Running Head: DISRUPTIVE MARKETING PLAN 1
Disruptive Marketing Plan
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Date
DISRUPTIVE MARKETING PLAN 2
Disruptive Marketing Plan
The changing dynamics in the contemporary business world have forced organizations to
keep changing their strategies to remain competitive. Product differentiation and marketing
strategies have to align with the changing customer demands. Markets change every day
requiring businesses to diversity to meet the changing dynamics. Most businesses are adopting
technology as part of their marketing, advertising, and product distribution strategy to remain
sustainable in the market (Simko, Farris, Weiler & Gerardo, 2016). Marketing plays a critical
role in the survival and profitability of any business entity. The marketing strategy has to change
with the ever-changing market share and customer demands.
Disruptive marketing is among the modern techniques of reaching out to more customers
while maintaining customer loyalty. It is defined as the techniques that enable brands to express
their intent to change and turn all the market dimensions upside down (Kamal, 2016). The
strategy helps businesses to remain sustainable in the stiff market competition in the modern
world. It encourages firms to rethink their marketing strategies and business practices as a whole.
Thus, this brand proposal focuses on the American fast-food restaurant Chick-fil-A. The
disruptive marketing plans for the restaurant are discussed.
Disruptive Brand Plan
Chick-fil-A is a fast-food restaurant specializing in the sale of chicken products in the
United States of America. The restaurant has a huge customer base and is available in more than
43 states in the country. The business is service-oriented in that it emphasizes offering fast foods
to its customer either by delivering them to the customer or over-the-counter sales (Simko et al.,
2016). They are dedicated to customer satisfaction as well as corporate social responsibility.
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The restaurant is committed to a culture of corporate social responsibility, a program that
has seen many students enroll and finish schooling. Over the years, the firm has employed
various approaches to increase its annual sales. For instance, the "cow plus" strategy allows the
firm to focus on the fundamental proficiencies and encourage its best-in-class products and
services (Mehra & Coleman, 2016). The strategy, however, had little success. With stiff
competition from Hershey co. and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), it is imperative that the
Chick-fil-A brand changes its marketing and business approach to customer experience. For
instance, when introducing new chicken products, the company can focus on redesigning their
products' packaging to attract and appeal to the target market.
Marketing Mix
A market mix is an essential strategy in disruptive marketing. The market mix has to be
affordable and should yield substantial benefits to the firm. A sound marketing plan is essential
for a business entity to achieve success. The four vital elements (the 4ps) in a market mix
include; promotion, product, price, and place (Blythe & Martin, 2019). Therefore, Chick-fil-A
must modify the 4Ps to be disruptive in the fast-food market. The product and place have already
been established. Consequently, other areas that require consideration are promotion strategy and
the pricing strategy.
The business has an established chain of restaurants across the United States and Canada
that have to realign to the proposed marketing mix. The pricing strategy is already established
but needs to be reviewed under the new marketing disruption strategy. The firm should
differentiate its products to beat the existing market competitors (Kamal, 2016). They have
various products in the market that will need to be improved while maintaining the quality to
improve customer satisfaction levels.
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Product
The Chicken sandwich is Chick-fil-A's topmost selling product. The product was made
available with a simplified menu in comparison to the brands' competitors. The product is of
good quality based on its pricing because expensive products are typical of good quality. The
sandwich is good from the customers' views, but there is room to make it even better (Kamal,
2016). Therefore, the firm should embrace new ingredients when producing them to ensure that
the products are completely differentiated.
Initially, the ingredients include a blend of sea salt, garlic, savory herbs, and lemon
(Chick-Fil-A, 2014). However, the firm needs to incorporate more ingredients important to
customers' health and preservation. The chicken sandwich should last longer while remaining
fresh. The preservative aspect will make the product reach a wider customer base increasing the
target market. The product should withstand the different weather conditions in the different
parts of the country.
Other products made by the same restaurant include sausage/bacon, egg and cheese
biscuits, English muffins, hash brown, egg white grill, buttered biscuits, hash brown scramble
burrito/bowl, among others. The restaurant should purpose to improve on the quality of these
products as well as inventing new products different from those of the competitors (Ananda,
Hernández-García & Lamberti, 2016). Product differentiation plays a central role in increasing
business sustainability as customer tastes and preferences keep changing over time.
