Analysis of the Integrated Marketing Communications Mix Strategies of Your Chosen Fmcg Brand

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environment review:

The oral care industry has enjoyed strong growth in 2012 and 2013, primarily driven by the mouthwash and product or dental accessories segments. Growth has also been driven by a high level of brand loyalty in the industry’s core segments, resulting in the top two brands making up almost half of market share (Mintel, 2014). Consumer willingness to spend more on instant benefits reflects the continued trend of interest in cosmetic benefits, also reflected in the growth in value of cosmetic dental procedures.

The finding research (Figure 2) shows that Colgate dominated value sales in the toothpaste category, accounting for 49% of segment sales in the year ending March 2015. Oral-B is the third on value sales in the toothpaste category, accounting for 12 and 1% growth than 2014. So we consider Colgate is our biggest competitor. The key trend in toothpaste category consist three key points as follow. First, companies continued to focus on additional benefits such as sensitivity protection, whitening and gun care. Second, sensitive toothpaste grew fastest and had 9% value share in 2013 compared to 4% in 2012. Whitening toothpaste also grew rapidly by 38% in value sales in 2013. As we understand so far, Sensitive toothpaste and whitening toothpaste is more popular in toothpaste market. So our company should focus on this segment and innovated new functional toothpaste in order to satisficed customer’s needs. Environmental factors have significant influence on our strategic decisions. More importantly, environmental factors play a role on marketing communications with public and affect the formation of brand and brand image (Tsikirayi, Muchenje, and Katsidzira, 2013). Oral-B consumes approximately 0.2 percent of the combined palm oil output of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, hence it will cause serval environmental factor such as deforestation, loss of natural habitats of critically endangered species, increased greenhouse gas emissions, and hazardous waste.

Finding table (Figure 1) shows that Oral-B and Listerine share a particularly innovative and expert image. Both tend to concentrate on the power of their products, with Oral-B in particular using technology to aid this image. The additional price that these products tend to entail may limit penetration compared to the mass appeal of Colgate, but consumers looking for a particularly comprehensive clean may head towards them. So, innovation is edge of Oral-B that at this situation the management of Oral-B can emphasize the innovation and development of products.

Figure 1: Brand personality – Micro image, March 2015

Source: Lightspeed GMI/Mintel

Figure 2: UK market share of toothpaste, by brand, years ending March 2014 and 2015

Company strategies

Target audience:

The goal of this component in the development of a framework is to identify and analyse the target segments. The Marjory of types of product on Oral-B is toothbrushes and toothpaste. In toothbrushes segment, according to Figure 3, the products of Oral-B are high price and over all benefit. So the target audience is about well-off adult and upper middle class family who associates with the innovation product. In toothbrushes market, Oral-B has launched Oral-B Bluetooth-Connected Electric Toothbrush and App. A key objective of the new app and connected technology was to greatly enhance the interaction and oral health dialogue between two target markets: dental professionals and their patients. Oral-B calls these target patients “purposeful consumers.” The attitudes of Purposeful consumers are responsible and motivated about their health. They understand that prevention is not fast and easy, and they want an enjoyable brushing experience using the best, most advanced technology. As a result, they have low price sensitivity and are willing to invest in the best possible result. They are ages 40 to 49 with at least a secondary school education.

Oral-B has constantly focused on innovation to address the needs of customers by providing them value-added benefits in its products. The company launched the Oral-B Deep Sweep power brush in 2013 in the UK. The toothbrush moves like a manual brush but offers twice the protection from plaque. It also launched Crest and Oral-B ‘Pro-Health For Life’ range of products to cater to the aging 50+ population. Oral-B company understand that the elderly people more than 45 years old would care about their oral care more, so Oral-B focus on this segment and emphasis the protection of oral care for elderly people. Innovations across the 3D White, Pro-Health and Crest product lines have helped the company become the oral care leader in the UK, where it now has an outlet value share of about 12% in toothpastes.

Figure 3: Perceptual Map of Toothpaste

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/101brandstrategy/oral-b-brand-extension.

Brand positioning:

As we discuss positioning early on this study, there are hybrid strategies are often used such as product features, Price/quality, competitor, and benefit, these four elements will discuss more as followed, in order to identify and discuss Oral-B Company of positioning strategy.

Product features

The brand is set apart from the competition on the basis of the attributes, features or benefits that the brand has relative to the competition. Oral-B toothpaste emphasis that gives you protection for all day and Oral-B will give costumer enjoyable brushing experience using the best, most advanced technology.

Price/quality

This strategy is more effectively managed than others because price itself can be strong communicator of quality. A high price denotes high quality, just as a low price can deceive buyers into thinking a product to be of low quality and poor value. In this case, Oral-B insists the target audience is well-off adult and upper middle class family. So the price will above the average of toothpaste’s price. Oral-B use high price to signal high quality and exclusivity.

Competitor

In toothpaste industry, there are many successful competitors in the oral care market such as Colgate and Johnson & Johnson, knowing that in order to be a leader in the oral care category, companies have to be able to compete in all areas of the oral care. Colgate-Palmolive