Адаптация маркетинговой стратегии компании при выходе международный рынок

Автор: Yeah, I have heard of it.

Респондент: And that doesn't exist in any other country. For example,…

Автор: But could it be transferred on other countries' markets with corresponding brand positioning and strategy?

Респондент: Hmm… It could in theory. It is determined on brand an ability or a capacity, whether the brand is well-known enough to be popular in other country… And this is very difficult to do. At least, you have something like Dove, which is a global brand, it is what matters, it is pretty the same in most markets and then it easier to bring a new product which are still in the same global product category but different. So, for example, Unilever has Knorr. It is a global brand. Many of the things that Conimex produces are condiments, there are also savory products in that sense but it is very targeted on market, because it is a local, as we call, local jewel. If there was a big promise of being able to roll it out, then it might be considered, but it's difficult particularly with foods brands to do that. Well, take Dove, it's much easier to extend the brands, to stretch the brand to related but to slightly new subcategory.

Автор: Yes, I see. I would like to also understand if there are people who work like globally in Rotterdam and also may be some people, I mean…

Респондент: Let me explain that. The major global marketing is in London. There are sometimes elements, in Rotterdam also, sometimes even in other markets, that also play a global role if there is a brand or market strength particularly is particularly large. But more and more the global brands are consolidated in Rotterdam, but they may have regional marketing organizations in a number of key big market clusters. It should be South Asia, North America, Latin America, Europe, South-East Asia, where they will play some global roles, but also regional market development functions. So, more and more the global organization is consolidated in big leadership situated in London, but they have areas across key market clusters. And then you have the local organization in those clusters and in some big countries which are brand activations and brand building functions concentrated in. So they are local.

Автор: Do people who work in a global team somehow build the strategy for local segments as well?

Респондент: Yes, they will be involved in it, because they should make sure that the global strategy particularly if it grows to global brand then they set the strategy. If it's for local jewels it would be done on the local level, but they still need to be sure that the overall portfolio doesn't go in the wrong direction at a country level.

Автор: I see. I think now we will move to the product. The first question is not relevant now, because I already researched it on web site. So, we will start from the second question, which is about consumer research. May be, you know,if some Lipton managers or some people who work in Lipton department, may be they did a consumer research and probably they have made another product on the base of their research?

Респондент: Yeah, absolutely, consumer research is very important. If you talk about Lipton for example, which is the global brand and if you take, for example, the green tea, Lipton Green tea. You will find the same packaging, for example, available in many different countries, but if you have the opportunity you might go and actually look at and taste two different versions of it and you'll find that they're slightly different. It comes from consumer research and in this particular example is how sweet do people want the product to be, more specific taste. So this is where consumer research and that takes many different forms like, you know,blind tests. You know, when people in small groups of four together they have to see exactly what it is but they'll be asked to the taste of a product they prefer. And there's a lot of consumer research. There's also different kinds of consumer research. Even with the marketing brands functioning in stalls, especially off to the launch of a product. Specific customer or consumer interactions where the consumer is asked to generate a product he like it, you know. So there's a feedback on that. A lot of those happens beforehand with specific targeted consumer research but also sometimes using what general trends, you know, because more and more across the world they are held. Sugar and salt content and so on, and then there's a sort of global trends which you believe of being a very strong and ethical positioning text that as these more general trends and wants to obviously through its marketing ensure that his products are seen as healthy. They may not adverse health to say. Obviously that's always a bit judgmental but it's a whole context about its calories, its sweetness, sugar all these things come into it so those are global trends and then of course, you know, sometimes something will be triggered by a competitor launching something similar or slight extension or a new flavor or something like that which becomes very popular and then you have to follow it.

Автор: Yeah and could you please, if we're talking about competitors, could you please name the main competitors of Lipton in the Netherlands?

Респондент: The main competitors of Lipton the big one will be Nestle.

Автор: But in Nestle there are some products or it is just such a unique brand?

Респондент: To Lipton, you know, for example, Nestle has Nestea.

Автор: Oh. Are we talking about iced tea?

