Earthborn report

Strategic Marketing and Communication Plan

BA (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Branding Nottingham Trent University Sophie Ottewell N0630284 Word Count: 3997

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I confirm that this work has gained ethical approval and that I have faithfully observed the terms of approval in the conduct of this project.

Signed (Sophie Ottewell) __________________________________________________

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Introduction

70% of consumers take pride in their home with many considering their homes now a place of leisure. (Academic.mintel.com, 2017) This creates an increased demand for products which aid in home improvement. The purpose of this report is to understand how DIY paint brand Earthborn can compete and differentiate themselves within a saturated and evolving market struck by recent environmental regulations. For the sake of this report, the focus will be based on the brands general consumer range, rather than their trade range.

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A three-year strategic marketing plan will be backed up by a one year tactical communication plan which will ultimately aim to increase brand awareness. This will be through promoting the key benefits to the Earthborn brand to each specific consumer type. Both primary and secondary research will be utilised to gain a wider understanding of the DIY market as a whole, and the internal and external market environment.

PAGE OF CONTENTS 04

Introduction

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Methodology

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Who are Earthborn?

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Brand Health

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Marketing Mix

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The Earthborn Consumer

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The Paint & DIY Market

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Competitor & Social Analyis

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The Macro Environment

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SWOT & Key Insights

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Ansoff Matrix

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Strategic Plan

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Communication Plan

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Control & Budgets

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Conclusion

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Methodology RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 1. To gain a deeper understanding of the Earthborn target consumer and their perceptions and attitudes towards the brand.

2. To gain a deeper understanding of the Paint market, specifically within the environmentally friendly and designer paints segment.

3. To gain a deeper understanding of consumer attitudes towards the DIY market.

PRIMARY RESEARCH Quantitative Online Survey (64 responses) An initial online survey was created to gain a deeper understanding into current needs within the paint market, attitudes, and brand perceptions. This was distributed upon interior design Facebook pages in order to try and target consumer interested in DIY.

Social Media Analysis A social audit was conducted using the brands social insights to gain an understanding of who was following the brand on social, which posts performed the best, and where the brands followers were located.

Qualitative Focus Group (6 people) A focus group was conducted which consisted of 6 people. Two of these participants had used and heard of Earthborn before, and the rest had not. All the participants fit into one of the brands consumer target types. The focus group was conducted to understand more about brand perceptions upon initial introduction to the brand.

Ethnography (John Lewis and Homebase Store) Ethnography research was conducted in order to see a contrast in purchase habits of DIY products within DIY stores. An insight was gained into which products were popular with consumers, and how different brands such as Earthborn’s direct competitors marketed themselves within a retail store.

Secondary Research Earthborn Website Trend Reports and Databases (Mintel/Euromonitor) Interior Design and Branding Books

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Who are Earthborn?

Earthborn is a family run business offering high performance, luxury virtually ‘VOC free’ ecopaints. The brand is renowned for it’s transparency, beautiful flat matt colours and it’s unique suitability, with English Heritage recommending Earthborn for their own churches and listed buildings.

MISSION STATEMENT “Earthborn provide stylish, high performance products that are safer to use and sound for the environment. Perhaps more importantly, it is not only what goes into a paint but also what comes out of it that matters.” (Earthborn paints, 2017)

BRAND VALUES

Friendly, Thoughtful, Human, Honest, Colourful, Dependable KEY BRAND BENEFITS

Eco-friendly, Child-friendly, Fashionable 7

Brand Health FINANCIAL OVERVIEW

9.7%

profit increase from 20152016 at £439,558

Marketing Budget:

£90K

Due to being classed a small company, limited information was found in terms of Earthborn’s financial performance and annual turnover. However, figures of profit increase and a marketing budget was provided for the sake of the report.

For the creation of the strategy, it needs to be considered the fact that whilst Earthborn’s competitors are larger brands with bigger budgets, Earthborn needs to grow before they have this capacity. This highlights the importance of the strategy being focused on providing the brand with a platform for them to grow, expand, and increase brand awareness.

