the IMC plan. This includes a description of the industry and consumer trends of the sports drink, and also discusses competitors in market.
The Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning section describes all potential segments and identifies our selected target market, along with justification. A positioning strategy for Synergade has also been included.
The 5 keys features of the IMC, consisting of starting with the customer or prospect, using any form of relevant contact or touch point, speaking with single voice, building relationships and affecting behavior, have been discussed in the IMC objectives section of the plan.
The Business plan on IMC Plan
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Elements from the Promotional Mix have been chosen and discussed along with estimated costs for a 12 month period in the next 3 sections of the plan. These elements include advertising, media plan, sales & promotions, sponsorships, digital marketing, online marketing and traditional media. An evaluation plan will also be discussed in the section following.
Finally, a summary of the IMC plan showing the linkage between all objectives and actions for implementation will be found in the conclusion.
SYNERGADE- Refuel. Relive. Revitalize.
Introduction
Synergade is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zafters Inc. it is a South African based company that originated in 2011. We operate our company on the core standards of integrity, efficiency and professionalism. Zafters Inc. is focused on creating and distributing sports drinks that offer great flavour and healthy alternative choices for parents, kids, athletes, and active people looking for something unique.
Synergade is a newly established brand that we have introduced to the market. Synergade exemplifies all components of life and the experiences attached to it. The main essence of this product is to showcase a multi-faceted approach that one possesses and how that is useful in everyday-living. Synergade is a fun and energetic brand that captures the attention of consumers from all aspects of life. It is wholesome and dynamic.
Our mission and vision of the company, is to produce high-quality products to the South African public at affordable prices, establishing a recognised brand that is easily identifiable by consumers and creating substantial social initiatives to assist the South African public at large. We aim to be the sports drink of choice amongst consumers.
The geographical location of our production is based within the Midrand region due to the fact that it is a prime location. It is the halfway point between Johannesburg and Pretoria and therefore allowing easy access to national highways thus providing an efficient delivery service to retailers and allowing for constructive expansion to take place. Synergade will be available at all major retailers and chain-stores within the South African market such as Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers, Massmart etc.
Synergade is in a class of its own, it comprises of three core aspects – “Flavour, Hydration and Nutrition” – therefore making it far better than its direct competitors. It is gluten-free and vegan friendly, it is also low in calories and sugar and it is made with all natural ingredients therefore making this the unique selling point (USP) of out product. It is a functional beverage that vitalises the body and mind, increases your sense of well-being and stimulates your metabolism.
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Consumers within an urban environment are faced with various challenges on a daily basis; therefore the struggle to maintain your daily tasks and keeping your energy levels at its optimum is difficult. Therefore we, as a brand, have established the tagline of Synergade to be – “Refuel .Relive. Revitalise”. Not only will the consumer be able to refuel their body with an energy-focused sports drink; it will also enable them to relive exciting memories that they once experienced and the advantage of consuming this product will lead to an increase in a sense of well-being due to the revitalising properties within the sports drink. Therefore Synergade has a message of the importance of living life to the fullest, and that can be easily recognized through its tagline, brand and logo.
Synergade is a dynamic sports drink, bearing the message of the brand in mind, we have decided that the most suitable brand associations that will assist us in becoming an established name within the market would be: Proudly South African, Talk radio 702 – Walk the talk and affiliations through causes that specialise in the importance of nutrition and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. These brand associations will increase the brand knowledge of Synergade in the mind of the consumer.
The packaging that will be utilised for Synergade will be a 500 ml plastic bottle with grooves around the bottle in order to allow the consumer to hold the bottle with ease. There is also an adjustable cap that you can open without using your hands thus making it a viable option that is quick and on-the-go. Once the contents of the sports drink have been consumed, the bottle can then be re-used or you can simply dispose it. There is also a label that will be shrink-wrapped onto the bottle; the label will contain all nutritional information as well as the company’s details, brand name (Synergade), tagline and logo.
We have decided on implementing a market-penetration pricing strategy in order to introduce Synergade to the market. The penetration pricing strategy will allow Synergade to enter the market at a relatively lower price as opposed to competitors, this will allow us to grab the attention of consumers by offering a high quality product and catering to the affordability factor of the South African public. Consequently this will assist us in gaining a large market share due to the increased consumption and therefore offering the concept of “value for money” to the individual. Various promotional activities will be underway and in conjuction with the price strategy such as visitations in university sporting events and other fun activities in order to create brand awareness to the consumer.
