What is Integrated Marketing Communications?
The American Marketing Association defines Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) as “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.”
The IMC planning process has been compared to composing a musical score. In a piece of music, while every instrument has a specific task, the goal is to have them come together in a way that produces beautiful music. It’s the same in IMC, where advertising might be your violin, social media your piano, public relations your trumpet and so on.
ONEPLUS ONE (2014 FLAGSHIP KILLER), THE FIRST $300 SMARTPHONE GETS LISTED AT NUMBER 4 AMONG WORLD' S BEST SMARTPHONES !
A brand is a product, service, or concept that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concepts so that it can be easily communicated and usually marketed. It is usually a unique name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that creates an image helping the product/service to get extra customer attention. Branding a product successfully is very important and the most challenging task.
Existing companies enjoy their brand image which helps them to extend the product line, but for a new company/manufacturer introducing a new product in the market is very problematic. And, being a product of a completely new company it wasn’t easy for One plus One to get this far.
Knowing about the company (OnePlus)
One Plus, a sister concern of OPPO electronics, was founded by Pete Lau on December 17, 2013 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China. It is a technology start-up committed to bringing the best possible technology to users around the world. It claims to be a born global company with high ambitions to build beautifully designed products that will be respected by the entire world. With this vision the company has an expert base from all over the world and OnePlus One is their first innovation which created strong hype among tech-lovers.
Brand Mantra: “Never Settle”
It’s because OnePlus always wants to understand the root problems of the customers and design their products accordingly and updating it frequently. It aims to provide the best possible experience to the users.
Why the name – “OnePlus” ?
The name One Plus has a quite significant meaning and thus being used as the company/brand name
GOOD PRODUCTS SHARED
1 represents a user
1 represents a user
+ represents sharing
Oneplus One's Marketing Segmentation :
Oneplus One's Marketing Segmentation :
Geographic: Their geographically target is wold wide. But they are targeting the urban areas mainly.
Demographic: The main targeted audiences and customer are youngsters. With the tag line "Never settle" , it's clear that the want to target those people who are never settled in a good way. Although there's no age restrictions, both male and female are targeted by them, Mostly educated people who loves to explore and likes to taste the sweet taste of technology.
Psychographic: They haven't targeted the rich kids, but their target is simple. The people who belongs to upper middle class to middle class. As their pricing strategy is low. But they are providing the brand value at the same time in "Lifestyle" sector.
As it's a very low priced premium quality smartphone, their advertising budget is very low. So their main marketing weapon is "Word of mouth" !! I'm about to discuss it below...
Unlike other traditional mobile companies, Oneplus avoided advertising their product on media. They minimized cost in advertising and depended on online sites like www.oppomart.com/oneplus-one-phone.html and word of mouth because they believe that a good product will ultimately be shared and spoken about.
Psychographic: They haven't targeted the rich kids, but their target is simple. The people who belongs to upper middle class to middle class. As their pricing strategy is low. But they are providing the brand value at the same time in "Lifestyle" sector.
As it's a very low priced premium quality smartphone, their advertising budget is very low. So their main marketing weapon is "Word of mouth" !! I'm about to discuss it below...
The Secret beyond Low Price
This awesome, stylish, sophisticated, fun to use smartphone however managed to keep their price so low that it made the entire world wonder about marketing and distribution channels. Smartphones like iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Nexus, Blackberry, Sony costs almost double than OnePlus which is as classy as these or performs better than some. An OnePlus One 64GB costs 349USD whereas an iPhone 5S 64GB would cost about $849. It is a revolutionary technology and the company has done this by following only two simple steps. OnePlus One is made by a Chinese company and it has put its full effort to keep the manufacturing cost low maintaining the product standard. With this low manufacturing cost they went for zero flagship sales, meaning that they have not used the traditional way of distributing through retailers and stores. They rather went for a production on demand basis sales through online sites.
