Marketing Communications at Noel Leeming

Marketing Communications at Noel Leeming

Author’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Marketing Communications at Noel Leeming

Only about 30% of contemporary marketers show complete satisfaction with their capability of engaging clients across marketing communication channels at scale (Salesforce Research, 2019). Any achievement in marketing cannot be accomplished without proper marketing communications. Here, marketing communications at Noel Leeming are evaluated based on relevant literature-centred evidence. The first section of this assessment is a critical evaluation of the current context of this corporation’s marketing communications. The second section includes a detailed assessment of its traditional and digital marketing communication strategies for the targeted consumer segments in the New Zealand marketplace. The last section provides an evaluation of the integration of Noel Leeming’s existing marketing communications approach. The critical evaluation of the existing offline and digital marketing communications at Noel Leeming is imperative because it unveils the company’s potential for engaging its target customer segments satisfactorily.

Current Marketing Communications of Noel Leeming

The concept of marketing communications involves the approaches, means, and techniques employed by an enterprise to convey promotional messages about the brands, products, or services it offers to clients directly or indirectly aiming at persuading them to purchase (Fill & Jamieson, 2014; Pawar, 2014). So, marketing communications are an indispensable and complex part of an organisation’s marketing practices and efforts as it encompasses both the media and the message deployed by the organisation to communicate with its target market. Marketing communications use a combination of different marketing tools and channels to create brand awareness amongst potential and existing clients. This awareness creates a mental picture of the brand or changes the brand image in customers’ minds, thereby assisting them in making purchasing decisions (Dobele, Toleman, & Beverland, 2005). In essence, marketing communications offer the avenue by which firms and their brands present themselves to their audience aiming at stimulating dialogues that ideally culminate in successions of complete and engaging purchasing behaviours.

The marketing communications tools commonly employed by contemporary firms are emails, brochures, websites, pamphlets, advertisements, exhibitions, press releases, and sales promotion campaigns. A complete marketing communication mix should have eight key elements or promotional tools, namely, personal selling, word-of-mouth marketing, sales promotion, advertising, public relations (publicity), direct selling, interactive marketing, and events and experiences (Pawar, 2014; Owen, & Humphrey, 2009). Other elements include online presence, branding, packaging, printed materials, sponsorships, sales presentations, and strategic trade shows (Fill & Jamieson, 2014).

Noel Leeming, a multichannel retailer of branded technology services and consumer electronics and electronic appliances in New Zealand, has well-established marketing communications practices. This is evinced by the fact that the corporation has the position of a marketing planning manager who manages the daily planning of communication activities across various earned, paid, and owned online and traditional marketing communication channels. The marketing planning manager reports directly to the Noel Leeming Group Marketing Manager (Noel Leeming, n.d). The company uses its marketing communications to provide its customers with the latest advice, choices, ideas, and trends, hence strengthening its position in the New Zealand marketplace.

At Noel Leeming, the marketing communications mix includes both traditional and online marketing, but the latter is more dominant than the former. The evidence for this assertion is the company’s major focus on digital marketing innovation based on customer data analytics that is aimed at driving marketing performance. The marketing planning manager develops media plans and recommendations that are consistent with Noel Leeming Group’s advertising and marketing strategies (Noel Leeming, n.d). Using heavy media campaign learnings and data analytics, The Warehouse Group, which acquired Noel Leeming in 2012, has managed to build its capabilities in automated and customised marketing communication, enabling Noel Lemming to shift from traditional analogue marketing channels to embracing digital marketing tools (McKenzie, 2018). The firm’s digital marketing communications practices are currently coordinated by the company’s current marketing communications executive (Green, 2014).

Traditional and Digital Marketing Communications for Targeted Consumer Segments

The target market for Noel Leeming includes tech-savvy New Zealanders who use its consumer electronics and electronic appliances. This target market is divided into three target consumer segments based on their lifestyles. These segments are Success-Driven Extroverts, Young Pleasure-Seekers, and New Greens. According to Watkins et al. (2015), the success-driven extroverts will be inclined to buying Noel Leeming’s consumer electronics and the related appliances because they are early technology adopters, well-informed about popular culture, and conversant with expensive brands. The young pleasure-seekers are part of Noel Leeming’s target market arguing from the perspective that they are media-savvy, have high regard for personal possessions, and engage actively in streaming and downloading their media content (Watkins et al., 2015). The new greens segment forms part of Noel Leeming’s target market because they need electronic gadgets to stay online and up-to-date as regards their green health options.

