Situational Analysis And Imc Objective Marketing Essay

Published Date: 23 Mar 2015

By referring to Jacobs website, Jacobs is a brand names which well-known for quality and whole meal biscuits and their reputation that has already existed over few generations. Jacob's success can be attributed to the company's high standards in manufacturing best quality of biscuits, its continuous research and product development, and its commitment to ensure that its product are suit to the changing of consumer needs, taste buds, and lifestyles.

Over the years, range of products of Jacob's has grown and changed from a plain cracker to a wide-ranging range of quality crackers and biscuits, including Wheat meal, Cream Cracker, Low Salt Hi-Fibre, Hi-Cal, Hi-Fibre, and Oatmeal biscuits.

Jacob is using several ways of IMC strategies to promote its products to consumers.

Advertising

Referring to Jacob's website, Jacob's Original Cracker mainly advertises on TV channel such as TV 1, TV 2, TV 3, NTV 7, and 8TV. Jacob's advertise with different languages, included Malay, Chinese, and English. By doing this, we can say that Jacob is targeting general group of market which are Malay, Chinese, and English.

According to Utusan Malaysia website, Jacob's also advertise on newspaper such as language in Bahasa: Utusan Malaysia and Berita Harian. In the newspaper, they are not directly advertising their product; Jacob's providing such as dessert recipe with Jacob cracker and educates consumers the correct ways for consumption.

Contest & Campaign

By referring to the Jacob's website, Jacob's organized contest at the past with the title "Jacob's Ibuku Inspirasiku", the prize worth up to RM 300,000. To join the contest, participants first have to gather any Jacob's cracker product that with the promotion label on the packing, minimum of 10 points for one submission. After that, participants have to click on "Join Now" at the website and fill in the details when prompted and key in the codes on Jacob's products pack to determine the accumulated points.

Over the past few years, we can see that Jacob's not only advertising on newspaper and television but also organizing healthy campaign such as in year 2010, "Jacob's Walk of Life" and "Strong Support for 1Malaysia Sihat".

Apart from the 5 kilometre walk, participants also enjoyed of continuing booth activities that designed by co-sponsors such as free health check by Selangor State Health Department, free bone health check by Anlene, balloon sculptures, children's face painting, and children's inflatable at Kids Fun zone. There were also special performances by popular local artist, Black and One Nation Emcee entertained the crowd with their music.

Due to the strong support by peoples in 2010, therefore in year 2011 Jacob's continued to organize the event with the title "Jacob's Walk of Life 2011, Pledge to Health"

Social Media

According to the websites of Jacob's, Jacob's is using social media platform, Facebook to communicate with their fans or followers. New information, updates, and sometime Jacob's will share the happiness or interesting news through Facebook. This social media platform allowed customers to interact with the company and its popular now.

IMC objective

Strengthen image

The main objective of Jacob's is to build a strong image of the brand. In the strong competitive market, loyalty of customer is very important in the industry. When there is a strong image, customer will have awareness with and make it as one of the preference. With the higher recognition of the brand, the chances to increase loyal customer is also high.

Increase sales

Sales are one of the important factor for a company, because the revenue is generate by the sales. Every company will try to archive sales target to have more profits. More profit is needed in order to run a business.

Creative Strategy

Creative strategy is generally the outcome of a team with one or more copywriters, an art director and a creative director. It is to explain how the advertising campaign will meet the business's advertising objective. The outline is prepared by the creative team of an advertising agency for the launching of an advertising campaign or message. Creative strategy includes unique selling proposition and emotional selling proposition; both can determine the advertising messages that deliver to target audiences in a creative manner.

Unique Selling Proposition

Unique selling proposition normally is a critical component of a promotional theme that contributes to the building of an advertising campaign. It states the real or perceived benefit of a product or service and then differentiates from its competitors. This would also affect the buyers' purchase intention as it can give its buyer a logical reason.

Jacob's using a unique and innovative technique for Jacob's Cream Crackers to remain, the classic cracker brand using the traditional special baking techniques since 1885, to make crackers' outside distinctively crispy and the center is slightly softer textured, with a yeasty dough classic flavor. Jacob's product contain wheat, this is a source rich of nutrient, this makes Jacob's cracker position in a healthy food industry.

Therefore, Jacob's uses USP to create positive and unique identity in customers' mind. (Belch & Belch, 2009)

Uniqueness

Jacob's cream cracker made with whole grains. Grains are grasses that produce edible starchy seeds that can be processes as a source of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber. According to the JACOB's website, foods such as wheat, rice and oat are considered as cereal grains and these cereal grains are high in carbohydrates that provide energy for human's daily activities. Therefore, Jacob's cream cracker also considered as healthy cracker which provides 72mg calories per serving. Jacob's Actimix standard, Jacob's cracker is a 92% wheat cereal, low fat level, no added sugar, coloring, flavoring and preservatives.

