Saturday, October 5, 2019

Strategic Marketing Plan For Red Bull Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategic Marketing Plan For Red Bull - Essay Example Summary of the task The study aims towards designing a marketing plan for Red Bull. Background Red Bulls is a twenty five years old company that has been selling energy drink. In the year 1980, Dietrich Mateschitz founded Red Bull, inspired by a functional drink originated from Far East. He created the energy drink and promoted it through a unique marketing concept. In its early days it was sold in the home market of Austria but today Red Bull is sold in more than 165 countries. Red Bull is not only a new product but has given birth to a totally new category of product. Today Red Bull has sold more than 35 billion cans (Red Bull GmbH, n.d.). Outline The marketing plan of Red Bull covers the following Product: Non-caffeine drinks for the kids and other people who do not drink for energy purpose. Place: Designing an expansion plan through which the company can operate in other geographical areas. Price: Red Bull will be implementing some cost reduction techniques so that the price of t he products can be reduced. Promotion: Red Bull will be promoting their new product through social networking site, public relationship activities etc. At the same time they will also promote their current product as â€Å"safe to drink†. Strategic Marketing Plan Marketing Audit Marketing audit is defined as the process of â€Å"comprehensive, systematic, independent and periodic examination of a company’s or business unit’s marketing environment, objectives, strategies and activities with a view of determining problem areas and opportunities and recommending a plan of action to improve the company’s marketing performance† (Avasarikar and Chordiya, 2007, p. 4.15). Marketing audit helps in increasing the profitability of the company (Kotler, 1999). Red Bull deals in energy drinks with various tastes targeted towards young people who are involved into strenuous work starting from athletes and weight lifter to common man working in office. The marketi ng audit is done through SWOT analysis that highlights on the internal, external and competitor analysis. Based on results the issues are identified. Internal analysis Strength Market leadership: In the year 2012 the company has sold total of 5.226 billion cans all over the world. This figure represented a 12.8% increase in the sales as compared to the figures of 2011. The company is the global leader in energy drinks. The company has a market share of 70% in the world. Even the other drinks offered by other companies are also facing competition in front of Red Bull. Figure 1: Red Bull’s Net Sales and Cans sold in 2010-12. (Source: Euromonitor International, 2013) Millward Brown (2010, cited by Bodner, 2011) stated that Red Bull is positioned at 79th position amongst all the global brands worth 8,154 billion dollar. It is positioned at fourth rank amongst all the popular brands in soft drinks like before Sprite and Fanta but behind Coke (Zero, Lights and Diets), Coca Cola and Pepsi. Coke and Coca Cola are the third largest brands all over the

Friday, October 4, 2019

What would a philosopher do Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

What would a philosopher do - Essay Example The self indulgence are more of voluntary actions than the actions of cowardice hence despite the external pressures the acts and decisions should be in a manner that it ensures that the actions are not due to cowardice but out of necessity and out of the necessary need (Locks). Things perceived as involuntary may be occurring under the compulsions of some external factors or may be due to the acts of ignorance .But the acts due to greater fear or tyranny then this are perceived as either voluntary or involuntary therefore it is quite complex where the blames ought to be laid. Individuals and authorities get it very complex in the understanding of the root cause of the most issues and the best practicable means of facing the challenge in manners which are comprehensive and competent enough to avoid the recurrence of the problems or to mitigate against the relative backlash of the problem issue. The judging of actions as either voluntary or involuntary must therefore be used in the judging of issues depending on the timing and the environmental factors surrounding the subject of discussion. People act voluntarily in the attempts to meet and achieve the actions that lead to the movement of the instrumental parts of the issues of concern and quite significantly for the instrumental parts of the issues of concern to be moved to the points of design .Such acts are classified absolutely as voluntary ,however under the normal circumstances the acts are classified as involuntary since in circumstances individuals do the works with certain external forces pushing upon them to act in that manner and had it been for their personal powers and capabilities they would desist and avoid working and acting in that direction hence the acts are pseudo voluntary. In some of this actions the men are praised for the acts however in certain they have to undergo enormous amounts of pain due to their great indignity that they receive in relation to their