Price
Chick-fil-A pricing strategy varies from place to place depending on the main target
population. The ideal location of the restaurant also determines the pricing strategy for their
products. For example, prices for the Perry, Georgia location is different from prices at a Cedar
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Point shop, which has a limited menu. A chicken sandwich at cedar point is 29 percent that of
Perry. When purchased outside a park-like in Hops & Hootenanny, it is 44 percent more. In
Chickie and Pete's, it is 25 percent more (Davcik & Sharma, 2015).
Delivering the products to customers can lead to price increases but not to the level that
customers feel exploited. The distance from the hotel facility to the client’s location will
determine the price of the product delivered. The accompaniment and the product's status to be
delivered determines the price of the product as well (Mehra & Coleman, 2016). The price of the
products should be favorable to the customers to avoid losing them.
To have a competitive advantage, the company should consider what other companies are
charging the customers and ensure that customers' values are above the costs incurred in the
production process to make a profit. Further, the management should determine if their prices are
realistic and accepted by customers (Kamal, 2016). Being the most crucial element of a
marketing plan, Chick-fil-A should make pricing decisions that suit their target market in relation
to the value-based approach.
Distribution (Place)
The current distribution plan for the restaurant products is client-centered. The firm
delivers its products to the customer's doorsteps for the orders placed and settled. Customers can
quickly access Chick-fil-A products through their one-time mobile application. The company
serves fresh foods in more than 2200 restaurants in 47 states (Simko et al., 2016). Customers can
buy fast-foods online by placing an order via the brand app and getting the products delivered at
their doorsteps or physical stores.
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A new distribution strategy will involve the use of motorcycles and bicycles to deliver the
products depending on the place the order is requested. However, the company mainly
distributes its products through its restaurants. To gain a competitive advantage, the company
should capitalize on the online platform and door-to-door delivery, especially with the current
challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic (Ananda et al., 2016). There is a need to
maintain high levels of cleanliness during the pandemic as every individual is more cautious
about their safety.
Promotion / Communications
Chick-Fil-A has wide-ranging options for reaching its target consumers. They include
traditional advertising channels, social media, involvement in the local community, and via their
one-time app platform. The common traditional forms include television advertisements,
sponsorships, and billboards. When a new product is being launched or are an existing product
needs the customers' attention, the company runs advertisements on televisions to reach its target
market (Eyvrigh, 2016).
Billboards are used to signal a customer that they are nearing a region with a Chick-fil-A
restaurant. The billboards are strategically placed to capture consumers' attention and alert them
that they about find an eatery. Messages are also shared via Instagram and Facebook to influence
customers to purchase products from the restaurant (Blythe & Martin, 2019). While these
methods are effective, the fast-food company should improve the promotion markets by ensuring
they reach consumers at the right place and the right time.
Free promotional messages can be distributed on social media by creating ads on
websites and other internet resources. The free ads will ensure that whenever an individual is
online, they are able to see the firm's adverts. The organization should be involved in Corporate
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social reasonability to reach a wider consumer base (Blythe & Martin, 2019). They should also
form partnerships with sporting teams to increase their base. The restaurant should be an official
sponsor of some sporting activity to increase its visibility to customers.
Market Segments
Current Target Market
According to recent studies done on the firm's customer targets, Chick-Fil-A targets the
middle class and the dominant class group in the society. The many youths in the country area
potential clients to the firm due to their lifestyles. The youths are prime targets for fast foods as
many of them do not have cooking skills (Mehra & Coleman, 2016). College and high school
students are potential customers of the restaurants as they rarely cook.
Location-wise, the company targets consumers in urban areas who are easily accessible
and are ever packed with activities to find time to prepare meals (Blythe & Martin, 2019). Based
on the disruptive marketing plan, the company should focus on socio-economic groups'
ambitiousness to purchase as the new primary target. The feeding habits of the current generation
are changing. Therefore the firm needs to change to accommodate these changes (Ananda et al.,
2016). The new secondary target should integrate technology to reach a broader fan base and
consumers in rural areas.
The rural populations are rarely interested in the fast foods business because they have all
it takes to prepare meals in their homes. Cooking ingredients are readily available in the rural
areas reducing their demand for the restaurants’ products (Blythe & Martin, 2019). Disruptive
marketing should target promoting Chick-fil-A products in rural areas.
New Primary and New Secondary Target Market
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The disruptive marketing strategy should target college and high school students as well as
people living in rural areas.
