CASE STUDY:

While Omega proved to be a nice entre into the world of consulting in Marketing Communication Strategy, things had not gone as smoothly as you had hoped since. Mr Omega had decided to take the product in a different direction to what you suggested and having just missed out on the lucrative Porsche Australia account and a contract with Chanel for their new fragrance, you have set your sights on a new opportunity that has come your way through the RMIT alumni network LinkedIn page that you recently joined. Suzie, Max, Patti and Stevie are four ex-RMIT students who struck up a great friendship on the basketball courts of the Melbourne city campus in the pre Covid-19 days. With backgrounds in chemical engineering, economics & finance, logistics and entrepreneurship, the quartet had returned from a short holiday in Europe last year after attending a friend's wedding in Switzerland. On the trip they had decided to form a business venture looking to bring innovative products to the Australian market and had registered the name 'B Street' as their corporate brand in honour of the street (Bowen Street) where they first met at RMIT. It was not, as Patti was keen to point out, a reflection of their grades at university. B Street and its four budding business leaders had only one product at this point, but Stevie was certain they were on to a first-up winner. They desperately wanted your assistance in formulating a marketing communication strategy for this product in the hope of launching it in to the Australian market at some point in early 2021. Patti was already working on securing major retail outlets, while Suzie had lined up a manufacturing process via a leading provider in Asia and Max was looking at raising capital, including for marketing activities (although this money was expected to be relatively modest in the first year or two). The product idea had come to Max one afternoon in Winterthur, on the outskirts of Zurich as he visited a local supermarket for some supplies. As the wedding was being held at a remote campsite at the foot of the Bernese alps, Max, a keen planner, had wanted to purchase some toilet paper, "just in case". Max at the time noticed a large amount of moist toilet tissue on the supermarket shelf. It had almost as much shelf space as regular, dry toilet tissue which is the type most often used in Australia. Intrigued, Max bought a packet of the moist toilet tissue and couldn't wait to "give it a go". When he did he was amazed at the form and function the product provided, and he then couldn't wait to tell Suzie, Patti and Stevie about it. While they, at first, thought he was giving them "too much information", they too were intrigued and before long all had "given it a go". Their responses were equally enthusiastic and all four agreed that it was time for moist toilet tissue to crack the Australian market. From there the visit to Europe turned intoone long pun festival about bodily functions - but all remained seriously keen that this product, if done right, could be the start to their business that they had dreamed about. Moist toilet tissue, or 'wet wipes' as they are sometimes known, exist in the Australian market and most leading dry toilet tissue brands have made forays into this category with limited success. Perhaps they are uneasy disrupting their own successful products, concerned about clogging or damaging sewerage systems or simply not fully committed to the idea, but the concept has never taken off on Australian shores and moist toilet tissue is typically relegated to the bottom, darkest corner of the supermarket shelf, if there at all. B Street had plans to change that. The four members of the company had already pulled in some impressive business analysis and determined the product needed a "new and fresh" approach in the local market. This, they had decided, was about luxury, indulgence and sensory pleasure. Some early focus groups seemed to agree. "It might be loo paper", said Stevie, "but why can't this be a treat for your bottom? We look after so many other parts of our bodies with lotions, potions, gels and creams, why should this be any different?" Stevie, Patti, Max and Suzie deliberately had not told you much about the Swiss market or other parts of the world where this kind of product was successful. Having consulted a lawyer friend, Roy, they had been told the less you knew about existing products the better, lest another brand be concerned your ideas are too similar. "I would suggest you don't do too much research", counselled Roy. "Other brands in this market are highly protective of their intellectual property, including marketing strategies, and should you find yourself challenged it is best that you can truthfully say that any ideas you had, including slogans, positioning and so forth has come to you organically through your studies and associated strategic insight, rather than from ideas you may have 'liberated' off a website". You know that the quartet at B Street had worked hard to secure a product that was safe for sewerage, a major source of concern of focus groups who were conscious that some brands "would say anything to get a sale". Suzie had located a new synthetic fibre, called Texeline, that was firm, soft and degraded rapidly upon contact with water, much in the same way regular, dry toilet tissue did. In effect, the wipe remains strong and moist when used by a consumer but deteriorates rapidly when soaked in water in the toilet bowl, thus removing the risk of plumbing blockages and contamination. The only downside to Texeline was that it was expensive to produce, so this new moist wipe had to launch with a premium price, suggesting a similar communication position. "It's expensive", said Patti, "but still pretty good bang for buck as you don't need to use much given how effective it is". I prefer to think it's got "bang for bum" said Max, causing the other three to groan. "Remember, this is about luxury", admonished Stevie. "Let's try and keep this classy". Max seemed eager to respond to that line but bit his tongue. You wondered perhaps if Max thought the Australian market wouldn't respond to an overly up-market approach to a toilet product, or perhaps he just liked to make jokes whenever possible. You had also noticed that even throughout the great 'toilet paper buying panic' of 2020 that often while toilet tissue was in short supply, the moist wipes remained in stock. This wasn't going to be easy! In line with the premium approach preferred by at least three of the group, the new product will be coated with aloe-vera gel and a mild natural astringent (a lotion that causes contraction of skin cells) that allows the wipe to be very effective. Some medicalprofessionals, said Patti, encouraged the use of moist toilet tissue as it may reduce the chance of fissures, hemorrhoids and urinary tract infections. The product will also feature various scents that are being produced in conjunction with a leading European fragrance house that specializes in creating signature smells for a range of clients, including major airlines and department stores to ensure that customers experience a high-end unique fragrance that works as a form of aromatherapy. For B Street's product, the team had decided on a fragrance that reflected the 'Swiss Alps' given the genesis of their product. The favoured brand name for the product at this point was 'LUXSWIPE', so you should proceed with this in mind. Stevie thought the term 'swipe' in the name (rather than just wipe) gave it a contemporary, digital feel. All four members of B Street were awaiting your marketing communication strategy insights. Each of the four had asked you to cover specific marketing communication areas. Please keep in mind that Suzie, Patti, Max and Stevie are all fond of 'to-the-point' responses that show application of knowledge and clear justified recommendations. They are all also a little suspicious of marketers - "I've watched The Gruen Project and know it's all common sense" said Max. As such they will be very direct in what they ask you, set word limits and you will have to be persuasive in the recommendations you deliver in order to impress them. You have noted that this is not about jargon, it's about clear strategy. It's not Porsche, Chanel, or Omega, but you sense this product, its enthusiastic backers and the chance to work with what is a pretty blank canvas are just what your consultancy needs.

