This will not only help the company to attract the youth market, but even older demographics are active in the social media realm. In addition, social media is almost free, and provides great exposure to the brand for the price.
Integrated Marketing Program
Avon's marketing program at present is only moderately integrated. The company leaves much of the marketing to its representatives in order to facilitate its pursuit of a cost leadership strategy. However, some company-wide initiatives would help to grow the brand and advances in technology -- primarily through the use of the company website as a conduit to guide new business to its representatives -- would support the ANEW product and the Avon brand immensely. That Avon two of three out of the recommended channels have little cost associated with them should encourage Avon to increase the level of marketing integration.
The present level of integration leaves too much to chance. While this is often positive -- representatives are as creative if not more creative that the company as a whole with their marketing initiatives -- there are drawbacks in that the entire effort is uncoordinated. Avon can easily open communication lines between representatives and between itself and the representatives to better coordinate company-wide marketing, publicity and promotion initiatives with the initiatives instigated by the Avon representatives.
Recommendation and Implementation
It is recommended that Avon pursue advertising and publicity to help build brand exposure and to initiate a social media program in order...
The implementation of these plans should include more money to the marketing budget to support these initiatives. Of equal importance is the recommendation to increase the level of coordination between the company and the representatives. The company should develop sophisticated training programs that include best practices for gaining publicity and for the use of social media and other electronic means of promotion. The company should also focus on a "pull" strategy that will bring in customers by attracting them to ANEW's value proposition as a low-priced but highly effective mascara. The product's benefits should be actively promoted with consistent talking points that the company utilizes in its communications and that the representatives reinforce in their communications as well.
Works Cited:
Avon.com website, various pages. (2010). Retrieved June 9, 2010 from http://www.avon.com/
Bernoff, J. & Li, C. (2008). Harnessing the Power of the Oh-So-Social Web. MIT Sloan Management Review Vol. 49 (3) 36-42.
Camerius, J. & Clinton, J. (1993). AVON Products, INC.: Developing a Global Perspective. Direct Selling Education Foundation. Retrieved June 9, 2010 from http://www.dsef.org/press/pdfs/avon_products.pdf
Klepacki, L. (2005) Avon: building the world's premier company for women. John Wiley and Sons.
Sullivan, T. (2010). Avon Shares Are Still Calling. Barron's Vol. 90 (16) 12-13.
Thompson, S. (2005). Avon struggles to make mark on young buyers. Advertising Age. Vol. 76 (9) 16.