To reach these consumer segments, Noel Leeming’s marketing communication incorporates both traditional and digital or online target marketing strategies. Traditional target marketing communications apply older media such as radio, television, broadcasts, films, physical print media, face-to-face, and point of purchase (Geraghty & Conway, 2016; Gurău, 2008; Spencer & Giles, 2001). Traditional marketing communications are important to Noel Leeming because they are far-reaching, thereby reaching a broad range of the target customer segments, besides having a lifespan that is easy to define. Traditional marketing communications are also valuable because they offer a more creditable, evocative, and visually appealing aspect that leads to the provision of place, possession, and time utility for the company’s clients (Durmaz & Efendioglu, 2016; Geraghty & Conway, 2016). At Noel Leeming, the traditional marketing communication strategies or tools used to reach the three target customer segments are paid media (display ads and branded content) on television, print, and radio, sales promotion, branding, and public relations (Noel Leeming Group Limited, 2008). In agreement, Stanley (2014) acknowledges that this enterprise leverages the power of paid media in bringing to life consumer endorsements to generate the impact necessary in realising impressive results.

Apart from the traditional marketing communication means, Noel Leeming also reaches its target customer segments using digital marketing communication approaches. According to Gurău (2008), digital marketing communications employ the digital marketing equivalents of traditional marketing communication tools that are customised and adapted to befit the online marketing setting. Thus, digital marketing communications leverage digital technologies, Big Data elements, and the Internet to create interactive communication between companies and their customers, giving the clients a greater role and responsibility in the marketing communication processes (Fill & Jamieson, 2014; McAfee et al., 2012; Owen & Humphrey, 2009). According to Pawar (2014), online marketing communications are both an art and science of communicating brands with clients over digital networks, including cellular phone networks, social media, and the Internet. A complete digital marketing media mix includes a broad gamut of marketing tools that include blogs, social networking platforms, email marketing, SEO, and client-focused videoconferencing, among others (Geraghty & Conway, 2016).

Durmaz & Efendioglu (2016) submit that many companies are shifting from traditional marketing communication methodologies to adopting new digital marketing communication tools. Noel Leeming is not an exception as it has shifted significantly to online marketing communication as McKenzie (2018) confirms. At Noel Leeming, the digital marketing communication mix includes social media, the company website (where pay-per-click advertising takes place), web analytics tools, and email marketing. From the company website, it is evident that the four social media that Noel Leeming uses for online marketing communications include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter (Noel Leeming Group Limited, 2019). Noel Leeming maintains a comprehensive privacy policy for protecting the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information of clients involved in digital marketing communications processes.

Evaluation of Integration of Existing Marketing Communications Approach

Integrated marketing communication, abbreviated as IMC, is a relatively new marketing concept characterised by the meticulous incorporation of all forms of marketing communication messages to ensure consistent corporate messages are sent to diverse target audiences (Gurău, 2008; Pawar, 2014). IMC entails linking together the channels, media, and methods of communicating with individuals outside of a firm, along with the proper coordination and centralisation of the communication activities by the company involved for effective marketing communication (Owen, & Humphrey, 2009). IMC replaces limited-focus, profile-raising options by emphasising the mechanisms and means of commencing and sustaining continuing dialogues with customers and enhancing customer-company relationships (Vargo & Lusch, 2014).

At Noel Leeming, there is proof of the integration of its existing marketing communications approach. The evidence is the existence of an integrated marketing communications coordinator at the Warehouse Group that acquired Noel Leeming in 2012. This coordinator is responsible for driving the marketing communication activities and workflow for the Noel Leeming business, which are integrated to ensure the effectiveness of marketing messaging (The Warehouse Group, n.d). The company uses its IMC function to ensure that its marketing communication is brand-consistent, customer-focused and based on best practices to drive excellence in marketing teams. Also, integrated marketing communication helps Noel Leeming to maintain collaborative processes among these teams to ensure creative marketing communications that generate corresponding deliverables (The Warehouse Group, n.d).