New Primary Target Market
The new primary target market should be people living in the rural area who are the
majority compared to the urban residents. The rural residents are middle-income earners and
would be interested in purchasing the new products, which are assumed to be a product for the
city residents. The rural population is more likely to feed on organic food products compared to
the urban residents (Eyvrigh, 2016). The firm should focus on the production of organic products
to attract customers from rural setups.
New Secondary Target Market
The second new target market for Chick-fil-A should be college and high school students
who are located in different parts of the country. The students are a prime target group m because
of their feeding habits and lifestyle inclinations. The students have a higher affinity for fast foods
compared to other segments of the population. The students have a high purchasing power from
the funds they get from their parents and guardians. Targeting the students will help to boost the
sales for the chicken products hence high marginal returns (Crick & Crick, 2020). The students
are potential consumers of fancy and juicy foodstuffs in their parties, making them prime targets.
Students are ever outgoing and explorative thus they would want to have a taste of the new
products introduced in the market.
Demographic & Economic Trends
The dietary habits of the American people keep on changing every day. People are ever
frugal on what they eat from the catering services. People would want to take meals that are free
of fats to avoid cases of obesity and diabetes. The firm should diversify to include this new
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development in the marketing strategy to retain a substantial customer base. People are also
concerned with the quantity and quality of meals they consume every day. Quality overlaps
quantity when making decisions on what to feed.
The consumption trend in America is on a downward trend as a result of the current
pandemic. The disease has destabilized people economic-wise, thus the low consumption levels.
The firm should address this problem by adjusting its production output as well as the market
prices (Olson, Slater, Hult & Olson, 2018). The pricing strategy should cushion the consumers
from the effects presented by the pandemic. The economy is adversely affected by the pandemic,
which is evidenced by the low stock returns during this period.
Analyzing the Consumer Market
Social Factors
The Americans are changing from the traditional consumption habit where meals were
prepared and served in the house. Most people nowadays prefer to order food and have it
delivered to the doorstep. Many eateries and large restaurants have diversified and adopted this
habit, a plus to the Chick-fil-A marketing mix. People would prefer purchasing packed food for
occasions and adventurous trips other than preparing and carrying the meals (Eyvrigh, 2016).
The changes in customer consumption habits are a plus to the disruptive marketing plan.
Psychological Factors
The customers are always ambitious to taste new or improved products reaching the
market. The disruptive marketing strategy will ensure the introduction of new and improved
products in terms of quality. The customers are likely to consume more in their quest to try the
new product. Chick-fil-A is an established brand name; therefore, the customers are likely to be
confident trying new products from the firm (Ananda et al., 2016). The firm’s products are
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already known to most of the people in the country; thus, the marketing strategy will gain from
the existing customer loyalty.
Customer Needs
The customer needs are diverse and keep changing every day, thus the need to diversify
to meet these changing demands. The Americans are shifting from feeding on red meat to white
meat because of the prevailing health problems people are facing in the country. Red meat is
associated with heart-related diseases, forcing many people to shift to eating white meat (Kotler,
2016). People are willing to explore new products in the market, which is the idea behind the
disruptive marketing plan by Chick-fil-A management.
The customers want a shift from the normal to make life enjoyable. It is boring to keep
eating the same taste/product for years. The form should work to overcome this setback by
becoming innovative in the production and marketing strategy. People are slowly shifting from
red meat to white meat, a thing that the company should take advantage of to maximize profits
(Crick & Crick, 2020). Taking advantage of the consumption trend in America would work best
to increase the average sales for the entire organization.
Positioning
The new positioning statement for this brand is to consume more at relatively low prices.
The quality of the products is not changing, but the prices have been reviewed to enhance
customer satisfaction.
Competition
Criteria for
Comparison
Your BRAND Your BRAND After
This New Disruptive
Idea is Launched
Competitor # 1 –
name that brand
Price - MSRP
Range
Spicy Deluxe
Sandwich
The recommended
manufacturers
Suggested Retail
Grilled chicken
sandwich
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Price drops to $499
from $520
Product Unique
Attributes
Made of sea salt,
garlic, savory herbs,
and lemon
Introduction of butter
oil in the ingredients
Use of normal
cooking oil.
Placement – points
of distribution
Available at the
various sale points in
the country
Available at the
distribution chain
store as well as home
delivered to the rural
setups.