18% 40% 70%

of survey had heard of Earthborn of survey knew nothing about Earthborn of survey had heard of competitor Little Greene

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“(Earthborn) makes me think of the colours brown and green – I wouldn’t of thought of all of the bright different colours that paint is usually sold in.”

Focus Group Respondent

The online survey conducted highlighted that Earthborn currently has a low brand awareness within the paint market, especially in comparison to its main competitor Little Greene.

The high number of respondents in which knew nothing about the Earthborn brand and the lack of understanding from focus group respondents highlights the importance for Earthborn to educate consumers on the three key benefits of the brand, that it’s environmentally friendly, child friendly, and fashionable.

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Marketing Mix PRODUCT Earthborn currently sell a wide range of environmentally friendly paints and finishes.

The brand is currently home to four key ranges, all of which are available in the same collection of 77 colours. These consist of: The original Clay-Paint range - Breathable The Eco-Chic paint range – Suitable for upcycling furniture The Lifestyle range – Wipeable and child-friendly The Eco-Pro range – Targeted at builders and professionals

PRICE Earthborn market themselves as provided high-priced designer DIY products.

Earthborn 2.5L - £38 Little Greene 2.5L – £54.50 Dulux 2.5L - £19 Wilkinson’s Own - £10

PLACE Independent Retailers Brewers Decorator Centres

PROMOTION Social Media 4k Facebook Following in comparison to competitors Little Greene’s 15k following.

Product driven coverage in consumer and national titles

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PRODUCT: ANALYSIS Whilst Earthborn currently offer a wide range of paint products, there is a huge opportunity for an expansion of their product offering. A main objective for the brand is to inspire consumers and promote a design-led image, by providing more products within the home sector such as wallpaper, or home accessories, it could make it a lot easier for the brand to promote a design led image.

PRICE: ANALYSIS Earthborn’s current pricing strategy puts the brand in good stead in terms of competition with their competitors. Their significantly lower price point could be a possible reason in which consumers turn to purchase Earthborn paint over Little Green paint.

Whilst the high price still allows for consumers to believe that they are being provided with high quality product.

PLACE: ANALYSIS One of Earthborn’s main downfalls is their lack of presence within a physical high street store, which is an easy and accessible place for consumer to purchase DIY products. The lack of their own retail site also is a downfall for the brand as consumers have nowhere to readily go and purchase Earthborn products when recommended or seen online.

PROMOTION: ANALYSIS The fact that Earthborn’s main form of promotion is heavily reliant on social media shows a huge weakness for the brand. Their lack of a strong social following means that they are limiting themselves in terms of consumer reach and engagement. Also, their lack of an online retail presence means they are aiming to build a brand awareness within a place consumers cannot readily purchase products. This highlights the opportunity and importance of revamping the brands social strategy and utilising this for the launch of a retail site.

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The Earthborn Consumer Being broad, the Earthborn consumer is female and between the ages of 25-35, but being more specific – The Earthborn consumer segments have been created through the utilisation of the three key brand benefits. That the brand is:

Environmentally friendly, Fashionable & Child-friendly By creating consumer audiences influenced by each key benefit, this allows for more specifically targeted ad campaigns.

The Colour/Design Conscious Consumer Heavily influenced by style, Isobel describes herself as creative, and fashion-focused and loves to spend her money on high quality on-trend products.

She doesn’t have a preference on where she purchases products but her busy lifestyle means that most of the time she is restrained to purchasing online.

She has recently become conscious about the environment and her health after her time spent on social media has opened her eyes to the affects her actions can have on herself and the environment.

She isn’t committed to always being environmentally friendly but does her best to do so when she can.

Isobel’s most prized possession is her family home and she takes great pride in keeping it clean and well presented.

Name: Isobel Gender: Female Age: 30 Occupation: Account Manager Education: Business and Marketing degree Marital Status: Married with 2 children Inspired by: Social, Blogs, Magazines and Friends

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“I am never content with the finished outcome of my home and I love updating to experiment and conform to new trends.”