Респондент: That is more ice tea.

Автор: Yeah. But, my main purpose of the research is loose tea. Like loose teas and tea bags, sorry.

Респондент: Yes. I forget the name now, but there were some…

Автор: Picwick may be?

Респондент: It would be certainly one of the many that it is particularly in the U.K. There's a lot of black tea competitors and there's a lot of brands like Pickwick you will research the name for loose tea. I am more familiar with…

Автор: Yeah, but don't focus on loose tea. I just researched that in the Netherlands like loose tea is a niche category.

Респондент: In fact, you will find a lot of smaller niche players and global players. In, for example, the U.K. you've got Tetley, you've got also some local players, but Tetley is a big tea company as well. But I think in the Netherlands there are many niche players.

Автор: Yeah and if we're talking about tea bags. Like what I have found Pickwick has the main share of the market in the Netherlands.

Респондент: That could be true.

Автор: Because there is a company called… I don't know how it is pronounced in Dutch. Doweegberts.

Респондент: Doweegberts, yeah it is a big coffee company.

Автор: Yes. So they also produce Pickwick and it's probably one of the main competitors of Lipton because it has the main share and it also has similar positioning.

Респондент: Yes, they are of course. It has evolved into tea with different flavors from what used to be more a black tea.

Автор: So they're focused on black teas?

Респондент: They have flavored teas.

Автор: Could you please tell what are emerging needs of tea market in the Netherlands?

Респондент: I think that emerging needs are very much around health benefits. And you know even if I go back many years, it was black tea and the herbal tea was very niche. I think that the health benefits that tea provides are one of the key elements that got lots of antioxidant properties and this combined with flavors, new flavors, flavors from around the world, you know, like ginger tea, rooibos, which comes from, ironically, South Africa and these are different subcategories of tea. And that together with health benefits is a key trend.

Автор: Yes, I see. And could you tell what differentiates Lipton from the others in the Netherlands?

Респондент: Well, the differentiation here is presented of the global strengths of the brands and obviously you have your brand positioning which is a premium positioning.

Автор: So, Lipton is more a premium brand?

Респондент: Yes, I mean there are elements of it which you could sell more broadly. But the Netherlands is not really that old very characteristic black tea market. So it is about innovation in flavors and health benefits that really differentiate. It's very difficult by the way to differentiate some of these because they, you know, it's very easy to copy, but our positioning in some niche segments is to provide premium health benefits and quality.

Автор: Yeah. What I have researched on the web site, there are several flavors and categories in Lipton tea which are similar to the Russian market, but actually in the Netherlands there are less flavors than in Russian market…

Респондент: Yes. Because Russia is a very strong tea market.

Автор: Yes. So it is bigger, so I wanted to ask you may be you know, maybe in the Netherlands, firstly, there were more flavors and categories in Lipton than now and probably they were translated to Russian market or probably some of the Russian flavors were translated to the Netherlands market. Респондент: I think, it's exactly that way around. As I said, the Netherlands is traditionally not a big tea market. It's growing, become more attractive because of the way it evolved and so, you know, I remember when I was director in Romania, 2006-2008, there was a lot of expansion in Russia on tea factory, on tea production. In fact, Russia play quite an important role in helping to develop tea brands or extending the tea market for us.

Автор: Yes, I see. Because actually there is one tradition in Russia. People usually drink tea. Well not usually but sometimes drink tea with a lemon and so Lipton try to make a new tea flavor with a lemon already. But actually Russian customers perceived it as not natural product and they didn't like it to buy. And in the Netherlands people well people sometimes drink it, so it is present in the Dutch markets but it is not present in the Russian market.

Респондент: Yeah, this is where the individual consumer feedback will be used to make some choices because there's a Russian consumer trends that obviously was not written accurately that then doesn't actually work for the Russian consumer, but the Netherlands it's fine because people don't have a strong drink tea with the lemon or in the past.

Автор: Yes, this is one of the main differences. And if we would now move to the place.

Could you please tell us what our main project distribution center in the

Netherlands of Lipton?

