What is the Marketing Mix?

Companies use a set of steps or operation known as "The Marketing Mix" to encourage and promote their label throughout the market. The Marketing Mix started off with a set of four P's; Price, Product, Promotion and Place.

Today there at least seven P's;

• Place
• Price
• Product
• Process
• Physical Evidence
• People
• Promotion 

The marketing mix is very important as all the elements connect with each other and when done correctly can make up a successful business. 

Place- Place is where and how the product is purchased. The product must be available in places where customers shop and are willing to find it. The product must be available at the right time, when a customer wants to buy a product it must be available at that moment. If the product is not available then the customer will find somewhere else to purchase it, this is why it is so important for the product to be where it has to be at the right time.

Price-  Price is one of the most important elements of the marketing mix as the price has to support all of the other elements of the marketing mix. If the product is priced too high or too low the company can fall in sales. Companies usually follow a pricing strategy that breaks down each level of pricing to help them come up with the best possible price.

Product-  A product must be able to satisfy the needs of its buyer.  For a product to be successfull it must fulfil the markets needs.

Process-  Process is how the service is delivered. This is part of what the customer is paying for, it can be from an online experience or how the product is delievered.

Physical Evidence-   Physical evidence can be what the customer is paying for. At least all services have certain physical evidence that make their products apealing to buy. The physical evidence is the evidence at the end of what service has been given. An example would be the completed hairdo at a hair salon.

People- People is all about have the right people working at a company and giving out positive attitudes and offering good service. This is all about how the employers treat the customers and are always willing to deliver good service and step out of their way for a customer.

Promotion- Promotion is what companies do to get their products noticed and encourage people to buy them. It can be anything from advertising, social media, personal selling and it is everywhere you go.

Acutt, M. (2015, May 23). Marketing mix definition - 4Ps & 7Ps of the marketing mix. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://marketingmix.co.uk/

Marketing Mix- Promotion (Adidas)

Promotion is all about communication with a customer it could be anything from an advertisement to a conversation about the product to a customer which will encourage them to buy it. Social media , youtube, twitter and facebook can be threats or opportunities for companies through promoting. Some peoples opinion about promotion vary as some think that advertisements only provide customers with selected information. There are five communication effects to promotion which are

• Category need
• Brand Awareness
• Brand attitude
• Brand purchase intention
• Purchase facilitation

Adi Dassler is the founder of Adidas and started making shoes in early 1900s where the German soccer team all wore Adidas shoes for the 1945 world cup final. In 1972 other sports like mountain climbing and gymnastics started to wear the brand and it soon became a fashion trend in 1986. Adidas made TV advertising campaigns to promote their brand. Adidas brought out meanings when selling products and quoted "Earn it", "there is nothing between you and success, so exceed your own expectations and limitations" and "We know then- we know now". These quotes began to take Adidas up to top position in the industry of sportswear. One of the first most famous commercials Adidas brought out was the video shown as when people heard this song they would think of the product. Adidas try to make their advertisements full of energy and promote the statement "Impossible is nothing" to customers. 

Trends constantly are changing and it is hard for brands to stay on top so promotion is very important for companies to keep it right. Adidas has seen its ups and downs and was in competition with Nike in the 1980s. Adidas targeted not only sports oriented people but youngsters and soon overcame the competition against Nike. Not only does the company sell footwear their clothing and equipment is also very popular.

 Adidas have many famous ambassadors that people look up to and this helps them to promote their stock. Ambassadors are very important as they have to have a positive image of the brand and like it so they can show a provide a positive image for the company. 

One of the most famous ambassadors promoting for Adidas is David Beckham. David Beckham made his football debut at the age of 17 and has won titles and hit records. Lionel Messi, Sachin and Ronaldinho are also top players around the world that promote Adidas. Adidas also focus on sponsoring teams throughout a wide range of sports from South Africa and England in Cricket, France, Real Madrid and Great Britain in football. 

Adidas also promote their brand online through instagram with 11.5 million followers already that can view every post that Adidas puts up, This is a great way of promoting the brand as it takes one click to go on instagram and see anything new that has been posted by the brand. Videos and photos of new products or advertising can be posted on the instagram page.

