Executive Summary
There are so many people, who prefer flights. Besides, there are many people, who prefer comfort during flight. That is why Emirates Airlines is the international carrier that has already changed the essence of the public aviation industry. The company puts the interest of consumers in the first place and uses the idea of an open global economy as a possibility of the economic growth, appropriate employment, and fair trade (Our company 2015). The current marketing plan is developed to support a project offered to the company. It is suggested to introduce a new product, a label kennel for transportation pets together with their owners.
There are many airlines that offer their passengers the possibility to transfer animals in a specially developed zone. However, there are many cases when consumers are eager to be as close to their pets as possible. Emirates Airlines is a powerful company with a number of abilities to provide their consumers with. That is why it is offered to think about the introduction of special kennels that can be used by people in their private cabins. Such flights may become more comfortable and interesting for the customers. Emirates Airlines should create a new standard according to which all services can be improved.
This paper aims at developing a marketing plan for the introduction of a new product that can encourage the development of a new service if it is approved and launched properly. The introduction of kennels for transportation pets is based on the SWOT and PEST analyses, the evaluation of the company’s history and missions, and the identification of other factors that can help to improve the project. This project is not only an attempt to impress consumers. It is a chance for Emirates Airline to prove its qualification and readiness to meet the needs of its consumers.
Introduction
Planning plays one of the most important roles in management (Westwood 2013). A good manager has to know how to behave when to promote change, and why to hire specialists in different departments. For example, it is very important for a company to have a prominent marketing analyst, who is able to create a captivating and effective marketing plan to help the organisation to increase revenues. In the current marketing report, Emirates Airlines is the company chosen for consideration.
Emirates Airlines is a well-known organisation with a number of exclusive services for its customers. The company takes care of the quality of every service offered. Though the prices are high, they correspond to the premium quality offered. However, sometimes, the success of the company and the possibility of benefits depend on some small details that do not cost a lot, still, can mean a lot to ordinary people. The current project is an attempt to make of such details and offer Emirates Airlines several ideas to succeed.
Goal of the Marketing Plan
The main goal of this marketing plan is to investigate the chosen company (Emirates Airlines) and offer a product that has not been used by the company before but has to be enhanced to promote benefits. This report is designed to implement a new marketing strategy and introduce a new product that can touch upon a number of human factors and provide passengers with new opportunities. The point is that there are many airlines that support the idea of pet travelling. Emirates Airlines do not share this initiative. That is why it is possible to think about the production of safe travel kennels for animals in special aeroplanes of the company. The evaluation of the current achievements of the company its history, missions, and the analyses of its activities can help to create a powerful basis for the creation of such product as kennels for travels that should be available to the consumers of the company.
Company’s Brief History and Mission
Emirates Airlines was founded in the middle of the 1980s when all Dubai flights had been scaled back by Gulf Air (History 2015). However, some representatives of the royal family did not want to follow the standards that were expected. It was necessary to promote changes, and a group of people founded a small airline with two Boeing 727s. In several months, the company with $10 million as a startup capital entered the aviation industry and showed people what it meant to have high-quality services on board. From the very beginning, the company introduced itself as a powerful body with certain ambitions and intentions to please customers. It was not enough to offer credible services and products. It was more important to underline the level of quality and the possibilities available.
Emirates Airlines is famous due to its mission, values, and visions. The company promotes the Emirates Airline Foundation that aims at providing food at various charities in Gampola or improving the education system for underprivileged children (Our company 2015). Such foundations prove that Emirates Airlines is ready to share its incomes and has a good explanation of the prices set for flights.
Current Products
Today, Emirates Airlines is known around the whole world due to its luxury services like private cabins for passengers, high-technological opportunities, and the ability to take a shower during flight. Besides, Emirates Airlines’ passengers are able to enjoy high-quality services offered by stewards/stewardesses, visit a restaurant on board and try a new cocktail, and be sure children can have the required portion of entertainment with properly trained personnel. There is also a special store where passengers can buy special production of the company and share their experience with the others. People can buy:
- T-shirts with a label of the company;
- Pens and pencils;
- Some travelling accessory;
- Toys for children;
- Travelling dishes, etc.
Factors that Influence Product Demand
There are many factors that may influence the demand for the products and services offered by Emirates Airlines. They have different nature depending on the needs of customers and their origins. In spite of the fact that Emirates Airlines is the UAE company, there are many Europeans and Americans, who like using the services of the company. The main factor of the product demand is the desire to have high-quality (premium) services during flights. There are many business people, who have to spend much time in the sky and overcome a number of miles. There is a burning necessity to have a shower and space to feel comfort and satisfaction. Emirates Airlines prove that it is possible to enjoy every minute of flight with this company.
Another factor is the price. People realise that too high prices set by the company should have a reason. Emirates Airlines’ passengers are provided with the guarantees and choices. Such opportunities attract the attention of many people. The demand for services also depends on the accessibility to the services. Potential customers are free to observe and analyse all their opportunities online from any part of the world. Finally, the combination of services and products is the reason for why people prefer to address the company and be sure to get the required portion of help. Emirates Airlines is not only about the flights and comfort. The company also takes care of the methods of how passengers get to the airport and offer chauffeur-driven services.
