Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................1 1.1. 1.2. 2. 2.1. 2.2. Overview.......................................................................................................................1 Objective of the IMC campaign ..................................................................................2 Product, Price and Place Overview ............................................................................3 Applied Marketing Communication Tools and Academic Theories .........................3 Advertising........................................................................................................... 4 Sales Promotion .................................................................................................. 5 Event Marketing and Sponsorship ..................................................................... 7 Public Relation .................................................................................................... 8

Marketing Mix Analysis ....................................................................................................3

2.2.1. 2.2.2. 2.2.3. 2.2.4.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This paper provides a look into an Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) of Comfort a product by Unilever. Considering as the leading brand in fabric conditioner industry, Comfort updates their products line regularly to refresh their image to the consumers. Although the pressure of competition has been increasing recently, especially from the main rival Downy, Comfort still captures the biggest piece of the fabric softener cake. Comfort has launched their new products: Comfort Aromatic Oil, as a significant replacement for the previous product lines. It still aims to the middle-income customers, who have an active life and prefer their clothes with stylized scent and the Household women, who always are the main consumers of many FMCG products. Using mass media advertising, interactive marketing, public relations, activations and events the campaign almost reach all of it target segment. It makes a large awareness and strengthens the loyalty from customers. Overall, it is recommended that the campaign should take some action on potential consumers of under 10 years old children to improve their image to more and more customers of their target segments.

1. Introduction

1.1. Overview Target market and Positioning

Target market: Household Women, New Parents, Active and modern lifestyle.
DEMOGRAPHICS Modern and active Lifestyle Require scent in their clothes Household women Middle-income High-income 18 to 55 Male and Female Weekly and monthly Mainframe: Household ladies

Income

Age Gender BEHAVIORAL Occasions Usage

New parents and active/modern lifestyle: light share Benefits Sought Saving time Saving water = > Protect Environment

Potential Market Segment:

Children are often fond of advertising, especially from such a unique icons of Comfort (The young jeans dolls), they can make some affects to their parents on choosing the softeners.
Demographic Benefit Under 10 years old Soft and natural smell for children

Comfort is a fabric conditioner. It is used to soften and aromatize clothes after washing with detergent. Its a mass product and targeted to housewife. In Vietnam fabric conditioner industry, Confort (Unilever) and Downy (P&G) are leading the market while some domestic brands such as Co-op Mart, Big C just share a small portion.
Price

Quality : Downy (P&G) : Comfort (Unilever) : Co-op Mart : Big C

Its hard to distinguish between quality of Confort and Downy while Downy price is just a little bit higher than Comfort.

1.2. Objective of the IMC campaign The IMC campaign is aim to launch the new modifier of Comfort brand Comfort Aromatic Oil.
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2. Marketing Mix Analysis 2.1. Product, Price and Place Overview Product Comfort Aromatic Oil is the new product of Comfort Fabric Conditioners product line, which was launched on March-2012 with 2 scents - Comfort Relaxing Aromatic Oil and Comfort Deeply Aromatic Oil, the third scent - Comfort has just introduced on August-2012. Besides the main function is soften fabric, Comfort also keep the scent on clothing effectively with "Keeping scent seeds recipe" for longlasting fragrance. There are millions of "Keeping scent seeds" in each bottle of Comfort that is cover by extremely thin polymer. Each moving or just light rubbing light will break these seeds and make the long-lasting fragrance along to every move. In addition, with the "One time resin" recipe, Comfort not only help clean clothes completely off soap in one time but also help to save water, protect environment. Price Volume Box 12 Sachets 24ml Sachet 800ml Sachet 1.6L Bottle 370ml Bottle 800ml Bottle 1.8L Price 15,000VND 49,000VND 93,000VND 26,000VND 55,000VND 112,000VND

Place Comfort's products are distributed by all of 2 selling channel. General trade channel is performing with more than 350 distributers in Vietnam and Modern trade channel focus on big retailers such as Metro Cash and Carry Vietnam, Co-op Mart, Big C.

2.2. Applied Marketing Communication Tools and Academic Theories

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This part will focus on describing deeply all IMC tools employed by Comfort. Then, theory of those selected tools will be cited with clear explanation. 2.2.1. Advertising Television Advertising Their TVC is broadcasted on both national channel (VTV2) and regional channel (HTV7). They made the attracting and exciting TVC with animation characters which is the special in almost the TVCs of Comfort: B Chu o-the husband, M Ngt Hng-wife and housewife also and their children.

