Haigh's Chocolate Marketing Strategy: Consumer Behaviour & Advertising Psychology

Question

Task: Individually, you required to write a 2000-word report based on the scenario provided in the assessment
instructions.
Assessment Description.
This assessment is a culmination piece, in which you will be given an opportunity to combine the information you
have accumulated in Assessments 1 and 2. More importantly, you will need to showcase an understanding of
marketing issues related to consumer behaviours such as attitudes, group influences, culture, social class,
consumer learning processes, and personal buying decision-making processes.
Assessment Instructions
Your task is to imagine that you have just been employed by the company of your chosen product or service that
you analysed in your earlier assessments and that the marketing department of this company has asked you to
prepare a 2000- word report in which you must:
1. Write a concise executive summary that covers all of the significant findings of your report (not included
in the word limit of this submission)
2. Provide a concise overview of the product or service and its market performance (300 words).
3. Critically examine the company’s current marketing communication mix by considering how it targets
consumers’ attitudes, group influences, culture, social class, consumer learning processes, and
personal buying decision-making processes. Please note that not all of these topics may apply to
your chosen product or service (600 words).
4. Critically analyse whether or not the communication mix demonstrates a strong alignment to your findings
in assessment 1 and 2 (600 words).
5. Provide at least three strategic recommendations that either address previously identified misalignment
OR proposed ways in which identified alignment can be strengthened. Please incorporate recent peerreviewed literature to justify your proposed recommendations (500 words). Recommendations should not
include manufacturing or operational improvements.
6. Include Appendices (optional and not included in the word count) and Reference List (mandatory not
included in the word count).

Answer

Executive summary
The study focuses on exhibiting a wide description on Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy and understanding of the marketing issues-driven due to changing consumer behaviours. The study would show how with its marketing performance and communication mix strategies it can successfully overcome from persisting marketing issues and challenges of changing demand patterns. To express all the facts in a concise manner, assistance from Haigh Chocolates, Australia has been considered. The assignment depicts that engaging with the customers positively and considering the change in the attitudes of the consumers in the modern business environment, helps the companies to devise proper marketing communication mix for products. Utilization of social media and digital media platforms are, apparently, a major platform for communication between the companies and their customers, and thus, efficient maintenance of the same is essential. Penetrating into existing markets, to overcome competitive rivalry as well as adapting customer-centric culture and effective Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy would help the company to establish themselves in the market, successfully.

Introduction
The proposed study is based on analysing the concept of Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy. Consumer behaviour is an action performed by consumers in the marketplace to satisfy their wants for products and services. Understanding the motives behind customer’s behaviour in the market is essential for the company as this would help them identify the frequency of changing demand patterns of the consumers. Hence, to analyse those consumer behaviours, marketing psychology is undertaken in this study of Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy as it consists of psychological principles in the context of sales strategy and marketing that can be incorporated for the survival of the company even in declining stage.

A concise overview of the product or service and its market performance
From the previous assignment it has been evaluated that Haigh Chocolates is a multinational company that operates retail stores in 18 locations across South Australia. Haigh Chocolates offers premium tasted Chocolates that are packed into large valuable packs. The product line of Haigh Chocolates is more than 250 to meet the different requirements of its diverse customers. The packaging of the Chocolates varies for different occasions like wedding, Christmas, New Years, Birthdays and Anniversary. The company's targeted customers from different ages. Among all, the niche market segment of Haigh Chocolates is targeted to young and couples, as they are proven to prefer Chocolates more as compared to other age groups for gifting and consumption purpose.

According to Jovanov-Marjanova et al.,(2016), Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy is to offer quality Chocolates in which only the best raw materials like subtle cocoa beans are used. The strong brand legacy that it has been operating since 1912 is determined as the strength of the company expressing its marketing performance. As opined by Ramli, (2017), Haigh Chocolates sustained strong brand equity in Australian, South Wales and Victorian market, which explains that almost 80% of the potential customers are aware of the brand and its product quality. Besides, from the findings of the survey performed in previous assignments it can be determined that more than 50% of Australian public would select Haigh Chocolates for over the other brands whereas only 13.33% showed neutral views as what matters to them is Chocolates , which can be of any brand. Haigh Chocolates has its own websites which allows it to adhere e-retiling while reaching its potential beyond the boundaries of South Australia. The marketing idea enabled the company to spread brand awareness in the global market.

