The Body Shop Report: Needs, Wants, Demands, Marketing Mix And Environment

Give an overview of  The Body Shop, and describe the purpose of your report. i.e. As a newly appointed marketing executive of The Body Shop’s marketing team you have been tasked with writing a report that addresses each the following areas:

1. Understanding customers’ needs, wants and demands is at the centre of every successful business. Discussthe importance of The Body Shop understanding its customer’s needs, wants and demands.
2. Identify and discussthe marketing orientation/concept that The Body Shop adopts

1. Explainthe relevance of an organisation analysing the marketing environment
   
   
2. Considering the macro environment of The Body Shop,identify and discuss one social and one environmental factor that could impact The Body Shop’s business operations.
   
   
3. Lush is one of the key competitors of The Body Shop in the UK.Explain the relevance of The Body Shop conducting a competitor analysis.
   
   
4. Using one of the competitor analysis templates introduced in week 2 (module slides), developa competitor analysis table for three key competitors of The Body Shop in the UK.
   
   
5. Discuss the findings of the competitor analysis in task d above, highlighting key areas for The Body Shop to consider

1. Identify and describeThe Body Shop’s

1. product and service offerings
2. pricing strategies
3. place strategy (the distribution channels of The Body Shop’s products/services)

Ensure you provide detailed descriptions and examples for each

• What is the marketing mix? Explain it first
• State The Body Shop’s current approach for products/services, price and place

Needs, Wants, and Demands

The Body Shop is one of the most popular as well as one of the oldest organizations related to the genre of the cosmetic industry (Thebodyshop.in 2018). The company established in the year 1976 by the entrepreneur Dame Anita Roddick is currently operational in more than 66 different nations of the world and offers more than 1000 different cosmetic products to the customers from the different parts of the globe (Thebodyshop.in 2018). In addition to this, the company has more than 3,049 stores in different nations of the world along with the franchised ones which it has established in different locations to meet the increasing demands for the products and services that it provides to the customers (Thebodyshop.in 2018). The company is known for not only for the quality of the cosmetic products that it offers to the customers and the wide array of products that it offers but also for the ethical as well as sustainable means that it utilizes for the production of them. For example, the company prohibits the testing of these cosmetics on animals and also ardently prohibits the use of chemical and other kinds of chemicals that might have an adverse effect on the skin of the customers (Thebodyshop.in 2018). Thus, in a way it can be said that the company and its founder is one of the pioneers of the concept of ethical consumerism and has contributed in a significant manner to make this particular concept a very popular one. However, Anita Roddick sold the company to L'Oréal in 2006 which in turn sold the concerned company in 2017 to Natura (Thebodyshop.in 2018).

The purpose of this report is to undertake a detailed analysis of the British company The Body Shop. Furthermore, a detailed analysis of the company and the various aspects of its working will at the same time help in a significant manner to understand in a significant to understand the concept of management in the particular context of the present day business world. Moreover, the report will also provide an overview of the marketing environment in which the company operates and also the marketing strategies that the company has adopted in the present times to gain sustainable competitive advantage in the present day business world. In addition to these, the report will also provide a detailed analysis of the competitors of the company and also the strategies which the company has adopted to overcome this intense competition.

The concept of need can be defined as the requirements of the customers or the end users of the services or products provided by the concerned company (Botha, Kourie and Snyman 2014). Thus, it becomes very important for the various companies to integrate the needs of the customers or the end users of the services or products which they provide so as to serve the customers in the best possible manner. The concept of wants, on the other hand, can be defined as the expectations of the customers or the end users from the products or the services which they are taking the help of (Botha, Kourie and Snyman 2014). Demands can be defined as the things or the qualities that the customers expect from the products or the services that they opt for (Botha, Kourie and Snyman 2014).

Importance of the Concepts of Demands, Needs, and Wants for The Body Shop

The Body Shop depends on the wide array of products and services that it provides to the customers from the different parts of the world for its success. Thus, it becomes very important for the company to take into effective consideration the needs, wants and the demands of the customers in an effective manner so that they can manufacture the products or services that they offer to the customers as per their expectations as well as requirements (Charter 2017). In the present world of business it is generally seen that the level of competition has increased in an exponential manner and as a matter of fact there are many companies which offer the same kinds of products and services to the customers and that too at very affordable prices (Solomon et al. 2014). Therefore, it would be apt to say that in the present context of the business world it has become very important not only for The Body Shop but also the other companies to take into effective consideration the needs, demands and the wants of the customers.