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The Mums With Young Children As a solicitor Laura finds herself extremely busy, meaning she doesn’t always get to spend the amount of time with family that she believes she should and would like to.

She describes herself as bubbly, caring and determined and is not afraid to stand up for what she wants and believes in.

She has worked hard all of her life for her career, so from this she believes that she deserves the very best and is willing to pay the money for this if she believes necessary.

She is a strong believer in caring for the environment and hopes to rub this trait off onto her children.

Her biggest commitment is to keeping her children safe and happy – a consideration she takes into account when purchasing any products – especially for the home.

Her busy lifestyle means she prefers to shop online but she loves to visit smaller villages with independent stores on her days off as a way to get out with the children.

Name: Laura Gender: Female Age: 28 Occupation: Solicitor Education: Law degree Marital Status: Married with 2 children Inspired by: Social, Blogs, Magazines and other mums

“Although leading a busy lifestyle, my priority is committed to keeping my children happy and safe.“

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The Eco-Enthusiasts Currently single, Jane worries about the prospect of never having children but she has never seemed to find the right person to do with.

She describes herself as outspoken and carefree and she loves to travel. This has had a strong effect on her attitude towards the environment. Something she has always cared for, seeing the effects on places she has once travelled to have only made her commitment towards being environmentally friendly stronger.

She doesn’t have a strong preference with where she buys her products as long as they feel right for her.

She likes following trends but they aren’t a huge factor within her life, she prefers to express her own creativity herself – especially within her own home, which she sees as her own creative outlet.

She is always conscious to purchase eco-friendly products, but believes that there is not enough choice to do so on the market – especially for the home.

Name: Jane Gender: Female Age: 35 Occupation: Primary School Teacher Education: Teaching degree Marital Status: Single Inspired by: Social, Blogs, Magazines and the environment

“Money is no object when it comes to purchasing products in which will benefit and/or protect the environment.”

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The Paint & DIY Market Demand for interior paint is forecast to grow 2.9% per year to 535 million gallons in 2020. (Coatings World, 2017) The global green coating marketing is expected to grow at an annual growth rate of 5.1% from 2015 to 2020. (Coatings World, 2017) of survey would like to see more environmentally friendly DIY products on the market.

57%

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Research found that the Paint market, particularly eco-friendly paints, have huge growth potential within the market. Awareness of VOC emissions and their damage on the environment alongside environmental regulations are the key driver of this growth.

VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are found in wide variety of everyday products such as solvent-based paints/coatings, adhesives, sealants, printing inks, many consumer products, organic solvents and petroleum products. The use of VOC-containing products will inadvertently release VOCs which cause air pollution and smog. (Epd.gov.hk, 2017) VOC regulations in which began implementation within 2010 meant that paint manufacturers are limited with the VOC content they are allowed within their products. This has caused for many paint brands to become more and more environmentally friendly to comply – causing an increase in saturation in the environmentally friendly paints market, consequently driving market growth.

Being a ‘virtually VOC free’ brand, Earthborn were not particularly affected by this regulation as their products already conformed. A potential problem for the brand now is that they risk losing their USP as more and more brands consider themselves as being eco-friendly. It highlights the importance for the Earthborn now to not only market how they are still much more eco-friendly than other brands, but also to market their two other key product benefits.

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Consumer DIY Attitudes

70% 60% 40% 61%

of consumers take pride in their home and see it as a place of leisure (Academic.mintel.com, 2017)

of consumers said that instore advice is valuable (Academic.mintel.com, 2017)

of consumers browse online to look for ideas (Academic.mintel.com, 2017)

of consumers agree that shopping online is difficult to judge quality and colour (Academic.mintel.com, 2017) most DIY products purchased

(Academic.mintel.com, 2017)

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Internet retailing is more valuable in the premium segment (Academic.mintel.com, 2017) It is not only important to understand market segments and their current growth potential, but also how consumers are reacting within the current market in terms of their purchase habits, and decisions.