Thursday, October 3, 2019

The Function Enorbarbus Essay Example for Free

The Function Enorbarbus Essay Enorbarbus is Antonys lieutenant and friend and Shakespeare continually develops Enorbarbus character, role and functions within the plot throughout the first two acts. This cynically acclaimed character is one of the most remarkable in the play and contributes to the drama in many ways. From the very first time the audience sees Enorbarbus we can sense that one of his purposes to the play is that he is very sympathetic and supportive to his friend Antony. In Act I Scene 2 when Antony confesses he wished he had never met Cleopatra; I must from this enchanting queen break off. Instead of going along with what he said Enorbarbus suggests that if that did happen then Antony would have missed wonderful piece of work. Enorbarbus shows another service to the play, which is faithfulness, and comradeship that helps to show the kindness of his friend in the course of this action. Enorbarbus obviously does not agree with his fellow Roman comrades, Demetrius and Philo in the opening scene, where they call Cleopatra a gypsy. When Antony says Cleopatra is cunning past mans thought it is Enorbarbus that comes in and objects mentioning; Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love. In this discussion and the others in the first two acts Enorbarbus plays the role of a part Antonys ordinary self, like a reflection. Enorbarbus reaction to the death of Fulvia, Antonys wife, is nonchalant and light-hearted with a touch of humour. He speaks in pros and wittingly suggests that Antony should move on instantly and find a new lady; Your old smock brings forth a new petticoat. His witticism, another function, shows the audience that deep down he feels extremely sorry for Antonys loss but wants his friend to feel better as soon as possible. However it appears too much for Antony and he asks Enorbarbus to stop mocking him with, No more light answers. In Act II Scene 1, before the Triumvirs assemble, the tactful Lepidus attempts to influence Enorbarbus to keep Antony quiet and calm by entreating your captain. Enorbarbus once again sticks by Antony and uses a simile to tell Lepidus that he prefers his captain to speak his mind and will not have him silenced;

