UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA

Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management

Faculty of Business Studies

Marketing Communication Strategy of ACI Salt

Course Name & No:

Tourism Marketing Communication

ETHM 6003
Submitted To:
Dr. Md. Kamrul Hassan
Assistant Professor

Submission Date:
19 August 2020

Submitted By:
Md. Ahasan Ul Haque Shovo
ID: 71825016
 INDEX

Company Profile ........................................................................................................................................... 1

ACI in Brief ................................................................................................................................................ 1
Basic Information ..................................................................................................................................... 1
ACI Salt Limited ........................................................................................................................................ 2
State of Art Salt Factory ........................................................................................................................... 2
Global Recognition ................................................................................................................................... 3
Best Brand Award..................................................................................................................................... 3
Marketing Communication Strategy ........................................................................................................... 4
Advertising................................................................................................................................................ 4
Sales Promotion ....................................................................................................................................... 7
Personal Selling ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Direct Marketing ...................................................................................................................................... 7
Public Relations ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Pie Chart ....................................................................................................................................................... 9
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................... 9
Company Profile

ACI in Brief

Imperial Chemical Industries, a British multinational established a Branch in the then East Pakistan which
was converted into a company after liberation, named ICI Bangladesh Manufacturers Limited. In 1992
ICI divested its investment in Bangladesh to the Management, when its name was changed to Advanced
Chemical Industries (ACI) Limited.

Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Limited, being one of the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh with
a multinational heritage operates across the country through its four diversified strategic business units.
‘ACI Pharmaceuticals’ is dedicated to improve the health of people of Bangladesh through introduction
of innovative and reliable Pharmaceuticals products.

‘ACI Consumer Brands’ is adding value to the daily life of consumers through its Toiletries, Home care,
Hygiene, Electrical, Electronics, Mobile, Salt, Flour, Foods, Rice, Tea, Edible Oil, Paints and International
businesses. ‘ACI Agribusinesses’ is the largest integrator in Bangladesh in Agriculture, Livestock,
Fisheries, Farm Mechanization, Infrastructure Development Services and Motorcycles. ‘ACI Retail Chain’
is the largest retail chain in the country operating through its 73 SHWAPNO outlets across the country by
touching the lives of over 35,000 households each day. The company contributed Taka 3,625 million to
the National Exchequer during FY 2017-2018 in the form of corporate tax, custom duty and value added
tax.

This Company also obtained listing with Dhaka Stock Exchange on 28 December, 1976 and its first
trading of shares took place on 9 March, 1994. Later on 5 May, 1992, ICI plc divested 70% of its
shareholding to local management. Subsequently the company was registered in the name of Advanced
Chemical Industries Limited. Listing with Chittagong Stock Exchange was made on 22 October 1995.

Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) Limited is one of the leading conglomerates in Bangladesh, with a
multinational heritage. The company has diversified into three major Strategic Business Units (SBU‟s),
which are, Healthcare, Consumer Brands and Agribusiness

Basic Information
Full Name: Advanced Chemical Industries Ltd.
Incorporation Date: 24 January 1973
Registration No: C-3885
Company Type: Public Limited
Number of employees: 9,053
Authorized capital: 1,500,000,000
Issued and paid capital: 49,88,95,270
No of Shares: 49,889,527
Face Value: 10
Year End: 30 June

1
ACI Salt Limited
Next to water, salt is the most essential item in human diet, the salt industry of Bangladesh has always
been in a primitive position offering the consumers low quality edible salt that they use in everyday use.
And the consumers were not differentiating much among the brands available to choose this essential
nutrient of everyday life. This all started to change in 2005 as ACI Limited, one of the leading
conglomerates of the country, decided to offer the consumers a finest quality edible salt equivalent to
any international brand. ACI Limited launched ACI PURE Salt as this would contribute to enrich the
quality of life of people, which is an integral part of ACI's corporate mission.

State of Art Salt Factory

ACI Salt factory is currently the largest factory in Vacuum Salt industry of Bangladesh with highest
production capacity. ACI Pure Salt is processed through the true Cutting Edge Technology of Switzerland,
the most modern vacuum evaporation system which ensures 100% pure, crystal white, properly iodized
and free flowing edible salt. Its high quality food grade, multilayer laminated packaging ensures the
iodine contents to remain active for longer period and at the same time protects the salt from moisture
or any impurities.

