A Proposed marketing plan for polo the mint with the hole

• Main Authors: Belleza, Polinar S., Gerodias, Jardine M., Gregorio, Gilbert M., Torres, Maryu Pauline O.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1996
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/16797
• Institution: De La Salle University

The Confectionery Industry in the Philippines is steadily increasing with the market demand. The industry is so big that there are at least 250 brands competing. Last 1994, Nestle Phil. Inc. entered the industry by initially introducing KITKAT, Fox's and POLO. After a few months there was the entry of Smarties, and Lion Bar. There was acceptance in the market especially with KIT KAT and POLO. POLO being a mint candy is having a tough time in participating in the industry that is dominated by menthol candies that resulted to a mentholated market. POLO had been experiencing a decline in sales since it was launched. The Marketing plan for POLO aims to position it as the first and only locally manufactured mint premium candy in the industry targeting the 9-19, AB class segment. This move is using a niche strategy specifically a special-customer strategy where it focuses its marketing efforts towards a particular segment. The reason is that POLO cannot compete with market leaders like Mentos for chewable mint candies, Maxx for hard candies that is longer to consume. To attain this goal the following objectives were formulated: 1. To expand the existing sales network by targeting trade channels of the segment being focused. 2. To increase usership of POLO 10%-20% in the segment. 3. To reinforce the image of POLO by launching a new Advertising Campaign and 10 Promotions within a year. 4. To increase sales by 12% for 1997. 5. To increase sales volume from 112.32 metric tons to 140.4 metric tons for this segment. The plan recommends a change in the label of the tube and the use of gold inner foil. The pricing will remain unchanged until the economy becomes stable. It is also impractical to have an increase with the singles because the coinage system of the country is a big factor. The product being premium will be based on the quality and not of the price. Other distribution channels will be tapped as retail outlets of the product. An advertisement was prepared as a support to the image of POLO as a premium candy. Promotional activities were planned to reach the target market. The promotion includes: consortium sponsorship of fairs, foundation days, and movie premieres raffle radio promo field trips special treat during Halloween and Christmas season and incentives for the retailers' and salesmen. There was also a vision of adding variants with the existing line. A fruit line and probably a chocolate mint based candy is being proposed as part of the long term strategy for POLO. The total investment of the plan is P 11,720,786.20. Advertising accounts to 81% of the budget, promotional activities to 6.5% while research and evaluation with 2.6%. A contingency plan has an allocation of 10% of the gross profit. The plan hopes to trim down the year-end net loss, in spite of marketing activities that will subsequently improve the brand's financial standing future. Evaluation procedures would be carried out through assessment forms before and after each activity, sales performance, and other in-house and outside studies.