There are three main categories of issues that have an adverse impact on Bernard Matthews’ brand. These include consumer behavior, media issues, and corporate issues. The first category includes the issues that are contingent on the customers’ behavioral patterns and their outlooks. Due to a broad choice of healthy products, Bernard Matthews lost a substantial number of loyal customers. The latter resulted in a decrease in sales. Subsequently, the issues of Bernard Matthews went viral and reached numerous media platforms. Bernard Matthews did not try to state their view on the issue or defend the company’s products. Unsurprisingly, this ended up in an adverse press coverage. Overall, the late response became the key issue that left the customers wondering if they still want to buy Bernard Matthews’ products. On a bigger scale, the company’s attitude resulted in a 30% profit loss. All of the factors combined and resulted in the loss of credibility. This is a major issue, and it should be immediately addressed at all the company’s levels.
First, Bernard Matthews should come up with a strategy to get back on the track with its marketing strategy. The company should pay attention to its brand image and reach out to its online and offline customers in order to identify the key complications inherent in the process. In this case, the recommendation would be to promote the company in social media and build strong relationships with both actual and potential customers. Recently, this type of interaction became one of the most profitable marketing approaches and should be implemented as soon as possible. Second, Bernard Matthews company should review their product mix and provide their customers with a broader selection of products. The company should actively defend its position in the market. The new product lines should be represented by a mix of healthy food items and classic turkey products that made Bernard Matthews recognizable and demanded. Moreover, new product lines would allow the company to conduct online and offline contests for the customers. Valuable prizes and practical involvement should elicit in the customers the necessity to purchase Bernard Matthews’ products and actively participate in the life of the brand.
The combination of a new marketing strategy and an updated product mix would serve as a catalyst for the company and attract new clientele. Nonetheless, the key changes should be performed in the corporate culture of the company and its approach to the business. Bernard Matthews should concentrate on producing healthy food so as to comply with the majority of the customers’ demands. The company should actively promote and defend its products. The latter is essential if Bernard Matthews wants to maintain the image of the brand. Arguably, the company should also seek ways to extend its reach and enter the European market. The current reach of Bernard Matthews is insufficient. The company should also research the market and find ways to conquer the UK market segment as their current reach does not cover the entire country. If we combine these three approaches, we will get an all-inclusive recovery strategy at the output. The company would restore its image among the customers, provide a stable income, and grow its customer base considerably.