SWOT and PEST Analysis
SWOT
SWOT analysis is the possibility to understand strong and weak aspects of the company and clarify the opportunities and threats in regards to internal and external conditions (Dibb & Simkin 2008). The following table shows the concepts that should be considered in Emirates Airlines marketing analysis.
All these threats, opportunities, weaknesses, and strengths prove that the company is developing and is able to overcome all possible challenges and introduce interesting ideas to attract customers and provide them with the services they expect to get. In fact, it is not an easy task to create an aviation company and develop it for a long period of time without some losses or mistakes. Emirates Airlines is the example of how to choose a good direction once and stick to it all the time.
PEST
PEST analysis touches upon various political, economic, social, and technological issues of the company. The results of the PEST analysis of Emirates Airlines show that the company is ready for the challenges caused by different external factors and can use its internal opportunities to introduce the best services. The following table contains brief facts about four main issues of the PEST analysis.
All these factors are considered by the company to make sure it offers the best possible services to its customers.
Recommendations
The existing competitions and the necessity to provide consumers with a variety of services make Emirates Airlines consider more new options and ideas for their customers. PEST and SWOT analyses show that the company has a solid consumer database and several strong international relations. However, its main challenge is to overcome the challenges caused by the abilities of other companies to introduce captivating and necessary services and products all the time. It is recommended to overview the cultural and social basis of the company and think about the promotion of a new service such as the transportation of pets with their owners. It is not necessary to start recommending the service itself. It is possible to begin with marketing one of the essential for such service product: Emirates’ kennels for different pets especially for those, who choose a particular airline.
Consumer Analysis
Nowadays, Emirates Airlines offers more than 170 aircrafts with over 120 destinations in 70 countries around the whole world.
Cultural variables
The company is not prejudiced with some cultural aspects or traditions. In spite of the fact that there are more than 50,000 employees (almost all of them are the citizens of the UAE), the company is ready to provide people from different countries with a considerable amount of services.
Socio-economic variables
Many Americans prefer Emirates Airlines due to the quality of services established on board. A number of rich Arabs with their wives choose this airline as the possibility to have the necessary privacy. The only disadvantage is the impossibility for people of low and middle (sometimes) classes use the services offered. The price policy chosen by Emirates Airlines is one of the most expensive. Still, it is explained by the level of quality offered.
Psychographic variables
Families also prefer to use the services of this airline because of the possibilities they can have during flight. A certain attention to young passengers impresses people.
Geographic variables
The already launched marketing campaign Hello Tomorrow is the possibility to connect people around the whole world and provide them with an opportunity to share their cultural backgrounds in a short period of time (Hello tomorrow 2015).
Global variables
The consumer analysis proves that Emirates have already achieved some global issues and introduce their customers as successful globalists. Now, it is time to consider some personal issues and make sure consumers are satisfied in all directions.
Psychological variables
According to the hierarchy of needs introduced by Maslow (2013), Emirates’ passengers are satisfied with the physiological, safety, esteem, and self-actualisation needs. Family and belonging needs, as well as self-transcendence needs, are more personal, and the airline cannot be sure that such types of needs can be met. Still, the company tries to do its best to promote comfort.
Competitive Analysis
Direct Competitors
As the national carrier in the UAE, Emirates Airlines has to be ready for a serious competition with other representatives of the same sphere. For example, its direct competitors are the companies that introduce the same services and try to achieve the same standards. In the UAE, Emirates Airlines should pay more attention to the services offered by Etihad Airways or Saudia and Qatar Airways. There are also many international competitors like British Airways, Malaysia Airlines, or Philippine Airlines. At the same time, it is necessary to consider the opportunities offered by Animal Airways to its consumers. People have already known that it is possible to travel with their lovely pets. Emirates Airlines may disappoint their consumers with the inabilities to have the same service and but the required products.
Indirect Competitors
Regarding the direction of a new service and the presentation of a new product, it is possible to admit that some specialised stores and animal clinics may become the main indirect competitors. For example, health certificates that are necessary for pets, special kennels that are obligatory for transportation, the additional accessory for animals can be offered directly by the company or other organisations. The presence of such indirect competitors should be considered to realise what prices can be set and how Emirates Airlines can earn on the possibility to travel with pets using the best services.
Product
It is high time to say stop to leaving a dog or a cat at home when there is a necessity to travel. There is no necessity to spend much time thinking about how to organise transportation for a pet. It is not necessary to waste time visiting special clinics and searching for the certificates. Everything should be offered by one airline. The company has to take care of all consumers’ needs, and the desire to travel with animals cannot be ignored.
Emirates Airlines introduces itself as a powerful company with high-quality services for its passengers. It is not possible for the company to offer some plastic kennels for animal transportation. It is a chance to provide an animal with high-quality services and opportunities. An aluminium kennel is a new product offered by Emirates Airlines consumers. Its main characteristics are light weight, large vents, and T-handle. Pets will feel comfort and satisfaction because of a chance to travel with their owners. Owners are satisfied with a chance to observe their pets during a trip.
