INTERNATIONAL FOOD

FUSION

TAUHIDUR RAHMAN SANIAT

ALAN COLLINGWOOD
GUANYI HU
CHEN HE
5/24/2010

Contents-

Product Concept

Marketing Environment

Marketing Strategy

Target audience

10

Target marketing strategy

12

Perceptual map

16

References

17

Product ConceptWe are a service provider for the new coming students of MUN in St Johns campus. Our service
center will be called ISC (International Student Council).It will be like any other resource center
of MUN which will be run by the fund of MUNSU (Memorial University OF Newfoundland
Student Union) and ISA (International Student Association). We have decided not to go privately
and work along with Memorial universitys existing services to help the students in a better way.
Every year high number of international student is enrolling in MUN. They are coming from
different countries with different culture and believe, which creates a gap for them with the city
and the university. Memorial University has welcomed 543 international undergraduate students
and 405 international graduate students in the year 2008. There is an existing service for the
international student named ISA but, the growth rate of international student is too high to be
served alone by ISA. The goal of ISC is to give the international student a feel of homely
environment by serving them 24/7 in any area were they need help. With due respect to the
present service given by ISA, ISC will bring dimension to its present services and with new
features.
Our unique features are as follows: Providing 24/7 resource center service.
Airport pickup.
Airport pick-up with a native language spoken person.
Guaranteed arrangement of off campus housing.
Filling up all the required forms in advance, ensuring all the paperwork and the room is
ready for a new student.

Inspection of the room and discussing with other roommates and informing them about
the arrival of a new student
Provide pre orientation program for such students providing them with relevant literature
and details on the educational programs, timetables, university tour, etc
Enhanced and unlimited services depending upon the requirements of a student.
Help them with Medical Care plan, Student ID card, International Student Card.
Guide them to setup a bank account, internet etc.
Show them the nearest route to the university from their living place.
Give them an idea of all the services that MUN provides.
Service PersonalityOur ISC is intended to stand beside the International student. Even through our brand name is
clear, we want to create a personality of our service which will completely represent the
international student. To accomplish that, we have decided to run it by international student. We
are already one step ahead in that plan, since all our group members have some different cultural
experience beside Canadian culture. Moreover, our service center will be like home to the
international student where they can feel free to come for every problem even for hangout or
interacting. We want to create a sense among the International student that ISC is a place where
every problem is handled with equal effort. For brand personality lot of service providers or
product manufacturer took some famous person whose personality can be matched with their
service or product. For example, Brad Pitt the famous Hollywood star is the ambassador of the
watch Tag Heuer, where the message is that their watches are as solid as Brad Pitt on screen.
David Beckham, the star English footballer represent adidas, where it shows there shoes is the

best match for Beckhams speed. So, in every aspect we will use international students to
represent our service. We strongly believe that it will match our service the most.
Marketing Environment Micro environmental forces are internal factors close to the company that have a direct impact on
the organizations strategy.
The main micro economic environmental force that would impact on our service is employees.
In our service we need different type of employees to carry out different types of task like
employees to pick up students from the air port, employees to guide new students around the
university. So employing the correct staff and keeping these staff motivated is an essential part of
our planning process. Employees satisfaction would definitely give us the competitive
edge over others and it would impact on us positively.
The second micro environmental force that would impact on us is students. If the students are
dissatisfied they will not refer our services to others. Due to this factor they will try to get a
better service instead of our services. So student dissatisfaction would impact negatively but on
the other hand if the students are satisfied it would impact us positively.
Final micro environmental force that would impact on us is media. If media like internet spreads
a rumor about our service that our service is not good, then no one will want to get our service.
One rumor can ruin our whole service reputation. It would finally impact on us negatively. Good
news about us would make us build a good reputation and more people will want our service and
it would lead to positive impact.

The macro-environment consists of those external factors that the company is not in control of
but impact on it, the opportunities and threats from the external environment.

The main Macro environmental force that would impact our service is competitors. They can
impact us by providing a better quality service. They can do this by providing better advertising,
including more services for students than us and recommending that their service is the best.
Competitors could harm us very badly and in the long run and there would be negative impacts
on us. We can get some ideas from our competitors and improve our service and when our
service is improved more students will come to get our service and finally because of
competitors there will be positive outcomes.
Politics would be a macroeconomic force to impact our service. For example, we are providing a
free service to new students who arrive to Memorial University. However, if the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador decides to increase the tax percentage, we will no longer be able to
offer our services free of charge. In return, new students who come to the university would not
like to pay an extra fee to afford this service Therefore having a higher tax percentage on us
would badly affect our service. We can address the challenge by creating another source of
income by asking students to contribute money for this service to carry it forward.
The second and most important force that would impact us is the socio-cultural force. Here
language and attitudes affect us mostly. Language affects us mostly because there are more
people coming from different countries and they speak different languages. When students get
our services, they would like to get those services from their own country and in their own
language but we wont be able to provide each and everyone with their own language. Therefore
different languages in the world would impact our services badly. But we can capitalize on this
by requiring willing students from different countries from Memorial University and employing
them. When we consider attitudes normally there are people with positive attitudes as well as
negative attitudes. For example a person who would not like to get our free service would think

