Integrated Marketing Communication Campaign 1

MULLER LTD WHITE VELVET IMC

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 Integrated Marketing Communication Campaign 2

Abstract

Marketing communication is vital for any company because it defines the relationship between
the firm and its target market. In this analysis, the company of focus is Müller UK & Ireland
whose Yogurt & Desserts unit has launched a new product called Müller White Velvet. The pitch
will begin by analysing the company’s current positioning using three positioning models. Four
marketing communications objectives will be formulated from the results of this analysis. After
that, the company’s target customers are identified, and the results are justified. A literature
review segment will be included to examine existing literature about Integrated Marketing
Communications. The review will also introduce the four communication tools that will be used
to suggest a creative strategy. The four tools namely: Advertising, Public Relations, Direct
Marketing, and Digital Marketing will be used to formulate a communications strategy that will
affirm the effectiveness of the approach suggested.
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Introduction

Mϋller UK & Ireland is a private company which was first formed in Germany in 1896
after which it grew to become a multinational brand. The company established its processing
facilities in the UK which gave it access to raw materials and helped to minimise costs. By early
1990s, Mϋller became one of the leading companies in the UK and has continued to grow since.
It currently employs 12,000 people and has a wide range of offerings including Müller Yogurt &
Desserts and Müller Milk & Ingredients. Müller Yogurt & Desserts is the leading manufacturer
of fresh yogurt in the UK, and its products are Müllerlight, Müller Corner and Müller Rice. The
company hopes to remain competitive in the global sector through acquisitions, value creation,
and increased supply chain innovation.

Current Positioning

1. The T-C-B Model

Target Customer

The company targets customers who have never purchased Müller Yogurt & Desserts products
before. Also, the company seeks to expand its market share in the foodservice sector. For this
reason, the company has introduced a new product called Müller White Velvet which is a natural
Greek yogurt that is creamier and thicker than products from any other company.

Category

The business unit operates in the yogurts and desserts category but faces competition from other
companies including Activia, Actimel, Yeo Valley and newcomers like Nom. Most of these
companies supply both branded and locally produced yogurt, unlike Müller Yogurt & Desserts
who only provide their own labeled yogurt.

Benefit

Müller White Velvet revolutionizes the plain-yogurt sector because it is thicker, creamier and
unlike all other brands, it has a taste. Furthermore, the new product is made from natural
ingredients with no artificial additives.

2. The I-D-U Benefit Selection Model

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Important

The company offers products with natural ingredients, and this is a motivating factor for many
clients who avoid buying commercial yogurt due to various health concerns. Furthermore, the
non-plain yogurt customers steered clear of this segment because they did not like yogurt without
taste. The company thus introduced a natural product which has a taste and would attract
customers from the two demographics.

Deliverable

Müller UK & Ireland conducted market research, and the company discovered that the customers
needed natural Greek yogurt that is much creamier and thicker. The competition was offering
products that were much lighter and less creamy.

Unique

No other company offers a brand similar to Müller White Velvet because it is meant to meet the
needs of a specific segment of customers, unlike other brands which have a generalized outlook
towards the consumer sector.

3. The A-B-E Model

Attributes

The brand has a taste offering that has never before been witnessed in the plain yogurt sector. It
also offers nutritious information to customers because the company recognizes the need for
transparency within the industry.

Benefits

It is a healthy new alternative for customers who want to purchase plain Greek yogurt but do not
want the bland tasting yogurt offered by most of the competition. Also, the product is innovative
and futuristic which is what all the customers within the sector want from the companies.