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Distribution of Synergade will be conducted from our production facility within the Midrand region. A large amount will be distributed to major retailers and also to other stores within the Johannesburg area. The mode of transport that will be used within this process will be trucks and vans; the reason of this being that the capacity that a truck can contain would be far greater than any other vehicle. Trucks will be used within local areas (Johannesburg, Pretoria and neighbouring provinces) however aeroplanes will be used for nationwide distribution to provinces such as the Western Cape etc.
The colours that we have chosen to represent Synergade are: orange, yellow, green and blue. Each of these colours is exemplified within our logo and each of them corresponds to different attributes of Synergade itself. The orange embodies a friendly nature, the yellow illustrates optimism, the green demonstrates peace and the blue showcases trust. These colours have been specifically chosen to show what we believe to be primary to a healthy lifestyle and the essential tools that are needed in building a healthy life. We as Zafters Inc, strongly show this within our advertisement and would primarily intend on projecting these attributes this alongside our message.
The message appeals that we will be using to project Synergade are: personal appeal, adventure appeal, plain appeal and bandwagon appeal. The personal appeal is due to the fact that, as individuals we are self-conscious and we try our best to beat the odds in order to make it through our days. The adventure appeal is utilised in order to generate energy toward living a fun-filled life, it shows the dynamic position of the brand and how it can be evident within an individual’s life once they have consumed the product. The plain appeal focuses on everyday life, it not only targets the large consumer base, but the central focus is ordinary people. The reason for this choice is purely because once they have consumed Synergade they will feel revitalised and in a postion whereby they would be able to tackle their daily duties zest. The bandwagon appeal is showcased in our advertisement and implies to the consumers that the people that are featured in the advertisement are participating in an activity that everyone should be a part of. Therefore this creates an interest within the consumer to participate in something that everyone else is doing in their lives, thus creating healthy lifestyle filled with fun and energy with the help of Synergade.
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SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Synergade is a product which addresses to the needs of consumers in the pursuit of customer satisfaction. The drink boasts a variety of flavours to choose from along with proof to back up statements of it being a natural sports drink and enhances physical performance. Synergade offers good product quality to customers at lower prices than direct competitors. South Africa is a sports crazy country and large amounts of people seek ways of energising themselves in order to perform at optimum levels, Synergade can cater for this. Due to the brand being new in the industry, Synergade is able to start on a clean slate.
Weaknesses
Consumers are relatively unaware and have little knowledge of this new brand and product, and therefore may not be willing to adopt it instantly. Consequently, there will be a lack of awareness about the product’s benefits. Due to just arriving on the scene, a weak or non-existent brand name will be endured initially. Negative claims on Synergade, especially in its early stages, ought to have detrimental effects on the success of the brand and prduct.
Opportunities
There is definitely room for increased advertising, particularly at this early stage in the product’s life cycle, to initiate brand familiarity and ultimately push consumers to purchase the product. Athletic endorsements could possibly enhance the brand’s image and overall popularity. Flavour and drink innovations can be introduced once stability is reached. Also, completely new products could be developed such as sports bars and cereals, which would appeal to a larger target audience.
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Threats
Existing competitors with already established sports drinks would naturally affect the sale and success of Synergade. Also, threats exist from substitutes to the sports drink such as fruit juices and vitamin water. Price wars between competitors could have a significant effect on the sports drink industry.
STP process
Market segmentation, targeting and positioning are key to the success of firms’ marketing efforts. Kotler and Armstrong (2004) provide a useful definition: “Dividing a market into distinct groups with distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviour who might require separate products or marketing mixes. Segmentation is important because firms cannot appeal to all customers at once, especially not with the same offering. Rather, firms need to design products and services that fit with particular groups of individuals. Firms can segment their market in a number of ways, including geographical, demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. Relive. Refuel. Revitalize. This is the slogan that stands for not only to increase reaction speed and physical strength, but also to improve the concentration and alertness of consumers. Synergade can be segmented as follows:
Demographics
Men and women ages between 13-19 and 20-34
Geographics
Mainly people who are situated in the city, as they are likely to be really busy and tired and in convenient stores. Psychographics
People who are tired / stressed and want to relax and have fun. Athletes, students and also scholars Behavioural
Students and young professionals to boost energy during work long day at work. Targeting is best defined by Kotler and Armstrong (2004) which states: “The process of evaluating each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter”. When firms evaluate the attractiveness of different market segments, they should examine its size and growth, structural attractiveness and the firm’s own objectives and resources. Structural factors, such as those discussed by Porter (1980) including barriers to entry and the intensity of rivalry amongst incumbents will also highlight the likelihood of a new entrant to appropriate existing rents. A firm must select those market segments that it wishes to target, which consist of groups of buyers with relatively homogenous needs or characteristics.