Whole grain provides nutrients from all parts of the grain. Whole grain must consist of three parts: bran, germ and endosperm. Figure1 below is a graph that cropped from the Jacob's Malaysia website (http://www.jacobs.com.my) that well explains the whole grain and its nutrient consist:

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Figure1

Benefits

Jacob's cream crackers mainly consist of 5 ingredients: wheat flour, palm oil, salt, sodium bicarbonate and yeast. Wheat is rich in essential nutrients that offer important health benefits to consumers. It is also a good source of energy from carbohydrates. It contains B-vitamins and minerals to help release energy from carbohydrates. Besides, wheat also contains protein that supports the body building process while fiber that helps to maintain a healthy digestive system. Therefore, by consuming Jacob's cream cracker, consumer can lower the risk of getting several chronic diseases and condition for examples, heart diseases, cancer, diabetes and gastrointestinal troubles. Furthermore, consuming wheat diet also benefits consumers in terms of boosting immunity, bone health and other wellness goals. So, according to the nutrient fact of Jacob's cream cracker, it is not more than 6 grams of fat per serving and it is useful in fat-restricted diets.

Potent

Jacob's cream crackers are well known for its richness in nutrients and healthiness. Since 1885 until today, Jacob's using the same special baking techniques, to make crackers outside distinctively crispy and the center is slighter softer, together with the classic yeasty dough flavor.

In Malaysia, Jacob's cracker was manufactured and produced by Kraft Food Malaysia. Kraft was awarded the Prime Minister Award during year 1993 for the quality biscuit standard. This would increase the purchasers' confident towards Jacob's cream cracker.

DRIP Framework

Differentiation

Jacob's cream cracker position itself as healthy cracker which it is made with wheat flours. Therefore, Jacob's cracker can be taken as a source of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber. It also stated that Jacob's cracker containing Actimix. The USP allows Jacob's to differentiation itself from other competitor with the nutrients and healthy fact. Furthermore, Jacob's in under the Kraft Food Malaysia, the quality of cracker can be assured.

Reinforce

Jacob's cream cracker is healthy and nutritious that can provides energy for daily activities. Besides that, Jacob's also come out with more range of crackers. For examples: High-iron, Hi-Fiber, Low-Salt, Hi-Calcium and etc. This can fulfill the different needs of nutrients by consumers. Jacob's can emphasize more on nutrients and healthy lifestyle information to consumers.

Inform

Jacob's mainly advertises in television and newspaper. The advertisement is created to build awareness of audience and reader. Besides, Jacob's also having a Facebook Page called Jacob's Malaysia. It is a platform for Jacob's to share information of its products and also let its consumers to share their experience on consuming Jacob's cracker. Moreover, Jacob's also organize special games and activities such as Jacob's Walk of Life. Participants that complete the walk will be given a gift bag with Jacob's products. This is also a form of introducing Jacob's cracker and building healthy brand images for Jacob's.

Persuade

Jacob's emphasize on the cracker's nutrients and healthy facts. Besides, Jacob's cracker contain Actimix is a great cracker that made up of 92% complex carbohydrate and provide consumers energy to meet the demand of the day. It is also specially formulated to provide low fat per serving, suitable for fat restricted diets. Therefore, Jacob's can strengthen or concentrate on this point when communicate with audience. Those who concern on healthy meal and lifestyle will attract by Jacob's cracker because it is made by wheat and contain a lot nutrients that needed by human being.

Media Planning & Strategy

Media planning is a series of decisions that involved the delivering of promotional message to target audience. This set a direction to guide the strategy formulation of media such as broadcast, print, promotion, public relationship and other relevant media strategies. Therefore, media planning and strategy can assist Jacob's in determining the best way to reach their target audience. Jacob's media objective is to deliver the information of Jacob's cracker can help consumers to maintain their health and live a healthy lifestyle. So, media strategy will be formulated to achieve the media objective set through various media such as broadcast and print.

Target Market/ Audience

Jacob's focus on psychographic, people who concern on health issues and want to live a healthy lifestyle will be targeted. This group of people highly demands for healthy meal and snacks. Foods that they consume must be rich in nutrients and can benefits for their health. As Jacob's cracker contains rich nutrients, this would best suitable to consume by this group of people.

Next, for the demographic segment, there is no restriction for age and gender. No matter male or female kids, teenagers, adults or golden citizens, all of them can consume the Jacob's crackers. Besides, Jacob's cracker is healthy and good quality it will be sold at medium price level. Therefore, medium level income group are targeted by Jacob's. In Malaysia, income amount between the ranges from RM2500 - RM5000 will be considered as middle income group. This is the group can afford our products.

Scheduling

Jacob's can schedule its advertising in reaching their consumers through various media. There are 3 types of scheduling method which are continuity, flight and pulsing. Continuity means advertise evenly throughout the year while flight mean advertise in certain months that contain festival or event. Moreover, pulsing scheduling is the combination of continuity and flight. Since Jacob's cracker can be a daily consume product, it should adopt the continuity scheduling.

In continuity scheduling, advertisement is continually maintained to send information and communicate with the target audiences. This is to keep target audiences aware of the brand and product and also promote product that newly launched. Advertisements that contain promotion, new product or contest will be spread evenly during every month. This would require a good amount of budget to adopt continuity scheduling.