that they could easily hire a taxi from the airport or they will think that they can easily get use to
the environment without anyones help. These negative attitudes would impact our service. But
people with positive attitudes like to think that free service would be a great help for them would
impact positively to our service.
The third and final macroeconomic force that would impact us is the technology. If Memorial
university provides a better service by using its technology for example, if they make
arrangements and create one place to do everything like getting their ID information, giving
information of what international student have to do after arrival. If so, new students would seek
their advice not ours this would impact on us badly. But if we can use the technology and make
everything easier for them from the airport to their final destination they would come to us and it
would impact us positively.
Marketing StrategySt. John is a small town compared to many major cities and town of Canada. Majority of population is
directly or indirectly connected to MUN business and activities. No major tourist attraction or any major
industrial facilities are existing in this area. Regardless of a city or a town size, every business has bounty
of competition that need to be faced on daily basis. In order to compete and stay alive in the business
community, a well balanced and well defined business and marketing strategy is crucial. Each part and
sector needs to be addressed professionally as well as logically.
It is not likely for any business to treat the market as a single entity same was for St. John; instead it
breaks the market into small pieces or segment where the consumer in each segment has similar
characteristics. It is basically dividing the consumer market into categories and chooses the most suitable
segment for their products or service. Our decision to enter into the growing business environment of
MUN has led us to study thoroughly the targeted customers with an expected augmentation in
competition in the coming period of time.
As a general rule, prime purpose of segmentation is to ensure and find out who are our customers, what

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do they purchase in term of goods or the services and why do they buy?
Students coming from different cities and countries to MUN were found disturbed and insecure primarily
within the first week of their arrival to MUN. There may be a lesser percentage of such disturbances to
the locals coming from different cities of Canada but students coming from other countries mainly from
Asia, Middle East and Africa found somewhat laborious and hard to get settled in a very short span of
time. Our offered services are based on the issues that are either lesser considered by the local business
community as well as within the MUN. Availability of student services are there but not at a broader scale
where complete satisfaction is guaranteed.

We have considered several practical and tested strategies in segmenting the market. We have felt the
importance of number of ways in which the segmentation can be done:

1. Demographic segmentation where admission types, genders,

By age
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0

By age

16-18

19-20

21-23

24-25

26-30

30>

By Gender
Male

Female
40%

60%

2.

Geographic segmentation

North
america
7%

By continent

Middle East
15%
Latin America
5%
Asia
64%

Europe
9%

1500

Pacific
Ocean
0%

By Province

1000
500
0
By Province

3.

psychographic segmentation

4.

Product-use segmentation

In our presentation we have provided graphical and statistical information in regards to the first two very
crucial segments i.e. demographic and geographic segmentation. However one cannot ignore the third and

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fourth segments psychographic segmentation and Product-use segmentation. These two basically are
related to different life styles and purchasing behavior & attitude. Whereas product-use segmentation
means that businesses will segment the market on the basis of the use of the product. This segmentation
depends on the nature of the product or services as well as its uses in a different time and seasons of the
year.

Segmenting the market allows the business to find out ways of better matching of customer
needs and enhanced profits for business. It also encourages business to avail better opportunities
for growth by retaining more customers. By any means an effective communication with the
targeted market cannot be done unless the segment is identified.
Target audienceWe have segmented the market by demographic variables as education is one of the important
variables in this segmentation.
Our services to all the incoming fresh students will primarily cover but not limited to the
following:
1.

Provide free pick-up service from the airport escorted by senior international
students of the same country of a new student. This service will also be provided
to the students coming from different parts of Canada and the US.

2.

Take them to a room and inform them in details of the rules and the regulations
of the accommodation.

3.

Help them to understand the community and cultural requirements. Introduce

them to various different MUN societies and the members.

4.

Take them to Shopping centers, grocery stores for their initial purchases.

5.

Assist in removing language barriers through a friendly environment.

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In each term, students come from all over Canada as well as from other part of the world to study
in MUN. As earlier mentioned, majority of international students comes from Asia, Middle East
and Africa. Our targeted customers can be categorized as follows:
1.

Graduate and under graduate students from different cities of Canada and the US
a. Although no major cultural differences can be faced by these students.
However, a new environment will bring hardship and confusions at
several instances from the time such students arrive at the MUN until they
are all settled. This normally takes about a week to ten days. Our services
will be beyond the services offered by MUN for such students. Full escort
services at all times covering complete familiarization of the University as
well as the City. Assuring all the possible

2.

Graduate and undergraduate students from Asia, Middle East and Africa have
somewhat various concerns and worries that need to be addressed and handled
effectively. International students from Asia, Middle East and Africa were seen
facing the following issues:
a. Cultural differences of Canada and Asia
b. Climate and weather changes
c. Financial concerns (West Vs Asia)
d. Sentimental issues (leaving family behind)
e. Religious issues
f. Food
g. Language fluency and accent problems and barriers

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3.