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Targeting consists of Undifferentiated, Differentiated, and Concentrated marketing. Synergade is a business that can be described by using concentrated niche marketing as it has a market-coverage strategy in which it goes after a large share of one or a few segments or niches. In this case going after teenagers (Generation Y) and young adults (Generation X).
Once a firm has selected the segments within which it wishes to compete, it must then choose a specific position within said segments where it will distinguish itself (Kotler and Keller, 2006).
This is known as market positioning (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004): “Arranging for a product to occupy a clear, distinctive, and desirable place relative to competing products in the minds of target customers”. The requirement of market positioning refers to competitive advantage. To generate a profitable and sustainable position against the forces that determine industry competition is the purpose of strategic management. Firms should first identify the unique structure of their industry, in terms of the five forces: the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, and the threat of substitute products and the influence levels of competition. On this understanding, firms should then choose to compete on the basis of one of three generic strategic, whether that is overall cost leadership, differentiation or focus (Porter, 1980).
Synergade can be positioned by its atributes, benefits as well as overall perfomance, which is its attitude. The attributes of Synergade sport energy product is that it contains carbohydrate in the form of glucose and as benefits carbohydrate present in Synergade sport energy product in the form of glucose keep the body hydrated by giving instant energy in body. We also use natural products making it healthier since nowdays people are very health conscious. Besides, there are number of choices of flavors in drinks such as tropical, apple, orange, lemon and wild berry; these flavors gives choices to users to choose as per their favorite flavors.
Other sport energy drinks such as Cytomax, Accelerade, Endurox and Gatorade also contain carbohydrate to give instant energy to body but Synerade possesses a different position among them as it offers long lasting energy by its drink. Synergade will also be prices around the same category as other sports drinks. Synerade sports drink energy is particularly produced for on the go people, because active people are usually involved in physical activities and need instant hydration to boost the energy in them. Synergade sport drink is produced as an easy to use drink, in an easy to grip bottle and an easy to drink spout.
The IMC objectives
Inherent in the definition of integrated marketing communications are several essential features that provide the philosophical foundation for this practice. These elements are independent, and there is no particulate order of importance suggested by this listing. However it is essential for the marketing team to realize that all five features are critical too both understanding the philosophy of IMC and appreciating what we need to accomplish to implement this philosophy into practice.
Key feature #1: the consumer must represent the starting point for all marketing communications activities
• consumers in control
According to this feature, marketing communications must be consumer-centric. This is due to the fact that consumers are in control when, how and where they devote their attention to Marcom messages. Consumers are given the ability to to pay attention to advertising messages, or to ignore them. The internet and digital world allow consumers to find information about product services that they want, rather than being held captive to the messages that marketing communicators want them to receive. It is for this reason that the marketing communicators at Synergade have decided to make use of online searches blogs, e-mails and social networking such as Facebook and Twitter to send out advertising messages to our selected target market.
• reduced dependence on mass media
It is important to realize that communication outlets other than the mass media often better serve the needs of their brands. The main objective is to contact customers and prospects effectively using touch points that reach them here, when and how they wish to be contacted. Synergade will adhere to this element by sponsoring sports events and using the internet for advertising purposes.
Key feature #2: use any and all Marcom tools that are up to task
The main objective of this feature is to surround the target market with the message, using all touch points that communicate the brand message effectively, but not to the point of being irritatingly present. Initially, Synergade will make use of media advertising, such as TV, magazine, radio and newspaper ads. Once that phase has been established, the marketing team will then make use of the following:
1) Direct response advertising- online adverts on Google, Facebook, etc.
2) Store signage and point-of-purchase advertising- internal and external store signs, shopping cart ads.
3) Trade and consumer orientated promotions- samples, coupons, bonus packs, contests
4) Event marketing and sponsorship- sponsoring local sport events
Key feature #3: multiple messages must speak with a single voice
This feature demands that a brand’s assorted communication elements must strive to present the same message and convey that message consistently across diverse points of contact.