A Swot Analysis Of American Airlines Tourism Essay

A Swot Analysis Of American Airlines Tourism Essay INTRODUCTION: American Airlines was the U.S.s largest carrier in 1992. It had a fleet of 622 jet aircraft, flying 2,450 flights daily to 182 locations. It also had innovative technology and programs. They were the first to introduce a computerized airline reservation system called Sabre, Super Saver fares and frequent- flier programs. Despite these innovations, American Airlines and the airline industry as a whole was still not operating as profitably or providing customer satisfaction the way it should in 1992. There were two main reasons. First, the airline industry was suffering from the economic downturns in 1990 and 1991. In 1991 alone, the industrys cumulative losses were $1.87 billion, which exceeded the total amount of profits the industry had ever earned throughout its 60-year history. American Airlines itself reported losses of $77 million in 1990 and $165 million in 1991. In terms of customers flying, the dollar volume of pleasure travel grew only 8% in the 1989-91 period compared to 19 % for 1987-89. The comparable figures for business travel were a 9% increase for 1989-91 in contrast to 28% growth experiences in 1987-89. April 9th, 1992 American Airlines announced that their yields were too low and they were going to bring value back to air travel through a new pricing strategy termed, Value Pricing. SWOT ANALYSIS: Strengths Market leader: American Airlines is the largest U.S. airline in 1992 with a 19.15 market share in 2001. Strong Innovation Technology: American Airlines created the first and largest Computer Reservation Service, SABRE, which was a valuable resource for yield management and extra profits. It was such an effective technological innovation that in 1992, 92% of domestic reservations were made through Computer Reservation Systems in the United States. Marketing Promotions: American Airlines were the first to create a frequent flier program aimed to increase brand loyalty with business customers in 1981. Distribution: The use of hubs meant replacing non-stop flights with a set of connecting flights, and this benefited both carriers and consumers. Airlines could serve more locations with fewer planes. American Airlines benefited by having six hubs in 1992, two of which are ranked as the largest airports in America: Chicago and Dallas. Market Growth: Between 1981 and 1991, passenger volume grew by almost   80%, the equivalent   of a compound annual growth rate of 6%. There are still opportunity gaps to further increase demand. Strong Brand Image: A survey that generated the ratings of domestic airlines on service quality, American Airlines had the joint highest satisfaction index of 76. This implies that American Airlines has a stronger image of high quality service, relative to competitors. Problems: There are high risks of delays and inbound flight delays of even a few will inevitably delay connecting flights and then affect large portions of the network thereafter. Enormous transaction costs from the extreme complexity of capacity planning, crew roistering, flight scheduling, ground handling and fare structures. High risk of missed connections and lost luggage with connecting flights Opportunity Increase the demand for air travel through reaching more customers and increasing the frequency of travel per customer: There is already a growing percentage of Americans is using air travel. In 1991, 76% of American Adults reported that they had flown at some time in their lives and 32% had flown in the past year. The increase in American air travel can be seen in the table below: Percentage of American adults who have: 1981 1989 1990 1991 ever flown? 65% 78% 74% 76% flown in the last 12 months 24% 34% 31% 32% The table implies that Americans are increasingly adapting to air travel and this means that their is an opportunity for American Airlines to continue their expansion. Price discrimination models: Price discrimination models provide an opportunity for American Airlines to capture the two main customer segments, business and pleasure travelers in the most profitable way. Using price discrimination models provides an increasing opportunity. Percent of American Adults traveling on: 1989 1990 1999 2001 Business 52 51 42 41 Pleasure 47 49 53 57 This provides an opportunity for American Airlines because the two segments have different demand fluctuations and buying characteristics and if American Airlines can capture both markets through different pricing fares then it will increase their yield per customer, smooth out overall demand fluctuations and achieve profit maximization. The differences can be distinguished by demand and buying values. Buying differences: Business travelers are more loyal to one particular airline because they have the ability to build up frequent flier miles. They are less pricing sensitive due to being more time sensitive. On the other hand, leisure travelers are less loyal, more price sensitive and more flexible in terms of time, date etc. Online Reservations: Like low cost airlines and adopt online reservations, which mean less need for travel agents, no paper tickets and convenient booking. American Airlines currently only serves 80 destinations worldwide, compared to 182 locations in the U.S. mainland and Hawaii. Therefore, there is a strong opportunity to focus on increasing long haul, international flights as opposed to short haul flights. Threats: After the deregulation of the airline, industry competition intensified as national and regional airlines grew or merged and became fixated on profit maximization. American Airlines major domestic competitors are United Airlines and Delta Airlines as they both operate with similar scope and service to American. American Airlines main competition from regional airlines includes US Air, America West, Southwest, TWA, Northwest and Continental. US Air serves primarily eastern and southwestern markets. American West and Southwest are discount carriers serving the Southwest and California areas. TWA that offered primarily coast-to-coast service, Northwest that served the Northern tier of the