Респондент: So, Lipton has two main elements to it. Obviously the biggest and hardest channel is supermarkets. So the whole range of big hypermarkets Albert Heijns, Jumbo where most people do their shopping. Except of discounters. Litdl will. So all the main supermarket groups that are present in Netherlands will have a customer service organization we deal with and that will be the distribution will be directly to those retailers. The second is when… We have a we have a section of business which is called food solutions and that is called HoReCa. They will therefore supply either directly or through wholesaler trying also different pack structures to basically all resorts, hotels, restaurants and other.

Автор: Do you firstly sell it to wholesalers and they then sell it to retailers. Or no?

Респондент: For the most part it happens so, but there are also big chains which will be supplied directly. It's more or smaller about individual restaurants, by definition it goes by them or from wholesaler Metro or a Macro. But if there are organizations and they have their own distribution which can be supplied to their central depos.

Автор: Where is Lipton produced? In the Netherlands or somewhere else?

Респондент: I don't think we have a tea factory in the Netherlands.

Автор: What I have found is that there is a tea factory in Belgium, or somewhere near. I don't know because it was translated from Dutch it was called something like Forest.

Респондент: There is the Belgian head office and so they'll be producing some teas from there for the Dutch market for they may also be importing them from other tea factories depending on the type of flavor, brand and the capacity of the factory. OK. So obviously when you then produce goods you will need to produce them at the most optimal cost and therefore you need economies of scale and producing all the grounds, particularly in Europe. So, in Russia, you are producing mostly in St. Petersburg. But in Europe because first of all it's easy to move products within the E.U. the certain sort of categories of certainties that will be produced in other European factories. But we also have one in Belgium for the cluster, which is for Benilux cluster.

Автор: And right now we next to the price. Could you please tell which factors influence the production cost of Lipton.

Респондент: So we're in frame of the global and regional supply chain function. And obviously there are, I'll speak specifically for Europe and Netherlands, you know. So we can add volumes, which is done annually, and project the values based on economic dynamics, on market share development, on market growth, based on the penetration that you're seeing and tracking, you revise a projected volume for a particular country market and then the capacities across, in this case, the E.U. to be looked at to see how to optimally produce these at the lowest cost to get the lowest production runs, lowest cost per unit production, obviously, as a whole line function buying tea from the auctions across the world, you know, that's an important factor in price the raw material price itself. The procurement department looks on all the inputs, making sure that they buy at the optimal price and volume mix. Then the volumes themselves obviously determine what we produce and where it can be produced to ensure that the lowest cost per unit is achieved. Now, sometimes of course, you know, you project once a year and things do go on and you have to possibly revise that and after some time served do some back up production or increase shifts or whatever depending on lower or higher demand. So, raw materials, pack materials, the optimization of production, production runs based on demand on key determinants of costs.

Автор: Yeah and if we're talking about Netherlands, especially. Could you please tell if price of Lipton varies across regions of the country or is it just generally the same everywhere.

Респондент: Generally, the list price will be the same. And it will depend on local promotions that can influence the price locally. We don't discriminate across the country.

Автор: And are there any special instruments of influence on retailers? Is it possible to, for example, I don't know, if it will be OK, I mean sometimes in Russia retailers offer an opportunity to buy a place on the shelves, you know, so is it possible for example, to make this operation in the Netherlands.

Респондент: I mean, you have to you have to get your products listed. And it very much depends on the generic, you know, it depends on whether... what they see browsing through if it's a new product of Lipton that's not being offered before, you know, they might say no you can't, you know, we're not allocating anymore space in X retailer XYZ. So you have to pull one of your lower, you know, one of your worst selling escape use less if you want. These are the sort of annually negotiations with retailers on the shelf space that if you've got a strong brand that's sells very well it's in the retail interest to provide potentially more space.

Автор: So, it is somehow legally regulated?

Респондент: Yes, it is. I mean, there are listing fees paid to the retailer.