2
Global Recognition

ACI Pure Salt has received the global recognition for its excellent packaging design through the book,
"Pack Your Life" volume 3. This book is published with all the top ranking packet design from all over the
world.

Best Brand Award

ACI Pure Salt has been adjudged and awarded 'Best Brand Award 2015' in the Salt Category. This
evaluation was done by Millward Brown, a world renowned research firm through extensive qualitative
and quantitative research across all consumers countrywide. This is for the 5th time ACI Pure Salt
received this prestigious recognition.

In 2008, ACI Pure Salt received Best Brand Award across all food and beverage category. ACI Pure Salt
continued to receive the award of Best Brand when Salt was made a separate category in 2011, 2013,
2014, and 2015.

3
Marketing Communication Strategy

Marketing efforts incorporate the "marketing mix". Promotion is one element of marketing mix.
Promotional activities include advertising (by using different media), sales promotion (sales and trades
promotion), and personal selling activities.

It also includes Internet marketing, sponsorship marketing, direct marketing, database marketing and
public relations. Integration of all these promotional tools, along with other components of marketing
mix, is a way to gain an edge over a competitor.

Promotion has been defined as the coordination of all seller-initiated efforts to set up channels of
information and persuasion in order to sell goods and services or promote an idea. While implicit
communication occurs through the various elements of the marketing mix, most of an organization’s
communications with the marketplace take place as part of a carefully planned and controlled
promotional program. The basic tools used to accomplish an organization’s communication objectives
are often referred to as the promotional mix.

Traditionally the promotional mix has included five elements: Advertising, Sales promotion,
Publicity/Public relations, Direct marketing and Personal selling. Each element of the promotional mix is
viewed as an integrated marketing communications tool that plays a distinctive role in an IMC program.
Each may take on a variety of forms and each has certain advantages.

We will discuss below how ACI ltd use this promotional mix for its Consumer Brand (ACI pure salt).

Advertising
Advertising is any paid form of non-personal communication about an organization, product, service or
idea by an identified sponsor. Mainly ACI salt uses a few number of non-personal components like TV
ad, Newspaper ad. It is the best-known and most widely discussed form of promotion, probably because
of its pervasiveness. It is also a very important promotional tool, particularly for ACI companies whose
products are targeted at mass consumer markets. Furthermore, it is the most cost effective way to
reach large numbers of consumers.

4
ACI salt also launched their theme song named as “Medhabi Bangladesh” to promote their product. This
song was made by one of the most popular singer Balam which also help to promote the product.

Some newspaper ads are given at the time of Ramadan or any exam result which promote their slogan
and strengthen the bond between consumer and organization.

5
It also includes Billboards, Street furniture, Alternative media and transit. ACI pure salt uses Billboard
advertising for some certain reasons like Wide coverage of local markets, Frequency, Geographical
flexibility, Creativity, Ability to create awareness, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Production capabilities,
Timeliness. These types of billboard can be found at the roadside:

6
Sales Promotion
Sales promotion is generally defined as those marketing activities that provide extra value or incentives
to the sales force, the distributor, or the ultimate consumer and can stimulate immediate sales. Sales
promotion is generally broken into two major categories: Consumer oriented & Trade oriented
activities. ACI salt mainly uses Trade oriented sales promotion, which is targeted toward marketing
intermediaries such as wholesalers, distributors, and retailer. Promotional and Merchandising
allowances, price deals, sales contests and trade shows are some of the promotional tools used to
encourage the trade to stock and promote a company’s product. Now a day, salt industries have shifted
the emphasis of their promotional strategy from advertising to sales promotion. Reason for the
increased emphasis on sales promotion includes declining brand loyalty and increased consumer
sensitivity to promotional deals. Another reason is that retailers have become larger and powerful and
are demanding more trade promotion support from companies. I have collected some information
about ACI Salt sales promotion to the retailers. In recent times, the actual trade price of ACI pure salt
per sacks was 525BDT excluding sales offerings. If trade offers was given, the price will be 475BDT.
Alternatively, they gave two kilogram salt remaining to the actual price to the retailers.