Consumers viewing their homes as a place of leisure provides a key insight into why they may choose to renovate their home. High quality products may become more and more important to consumers as staying at home becomes more of a past time, rather than a chore.

Consumer research indicates a high interest in shopping in physical stores for DIY products rather than online. This allows for consumers to select the right colours for their home, and to be provided with personalised interior styling advice and recommendations. Instead, online sites are used for browsing with initial purchase decisions made in store. Initially, this may point towards the importance of Earthborn having a physical high-street retail presence, not only to respond to consumer demand and increase brand awareness, but also to be in line with their competitors. However, for a brand with a small budget a physical store may not be feasible for a short-term strategy, and an online retail presence may be the quickest way to reach out to consumers, whilst building their brand awareness online through a fully integrated social strategy.

Internet retailing is more valuable in the premium segment, also showing that Earthborn’s high priced designer feel, gives them the opportunity to be successful in creating a retail site of their own.

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Competitor Analysis

The perceptual map displays how VOC regulations has influenced paint brands becoming more and more environmentally friendly. Whilst Earthborn are still amongst the most environmentally friendly brands with the lowest VOC content in their products, there are still a variety of other brands competing for this position within the designer paints market – with the two main competitors being Little Greene and Farrow & Ball.

The brands primary competitors are considered within the Designer Paints market – Farrow and Ball, and Little Greene.

The advantage that these brands have over Earthborn is their higher brand awareness, and ultimately higher budgets. The likes of these brands are a lot more advanced than Earthborn in terms of the products they sell, where they are sold, and the services they offer to consumers.

All the above-mentioned brands have their own showrooms, their own online website capable of fulfilling orders, and a strong social following. Currently, Earthborn’s lack of involvement within all of the above areas hinders their ability to compete within the market.

However, within the eco-friendly paint market, Earthborn now hold too much of a strong ‘trend-led’ and ‘designer’ feel – leaving them struggling to compete within either category.

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The annual turnover of Earthborn was unable to be compared to it’s competitors as being classed as a small company means they are not required to disclose this information within their public accounts. This however shows how a strategy needs to be considered in which considers the brands small budget.

Earthborn’s competitors are an example of how the brand may want to move forward for a long-term strategy (such as opening showrooms, offering design consultations, retailing within a big brand name such as John Lewis), however, limited budgets require Earthborn to build themselves a better platform before they are able to do this. This initially means utilising their current offering and marketing budget to build a stronger brand awareness.

Summary Statement

Earthborn

Little Greene

Farrow & Ball

Earthborn paints combine style, high performance and environmental values. Earthborn paints are designed to provide a healthier and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional paints.

Little Greene is an independent, British paint manufacturer, committed to the socially and environmentally responsible production of high quality paints and wallpapers. (Little Greene, 2016)

Farrow & Ball is a manufacturer and retailer of premium paints and handcrafted wallpapers and is one of a few remaining manufacturers to make all of the paint and wallpaper sold under its name. From small beginnings, we’ve grown into a global brand with a large following of customers, all of whom appreciate the unique ‘Farrow & Ball look’. (Facebook.

(Earthborn paints, 2017)

com, 2017) Brand Awareness (Survey Results)

18%

40%

83%

Paint Colour Range

77 Shades

Paint Price (2.5L)

£38

191 Shades £54.50

132 Shades £43.50

Products/Services

Eco-Paint, Brushes, Other Coatings (i.e Primer etc)

Eco-Paint, EcoWallpaper, Colour Consultancy

Eco-Paint, Primers & Undercoats, Brushes & Rollers, Eco-Wallpaper, Interior Design Books, Colour Consultancy

Highest Social Following

4k - Facebook

36.1k - Instagram

426k - Facebook

Retail Presence

Independent Stores across the UK, Sample Pot orders on website, Brewers Decorator Centres

London, Munich & Paris Based Showroom, John Lewis Stores, Full stock available on own website, Brewers Decorator Centres, Independent Retailers

31 UK Showrooms, 14 Europe Showrooms, 17 North America & Canada Showrooms, Homebase, B&Q, Brewers Decorator Centres, Independent Retailers

Annual Turnover (Rounded)

N/A

18 million

66 million

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Social Analysis A social audit was conducted to understand more about Earthborn’s current following and how they are performing on their social channels. In comparison to their competitors, Earthborn are lacking significantly in terms of engagement, following, and post activity.

