Marketing 1

BLUE BIRD FOOTWARE’S DIGITAL MARKETING PLAN

Name

Institutional Affiliation

Instructor

Course Title

Date
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Contents

Introduction................................................................................................................................................4
Porter’s 5- Forces........................................................................................................................................4
Threats of New Entry...............................................................................................................................5
Threat of Substitution.............................................................................................................................6
Supplier Power........................................................................................................................................6
Buyer Power............................................................................................................................................7
Competitive Rivalry.................................................................................................................................7
SWOT/TOWS...............................................................................................................................................7
Strengths.................................................................................................................................................8
Weaknesses.............................................................................................................................................8
Opportunities..........................................................................................................................................9
Threats....................................................................................................................................................9
S-O Strategies........................................................................................................................................11
S-T Strategies.........................................................................................................................................12
W-O Strategies......................................................................................................................................13
W-T Strategies.......................................................................................................................................14
Consumer Analysis....................................................................................................................................14
Scenario 1: Existing Customer Searching the Existing Product Range...................................................15
Scenario 2: A New User Registering to the Website..............................................................................16
Scenario 3: User Searching for New Product Line Information.............................................................16
Strategy Formation....................................................................................................................................17
Strategic Objectives Using SMART Acronym.........................................................................................18
Acquisition Objectives.......................................................................................................................18
Retention Objectives (Preddy, 2021).................................................................................................18
Conversion Objectives (Preddy, 2021)...............................................................................................18
Cost Objectives..................................................................................................................................18
Proposed Strategies..............................................................................................................................19
Internal Recommendation.................................................................................................................19
Social Media Recommendations.......................................................................................................19
Recommendations for Web Technologies.........................................................................................19
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Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................19
References.................................................................................................................................................21
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BLUE BIRD FOOTWARE’S DIGITAL MARKETING PLAN

Introduction
Blue Bird is a British shoe designer currently struggling in the footwear industry. Its former

success has tremendously depended on its men’s and women’s quality hand-made brogues.

However, based on the ever-changing footwear market environment, the company continues to

struggle because its core product and brand performance fail to match those of its local

competitors. Through the Company Director, Blue Bird has proposed developing a new product

line targeting Generation Z, the current and tomorrow consumers with high dependence on social

media and technology to gain and communicate their information. Therefore, as the appointed

company’s Digital Marketing Manager, this task explores a digital marketing plan enabling the

company to attract this new lead, while maintaining the previous target market to improve its

sales and remain competitive in the Northampton town.

Porter’s 5- Forces
First and foremost, Porter's five forces analysis involves the framework attempting to analyze

the competition level in a specific industry and business strategy growth and development

(Hofmann and Osterwalder, 2017). In other words, this framework assesses and evaluates the

company’s competitive strength and its position within the industry. For example, it would

evaluate Blue Bird's competitive strength against local competitors within the footwear industry.

Below is the summary of the Blue Bird Porter five forces analysis.

Bargaining Power of Suppliers

High Substitute input presence

High supplier switching cost
High input differentiation.
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Industry Rivalry

High powerful competitive Threats of Substitutes

Threats of New Entrants
High industry profitability
High brand loyalty
High distribution accessibility
strategy
High competition between
online and offline firms
High advantage through
innovation
Low substitute products number
in the market.
Low ease of substitution’
Limited close substitute
availability
Moderate buyers’ tendency to
substitute

Bargaining Power of Buyers

Low buyer switching cost

High dependency on distribution
channels
Low substitute product availability
High differential advantage of the product

Figure 1: Porter’s-5 Forces for Blue Bird

Threats of New Entry

Overall, profitable markets tend to attract novel entrants eroding profitability (Hole et al.,

2019). For example, based on the Blue Bird case study, Northampton town with a rich history of

shoemaking presents a highly profitable market for shoe manufacturing companies. First and

foremost, with the high brand loyalty and high industry profitability, both locally and

internationally, new firms long to enter Northampton town to make a profit. Similarly, the high

rate of fine shoe manufacturing within this town suggests high distribution accessibility, which
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attracts more new firms. As a result, local and active firms, like Blue Bird are at increased risk

for eroded profitability from industry increased competition.