The positing statement that Synergade will transfer to it’s target market is : Synergade is a healthier alternative sports drink that will give you the energy boost when you need it most. This message will be clear in all our advertising messages.
Key feature #4: build relationships rather than engage in flings
Successful marketing communication requires building relationships between brands and their consumers. This is done with the intention to lead consumers to repeat purchases, and ideally, loyalty toward the brand, as it is more economical to maintain current customers than to recruit new ones.
Synergade will put this feature into practice throughout loyalty programs in which consumers will receive a sticker for each Synergade purchase made, and after collecting 10 stickers, they will receive a free cap or bag.
We will also have experiential marketing programs, such as running a competition to take a group of 20 consumers out to sport event, or on a weekend escapade of outdoor camping and extreme activities such as mountain climbing.
Key Elements #5: don’t lose focus of the ultimate objective- affect behaviourThe ultimate objective is to move the target market to action, and not merely to make consumers aware of the brand.
Synergade will ensure this by assessing the IMC program in terms of whether it influences behavior, and then resetting our advertising campaigns according to the strongest influences.
IMC Promotional mix
Advertising
Advertising can be described as any paid form of non-personal communication about a product or service by an identified sponsor. Advertising is linked with brand awareness. Bearing in mind that consumers are in control, a company has to first create brand awareness among its target market to let them know about the brand and its meaning before selling the actual product. We at Zafters, decided to make use of advertising simply because it is a cost effective way to communicate with large audiences, it is an effective way to create brand images, symbolic appeals, and can be an effective way to strike responsive chord with consumers.
Sales promotion
Sales promotions are marketing activities that provide extra value or incentives to the sales force, distributors, or ultimate consumers and can stimulate immediate sales. Sales and promotions are linked to favourable attitude. Once a company establishes brand awareness, the next step is to persuade customers to buy the product. As an IMC objective, persuasion may include creating a favourable brand attitude or a high intent to buy among customers. We plan to promote “SYNERGADE” by running promotions and setting up stands for sampling the product outside gyms and on sports fields. We also plan to have sample stands at universities and schools that are sports inclined. The main aim of sales promotions is to introduce our new product to consumers in hope to earn customer loyalty. We will also be looking into store signage and point-of-purchase advertising.
Public Relations
This is the management functions which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or organization with the public interest and executes a programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. Public relations are linked to brand loyalty. Ultimately, the long term objective of our company is to develop and maintain loyal relationships with its customers. We hope to strengthen the bond between the brand and our consumers by sponsorships, participating in community events and experiential marketing programmes.
Media
Media advertising is linked to sales objectives. This objective is intended to drive business and revenue in the short term. The idea is to surround the target market with the message. At Zafters, we have come up with various ways to do this such as: Traditional media- “SYNERGADE” will be advertised by print media in the form of magazine and newspaper advertisements. Print media as an initial entry into a market has proven to be very successful for the product. It is a cheap and and easy-to-access source of advertising.
Electronic media- electronic media is conceived very powerful in terms of effectiveness in this era due to the increase in cinemas, television shows, internet usage and social media. It is an ideal way to reach the masses, especially to the younger generation. “SYNERGADE” will have video advertisements running on television and in cinemas. We also plan to advertise on the internet and online social platforms by making use of banner and pop-up ads to showcase our product. After our product is established, our company will add the product to our website. As another form of online marketing. This will enable our product to be accessed through search engines.
Discussion of Communication Tools
The following document consists of the IMC plan for Synergade- the new sports drink on the market, designed to use a natural approach to give its target market the energy boost when needed the most.
The purpose of an IMC plan is to serve as a blueprint of the complete marketing communications for a brand. It evaluates the background of the brand and presents a set of guidelines and an action program for the advertising and promotions campaign. An IMC plan is a part of the marketing plan that involves all promotional and communication aspects.
The introduction consists of a brief description of Synergade (the product) and Zafters (the company).
The attributes of the products are discussed along with all necessary justifications.
A discussion of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Synergade can be found in the SWOT analysis section of the IMC plan. This includes a description of the industry and consumer trends of the sports drink, and also discusses competitors in market.
The Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning section describes all potential segments and identifies our selected target market, along with justification. A positioning strategy for Synergade has also been included. The 5 keys features of the IMC, consisting of starting with the customer or prospect, using any form of relevant contact or touch point, speaking with single voice, building relationships and affecting behavior, have been discussed in the IMC objectives section of the plan.
