Media Analysis of Babiesrus Comparing

¶ … Media Analysis of BabiesRUs

Comparing and contrasting the online and print media strategies of BabiesRUs illustrates how critical it is for any retailer to have an integrated marketing communications (IMC) strategy that educates and sells through channels customers prefer to use (Hongcharu, Eiamkanchanalai, 2009). There is a fundamental shift in how companies manage the planning, execution, management and tracking of their IMC campaigns as a result of the pervasiveness of the Internet, its ability to quantify results of strategies, and the shifting priorities of consumers regarding how they purchase products. The intent of this analysis is to evaluate the online and offline marketing strategies and how they use a strong unique value proposition to unify all channels to a common marketing message.

Online Strategies

BabiesRUs is one of the leading retailers in the use of a multichannel-based strategy of combining online and in-print messaging, advertising and promotional strategies (Kempsey, 2001). Their focus on a combined online and in-print integrated marketing strategy is based in part on the target demographic they are attempting to reach with their messaging. Young parents, many of which are just entering their earning potentials with higher disposal incomes are the primary target market for BabiesRUs. This market is dominated by the more predominant users of social networks and Web 2.0 technologies. The exceptional growth of social networking applications (Bernoff, Li, 2008) that is predicated on the development of Web 2.0 technologies (O'Reilly, 2006) is revolutionizing online strategies with greater precision, measurement and focus than has ever been possible in the past. The growth of Web 2.0 technologies as shown by the Meme in Appendix a, and the associated applications are shown in Appendix B, web Applications.

BabiesRUs has quickly adopted an online strategy based on Web 2.0 concepts including creating a conversation with its prospects and customers, which is entirely consistent with the Web 2.0 design principles as defined by O'Reilly (2006). The adoption of Facebook and Twitter, two of the most popular social networking platforms are shown in the following graphics. Both are interactive and welcome input and conversation from anyone who is on these networks. This exemplifies how retailers are attempting to listen to their customers more effectively through social networking. BabiesRUs has also successfully integrated in their central unique value proposition of children's welfare and safety in addition to good parenting into these social networking sites.

BabiesRUs has also been able to leverage their website to promote this market position and underscores that the goal of being an excellent parent can still be achieved on a budget. The website acts as a central coordination point or placeholder for all digital strategies for the company, including a hub for e-commerce strategies including upsell and cross-sell strategies. It in short the transaction engine of all online strategies for the company. This ties together with the in-store selling the company is attempting to create with the combining of call-to-action coupons and specials to incent customers to walk into stores (Field, 2008). This is a critically important point of the online strategy for BabiesRUs as it indicates that they are not treating e-commerce and its many potential contributions in isolation but instead as part of an integrated marketing communications strategy (Hongcharu, Eiamkanchanalai, 2009). This is a best practice of multichannel retailing.

Print Media

While the digital or online marketing is much more rapidly changed to reflect seasonality, change in styles, and insights gained from customers, print media requires a longer lead time and more advanced planning. As a result BabiesRUs concentrates on in-store promotions that drive traffic into their stores to induce product trial eventual store loyalty. BabiesRUs also seeks to keep a strong level of consistency in messaging around children's safety and the need parents need to see themselves as responsible, focused on the health of their children, assisting them to grow up healthy. The focus within the print channels is also focused on cost savings through cross-sell and up-sell strategies that promote bundling defined by the consumer. BabiesRUs uses digital media channels as the upper funnel of their selling strategies and often uses in-print media to move prospects through the lower funnel of sales and also promote repeat purchases (Field, 2008). The developments of programs that seek to capitalize on customer loyalty are also now being managed through Web analytics to determine how effective they are in attaining sales objectives. BabiesRUs has integrated online and print strategies to such a tight extent that they can measure total campaign performance regardless of the medium used to execute it. In this way they are getting a 360 degree of their customers over the purchasing lifecycle (Field, 2008).

Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) in a Web 2.0 Era

The experiences of BabiesRUs in managing digital and print media in a multichannel strategy illustrate how critical it is to manage each channel to its unique strengths while paying attention to customers' changing preferences for how they purchase products. This retailer has been successful by concentrating on the respective roles of online media to drive upper funnel interest and traffic, with print media and couponing to drive lower-funnel selling and repeat purchase activity. The combination of these approaches also allows for flexibility in how consumer's choices in how they purchase are changing very rapidly -- too rapidly to predict in fact. That is why IMC strategies must concentrate on how to have enough agility of selling process to compensate for any rapidly changing preferences over time. BabiesRUs has done this by underscoring the trusted advisor role in their advertising and this trust unifies the entire strategy so it executes well and sales happen regularly across their store network.