Personal Selling
Personal selling is a form of person-to-person communication in which a seller attempts to assist and /
or persuade prospective buyers to purchase the company’s products.

ACI Salt usually does not use personal selling tools to promote their product. Because ACI is a huge
organization. If they go for personal selling, their customer reach will be limited. Also it will take a huge
time to create public awareness among the customers. ACI Salt is product which is needed in our daily
life and every type of persons are their customer. So their target market is whole nation. It can’t be
cover up by personal selling only. But I have heard some news about some staff from ACI salt visit
particular area with the distributor to retail shop. Actually they go to the retail shop to collect
information about the market situation and their selling range to the market. While they are present in
person, they also give some offerings to the retailers about discount per sacks of salt or others.
Therefore, this happened while they are in field work of the market or otherwise they don’t go for
personal selling.

Direct Marketing
Direct marketing is a form of advertising, where organizations communicate directly to customers
through a variety of media including cell phone, text messaging, email, websites, online advertising,
database marketing, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional letters, targeted television, newspapers,
magazine advertisements and outdoor advertising.

Unlike media advertising, it enables you to target particular people with a personalized message. Direct
marketing can be cost effective and extremely powerful at generating sales. Actually, it is ideal for small
business. But ACI is a huge organization and their business is very expansive. And ACI has already kept
their value as a brand name. Direct marketing uses a variety of methods including cell phone, text
messaging, mailing, websites etc. As I said before ACI Salt is a product for every type of people, so their
target is whole market and they try to reach every consumers. That’s why they have also used some
direct marketing methods which is leaflet distribution through newspaper, newspaper and magazine

7
advertisements basically in some functions and occasions and outdoor advertising like billboards at any
region. ACI Limited has an official website but ACI Salt does not have any website individually. But ACI
Salt has a Facebook page from which they promote their product by creating post every week and
posting any occasion greetings to their customers. Sometimes they hold a contest in Facebook page to
entertain the consumers and giving them reward to the winner. In that’s way they are promoting their
brand name and product. It can be also called as internet marketing which is very useful promotion tool
now a days. Every business company is now using internet marketing for promotion.

Public Relations
Public Relation is defined as the management function, which evaluates public attitudes, identifies
policies and procedures of an organization with the public interest, and executes a program of action to
earn public understanding and acceptance. Public relations have the power to reach a large audience,
giving any business the platform it needs to shine and allows you to attach credibility to any product or
company. Public Relation and advertising are very different things, consumers are likely to give
credibility to your business when they see it mentioned in the media compared to when they see your
ads or billboards.

ACI did public relation marketing for their brand name but not their sector ACI salt. ACI Salt did not do
any public relation events to be in media. But from their Facebook page they are holding various
contests for the customers and giving them reward as a prize. In that way they are actually
communicating with their customer. Meanwhile, they also create various post about health issue. Also,
they posted about how to be safe in COVID-19 pandemic in which they are also telling them they are
trying to take care of their customer. Which makes their bond stronger and create customer value.

8
Pie Chart

After discussing above promotional mix, I can submit my idea about Marketing Communication Strategy
of ACI salt through Pie Chart.

Marketing Communication Strategy

10%
Advertising
10%
Sales Promotion
4%
Personal Selling
58% Direct Marketing
18%
Public relations

Conclusion

ACI was established as the subsidiary of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in 1968. After independence,
the company has been incorporated in Bangladesh on the 24th of January 1973 as ICI Bangladesh
Manufacturers Limited and also as Public Limited Company. ACI Limited is one of the leading
conglomerates in Bangladesh, with a multinational heritage. ACI Administration Department is the blood
circulation for the whole ACI Centre. By this way, ACI Administration Department provides all the
facilities to the ACI Centre and tries to solve all types of problem that can affect the organization. The
company has diversified into four major businesses. FMCG business is one of them. There is innumerous
SBU under the FMCG products. ACI pure salt is one of them. It is the first VE salt in Bangladesh.
Gradually, VE salt market expanded. It is therefore, Competition became more acute. However, ACI pure
salt would keep its brand image and loyalty by assuring its product quality. As a result, it became the
market leader in Bangladesh. Briefly we can say, If ACI pure salt keep remaining the market leader, its
administration system need to be strong at retail markets.