Elements from the Promotional Mix have been chosen and discussed along with estimated costs for a 12 month period in the next 3 sections of the plan. These elements include advertising, media plan, sales & promotions, sponsorships, digital marketing, online marketing and traditional media. An evaluation plan will also be discussed in the section following.
Finally, a summary of the IMC plan showing the linkage between all objectives and actions for implementation will be found in the conclusion.
SYNERGADE- Refuel. Relive. Revitalize.
Introduction
Synergade is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zafters Inc. it is a South African based company that originated in 2011. We operate our company on the core standards of integrity, efficiency and professionalism. Zafters Inc. is focused on creating and distributing sports drinks that offer great flavour and healthy alternative choices for parents, kids, athletes, and active people looking for something unique.
Synergade is a newly established brand that we have introduced to the market.
Synergade exemplifies all components of life and the experiences attached to it. The main essence of this product is to showcase a multi-faceted approach that one possesses and how that is useful in everyday-living. Synergade is a fun and energetic brand that captures the attention of consumers from all aspects of life. It is wholesome and dynamic.
Our mission and vision of the company, is to produce high-quality products to the South African public at affordable prices, establishing a recognised brand that is easily identifiable by consumers and creating substantial social initiatives to assist the South African public at large. We aim to be the sports drink of choice amongst consumers.
The geographical location of our production is based within the Midrand region due to the fact that it is a prime location. It is the halfway point between Johannesburg and Pretoria and therefore allowing easy access to national highways thus providing an efficient delivery service to retailers and allowing for constructive expansion to take place. Synergade will be available at all major retailers and chain-stores within the South African market such as Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers, Massmart etc.
Synergade is in a class of its own, it comprises of three core aspects – “Flavour, Hydration and Nutrition” – therefore making it far better than its direct competitors. It is gluten-free and vegan friendly, it is also low in calories and sugar and it is made with all natural ingredients therefore making this the unique selling point (USP) of out product. It is a functional beverage that vitalises the body and mind, increases your sense of well-being and stimulates your metabolism.
Consumers within an urban environment are faced with various challenges on a daily basis; therefore the struggle to maintain your daily tasks and keeping your energy levels at its optimum is difficult. Therefore we, as a brand, have established the tagline of Synergade to be – “Refuel .Relive. Revitalise”. Not only will the consumer be able to refuel their body with an energy-focused sports drink; it will also enable them to relive exciting memories that they once experienced and the advantage of consuming this product will lead to an increase in a sense of well-being due to the revitalising properties within the sports drink. Therefore Synergade has a message of the importance of living life to the fullest, and that can be easily recognized through its tagline, brand and logo.
Synergade is a dynamic sports drink, bearing the message of the brand in mind, we have decided that the most suitable brand associations that will assist us in becoming an established name within the market would be: Proudly South African, Talk radio 702 – Walk the talk and affiliations through causes that specialise in the importance of nutrition and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. These brand associations will increase the brand knowledge of Synergade in the mind of the consumer.
The packaging that will be utilised for Synergade will be a 500 ml plastic bottle with grooves around the bottle in order to allow the consumer to hold the bottle with ease. There is also an adjustable cap that you can open without using your hands thus making it a viable option that is quick and on-the-go. Once the contents of the sports drink have been consumed, the bottle can then be re-used or you can simply dispose it. There is also a label that will be shrink-wrapped onto the bottle; the label will contain all nutritional information as well as the company’s details, brand name (Synergade), tagline and logo.
We have decided on implementing a market-penetration pricing strategy in order to introduce Synergade to the market. The penetration pricing strategy will allow Synergade to enter the market at a relatively lower price as opposed to competitors, this will allow us to grab the attention of consumers by offering a high quality product and catering to the affordability factor of the South African public. Consequently this will assist us in gaining a large market share due to the increased consumption and therefore offering the concept of “value for money” to the individual. Various promotional activities will be underway and in conjuction with the price strategy such as visitations in university sporting events and other fun activities in order to create brand awareness to the consumer.
Distribution of Synergade will be conducted from our production facility within the Midrand region. A large amount will be distributed to major retailers and also to other stores within the Johannesburg area. The mode of transport that will be used within this process will be trucks and vans; the reason of this being that the capacity that a truck can contain would be far greater than any other vehicle. Trucks will be used within local areas (Johannesburg, Pretoria and neighbouring provinces) however aeroplanes will be used for nationwide distribution to provinces such as the Western Cape etc.
