Analysis of Ben and Jerry's Marketing Strategy in Singapore
Introduction
Ben & Jerry’s is an ice cream brand that started in Vermont in 1979 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. Originally started as a small parlour business, it saw steady expansion in its distribution over time. Its acquisition by Unilever in 2000 allowed the brand to undergo worldwide distribution through tapping on the conglomerate’s logistics and distribution expertise. Faced with an ever changing business environment and dynamic consumer preferences, Ben & Jerry’s has adopted unique strategies to boost its competitiveness.
Macro-environmental Factor: Technological
Due to advances in technology, smartphone availability and use is far more widespread than in the past. According to a study done by Ericsson[1], Singapore ranks number 1 in terms of smartphone use. This widespread availability has led to increased access to the internet, especially social networking websites, thereby creating a highly viable avenue for marketers to reach their consumers. This is especially true for Ben & Jerry’s, which has a target market of affluent teenagers and young adults, who are precisely the group which is tech savvy and where smartphone use is the most prevalent. Therefore, technological factors have led to Ben & Jerry’s using social media extensively to market their products.
In addition, Ben & Jerry’s is able to use technology as a means of two way communication with their customers. On top of marketing their products, Facebook has been put to use to actively engage consumers through competitions, product preference voting, and comments. This has transformed the scope of marketing activities, and can be seen in how Ben & Jerry’s adopted a mascot campaign to promote their “Maple Tree Hugger” flavour in Singapore. Their mascot took photos with cool poses with members of the public, and these photos were subsequently posted to their Facebook page[2]. This attracted comments and “likes” from people who were “tagged” in these photos as well as
Ben & Jerry’s is an ice cream brand that started in Vermont in 1979 by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. Originally started as a small parlour business, it saw steady expansion in its distribution over time. Its acquisition by Unilever in 2000 allowed the brand to undergo worldwide distribution through tapping on the conglomerate’s logistics and distribution expertise. Faced with an ever changing business environment and dynamic consumer preferences, Ben & Jerry’s has adopted unique strategies to boost its competitiveness.
Macro-environmental Factor: Technological
Due to advances in technology, smartphone availability and use is far more widespread than in the past. According to a study done by Ericsson[1], Singapore ranks number 1 in terms of smartphone use. This widespread availability has led to increased access to the internet, especially social networking websites, thereby creating a highly viable avenue for marketers to reach their consumers. This is especially true for Ben & Jerry’s, which has a target market of affluent teenagers and young adults, who are precisely the group which is tech savvy and where smartphone use is the most prevalent. Therefore, technological factors have led to Ben & Jerry’s using social media extensively to market their products.
In addition, Ben & Jerry’s is able to use technology as a means of two way communication with their customers. On top of marketing their products, Facebook has been put to use to actively engage consumers through competitions, product preference voting, and comments. This has transformed the scope of marketing activities, and can be seen in how Ben & Jerry’s adopted a mascot campaign to promote their “Maple Tree Hugger” flavour in Singapore. Their mascot took photos with cool poses with members of the public, and these photos were subsequently posted to their Facebook page[2]. This attracted comments and “likes” from people who were “tagged” in these photos as well as
References: 1. S 'pore tops smartphone ownership. (n.d.). Asiaone. Retrieved October 23, 2012, from http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Science%2Band%2BTech/Story/A1Story20120619-353711.html 2. Ben & Jerry’s Singapore Facebook Page. Accessed 23/10/2012. http://www.facebook.com/benjerrysingapore 3. ICE CREAM DICTIONARY: "HEAT SHOCK". (n.d.). Ice Cream Journal. Retrieved October 23, 2012, from icecreamjournal.turkeyhill.com/index.php/2006/12/04/ice-cream-dictionary-heat-shock/ 4. Haagen-Dazs Website. Accessed 23/10/2012. http://www.haagendazs.com.sg/en/SG_Home.aspx