Marketing Situational Analysis Essay
Introduction
The following essay is a situation analysis of the macro-environment for a Melbourne based Australian phone cover manufacturing organisation, called Kind.
Kind creates a range of covers for all types of mobile phones which are recyclable, biodegradable and trendy. Kind conducts their own research, development, design and manufacture. The organisation was founded by a group of generation Y, tech savvy and environmentally conscious people who saw an opportunity to create accessories in an industry considered to be consumerist. A view supported by Downie and Glazebrook (2007), “Mobile phones have been described as the ultimate example of consumerism.”(p. 1).
Kind’s idea for their latest range of covers specifically include hypo colour, (cover changes colour when activated by heating or cooling through personal touch), mood sensitive covers (cover changes colour relative to the emotion being felt by the person), and gel moulded covers with finger grips. They believe their value proposition is to provide a range of products that offer their customers socially responsible fun, feelings and functionality by being a customer-centred company.
The following discussion under the sub-headings will analyse the six components of the mobile phone industry macro-environment specifically identifying trends that may impact Kind’s target market, marketing-mix and planned marketing strategies.
Demographic
“The demographic environment shows a changing age structure in the population, changing family patterns, geographic population shifts, a better-educated and more-white-collar population, and increasing ethnic diversity.”, (Kotler, Brown, Adam, Burton & Armstrong, 2010, p. 160).
This holds true for Kind’s market in Australia with the population ageing, birth rates falling and increased life expectancy, older people are predicted to outnumber younger people by 2050. This may pose a potential threat to Kind’s target market in that there will be greater
The following essay is a situation analysis of the macro-environment for a Melbourne based Australian phone cover manufacturing organisation, called Kind.
Kind creates a range of covers for all types of mobile phones which are recyclable, biodegradable and trendy. Kind conducts their own research, development, design and manufacture. The organisation was founded by a group of generation Y, tech savvy and environmentally conscious people who saw an opportunity to create accessories in an industry considered to be consumerist. A view supported by Downie and Glazebrook (2007), “Mobile phones have been described as the ultimate example of consumerism.”(p. 1).
Kind’s idea for their latest range of covers specifically include hypo colour, (cover changes colour when activated by heating or cooling through personal touch), mood sensitive covers (cover changes colour relative to the emotion being felt by the person), and gel moulded covers with finger grips. They believe their value proposition is to provide a range of products that offer their customers socially responsible fun, feelings and functionality by being a customer-centred company.
The following discussion under the sub-headings will analyse the six components of the mobile phone industry macro-environment specifically identifying trends that may impact Kind’s target market, marketing-mix and planned marketing strategies.
Demographic
“The demographic environment shows a changing age structure in the population, changing family patterns, geographic population shifts, a better-educated and more-white-collar population, and increasing ethnic diversity.”, (Kotler, Brown, Adam, Burton & Armstrong, 2010, p. 160).
This holds true for Kind’s market in Australia with the population ageing, birth rates falling and increased life expectancy, older people are predicted to outnumber younger people by 2050. This may pose a potential threat to Kind’s target market in that there will be greater
References: Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). Measures of Australia’s Progress, Communication, Children and Mobile Phones, Australia. Cat. No. 1370.0. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0~2010~Chapter~Children%20and%20mobile%20phones%20(4.8.5.3.2) Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2003). Measures of a Knowledge-based Economy and Society, Australia, 2003. Cat. No. 1377.0. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/Ausstats/abs@.nsf/46d1bc47ac9d0c7bca256c470025ff87/817903E27C4FFBE0CA2571960017E512 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). Regional Population Growth, Australia, 2008-9. Cat. No. 3218.0. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Products/3218.0~2008-09~Main+Features~Main+Features?OpenDocument#PARALINK11 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2007). Australian Social Trends, Trends in Consumption. Cat. No. 4102.0. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/0485BB5550FE5799CA25732C00207C77 Downie, C. & Glazebrook, K. (2007), “Mobile phones and the consumer kids”, Australian Institute Research Paper, No. 41. Retrieved from https://www.tai.org.au/documents/downloads/WP97.pdf Kotler, Brown, Adam, Burton & Armstrong (2010), Marketing (8th Edition), Pearson Education, Sydney, NSW. Lavelle, P. (2005). “Mobile phone: a health risk?”, ABC Heath & Wellbeing, The Pulse. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2005/01/27/1285335.htm McQueen, M. (2007). The ‘New’ rules of Engagement, Hyde Park Press, Richmond, SA. Wikipedia. (2010). Coltan. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coltan Wikipedia. (2010). Ituri conflict. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ituri_conflict