The colours that we have chosen to represent Synergade are: orange, yellow, green and blue. Each of these colours is exemplified within our logo and each of them corresponds to different attributes of Synergade itself. The orange embodies a friendly nature, the yellow illustrates optimism, the green demonstrates peace and the blue showcases trust. These colours have been specifically chosen to show what we believe to be primary to a healthy lifestyle and the essential tools that are needed in building a healthy life. We as Zafters Inc, strongly show this within our advertisement and would primarily intend on projecting these attributes this alongside our message.
The message appeals that we will be using to project Synergade are: personal appeal, adventure appeal, plain appeal and bandwagon appeal. The personal appeal is due to the fact that, as individuals we are self-conscious and we try our best to beat the odds in order to make it through our days. The adventure appeal is utilised in order to generate energy toward living a fun-filled life, it shows the dynamic position of the brand and how it can be evident within an individual’s life once they have consumed the product. The plain appeal focuses on everyday life, it not only targets the large consumer base, but the central focus is ordinary people. The reason for this choice is purely because once they have consumed Synergade they will feel revitalised and in a postion whereby they would be able to tackle their daily duties zest. The bandwagon appeal is showcased in our advertisement and implies to the consumers that the people that are featured in the advertisement are participating in an activity that everyone should be a
part of. Therefore this creates an interest within the consumer to participate in something that everyone else is doing in their lives, thus creating healthy lifestyle filled with fun and energy with the help of Synergade.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Synergade is a product which addresses to the needs of consumers in the pursuit of customer satisfaction. The drink boasts a variety of flavours to choose from along with proof to back up statements of it being a natural sports drink and enhances physical performance. Synergade offers good product quality to customers at lower prices than direct competitors. South Africa is a sports crazy country and large amounts of people seek ways of energising themselves in order to perform at optimum levels, Synergade can cater for this. Due to the brand being new in the industry, Synergade is able to start on a clean slate.
Weaknesses
Consumers are relatively unaware and have little knowledge of this new brand and product, and therefore may not be willing to adopt it instantly. Consequently, there will be a lack of awareness about the product’s benefits. Due to just arriving on the scene, a weak or non-existent brand name will be endured initially. Negative claims on Synergade, especially in its early stages, ought to have detrimental effects on the success of the brand and prduct.
Opportunities
There is definitely room for increased advertising, particularly at this early stage in the product’s life cycle, to initiate brand familiarity and ultimately push consumers to purchase the product. Athletic endorsements could possibly enhance the brand’s image and overall popularity. Flavour and drink innovations can be introduced once stability is reached. Also, completely new products could be developed such as sports bars and cereals, which would appeal to a larger target audience.
Threats
Existing competitors with already established sports drinks would naturally affect the sale and success of Synergade. Also, threats exist from substitutes to the sports drink such as fruit juices and vitamin water. Price wars between competitors could have a significant effect on the sports drink industry.
STP process
Market segmentation, targeting and positioning are key to the success of firms’ marketing efforts. Kotler and Armstrong (2004) provide a useful definition: “Dividing a market into distinct groups with distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviour who might require separate products or marketing mixes. Segmentation is important because firms cannot appeal to all customers at once, especially not with the same offering. Rather, firms need to design products and services that fit with particular groups of individuals. Firms can segment their market in a number of ways, including geographical, demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation. Relive. Refuel. Revitalize. This is the slogan that stands for not only to increase reaction speed and physical strength, but also to improve the concentration and alertness of consumers. Synergade can be segmented as follows:
Demographics
Men and women ages between 13-19 and 20-34
Geographics
Mainly people who are situated in the city, as they are likely to be really busy and tired and in convenient stores. Psychographics
People who are tired / stressed and want to relax and have fun. Athletes, students and also scholars Behavioural
Students and young professionals to boost energy during work long day at work.
Targeting is best defined by Kotler and Armstrong (2004) which states: “The process of evaluating each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter”. When firms evaluate the attractiveness of different market segments, they should examine its size and growth, structural attractiveness and the firm’s own objectives and resources. Structural factors, such as those discussed by Porter (1980) including barriers to entry and the intensity of rivalry amongst incumbents will also highlight the likelihood of a new entrant to appropriate existing rents. A firm must select those market segments that it wishes to target, which consist of groups of buyers with relatively homogenous needs or characteristics.