Exhibit 1: One scene in the TVC-they are enjoying Comfort flavor The clip begins with the scene of a happy family. Andy is painting the house, 2 children are enjoying the toy while Lily is washing clothes. She opens new bottle of Comfort Aromatic Oil, good flavor from the product make her so exited, she feels her house turns into a luxury SPA and enjoy it. When Andy comes, he is surprise because Lily seems to be not in the earth and wakes up her. She shows the Comfort bottle then Andy also gets the same feel when he smells the product flavor. They together dance as they are in a romantic planet until their children interrupt them. In the verbal part, firstly, the TVC emphasizes the 100% natural aromatic oil feature of product then it come up with the conveyed message "Full of Vitality with Comfort". There are so many things to analyze a television ad but in this essay we only focus on analyzing its message.
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It is a well structured message. 100% natural aromatic oil is well known as an excellent treatment for heath in traditional medicine. This feature is firstly emphasized to make the good primacy effect. Then it cites the message "Full of Vitality with Comfort". Audience can be convinced that because comfort is natural aromatic oil which is good for heath, using it everyday will benefit the vitality of family. It achieved a good recency effect. (Theoretical reference: Message Structure. Advertising and Promotion 9th edition. Belch & Belch. P.196) The message communicates a good Major Selling Idea. Comfort know well that targeted audience housewife is too busy and tired with their job and in-home work so that they position the emotional contribution: Full of Vitality with Comfort. It full-fills the missing demand of targeted customer vitality. (Theoretical reference: The Search for the Major Selling Edea. Advertising and Promotion- 9th edition. Belch & Belch. P.278) In-Store Media Comfort carried out a display program by which, if retail shops display 12 strings of Comfort sachet, they will get 1 Comfort bottle 400ml free. Budget for HCMC and East region is 968,877,000VND. And if retailer displays 14 Comfort bottles will get free 1 bottle (37,000VND). This program is still valid from 3/2012 up to now. Budget for HCMC and East region is 1,251,323,554VND. (Theoretical reference: In-Store Media. Advertising and Promotion 9th edtion. Belch & Belch. P.447) 2.2.2. Sales Promotion Event Marketing Comfort organizes activations at markets on the whole country. The activation team had sent the leaflets to retailers and consumer before 2 days since the activation day for preparing at these markets. On the day of activation, the team exchanged gifts for consumer for every 49,000VND of Comfort they bought, besides, they had another gift such as iron, bowl by joining lottery game named "Vng Quay May Mn". The budget for this activation is 350 gifts every market (164 market at 16 cities and provinces of VietNam).

Exhibit 2: An event marketing point in Co-op Mart The target of this activation is aim to introducing the new product to consumer, highlight the new news of Comfort in Sensorial Segment and build up the confidence and engagement with retailers. (Theoretical reference: Event Marketing. Advertising and Promotion, 9th edition. Belch & Belch. P.549). Bonus Packs Bonus Packs is usually applied for consumer but Comfort used this tool for retailer also. If retailer buys 380,000 VND of Comfort Aromatic Oil will get free 1 package of OMO (15,400VND). Total budget for this program is 6,386,987,378VND. (Theoretical reference: Bonus Packs. Advertising and Promotion 9th edtion. Belch & Belch. P.545). Sampling

Confort send the free sample of Confort Aromatic Oil to all customers who register on its website. The sample will be sent to customers via post service. (Theoretical reference: Sampling. Advertising and Promotion 9th edtion. Belch & Belch. P.529).

Exhibit 3: Website to collect sample orders 2.2.3. Event Marketing and Sponsorship From Apr.13th to 23th, 2012 in Vincom Tower (Hanoi) and Nowzone Tower (HCMC), Cofort organized the event of World of 4D painting. 4D painting means the painting has scent dimension besides 3 usual dimensions. In this event, customers are not only free photography and print photos on the spot, but also have the opportunity to receive valuable prizes (1 year free using Comfort Aromatic Oil).

Exhibit 4: 4D painting event in HCMC.

Comfort also organized Spa at home course in Hanoi and HCMC for woman without any fee. Six courses will be delivered, 40 persons per course. Customers just register on the website and they were selected randomly for the course. The key of this program is the effect Comfort Aromatic Oil, this scent can make us relax and recover our vitality after a tired and stressful working day, it would be greater when combine with massage.

Exhibit 5: SPA at home by comfort In their book, Benlchs classified event marketing as a tool of sales promotion. But promotional activities are not presented clearly in this type of event. Therefore, as our classification, this event employed the tool called Event Marketing and Sponsorship described by Keller. In his book, Keller classified this tool as a major tool of IMC in the same level of advertising, sales promotion and public relation. (Theoretical reference: Event Marketing and Sponsorship. Strategic Brand Management, 3th edition. Kevin Lane Keller. P.259). 2.2.4. Public Relation The Internet In its website http://www.comfort.com.vn, Comfort updates consultants press about skills to take care your family. It also upload famous persons idea about its product such as Hoai Anh-MC and Luu Huong Giang-singer. Specialists and famous persons function as spoken persons for Comfort on their website. So, this tool can
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communicate well with various groups in society. (Theoretical reference: The Internet. Advertising and Promotion 9th edtion. Belch & Belch. P.575). Social Network and Blogs Comfort has account on Facebook. They write status daily to communicate product, companys activitiesEach status usually is liked by thousand of fans. With this tool, Comfort can communicate well with internet community which now is considered as a very important force of consumers. (Theoretical reference: Social Networks and Blogs. Advertising and Promotion 9th edtion. Belch & Belch. P.575).

Exhibit 6: Comfort facebook page

2.3. Information Related to This IMC campaign Previously, Comfort 2.4. What areas of the IMC campaign needs improvement? Identify it and explain why it needs improvement. 3. Recommendation (1 recommendation is enough): Running multiple activities for their latest campaign but Comfort almost forgets one of their Potential Customers: The children who take part in the purchasing decision of housewife and new parents. Create some activities for under 10 years old children can strengthen their image to consumers and utilize their iconic characters.

To make the campaign more effective, Comfort can raise some charity funds for children, and implement some events for women and their children. These solutions are practical to execute and directly touch to the heart of household women. Note: You do not need to do a conclusion

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