EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS: MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS REPORT
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Target Market 3
Customer Decision Making Process 4
Media Mix 5
Recommendations 6
Appendices 9
References 10
Introduction
Edible Arrangements has offered same-day delivery for its fruit baskets, fruit bouquets and other sweet gifts for more than a decade. One of competitive advantages that differentiates Edible Arrangements from its competitors is the same-day orders with a deadline of 5:00 PM. However, most target markets are not fully aware of this service.
This report aims to identify the right target markets and the influences behind their purchasing decision and proposes a set of media mix that matches the purchasing behavior of the target market. In addition, this report will also identify the right socia media channel for Edible Arrangements.
Target Market
To determine the suitable target market for Edible Arrangements, this communication strategy has considered several variables from the market segmentation as references. The first variable is the demographic segmentation, in which a division of a large market is separated into smaller segments based on shared personal qualities such as gender, age, race, education, income, occupation, household formation and marital status.[1]
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Under demographic segmentation, the potential target market for Edible Arrangements are female and male young adults and women ages 18 to 55 years old with middle to upper household incomes. The fruit bouquets and baskets from Edible Arrangements ranged from $29 to $179 and the target market can afford these prices. In addition, this target market celebrates several occasions every year such as birthdays, graduations, baby showers, bridal showers and anniversaries.
The next variable is the psychographic market segmentation which is based on the interests, attitudes, values, activities, and lifestyle of the target market.[2] Under this market segmentation, Edible Arrangements should focus on customers who are health conscious, lead a healthy lifestyle and maintain hearty eating habits. For those who are practicing healthy and clean eating, fruit bouquets or fruit baskets are the better alternatives to cakes and chocolates.
According to a Nielsen report from 2017, the number of people who desire increased food transparency and uphold healthy eating habits is on the rise; more Americans are trading their usual fill of shopping carts in favor of healthier options.[3] This lifestyle even affects Thanksgiving as Americans continue to choose a cleaner variety of meats and actively try to include more plant based foods into their diet. They seek natural, fresh, and minimally processed foods, making fruit one of their top choices among the food categories.
The last variable is the geographic variable based on the geographical areas of the target market including region, continent, country, state, neighborhood, population density, and climate.[4] A 2017 report by International Food Information Council Foundation demonstrated that households in suburban and urban areas are more concerned with their diet and are inspired to lead healthier lifestyles.[5] Therefore, the suitable target market for Edible Arrangements are those who live in urban and suburban areas.
In addition to the aforementioned target market that focused on individuals’ gifting and consumptions, another attractive target market for Edible Arrangements is the business and corporate world. For corporate customers, they are likely to purchase the fruit bouquets or baskets as gifts to delight their prospects, clients, customers, suppliers, and employees. As Edible Arrangements offers same-day orders and delivery, the fruit baskets are perfect for businesses who seek a fast and easy gift to show appreciation towards their clients, employees, etc. For example, Edible Arrangements could work together with businesses ranging from local health centers to wealth management firms to provide fruit arrangements for clients on their birthdays.
Customer Decision Making Process
For consumers, there are five main stages of decision making: problem or need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase decision, and post-purchase behavior. The first stage, problem and need recognition, is the of the utmost importance in the customer’s decision making process. In this stage, potential customers recognize that there is a need for purchasing gifts for close friends or colleagues for birthdays, anniversaries, and other gift-giving occasions.
Customers also recognise the type of gifts that is suitable for the recipient and their limitations such as diet, budget, and timing. This may lead to general ideas regarding what the customers want to purchase in order to satisfy their needs. When the target market recognizes their needs, they will search for information typically through the internet. In this second stage, customers gather information about the products such as availability, pricing, convenience, timing, and other pertinent information. Websites and social media will be the main sources for customers to get all the resources and information that they need.
The third stage of the decision making process is alternative evaluation. Here consumers will evaluate their options to reach their final product or brand choice after filtering through necessary information that can assist them in their decision. In the fourth stage, consumers will choose the products that they are planning to buy and make the purchase. For Edible Arrangements, the purchase can be made either offline, in one of the 1200+ stores worldwide, or through their website.
The decision making process continues even after the purchase was made. A consumer’s post-purchase behavior includes the evaluation of their feelings about the product and service, and ultimately whether they are satisfied with their purchase. The utility that the purchaser and their recipient experience upon receiving the gift influences the level of a customer’s satisfaction.
Media Mix
To improve sales and capture the target market, the following media mix has been drafted. The first strategy is to utilise the power of social media such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Over the years, social media has gained an immense impact on our daily lives and affected our relationships, education and shopping experience.[6] It is undeniable that social media affects business in several different ways and the inception of these platforms has forced businesses to adapt their marketing strategies and how they communicate with potential customers.
Edible Arrangements has active accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest but lacks a significant presence on Instagram with only 35.4 thousand followers (as of 12/12/18). Based on data from Statista, the most popular social media sites in the United States in 2018 are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.[7] Although the data shows Snapchat as the fifth most popular and the most preferred social network for teenagers in the U.S (46%), the nature of Snapchat’s platform is unsuitable for Edible Arrangements.[8] Snapchat advertisements can be easily skipped through with a tap of the screen and a short video advertisement would be too costly to benefit the company. Therefore, the ideal choices for social media communication are Instagram and Facebook. It is crucial that the advertisement harnesses the viewer’s attention to avoid their scrolling past and ignoring the ad.