Summary

Marketing communication is indispensable in the successful running of business operations at Noel Leeming. The employment of both traditional and online marketing communications is instrumental in keeping the company in the lead position in its different target customer segments. The adoption of integrated marketing communications enables Noel Leeming to deliver consistent and unified communication messages about its brand offerings to clients in these segments, hence augmenting chances of attracting and maintaining customers.

References

Dobele, A., Toleman, D., & Beverland, M. (2005). Controlled infection! Spreading the brand message through viral marketing. Business Horizons, 48(2), 143-149. Doi: 10.1016/j.bushor.2004.10.011.

Durmaz, Y., & Efendioglu, I. H. (2016). Travel from traditional marketing to digital marketing. Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 16(2), 34-40.

Fill, C., & Jamieson, B. (2014). Marketing communications. UK. Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School.

Geraghty, G., & Conway, A. T. (2016). The study of traditional and non-traditional marketing communications: Target marketing in the events sector. 12th Annual Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland Conference, THRIC 2016, 16th and 17th June, Limerick Institute of Technology.

Green, R. (September 10, 2014). Noel Leeming unveils a brand new look in the latest series of spots via FCB New Zealand. New Zealand. Campaign Brief. Retrieved November 18, 2019, from https://campaignbrief.co.nz/2014/09/10/noel-leeming-unveils-a-brand-n/.

Gurău, C. (2008). Integrated online marketing communication: implementation and management. Journal of Communication Management, 12(2), 169-184.

McAfee, A., Brynjolfsson, E., Davenport, T. H., Patil, D. J., & Barton, D. (2012). Big data: The management revolution. Harvard Business Review, 90(10), 60-68.

McKenzie, E. (January 26, 2018). The Warehouse Group to move to a single media agency for entire business. The ICG Media. Retrieved November 18, 2019, from https://stoppress.co.nz/news/warehouse-group-invites-existing-media-agencies-pitch-entire-business/.

Noel Leeming Group Limited. (2008). Noel Leeming Group Ltd background information. Scoop News. Retrieved November 18, 2019, from https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0801/S00270/noel-leeming-group-ltd-background-information.htm.

Noel Leeming Group Limited. (2019). Noel Leeming. Noel Leeming Group Limited. (2019). Retrieved November 18, 2019, from https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/search.html?q=point+of+purchase#sortOrder=rel&page=1&layout=grid.

Noel Leeming. (n.d). Marketing Planning Manager. Auckland, New Zealand: Noel Leeming. Retrieved November 18, 2019, from https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/TheWarehouseGroup/743999664886682-marketing-planning-manager.

Owen, R., & Humphrey, P. (2009). The structure of online marketing communication channels. Journal of Management and Marketing Research, 2, 1-10.

Pawar, A. V. (2014). Study of the effectiveness of online marketing on integrated marketing communication. (Master’s Dissertation DY Patil University, School of Management, Navi Mumbai).

Salesforce Research. (2019). State of marketing: Insights and trends from over 4,100 marketing leaders worldwide. Salesforce Research.

Spencer, C., & Giles, N. (2001). The planning, implementation and evaluation of an online marketing campaign. Journal of Communication Management, 5(3), 287-299.

Stanley, J. (September 2014). Media vital to marketing mix. Retrieved November 18, 2019, from https://commscouncil.nz/industry-voice/media-vital-to-marketing-mix/.

The Warehouse Group. (n.d). Integrated marketing communications manager. The Warehouse Group.

Vargo, S. L., & Lusch, R. F. (2014). Evolving to a new dominant logic for marketing. In The Service-Dominant Logic of Marketing (pp. 21-46). Routledge.

Watkins, L., Aitken, R., Hinder, C., Lawson, R., Mather, D., Paul, A., … & Williams, J. (2015). The New Zealand consumer lifestyle segments. New Zealand Sociology, 30(1), 111-130.