Emotions

The new product will respond to the needs of the customers making them feel like their desires
have been catered to. Furthermore, it will improve the image of Müller UK & Ireland because it
would be regarded as an innovative company which cares about what the customers want.
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Marketing Communication Objectives

 To create brand awareness- Müller White Velvet is a new product, and many of the
customers do not know about it. Therefore, the company’s first objective would be to
inform the target market about the product and its characteristics including what sets it
apart from the competition.
 To influence a positive brand attitude- The consumer’s willingness to purchase the
product depends on their attitude and emotion towards the product. What this implies is
that the company must convince the customers that the product will indeed meet their
needs.
 To influence the buyer’s intention to purchase- Ultimately, the company’s marketing
strategy must increase the sales of the product and ensure that the firm acquires new and
loyal customers. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that the customers are enticed to
purchase the product and that they eventually become loyal customers.
 To inform customers about where and how to purchase the product- Since the company
will make use of various channels of communication, it would be imperative to tell
customers where they can get the product if they wish to buy it. Furthermore, this
marketing campaign mainly targets customers who have never purchase any Müller UK
& Ireland products before and therefore, they require this information.

Target Audience

Understanding the target market for a brand is the cornerstone of strategic planning of a
creative marketing communications campaign. It allows for the specific segmentation of the
audience. The target audience is identified from the several audience segments that exist in the
market. According to Newton et al. (2013, p.1421), audience segmentation is the process of
grouping the consumers of the product or services into homogenous groups depending on
product use, demographics, media use and communication behaviours. The main benefit of
segmentation is that it allows for specific targeting which helps to design an advertisement
campaign of a product in a way that creates awareness by assuring a certain segment how the
product will meet their needs. Cabrera Marcet et al (2012) state that one cannot tailor a good
marketing strategy without knowing who the message is supposed to address.
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According to that argument, understanding the target audience enables a brand to design
the message to target a specific demographic within a market. Such specific targeting leads to a
higher response rate and thus contributing to the success of the campaign. The primary aim of a
creative, strategic campaign is to create brand awareness in the market which will then affect the
sales of a product. The target audience can be understood in three ways; behaviour, attitude, and
lifestyle. The company majorly targets the youthful (12 – 35 years) consumers that have never
purchased its products.

Consumer behaviour is how people or an audience segment decide what they want to
view, buy, need with regards to marketing. Cabrera Marcet et al (2012) assert that understanding
the expression of a specific target audience segment is vital in designing the promotion campaign
of a product or service.

Product design

The young generation tends to buy dairy products that have low-fat content. The segment
values their general body appearance and thus would purchase a brand that assures the desired
body shape (Gabriel & Lang 2015, p. 25). White velvet is natural with less fat and therefore a
likely product to satisfy this need. Additionally, the younger population need a product that is
tasty and flavored. Taste is one attribute that is missing in the existing plain yogurt business. Its
inclusion in the Velvet White offers excellent opportunity to attract the new customers targeted
by this campaign.

Brand Loyalty

Changing that attitude may be a daunting challenging no matter how convincing a

marking communication is (He, Li & Harris 2012, p.648). However, Muller believes that the
benefits of the velvet white will entice even the most loyal customers. The youthful segment of
the audience does not develop brand ties and hence easily influenced by a catchy advertisement.
A creative idea should ensure that it exploits the opportunity of the uncertain younger generation
of consumers. Moreover, the company hopes to include all considerations to provide the target
market is effectively reached. Subsequently, the campaign will tailor a creative idea that makes
the doubtful consumers consider trying the new yogurt.

Media access
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The younger generation has greatly embraced the use of technology such as social media.
Tuten & Solomon (2017) state that the current young adults spend 80 % of their time on social
media sites. Such a lifestyle has led to the ever-increasing digital marketing techniques. Social
media ads have proved to be very useful in targeting that particular demographic. Moreover, the
target audience also accesses traditional media such as TV, magazines, and radio. Therefore, the
campaign can utilize this opportunity to create product awareness of the targeted new wave of
consumers to Muller’s plain yogurt.

Literature Review

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) refers to the process of ensuring that all
communication tools work harmoniously. It involves combining all the communication tools
used during the promotion of the company’s products. Kitchen and Burgmann (2010) recall that
communication tools are more efficient when they work together as opposed to when they work
in isolation. The promotional process can only be successful if all the communication tools are
active at the same time because this improves the consistency of the message. Porcu, Barrio-
García, and Kitchen (2012) cite that the main aim of using marketing tools during promotions is
to ensure that the brand is introduced to the company’s target audiences. The effectiveness of the
market strategy will be affirmed by an increase in sales and a larger market share. Thorson and
Moore (2013) add that it is important to research the target audience first before deciding on
which communication tools to use.

