MCOM4040 Marketing And Communications

Describe the product and production orientations, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each (200 words) 

1. Identify and discuss one legal factor and one technological factor that could impact Travelodge's business operations and consumer buyer behaviour (200 words)  

1. Identify and explain two (2) internal environmental factors that could be considered as strengths or weaknesses of Travelodge’s business operations (250 words)
2. Task 3: Marketing Strategies (LO3)  

1. Explain the concept of positioning and its importance in planning a marketing strategy for Travelodge (200 words)  

1. Discuss one (1) positioning strategy that Travelodge could adopt in positioning themselves (200 words)
2. Task 4: Marketing Mix (LO1) 

1. Identify and describe Travelodge’s product and service offerings, the processes they go through to deliver their products/services to the customers and the physical environment of Travelodge; providing detailed descriptions and examples for each (250 words)

2. This assessment is based on Travelodge’s video campaign which must be watched using the link provided below Travelodge’s marketing director has announced the new 2018 objective:To increase awareness of its new upgraded rooms in Ireland by 20% by the end of 2019  

   The marketing director has assigned you the task of reviewing Travelodge’s video campaign to increase awareness of its new upgraded rooms in Ireland.  Part One: Watch Travelodge’s video campaign using the following linkand complete the tasks below:                        

   Part Two: Communications Campaign Review 750-words should include:  

   1. Introduction

   Discuss the benefits of integrated marketing communications (100 words)

   2. Explain two elements of the promotional mix (100 words)
   3. Discuss the promotional mix element that Travelodge adopts in increasing its brand recognition video campaign, ensuring you include the advantages and disadvantages (100 words)
   4. Conduct research and discuss the channels used by Travelodge to increase its brand recognition (100 words)
   5. Discuss the key message in Travelodge’s video campaign to increase its brand recognition (100 words)
   6. A discussion of the key target audience of the video campaign and their characteristics (100 words)
   7. Use of AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) marketing theory to explain how the video campaign’s source attributes and key message achieve Travelodge’s new objective (100 words)
   8. A discussion of one (1) method Travelodge should use to collect feedback on the effectiveness of their video campaign (50 words)

   (Meets LO1, 4, 5, & 6) (number of words are indicative)

This report is developed in relation to Travelodge which is a hotel growing in the UK that provides accommodation services to business segment people and tourists in major cities around the world. The report will analyze the company’s marketing strategy and also do a PESTEL analysis and factors that give Travelodge a competitive advantage over its peers (Andrews, and Shimp, 2017).  The report shall also discuss on the positioning strategy that Travelodge has adopted over the years to remain a formidable company. Also discussed in this report is the company’s products and services and the process they go through before they are delivered to the company.

Overview

Travelodge was founded in 1985, as a company that was to offer budget accommodation to clients in the UK. The company has 558 hotels across major cities in the world and 200 lodges in the UK and over 42,110 rooms in UK, Ireland and Spain. Travelodge promotes the brand through brand communication procedure and in a bid to increase its market share by more than 255, the management has decided to invest in online marketing process which are promotional activities that are done in the digital communication process (Chen, Shih, and Chang, 2016). This has enabled the company to promote higher sales of the lodge to clients.  This has also made booking process simple and fast.

TASK 1

1. Describe the product and production orientation, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each.

The company offers various types of products and services by which the revenues of the company can be increased. The products includes different products for family travellers and business clients. Restaurant and accommodation services are the core products that Travelodge offers.  The product orientation of the company is offering budget accommodation for its clients (Datta, Ailawadi, and van Heerde, 2017).

The advantage of this is that their rooms are always fully booked because people will go for affordable accommodation. For the basic rooms, Travelodge offers internet services, provision of a television and network connectivity to its customers.  For business class people, the company offers rooms with internet facilities, wi fi services and a network service.  The Hotel also provides meeting rooms and conferencing rooms and also offers video conferencing.

Advantages of this is that by offering budget accommodation and high end products makes sales to be high because all the market is catered for. Offering a wide variety of products is one of the advantages because the hotel is able to have many customers. On the other hand, one major disadvantage with offering a variety of products and services is that the company is not associated with a specific product.

b)Identify and discuss the marketing orientation.

The company has developed a product strategy that caters to the needs of the market. There is demand for low cost guest rooms at affordable prices in all major cities and Travelodge seeks to capitalize on this. In the hospitality industry, the bargaining power of consumers especially in the UK is regarded highly. Therefore, offering low cost will give the hotel an extra edge over its competitors.