A critical examination of the company’s current marketing communication mix
With an effective integration of marketing communication mix, Haigh Chocolates is found to overcome its marketing challenges related to potential customer’s behaviours. In the matter of promotional activity, Haigh Chocolates highly appreciates technological approaches as a key for promotional channels when the market customers to be targeted are wider and global. Observed by Smedescu et al., (2016), Haigh Chocolates incorporates e-commerce as their promotional strategy. The company eventually invests on its website, visiting which its potential customers get a glance about the availability of the products along with its prices. With its promotional approach via social media marketing, Haigh Chocolates meets its customer’s behaviours in aspects to social class along with customers learning process. The behaviours of customers with the methods of purchasing has been advanced as now 80% of the customers depends on e-commerce. 

According to Naumovska and Blazeska, (2016), with the increasing knowledge of marketing and living standard of customers, besides consumer attitude, the pattern of marketing activity changes significantly. Modern day marketing activities require positive engagement of the customers and needs to depict the association of the products with the common customers, which is why often, the localites are chosen for the advertisements, rather than the celebrities. Furthermore, in association to sales promotion and direct marketing elements of communication mix, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and email marketing are some of its promotional approaches integrated by Haigh Chocolates to inform its customers about the availability of its products in the market along with ensuring that their brand awareness can be improved through group influence. As opined by Jackson and Ahuja, (2016), peer pressure is also determined as an influencing factor on consumer behaviours. 

To meet the customer’s behaviours associated with customer’s attitudes, culture and personal buying decision making, Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy emphasize on its packaging as per the occasions. To meet the criteria of customer behaviours under this category, Haigh Chocolates incorporates Marketing mix techniques. In the matter of product the company offers approximately 250 products with premium quality and affordable ranges. Price and quality are the primary factors that are examined by the customers according to which they are buying attitudes along with personal buying decisions are influenced. As depicted by Valos et al., (2017), the pricing strategy under marketing mix of Haigh Chocolates ensures meeting all customers segments. The gift boxes are available for all the occasions meeting the cultural aspects associated with customers’ behaviours. 

As opined by Bacik et al., (2018), the company's status and brand loyalty are the most intangible assets for the company. This enables the company to retain its potential customers by entertaining them with a new and innovative product. Hence, offering a variety of Chocolates into attractive packaging is found to be a secondary reason behind the popularity of Haigh Chocolates in the South Australian market along with some global markets. On the contrary, Haigh Chocolates fails to access a certificate from the Fair Trade Foundation, which makes it difficult to expand more of its business units. Besides, due to lack of certification from the authority, the company fails to influence customers’ behaviours in associates to customers’ attitudes. This can be determined as a threat during the time of its expansion encountered by Haigh Chocolates.

Critical analysis of the communication mix while demonstrating strong alignment with findings in previous assessments
Based on the finding of the previous assignment on the Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy it has been evaluated that the majority of the participants preferred Chocolates. This aligns with pricing and product factors associated with the marketing mix element under the communication mix. Wide variety of Chocolates produced by Haigh Chocolates is found efficient to meet the changing demands of Chocolates taste by the customers. The strategy of a wide product line can help Haigh Chocolates to increase their brand loyalty and product awareness in the market. As opined by Bacik et al., (2018), offering a wide variety of products enables the companies to maintain the rate of their customer’s retention and engagement. This enables the company to overcome its marketing issues associated with different aspects of customer’s behaviours. However, as opposed by Fuciu and Dumitrescu, (2018), integrating marketing communication mix sometimes results in outflow of sensitive information which if known to the competitors, the current market situation for the company can be reciprocate. In context, Sv?tlík, (2017), when sensitive information is leaked in public in associated with the company activity, a risk of misusing of that information are encountered.

From the previous assignment, it has been evaluated that the market of Chocolates is expected to increase by 1.6%, which aligns with the communication mix strategy discussed above in the context of Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy that with changing customer attitudes which is to follow surge in percentage of customers, the communication approaches are required to be more personalized. Besides, most of the participants stated that they prefer Haigh Chocolates more as compared to other brands when it comes for them to select Chocolates, which vouches for the efficient way in which Haigh Chocolates has been able to engage their customers, through the use of social media. According to Singh et al., (2016), the premium quality of Chocolates is offered at a reasonable rate by Haigh Chocolates, which is determined as major influential factors in aspects to customer’s behaviours. The packaging element of the communication mix discussed in this part aligns with the surveyed portioned discussed in previous assignment. From the above discussion on Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy it has been evaluated that along with product quality and pricing, packaging plays a significant role in the sales promotion of Chocolates for Haigh Chocolates. 80% of the participants stated that they are also influenced Chocolates gift packs that are offered by Haigh Chocolates, which supports the proposition in the communication mix that in modern times, even the packaging is required to communicate the outlook of the company towards their customers; classier the packaging, better the perception. Besides, promotional activities like social media websites and online promotions are also discussed above under Haigh Chocolates’ promotional and direct marketing strategies associated with communication mix. 