Marketing Communication Tools

Advertising

Advertising can be used in combination with other marketing tools to ensure that the
company’s offerings are communicated to the target market. According to Jugenheimer,
Sheehan, and Kelley (2015), the primary purpose of advertising is to reach new customers who
can be enticed to buy the product or service. It is a useful tool because it appeals to more people
in different demographics than what the company initially intended to. Moriarty et al. (2014) cite
that advertising must be consistent and must highlight the benefits of the product or the problems
it helps to tackle. Advertising works by reminding the customer about the company’s product
whenever they want to purchase an item (Jhally, 2014).
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Digital Media

It is imperative for companies to embrace digital marketing because the internet has
revolutionized all forms of communication and is used by consumers across all generations. The
internet is a crucial communication tool because it helps the company to access a much broader
market and costs less than print media (Lipsman et al., 2012). Many people depend on the
internet for product information and companies can maximise on this exposure using online ads
and websites to entice customers to buy their products. Stephen (2016) adds that digital media
can also act as a tool for getting feedback about the company’s products which enhances the
efficacy of the decision-making and problem-solving processes.

Public Relations

Public Relations refers to third-party endorsements either from publications or prominent people
and it helps to reinforce other marketing tools. Grunig (2013) defines public relations as the
process of persuading customers to support the company’s brand by building a mutually
beneficial relationship with the public. Public relations is different from advertising because it is
not paid for and as Doorley and Garcia (2015) recall, it involves convincing editors to write a
positive story about the company’s brand which appears in the main section of the news.
Marketing through public relations makes the product seem more credible because it appeals to
the interests of the public and is portrayed using a method that the audience can relate to.

Creative Strategy

Tools Used

Advertisement

Advertisements are the best tool to use in creating brand awareness. It has a broad target
audience and a variety of media options to choose from. Furthermore, advertisements allow for
specific targeting of the different audience segments while conducting a marketing
communication campaign. The creative idea also allows for the use of the various media used for
advertisements and that provides for the seamless integration of the tool into this particular
campaign.

Digital Technology
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Technological advancements have revolutionized how firms market their products (Tuten &
Solomon 2017, p.89). Social media is a digital technology that allows for the targeting of the
youthful demographic as was the objective of this campaign. Therefore, the company wants to
embrace the use of technology for the target marketing benefits it offers.

Public Relations

Public relations allow for effective brand awareness and attitude because of the endorsement by a
public figure. Nicole Schwarzenegger offers a great PR because of her status in the society and
admiration by the target audience of this campaign.

Key Benefit Claim

The critical benefit claim for this campaign is “Same healthy plain yogurt, but with TASTE.”
The taste is the attribute that is missing in the plain yogurt that the identified demographic of the
product wants. Emphasizing on it with capital letters will arguably help to capture the attention
of the market. The mixed approach-avoidance was chosen because there are alternatives of the
plain yogurt, but with inferior qualities to the marketed product.

Creative Idea

A creative idea is a message intended to be communicated to the target audience already

identified. Drewniany and Jewler (2013) proclaim that the creative idea is the attention-getting a
tool that sells the key benefit claim. In other words, it is the way of explaining the key benefits
claim resoundingly thus leaving the viewer of the ad with little option but to try the product.
Muller Ltd. is known to use celebrities in creative strategies for campaigns. In 2017, the
company used Nicole Schwarzenegger to advertise the Muller Corner yogurt. Several rationales
can be used to explain the now-classic celebrity + brand-only execution. (1) The striking beauty
of Schwarzenegger and her fancy outfit captured the attention of the youthful market who
actively follow such personalities. (2) Unique branding is achieved when Schwarzenegger
appears to hold a Corner yogurt while having routine training. Such activity can also be imitated
to symbolize the healthy nature of the White Velvet plain yogurt. It can be a very effective way
of creating awareness through brand recall. Most of the target can be associated with the brand
because of the celebrity brand ambassador. Youths have a lifestyle that imitates some of the
celebrities as they want to appear trendy (Gabriel & Lang 2015, p.76). Additionally, the creative
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idea will include all the necessary information of an ad including where the consumers can
purchase the product.