Threat of Substitution
Typically, a product’s availability outside the realms of usual product boundaries

enhances customers’ other options' prioritization. Based on the case study, the following arise

(Hole et al., 2019). First of all, low product substitution and low substitution ease in the

Northampton market gives Blue Bird a chance to expand its product margin, while improving its

digital marketing and communication with the new and regular clients (Hofmann and

Osterwalder, 2017). For example, even though Blue Bird faces success challenges, the primary

cause is its digital marketing, which is below standard compared to its local competitors that do

not depend on product substitutes. Therefore, with the limited close substitute availability, Blue

Bird can still gain its competitive advantage. This company’s proposed new product line would

be among the substitutes gaining value and winning most buyers within the market due to

moderate buyers’ substitution tendency seen in Blue Bird’s customer satisfaction high dropping

rate in using its unappealing website.

Supplier Power
Supplier power assesses how easy it is for the material suppliers to increase the prices

(Hofmann and Osterwalder, 2017). In the case study, high supplier bargaining power and high

switching cost occur because of Blue Bird's unique product line. Similarly, in Northampton

town, there are a few product line substitutions. Therefore, almost every company has its

supplier due to product differentiation associated with high suppliers bargaining and high

switching supplier cost.

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Buyer Power
Logically, it assesses how easy it is for company buyers to facilitate down pricing (Hole

et al., 2019). Concerning the case study, the buyer numbers in the market, especially Generation

Z is quite higher. However, this number relies on dependable distribution channels, such as

company websites and social media platforms, leading to lower buyer switching costs due to

multiple local competitors with standards communication channels. Low product substitutes

enable the buyers to focus on the competitors’ communication channels to stimulate the firm's

down pricing.

Competitive Rivalry
Last but not least, this element focuses on the competitors’ capacity and number within the

market environment (Hofmann and Osterwalder, 2017). For example, in Northampton, there is a

high powerful competitive strategy of proposing its new product line to target Generation Z,

which is high in number, both today and tomorrow. Powerful competitive strategy determines

the firm’s viability. Also, high competition in offline and online practices arises. Unlike Blue

Bird, the rivals surpass its success because of inconsistencies in its digital communication

(Huang et al., 2018). Rivals through their valuable digital platforms outshine Blue Bird. Buyers

have a high dependency on digital channels and low switching costs. Therefore, the high

advantage is only achievable through innovation. Such as prioritizing innovative digital

platforms or innovated products to remain competitive.

SWOT/TOWS
Similar to Porter’s five forces, SWOT helps an organization analyze what it does best, and

even disclose business areas holding it back, or even such areas rivals can exploit when not

protected (Teoli et al., 2019). Therefore, based on the case, Blue Bird’s SWOT/TOWS is a

follows.
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Strengths
Here, it outlines what the company is good at, and what distinguishes it from its primary

rivals (Teoli et al., 2019). First, from the case study, Blue Bird regardless of its declining success

in recent years has a loyal customer base that still makes new inquiries. For example, from the

marketing team information, in 2018, only 43% of the new inquiries got received through the

website compared to around 80% in 2020. Likewise, the company has a unique product line:

unique baseball boots targeting its new lead, Generation Z, which is the current and tomorrow

buyer, hence increasing its customer base. As a strength, Blue Bird has a strong balance sheet

from its previous successful sales. Also, it has a company website and social media platforms,

like Twitter and Facebook where they engage their clients.

Weaknesses
In every organization, these factors prevent working at their optimum level (GURL,

2017). For example, from the case study; Blue Bird has a weak brand compared to its local

competitors; hindering its work output. Also, it has a lack of skilled workforce in the digital

sector to engage their new target market, leading to a reduction in client’ satisfaction with their

web-based skills. For example, their marketing team reported a 65% satisfaction rate in 2018 and

46% in 2020. Lastly, a higher turnover rate occurs leaving behind those with limited web-based

skills, hence reduced sales.