Broadcast media

After all the steps, budget consideration is important in deciding and developing media strategy for various media. First of all, broadcast media will be the primary media for advertising Jacob's cracker. For Television advertising, TV channels such as Discovery Home and Health (channel 733), Asian Food Channel (channel 703), Food Network Asia HD (channel 727), TV 3, NTV7, 8TV and ASTRO would best to display Jacob's advertisement. It would spend a large amount to advertise in TV channels during prime time which means from 6 to 9 evening. Advertising on this time is effective in reaching target audiences because people normally will stay together with family for dinner and most of the people will have television switched on during their dinner time. Furthermore, the current TVC is using a family concept with caring to promote the Jacob's cracker. This does not contain much creativity because current and previous TVC also using the same concept. To avoid boredom of TVC, it should be more creative situation and ways to be used in future new TVC.

Besides TVC, Jacob's also can use radio to advertise. Healthy people usually wake up early, so the suggested air time will be in the morning. Also, working group need breakfast for starting their day. Therefore, advertise during the morning session is more likely to be an effective way.

Print media

Next, print media such as magazines, newspaper also another media for Jacob's advertisement placement. Health issue related magazines such as Health & Fitness Enthusiast magazine will the best to place Jacob's cracker advertisement. Normally health conscious group and healthy lifestyle maintainers will keep themselves update by purchasing health magazines. They concern on health issues, therefore the presence of Jacob's ad can easily attract their attention.

Newspapers such as Sin Chew, The Star and Utusan Malaysia with different languages Chinese, English and Malay respectively are also suitable to place in Jacob's cracker advertisement. This is because newspapers are also an effective ways to reach different races of target audiences.

Sales Promotions

Jacob's can do promotion with different promotion techniques to attract purchasers. One of the promotion techniques will be pack 2 or more Jacob's cream cracker pack together to create a value pack and sell at a price. This value pack price normally is lower price than buy separately. Therefore, such promotion can attract and influence target audience's purchase intention. Moreover, Jacob's can increase the normal packing volume. For example, enlarge the packing volume from 800g to 850g, additional 50g added. This can considered as bonus packing that offer extra crackers but charged at normal price.

Public Relation & Publicity

Jacob's can organize campaigns and events or roadshow to communicate with the public. Information of product or company can be delivered during the events. Besides, Jacob's can allocate a budget for sponsorship of events, for examples: exhibition and contests. Jacob's will be able to create brand awareness and high exposure by placing banners around the sponsor event's venue.

Others

Billboard advertising usually is a large outdoor advertising structure, normally found along the side of highway, for example: PLUS highway. Billboard advertising is designed to grab audience's attention and create impression in their mind, leaving them think about the advertisement (Belch & Belch, 2009).

Transits advertising normally use in the cities with high volume of public transport such as buses and trains. Jacob's can print the advertisement on the public transports so that when the public transport move around in the city, it can grab citizens' attention and create brand awareness.

Online advertising is a form of promotion that uses Internet to deliver marketing messages in attracting customers. For example, Jacob's can use banner ads for advertise Jacob's cracker. Banner ads can be placed in health related blogs, websites and forums. Social network advertising is also another example. So, Jacob's can advertise in the Facebook social network platform. Although Jacob's Malaysia Facebook page exists, it does not seem to have frequent health related information sharing about Jacob's product. As a result, Jacob's should improve from this aspect.

Broadcast Media Strategy

Broadcast media is one of the important advertising strategies a company can use to create awareness, increase product or brand image. Jacob's can use broadcast media to reach the mass market since broadcast media is the most effective channel to achieve that; we are exposed to different broadcast media in every day. Jacob's original cracker is positioning as a healthy biscuit which is targeted on the healthy conscious people. Thus, they can create broadcast advertisements which are based on healthy conscious concept. Although they are already doing this currently, it should be continued, repeat it again and makes further improvements so that the target audiences are reinforced by this important message heavily. By reinforcing the message to the target audiences, the product image will be stronger.

Jacob's original cracker is a consumer good. To effectively advertise it to the right target audiences, broadcast medias which are able to reach the mass market should be utilized heavily since the product is a consumer good and the target market is very wide, the healthy conscious people. There are two types of broadcast media Jacob's should use to advertise their product, television and radio.

Television

As mentioned in the earlier part, Jacob's is advertising their product through different television channels such as TV1, TV2, TV3, NTV7 and 8TV. This is actually a good effort to advertise the product and reach the target audiences. Utilization of television for advertising of Jacob's original cracker should be continued and make further improvements.

Television allows the advertiser to create advertisement which is creative and high impact which is able to send the accurate messages well. Jacob's need this ability of television because concept of Jacob's original cracker which is the healthy biscuit is a vital message that should be sent to the target audiences accurately and effective. Jacob's has to utilize this ability of television to educate their target audiences well. To achieve that, a creative advertisement which includes the unique selling propositions and emotional selling propositions of Jacob's original cracker should be created with a suitable, attractive storyline.

Furthermore, the advantage of coverage and cost effectiveness by television is another reason it should be used for Jacob's advertisement. As we know Jacob's original cracker is considered a consumer good and it should be advertised to the mass market, television can help Jacob's to achieve this very well. This is because everyone is exposed to television daily. Regardless of age, sex, income, education level, everyone at least watches some television.

Moreover, advertising through television is able to capture the attention of the target audiences. Without making special efforts to avoid commercials, most of us are exposed to thousands of commercial in television each year. This indicates that television has a very high possibility to capture a very high population of people which includes the target audiences of Jacob's. This captivity is actually what Jacob's need because they need the attention of the target audiences before the correct messages can be educated.