Unlike other traditional mobile companies, Oneplus avoided advertising their product on media. They minimized cost in advertising and depended on online sites like www.oppomart.com/oneplus-one-phone.html and word of mouth because they believe that a good product will ultimately be shared and spoken about.
That was their most appealing ad. As they didn't invested on TVCs or on Radio ads, so there's no particular media ad for ONPLUS brand.
They're mainly focusing one Sales Promotion, Interactive Marketing and Direct marketing. But somehow with their very unique and low budget strategy they have managed to implement Personal Selling and Public relation as well.
Sales Promotion: They have already used this tool and it worked for them quite impressively! For example: The very known Invite System worked for them as a world wide unique promo. And Ladies First, Christmas time No invite, easy buy was effective as well.
They're mainly focusing one Sales Promotion, Interactive Marketing and Direct marketing. But somehow with their very unique and low budget strategy they have managed to implement Personal Selling and Public relation as well.
Sales Promotion: They have already used this tool and it worked for them quite impressively! For example: The very known Invite System worked for them as a world wide unique promo. And Ladies First, Christmas time No invite, easy buy was effective as well.
http://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/11/07/oneplus-one-marketing-budget-was-just-300/
The invite system isn't that simple as it looks! You need an invitation from a OPO user or by fulfilling the terms of social media steps you can earn a invitation code.
Interactive Marketing: Buy doing a huge number of online sale from their own web page and other forums they just got highest number of sales! They have their own Youtube channel and a very active Facebook and twitter page for every new promotion of their phone and other accessories related to Onplus one.
Here's their facebook home snap-
Public Relation: Like their other IMC tools, their PR tool is very unique as well.
They say - "
They say - "
The Digital Marketing and PR teams at OnePlus aim to implement thrilling new marketing solutions, helping to connect our brand and products to target specific audiences on multiple platforms.
For our Internship position, we are seeking a strategic thinker. The OnePlus Intern should be able to "think big" and be prepared to help spread the OnePlus message worldwide."
See more- https://oneplus.net/careers/marketing-pr-internship
See more- https://oneplus.net/careers/marketing-pr-internship
Direct Marketing: Oneplus One sends free invites via email and other sources. And also send regular notification if you subscribe them.
Personal Selling: They really don't believe in personal selling. But in some Europe Countries and North America, they're trying to build up it. Ladies First and shopping mall promo are just the beginning steps of them.
Personal Selling: They really don't believe in personal selling. But in some Europe Countries and North America, they're trying to build up it. Ladies First and shopping mall promo are just the beginning steps of them.
So, The Marketing plan is simple:
- Avoid competing with the rich kids in marketing spending.
- Instead, offer a product that’s built (at least partially) with the feedback of a budding community of enthusiasts.
- Build up buzz for the phone through affordable, unconventional channels.
- Sell it at a cut-throat price, made possible by doing away with conventional marketing and sales methods.
My Opinion: Yes, they're doing great in that short of time. But if they want think even bigger, they need to improvise invite system, they should invest a lot in social-media ads and to reach countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan- they need to open local outlets as well.
Competitors: I just found a very funny image, that describes everything how OPO dealing with the big number of giants in their own way!
References:
10 best smartphones of 2014 (n.d.) Retrieved from
Matt Schaefer (Aug 16, 2014). OnePlus One Review - After 2 Months! Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TvCdpQ4JQg
https://oneplus.net/
https://forums.oneplus.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OnePlus
http://thenextweb.com/gadgets/2014/11/06/oneplus-sold-500000-smartphones-advertising-budget-just-300/
http://thenextweb.com/market-intelligence/2015/03/17/how-oneplus-ones-marketing-made-it-the-most-desirable-phone-in-the-world/
http://www.androidauthority.com/oneplus-tips-for-success-372198/
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Marketing-idea-for-OnePlus-How-about-just-selling-the-phone_id59285
https://oneplus.net/blog/2015/02/oneplus-one-open-sales-every-tuesday/