The next channel for media mix is the official website of Edible Arrangements. The website is the first destination for potential customers when they search for Edible Arrangements online or click on the social media advertisements. The website is the simplest and fastest way for customers to make their purchase, view the list of products, and find the closest store. Upon first glance of the site, it is extremely cluttered and must be altered (see Appendix 1). Solutions are given in the “Recommendations” section.
To increase public awareness of same-day order and delivery, Edible Arrangements should utilize radio communication and a print advertisement for public transportation. Currently, radio may seem outdated as a form of marketing, though Nielsen reports that 93% of U.S adults listen to radio every week, which is higher than television and smartphone usage.[9] This specifically will work with the suburban demographic, most of whom commute and work in urban areas. Lastly, Edible Arrangements should use a printed advertisement (see Appendix 2) to target users of public transportation.
Recommendations
For a business that emphasizes visual appeal, Instagram is the ideal choice to connect with consumers and it provides in-depth data about engagement with the ad. The advertisement will feature a beautiful, eye-popping, and colorful display of fruit bouquets and baskets. The same advertisement used for print media in Appendix 2 can be used for Instagram. Furthermore, the social media platform is home to active audiences due where Edible Arrangements can communicate directly with its customers. The Instagram ad will increase engagement with the company’s profile and boost its following, which will allow it to maintain frequent interaction and reminders to customers.
The second Instagram strategy is to capitalize on social media influencers. Social media influencers are well known individuals with huge followings on the social media network. Social media influencers are not limited to celebrities, but also individuals that have gained massive and attentive audiences of whom actively follow and comment on their posts. Edible Arrangements can arrange sponsored posts by the influencers by paying their advertisement fee or preferably, by giving them a number of free gifts to send. The latter will allow them to share a personal experience of Edible Arrangements’ service and products on their profile and subsequently provide a positive review.
The next channel is the official website of Edible Arrangements (Appendix 1). The cluttered home page must be simplified. First, the main attractions currently show three offers; this should be changed to a sliding display that shows the flagship offer or product and proceeds to the next after a few seconds. Next, the same promotion of 20% off is shown twice on the homepage. It is an enticing promotion so it should be noticeable, but not repeated. Lastly, the horizontal bar near the top showing different categories (“Shop Occasions Birthday … Holiday Specials”) must simplify to fewer items. The “Shop” tab includes “Shop By Size” and the “Occasions” tab includes “Birthday” and “Christmas.” Fewer categories will allow for the remaining items to be enlarged. A website that is easier to navigate will increase the conversion rate of purchases to website visitors.
For the print and radio advertisements, the goal is to target consumers during transportation. The advertisement in Appendix 2 is proposed for print media and for Instagram– the ad is square, making to compatible to Instagram’s platform. Notably, the print ad will appear in free newspapers read on public transportation, in the transportation itself (subways, busses, etc.), and on the sides of the delivery vans that are used to fulfill customers’ orders. The ad highlights the attractive products offered by Edible Arrangements, showing a gift for someone who is ill. It focuses on the same-day delivery services and prompts its viewers to make their order online. When people see a delivery van drive by, are on public transportation, or using Instagram, their time to view the ad is limited. Therefore, the ad uses bright colors to catch the viewer’s eye and limited wording so that the information is conveyed quickly. Radio reaches a diverse audience and is tuned into frequently while people are driving, in the office, or commuting to work. The radio ad will remind potential customers of the gifts they may have forgotten to purchase and will increase impulsive purchases of the bouquets and baskets.
These recommendations for a marketing communications strategy will ensure that Edible Arrangements increases its sales and spreads awareness about its same-day delivery offering.
Appendices
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
This advertisement is proposed for print and social media.
References
2017 Food and Health Survey: “A Healthy Perspective: Understanding American Food Values” [WWW Document], n.d. . FoodInsight.org. URL http://www.foodinsight.org/2017-food-and-health-survey (accessed 12.14.18).
Goyat, S., 2011. The basis of market segmentation: a critical review of literature. European Journal of Business and Management 3, 45-54–54.
How America Listens: The American Audio Landscape [WWW Document], n.d. URL http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2018/how-america-listens-the-american-audio-landscape (accessed 12.14.18).
How “Clean” Eating is Influencing Americans’ Thanksgiving Meals [WWW Document], n.d. URL http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2017/how-clean-eating-is-influencing-americans-thanksgiving-meals (accessed 12.14.18).
Michael Stelzner, 2017. 2017 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. Social Media Marketing | Social Media Examiner.
Preferred social networks of U.S. teens 2018 | Statistic [WWW Document], n.d. . Statista. URL https://www.statista.com/statistics/250172/social-network-usage-of-us-teens-and-young-adults/ (accessed 12.14.18).
Siricharoen, W.V., 2012. Social Media, How does it Work for Business? International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology Vol. 3.
Top U.S. mobile social apps by users 2018 | Statistic [WWW Document], n.d. . Statista. URL https://www.statista.com/statistics/248074/most-popular-us-social-networking-apps-ranked-by-audience/ (accessed 12.14.18).
Tuckwell, K., Jaffey, M., 2016. Think marketing.
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