Adidas also have a twitter page which is very similar to the Instagram page apart from that on twitter small bits of information can be tweeted without a picture. The twitter page has 2.91 million followers who see everythings that is posted by the company. Another way that Adidas promote their brand is through the Adidas app that any apple phone or android can download for free and purchase online stock to be delivered to their house or any near by store. Customers are able to sign up so that when an offer takes place online or instore they are notified through am email. This is a great way of promoting their stock and will increase sales.


Acutt, M. (2015, May 23). Marketing mix definition - 4Ps & 7Ps of the marketing mix. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://marketingmix.co.uk/

Marketing Concept- Price (Topshop)

The price of a product is one the most important decisions a marketer can make. It can change a customers mind in seconds if they find out the price of a product isn't what they were looking for. A decision of price will affect revenues rather than costs. If the price of a product is either too high or too low it can stop a business form growing but pricing is extremely hard to get right because there are many factors to think about. 

Topshop are a well known clothing brand and are very popular in the fashion industry. Topshop keep very up to date in the market as they communicate with their customers through online websites and facebook. Online website have a huge effect on the cost of products . Topshop keep very up to date with the internet as they have a website. app and social media pages. Topshoop have a great amount of fashion followers and engage with them regularly. www.topshop.com Topshops website layout is different to other retailer websites it has a certain theme to it that is elegant and stylish which attracts more buyers.

Topshops website is almost like a blog as it highlights images of the fashion industry today. Their different from the others. Topshop clothing has a certain theme to it that other stores can't keep up with and struggle to compete against as their clothes are very Indie styled and stand out.
e is a section on the website that custoners can post pictures of them wearing their new clothes that they bought from the store, this is something that a blogger would do. Topshop competes with other companies throughtout the fashion industry. It competes with; Debenhams, Mrs. Selfridge, H&M and River Island. These stores all target the same people and are all very up to date in todays fashion.

Many famous that woman look up to and admire wear topshop clothing which encourage even more buyers. Although famous people constantly wear the clothing brand this does not make the price of the clothing any more expensive as topshop don't want to change any part of their business. Famous people spotted wearing topshop clothing

• Beyonce
• Cara Delevigne
• Taylor Swift
• Hailey Baldwin
• Maisie Williams
• Kate Bosworth

In 2002 Topshop attracted at least 68%-71% of clothing consumers in 2002 as they sell catwalk clothes for affordable prices. Topshop is the headline of nearly every fashion broadsheet and title. Topshop bring out 300 new designs every week there prices ranges are made to be affordable to everyone. They have a basic collection which is simple but cheap, a unique collection which is slightly more expensive but worn by famous people and featured on catwalks. The store is also full of very fashionable products that are sold at very cheap prices. Topshop compete with its competitors as the company employ "style advisers" and continuously focus on current trends, this is why other stores cannot keep up with it. Topshop always provide customers with a season sale, the sale covers all sections of the store so it targets everyone from tall, petite and maternity. Topshop provides students with a discount all year round that you can save 10%. When the 10% changes to an even bigger discount all students receive an email and are notified so that they know they are getting a good deal. Topshop do promotion on all of there basic tops and vests as they do "three pairs of socks for £8", "three pairs of lingerie for £10" and two for £10 on jersey tops".

When a new store was opening in New York City last year topshop sent out a decorated van shown in the image, flyers were passed out with gift cards and free totes bags. The night before the store opened a party was held that Jay-Z, Kate Moss and Jennifer Lopez attended. When the store opened topshop continued to think of new marketing strategies and now topshop offers its customers to sign up for a free personal shopper. This is a fantastic way of shopping and increasing sales as the personal shopper emails the customer with new styles and clothing that the customer likes and may want to buy.

Beyonce is one of the worlds famous music artists that many people admire. Beyonce now has her own clothing range in topshop which was brought out in April 2014. The range not only attracts fans but also regular customers of topshop to look forward to a new collection. There are styles from sports bras, jackets, body suits, socks and leggins, which are all show in the video uploaded.

Moore, J. (2014, June 11). Andrea Cuevas. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://www.slideshare.net/JessicaMoore10/complete-topshop-presentation

Terms. (2005, May 9). Superbrands case studies: Topshop. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/474559/superbrands-case-studies-topshop

Name. (2010, November 5). Marketing…the TopShop way. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from https://jpaulemon.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/marketing-the-topshop-way/

Marketing concept- People (John Lewis)

 Customer Service is the only contact a customer has with a company, this is why is it extremely important. Customer service is more important than price "to get the right experience, they are willing to pay more". Customer service can build trust, customers can spend up to thousands pf pounds per year on a company and if they are not happy with the service they receive then the company can stop earning this money from the customer. 