Targeting consists of Undifferentiated, Differentiated, and Concentrated marketing. Synergade is a business that can be described by using concentrated niche marketing as it has a market-coverage strategy in which it goes after a large share of one or a few segments or niches. In this case going after teenagers (Generation Y) and young adults (Generation X).
Once a firm has selected the segments within which it wishes to compete, it must then choose a specific position within said segments where it will distinguish itself (Kotler and Keller, 2006).
This is known as market positioning (Kotler and Armstrong, 2004): “Arranging for a product to occupy a clear, distinctive, and desirable place relative to competing products in the minds of target customers”. The requirement of market positioning refers to competitive advantage. To generate a profitable and sustainable position against the forces that determine industry competition is the purpose of strategic management. Firms should first identify the unique structure of their industry, in terms of the five forces: the threat of new entrants, the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, and the threat of substitute products and the influence levels of competition. On this understanding, firms should then choose to compete on the basis of one of three generic strategic, whether that is overall cost leadership, differentiation or focus (Porter, 1980).
Synergade can be positioned by its atributes, benefits as well as overall perfomance, which is its attitude. The attributes of Synergade sport energy product is that it contains carbohydrate in the form of glucose and as
benefits carbohydrate present in Synergade sport energy product in the form of glucose keep the body hydrated by giving instant energy in body. We also use natural products making it healthier since nowdays people are very health conscious. Besides, there are number of choices of flavors in drinks such as tropical, apple, orange, lemon and wild berry; these flavors gives choices to users to choose as per their favorite flavors.
Other sport energy drinks such as Cytomax, Accelerade, Endurox and Gatorade also contain carbohydrate to give instant energy to body but Synerade possesses a different position among them as it offers long lasting energy by its drink. Synergade will also be prices around the same category as other sports drinks. Synerade sports drink energy is particularly produced for on the go people, because active people are usually involved in physical activities and need instant hydration to boost the energy in them. Synergade sport drink is produced as an easy to use drink, in an easy to grip bottle and an easy to drink spout.
The IMC objectives
Inherent in the definition of integrated marketing communications are several essential features that provide the philosophical foundation for this practice. These elements are independent, and there is no particulate order of importance suggested by this listing. However it is essential for the marketing team to realize that all five features are critical too both understanding the philosophy of IMC and appreciating what we need to accomplish to implement this philosophy into practice.
Key feature #1: the consumer must represent the starting point for all marketing communications activities
• consumers in control
According to this feature, marketing communications must be consumer-centric. This is due to the fact that consumers are in control when, how and where they devote their attention to Marcom messages. Consumers are given the ability to to pay attention to advertising messages, or to ignore them. The internet and digital world allow consumers to find information about product services that they want, rather than being held captive to the messages that
marketing communicators want them to receive. It is for this reason that the marketing communicators at Synergade have decided to make use of online searches blogs, e-mails and social networking such as Facebook and Twitter to send out advertising messages to our selected target market.
• reduced dependence on mass media
It is important to realize that communication outlets other than the mass media often better serve the needs of their brands. The main objective is to contact customers and prospects effectively using touch points that reach them here, when and how they wish to be contacted. Synergade will adhere to this element by sponsoring sports events and using the internet for advertising purposes.
Key feature #2: use any and all Marcom tools that are up to task
The main objective of this feature is to surround the target market with the message, using all touch points that communicate the brand message effectively, but not to the point of being irritatingly present. Initially, Synergade will make use of media advertising, such as TV, magazine, radio and newspaper ads. Once that phase has been established, the marketing team will then make use of the following:
1) Direct response advertising- online adverts on Google, Facebook, etc. 2) Store signage and point-of-purchase advertising- internal and external store signs, shopping cart ads. 3) Trade and consumer orientated promotions- samples, coupons, bonus packs, contests 4) Event marketing and sponsorship- sponsoring local sport events
Key feature #3: multiple messages must speak with a single voice
This feature demands that a brand’s assorted communication elements must strive to present the same message and convey that message consistently across diverse points of contact.
The positing statement that Synergade will transfer to it’s target market is : Synergade is a healthier alternative sports drink that will give you the energy boost when you need it most. This message will be clear in all our advertising messages.
Key feature #4: build relationships rather than engage in flings
Successful marketing communication requires building relationships between brands and their consumers. This is done with the intention to lead consumers to repeat purchases, and ideally, loyalty toward the brand, as it is more economical to maintain current customers than to recruit new ones.