The Body Shop since its foundation has been following the concept of ethical consumerism even before the concept has gained popularity in the context of the business world and this has contributed in a significant manner towards the success attained by the company (Thebodyshop.in 2018). Even in the present day context it is seen that Natura the company which has purchased The Body Shop from L'Oréal in 2017 is managing the affairs of the company following the same strategy (Thebodyshop.in 2018). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the company does not takes the help of animals for testing the cosmetics which has manufactured not does it takes the help of chemicals to enhance the effects of the cosmetics. Furthermore, in the 1980s it was seen that Anita Roddick used to take the help of the recycling policy for the sale of the perfumes manufactured by her company (Thebodyshop.in 2018). The customers were required to bring back the empty bottles of the perfumes which they have utilized and the new perfumes were replenished in these bottles itself (Baker 2014). Another interesting fact to note about the company under discussion here is the fact that the company has been one of the strongest proponents of the use of the concept of “fair trade policy” once again even before the concept began to be use on a larger scale in the particular context of the business world (Baker 2014). Furthermore, another important concept which has been utilized by the company under discussion to boost the brand image and thereby to enhance the sale of the products offered by them to the customers from the different parts of the world is the effective use of the “Corporate Social Responsibility” (Thebodyshop.in 2018). Thus, it is normally seen that the company under discussion here regularly takes the help of various kinds of events as well as programs which is aimed at enhancing the brand image of the company which indirectly boosts the sale of the products offered by them to the customers. In the present times it is generally seen that the customers have become more conscious about the kind of products or services which they consume and also the manner in which they have been produced and in this particular context the concepts of ethical consumerism that the company has been following since its foundation and also the various CSR policies become very important (Schaltegger, Lüdeke-Freund and Hansen 2016).

Marketing Orientation

The products that the company offers are basically designed to cater to the needs of the women folks (Thebodyshop.in 2018). Thus, it is seen that the majority of the products that the company offers are perfumes, beauty creams, skin care creams and others (Baker 2014). Furthermore, at the same time it is also seen that the products offered by the company does not focus only on one age group rather the products offered by them are for different age groups and as a matter of fact it is also seen that the company offers different products to satisfy the needs of different age group women (Baker 2014).  

The concept of societal orientation has gained a significant amount of prominence with the domain of the business world and it is seen that the various organizations are increasingly taking the help of this particular concept to improve the prospects of their business. Broadly put together, societal orientation can be said to be the kind of marketing tool which not only requires a particular business enterprise to take into effective consideration the needs, demands and wants of the customers but at the same time to take the help of the kind of marketing strategies that would benefit the society in the longer run (Solomon et al. 2014).

The Body Shop since the year of its foundation has insisted on the use of ethical means for the manufacture of the products or the services that it offers to its customers. In addition to this, it is seen that even in the present times the products manufactured by the company are free from the use of chemicals or alcohols and it can be said that the concept of ethical consumerism has formed the core lacuna of the manufacturing process of the company (Thebodyshop.in 2018). In addition these, the company also undertook several marketing campaigns which not glorified women but at the same time sought for the empowerment of them (Thebodyshop.in 2018). Thus, it can be said that by aligning themselves with the concepts of women empowerment and ethical consumerism the concerned company was able to gain in a significant manner.

Marketing environment analysis is a tool that is being used by the majority of the business enterprises of the present to analyze the external as well as the internal business environments in which they are operations (Taoketao et al. 2018). It is significant to note that this framework has become an indispensible part of the business world on the score that it provides valuable information to the various business enterprises not only about the business conditions in which they are operational but at the same time gives information about the opportunities as well as the threats that galore their business operations (Taoketao et al. 2018). A thorough knowledge about these factors becomes of paramount importance since it is very often seen that the various business enterprises develop strategies that in synchronicity with these environmental conditions (Zeriti et al. 2014). The development of effective strategies that are in synchronicity with these environmental conditions is very essential since it is often seen that the success or the failure of a particular business enterprise depends on the kind of business strategies that they are following for their business operations (Zeriti et al. 2014). It is precisely for this very reason that an analysis of the marketing environment in which a particular business enterprise is operational becomes very important for the concerned enterprise.

Product Orientation

Anita Roddick took the help of a campaign back in the 1980s which emphasized on the need of the women to beautify them (Thebodyshop.in 2018). Furthermore, it is generally seen that the women folks like to beautify themselves and at the same time they have an innate tendency to look better than the other women. This particular social factor acts an opportunity for the concerned company since the company can utilize this particular behavior of the women folks to further boost the amount of sales made by them in a significant manner. Thus, it is normally seen that the company The Body Shop takes the help of precisely this social factor for the promotion as well as the sale of the products offered by them to the customers.

Environment has become an important concern for the majority of the people of the present times and it is a reflection of this particular that the various customers of the present time like the take the help of the products which have been manufactured in an ethical manner (Wensley 2016). This has lead to the rise of the concept of ethical consumerism in a significant. The company The Body Shop since the time of its foundation has been taking the help of this particular concept for the manufacture of the products offered by them to the customers from the diverse parts of the world (Thebodyshop.in 2018). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the products manufactured by the company under discussion here are not being tested on the animals, a practice that the majority of the business enterprises in the genre of cosmetics industry normally take the help of. In addition to these, it is generally seen that the products manufactured by The Body Shop are free from the various chemical agents that might cause harm to the skin of the customers (Thebodyshop.in 2018). Thus, it would be apt to say that the effective use of this environmental factor has contributed in a significant manner towards the success attained by the concerned company. This particular factor acts as an opportunity for the concerned company since the company under discussion here has been using this particular concept not only for the promotion of the products as well as the services offered by them to the customers but at the same time to enhance the sale of the products or the services offered by them to the customers.

