Imc- Communication Plan for Aer Lingus

Introduction & Scenario

We have been given an assignment about Aer Lingus. Our task is to develop an integrated marketing communication campaign for Aer Lingus. The assignment should focus to deliver the following Objectives: “To revitalize the declining Aer Lingus brand in order to increase airline travel in the Irish market” Following Question shell been answer; Segmentation, targeting and positioning Strategy to be defined for the IMC Campaign. Advertising must be chosen with two other promotional tools.

Contemporary and Traditional promotional tools that you will use to achieve this objective and the rationale behind selecting these tools. You must discuss the relationship of the promotional tools selected to the hierarchy of Effects model. The media vehicles that you would select to effectively influence your target market. Linking Marketing Communication Tools to Response stages. When we chose our segment and target groups we tried to exploit Aer Lingus real position at the airline market. Aer Lingus position at the moment is between, low fare company Ryanair and BMI, SAS (Hoovers, 2010).

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Younger people and students nearly almost chose Ryan Air because of the low price. In the last couple of years it has been showed that the competition from Ryanair is too tough for Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus Group Plc will stop trying to undercut larger Irish rival Ryanair Holdings Plc and offer enhancements including better food and faster check-in times to customers willing to pay more, according Rothwell & Fahy, 2010. Then you have the older people, who have more money. For the most they choose airlines that can offer them even better standards and services.

They may also have families and choose different alternatives. That’s why we chose two target groups between 24-35 years. They work, have an income and come from the same generation. They fit into Aer Lingus concept to offer very good service at a smart price, according The Post, 2007. Our goals with the campaign will be: Our campaign is more about to establish Aer Lingus as a brand and to show the benefits derived from their products. To make people think and feel about the company in a good way. In a long term view we think that these measures will increase all areas of Aer Lingus business.

Aer Lingus was founded by the Irish government in April 1936. They are the second biggest Airline Company in Ireland after their main competitors Ryan Air. The headquarter is based in Dublin Airport and they are serving Europe, Northern Africa and North America. Aer Lingus is a Low Fare Airline company, but according to themselves, they offer better service and more comfortable travelling. Their main competitors besides Ryan Air are BMI, Easy Jet and City Jet. The last two are also Low Fare Airline Companies (Aer Lingus limited. 2001-2009).

Segmentation and Target Group

"Marketing segmentation and the identification of a target group is a very important step in a business opportunity analysis. With the tough competition that exists today, business cannot reach everyone. A more focused and audience- centered approach is necessary. A market can be segmented in many ways, and the segmentation will change when costumers reason for purchase change”. (Wright, R. 2000).  According to us, Aer Lingus most central issue today is that they are relatively unknown at the market.

They need to separate from the other airlines and focus on their own segment and target group and communicate right to them. People do not know what the company stand for today. Aer Lingus business concept is to offer cheep flights but still keep good standard and service. Aer Lingus is not a very well- established brand today and the industry for flight is broad. That`s why we have chosen a broad segment; people in the age 24-35. They are working and have a steady income. Our segment is from the same generation; they bond together, think in the same way and have similar experience from life.

This makes it much easier to reach them and influence them. Our concept will be to attract the chosen target groups. We have chosen two target groups to focus on.

Promotional Tools

The essence of an integrated marketing communications program is designing messages that effectively reach the target audience. They are designed to change or shape attitudes. They should lead to some kind of short- or long- term action”. (Clow & Baack. 2010).  When it comes to advertising we recommend that Aer Lingus choose communications objectives. It’s very important for both the company and our target groups that they decide and send out the right message.

Two types of advertising that will help Aer Lingus to succeed are Informative advertising and Persuasive advertising. Informative advertising will describe the product, available services and the benefits of Aer Lingus and it also build up the company’s image. The second one, Persuasive advertising will help Aer Lingus to build brand preferences and change customer’s perceptions of product attribute (Kotler, P. 2005). This advertising will suit Aer Lingus. We think that this type of advertising will not only give our target groups a clear picture about the product, but also the show the benefits by flying with Aer Lingus.

Another advantage for our customers is that this kind of advertising changes their view of Aer Lingus and hopefully give Aer Lingus better brand preferences. When it comes to message strategies we recommend Aer Lingus to use Cognitive Ads to fulfill their goals against their target customers. The two message strategies that will suit Aer Lingus best are Generic and Comparative message strategies. Generic are the direct promotion of the products benefits. By using this kind of message you give knowledge about the product/service and show the positive features about it.

