APPRAISAL OF ADVERTISING AS A TOOL FOR THE PROMOTION OF SOFT DRINKS
ABSTRACT
Marketing mix is a set of controllable instruments to manage the marketing of a product or service. The components of such a mix could vary from business to business based on the peculiarity and specific nature of the business. Four Ps of marketing that comprises product, price, promotion, and place is the earliest marketing mix. Since its inception in the 1960s, this model has been applied in the management of the marketing of goods/services. Even if criticisms begun to spur in recent decades in the inability of the framework to handle new aspects of marketing, it still has a wider application particularly in the management of the marketing of manufactured goods. This study tried to analyze the marketing of Pepsi cola at Mohammed Hussein Ali Al Amoudi (MOHA) Soft Drinks Industry Share Company, within the framework of the 4ps of marketing. The study has followed a mixed approach, both quantitative and qualitative, in dealing with the issues that have been investigated. To this effect, primary as well as secondary sources of data have been used. Combination of instruments has been applied to gather information for the study. For instance, structured questionnaire has been used and customer survey conducted to generate quantifiable data for the study. 100 samples were randomly selected and considered to this end. As to the generation of qualitative information, focus group discussion was conducted with selected members of the sales force of the company who have the knowledge and experience in marketing the product. The information collected was organized and analyzed using descriptive as well as explanatory method of data analysis. Based on the analysis, the application of the 4Ps in the overall marketing management of the company is well underway. However, there existed minor cases that need to be addressed in terms demand, availability and delivery of the product.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Marketing has often been described as the art of selling products. The aim of marketing is to make selling superfluous and understand the customer so well that the product or service fits him and sells itself. (Philip Kotler, 2000). Ideally, marketing should result in a customer who is ready to buy.(Philip Kotler, 2000). Business organizations develop market strategies that can help them exist sustainably and achieve long term objectives. They use various tools to set appropriate strategies so as to get the desired responses from their target markets. (Chai Lee goi, 2009). One of such tools is a marketing mix. It is a framework that firms use to pursue their marketing goals in the target markets. McCarthy classified marketing mix into four broad groups that he called four Ps of marketing: product, price, promotion and place. (Chai Lee Goi, 2009).
Marketing mix has been extremely influential in informing the development of both marketing theory and practice. The main reasons that