Although there are some criticisms on television, saying that television is not a good medium which is able to reach the precise target audiences. Fortunately, Jacob's can still use television to advertise their product. This is because one of the television companies in Malaysia, ASTRO offers different channels based on different interest. In case of Jacob's, there are channels like Discovery Home and Health(Channel 733), Asian Food Channel(Channel 703), Food Network Asia HD(Channel 727) which are suitable for Jacob's to advertise since the target audiences can be identified. Audiences who watch the channels mentioned would be a healthy conscious consumer and these audiences are exactly the target audiences of Jacob's.

On the other hand, Jacob's should use network advertising for broadcast media to fully utilize the budgets. Network advertising is the most appropriate one for Jacob's. Although the budget would be higher than the spot advertising, network advertising provides Jacob's a few advantages. The purchase process of the airtime is simple for network advertising. Jacob's is dealing with only one party when come to the purchasing of airtime. Besides, audiences who watch the networks which are suitable for Jacob's such as Discovery Home and Health share the same interest, which is to seek a healthy lifestyle. Thus, when Jacob's advertise through the entire network, the target audiences can be reached in a higher chance.

In terms of buying airtime method, participation should be chosen as a strategy of Jacob's. As mentioned earlier, Jacob's original cracker is a type of consumer goods which is to be advertised to the mass market. By participations through buying different commercial time, the advertisement of Jacob's can reach more audiences; this is what actually Jacob's need. Other than that, the expenditures of advertising can be controlled since there is no long term commitment to any program; Jacob's is considered only participate in sponsorship of the programs.

In selecting the time periods for the advertisement, Jacob's should choose the prime time, 8pm to 11pm or morning time segment, 7am to 9am. Prime time is the time segment which is the most popular time period where most people watches television. Thus, for a consumer product like Jacob's original cracker, it should be advertisement in this time segment to have a greater reach of the target audiences. On the other hand, morning time segment can be chosen too. This is because most healthy conscious people who are the target audiences of Jacob's wake up early in every day. This can reach the target audiences effectively and efficiently.

Radio

Jacob's seldom advertise their product through the radio. Radio is actually another good media which can be used since it is able to reach the mass market too. Jacob's should start advertising more through radio as it can be used as an alternative medium instead of television.

Radio is good in advertising because it can achieve the goal of most companies who are advertising their product, cost and efficiency. Cost for advertising through radio is low; radio commercials are inexpensive to produce and the cost for airtime in radio is also low. This is absolutely a great reason for any company including Jacob's to advertise. Other than that, low cost of advertising through radio in turn increases the efficiency. More reaches of the audiences and frequency of advertisement can be obtained since cost is lower down. Jacob's need this strategy to reach as much target audiences as possible.

In addition, radio listeners are emotionally bond to the radio stations they listen frequently. In other words, they have a special, unique relationship with their preferred radio stations. Thus, advertise through radio is a good way to influence the thinking of the audiences. Since there is an emotional bond between the radio listeners and radio stations, advertisements appeared in the radio stations are easily accepted by these radio listeners. Jacob's should utilize this ability of radio to educate the target audiences about the concept of Jacob's original cracker, which is a healthy biscuit.

Flexibility of radio for advertising is an ideal advantage for every company who wants to advertise including Jacob's. This ability is also unique as other media are not as flexible as radio. Messages can be easily adjusted any time before it goes out on air to suit the market conditions and situations. Other than that, another advantage which can be obtained through advertising on radio is mental imagery. The elements of the commercial on radio are only the jingle and the voice of the speaker. Although this is limiting the creativity of the advertisement, this allows the listeners to imagine about the product advertised. For instance, Jacob's advertised their Original Cracker through messages about how healthy a person will be by consuming their biscuit and the listeners may start imagine that they might becoming healthy as well if they eat the biscuit in every day.

Spot radio is suitable for Jacob's to advertise their product. Network radio is not effective for Jacob's because there is no network of radio that attracts the specific interest of different listeners. Healthy conscious people may not listen to the same radio network. By spot radio, Jacob's can find suitable airtime on individual stations in different markets. This is more effective to reach the correct target market.

In selecting the time periods for the advertisement, Jacob's should choose morning drive time or the daytime. The reason is simple. Healthy people wake up early in every day. Plus, working adults who drive in the morning have needs for a healthy breakfast. These supported the morning drive time is reasonable to be chosen. On the other hand, the second choice would be the daytime. This is because, except in the morning, people would like to eat biscuit in the daytime rather than other time periods in Malaysia.

Print Media Strategy

Print media is another media which advertisers use frequently to advertise their products. It is a popular media in addition to broadcast media. Print media is very much different with broadcast media. Print media allows the audiences to read the messages with own pace. Unlike print media, most broadcast media are on air for limited time period. Audiences may miss out some important messages which the advertisers want to send to them. Print media solve this problem by printed out the advertisement and audiences can read as many times as they wish. This may lead to a high involvement by target audiences who are been attracted. There are many different types of print media. We would like to recommend Jacob's to use magazine and newspaper as the print media.

Magazine

Magazine is a very powerful print media especially for different lifestyles and specific interests such as sports, automobile, healthy lifestyle and others. Thus, magazine is an ideal print media for advertising. This is because the different market segment can be easily found out by different lifestyles and specific interest. Jacob's seldom advertised their product on the magazine. Magazine should be utilized well.