The other alternative is Comparative message strategy; Aer Lingus should use this strategy to compare themselves in a good way against competitors (Clow & Baack. 2010). This will give our customers even more information about the company, their positioning and their image. All these factors are very important for the customer before they choose which product/service they should go with. The media tools we recommend Aer Lingus to use are; Internet, TV and different type of newspapers. Internet has a big impact on our target groups; all of them know computers and are using the Internet daily.

Internet also has a high reach and high frequency. In Aer Lingus case, to reach the customers through the Internet with offers and information should be very effective. In 2004 travelling was the top cyber shopping category by far (52. 4 Billion Dollars) according to License 7, No. 10, 2004. That shows the impact and the power of the Internet as a tool. TV advertising will give the Aer Lingus brand a “better face” because of the emotions you can reach through TV ads. For Aer Lingus to use sounds, motion and senses into their ads will be very effective on people.

The last one, Newspaper is very good for Aer Lingus because of the high believability. To mix that with good publicity will be very effective against the company’s targets groups. We think that this mix will establish and increase Aer Lingus brand and image, but also give the customers knowledge about the company and the product.

Cognitive Strategies will give our customers more awareness and knowledge about the company, brand and product. These two variables are our main goals to mediate to the customers.

By mediate this to our target groups; they will hopefully change their attitude and feelings about the product/service. In a long term action it will increase Aer Lingus business and establish their brand. This through the media channels that suits Aer Lingus, but most importantly their customers.

Public Relations and Publicity

“Public Relations building good relations with the company`s various publics by obtaining favourable publicity, building up a good corporate image and handling off unfavourable rumours , stories and events”. (Kotler, Phil. 2005).  Public Relation and good publicity are good in many ways. We believe that Aer Lingus will established their brand/image by using this promotional tool and that our target group will take notice about the company in a positive way. In the last couple of years Aer Lingus has been in economic troubles and the publicity has been bad. The customers have turned them down (Business Week. 2006-2010). To establish their brand and build up a new image, they will get their customers back. Aer Lingus have to: All these three subjects are very important to develop for Aer Lingus as a company.

To make sure that the internal communication is good and that the staff knows what Aer Lingus stand for is a very important. The stuff has to know what the customers expect when they are flying with Aer Lingus. An advantage for the company by using this tool in an economic perspective is that getting good publicity in e. g. newspapers and business papers are free. Our target groups most perceive Aer Lingus as an Airline company with cheap prices, but most of all with good service and good comfort for the price. We want to get that message out throw e. g. newspapers so people get interested and positive about Aer Lingus as a brand.

A good worth of mouth and a good repetition will help to catch our target group’s interest. Aer Lingus will reach this goals throw: (Kotler, et al. 2005). Other activities we recommend Aer Lingus tu use to creating positive image, awareness and knowledge about the company throw this promotion tool should be sponsorship (e. g. sport), supporting events and charity. This type of activities could be use as Cause- Related Marketing. It has been proved that Cause- Related Marketing has a very strong effect on people and it’s also a tool to create a stronger brand and brand loyalty. (Clow & Baack. 2010)

Public relations have a strong impact on public awareness and gives knowledge about the company to the customer (Armstrong, G. 2005). When you create good publicity and activities, people can link their knowledge about the company and in the end prefer (get a good feeling about) the brand or the product/Service. In the end hopefully the customers are that convinced to test or buy the Product/ Service. In our campaign we use Public Relations not only as a promotional tool, but also like a “tactic” tool. To push out information and good things about the company/ product, will make the other promotional tools more effective.

This mailing list provides information about a specific customer profile. In Aer Lingus case, it’s a way to communicate with both current customers and target groups. To send out information about the company, prices offers and keep your customers/ target groups up to date about positive things that happen around the company. This is an easy way to get your customers closer to you, that they all the time get new knowledge’s about the Aer Lingus brand. In a long term aspect, we also think that the customers will get better preferences about the company and that Aer Lingus will increase their sales online.

Bibliography

1. Books Clow, E, K, Baack, D. Integrated Advertising, Promotion, And Marketing Communication, 4th edt. 2010. Pearson Education, New Jersey, USA.
2. Wright, R. Advertising. 2000. Pearson Education Limited, Edinburgh, Scotland.
3. Kotler, P, Wong, V, Saunders, J, Armstrong, G. Principles Of Marketing, 4th edt. 2005. Pearson Education Limited, Essex, England.
4. Smith, P, R, Taylor, J. Marketing Communications An Intergrated Approach, 3rd edt. 2002. Kogan Page Limited, London, England.

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