Marketing News Summary: Episode 1

Morrisons targets students with convenience store

Morrisons has made a new move into the convenience market to challenge specialist coffee chains. Outdoor seating is going to be offered with this first store.  This is going to be targeted at students by offering an extensive food to go breakfast and lunch, including offers like a coffee and bacon sandwich deal for £2 at its food to go counter. This is an attempt to compete directly with coffee chains nearby such as Costa and Nero.

The store opened on 16^th January in Manchester’s Grafton Street, situated among Manchester University buildings. There are other offers that are being introduced by the chain to attract students, meal deal offers that include fresh ingrediants for £3 and coupons offering £2 off a £10 shop for the first three weeks. Offers like these will make students visit the store and buy products for breakfast and lunch.

Reebok reveals global brand strategy
 
Reebok is preparing to launch a global brand strategy to position itself as the world’s primary fitness brand, and will feature sportsmen including Lewis Hamilton and cricketer MS Dhoni in a campaign to support the new direction.

Reebok have indicated that the new strategy is designed to “change the way people perceive, define and experience fitness” and achieve Reebok’s ambition “to bring fitness to the world and be seen as the world’s fittest company”.
Reebok have identified the fitness sector as a “significant opportunity” and it hopes to have the largest market share in this market. The organisation has basically created a strategy that will change people’s perception, definition and experience regarding fitness. Once this strategy is implemented the company hopes to be the number one brand that people visit offline/online for products and services. The campaign includes a partnership with fitness programme CrossFit.

Tesco’s biggest underperformance

Christmas trading was disappointing for Tesco and its biggest underperformance in more than two decades. Retail research director at Mintel, Richard Parker dubbed Tesco’s underperformance as a “marketing failure”. It has been suggested that the supermarket should scrap its Clubcard loyalty scheme because most of the marketing weight at the start of the recessions was allocated to Tesco’s
Clubcard relaunch. Marketeers have been warned to treat promotions like heroin because it is only a short term high and not effective or efficient in the long run.

Vevo aims to become “recognised consumer facing brand”

Vevo is a music video platform and now it has planned to move on to connected TV devices and partner with some major brands and broadcasters this year in a bid to become a recognised brand in the market. “Connected TV/Internet TV” as mentioned in previous posts on my blog and YouTube channel is the future of television.

LoveFilm strikes ABC deal for US shows

LoveFilm has struck a TV streaming deal with Disney as it faces new competition from UK entrant Netflix for market share. LoveFilm have already struck a deal with broadcasters in the UK and have recently added TV series such as Blackadder, Skins, Doctor Who and many more. The new deal is already available for LoveFilm subscribers, Lost is available to watch right now and Desperate Housewives will be added later in the year. I am very happy with this deal because as a subscriber not can I only watch movies but now I can watch my favourite Desperate Housewives series.

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