U.S. and Continental that served the southern tier. Furthermore, mergers meant that the combined market share of the four largest airlines rose from 54.2% in 1982 to 64.8% in 1987. Growth of low cost airlines: Low cost airlines are expanding rapidly. Southwest in particular is successfully promoting its bargain fares, low cost and no-frills approach to service and are the seventh largest U.S. carrier, though only operating in 15 states for local, and short haul markets. The low cost airlines are able to charge extremely low discount prices because: Distribution costs are reduced using direct selling through the internet or call centers and having no tickets Pricing segmentation only occurs on two variables: the date of booking and the effective demand of that specific flight so there are less complex fares and less restrictions imposed to increase customer satisfaction The operating expenditure passenger and their operating margin are also significantly higher. American Airlines does not have the ability to compete directly through matching such low prices because they could never achieve such low costs, nor does the brand image of American Airlines compliment this strategy. Airline Industry is vulnerable to price wars: Industries that have extra capacity, high fixed costs, and low differentiation and are price elastic are the most vulnerable to price wars. High Fixed costs and extra capacity are profit-damaging combinations because it means that airlines must have high yields through yield management in order to maintain profitability, which is very complex. Low Differentiation means customers see airline travel as a commodity- like business. In general, they simply want to get from one city to another in the shortest amount of time, at a convenient time that fits their schedule, and at a reasonable price. High Price Elasticity: Due to the combination of the above, airline travel is typically price elastic. Therefore, airline companies are becoming more inclined to lower prices in order to stimulate demand. Sensitive to economic downturns due to high fixed costs structure, for example in 1991 the industrys cumulative losses were $2.67 billion The dominant distribution channel is the travel agent. Therefore, the cooperation of travel agents with the Airline is necessary. Airlines get the agents cooperation through giving them commissions from ticket sales. Key Issues Develop a pricing strategy that will increase the demand of air travel and the long term profitability of the airline industry. Identify and evaluate alternatives by considering competitors reactions, customer impact on yield, costs and long term profitability. 1. Value Pricing The main objective of this pricing strategy was to provide simplicity, equity, and value for air travel, compared to the existing system with a multitude of ever changing fares and discounts. Value Pricing: Segmented Pricing: On any given flight, there would be only four different fares: First Class, Regular Coach, Discount Coach (booked seven days in advance) and Discount Coach (booked twenty-one days in advance). Each fare had different restrictions and offerings. E.g., Discount coach involved Saturday night stay over, advanced purchases (21 days), not refundable but they could be re-issued for another flight and priced 49% below the regular coach fares. New fares will be 38% below the levels of comparable existing fares and will be the same for everyone, meaning no need for special deals. Advertising: American Airlines would spend $20 million on media time and space over two weeks. They anticipated that revenue would increase additionally by $300-350 million annually and cost savings of $25 million per year. Pros  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Business travelers will benefit from value pricing. The advantages for business travelers is that, they  no longer need to worry about inflexible restrictions attached to reduced fares, forcing them to pay higher prices. Now they can get the advantage of being able to book at short notice but ensuring that they will still receive the same 38% off full Coach with no restrictions with any time fares. Furthermore, if they can book in advance they can pay even less. Reduced Costs: American Airlines forecasts cost savings of $25 million per year through the reduction in the number of fares offered, as it will reduce its CRS from 500,000 to only 70,000. Secondly, as all flights will be priced based on the distance of the flight path, so the variable costs actually determine the prices, in theory providing higher revenue. Cons Price elasticity: Air travel has quite high price elasticity as a review found that the majority of estimates were between the range of -.8 and -.2, with the elasticity for business travel generally being less than unity, while that for pleasure travel typically exceeding unity. Therefore, leisure travel demand changes with changes in price more than business travel because of a price change. American Airlines, the price sensitive customers will be highly dissatisfied by the new value pricing and they will be encouraged to switch to low cost airlines. American Airlines will no longer benefit from the business travelers that were typically price insensitive but time sensitive and so prepared to pay the higher costs. This will have incremental affects on yield and profitability as the high fixed costs of airlines previously depended upon business travelers to buy higher priced tickets. Competitors Reactions: For air travel demand, which in turn creates the lack of customer brand loyalty to airlines, a 38% reduction in American Airline prices in theory would cause customers to switch to American Airlines. However, American Airlines has failed to consider competitors reactions in their value pricing. Lower their prices to match American Airline prices to guarantee the consumer the lowest fare without committing to a lower price but ultimately keeping their customers and sending the message to American Airlines that they should increase their prices. In turn, this will reduce the profitability of the Airline industry, as airlines will need to keep lowering prices in order to remain competitive, leading to a decrease in profit margins and economic growth. Competitors reactions will ultimately prevent American Airlines from reaching their forecasted revenue for 1992. Promotion problems: The travel agents are less likely to promote this reduced fare platform and the CEO only plans a one-time $20 million advertising effort. High Fixed Costs of Airlines: American Airlines has a high cost structure and as a result, they rely on high-yield and high traffic.   