Task 2

1. Identify and discuss one legal and technological factor that could impact Travelodge business behavior and consumer buyer behavior

 Most hotels in the hospitality industry have adopted an online marketing process.  The companies sell their products and services through the digital platforms.  Through the adoption of technology, it is possible for the management of Travelodge to introduce ways in which clients can be approached. With the advancement of technology, the consumers have adopted new ways of booking and searching for accommodation that offers good quality at affordable prices. This has been a game changer and the hotels have adopted these technological changes. Most hotels including Travelodge have created websites where the customers can book rooms and view the products and services offered. This has affected how the hotel carries out its operations as it focuses more on online advertisement to reach a many customers (Deshpande, Berry, Faulkner, Latimer-Cheung, Rhodes, and Tremblay, 2015).

Law and legal issues are inseparable with the hospitality industry.  In many countries that Travelodge operates in, a hotel must have a liquor license that puts limits and regulates the sale of alcohol to its customers.  These laws are meant to ensure that consumers enjoy themselves responsibly to avoid any undesirable occurrences such as accidents.  For customers who want to have a nice time in the hotel without any interruption by loud music, these laws are there to protect them. These laws affect how the hotel operates as it must observe these laws.

1. Internal environmental factors that could be considered as strengths and weaknesses of Travelodge business operations

One of the strengths of the company is that it has got an effective workforce. The employees of the company are hardworking and motivated, and this seems to be one reason why the hotels patrons keep on coming back.  Travelodge staff must undergo training on how to serve their customers before they are let on duty. Unlike most of its competitors whose employees are not fully trained on how to serve their customers, Travelodge has a competitive advantage on this front. Efficiency and effectiveness is improved in the company as there is better coordination among departments to improve the organizations performance (Fan, Lau, and Zhao, 2015).

Task 3: Marketing Strategies (LO3)  

1. Explain the concept of positioning and its importance in planning a marketing strategy for Travelodge

Positioning in marketing is an effort to influence the consumer’s perception of the brand or the service offered. Its objective is to occupy the mind of a consumer creating a clear, unique and an advantageous position created by the company. In Travelodge, positioning plays a major role in marketing. It has created a picture that it is the best in the market compared to its competitors. It is created through the use of place, price, product and place. Brand positioning in Travelodge is very effective as it has been able to expand to over 440 locations in the countries it operates in.

A good strategy in positioning elevates the efforts of the market and helps a buyer move from product knowledge to actual purchase of the product or service. Travelodge has created a very good image in which its position has placed it among the best travel hotel lodges according to numerous travel magazines. This has affected how the hotel carries out its operations as it focuses more on online advertisement to reach a many customers. Most hotels including Travelodge have created websites where the customers can book rooms and view the products and services offered. This is the best way to influence brand positioning.

1. Discuss one positioning strategy that Travelodge could adopt in positioning themselves 

One of the positioning strategy that Travelodge could use is using the price marketing and positioning strategy. Distinguishing itself as a very affordable travel and leisure lode with quality services. There is also inflexibility and lack of confidence which is difficult as there is no immediate and accurate response by the customer. For business class people, the company offers rooms with internet facilities, wi fi services and a network service. Travelodge offers internet services, provision of a television and network connectivity to its customers. 

The Hotel also provides meeting rooms and conferencing rooms and also offers video conferencing (Fill, and Turnbull, 2016). The hotel offers the best services in which the hotel has the best and affordable services in which the patrons are attracted. The marketing and positioning strategy can also use its strategic location where the group of hotels has more than 440 different companies. Travelodge has created a very good image in which its position has placed it among the best travel hotel lodges according to numerous travel magazines. Unlike most of its competitors whose employees are not fully trained on how to serve their customers, Travelodge through its marketing position have become the best in attracting customers through their services.

Task 4: Marketing Mix (LO1)

1. Travelodge’s product and service offerings, the processes they go through to deliver their products/services to the customers

In many countries that Travelodge operates in, a hotel must have a liquor license that puts limits and regulates the sale of alcohol to its customers.  These laws are meant to ensure that consumers enjoy themselves responsibly to avoid any undesirable occurrences such as accidents. There is demand for low cost guest rooms at affordable prices in all major cities and Travelodge seeks to capitalize on this. In the hospitality industry, the bargaining power of consumers especially in the UK is regarded highly (Flora, Schooler, and Pierson, 2018).

