Ervie Nur Afifa Mukhlis

29118328
YP60A
Clique Pens : The Writing Implements Division of U.S. Home
Please make a marketing positioning statement of Clique Pen.
How should Clique Pen support the market position with marketing and sales promotion
program?

Company Background

Clique was established in 1922 and it’s the originally produce fountain pen and developed into a
ballpoint pens. In 1980 Clique was valued as $17 million. The main competitor is BIC, Scripto, Pentel,
Pilot, Papermate and sharpie. Which some of them apply an aggressive pricing and promotion strategy.
Currently clique is facing a dilemma situation. They have to compete with their competitor and they
have to fight for the shelf space in retailer store. and the declining of 6% (42%-36%) gross profit margin
in 2 years (2010-2012) caused by various discount, allowances and 0ff-inoices deals make the president
of the company want to find some alternatives to increase gross profit. how Clique Pen support the
market position with marketing and sales promotion program?and marketing positioning
statement!

Positioning statement Analysis

Target Segment :

Retailer (B2B) Direct consumer (B2C)

100% buy 10 or more three times a year
› exp : bookshop, supermarket, mass retailer,
warehouse club, dept store, and stationery
store. (Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens, CVS and
kroger)
› follow retailer marketing program :
additional discount, allowance
› sensitive to stock out
› need Just in Time delivery
› remove slow selling product
› favorable payment : 2% 60 net 61 days
As the data above the retailer could be a best target segment because their number of purchase(mass
purchased) and the frequency of purchase.
65% purchasing 3 or more twice a year
› purchasing can be affected by brand, package
size and etc.
› mostly know what they want to buy when
come to retail store
› paid attention to price-off deals
› tend to comparing price on the same product
type
› make pen and pencil as a commodity

Customer Problem :

 Need just in time delivery to prevent stockout,

 just tend to sell high turnover product,
 need profitable agreement.

Frame of Reference :
 Papermate, pilot, clique pen, pentel,etc. yet clique pen (market leader) and a new comers
compared to its competitor and have new innovation.

Basic Requirement :

 Can be use to write

 Well-function

Unique Value Proportion :

 “Secret sauce” formula

 “always ready ink” don’t need extra effort to make the tint ready to use
 Utilitarian design

Reason to Believe :

 don’t need extra effort to make the tint ready to use

Distinguished from Competition :

 Fast drying tint

 Smooth-roll stylus

Emotion End Benefit :

 Satisfaction, with the good quality yet low price

 Relief, because “always ready ink”

how Clique Pen support the market position with marketing and sales promotion program

The Dillema Faced

A different point of view between Chen as (VP Marketing) and McMillan as (VP sales) of the
implementation of Market Developing Funds.

Marketing View Point Sales View Point

› customer oriented MDF
› want to use MDF to make an co-op ads and
direct discount to consumer like coupon
› need to make a touch wit consumer
through direct marketing
› want to increase the price because the
consumer is not sensitive about price
› reduce price for retailer just gave a chance
to them for make a bigger mark-up price
› Retailer oriented MDF
› control MDF discount and spend on
opportunistic use
› take advantage to take more shelf space from
competitor (buy it from retailer)
› price reduction make a negative impact on
profits
› consumer did not swayed by ads
› worrying about competitor who play in thin
margin
› bundling package didn’t work effectively