Therefore, it is not feasible and it will be disastrous for them to lower costs in the long term without reducing their fixed costs. They expect market share to increase by an additional one-half of 1% of the total  U.S.  market. They believe that in the second quarter of 1992, revenues could decrease by $100 million, but that revenues will increase by $300- £350 million for the entire year. They assume that the demand for air travel as a method of transportation will increase by 3-4% with the new pricing structure. American Airlines yield and revenue assumptions are flawed because the value pricing is assuming that all present factors in the industry will remain the same but in reality competitors will match prices and travel agents will not be so cooperative. Break Even changes: American Airlines would need to increase their sales dramatically in order to break even, which will be very difficult. Regular Coach 1990 1992 1992 Route: New York- Chicago Old New New (including $20m advertising) Selling Price $854 $500 $500 Total Revenue (assume sell 1000) $854000 $500000 500000% Variable Cost as a percentage of the total costs 3.60% 3.60% 3.60% Variable Costs per person $40 $40 $40 Total Variable Costs $40000 $40000 $40000 Unit Contribution= selling price- variable cost $814 $460 $460 Fixed Costs   as a percentage of the total costs 96.40% 96.40%   96.4% +    £20m Fixed Costs ( 96.4/3.6=26.77740000= 1071111.111) 1071111.111 1071111.111 21071111.11 Break Even=   fixed cost/ unit contribution 1315.861316 $2328.502415 45806.76328 Break Even sales change 1012.641099 44490.90196 Break Even Point % sales change 176% 3481%   Pros Product Differentiation will be valued: On long haul flights added frills are valued because passengers are on the plane for longer so they will require more services in order to feel comfortable. There are a range of services and products that American Airlines has the opportunity to offer customers to differentiate their fare prices.. Reduce the risk of a price war. Through concentrating on long haul flights and maintaining low but profitable prices, competitors will be less likely to reduce their costs because American Airlines is the market leader and every competitor wants to have profit maximization. Furthermore, it will increase the long-term profitability of the industry as demand and profitability will increase. Increase customer brand loyalty: American Airlines are differentiating their products from competitors and if these differences are valued then customers will be encouraged to be loyal to American Airlines, as they will receive the extra benefits from the products on top of their frequent flier program. Opportunity gap in the market: Expanding into new markets will increase their customer base and market share as long haul flights e.g. 15-18 hour will become more and more popular through increasing international business communications. It is impossible for American Airlines to match the leading low cost airline fares while at the same time operating at a profit due to their higher cost per seat mile. The current brand is image of a high quality service airline. Simplifies pricing without the need to price too low and curbs demand, so customers will be willing to pay more and also they will better maximize flight capacity through curbing demand and so they will not suffer from opportunity costs found in value pricing. Cons Increasing the number of services will increase their variable costs per customer. Fixed costs will rise dramatically from initial expansion. Risk of International Business Problems: As American Airlines expand they must ensure that they maintain good communication or else their costs could increase Foreign markets will bring more challenges when facing new competitors Currency differences American Airlines does not react to the growing number of low cost airlines by matching their low prices then they will expand further, increase their market share within America with price sensitive customers and decrease American Airlines competitive advantage. This could reduce the profitability of the U.S. air travel industry in the long term. Require heavy investment, funding, planning and advertising in order to implement and communicate the difference of services between flight fares to customers and get customers to value these differences. Recommendation:   Recommended that Value Pricing be adjusted and combined with alternative three, to focus on long haul flights and segmented pricing through service differentiation as despite Value Pricing being a very innovative pricing strategy it has many shortcomings. The value pricing must be embedded in a broader and consistent marketing strategy. The value pricing aim to simplify fares through offering four fare structures should be implemented as this will reduce CRS costs and increase customer understanding of fare prices. However, the restrictions imposed should be reduced on the discount fares, otherwise customers will go to low cost airlines. Instead, it is recommended that fences be built between the different fares to prevent customers from switching from higher fares to discount fares through service differentiation, not just the transportation and a few marginal restrictions. Furthermore, American Airlines should focus on long haul flights as opposed to short-medium haul flights within America because it is within these flights that service differentiation is highly valued. In addition, if American Airlines can expand into more markets it will increase their market share and long-term profitability. This will also prevent the erosion of profitability in the airline industry because it will prevent a price war.