Автор: I mean, for example, you sell the product to the retailer and if you want it to be placed on the shelf which is for example on the level of the eyes of the consumer so that it will be sold more effectively…

Респондент: And that is the way get it to the customer organization and the perfect store is working closely with the retailer that it's very much a discussion of look this is how you optimize your sales and our sales and how you position the product, you know, how many frontages you have, so that's a negotiation and regular negotiations on optimizing the sales for us and for the retailer. They won't do it if they don't see a benefit. The benefit needs to come from the trending in sales and how that evolved and what benefit the customer can although in this case the customer so the retailer can see from repositioning items on the shelf or where their position next to some other items perhaps.

Автор: So, we are right now to promotion. Just tick the options which are used with Lipton promotion.

Респондент: So, TV - yes, press - yes, website - yes, e-mail newsletters I haven't seen those, smartphone application - not specifically for Lipton, but in frame of Unilever applications, social networks - definitely, discount special offers - yes and they made it through retailer, cooperation with other brands, companies - not specifically. There could be examples and I'm not aware of any in the Netherlands where just simply a promotion of a non-competing products. It might be promoted at the same time on, you know, on one of these endless shelves.

Автор: I can say you that, for example, in Russia they sometimes use Lipton cups. So they place Lipton cup inside the box with the tea. And people just buy tea because they see that there is in addition the cup. Also, there was a collaboration with very famous Russian cookies so they placed tea and cookies in the same bag.

Респондент: Ok, now I understand what you're saying. The question wasn't clear to me. So, definitely there are such promotions and we have examples also across Europe. For example, brand in the U.K. It was associated with that little monkey, monkey cup, so all you'll have is that he wanted your it or something like that. So, they like things like that. Yes, definitely, you know, and it's going to support the brand. It's, you know, it and it will be for a limited time. That's very much around the general type of promotional activities and there can be many but we're doing anything for competitor, for example.

Автор: Can you name some of the brands with which there were such collaborations?

Респондент: Dove. You often can get a sponge.

Автор: I mean with Lipton

Респондент: With Lipton… I can't I'm not that close to this product. I could try and find out.

Автор: Yeah, it's OK. I think that I would just say that there were some collaborations promoting Lipton.

Респондент: Yeah, I mean that there will be, we can't finish this, I will look something up on our internal website and I think that there is.

Автор: I'm sorry that the final question. Could you tell about public events?

Респондент: Yes. Particularly, we had one in summer with Lipton Ice.

Автор: And with Lipton teabags and loose tea?

Респондент: I think events with loose tea are less common because, you know, it will not be very involving. The same is with teabags. But certainly new flavors some sort of some launch activities.

Автор: Billboard?

Респондент: Yes.

Автор: There is also of market promotions effectiveness evaluation. May be, you could also…

Респондент: Yes, we can run through those. Market value - absolutely. They tracked very closely. Market share - again tracked extremely closely all the time, reviewed regularly, you know, even on the sublevel if there's any kind of legislation happening. So where does come back to the assumptions. Around awareness is measured regularly. Brand loyalty percentage, first time buyers - absolutely. Average mark - yes. Net promoter score? I'm not familiar with that one. Return on Investment - definitely, yes.

Автор: Yes, this is the whole list. Actually when I asked marketing managers in Russia they said that they didn't know most of that list. But I think that they probably didn't work close with this metrics.

Респондент: Now, there's got even more refined in how we, you know, how data is called and in many markets here you get electronic points sales data. In some cases, you can get that together with specific loyalty cards which allows you to understand the demographic and the changing habits. You know, and all that is it collected centralized and we buy that information at great detail level. So that the marketing function can understand how it's actually compared to what we expected and we're going to change either our promotional strategy, what's not working well, what do we need to change. Net promoter score, I'm not familiar with that.

Автор: It's just like consumers are given the scale and they need to, for example, choose which point they evaluate the brand and the scale is from 0 to 10.

Респондент: Oh, OK, right, I got you. Yeah, that's a little blind testing as well. So, you know, the seeing that all is differentiated, sticking around test.

Автор: So now we move to the consumer profile and if you could tell what is the general consumer or like the target audience of Lipton in the Netherlands, it would be nice. You can just go also through the list and if you know, like what is the general profile of the target audience.