Magazine would be a useful print media for Jacob's to reach their target market effectively. This is because of their ability to reach a specific target audience. Most magazines are published for specific interest groups; this is same to the healthy conscious people. In Malaysia, there is a popular magazine called Oh! Only Health. This magazine is targeted on people who want a healthy lifestyle. Jacob's can create own advertisement for Original Cracker and advertised in this magazine to educate the target audience that Jacob's is selling healthy biscuit and it is suitable for them.

Apart from that, the quality of the magazines papers is good. Thus, creativity of the advertisement would be not restricted and as creativity is good, audiences would be got attracted and messages can be sent well to the readers once they are attracted. In addition, magazines are normally read over few days and being kept for a long time. This means that the advertisement would be repeated each time the reader flips through the page which printed the advertisement. Jacob's need a repetitive advertisement so that people can remember them well. So, magazine is a very useful print media for Jacob's to advertise their product, original cracker.

Furthermore, magazine is a media which people search for specific information. Other than newspaper, magazine would be the most reliable source for information for the consumers. Consumers would likely trust whatever information provided in the magazine. Same to the healthy lifestyle magazine, healthy conscious people would likely to find and know more ways to be healthier in their life through getting information from the healthy lifestyle magazine. Jacob's should take this opportunity to advertise their product as a healthy biscuit in the healthy lifestyle magazine to gain trust and positive word of mouth from the target audiences. These people who read the healthy lifestyle magazine would likely to become an opinion leader for other consumers. Thus, positive word of mouth from these opinion leaders is very important.

Purchasing suitable, enough advertising space and position in magazine is important. Space and position should be decided with considerations on budget and impact of the advertisement. In case of Jacob's, there is not much information needed to be provided in the advertisement. Thus, a quarter page of space is actually enough to provide relevant, related and important information. Although Jacob's position as a healthy biscuit, there are many other healthy related activities, foods and others in the magazine. So, position of the advertisement by Jacob's should be focusing on cost rather than good position. This is to save cost of advertisement as magazine is considered a high cost print media.

Newspaper

Newspaper is the second major form of the print media. It is as popular as the magazine. Newspaper is important for advertisers because there are many readers of newspaper. Moreover, mostly any types of advertisement are suitable to be advertised in the newspaper since there are many sections in a newspaper. Jacob's has been advertising their product through newspapers such as Utusan Malaysia. This act should be continued to send important messages to the readers.

One of the reasons newspaper should be used to advertise Jacob's product is its extensive penetration. The type of newspaper Jacob's would advertise is definitely the daily newspaper. As we know, there are many readers read newspaper daily. This shows the high degree of newspaper market coverage. Jacob's as mentioned before, they are selling consumer good, biscuit, newspaper would be very suitable for Jacob's to advertise its product, Original Cracker since a very high population of audiences including the target audiences can be reached.

Jacob's should advertise their advertisement in the healthy section of the newspaper to match the target market. People who are concerned on healthy would find information about the knowledge about healthy food, activities and others in the newspaper. When these readers read the advertisement advertised by Jacob's in the health section, they would trust the information given because readers of newspaper trust the information provided by the newspaper.

Although the advertising rate for Jacob's which is the retailer advertising rate is already cheaper than the general advertising rate, budget can be save through using a black and white advertisement in the newspaper. There is no need for Jacob's to advertise in color since color is not important or unrelated in sending the most important message to the target audience. There is little additional benefit which can be obtained from color advertisement in newspaper for Jacob's.

Budget is important and should be saved and utilize in other more important area such as advertising in healthy lifestyle magazine. Jacob's should buy the newspaper space based on combination rates. This is one of the methods of saving budget while increasing the frequency of the advertisement. Utusan Malaysia has a English version newspaper. Jacob's should advertise their product in both Malay and English version to get the combination rate and at the same time, the different language speaking target audience can be educated by the advertisement advertised.

Sales Promotion Strategy

Sales promotion strategy is a type of sales that achieved through some strategies activities which influence customers purchase or buy more in Jacob's crackers. All these techniques are using the mixture of Jacob's marketing and advertising efforts to produce the effective of Jacob's sales promotion tools. The sales promotion tools including promotion discounts, free gifts, coupons, contests and others, these sales promotion tools can bring the effect of motivation and encouragement the customers desired behavioral responsive to Jacob's crackers. Sales promotion tools is an important strategy for Jacob's because the purpose of using the promotion tools can help and increase Jacob's cracker produce immediate sales effects. Consequently in a short time of period Jacob's cracker have the intention to generate more sales and profit so that Jacob's can have more funding for their financial department work higher budget in others events or promotion. Sales promotion can targeted to different parties as well and created the functionally of customers extra incentive to buy Jacob's crackers.

Therefore, the sales promotion tools also allow Jacob's create high responsive that influence increases in brand consumption and brand equity, thus it will simulate the Jacob's brand image and reputation, because everyone will well know about Jacob's and customers will keep Jacob's brand name in mind. Nonetheless, sales promotion allows Jacob's introduce new cracker to their target customer and it may also attract new customers to buy. Another purpose of sales promotion is maintain sales in off season and increase retail inventories, because when the sales promotion starts, the existing customers will want to buy more so the demand will increase then the retailers will wanted order more Jacob's crackers from the supplies. These can benefits the manufacture and retailers so that the earlier Jacob's crackers stock can clear off to avoid any waste inventories or expired Jacob's crackers during the low sales season.