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

TEMPEST Essay -- essays research papers

The Other in the Tempest In order to understand the characters in a play, we have to be able to distinguish what exactly makes them different. In the case of The Tempest, Caliban, the sub-human slave is governed largely by his senses, making him the animal that he is portrayed to be and Prospero is governed by sound mind, making him human. Caliban responds to nature as his instinct is to follow it. Prospero, on the other hand, follows the art of justifiable rule. Even though it is easy to start assessing The Tempest in view of a colonialist gaze, I have chosen instead to concentrate on viewing Caliban as the monster he is portrayed to be, due to other characters that are not human, but are treated in a more humane fashion than Caliban. Before we meet Caliban, we meet Ariel, Prospero’s trusting spirit. Even though Ariel is not human either, he is treated kindly and lovingly by his master who calls him â€Å"my quaint Ariel.† Caliban, on the other hand, is called a â€Å"tortoise† and a â €Å"poisonous slave† by Prospero. As Caliban enters in Act 1 Scene 2, we realise his fury at both Prospero and Miranda. He is rude and insulting and Prospero replies with threats of torture. Prospero justifies his punishment of Caliban by his anger at the attempted rape of his daughter, something Caliban shows no remorse for. Miranda distinguishes herself from Caliban by calling him â€Å"a thing most brutish† and inadvertently, a thing that has only bad natures. She calls his speech â€Å"gabble,† but doesn’t stop to wonder whether it was she that didn’t understand him because she didn’t know how to speak his language. Surely Caliban communicated verbally with his mother for the twelve years before Prospero killed her? It seems that Prospero and Miranda expect Caliban to be grateful for the knowledge of their language, but Caliban has just learned â€Å"how to curse† and justifies his anger by claiming rights to the island. Even thou gh they obviously detest each other, Prospero needs him, as he tells Miranda: â€Å"We cannot miss him: he does make our fire/Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices/That profit us†¦,† Caliban stays on because he is afraid of Prospero’s â€Å"art†¦of such power,† making Prospero the feared conqueror ad dictator. Prospero is the â€Å"right duke of Milan† and Caliban is the â€Å"savage and deformed slave.† They represent two different extremes on the social spectrum: that of the natural ruler,... ...e will let Stephano rule- showing himself to be naturally ruled, not ruler. At the end of the play, when he recognises that his choice of Stephano as ruler was foolish, it is not mental reasoning that has led him to this conclusion, but the evidence of his senses and experience. Caliban had mid enough to function as part of society, but training him to become part of that society cannot be abstract, like Prospero’s failed attempt at educating him with Miranda – Caliban’s education must be practical and hammered home with his own senses. If the senses represent something natural and the mind represents an art like knowledge or in Prospero’s case, magic, then we can say that Caliban represents Nature and Prospero Art. While the need for control over nature is asserted continually, the ending suggests that art must ultimately come to terms with nature (hence Prospero’s â€Å"this thing of darkness I/Acknowledge mine†); for while Caliban†™s limitations are apparent, his wish to improve himself is promising, and his new relationship with Prospero seems to be more stable and more reassuring than the resentment-filled and extremely uneasy jailer-prisoner/master-slave relationship shown earlier

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Greek Mythology and Religion :: Ancient Greece Greek History

Greek Mythology and Religion Mythology is the study and interpretation of myth and the body of myths of a particular culture. Myth is a complex cultural phenomenon that can be approached from a number of viewpoints. In general, myth is a narrative that describes and portrays in symbolic language the origin of the basic elements and assumptions of a culture. Mythic narrative relates, for example, how the world began, how humans and animals were created, and how certain customs, gestures, or forms of human activities originated. Almost all cultures possess or at one time possessed and lived in terms of myths. Myths differ from fairy tales in that they refer to a time that is different from ordinary. The time sequence of myth is extraordinary- an "other" time - the time before the conventional world came into being. Because myths refer to an extraordinary time and place and to gods and other supernatural beings and processes, they have usually been seen as aspects of religion. Because of the inclusive nature of myth, however, it can illustrate many aspects of individual and cultural life. Meaning and interpretation From the beginnings of Western culture, myth has presented a problem of meaning and interpretation, and a history of controversy has gathered about both the value and the status of mythology. Myth, History, and Reason In the Greek heritage of the West, myth or mythos has always been in tension with reason or logos, which signified the sensible and analytic mode of arriving at a true account of reality. The Greek philosophers Xenophanes, Plato, and Aristotle, for example, exalted reason and made sarcastic criticisms of myth as a proper way of knowing reality. The distinctions between reason and myth and between myth and history, although essential, were never quite absolute. Aristotle concluded that in some of the early Greek creation myths, logos and mythos overlapped. Plato used myths as metaphors and also as literary devices in developing an argument. Western Mythical Traditions The debate over whether myth, reason, or history best expresses the meaning of the reality of the gods, humans, and nature has continued in Western culture as a legacy from its earliest traditions. Among these traditions were the myths of the Greeks. Adopted and assimilated by the Romans, they furnished literary, philosophical, and artistic inspiration to such later periods as the Renaissance and the romantic era. The pagan tribes of Europe furnished another body of tradition.