Opportunities
This section often involves external favorable aspects giving a company its competitive

advantage (Teoli et al., 2019). For example, there is an expanding local university incorporating

Generation Z, which is the company’s new product’s target market. For example, with the local

university presence, Generation Z's number living in Northampton is around 124,000. Also,

digital technological advances open the way for Blue Bird because it is its target market’s mode
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of interaction. Most consumers shift from phoning to inquiry through the websites; hence

maximizing their website use. Concerning the case study, since their childhood, Generation Z,

their target market depends on the internet and social media platforms to communicate. Lastly,

an increasing population within Northampton offers growth opportunities from expected sales

increase for Blue Bird.

Threats
Lastly, this part tackles factors that tend to harm the company (GURL, 2017). First, high

competition from local competitors demeans Blue Bird’s brand. As a result, Blue Bird

progressively undergoes success declines. Also, low switching cost among buyers reduces their

turn up rate due to unsatisfying Blue Bird’s digital platforms, including their non-engaging

website and social platforms.

Strengths Weaknesses

Company website and social A weak brand

media platforms

Loyal customer base A lack of skilled workforce in

the digital sector

Unique product line: unique A higher turnover rate

baseball boots

Quality products

Opportunities Strength - Opportunity Weaknesses – Opportunity

Strategies Strategies
(Exploit opportunities using (Use opportunities to diminish
company strengths) company weaknesses)

Expanding local university 1. Creating an app to engage 1. Exploiting its location to

incorporating Generation Z Generation Z and other clients. improve brand.

Digital technological 2. Provide live chart 2. Hire competent personnel

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advances: shifts from functionalities to engage online from Generation Z to improve

phoning to online inquiries users. web-based skills and improve
brand identity

Location with rich shoe- 3. Increasing quality 3. Redesigning the engagement

making history. production to satisfy the platforms to increase brand
increasing population needs. awareness.

Northampton population 4. Provide unique product line 4. Targeting the entire

increase by 33%, including to enjoy the location’s population for recruitment and
Generation Z and previous industrial profitability. brand awareness.
consumers.

Threats Strength – Threat Strategies Weaknesses – Threats

(Utilise company strengths to Strategies
avoid threats) (Minimise company weaknesses
and avoid threats)

Competition from local 1. Instituting customer loyalty 1. Train personnel through

competitors programs in digital platform small cash flow to enhance
use to lure leaving customers. web-based skills and avoid low
customer turn up.

Low customer turn up 2. Digitally promoting the 2. Promote through developed

through digital access. company’s unique product app to stand against
against local rivals with little competitors.
substitution level.

4. 4.

Figure 2: SWOT/TOWS Summary

S-O Strategies
Most importantly, this sub-section requires Blue Bird to exploit its opportunities through

available company strengths (Teoli et al., 2019). First and foremost, reaching and exploiting its

increasing population from a growing number of Generation Z from the located University of

Northampton, and other local consumers requires the company to use its strong cash flow from

its strong balance sheet to create the company app to engage its customers. Also, in its already-
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functioning website, Twitter, and Facebook accounts, Blue Bird should provide live chat

functionalities, improve customer engagement, and secure and preserve their customers with

high brand loyalty; that is, those continuing to increase within the market setup (Huang et al.,

2018). Increasing quality production determines consumers’ deviation point hence satisfying

their needs. For instance, addressing consumers’ engagement deviation by offering more

satisfying digital platforms would satisfy their needs; thus, increasing growth opportunities for

Blue Bird. Lastly adding a unique substitute for its quality hand-made brogues would enable it to

enjoy Northampton’s industrial profitability due to its rich history of shoemaking; hence

promised growth.

Unique
Unique baseball boots Women’s Traditional Men’s Blue Bird’s
targeting increasing Quality Hand-made traditional Quality Hand-
Generation Z brought about by
brogues made brogues
established campus.

