BUS7B29 Integrated Communications Assignment Sample 2023
1. Introduction
The current report is based on the communication tools used by Unilever of the UK so that effective communication takes place within the industry. It has been noted that integrated communication is important for Unilever Company so that brand consistency is maintained and profitability is attained effectively. Unilever uses various combinations as well as a collection of channels and these include communication with the suppliers, customers through websites, helpline numbers, verbal, face-to-face meetings, and many others. Unilever targets the customers with the help of effective communication tools and these enable the organization to attain competitive advantage constructively. Apart from the discussions on the communication tools, an effective marketing communication plan is developed in this report.
2. Communication tools used by the organization and their practical applications
Brand communication is important for every organization so that they can market their special products effectively to customers. According to Nwabueze and Mileski (2018), effective brand communication increases the profitability as well as productivity of organisations and enables companies to attain competitive advantage efficiently. It has been noted that integrated communication tools such as advertising, sales promotion, and many others have provided opportunities for Unilever to communicate with the customers through “two-way dialogues”. According to Kapalo et al. (2021), two-way dialogues are part of “two-way communication” and this is perceived through instant messaging as well as communication over mobiles, telephones with the customers. Thus, it can be argued that adequate interaction with the customers helps in increasing the profitability as well as productivity of the firms.
The most basic way that Unilever has chosen for communicating with the customers is advertising as well as marketing. According to Tajudeen et al. (2018), advertising enables organisations to inform customers about the importance as well as benefits of innovative products. Unilever maintains transparent communication with different stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, employees as well as various investors (Unilever.com, 2021). Through effective advertisement, Unilever informs the customers about the ingredients used in beauty products as well as nutritional values of the food products (Unilever.com, 2021). Unilever uses communication tools such as “product labels”, “helpline phone numbers”, “websites” as well as “consumer leaflets” so that transparent and effective communication is maintained with the customers (Unilever.com, 2021). For example, the campaign of Dove such as “Real Beauty” has posed a challenge to recent stereotypes of beauty products. In addition to this, Unilever follows the ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) code such as “Advertising and Marketing Communication Practice” so that every communication is legal, honest as well truthful (Unilever.com, 2021). It has been noted that in 2021, Unilever signed the “International Food and Beverage Alliance” so that the marketing communication to children is done properly as well as effectively (Unilever.com, 2021). Thus, it can be argued that efficient communication with the customers helps to solve the issues they face regularly.
Unilever has a proper company website and effective digital technologies such as cloud computing as well as “Internet of Things” have enabled the organization to upgrade the website properly. According to Vadakkepatt et al. (2021), a dedicated website helps Unilever to communicate with the investors, suppliers as well as customers effectively. It has been noted that the annual report of the company, trends in market as well as various market share prices are provided on the website of Unilever. The company’s annual reports enable the investors to know about the profitability of the organisation and also help in assisting the organisation with financial funds (Gardi, 2021). According to Goodermote (2020), Covid-19 has forced every organisation to implement work-from facilities so that social distance is maintained.
It has been noted that during the lockdowns, Unilever has communicated with the employees through online platforms such as meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, and many others. As stated by Attaran et al. (2019), this has enabled the organisation to perform integrated communication with the employees and has increased their sales through online delivery effectively. It is observed that tracking of goods, as well as products during the online delivery, has been performed through regular face-to-face meetings with the suppliers and this has increased the profitability of Unilever efficiently. For example, the revenue of Unilever was almost “50.7 billion euros” in 2020 (Statista.com, 2020). Thus, it can be argued that proper communication tools help to increase productivity as well as drive competitive advantage of an organisation effectively.
3. Marketing communication plan
| Stakeholders | Methods of Communication | What to Communicate |
| Employees | Face to face meetings, discussions over the telephones, mobile phones | Employees are the main component of an organisation and it is noted that employee satisfaction increases the productivity of the firms. According to Othman et al. (2019), effective communication with the employees enables organisations to enhance their competitive advantage effectively. The face-to-face meetings enable Unilever to discuss the sale as well as the development of products efficiently with the employees. In addition to this, the issues faced by employees inside the organisation such as workplace issues, safety issues, and many others are mitigated with the help of successful communication tools (Caligiuri et al. 2020). Thus, it can be argued that communication with the employees over telephones, mobile phones, and many others enables to drive profitability as well as productivity. |
| Customers | Through websites, instant messaging, helpline numbers, advertising, customer leaflets | Customers enhance the productivity of organisations through a greater generation of product sales. According to Othman et al. (2019), customer satisfaction increases the profitability of a company and helps organisations to maintain sustainability as well as a competitive advantage. Unilever has the vision to communicate with the customers through advertising where the information related to various products is displayed properly. In addition to this, the customers are free to address the issues regarding the products through the dedicated websites as well as communicating with the organisation through helpline messengers. It has been noted that Unilever communicates with large retail chains to identify the customers who visit the stores regularly (Unilever.com, 2021). Moreover, instant messaging facilities are available so that customers immediately report about the issues they are facing with the products of Unilever. It has been noted that Unilever offers discounts and informs customers about innovative products through consumer leaflets (Unilever.com, 2021). This has enabled the organisation to achieve high profits in recent times. |