There is a list of the details that have to be mentioned about the product:
- Material: Diamond tread aluminium
- Size: 17” (w)x 24” (l) x 18” (t)
Additional characteristics: insulated, carrying handle, additional looking window, good-looking, appropriate for transportation of dogs, cats, and other pets.
Pricing
The analysis of the price is a crucial step that should be taken into consideration. There are several factors that may influence the establishment of the prices. The most crucial are:
- The identification of a kennel’s supplier;
- The number of products that can be offered to one passenger.
There are many companies that are eager to offer their products to airline companies: food, dishes, accessory, clothes, etc. A transportation kennel is also a product that has to be delivered by another company to Emirates Airlines. The company has huge incomes, supports high-quality services, and promotes the ideas of comfortable travels. It is not a too expensive solution to introduce a new product that can become a basis for a new line of services (the PA (Pet Allowed) initiative).
Emirates Airlines already has Emirates SkyCargo with the help of which transportation of animals can be organised separately from their owners. However, passengers are not allowed to control the conditions under which animals are carried. People want to be more confident in the services they use. Animal Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines are the main competitors for Emirates Airlines as these organisations have already developed the possibility to travel with cats and dogs.
The current marketing plan is not about the services offered to passengers and their pets. This project is developed to understand if it is reasonable to present a new product, a special kennel for pets’ transportation. The following table introduces the comparison of prices offered by different companies.
The analysis of the prices shows that it is possible to set $200-300 per one kennel. The size can be changed, as well as its prices.
Place
The product under consideration can be available at the airport where the company is presented. Customers may also buy the product online addressing the store of the company.
There is no necessity to involve some intermediaries: just the representatives of the company should check the presence of the product in the store and consider the details of delivery.
This online marketing strategy is explained by the necessity to inform as many people as possible about the possibility to travel with pets using the product offered by the company: a specially designed kennel for a pet.
Promotion
Plan
There are many ways of how promotion of the product can be organised. The current project helps to identify the most appropriate ways of how the company can offer kennels to its consumers. The following promotional plan should be followed:
- The identification of a product;
- The creation of a slogan;
- The development of a print ad that can be introduced to passengers on board and in the streets;
- The evaluation of the services that can be available to consumers with the product;
- The explanation of the benefits that can be offered to people, who choose the product.
To make the product known to people, it is necessary to offer a video presentation, to create a print advertisement that can be introduced to all passengers and mentioned in newspapers or magazines, or to create a powerful image with an appropriate link with the explanation of the product’s worth.
Advertisement
Summary
The peculiar feature of this ad is its childish nature. Emirates Airlines have already proved its high-level quality. Now, it is time to demonstrate how careful and attentive the organisation can be to its consumers. Emirates Airlines should serve as an example for other companies on how to combine services, quality, and a human factor to attract more people. This ad can be technologically approved with each element of the picture appearing separately. The main task is to explain that an ordinary transportation kennel can be the key to human happiness, and this happiness is possible with Emirates Airlines.
Timing and Budget Section
Timing to Be Launched
There is no necessity to postpone the introduction of a new product as it can help to develop a new service with time. That is why two months are offered to launch the product and introduce it to potential and regular customers:
- A half of a month is for the introduction of the product to the stakeholders and the identification of the details;
- A half of a month is for the communication with potential suppliers and the development of an ad;
- A half of a month is for testing the product;
- A half of a month is for the introduction of the product to public.
There is a threat of delay as the product and its delivery depends not only on the Emirates Airlines’ work. Some portion of work should be done by the suppliers. As soon as the products are created and available to the company, it is possible to deliver them to the store and sell in accordance with the prices set.
Budget
There are two options concerning the budget of the product. On the one hand, it is possible to test the initiative and check how many passengers are eager to use this kind of product with Emirates Airline. Then, it is possible to launch the project and deliver the products directly to the passengers. On the other hand, it is possible to launch the project as soon as it is approved by the managers and the CEO and consider the following table to learn the financial aspect of the project.
In general, the idea to introduce a new product seems to be powerful. People cannot resist their desire to travel with their animals. Nowadays, the role of pets in human lives have been considerably increased, and Emirates Airlines has to comprehend that it is not enough to provide separate travels of passengers’ pets. It is more comfortable and captivating to have a pet at hand and enjoy the trip altogether.
References
Dibb,S & Simkin, L 2008, Marketing planning: a workbook for marketing managers, Cengage Learning EMEA, London, Britain.
‘History’, 2015, Emirates. Web.
‘Hello tomorrow’, 2015, Emirates. Web.
Maslow, AH 2013, A theory of human motivation, Start Publishing LLC, New York.
‘Our company’, 2015, Emirates. Web.
Westwood, J 2013, How to write a marketing plan, Kogan Page Publishers, Philadelphia, PA.