S-T Strategies
Furthermore, this section uses Blue Bird’s strengths to prevent its available threats, such

as increased competition and increasing customers’ drop out from their interactions with

websites and other media platforms (GURL, 2017). Most importantly, through its strong cash

flow depicted by its strong balance sheet from previous successful sales, Blue Bird can have the

power to institute a customer loyalty program associated with bonuses, and discounts after

shopping through their digital platforms. As result, it would increase its loyal customer base to
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gain a competitive advantage against its local competitors (Riggs, 2020). Also, through the

company’s suggested unique baseball boots, they can advance their company website and social

media platforms by offering live chat functionalities to their new segment (Generation Z).

Consequently, they would prevent increasing customer drop in satisfaction, which contacting

their website. For example, they can implement Zipwire, a cloud-based contact center solution

offering optimal client experience (Riggs, 2020).

Image 1: Generation Z Using Zipwire Software Providing their Live Chat Functionality
Source: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.smechannels.com
%2Faspect-software-delivers-zipwire
%2F&psig=AOvVaw3KkNtOTmUXwqEi1vAgW5zv&ust=1636616457911000&source=images
&cd=vfe&ved=2ahUKEwiZuJDGpY30AhUBihoKHdO3BeUQr4kDegUIARCmAQ
W-O Strategies
Likewise, these strategies use Blue Bird opportunities to limit its weaknesses (Teoli et al.,

2019). First of all, through expanding technologically literate personnel (Generation Z) in town,

Blue Bird would hire some skilled personnel. It would increase their web-based skills, which, in

turn, improves brand identity via social media and website increased accessibility throughout the
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town. Improved firm’s web-based skill would be at par with the local competitors; hence

improved brand (Riggs, 2020). Eventually, an improved company brand through its gained

competitive advantage would ensure promising salary to staff members, hence reducing turnover

rate because of the company’s ability to effectively and thoroughly exploit its location with rich

shoe-making history.

W-T Strategies
Last but not least, this subsection involves Blue Bird’s strategies that minimize weaknesses,

while avoiding threats (GURL, 2017). Through associated factors, Blue Bird needs to train its

staff members through available profit from previous successful operations to reduce the high

turnover rate, while increasing web-based skills (Riggs, 2020). As identified by the Company

Director, Mike Stevens, increased web-based skills would offer optimal consumer experience,

both to the new target (generation Z) and available loyal customers to the company’s quality

handmade brogues, hence increased consumer turn up and competitive advantage.

Consumer Analysis
Most importantly, customer persona entails a semi-fictional archetype representing the

primary traits of the audience or consumers’ large segment (UserTesting, 2021). Additionally,

considering consumer behaviors during the marketing process is vital. Therefore, addressing

consumer behavior requires producing consumer personas through Persona Cards, as illustrated

below.
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Scenario 1: Existing Customer Searching the Existing Product Range

In this first scenario, a person has been identified with a professional goal. It involves

enhancing professionalism through handmade shoes with natural products. Even though he has a

high brand loyalty for Blue Bird, his purchase gets limited by the competition from rivals, high-

quality product expectations, and limited time.

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Scenario 2: A New User Registering to the Website

Through this persona card, the first-timer encounter with the company website prefers a

seamless experience with live chat functionalities. It would limit boredom. Furthermore, as a

socialite, the consumer had previously encountered poor customer support inquiries, making her

more cautious about digital platform use (UserTesting, 2021).

Scenario 3: User Searching for New Product Line Information

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Last but not least, as the persona looking for a new product line, the consumer prefers Gen Z

products; that is, sporty, casual, and customized footwear, which is currently unavailable in the

Northampton shoe ware market (Maguire, 2019).

Strategy Formation
Following this analysis, this digital marketing plan is expected to take effect after one year.

Therefore, the objectives below would be measured after the same period.
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Strategic Objectives Using SMART Acronym

Acquisition Objectives
➢ In the first year of plan execution, a minimum of 50% of Generation Z looking for their

sporty, casual and customizable footware is expected by the company.

➢ At least 40% of the entire sales are expected from Generation Z’s sales in a year.

➢ Within three months, a minimum of 80% of digital skills workforce is expected.

➢ In 2022, a 90% increase in new website and social media inquiries and registration is

expected.