Available in the
urban distribution
stores only
Promotion – where /
how do they
advertise
Traditional
advertising platforms
Modern social media
platforms and
customized add-ins in
web browsers and
other internet sites
Traditional
advertisement
Other Items of
Comparison
(replace with YOUR
comparison point)
Delicious and cheap Yummy and more
creamy.
Improved taste and
reduced price
Usual delicacy.
The distribution strategy is improved to meet the changing customer demands. Chick-fit-
A will be starting an upcountry delivery unit to reach the many people living in the rural areas.
The initiative seeks to bring the city close to the rural residents. For a long time, these products
have been perceived to be a thing of the urban residents, but the feeling has been moved to reach
the rural citizens (Ananda et al., 2016). It is no longer necessary to travel to the city to have a
chicken sandwich. It will be delivered right to your doorstep at the most affordable price.
Market Research Plans
The market research for the new product will be conducted during the summer-fall of
2021. The research will take place in Atlanta, where the first Chick-fil-A restaurant was
established in 1967. The research will include the students and the rural residents in the state. A
customer satisfaction survey will be employed to collect the data for analysis. Samples will be
drawn randomly from customers visiting the eatery during operation hours (Mehra & Coleman,
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2016). A questionnaire will be administered online after the customer consents to take part in the
survey.
The questionnaire will include questions on the level of satisfaction with the current
products in the market. It will also include what the customers feel should be included to make
their experience more enjoyable. The questions will also include the areas that need to be
improved to enhance customer satisfaction in relation to what the competitors are offering
(Olson et al., 2018). During the summer most of the people are on their holiday making it easy to
reach them. This the time when most of the people are out of the normal working schedules, thus
requiring the purchase of fast foods.
Promotion Plans
Chick-Fil-A will embrace modern technology to reach a vast customer base across the
continent. The strategy will seek to gain additional advantages from the traditional advertising
methods that include traditional advertising channels and social media (Blythe & Martin, 2019).
The traditional television advertisement will include three-dimensional images and graphics in
line with the modern advertising demands.
Social media will be significantly used as most of the people in the country have access
to one or most of the social media platforms in the country (Eyvrigh, 2016). Modern billboards
and banners will be placed strategically to notify the customers of the restaurants’ in different
locations across the continent. Chick-Fil-A fast-food company will improve the promotion
markets by ensuring they reach consumers at the right place and the right time.
Social Marketing
Social media is the center for modern advertisement across the world. People are used to
social media more than traditional telecommunication platforms. Almost every adult citizen in
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American owns a smartphone, making it easy to reach a large number of customers within a
short time frame (Kotler, 2016). The new product will support the social media platform as a
critical medium for meeting its customers. The firm will encourage the social media platforms to
adopt a global outlook so as to reach customers within and beyond the boundaries.
Public Relations
The firm will adopt free promotional messages that will be distributed on social media by
creating ads on the internet. The free ads will ensure that whenever an individual is online, they
are able to see the firm's adverts. The firm will engage private and public partnerships with
sporting teams to increase its base. The restaurant should be an official sponsor of some sporting
activity to increase its visibility to customers (Blythe & Martin, 2019). These partnership
initiatives will ensure that the firm's products are frequently aired on modern telecommunication
platforms.
This will ensure that the firms’ products are frequently visible to the customer. It will
ensure that the customers are informed about the products and the benefits they present to the
market. Advertisement in the social media platforms will ensure that the products are available to
the public for them to make informed decisions on the consumption approach to adopt.
Traditional Marketing
The traditional marketing strategies include traditional advertising channels, social
media, and involvement in community activities. The common traditional media include
television advertisements, sponsorships, and billboards. A new product in the market will require
extensive familiarization with its potential consumers. Free promotional messages will be
distributed on social media by creating ads in the internet resources (Blythe & Martin, 2019).
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The free ads will ensure that whenever an individual is online, they are able to locate the firms'
information.
Billboards will be used to direct customers to areas with Chick-fil-A restaurants. The
billboards will be strategically placed to capture consumers' attention and alert them that they
about find a Chick-fil-A restaurant. Messages will be shared on traditional social media
platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to influence customers to purchase products from the
restaurant (Kotler, 2016). While these methods are effective, the fast-food company should
improve the promotion markets by ensuring they reach consumers at the right place and the right
time.
Financial Viability of Plan
The disruptive marketing idea will boost the organizational profit margins during the
tough moments as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. Many businesses are undergoing
challenging moments due to the ailing economic situations across the globe. The approach will
help the firm reach more customers, increasing its productivity (Crick & Crick, 2020). The plan
will enhance the firms' sustainability by increasing the current market share in the food
production market.