Респондент: Hmm, I'm going to struggle with this one a bit because it's fairly general and I think there is a good age comes into it and I think gender comes into it as well because often it's the if we not bring that into awareness and on health benefits, on health attributes. Actually I could probably say, you know, people that you probably… they become more informed. May be, this is just my perception now. Being honest about it, but may be people with more embedded habits and tastes might be less open to new flavors or start drinking tea. Well, that changes over time, this particular round health benefits come through, and I think, you probably find it as a premium product less traditional from Dutch perspective, Dutch are big coffee drinkers and that probably also, you know, when you have people that are probably with low average income, working in construction or something like that, there will be more inclined to drink coffee. So these things come into, occupations certainly, they all come into certainly, but there cannot be specific one in which one is the key driver. It is probably more difficult… I think regional residents play a part. Because they are more urban city dweller, who will be much more open to the restaurants offering this and then getting familiar with it seeing advertisements, being in big supermarkets regularly, being more aware of trends I guess. But the Netherlands is quite a small country and things go, you know, things develop very quickly across country. So, it is a very well educated and, you know, there's no real less spots that it's that, you know, don't get covered by any kind of media, you know, it's a very small country. So, things do move around and trends spread quite quickly here.

Автор: And if we're talking about consumers could you please what are the traditions of drinking tea in the Netherlands?

Респондент: You know, people drank tea. Historically, you know, there is the notice from a German perspective as well, you know, it was more around the healthy thing to do when you're not feeling well. Tea with honey, tea with lemon and so on. We're not big tea drinkers - we're coffee drinkers and I think that is change coming back to significant health benefits associated with tea, particularly, herbal teas and taste and, you know, taste making it taste good, acquiring the taste, new flavors. It means that people really like to drink it. Black tea with lemon and honey was… you know, as I said, if I go back, to my parents that drank tea when weren't feeling well. I think in the Netherlands consumers are open, very open to new products and trends and try things. Taste obviously is very important and the brand strengths that people identify was a million years provided to trust. I think, you know, then, you know, the later stage there might be things around special offers, if they can buy a bulk cheaper, you know, consumers will go for a good deal to a point. And I think, product accessibility and attractiveness of packaging, and ease of use is also very important. It has to fit with the brand promise.

Автор: So right now the last question about factors that influence, there's probably you could just name the trends in the economy or some political factors that influence business. Probably you can say that something changed because of the relationships with Russia. Well I mean there were sanctions imposed on Russia so that's why probably Unilever business was affected by it.

Респондент: Yeah, I mean, Russia, for example, does import very limited products across our portfolio from Western Europe and they also have significant own manufacturing facilities. So it's not. Yes, it has an impact, it has n impact mainly there in terms of probably price to inflation and obviously profitability potentially impacts on Unilever. When there are political tensions across the region, for the Netherlands it's less relevant. I mean it's more around economic, you know, if this economic crisis will be, people will look to cut houses luxuries. It will be more conservative. So generally economic conditions are always influence particularly in certain more premium categories, or categories that are not so, we say, central to everyday life not necessarily the basics so that might then look for cheaper alternatives or less trade of a product will go out of the list and therefore trade less in the direct HoReCa environment but it's not… Economic conditions are always important I think social is a big one. Around health and vitality, being healthy, eating, drinking healthy things enough and health benefits of those products. So it's very important. Technological? Yes, absolutely. I mean, you know, new technologies in tea around in fusion tea which would allowed for new flavors to be created, the way you constructing the tea bag, to make ease of use, to make sure that the… when you put the tea bag in or the loose tea, becoming tea ready quickly is important because people are always in rush. So, technology plays an important role. Ecological? I'm guessing this is more around sustainability which is a big theme for us, and particularly around the impact of our products on the environment. That's a huge factor for us and that goes to where and how we source the product, inputs from raw materials to packaging materials to minimize any impact at any point in the process including disposal of materials after the bid consumed. Something that receives a lot of attention for us. Finally, legal, you know, there are lots of legal, not constraints, but legal rules, regulations, you know, around, you know, how our product is made complying with the with overseas a lot of that it all sort of any health regulations or what you can and cannot say about your product, the promises that you make as a brand and being able to meet those promises to the consumer. Others of those areas of attention as well.