| Investors | Face to face meetings, verbal meetings, discussions over Zoom meetings and other online platforms | The investors are responsible for providing financial support to organisations and in turn, help in improving the productivity of firms. According to Blankespoor (2018), face-to-face, as well as verbal meetings with the investors, help organisations to make meaningful discussions about the financial condition as well as product development status of the company. It has been noted that Unilever has a mission to communicate the current market trends with its investors so that profitability of the company in the upcoming recent years is predicted (Unilever.com, 2021). In addition to this, the investors are responsible for optimising the sales as well as maximising the profit by investing properly in the company’s funds. It has been noted that Unilever mainly undertakes face-to-face meetings with the investors to communicate about the financial trends of the market effectively. |
| Media people | Verbal and face to face meetings | Unilever communicates through short messages with the media people during the verbal or face-to-face meetings with them. According to Villi and Picard (2019), media people enable organisations to display their brands as well as innovative products through proper advertising as well as portfolios. It is noted Unilever communicates with the media people about the promotion of their brands as well as the product innovation so that sales are projected and productivity is maintained. |
| Suppliers | Meetings through online platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet and important discussions through websites | Unilever communicates with the suppliers through proper conduction of meetings so that discussions regarding product development are conducted effectively. According to Bilgeri et al. (2019), proper communication with the suppliers enables organisations to develop innovative products constructively. In addition to this, Unilever communicates with the strategic suppliers through “Partner with Purpose Programme” so that effective meetings are conducted for maximum selling of products. |
| Government agencies | Signing treaties, alliances as well as through various verbal, face-to-face meetings. | The meetings which are conducted with the Government agencies enable Unilever to discuss the safety standards of products. It has been noted that Unilever must discuss global issues such as climate change with the Governments, NGOs so that business sustainability is maintained (Unilever.com, 2021). In addition to this, the discussions regarding the company’s annual reports as well as financial policies with the Government must be done transparently. |
Table 1: Marketing Communication plan
(Source: Created by the learner)
4. Conclusion
It can be concluded that communication tools such as advertising, communication through zoom meetings, and consumer leaflets are effective in maintaining proper communication. The purpose of undertaking effective communication tools is mainly because of attaining high profitability as well as productivity. In addition to this, marketing communication plans enable organisations to communicate properly with different stakeholders. It has been noted that proper advertisements enable Unilever to communicate with the customers and inform them about the product variations and development. The face-to-face, as well as verbal meetings with the investors, suppliers as well as employees, enable the organisation to track the products and discuss current market trends. Thus, it can be said that proper communication enhances the capability to drive competitive advantage of an organisation properly.
References
Journals
Attaran, M., Attaran, S. and Kirkland, D., 2019. The need for digital workplace: increasing workforce productivity in the information age. International Journal of Enterprise Information Systems (IJEIS), 15(1), pp.1-23.
Bilgeri, D., Gebauer, H., Fleisch, E. and Wortmann, F., 2019. Driving process innovation with IoT field data. MIS Quarterly Executive, 18, pp.191-207.
Blankespoor, E., 2018. Firm communication and investor response: A framework and discussion integrating social media. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 68, pp.80-87.
Caligiuri, P., De Cieri, H., Minbaeva, D., Verbeke, A. and Zimmermann, A., 2020. International HRM insights for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for future research and practice. Journal of international business studies, 51, pp.697-713.
Gardi, B., 2021. Investigating the effects of Financial Accounting Reports on Managerial Decision Making in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises. Available at SSRN 3838226.
Goodermote, C., 2020. Remote onboarding and training of new program coordinators into the medical education office during Covid-19 social distance quarantine: process and recommendations. Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives, 10(5), pp.399-401.
Kapalo, K.A., Pfeil, K.P., Bonnell, J.A. and LaViola, J.J., 2021, July. Stakeholder Perceptions in the Context of Community Risk Reduction (CRR): Self-reported Hazards as Two-Way Communication Between First Responders and the Communities They Serve. In International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 229-242). Springer, Cham.
Nwabueze, U. and Mileski, J., 2018. Achieving competitive advantage through effective communication in a global environment. Journal of International Studies, 11(1).
Othman, B.J., Al-Kake, F., Diah, M.L.M., Othman, B. and Hasan, N.M., 2019. This study examines the antecedents and the effects of knowledge management and information technology in the manufacturing industry. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 23(02).
Tajudeen, F.P., Jaafar, N.I. and Ainin, S., 2018. Understanding the impact of social media usage among organizations. Information & Management, 55(3), pp.308-321.
Vadakkepatt, G.G., Winterich, K.P., Mittal, V., Zinn, W., Beitelspacher, L., Aloysius, J., Ginger, J. and Reilman, J., 2021. Sustainable retailing. Journal of Retailing, 97(1), pp.62-80.
Villi, M. and Picard, R.G., 2019. 9. Transformation and innovation of media business models. In Making media (pp. 121-132). Amsterdam University Press.
Websites
Statista.com, 2020, Revenue of Unilever Group worldwide from 2007 to 2020 (in million euros), Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/269190/global-revenue-of-the-unilever-group-since-2007/, [Accessed on: 18th January, 2022]
Unilever.com, 2021, Engaging with stakeholders, Available at: https://www.unilever.com/planet-and-society/responsible-business/engaging-with-stakeholders, [Accessed on: 18th January, 2022]
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