Packing Promotion

Packing promotion strategy will give customers feel that the crackers is value to buy, Jacob's can have packing promotion such as buy Jacob's cracker in twins pack will cost the customers cheaper. Many of households are very calculative nowadays, they will compare the price even though there is only a few cent different also may influence their mind. This Jacob's cracker twins pack promotion can come with other form and change customer's motivation example of purchase two Jacob's cracker twin packs, the customers are entitle for one Jacob's cracker mug as free give.

Nevertheless, Jacob's cracker can also design the new packing with 20% more and the price is lower than the original price, this is a type of strategy that enhance the customer behavioral to buy due to lower price. Jacob's can create different kind of packing for promotion such as travel pack, this travel pack is a light packing that can allow consumers can bring easily to everywhere they go so that the consumers can enjoy the Jacob's cracker at any times as snacks. The Jacob's crackers travel pack is suitable for everyone with convenient, working group can easily bring it to work place while student can easily keep their school bag and they can enjoy when they go for tea break times. This Jacob's cracker travel packing will be able to keep longer compare with those Jacob's crackers big packing it need to be finish quickly because it might be taste bad.

In additional, Jacob's can design refill packing to encourage environment friendly so that customers can recycle the packing. Jacob's crackers having the square shape iron tin packing since Jacob's brand launch until today, therefore customer who had purchase that packing before and today they can purchase the refill packing and reuse the Jacob's iron tin cracker in order to encounter the waste of nature resources. Currently the world is encouraging environment friendly with stop wasting nature resources, so this can internally educated and created customers green environment awareness, externally improve Jacob's crackers reputation and images.

Coupons

Coupons are another sales promotion strategy tools for Jacob's crackers to stimulate customers to buy more Jacob's crackers. This is one of the traditional sales promotions tool but it will gives high effective to Jacob's crackers increase their sales from Jacob's crackers existing customers. Coupons can be function in few ways, one of the strategic that Jacob's can do is any accumulate one coupons can exchanges a special Jacob's cracker signature product such as limited addition kitchenware, limited edition tea cup set, limited edition mug or cup set and others more while stock last. Customers who want to get the coupons may need to buy any of the Jacob's crackers, then customers need to collect the bar codes of the packaging, each coupon needs 20 collections on bar codes in order to redeem the special signature product from Jacob's. This strategy able to driven customers emotion and reinforce customers behavioral to buy more Jacob's crackers and collect the bar codes for the redemption.

Contests

Contests are one of the sale promotion tools that will not have changes in market trend, because it is also a type of strategy tools for Jacob's to encourage customers buy more Jacob's crackers. For the past Jacob's crackers organize a contest with accumulate 10 point to enter the "Jacob's Ibuku Inspirasiku" contests, this contest should be improve for the upcoming contest in order to meet the sales promotion objectives. Jacob's can create contests similar to the previous one, but it makes some changes on it. This contest everyone who purchases Jacob's crackers is able to join the contest so everyone can have the chances to participate in the final contest. In round one Jacob's will randomly pick 20 customers to participate in the final stage which is use Jacob's crackers build up a 3D objects or some others challenging games that decide by Jacob's and the winner will reward with attractive prizes. This contest will attract more customers because customers have the changes in emotional that to participate the contest and win the prizes.

Loyalty Programs

The Jacob's crackers loyalty programs can enhance the customer strong loyalty with providing verity of special services to Jacob's crackers loyalty customers. This Jacob's cracker loyalty program comes with term and conditions apply with providing services such as basic body check-up, basic blood test, healthy consults and others. All this services are very interesting and very attractive to customers, when this Jacob's crackers loyalty program launch, it will give high sales during the sales promotion period. Jacob's crackers are consent about healthy life style so Jacob's crackers have to provide services about healthy.

The Jacob's crackers loyalty programs is based on customer monthly purchases on Jacob's crackers, for example customers who spend more than RM 100 a month in Jacob's crackers are entitle to enjoy Jacob's crackers loyalty program privilege with the basic body check-up services, for customers who spend more than RM 60 a month in Jacob's crackers are entitle to enjoy Jacob's crackers loyalty program privilege with the basic blood test services and for customers who spend more than RM 25 a month in Jacob's crackers are entitle to enjoy Jacob's crackers loyalty program privilege with the healthy consults services. This Jacob's cracker loyalty programs can motivate customers buy more Jacob's crackers in every month, thus it can maintain customers loyalty toward Jacob's crackers.

Public Relations & Publicity

Public relations and publicity is a form of communication strategic that can manually builds relationships between a company and its publicity. It is a way that Kraft Food company could enhance their product Jacob's brand reputations by the delivering information of the products, background and others relevant material to the publics. The effective of public relations are to creating and maintaining the good will or influence behavior of the Jacob's brand targeted customer, it also allow Kraft Food company to build Jacob's positive image to their consumers. Besides that, public relation also can help to overcome the negative side that would give impact to the brand. In order to reach their objectives, the public relation and publicity of Jacob's crackers may need to implement publicity strategic to gain consumer attraction and sharpen Jacob's brand name in the market. This might also built up the consumer recognition of Jacob's brand and built up customer loyalty, not forgotten the power of word of mouth will influence other new target market put their attention on the Jacob's brand.