Media Choice

To create brand awareness, media choice plays a very crucial role. The message should be
conveyed using the media tool that is most used by the target audience to ensure the
communication is received (Avraham & Ketter 2012, p.4). Additionally, the creative idea also
influences how the message is conveyed. The company previously utilized featured online video
of the celebrity which was very successful. However, the new campaign aims to reinforce with
more media tools to cover a broader range. The decision to use the star is already a media tool
for public relations and endorsement of the product and the brand.

Social media ads

Social media is arguably the best media tool to use when the target audience is of the youthful
demographics. There is a high response rate since most of the young adults spend most of their
time on social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat among
others (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Additionally, the cost of marketing through social media is
cost-effective since the high response rate comes at a lower price as compared to the traditional
media. Featured videos are the most common advertising tools in social media because the
accessibility rate is also high.

Tv Ads

The 30-second TV advertainment has gained popularity over the years because of the cost and
standard attention probability. Most youths have preferred Tv channels which can be used to
create brand awareness. Sports and entertainment channels form the majority of the total view
time by an average young adult population. Using such specific channels will form part of this
campaign. Another reason is that these channels offer a cheaper option as compared to the news
channels which boast a broader audience. The ad will be informational and use the regular
informational ad pattern
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Figure 1: Informational Tv curve.

The curve has two peaks to profoundly convince the doubtful audience of the importance of
purchasing the product. Additionally, the information of Schwarzenegger holding the Velvet
White yogurt can be seen even in fast-forwarding to convey the message at a glance of the ad
effectively. Reach, and frequency rule will be sufficient for obtaining the desired level of brand
attitude for the high involvement campaign for the White Velvet yogurt. Multiple insertions in
popular entertainment and sports Tv channels at 7 pm and 10 pm will be very useful to reach the
target audience.

Print Media ad

Several youth magazines can be used to communicate with the target audience. The lead-in
headline is the most appropriate to deliver the creative idea. Further information is left for the
celebrity to advertise to convince the audience effectively. Frequency rule will prove suitable for
this campaign by having one insertion for a weekly magazine throughout the campaign will help
the high involvement nature of the product.

Budget

Cost of media ads = $275,000

Cost of promotional materials = $100,000

Cost of research projects = $80,000

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Total Budget = $455,000

Evaluation of effectiveness

Tracking surveys are the most effective ways of gaining insights into a campaign process.
Questionnaires will be used for this campaign before, midway and after to evaluate if the
campaign is meeting the expected objectives. This method will be used with the traditional
media used in this campaign, Tv, print and public relations.

Digital media

The appraisal will be based on how many users view the ad daily. Social media data can be
tracked using the integrated systems embedded in the database of social networking sites making
the process more comfortable than traditional media (Lipsman et al. 2012, p.42).

Such tracking information allows for strategic changes where necessary to help the campaign
achieve the set goals. Also, the company can employ the advertising elasticity to increase the
funding of the campaign to raise the units sold.

Conclusion

Integrated Marketing Communication requires extensive strategic planning as identified

in this report. The plan involves the positioning of the brand to understand how much awareness
needs to be created by a communication campaign. The target audience segments from the whole
pool of consumers have to be identified before the objectives of the campaign are correctly
identified. Extensive market research has to be carried out as did in the literature review. This is
aimed at understanding the current studies on the different facets of IMC. After that, the creative
strategy is conducted effectively designing the campaign to achieve specific objectives while
using the allocated budget and with the measurable evaluation process. This report successfully
developed a full communication marketing for White Velvet, a new plain yogurt from Muller
UK and Ireland Ltd.
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