Company Introduction, Market Segmentation

Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning Keenan Pierson Dry. Steven Englander Marketing October 28, 2013 A. The Company Smart Option e-cigarette Is a metal rechargeable electric cigarette brand, Glenn smokers an alternative smoking option to conventional tobacco products. Smart Option takes pride in putting an emphasis on making its e-cigarette as close as possible to the weight, size, feel, flavor and inhalation of real cigarettes. Targeting seasoned smokers, Smart Option e-cigarettes produce non-disposable smoking products.The Smart Option e-cigarette kit comes with an atomized plus a cartridge tit a flavor enhancer. Consumers enjoy the brand's option of varied flavor enhancers but is popular, more so, because Smart Option Is known for its longer- lasting batteries. Popular, trendy and well-established, the Smart Option brand desires to expand to Include the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers. Smart Option was established In 2010 and Is headquartered In Atla nta.Keenan Pierson Is the SSP of Product Development, spearheading the brand's technological advance. Smart option's strategic mission statement Is â€Å"To provide a great price for the sophisticated smoker, focusing on quality and increased accessibility. † Foreign Market Cigarette use is the largest segment of the tobacco market In Russia, accounting for 98 percent of the market's total value (Russia, 2013). E-cigarette use in Russia is a means for controlling smoking (â€Å"Popularity,† 2011), and its popularity is growing there as well.Smart Option consumers primarily are based in the United States, but Smart Option sees an opportunity to expand the brand as it prepares to launch the Smarts component. Currently, the majority of electric cigarettes enter the Russian market from China (Research and Markets, 2012). Increasing exports will help grow the brand. With Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers, the goal Is to pioneer and capture significant m arket share through a sense of necessity from consumers in the U. S. And abroad, creating brand loyalty. B. Marketing Plan smoker.It has the look of classic cigarettes with an excellent nicotine delivery system. Consumers enjoy its variety of forms, its battery life and ease of use. The Smart Option e-cigarette brand is the solution for the long-term consumer seeking a premium product. While priced slightly higher than competitors selling disposable reduces, the Smart Option e-cigarette kit is equivalent to receiving up to three packs of conventional cigarettes above the standard two. Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers will be for consumers looking for the longer investment in the e-cigarette.Smarts will provide the best and most technologically-advanced electronic cartridges and compatible chargers in the industry. All e-cigarette brands are battery operated. Presently, consumers of e-cigarettes have to be loyal to their brand because rechargeable cartridges and chargers are not versatile, meaning that chargeable cartridges are not compatible with each other. There are so many electric cigarettes available that it may be difficult – and expensive – for the consumer to determine which brand satisfies their tastes.The consumer also must find the store that sells their preferred brand. With Smart Option's Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers, consumers no longer have to commit. The product and the service component of the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers will drive sales. Smarts will be bundled with the existing Smart Option products and sold separately to attract users of competing eggs. Like most cartridges, the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges include miniature lithium batteries. Smarts is unique because its 4. -volts also contain a small universal adapter for compatibility with other brands, creating an â€Å"android† mechanism for use across all brands of e-cigarettes. A unique feature of the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges includes longer-life batteries, which has made Smart Option popular among consumers. As an enhancement, the Smarts battery will automatically go into standby mode when not in use to preserve its life. The product and the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers will be expensed through vending machines and will be widely available at gas stations and convenience stores.Consumers will see the cost savings over time, enjoying the versatility of the Smart compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers, making the overall product and its service even more attractive. A report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention finds that one-fifth of Americans – about 46 million – are still smoking (â€Å"The Electric Cigarette,† 2010). Tobacco use is responsible for nearly 1 in 5 deaths in the United States (â€Å"AS Choice,† 2010). Users of conventional cigarette make are respo nding to the rise in health risk awareness, using e-cigarettes as a healthier alternative.Currently it is estimated that 1 in 40 smokers are now using e- cigarettes as an alternative (â€Å"The Electric Cigarette,† 2010), and the trend is growing at phenomenal speed. E-cigarettes have three basic components: a battery, an