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Develop a marketing plan for Hershey¶s to launch its Kisses brand in the UK
confectionery market. The following must be considered:

V Ôarket environment ± situational analysis

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V The competition

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V |egmentation and Target market

Ôarket segmentation is the division of a market into different groups of
customers with distinctly similar needs and product/service requirements.
Or to put it another way, market segmentation is the division of a mass
market into identi¿able and distinct groups or segments, each of which
have common characteristics and needs and di splay similar responses to
marketing actions. Ôarket segmentation was ¿rst de¿ned as µa condition
of growth when core markets have already been developed on generalised
basis to the point where The purpose of market segmentation is to
leverage scarce resources; in other words, to ensure that the elements of
the marketing mix, price, distribution, products and promotion, are
designed to meet particular needs of different customer groups. |ince
companies have ¿nite resources it is not possible to produce all possible
products for all the people, all of the time. The best that can be aimed for
 is to provide selected offerings for selected groups of people, most of the
time. This process allows organizations to focus on speci¿c customers¶
needs, in the most ef¿cient and effective way The market segmentation
concept is related to product differentiation. If you aim at different market
segments, you might adapt different variations of your offering to satisfy
those segments, and equally if you adapt different versi ons of your
offering, this may appeal to different market segments. The concept of
market segmentation was ¿rst proposed as an alternative market
development technique in imperfectly c ompetitive markets, that is, in
markets where there are relatively few competitors selling an identical
product. Where there are lots of competitors selling identical products,
market segmentation and product differentiation produce similar results
as competitors imitate your strategic approach more quickly and product
differentiation approaches meet market segment needs more close.
There are two main approaches to segmenting markets. The ¿rst adopts
the view that the market is considered to consist of customers which are
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differences.

TARGET ÔARKET
The second important part of the |TP process is to determine which, if
any, of the segments uncovered should be targeted and made the focus of
a comprehensive marketing pr ogramme. Ultimately, managerial
discretion and judgement determines which markets are selected and
exploited and which others are ignored.
In an undifferentiated approach there is no delineation between market
segments, and instead the market is viewed as one mass market with one
marketing strategy for the entire market. Although very expensive, this
targeting approach is often selected in markets where there is limited
segment differentiation.
A differentiated targeting approach recognizes that there is several market
|egments to target, each being attractive to the marketing organization. As
such, to exploit market segments, a marketing strategy is developed for each
segment

V Product/brand strategy
A strong brand strategy can increase the awareness of a company and its
offerings in such a way that establishes strong feelings and reactions and a
favourable view towards the company as a whole. To create this sort of
³brand awareness´ in your market, it takes skill full Brand Strategy know-how.
Successfully out-branding your competitors is a continuous battle for the
hearts and minds of your customers. The proposition your brand strategy
makes must be very compelling, attractive and unique among competitive
offerings
V Brand Strategy is nothing new. Yet, the expectations consumers have for a
product or service they buy is stronger than it¶s ever been. This is why
companies interested in long-term success must create the most promising,
targeted brand experience possible.
V Whether you know it or not, you already have a brand, and your customers
are having a ³brand experience´ when they interact with you, whether it be
with your products and services or the people in your company. In order to
craft this ³brand experience´ in a calculated way that is beneficial for your
company, you must have a strong understanding about what exactly a brand
is.

V Ôarketing mix/marketing strategy

V The marketing mix is often referred to as the '4 Ps', i.e. product, price, place
and promotion. To meet customers' needs a business must develop products to
satisfy them, charge the right price, get the goods to the right place, and it
must make the existence of the product know n through promotion.

V 
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Must meet customer requirements whatever these might be. For example, an
important aspect is function - products should do what they say they can do
and what they are expected to do. For example, Audi cars are p opular
because of their high performance.

Appearance is also important. This is why for example, consumers are

prepared to pay premium prices for some of Gillette's razors. 
The 4 Ps - 
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make up the marketing
mix. Each of these elements should be designed to meet customer needs and
requirements.

V Ainancial and sales projections

These financial projections can help clie nts select winning projects, designs,
positioning, prices and target markets. Duff & Phelps understands the
complexities of forecasting in rapidly evolving and increasingly competitive
environments, designing models that account for numerous contingencies.
The Financial Projections group provides strategic insights that go beyond
support of the immediate investment decision, negotiation, litigation or
bankruptcy by undertaking a deeper modeling of the risks, strategic options
and key business drivers.
It incldes
 V Developing Financial Projections
V Reviewing and Enhancing Existing Financial Projections

V Implementation & Control

†Implementation controlis designed to assess whether the overall

strategy should be changed in light of unfolding events and results
associated with incremental steps and actions that implement the overall
strategy."

Ôonitoring strategic thrusts (new or key strategic programs)

Budget

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!$  %

V Aor your advertising and promotional plan

V Aor costs allocated for advertising and promotions
V Aor advertising and promotional materials
V Aor a list of advertising media to be used
Operating an effective marketing plan requires money, so you will have to allocate funds
from your operating budget to cover advertising, promotional and all other costs associated
with marketing. Develop a marketing budget based on the cost for the media you will use,
and the cost for collecting research data and monitoring shifts in the marketplace.