Public relations and publicity is a "Tools" that every company should have to communicate with the publics and increase its products images or reputations and keep them a good impression. The brand Jacob's using few communications strategic of public relations and publicity such as press release, internet public relation, offline public relation, roadshow events, social media advertising and others. As Jacob's crackers had segmented and identified their target customers are those who looking for health conscious and healthy life styles, therefore the public relations and publicity of Jacob's are to communicate with the public and educate them about their crackers information. The healthy cracker is their main point to capture the consumer attention, so that the publics can be captured and remembered the Jacob's brand strongly. Nevertheless, the function of public relations and publicity also able to attract and give strong awareness to the new market by communication and publishing Jacob's crackers are well known as richness in nutrients and healthiness.

Online Public Relation

In the new generation century, the trend is moving on to technologies and more attractive attention grabbers are needed to capture the consumer's attraction. The Y generation is likely looking for information and others activities through the internet including searching, play games and shopping, therefore the public relation need to improve their official website to be more attractive which it will impress the visitor deeply. Jacob's crackers website should provide more details information for their visitor or consumers, because currently the website just providing relevant information but not details enough for the visitor to understand the functions of different Jacob's cracker products. They might also need to place more pictures and diagrams in the information section instead of only wording contents. Besides that, Jacob's cracker official website can add in some relevant and educated mini games so that it can grab visitors or consumers attention toward Jacob's brand and learn the products benefits.

Events/ Campaign

In the past, Jacob's organizing healthy events campaign twice a year such as "Jacob's Walk of Life" and "Strong Support for 1Malaysia Sihat" in year 2010, but these events campaign is just created publics healthy awareness. However, Jacob's should organizing more roadshow for the public in shopping complex, hypermarket mall or some other relevant public events to enhance brand reputation and brand recognition. Other than that's, organizing roadshow can allow the public and consumer recognize the new products and variety crackers of Jacob's brand. This can give a chance for the consumers to gain more knowledge on Jacob's crackers and well know the benefits of different crackers. The consumers can able to try on different taste of the crackers and identified their crackers preference and which they will prefer by giving feedback or comment. Thus, the Jacob's roadshow or event crew can collect the feedback or comment for further improvement and they also can collect the consumer's personal information for further interaction.

Social Media

Social media can be considered as a popular strategy for public relation and publicity to improve their brand's name and the social media can come with either a traditional ways or modern ways. The traditional ways that Jacob's can practice is using press media to advertise their band name, in past Jacob's advertise its brand name only more on English and Malay newspaper, they should focus on the Chinese press as well and advertise their brand name in the press more frequently, then it can enlarge Jacob's target market and increased target audience awareness on Jacob's brand name and its crackers. In other hand, the modern ways that Jacob's can do is send their event information or invitation via e-mail if the previous function Jacob's able to collect consumers' data. This e-mail can be event invitation mail, Jacob's crackers information mail, sales promotion invitation mail or advertisement mail, it is a single way interaction but more information can be delivering to targeted audience by using e-mail.

Sponsorship

Lastly Jacob's can add in budget for sponsorship with sponsoring on big on events such as concerts, exhibitions, contests and others. In our local country, there are a lot of functions and events going and all these places will be visit by huge number of consumers when the events are going on. This is a good opportunity for Jacob's create its strong brand name by sponsoring and support the events, because Jacob's can place their poster or banner all around the events location or venue, nevertheless consumers can be given a recycle bag with yellow color as it is the main color of Jacob's crackers with the brand Jacob's printed on the recycle bag, so consumers will strongly recognize the Jacob's brand when this brand keep appear in front their eyes. Jacob's can prepare some others goodies item such as fan, key chains, trial pack, document folder and others as well. These strategies bring a side incentive of eye-catching when the give out items are going around especially in the mall and public places.

If there is a food exhibition organizing in a shopping mall example Mid Valley Mega Mall, Jacob's sponsor to this events by providing recycle bag and funding, accordingly Jacob's can place all kind of advertising material around the exhibition hall, including the every of the booths placed with Jacob's sticker or banner as event theme. When consumers walk in and visit the exhibition hall they will be given a yellow recycle bag with Jacob's brand once they enter or when they purchase something. The consumers will carrying and holding the recycle bag leaving the place and continue their shopping in the mall, therefore many of the shoppers will saw and notice that is the Jacob's brand, then it will allow the other shoppers have a strong memories and strong recognition on Jacob's brand, it also help to increase the Jacob's brand name reputations.

Other

Online Media

Nowadays, internet media is also a strong coverage strategy that can be used by Jacob's such as Facebook and twitter. This is a platform that consumers can get latest information through these fans page while there is different Facebook fan page for different country, because target audience, languages, lifestyle and culture is different for different country. The Facebook fans page and twitter allow the subscribers interacted with each other by sharing experience and some others information regarding the Jacob's crackers. This is also a platform for the subscribers to leave comment about Jacob's crackers and two way interaction with Jacob's.