Competitor analysis is a framework which is being used by the majority of the business enterprises of the present for the analysis of their competitors which are operational in the same field of business (Lusch and Vargo 2014). A thorough analysis of the various competitors of the business enterprises often provides valuable information to these companies about the kind of strategies that they need to develop or the kind of products or services that they need to manufacture in order to mitigate the adverse effects of competition faced by them in the business environment (Lusch and Vargo 2014). Thus, it is generally seen that the various enterprises often take the help of this particular framework not only for the formulation as well as implementation of the kind of strategies which are likely to enhance their prospects in the business world but at the same time to develop more better products or services which are likely to help them to outrival their competitors operational in the same field of business. The Body Shop can take the help of this particular framework to further enhance the prospects of their business.

Societal Orientation

An analysis of the various competitors of the company The Body Shop is being provided by the table given below-

Figure 1: Competitors Analysis

Source: The Body Shop, 2018; Lush, 2018; Yves Rocher, 2018

The result of the above given competitor analysis clearly indicates that the company The Body Shop are far better off than its other competitors operational in the same field of business. It is significant to note that the Yves Rocher is operational in more nations of the world in comparison to The Body Shop yet at the same time it needs to be said that the number of people which has been recruited by the concerned company is far greater than the ones of the Lush and Yves Rocher. In addition to this, the table also makes it clear that the quality of the products as well as the services offered by the company The Body Shop is far superior to the ones offered by the other two companies. More importantly, the table also makes it very clear that the company The Body Shop takes the help of the strategy of cost leadership wherein they provide the customers with the best quality products as well as services at very affordable prices. Therefore, it would be apt to say that it is a conglomeration of all these factors which has helped the company under discussion to become successful in the longer run and also to develop a sustainable competitive advantage over its numerous competitors in the cosmetic industry. The company at the same time needs to expand into the other nations of the world as it will help the concerned company to reach out to a larger customer base and thereby to further enhance the prospects of its business.

Marketing mix is a commonly used marketing tool and can be defined as the “set of marketing tools that the firm uses to pursue its marketing objectives in the target” (Jaworski 2018). In the present times it is generally seen that the majority of the business enterprises take the help of this particular marketing tool to make their marketing strategies much more effective.

The Body Shop specializes in the domain of the cosmetic industry and offers more than 1000 different cosmetic products and services to the customers from the different parts of the world (Thebodyshop.in 2018). The company since the year of its initiation has been taking the help of the concept of ethical consumerism for the manufacture of the products offered by them to the customers. Furthermore, the company takes the help of the strategy of cost leadership to offer high quality products to the customers at very affordable prices (Thebodyshop.in 2018). It is a reflection of this particular fact that the company has not only been able to earn to loyalty of the customers but at the same time to increase the percentage of their sales in a significant manner. The company is currently operational in more than 66 different nations of the world and this allows the company to reach out to a much larger customer base than the other companies operational in the same industry (Thebodyshop.in 2018). The best part about the products offered by the concerned industry is the fact that it not only offers high quality products to the customers but at the same time products manufactured by it are not tested on animals and are free from chemicals.

Conclusion

To conclude, the success or the failure of a particular business enterprise depends to a large extent on the business environments in which it is operational, the marketing strategies that are being followed by it, the level of competition faced by it in the business environment and others. Thus, it becomes very important for the concerned company to undertake a thorough analysis of the not only the business environment but also the analysis of the competitors. It is significant to note that a thorough analysis of these factors often help the companies to not only formulate new kinds of strategies but at the same time to come up with new marketing plans that are likely to help the concerned company in a significant manner. The success attained by the company The Body Shop is indicative of this particular fact.

References 

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Lusch, R.F. and Vargo, S.L., 2014. The service-dominant logic of marketing: Dialog, debate, and directions. Routledge.

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Taoketao, E., Feng, T., Song, Y. and Nie, Y., 2018. Does sustainability marketing strategy achieve payback profits? A signaling theory perspective. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management.

Thebodyshop.uk. 2018. Cosmetic & Beauty products | Make-up & Skincare | Vegan & Vegetarian | The Body Shop, UK. [online] Available at: https://www.thebodyshop.uk/ [Accessed 2 Aug. 2018].

Wensley, R., 2016. The basics of marketing strategy. In The marketing book (pp. 75-107). Routledge.

Yves-rocher.co.uk. 2018. Yves Rocher UK Online Creator of Botanical Beauty, Natural beauty products: skin care, anti-ageing, bath and body, sun care, fragrance, make-up, food supplements. [online] Available at: https://www.yves-rocher.co.uk/control/main/ [Accessed 2 Aug. 2018].

Zeriti, A., Robson, M.J., Spyropoulou, S. and Leonidou, C.N., 2014. Sustainable export marketing strategy fit and performance. Journal of International Marketing, 22(4), pp.44-66.