John Lewis are in sixth place as one of the top 50 companies for customer service. They are well known for their customer service and in 2010 were named the best online retailer by consumer magazine. John Lewis want to provide the best possible choice, service and value to all customers. John Lewis focus on what customers really want and look for. I found it really interesting that John Lewis are constantly finding opportunities to listen to the needs of customers, listening to their feedback and acting quickly on what customers tell them.  "We treat customers as individuals and take them through their purchases from start to finish: we are delighted that so many customers remark on our partners' friendliness and helpfulness".  

  John Lewis has over 90,000 partners who own a total of 45 John Lewis shops. John Lewis train each member of staff at a level that helps them take on challenges and develop a management career. They train their staff to give the best customer service, John Lewis spend 56% more on delivery of partnership, this ensures partners reach their full potential and respond rapidly to changes in the retail industry. This is a lot more than what comparable organisations spend on partnership. Each employee gets an induction programme and gets access to a variation of training and learning resources. Employees receive systematic feedback and get praised for their success each year. 

Management Training Schemes are that managers of John Lewis focus on keeping the company as one of the leading retailers. Managers are selected from all different backgrounds including experienced retailers, school and college leavers, and also graduates as the training scheme is made to suit everyone.

Apprenticeship programmes are also available for school leavers with or with grades and experience as they are able to gain qualifications while working there way up.

John Lewis provides a partnership card that offers advantages like every time you purchase an item from the company you earn points and these points can be turned into vouchers for money off or treats for yourself, There is now a John Lewis app that offers a much easier way of shopping which you can download for free on an android or apple phone. This saves customers from having to get up and travel to a store they can quickly skim through the online products to find exactly what they are looking for. John Lewis also provided free magazines online which you can download on to your apple or android for free. A wide range of magazines are provided from fashion to cooking. John Lewis notify their customers through email when offers are on that customers might be interested in which is a great way of encouraging customers to stay happy with the service they are receiving from John Lewis.

The John Lewis Christmas advert really hits the heart of people as it has a very important meaning to it. It tries to show that coming together as a family every year for Christmas is very important and that people shouldn't be lonely. They try to show in the advertisement that they hope everyone can find special gifts with special meanings throughout their stores, The adverts always connects with the brand as John Lewis is always there for its customers and try to show this each year in the advertisements by providing a different but powerful story. This years John Lewis Christmas advert is shown below.

Overall John Lewis is very successful and offers great customer service and is in the top 6 out of 50 companies providing god customer service, as stated by an article from the telegraph which was published in January 2016.

The John Lewis Christmas advert - why it’s so successful. (2015, December 10). Retrieved November 24, 2016, from Advertising, https://www.boxchilli.com/the-john-lewis-christmas-advert-why-its-so-successful/

PLC, J. L., & Knowledge, T. (2013). About us. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from https://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/about.html

Marketing Concept- Product (Beats by Dr.Dre)

'Experience music in your own way'

An idea in someones head is what makes a product. There are two categories that a product can fall into; consumer products or Industrial/business products. Consumer products are products that meet family or personal needs, for example a camera or bicycle. A Industrial/business product is a product that is purchased to help a company to make another product, they are mostly used by industries for example raw materials and parts. Product is extremely important in the marketing mix as it must jump out and target its buyers. It must be the perfect product sold at a reasonable price and a reasonable place. 

There are three levels of a product; Core product, Actual product and Augmented product. The core product is the key benefit or service that the product provides. Beats by dr dre a billion dollar business and controls 70% of the headphones market. LeBron James, Cesc Fabregas and Colin Kaepernick are sports stars that connect theirselves with beats products. Famous artists; Pharrell, Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga also connect  themselves with beats products.
The core product in Beats is that they transform music, they don't reproduce it. They target their customers as they have a set of beats that specifies what a customer wants to hear most in music. Beats ' add bass, slow it down 100x, mash it up with something else. And people will buy headphones that finish in the way they like.' The second level of a product, the actual product, is mix of factors.

