Marketing Planning Project (MPP)
Project Brief- Highlands
About Highlands
Highlands Coffee, established in 1999, emerged from a profound love for Vietnam, its unique coffee
culture, and its communities. The spirit of community is deeply embedded in the Vietnamese DNA. Since
the beginning, Highlands Coffee has aimed to contribute positively to society, focusing on enhancing
human relationships and fostering social togetherness. Presently, with numerous outlets across Vietnam
and overseas, Highlands Coffee serves more than just coffee. Highland Coffee serves as the nexus that ties
everyone in the community together, placing the brand at the heart of communities everywhere.
Highland history
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, David Thai, the founder of Highlands Coffee, observed Starbucks'
transformation from a local enterprise in Seattle to a global behemoth, which inspired him to establish
Highlands Coffee in Hanoi in 1998. This marked a significant milestone as it was the first instance of an
Overseas Vietnamese founding a private company in Vietnam. By 2000, Highlands Coffee evolved into a
joint stock company, pioneering Overseas Vietnamese entrepreneurs.
Initially, the company focused on producing packaged coffee for distribution across supermarkets, hotels,
restaurants, and cafes. It wasn't until 2002 that the first Highlands Coffee shop was inaugurated. By May
2010, the product line had expanded to include five blends of roast and ground as well as whole bean
coffees, alongside four types of espressos, including a unique water-process decaffeinated espresso made
in their facility. Additionally, the introduction of a Ready-To-Drink (RTD) "Iced Coffee" in 2009 marked the
brand's foray into more than 17 Asian countries and the USA by May 2010.
In 2011, Highlands Coffee acquired the Phở 24 chain from Lý Quí Trung for an estimated $20 million,
followed by the sale of 50% of its shares to Jollibee Worldwide in 2012 for $25 million. By December 2022,
there were reports of Jollibee intending to sell a 10-15% stake in Highlands to a prospective buyer.
Throughout its continuous development, the number of Highlands Coffee stores has reached more than
700 in 56 cities of Vietnam and over 50 in the Philippines as of September 2023.
The project background
Highlands Coffee wants to elevate Vietnam's coffee heritage and instil national pride by blending tradition
with modernity. With the slogan “Là của chúng mình” (Highlands Coffee® is ours), their vision is to be the
hub of the community where people from all walks of life can connect and bond over a shared love of
delicious coffees, teas and foods. This aim and vision underline their commitment to championing
Vietnamese coffee culture. Highlands Coffee is recognised as the market leader in Vietnam in terms of size
and revenue among coffee chains. The chain's business effectiveness and large-scale development have
set it apart from competitors, positioning it as a key player in the Vietnamese coffee market.
Vietnam's coffee market is vibrant yet fiercely competitive, marked by the entry of numerous brands and
complicated by changing consumer preferences. To maintain its leading position in the Vietnamese coffee
market, including in coffee shops, packaged coffee and merchandise segments, Highlands must deliver
unparalleled coffee experiences. This involves highlighting the diverse cultural heritage of the regions
through its offerings, service quality, and the strength of its brand.
The Jobs-to-be-done.
In a collaborative and educational setting, groups are assigned to one of three distinct categories of
projects, each with its own focus and objectives tailored to explore and expand the boundaries of
marketing strategy, creativity, and brand development.
For those in Category 1, the task is to introduce a new product or service, coupled with orchestrating its
launch plan. This journey begins with a thorough market analysis, focusing on understanding the
competitive landscape in which Highlands operates. Teams delve into identifying direct competitors,
pinpointing the target customer base, and crafting detailed customer profiles. Armed with this insight,
they are then tasked with designing a comprehensive mix of new products or services, drawing from their
research and strategic vision.
Category 2 shifts the focus towards the art of branding. Here, the assignment involves a similar initial step
of assessing the market and competition but with a unique aim: to carve out and define a niche for
Highlands that stands out. Groups are to identify the brand's direct competitors and the core target
audience, thereafter pinpointing opportunities within the brand's equity—spaces yet untouched or areas
for deeper connection. The end goal is to build a branding campaign that not only elevates the Highlands
identity but also ensures it resonates deeply and distinctively with its audience.
Finally, Category 3 presents the challenge of brand activation. This category calls for a strategic approach
to not just understand the market and competition but also harness these insights into actionable, sales-
boosting, and experience-enhancing campaigns. Teams must identify Highlands' competitors and target
customers, focusing on uncovering key insights that can serve as the cornerstone for crafting a brand
activation campaign. This campaign should ideally leverage these insights to enhance sales or enrich the
brand experience, creating memorable interactions with the target audience.
In each category, the underlying theme is to use informed analysis as a springboard for innovative thinking
and strategic planning. By proposing tangible plans—whether it's for launching a new product, crafting a
branding campaign, or activating the brand in the minds and lives of consumers—teams are invited to
translate their insights and ideas into actionable strategies that underscore and elevate the Highlands
brand's market presence.
The Delivery
Each group will deliver a proposal in writing a report (2000 words) and in a presentation (20mins). All the
groups will present to the lecturer, who will choose the best group within each category of each class.
Eventually, all the best groups of 3 classes will be presented to the client.