atomized and a mouthpiece cartridge. E-cigarettes deliver nicotine without the harmful toxins found in tobacco smoke yet creates the same hand-to-mouth experience. Instead of lighting up, an electric cigarette has a cartridge that resembles a filter that heats nicotine into a vapor. An LED light glows at the tip during the inhale, simulating the glowing tip of a regular cigarette.It is a safer alternative to smoking, and reduces secondhand smoke exposure since they do not produce smoke. E-cigarettes are sum, e-cigarettes are a smarter smoking solution. E-cigarette users are â€Å"vamping† rather than smoking. The sale of e-cigarettes is a niche busine ss that is a growing segment of the tobacco industry, although no tobacco exists in eggs. Created in 2003 by a Chinese pharmacist, the segment is emerging, and it is estimated that about a million people used electric cigarettes (Seltzer, 2011).Word about the product is spreading as consumers are becoming educated about the dangers of tobacco use and about the availability of smoke-free alternatives. Increased accessibility and universality will help the industry continue to grow. The Smart Option e-cigarette tastes like a real cigarette and offers a variety of cigarette flavor enhancers, including a nicotine-free version. Smart Option focus groups revealed that consumers are attracted to the brand's Smart LED and the option of purchasing higher capacity batteries but expressed frustration over their inability to use e-cigarettes interchangeably.Smart Option's answer is a universal battery-operated rechargeable atomized cartridge and charger. Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridge s and chargers will offer various charging options such as car chargers. Consumers have found problems with the taste and reliability in their search for the preferred e- cigarette. Neither cartridges nor chargers are interchangeable, making it difficult – and expensive – for the consumer to determine which brand satisfies their tastes.Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers will provide consumers with a plethora of options and alternatives to enjoy the brand of their choice. No other brand or innovation currently exists to cater to e-cigarette users who want that versatility. There are different sizes of batteries in varying brands of e-cigarettes. The convenience and instant gratification of purchasing the Smart Option e-cigarette and/or purchasing the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and charger is effective to drive growth and will strengthen market share.The Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and charger will come with a universal ad apter, creating an â€Å"android† mechanism for use across all brands of e-cigarettes. Consumers also will enjoy the system's longer-life rechargeable cartridges, eliminating the hassle of purchasing several devices in search of the desired taste and nicotine strength. Getting buy-in from the skeptical consumer will be a challenge to overcome since a weakness from competitors is weaker battery performances.The widespread smoking prohibition, not to mention the increase in taxes, and growing social stigma of conventional cigarette smoke creates opportunities for the e-cigarette market. Convenience stores have seen a reduction in retail sales, resulting in lower profit margins from selling conventional cigarettes. Unlike conventional cigarettes, tobacco taxes do not exist because there is not tobacco in the product, making it an affordable alternative for consumers. Electric cigarettes offer convenience stores lower taxes and much higher profit margins.Imposing additional cigar ette-specific taxes on the sale of e-cigarette products would be a threat as it would lessen the number of consumers willing to buy the products. Smart Option e-cigarette brand is plentiful and diverse, and the goal is for the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges and chargers to be as well. Consumers experience a relaxing and licensable feeling with each Smart Option smoke that they perceive as positive and satisfying. The aim is to position the product and service as more than an e-cigarette this push will come in the form of heavy promotional spending.New technologically- savvy vending machines will be Smart Option's way to sell the product, making it a standout brand. Each vending machine will have an online hub with up-to-date e- cigarette Smart Option brand information as an example of such marketing. APS accessible from smart mobile phones will support consumers' need to get the latest reduce information, including GAPS capability to provide nearest locations. The Smart O ption e-cigarette brand has a reliable website with an easy-to-use menu for online transactions by credit or debit.This will provide the best possible option for delivery for the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridge and charger. Wide accessibility in brick-and-mortar stores such as gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, drug stores and big box retailers, will help diversify and increase sales distribution. Smart Option e-cigarette and the Smarts compatible rechargeable cartridges will be the best option for the lowest price possible. The brand and supporting devices will deliver more enriched quality and versatility to consumers.