A Market Research Proposal for McCain Foods, UK
1. Launch:
Producers of goods must have to be fed with sufficient marketing knowledge to enable them to make appropriate options of products for satisfying the needs of the clients depending upon the financial and consumption styles. Regarding food industry, there can be an additional important factor of growing health matter in all parts of the entire world and even more in developed countries like UK where in fact the health consciousness of individuals are extremely high and the regulatory government bodies stringent. You can find negative perceptions about junk food in the sense they are considered as harming medical of men and women through weight problems and getting the children addicted. Hence, it is crucial for them to get on side a developed marketing plan which would first dwelling address the negative concerns of the consumers and task the positive benefits of consumption of these top quality foods. These responsibilities could be effectively handled only by marketing pros. In this Newspaper, we shall be preparing market research arrange for McCain Foods which intends to increase into healthier treats and dishes. The Newspaper would first spell out a valid marketing theory on which the study would be achieved followed with the techniques that could be used in the real market research by discussing their relevance with their plans.
2. THE DECISION of Market Research Theory:
We would take up the 4p's theory due to its relevance and applicability even in today's times mainly as a result of fact that this theory has developed over a time period before maturing into one having practical energy in a theoretical framework. Inside the theoretical realm it found its space with the publication of an article by Borden. H. Neil, in 1964 under the subject 'Marketing Mix Concepts'. It was sophisticated in by McCarthy E. Jerome into four principles which popularly had become known as 4P's. They are really Product, Price, Place and Promotion. A judicious mixer of all of them depending upon aspect of research would produce statistically validated and nearly usable background material for the management to decide about introducing and sustaining strategies. It has been extended at least to five ps but we would not go into that.
Focus teams and cross-tabulated surveys are the most commonly used techniques however in the context of present research it suffers from a major restriction. The results from them are only a bundle of reports which would lack powerful insights in regards to a live product and determining a target audience in term precise and well described terms.
Product covers components of brand, efficiency, appearance, quality, service and presentation.
Price denotes such elements as list price, special discounts available, cmplementaries with the main product etc
Place denotes the location, service levels and logistics besides other features to suit the choice of the product.
Promotion refers to the techniques and settings of advertising. Maybe it's through the advertising utilising the pr skills of the developer, syndication of free leaflets, direct marketing and can even be general public interest related advertisements that could promote the cause of the merchandise.
In the broad theoretical framework, we must choose relevant elements best suited for the product under reference. Ours is a convenient product, directed at the health-conscious working professionals and educated households having throw-away income. The executive segment than it has little time to invest on a comprehensive meal or selection of snack foods, but, is affluent enough to expend on products having Health and Nutritious value. Diet is what they want and obesity is what they abhor. The techniques followed should alternately do it again key terms nutrition and excess weight in a converse framework so that the results generate a summary of the needs and wants of the consumers in what they would like to eat and what they don't.
2. 1. The Techniques
'Laddering' and 'Prototyping' will be the two most appropriate presently used techniques fulfilling a lot of the above criteria. Laddering brings about through in-depth interviews the center attributes and values which consumers look for in something. We then section them into distinct workable organizations through prototyping from the insights gained from laddering by identifying the target band of consumers as distinctly as you can in a live situation. These two techniques serve the goal of determining concerning whom and how to target with a great degree of preciseness. These techniques also are in conformity with 4ps theory.
In our context, through application of the techniques, we will get answers to questions as to the reasons individuals are not buying certain types/brands of food, what is their perception in this respect of the range food, what would make sure they are to start/ improve the buying of our brand, how do we make them to enter into our lets out and in a nutshell produce an ideal 'marketing combination' covering a wide range of parameters to produce a win-win outcome both for the sellers and purchasers.
3. The Limitations
The limits for conducting this exercise could stem from budgetary and geographical constraints. Junk food are still an urban sensation and therefore the geographical locations would have to be more often than not urban in character. Performing face-to-face interviews could be costly and getting sufficient respondents who would have enough time with the interviewer is another limitation. However they in now way reduce the value and relevance of the techniques discussed above. Again, it is a trade off which is where in fact the role of experience marketing manger will come in who can make a decision the best option size of the actual research. For instance, we could focus on a pilot-project and expand into a thorough research mode based on the final results of the pilot surveys.
4. Bottom line:
The objective of this Paper was to provide a realistic pre- general market trends plan to the McCain Food, UK who intends to present a number of fast foods incorporating health enhancing ingredients and removing the negative results perceived by medical conscious consumers in the UK. After the plan is approved with appropriate alterations the company would like to incorporate, the real research process would start.
References
D. Schewe D. Charles, Hiam Alexander, (1992): "The Lightweight MBA in Marketing", John Wiley & Sons Inc, New York, Ny
Forrin-Camppeli, Lisa (1990): "THE CLIENT Insight E book, Chicago, The Backup Workshop
Reynolds, Thomas I & Gutman, Jonathan, (1988): "Laddering Theory, Method, Examination & Interpretation, "Journa of Advertising Research", February/ March, 11-31.
Zaltman, Gerald ar d Couize, Rubit (1995): "Seeing the Words of the Customer: Metaphor-based Advertising Research, Journal of Advertising Research, 352, 35-51