Автор: Thank you very much! It was a lot of help, really you helped me a lot! I think right now I know everything that I need to know for my research. And yeah I'm sorry, it has taken more than I expected.

Респондент: I'm sorry too, you know, those last two weeks. This being holiday season, you know, the public holidays here and also probably not public, but school holidays, people have been very, you know, weak to respond.

Автор: It is absolutely ok! Yes, thank you very much. I'll just sum all the things up and analyze it.

Респондент: Good luck with your paper!

Автор: Thank you very much! Bye!



Приложение 4

Анкета для менеджера из Нидерландов

Dear respondent

My name is Victoria Plunskaya and I am currently a 4th year Bachelor student at Higher School of Economics in Moscow. Right now I am conducting a research for my thesis regarding the issue of adaptation of a company's marketing strategy while entering a global market. The primary focus of the research is on the marketing strategy of Unilever international brands.

I would be grateful if you could dedicate some of your time to answering interview questions about the product strategy of the department where you work. The data gained through the interview will be confidential, if you consider any of the questions inappropriate because of the company's privacy policy, you can skip them. The interview will take about half an hour of your time.

The questions I am going to ask regard the marketing department structure, marketing mix, marketing effectiveness evaluation, consumer profile and factors that influence Unilever's business.

This is the approximate list of the questions I am going to ask you during the interview.

Marketing Department Structure and Functions

1. What does the marketing department in Unilever do in your country?

2. What are the main divisions in the marketing department?

3. What functions are fulfilled within the company's marketing department?

4. What functions are done with the help of outsourcing?

5. How is the international practice used in the company? Any examples?

6. What is the degree of marketing department autonomy from the headquarters (global strategy)?

7. What marketing tools are used for market analysis and marketing strategy formulation?

Product

1. Please, describe the product you are working with

a. brand

b. product category

c. product line

d. which needs of consumers the product fulfills

2. Please, describe the product package

a. colour

b. form

c. Size

3. Does the marketing department conduct any consumer research? What kind of research?

4. Is the information gained through that kind of research used for creation of new product categories?

5. Are changes in the consumer tastes considered when forming a new product category?

6. Do needs of consumers differ depending on the region/channel of the product sales?

7. What are the main competitors of the product?

8. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the product?

9. What differentiates your product from competitors? (What is the competitive advantage of the product?)

Place

1. What are the product distribution channels?

2. What are the main distribution channels?

3. What are the criteria of distribution channels choice?

4. Where is the product produced?

Price

1. What is the final price of the product?

2. How it varies depending on the region of sales?

3. What factors influence the production cost of the product?

4. Are there any instruments of influence on retailers?

Promotion

What marketing instruments of promotion are used in the company to stimulate sales?

a. TV-advertisement

b. press/magazines

c. web-site banners

d. email newsletters

e. smartphone applications

f. social networks

g. discounts/special offers

h. cooperation/integration with other brands/companies

i. public events

j. billboards

Marketing effectiveness evaluation process

What marketing metrics are used in the process of marketing effectiveness evaluation?

a. Market volume

b. Market share

c. Brand awareness

d. Brand loyalty

e. % of first-time buyers

f. average sales of marketing channels

g. NPS - Net Promoter Score

h. ROI - Return On Investment

Consumer focus

1. Please, describe the target audience of the product

a. gender

b. age

c. marital status

d. education

e. occupation

f. average income

g. region of residence

2. What are the main reasons why consumers choose the product?

a. Price

b. Brand

c. Taste

d. Special offers

e. Package

f. Product accessibility

Factors that influence Unilever's business

What are the main factors that influence business in your region?

a. Political

b. Economical

c. Social

d. Technological

e. Ecological

f. Legal

Thank you for completion of the questionnaire!

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