From the previous assignment it has been evaluated that Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy allows the customers with easy access to different payment methods when they are purchasing from an e-commerce approach. These aspects of e-commerce and online payment methods align with the personal selling component associated under the communication mix discussed above. Hence, it has been observed that the communication mix’s elements that are discussed above, aligns with the information on Haigh Chocolates discussed in the previous assessments. All the elements are covered in all the assignments. In the matter of public relation, the way Haigh Chocolates interact with their customers, community, suppliers and government are adhered. However, based on the given assignments, it has been observed that in aspects to public relation, Haigh Chocolates integrates with different social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. In contrary, Sharif and Butt, (2017), stated that sometimes activities in sales promotion leads to over-saturate the advertisement market which erodes the efficiency of promotional and marketing activity. Besides, the company's website is also deemed as an effective source for exploring Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy to directly connect with its potential customers, rendering public relation factor of communication mix, and provide all the necessary details about the products and price.

What are the recommendations on the case of Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy?
After evaluating all the findings stated in previous assignments and discussed in this study, it has been evaluated that Haigh Chocolates did not receive high popularity. Besides, after surveying the participants it has been evaluated that the market of Chocolates is assumed to be increased b y 1.8%. Hence, it is recommended to Haigh Chocolates to improve its promotional activity as this would help them to increase their brand awareness and product availability to potential customers. It can be suggested that Haigh Chocolates can incorporate the market penetration strategy of Ansoff Matrix. According to Yin, (2016), with an effective integration of market penetration strategy, companies can discourage its new competitors to enter the market. Besides, it would become easy for Haigh Chocolates to increase its popularity in the Chocolates market along with creating goodwill among those customers, who make their purchasing decision on the basis of aggressive pricing.

To increase the rate of customer engagement and retention, Haigh Chocolates can also integrate with the customer engagement cycle. As opined by Alkasim et al., (2018), customer engagement cycles can play a vital role in the Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy if incorporated in an effective manner. The different elements of the customer engagement cycle, which includes awareness, referral, acquisition, conversation, satisfaction and retention, would allow Haigh Chocolates to maintain a strong relationship with its customers. Besides, this strategy would help Haigh Chocolates to strengthen its promotional strategy and direct marketing associated under communication mix. Besides, incorporating with customer’s engagement cycles would enable Haigh Chocolates to achieve additional opportunity in the matter of revenue growth and upsells. As opined by Soltani-Fesaghandis and Pooya, (2018), customer engagement approach of Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy enables the company to improve its marketing and communication activities by restructuring its procedures in an efficient and straightforward manner. Thus, as it has been evaluated that the Chocolates market would rise in future, it is essential for Haigh Chocolates to shift primary focus to customer-centric culture. This would ensure Haigh Chocolates to maintain long-term customer’s relationship which would make expansion and growth easy for the company in the global market.

To strengthen its social media approach associated with Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy, the company can integrate with Maslow’s Iconic Pyramid in aspects to social media strategy. With an effective implication of Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy, the company would be able to create comprehensive social media strategy as per the requirements of brands. This strategic pyramid would ensure all the cohesive collaboration of necessary variables starting from the contents to the videos that highly attracts customers' attention. Besides, Haigh Chocolates would be able to create infallible plans that would encourage customers as this social media strategy involves monitoring continuous activity of targeted audience. As per the views of Vrtana and Gogolova, (2020), establishing customer’s engagement is essential for the company as it improves the loyalty and trust factors among the customers for the company and its products, while creating strong community. Social media is determined as major influencers socially active customers as a marketing platform. Besides, the range of socially active customers are increasing, strengthening the social media practices for promoting and marketing would help Haigh Chocolates to meet its objective of growth and expansion while overcoming its contemporary marketing obstacles that arises due to customers behavioural changes.

Conclusion
From the above discussion on the study of Haigh's chocolate marketing strategy it can be determined that with an effective integration of marketing communication mix, the company would be able to mitigate its marketing obstacles that arises due to changes in customers behaviours. The study also discusses what should be done to improve the existing marketing and communication strategy so that brand awareness and customer’s loyalty in the market for Haigh Chocolates can be improved. 

References

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