The need for the company to increase its brand recognition is to increase its revenues through more people coming. Sales promotion is also a channel used by Travelodge in increasing its brand recognition. The video campaign message aims to show the level of services offered as the best there is and second to none. It aims at endearing Travelodge to customers and potential customers to be. The physical environment is very friendly. It has been described by travel magazines as one of the best hotels with serene physical environments. The services provided include food and recreational activities, physical training and outdoor activities.

They go through rigorous vetting of suppliers who provide the products. Other ways in which they ensure that there is quality service is by employing the best employees who are qualified and have the best customer interest. The brand image is very important and it it associated with the services it provides. Travelodge has been the best in ensuring that its brand is very conspicuous and has the best services.

Task 4

Marketing mix

Travelodge product and service offerings and the processes they go through to deliver their products and the physical environment of Travelodge. Travelodge offers a variety of products and services that help to place the brand among the finest hotels in the UK. Hotels are run as service businesses and most hotel businesses have marketing strategies that are focused on guest experience and different service offerings. Many hotels including the Travelodge UK  have started selling products and services as part of their overall marketing strategies.

The Travelodge UK hotel strategy is planning to incorporate the marketing strategy by finding a way of incorporating both marketing strategies. The two fundamental differences between product marketing and service marketing is the target audience and the message being delivered. Product marketing in Travelodge hotel targets mass audience and the main marketing message is to bolden the brand of the hotel and build a product recognition system (Flora, Schooler, and Pierson, 2018).

In marketing strategies, many companies buy very costly and expensive national ad spaces inorder to reach a large number of potential customers. Services marketing for the hotel is focused on a specific target audience. In the case of travel lodge, the specific target audience includes the business travelers and the leisure travelers. Most of the hotels choose either business travelers or the leisure travelers depending on their preference. Travelodge has created a strong brand while the branding may not be as impotant as booking for the rooms. The marketing budget may be spent on wooing planners of meetings rather than the costly television advertisemetnts.

Conclusion and key findings

The brand image is very important and it associated with the services it provides. Travelodge has been the best in ensuring that its brand is very conspicuous and has the best services. Most hotels including Travelodge have created websites where the customers can book rooms and view the products and services offered. This is the best way to influence brand positioning. Travelodge promotes the brand through brand communication procedure and in a bid to increase its market share by more than 255, the management has decided to invest in online marketing process which are promotional activities that are done in the digital communication process.

This has enabled the company to promote higher sales of the lodge to clients.  This has also made booking process simple and fast. The services provided include food and recreational activities, physical training and outdoor activities. They go through rigorous vetting of suppliers who provide the products. For business class people, the company offers rooms with internet facilities, wi fi services and a network service.  The Hotel also provides meeting rooms and conferencing rooms and also offers video conferencing (Van Den Berg, and Braun, 2017). Travelodge promotes the brand through brand communication procedure and in a bid to increase its market share.

References

Andrews, J.C. and Shimp, T.A., 2017. Advertising, promotion, and other aspects of integrated marketing communications. Nelson Education.

Chen, C.C., Shih, T.H. and Chang, L.Y., 2016. Promotion Efforts by Micro-Enterprise-a Case Study of Music Stores in 

Datta, H., Ailawadi, K.L. and van Heerde, H.J., 2017. How well does consumer-based brand equity align with sales-based brand equity and marketing-mix response?. Journal of Marketing, 81(3), pp.1-20.

Deshpande, S., Berry, T.R., Faulkner, G.E., Latimer-Cheung, A.E., Rhodes, R.E. and Tremblay, M.S., 2015. Comparing the influence of dynamic and static versions of media in evaluating physical-activity-promotion ads. Social Marketing Quarterly, 21(3), pp.135-141.

Fan, S., Lau, R.Y. and Zhao, J.L., 2015. Demystifying big data analytics for business intelligence through the lens of marketing mix. Big Data Research, 2(1), pp.28-32.

Fill, C. and Turnbull, S.L., 2016. Marketing communications: brands, experiences and participation. Pearson.

Flora, J.A., Schooler, C. and Pierson, R.M., 2018. Effective health promotion among communities of color: The potential of social marketing. In Social Marketing (pp. 353-373). Psychology Press.

Huang, R. and Sarigöllü, E., 2014. How brand awareness relates to market outcome, brand equity, and the marketing mix. In Fashion Branding and Consumer Behaviors (pp. 113-132). Springer, New York, NY.

Kai, G.U.O. and Fan-Qi, X.U., 2016. Marketing Promotion Feasibility of College Students' Innovation Projects. DEStech Transactions on Social Science, Education and Human Science, (icss).