1.2 MARKETING MANAGAGEMENT [100]

QUESTION ONE [40] Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

Beyond the Lockdown: Digital Marketing Strategies after COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, brands are facing an unprecedented and highly disruptive situation. According to a survey for marketing managers in the UK and the USA conducted by Econsultancy and Marketing Week, 63% of participants admit their marketing budgets have been frozen or left for review. Moreover, more than half of product launches have been postponed.

Currently, many brands are experiencing an essential intermediate phase that is key when reflecting about the future: How should digital marketing strategies be refocused after the initial tsunami?

The initial response to the coronavirus crisis

Dealing with the shock caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus short-term has been mostly about cancelling promotional campaigns and focusing communication efforts towards managing the crisis. After these initial emergency measures, strategies have steered towards accompanying users during confinementwith new actions designed while racing against time and that generally follow three clear paths:

• To be present and visible for the user, accepting the situation, providing immediate support and putting solidarity actions in motion whether alone or in collaboration with other companies or public organizations.
• To inform about any changes in the service (for example, the status of the physical storesor the delivery time for the e-commerce) in order to solve any queries the client may have. Also, to communicate the adopted measures towards improving hygiene in every process and the safety of those employees that are still working.
• To determine new customer service protocolsand assess the next actions while always listening to the users.
  1. With the use of relevant research examine the concept of buyer persona and elaborate on how organisations can use this concept to develop a strategic digital marketing plan.

The brands have re-oriented their marketing goals in parallel to the changes in users' consumerpatterns. The initial message should not be centered around sales, instead, it should provide solutions and express empathy. The question, however, is this: what should the next step be? It is time to design a roadmap analyzing the impact the coronavirus crisis is going to have in each area within the digital marketing plan.

Jacob Alonso, Digital Marketing Manager at Labelium

Adapted from:https://www.labelium.com/blog/digital-marketing-strategy-after-covid-19/

Questions:

(20)

1. Examine the importance of content creation for buyer personas on branding. (20)

QUESTION TWO [30]

There are five steps in developing effective communications: identifying the target audience, determining the objectives, designing the communications, selecting the channels, and establishing the budget.

With regards to the above information examine each of the above-mentioned steps in relation to developing an effective marketing communications strategy

QUESTION THREE [30]

Basic psychological processes play an important role in understanding how consumers make decisions. Marketers must therefore understand the different facets of consumer behaviour.

With regards to the above statement elaborate on the effectiveness of the five stage model to determine the consumer buying process.