Retention Objectives (Preddy, 2021)

➢ Reducing the employees’ turnover rate by around 20 % in the first year following the

plan implementation

➢ Increasing the customer satisfaction through website use by over 50% in 2022

➢ Increasing the number of existing clients by 15 % in 2022

➢ Increasing the customer’s engagement level across social media platform by over 20% in

2022

Conversion Objectives (Preddy, 2021)

➢ In the first year, increasing the website conversion rate by at least 10%

➢ Increasing online sales by around 30% compared to in-store sales in the first year.

Cost Objectives.
➢ Increasing the total annual revenue by utmost 50% in the first year of its execution
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Proposed Strategies

Internal Recommendation
➢ Since the company lacks web-based skills, Blue Bird should hire skilled personnel,

especially from the Generation Z group with high proficiency in social media resources

(Huang et al., 2018).

➢ Also, to reduce the turnover rate, Blue Bird needs to train and acquaint its old employees

with web-based skills.

Social Media Recommendations

➢ Also, to acquire and retain consumer engagement and more new entries to the company

website and other media platforms, Blue Bird should outshine its rivals by introducing a

customer loyalty program providing bonuses and discounts on every purchase (Riggs,

2020).

Recommendations for Web Technologies

➢ Also, to increase customer engagement and buying satisfaction, the company should start

offering live chat functionalities, such as implementing Zipwire software into its

developed app (Riggs, 2020).

Conclusion
In conclusion, Blue Bird currently faces hard times in the Northampton shoe-making market

regardless of the locality’s shoemaking rich history. Its local competitors are at far while

enjoying the industrial profitability facilitated by the increased brand loyalty, both locally and

internationally. Therefore, based on this digital marketing plan, areas of concern, including

internal processes, social media issues, and web-based processes are the lead cause of its lagging

behind (Huang et al., 2018). Therefore, achieving its competitive advantage in the shoe-making

industry requires Blue Bird through its Company Director, Mike Stevens to consider the
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following: hiring skilled personnel, especially from Generation Z group with high proficiency in

social media resources, introducing a customer loyalty program providing bonuses and discounts

on every purchase to acquire and retain consumer engagement and more new entries to the

company website and other media platforms and implementing Zipwire software offering live

chat functionalities into its developed app to increase the customer engagement and buying

satisfaction (Riggs, 2020).

References
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GURL, E., 2017. SWOT analysis: A theoretical review.

https://demo.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10673/792/swot%20pdf.pdf?sequence=1

Hofmann, E. and Osterwalder, F., 2017. Third-party logistics providers in the digital age:

towards a new competitive arena?. Logistics, 1(2), p.9. https://www.mdpi.com/2305-

6290/1/2/9/pdf

Hole, Y., Snehal, P. and Bhaskar, M., 2019. Porter's five forces model: gives you a competitive

advantage. Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control System, 11(4),

pp.1436-1448.

Huang, H., Zhao, B., Zhao, H., Zhuang, Z., Wang, Z., Yao, X., Wang, X., Jin, H. and Fu, X.,

2018, April. A cross-platform consumer behavior analysis of large-scale mobile shopping

data. In Proceedings of the 2018 World Wide Web Conference (pp. 1785-1794).

https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3178876.3186169

Maguire, L., 2019. Gen Z wants something very different from streetwear. Vogue Business.

https://www.voguebusiness.com/consumers/gen-z-streetwear-supreme-off-white-depop-

adidas

Preddy, J., 2021. Digital Marketing –Study Notes. Digital Marketing Institute.

https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/resources/lessons/digital-marketing-

strategy_setting-objectives_2qgm

Riggs, H., 2020. 5 Ways to Improve Customer Satisfaction on Your Website.

https://codeconspirators.com/5-ways-improve-customer-satisfaction-website/

Teoli, D., Sanvictores, T. and An, J., 2019. SWOT analysis.

https://www.academia.edu/download/61041498/pre-print.pdf
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UserTesting. 2021. The 5 Best Guides for Creating a Customer Persona.

https://www.usertesting.com/blog/customer-personas