Increased number of customers will translate to increased sales which improve the profit
margins. The production cost may increase due to the introduction of new production,
promotion, and pricing strategy, but this will have a long-term competitive advantage. There will
be a resulting increase in the number of sales, which will increase the overall marginal profits.
Failing to launch the initiative will lead to stiff competition from the existing brands in the
market (Eyvrigh, 2016). Differentiation of products serves to kill the boredom of doing and the
same thing over a long time. There is a need to inject a little more of the firm's financial
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requirements in the production and marketing strategy to gain increased profit margins and
market share.
Relationship Marketing
Building a working relationship with the existing customer base is key for the success of
any business. The firm should maintain sound working engagement between its clients and
employees. This creates a conducive atmosphere to do business transactions. Customers play a
vital role in the growth and sustainability of businesses. The firm should strive to reach more
customers as well as retaining the existing ones (Ananda et al., 2016). The firm should ensure
customer satisfaction at all times for working relationships both in the short and long run. The
business should involve the local community where it operates on a daily operation. Hiring
people from the local community where the restaurant is situated helps to enhance community
participation.
Socially Responsible Marketing
The firm should identify gaps in the surrounding communities and strive to resolve the
problems to ensure a peaceful existence with the local communities. The firm should involve the
community in the decision-making process regarding the community's needs and demands. The
firm should conduct its business in a manner that is acceptable and accommodative to the local
cultural beliefs of the citizens (Blythe & Martin, 2019). The firm's operations should be guided
by the legal and ethical jurisdiction of the local community.
The firm should provide the missing social amenities in the areas they operate. The firm
should participate in philanthropic activities geared towards environmental protection. The firm
should strive to make the environment fit for human inhibition. The firm should participate in
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community empowerment projects such as supporting the construction of roads, schools,
healthcare centers, and community recreation facilities (Crick & Crick, 2020).
Marketing and Christian Integration for Brand.
Chick-fil-A restaurants have a proven culture of closing every Sunday. The founder of
the restaurant was a churchman who believed in the will bein of its employees. Sunday is a
dedicated day for the employees to pray and rest. Having worked for seven days a week, it is
profound to take a one-day rest to re-energize for the coming week.
Christian Integration for Brand
The firm encourages and has lived the Christian value of closing on Sundays since it was
established to date. All the employees and the management are supposed to take a mandatory rest
every Sunday. This helps the employees prepare for the week ahead and find time to spend with
family and friends (Olson et al., 2018). The management will encourage adherence to Christian
values in the line of duty at the organization. This is in line with the founding father of the
restaurant.
Recommendations
If I was named the brand manager for Chick-fil-A restaurants product/services, I would
ensure that this disruptive marketing plan is implemented to ensure the continuity of the business
goals. I would encourage healthy competition with the existing competitors for mutual
coexistence in the business world (Kotler, 2016). I would ensure that there are continuous and
effective customer-oriented services that meet the customer demands. As the manager, I would
ensure that both the employees and customers are well motivated and satisfied with the services
offered to encourage the smooth running of business processes.
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I would strive to ensure that the surrounding community is part of the running process for
the organization. I would take the community's needs as a responsibility of the firm and work to
resolve what is within the organizational means. I would ensure state-of-the-art products and
service to the customers at all times to increase the customer experience with our organization.
Conclusion
Organizations need to adopt new marketing strategies to keep afloat with the emerging
and changing dynamics in the business world. Every day is a changing moment for the way
businesses are handled. Customer demands keep on changing as technology advances. It is
critical for the contemporary business manager to keep updated on the prevailing changes and
diversity to meet the changing demands. The sustainability of any business is guided by the
responsiveness of the business to the changing environment. Both internal and external factors
affect the running activities of the business, which calls for the management to always remain
watchful and work to resolve these issues.
Marketing plays an important role in the productivity role of any business. The modern
organizational management teams should adopt viable marketing strategies that match the
existing demands. Technology is advancing every day, forcing the organizational leadership to
move with speed to incorporate technology in the daily running process for the organizations.
Corporate social responsibility is a noble undertaking for the modern business to create a link
between the business and the local community where the business is operating.
References
DISRUPTIVE MARKETING PLAN 18
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abstract_id=2974607
