You are a Marketing Manager – located in your own country, but work for a UK-based company that produces and sells a range of kitchen appliances used by chefs for food preparation. Up until the present time, the company has sold mainly in the UK and some mainland European countries but with a small presence in your country.
With the UK exiting the European Union, the company wishes to develop its marketing activities in countries outside Europe so is looking for your help in developing its plans. In particular it is interested in increasing the number of products that are being sold in your country.
The product range the company has available includes a range of items that have different pricing strategies and so the business needs to decide which products to sell in which countries and how they should be marketed. The products range from a simple handheld liquidizer (sometimes referred to as a jug blender) to a wide range of electric food processors. One particular product that is currently selling well is a liquidizer that liquidizes the ingredients directly within a mug that can have a lid added so that the user can take a drink of liquidized fruit or vegetables out with them to drink later. This is matching the movement for eating healthy food so, for example, users can have a healthy lunch at work rather than eat bought fatty fast food.
As the marketing manager for your country, you are being asked to prepare a report that answers some specific questions from the company management, as outlined in the tasks below.
Produce an analysis of the marketing environment in your country, indicating how it could support the sale of the range of kitchen appliances.
Discuss how you would segment your country market for this range of products and define the marketing mix for ONE (1) defined market segment. Explain which of the product range you would include to sell in this defined market segment.
Critically assess the differences between the marketing mix identified in the previous task and that required to market the same product in the UK market.
To expand the marketing of the product range in your country, you would need to carry out appropriate market research. Recommend a plan for the market research you would carry out. Assess the sources and methods that you would use.