Billboard Advertising

There is millions of car traveller every day and travelling on the road give an opportunities to Jacob's advertise on billboard so it can create brand remembrance toward Jacob's target markets. Billboard advertising can give the effect of reminder to their target markets not to forget enjoy some Jacob's cracker where ever they go, it is also enhanced the Jacob's reputation toward the new market targets. Besides that, another way to create remembrance of target audience is the landmark location, because if there the driver is lost or looking for location, they will find an easiest landmark to mark their location, if the Jacob's billboard advertisement is nearby, then driver will use the Jacob's billboard as their landmark, so the brand name of Jacob's goes into their mind and allow the driver remember the brand.

Transit Advertisement

Transit advertisement is one of the way that can capture consumes eyes and minds by place the advertisement on buses, taxis or trains. These advertisements can help to build the brand image as it appearing on transportation transits, because there is many passengers will take public transport to their destination so it will reflect a strong image in the passengers mind. Nevertheless all the transit will travel from place to place and the advertisement will go around the transit route and more and more passengers or consumers pass by will saw the Jacob's advertisement. Therefore many people will strongly remember the brand and it might influence the consumers emotional to purchase Jacob's crackers, hence the credibility and reputation of Jacob's will maintain in the peak level.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Control

In order to make the strategies run effectively, we should concern about monitoring, evaluating and controlling the IMC strategies or programs and the effectiveness of the strategies needs to be measured.

Avoiding costly mistake

It is needed for Jacob's to try their best to avoid costly mistake. If the activity or program is not achieving its objective, company or the manager need to know and stop putting money on it. Furthermore, it is not only the monetary lost but also diminishing the brand name for any serious mistake. By measuring the effects of advertising, it makes the firm to maximize its investment, especially for broadcast media program. It is an expensive advertising media, thus Jacob's must not make any mistake or it will incur very high cost.

Evaluating alternative strategies

There are several strategies for Jacob's to be consideration. For example, it might have some problem such as which media or advertising tools should be used to be the most effective option. Or it may be between the two promotional program elements.

The recommended strategy which is applied in the broadcast will be more effective. Broadcast medium can increase the market share and perhaps creating its brand image as time passing. Moreover, the sales promotional tool may be have the effect on pushing the sales and revenue at the immediate time.

All the strategies mentioned could be usable to benefit the company in term of sales and profit or its image and brand equity. Therefore, Jacob's need to have series of evaluation for the alternative option to decide which strategy is more suitable to be used with the current situation.

Increasing the efficiency of advertising in general

Advertisers might get too close to the project and lose the sight of what they are finding and what they are trying to say, advertiser should expect everyone understand the advertisement. If not familiarity applied to the ads or it is too creative and sophisticated idea will lose the significance that needs to be communicated. For instance, when Jacob's trying to organize an event, it must ensure that the message can pass to target audience clearly.

Furthermore, Jacob's should have more printed media and broadcast media which can provide a clear message. By having a detailed message and image, it will definitely attract the targeted audience to look into the printed ads. As a result, Jacob's could increase the efficiency of advertising in general.

Conducting research to measure advertising effectiveness

What to test?

Message Variable

Jacob's should appraise and know how effective of their advertising message. Whether the message is precise and good enough? The impact of the advertising message is good enough to pull readers hooked on the ad and luring their attention or clear enough to assist them to evaluate their products? It is essential it is essential for the ads to achieve the goals set by Jacob's management.

Media Strategies

Research should be done to determine which media class is the most effective for Jacob's to advertise. It might consider on its media specific of location, size of ad or length of commercial. By going through these merit examination, it enable Jacob's outcome with its strategic media which have the direct impact on its sales and yet put more advertising afford on it.

Budgeting decision

Jacob's should also examine the effects of budget size on advertising and the impact of various ad expenditures on sales. Additionally, it must take the consideration of marketing mix elements which could have the direct impact for the Jacob's sales level.

When to test?

Pretesting

Pre-test is measurement can be taken right before the Jacob's campaign is implemented. It may arise from the initial as idea comes up to rough execution to testing the finishing version before applying it. It will be testing on an idea, basic concept or positioning statement and therefore analyzing is the idea concept suit into Jacob's.

Post testing

Post testing will occur after the ads or commercial already in the field. It is to determine whether the campaign is achieving the objectives wanted or not. It also serves as an input for the next periods of situation analysis. A successful advertisement may guide Jacob's in future advertising strategies are reflected in an experiment conducted.

Testing process

An effective IMC program is not done as its being implemented, the issue on control must be considered to ensure that it is well established the company's IMC objectives.

Pre-test of finished ads

The readability test will be used for Jacob's to evaluate the printing ads. By using this test method, we are able to estimate the communications efficiency of Jacob's print ads without reader interviews.

However, the broadcast advertising can be tested by asking the employees of Jacob's to be the respondents. They can provide opinion before the customers criticize on the advertisement and do not harm the company's brand image.

Post-test of finished ads (Print media & Broadcast media)

For the post-test of finished ads after it was implemented. Recall will be suggested to do on the printed media. Respondent will be asked to recall the ads, meantime to evaluate and comment the printed ads as they recalled memory first come into their mind.

However, persuasive measures will be doing on broadcast ads. Its purpose is to measure the commercial's persuasive effectiveness. Consumers will be gathered and ask to choose a brand that they like. After the exposure of the Jacob's ads, the person in charge will then ask the question again. To identify whether there are any changes, it is always indicating the preference measure when the video is delivered.