Synergade will put this feature into practice throughout loyalty programs in which consumers will receive a sticker for each Synergade purchase made, and after collecting 10 stickers, they will receive a free cap or bag.
We will also have experiential marketing programs, such as running a competition to take a group of 20 consumers out to sport event, or on a weekend escapade of outdoor camping and extreme activities such as mountain climbing.
Key Elements #5: don’t lose focus of the ultimate objective- affect behaviourThe ultimate objective is to move the target market to action, and not merely to make consumers aware of the brand.
Synergade will ensure this by assessing the IMC program in terms of whether it influences behavior, and then resetting our advertising campaigns according to the strongest influences.
IMC Promotional mix
Advertising
Advertising can be described as any paid form of non-personal communication about a product or service by an identified sponsor. Advertising is linked with brand awareness. Bearing in mind that consumers are in control, a company has to first create brand awareness among its target market to let them know about the brand and its meaning before selling the actual product. We at Zafters, decided to make use of advertising simply because it is a cost effective way to communicate with large audiences, it is an effective way to create brand images, symbolic appeals, and can be an effective way to strike responsive chord with consumers.
Sales promotion
Sales promotions are marketing activities that provide extra value or incentives to the sales force, distributors, or ultimate consumers and can stimulate immediate sales. Sales and promotions are linked to favourable attitude. Once a company establishes brand awareness, the next step is to persuade customers to buy the product. As an IMC objective, persuasion may include creating a favourable brand attitude or a high intent to buy among customers. We plan to promote “SYNERGADE” by running promotions and setting up stands for sampling the product outside gyms and on sports fields. We also plan to have sample stands at universities and schools that are sports inclined. The main aim of sales promotions is to introduce our new product to consumers in hope to earn customer loyalty. We will also be looking into store signage and point-of-purchase advertising.
Public Relations
This is the management functions which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or organization with the public interest and executes a programme of action to earn public understanding and acceptance. Public relations are linked to brand loyalty. Ultimately, the long term objective of our company is to develop and maintain loyal relationships with its customers. We hope to strengthen the bond between the brand and our consumers by sponsorships, participating in community events and experiential marketing programmes.
Media
Media advertising is linked to sales objectives. This objective is intended to drive business and revenue in the short term. The idea is to surround the target market with the message. At Zafters, we have come up with various ways to do this such as: Traditional media- “SYNERGADE” will be advertised by print media in the form of magazine and newspaper advertisements. Print media as an initial entry into a market has proven to be very successful for the product. It is a cheap and and easy-to-access source of advertising.
Electronic media- electronic media is conceived very powerful in terms of
effectiveness in this era due to the increase in cinemas, television shows, internet usage and social media. It is an ideal way to reach the masses, especially to the younger generation. “SYNERGADE” will have video advertisements running on television and in cinemas. We also plan to advertise on the internet and online social platforms by making use of banner and pop-up ads to showcase our product. After our product is established, our company will add the product to our website. As another form of online marketing. This will enable our product to be accessed through search engines.
Conclusion
The domestic market of South Africa is well established and competitive. Synergade needs to gain market place in the presence of other brands. The creative strategy of Synergade has a potential to achieve the marketing segment by following the marketing planning. Moreover, it has team of creative artist and accesses all media source to accomplish the goals. Creative strategy is appropriate and meets the requirements of SA sport energy drink industry market. The company plans to expand it and plans to invest into other market. Synergade energy brand needs to enter into South African market and establishing its place by adopting effective marketing tools and following marketing strategies planned. Synergade seeks a consistent and stable position in African market and for this purpose it will have to survive in the domestic market of South Africa along with other market players and competitors. Synergade has planned on applying successful marketing tactics in Africa. However, the South African market is new and unknown for Synergade. At first, Synergade plans on starting in small areas of South Africa and later going broader. It also plans on expanding over to not only additional flavours of drinks but also to Synergade bars and gums.
References
• Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G. (2004) Principles of Marketing, 10th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education • Porter, M.E. (1980).
Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analysing Industries and Competitors. New York: Free Press • Porter, M.E. (1985).
Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. New York: Free Press. • Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L. (2006) Marketing Management, 12th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education • Eugene,Zwane (2013), Television rates, (accessed on 13 October 2013) , [available at http://www.sabc.co.za] • Eugene,Zwane (2013), Radio rates, (accessed on 13 October 2013) , [available at http://www.sabc.co.za] • Social Media Marketing Strategy, (accessed on 13