Existing student of MUN, requiring services other than mention above at

several places following services can be extended to them:
a. Storage of their belongings during summer
b. Travel reservations and related arrangements.
c. Airport pick and drop services
d. Arrangements of combined/group studies programs
e. Special services requiring legal formalities, endorsements etc. can be done
on their behalf, in order for them to save their times for studies
f. Arranging formal/informal parties on various occasion
g. Emergency support services

4.

On the other hand, we also foresee to extend services to MUN students

families. Advantages to the student would be:
a. Spending more time on his education
b. Less efforts on time consuming works
c. Family satisfaction
d. Timely completion of all such work

Target marketing strategyStrategy is the method chosen to achieve goals and objectives which should be effective in a way
that expected results can be derived from it and future orientated. A business should guarantee
success from the target marketing strategy.
Developing the target marketing strategy is very imperative as it reflects systematic futuristic
thinking by management. It is not a one man show but it needs better co-ordination of company

13

efforts and better performance standards for control.

Marketing strategy should sharpen the objectives and policies. An effective strategy should
prepare the business for sudden new developments by encouraging the managers to have a vivid
sense of participation.
Our Marketing strategy for the targeted customers will start from the home town of a fresh
candidate. Information on potential candidate will be arranged through MUN admission office
or through the existing students of the University. New students will be provided with all the
relevant information including a complete follow-up on the admission formalities. Our
marketing strategy will cover:
a. Sending detailed brochure of our services
b. Constant sending them of any updates and new information regarding visa formalities,
admissions, health issues, transportation facilities, banking information, weather reports
etc.
c. Special supplements on any changes in visa, local law as well as other legal requirements
for a international student.
d. Continuous contacts through emails, Skype, MSN messenger or other electronic means of
contacts.
e. Future expansions of our services will include opening our offices in other countries from
where most of the students are coming to MUN.
We are positively confident that such services will enhance the capabilities of new students as
well as motivate them towards fulfilling their commitments with their families back home.
Basically, offered services by MUN support services group will all be operated through the

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office at MUN on a 24 hours basis assigned with a dedicated, experienced and professional staff.
Our research work in order to add more services will be a continuous assignment with a firm
belief to provide all possible support services to MUN students and their family members.

Intended positionOur intended position is to be the first service provider (prototype service) in St. Johns to provide a
variety of services for students coming for their first semester to the university, these students mainly
consist of international and also, domestic which are at MUN.
Its a matter of great honor that a large number of students from Asia are choosing MUN as their
educational institution. By our service we really want to give them a homely feeling that will keep them
motivated. It will be our priority to serve them in any problem they face.
Positioning StatementTo a new busy international student who needs to stay organized and well prepared, ISC is an
organization which allows you to feel comfortable in a new environment and helps you break your langue
barrier so, that you communicate with ease and help you to stay connected to your new environment and
culture more easily and reliable than the competitors services.
Our Perceptual issues relevant to positioning our product offerings, we are the only international student
(service) council in MUN and St. Johns also. Therefore, we have no competitors in the market, as we
provide services which are exclusive to MUN international and domestic students. We provide quality
services with one on one interaction most importantly it doesnt cost these students (free of costs), which
are as follows:

Personal Assisting

Sending a person from their native country.

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Will not limit the new student to a language barrier

Provide information of MUN and its surroundings

Attributes of our service:

Airport pick-up service

Housing arrangements

Registrars office

Basic information

Positioning strategy1. Take on the competition Head-on:

As we are a non-profitable service provider, we have rare and close to nil competition.
Therefore, looking at it both ways, negative and positive impacts, but it does work as a
major advantage to our service in the market as we have no one else to compare our
services with.
2. Occupy a gap in the market
Again, as we dont have any competition, so there is no gap in the market for us. This in
turn works well for us in creating our space in the market.
3. Position to appeal to lifestyle segments
Our target consumers are international students; they are major undergraduate student of
an age of 18 to 23. As we focus on international students they are mainly Asian students.
According to MUN statistics 60% are Female and 40% are male. So to appeal to their
lifestyle we are making our service easy to approach, free of cost and enjoyable.

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Perceptual Map-

17

References

http://www.learnmarketing.net/microenvironment.htm
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_macro_environmental_forces_that_influences_
purchasing

Memorial University.(2009). International Students. Memorial welcomes the world.

Retrieved from http://www.mun.ca/internationalstudents/
MUNSU.(2009).Newfoundland students. Canadian Federation of students. Retrieved
from http://munsu.ca/section/21
Flower, A., Leake, R. Fact Book 2008. Retrieved from
http://www.mun.ca/ciap/Fact_Book_2008.pdf
Aaker, Jennifer (1997), Dimensions of Measuring Brand Personality, Journal of
Marketing Research, 34(3), 347-356.)