Requirement:

For all 4 sections that follow, please prepare each as a direct response to B Street that contains the necessary insight and recommendations to the specific requirements. A reminder that have been asked to write persuasively in order to impress B Street and have them endorse your recommendations.Key sub-headings are welcome as you respond. There is no need however to concern yourself with setting things out like a formal report - it is substance, not style that matters here. Although please take care with grammar and tone as the B Street team want clarity, not confusion.

QUESTION:

SECTION ONE - Audience and Objectives

Determining an optimal target audience for this product is going to be critical. Consider the concept of segmentation contained in your studies and recommend and justify which (one) behaviouristic group you believe would be most strategically desirable for Luxswipe's primary target audience at launch. What other segmentation determinants could be blended with this audience to strengthen its validity? With this enhanced target audience in mind, explain which two communication objectives you would recommend Luxswipe strategically focus on over its first six months in the market? How would you recommend that these objectives help achieve Integrated Marketing Communications for B Street with their future campaign(s)?

SECTION TWO - New Products and Positioning

As Luxswipe can be seen as 'new', the concept of developing an appropriate positioning statement and successfully communicating adoption related characteristics is important. Why would the concept of positioning be important to this brand? Clearly state what you believe that Luxswipe's position should be, including a statement that clearly identifies the target audience, category and key benefits. With regard the strategic adoption factors, which two would you recommend highlighting with priority in appropriate and ethical marketing communication activities. Explain why you chose these two and how would you recommend utilizing them in a campaign? Further, outline a specific sales promotion activity that could be used at launch and that would specifically strengthen the positioning you have detailed.

SECTION THREE - Creative Approaches

Which section of the Rossiter-Percy-Bellman Grid would Luxswipe most likely be in? Based on this, justify and detail an appropriate creative strategy and appropriate supporting tactics for Luxswipe that are appropriate for an integrated marketing communications campaign to launch the product. Include an example of a suitable remote-conveyor that could be used for a key or overarching campaign theme and present your rationale for whether the central or peripheral route to persuasion would play a more important role and why? At the very conclusion of your answer please recommend and justify a slogan/tagline for Luxswipe that specifically fulfils the requirements of assisting the objective of brand recall.

SECTION FOUR - Media and Generating Interest

Keeping in mind the goals and position of the company, outline and justify an appropriate media strategy and IMC schedule for Luxswipe, that would be suitable with a realistic budget in the first twelve months after their launch in Australia. Ensure that your recommendations reflect your target audience, use appropriate media channels and outline use of integrated marketing platforms and assets from a contemporary perspective. Justify your suggestions and in doing so please indicate how your choices would affect both reach and frequency and which would be more desirable at that point. How could proactive public relations and cause related marketing assist in strengthening media objectives? Should Luxswipe consider influencer and/or endorser marketing as well?