Executive Recommendations Letter
The mission statement of Snapple Group is delineated in its company intention of being a domestic leader in the flavored beverage industry. Its reputable and established brand allows it to deliver beverages of superior quality to its existing and potential customers. As such, in order to achieve its mission, the company bases its operations on the following objectives:
Effective marketing
Strengthening its distribution channels
Establishing fruitful partnerships.
Investing in its employees and the communities the company operates in.
Using environmentally sustainable operations in its undertakings.
Implementing the best technology to minimize costs and sustain profits.
Core Competencies
An authentic brand with a well-recognized image.
An appealing tag line and with catchy slogans on bottles
Extensive availability of Snapple products in over eighty countries globally
A customer friendly and personal brand that even redesigned its bottles so that they could fit onto cup holders
Offers a great diversity healthy products
Exciting facts on each bottle cap
Fundamentals of Marketing Research Program
Current Target Market
Its target market is health-aware customers with a youthful attitude. The brand is appealing to the young and old customers of all cultures, genders and ages. This is because they know that it is a good preference over carbonated drinks, hence a healthier choice. They can take it at any time of day, anywhere, and they enjoy the soothing, stimulating, sensual taste. For instance, it has been previously tested in schools, where sports students take it as a healthier refreshment during sports.
Current Marketing Mix
Product
According to Deighton (2003), Snapple has established itself in the beverage market with some of the best products out there including lemonades, enhanced waters, iced teas, fruit juices, and so forth. Its noncarbonated products have made its products a household name, hence giving it a good market share. The recommendation is for the company to continue making products that are affable with the consumers and that cater for their daily needs in a healthier way than the available alternatives.
Price
Snapple is regarded a premium drink by many standards, owing to the superior quality of ingredients it uses in making its products. Owing to this, its customers have always paid a slightly higher price than some other alternatives. The recommendation is for the company to continue producing high quality products as consumers will always give more for better quality.
Distribution
Snapple combines warehouse delivery capacities with direct store delivery, which is supported by the twenty one manufacturing centers and the over 115 centers of distribution. It also uses licensed bottlers or third parties as distributors. The recommendation is for the company to use its existing distribution strategies and channels and endeavor to create new distribution lines as the market forces continue to diversify the market requirements.
IMC
Advertising
In advertising, the company has previously invested in people to advertise its brands. For instance, it once employed Wendy Kaufman as a spokes model for the brand, who helped the company make humongous profit margins. It has also previously undertaken initiatives to boost brand awareness by partnering with media companies to launch commercials that attract the viewer. The recommendation is for the company to use all available avenues to market its products and create good awareness for their products.
Public Relations
Snapple Group, in its capacity as a corporate citizen, comprehends and upholds its duty of participating in the democratic process, and it seeks to support the public policies that are in line with the values of their business partners, their customers and shareholders, their employees and the general public. As a consequence, the company has ensured that it confirms with all the relevant U.S. laws (Deighton, 2003). It is recommended that the company continues to adhere to the pertinent regulations, especially in its operations in other countries.
Sales Promotion
Snapple’s creativity has been seen in its affirmative operational policies, for instance, by allowing the employees to submit their ideas on good combinations of fruits as well as other drinks. It also uses trade promotions like displays as well as consumer promotions that comprise promotion of products at supermarkets, schools and sports clubs. The recommendation is for Snapple to incorporate all the necessary avenues that would augment its sales with its operational procedures to ensure its products continue to have a big market share.
Personal Selling
Over the years, Snapple has used its existing customers to promote its products to potential customers. By allowing its customers the avenue to relate about the company’s products on an online platform, it ensures that the sellers endorse the company’s products through knowledge of the products, their attitude as well as their appearance. The recommendation in this is that personal selling is one of the best avenues that the company can utilize in bringing awareness to and selling its product. Accordingly, it should invest in the necessary avenues that will support this bid.
Direct Marketing
Fans and consumers can log into the company’s social media pages like Twitter and Facebook online in order to be updated on product developments and obtain discounts and special deals on products. Additionally, Snapple fans can access the online communities and forums dedicated to the company’s products to discuss the various products and share their opinions on the products. It is recommended that the company continue to uphold social media in its operations as social media has become a highly relatable element in marketing and sales, especially for a global company like Snapple.
Appendix
Further Recommendations
Based on the above findings, it becomes apparent that to maintain a competitive advantage, Snapple should deliberate on the following recommendations:
It should strive to improve its distribution network through better and more superior operational efficiency.
It should combine its direct store and warehouse products and delivery distribution.
It should allow its distributors the avenue to access real-time information about orders online.
It should streamline its consolidation of data and minimize IT complexities.
It should seek to improve its services to its customers and ensure easy availability of their products, while concurrently lessening inventory.
It should improve its operating efficiency by using the renewal pull systems.
Reference
Deighton, J. (2003). Snapple. Harvard Business Review, 1-17.