The features and capabilities beats provide are that the new set of wireless headphones have a built in microphone so that you are able to use them freely. They have buttons at the side to answer and hang up phone calls, control the volume and moving back and forth through songs. Although the sound has a loud base the other sound qualities still stand out. The headphones are extremely comfortable to wear as the headrest are ear cuffs are padded and a case is provided to keep the headphones safe. Beats by Dr Dre offer a wide range of earphones throughout there market. They sell headphones, earphones, speakers and a beats audio software that offers customers to stream music. This video shows clips of extremely famous artists that people look up to wearing the new Beats wireless headphones. It shows all the features that are provided when wearing them and the range of different styles that are available in the market.

Beats have a certain image that target customers and are worn by so many famous people which make customers envy them. You are able to choose which colour and design you want to purchase which is a great thing as not every customer wants the same product they all have there own style and are able to buy what they want. The packaging is very effective as it needs to make the product stand out. It is highlighted with colours; red, black and white with the Beats by Dr.Dre in four different languages.

The augment product is the aspects and support of a product.  All beats products come with a warranty card which provide their products with a longer life cycle. It is amazing how the technology is improving more every day and beats are constantly keeping on top of it to keep their customers satisfied. Beats have been worked on from 2006 after Jimmy Lovine and Dr.Dre had a meeting.  2008, the day beats by Dr Dre were introduced to the market they were a set of headphones with a wire. Nowadays the technology is surprising, the fact that you can walk about connecting your device to the headphones and controlling everything from the headphones is astonishing. They are now designed "lighter, sexier, stronger and more comfortable".   What will be next? 

Beats are not very cheap to buy as the cost of making a fancy headset can be as little as $14 and the cheapest set of beats cost $200 and goes as high as $700. Surprisingly this doesn't stop customers from buying them as the image and quality of them is admirable.

Terms, P. I. (2016). Beats by Dre: Product life cycle and growth share matrix. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from https://prezi.com/0rswfipreuyo/beats-by-dre-product-life-cycle-and-growth-share-matrix/

Savov, V. (2014, May 9). The epic visual history of beats by Dre. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/9/5699032/beats-by-dre-visual-history

Marketing concept - Place (Irn Bru)

'Irn Bru gets you through'

Irn Bru was invented by Andrew Greig Barr in 1901. Irn Bru was named Strachan's Brew when it was first launched. It originally was meant to be labelled 'Irn Brew' but laws enforced that the drink is not brewed and therefore its name must be changed. In 1946 its name was then changed to 'Irn Bru'. 
Only three people in the world are said to know the recipe of Irn Bru; AG Barr whose identity is a secret, Former Chairman Robin Barr and Julie Barr (the daughter of Andrew Greig Barr). 

The Irn Bru advert is a christmas favourite since it was first advertised on television for seven years.

 You can find Irn Bru in your local supermarket, corner shop and newsagents in three flavours; Irn Bru, Sugar free Irn Bru and Irn Bru extra taste, no sugar.
 It is most likely to be in any shop that sells fizzy juice although some countries do not sell Irn bru.  Irn Bru is made in five factories in Russia, Canada, USA and Norway also have a licence to sell this product since 2008. Irn Bru originally was manufactures at a factory in  Westfield Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire by the company "Barr of Glasgow". Once Irn Bru began to sell throughout the United Kingdom a second manufacturing site as built in Mansfield Nottingham, England. 

Irn Bru is so famous in Scotland that other Countries found out about it and now are selling it. Irn Bru is now shipped and sold in Spain, The Netherlands, Greece, Cyprus, Africa, Asia, Germany and Gibraltar. It is available in a wide range of stores so that customers will always have the opportunity to buy it. Although Irn Bru is made out to be only found in Scotland this encourages more people to buy it as they think it is exclusive and feel the need to try it and go out their way to find it to prove it is not only sold in Scotland.  It is very important to Barr that Irn Bru is available at a wide range of outlets as if this brand is not available the customer will chose another product and the sales for Irn Bru will decrease.  Irn Bru is made out to be in competition with coca-cola although coca-cola is the worlds famous soft drink and is a very hard product to compete against. Irn Bru is Scotland's leading soft drink but will never be to compete against coca-cola as the worlds leading soft drink.

AG Barr soft drinks. (2016). Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://www.agbarr.co.uk/our-brands/irn-bru/

10, +, Picture, 18, T. L., 13, T., a, sharetool, request Param, var, … load Chartbeat, ? (2014, November 13). Scottish fact of the day: Irn-Bru. Retrieved November 24, 2016, from http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/scottish-fact-of-the-day-irn-bru-1-3604534