This displays Earthborn’s need for a new social strategy which involves them increasing the amount of posts per day in an attempt to increase customer engagement.

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram insights highlighted areas such as London, Manchester, and Bristol to be amongst the areas with the top brand following. The East Midlands proved to be the area with the lowest. (Appendix 2) A further consider of the brands current stockist information (Appendix 3) displays Earthborn’s lack of presence within independent retailers within the area of the East Midlands, which may describe why this is a location the brand currently has a low brand awareness.

With the only stockist being trade Brewers Decorator Centres. The areas of London and Manchester are amongst the most saturated in terms of presence within independent retail locations.

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Macro Trends ETHICAL CONSUMPTION “Consumer decisions are made more conscientiously than in the past, and have become a status symbol.” (trendone.com, 2017) Ethical consumption refers to consumers new found awareness of how products are both manufactured, sold and used. Consumers are now more likely to steer away from a purchase if their ethical and environmental values are not fully met and stand proud in these decisions. As an environmentally friendly brand (holding this statement as their USP), Earthborn stand good stead in appealing to this growing trend, and therefore it is in their utmost interest to further solidify their acceptance from this consumer type by ensuring all practises within they undertake are both environmentally friendly and ethical. By deciding to not conform to the practises within this trend, Earthborn would lose sense of brand authority.

RECONOMY (trendone.com, 2017) Linking with Ethical Consumption, Reconomy refers to solutions in helping the environment which involve the re-use of a product or material. “Reuse, Reduce, Recycle” is one example of this. The opportunity that this poses for Earthborn links in with their retailing of paints used to up-cycle furniture. By actively promoting this activity and opportunity for their consumers, they can provide them with solutions to certifying their environmentally friendly self.

BRICKS & CLICKS “Bricks & Clicks is a retail trend that combines the benefits of stationary retail (Bricks & Mortar) with online shopping (Clicks).“ (trendone.com, 2017) Currently not being home to any retail stores or an online retail site, this trend signifies how Earthborn could currently be limiting themselves in terms of exposure to potential consumers. As a brand with limited awareness it is important for Earthborn to consider a way to incorporate the digital and physical retail experience into their overall marketing strategy to raise awareness of the brand. By combining the two within spaces created by themselves (rather than just within other retail stores and websites) they could not just benefit from a raised brand awareness, but also could deliver a personalised customer experience.

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PESTEL Analysis Factor

Analysis

P

1.

BREXIT

2.

Changing political parties

E

1.

Retail sales are falling at the fastest pace in seven years due to inflation since the referendum.

(Wallace and Chan, 2017)

2.

Low mortgage rates encourage existing borrowers to re-mortgage. (PropertyWire, 2017)

3.

Employment rate is at a record high since 1971. (Gov.uk, 2017)

4.

House prices are set to soar despite an uncertain UK economy.

(Yorkshirepost.co.uk, 2017)

5.

Housing market slow down due to a squeeze on consumers finances. (Fraser, 2017)

1.

Changing Living Concepts(Demo.hypeinnovation.com, 2017)

2.

Social Media

1.

49% of consumers said they like to use technology to plan to decorate their interiors (Academic.mintel.com, 2017)

olitical

conomical

S

ocial

T

echnological

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Currently Earthborn is the only UK brand to carry the EU’s eco accreditation award, something which adds to the eco-friendly USP of Earthborn. No longer being an EU member could possibly mean that Earthborn loses the ability to market this award.

Furthermore, the threat of what will happen when BREXIT is carried out has caused a huge amount of uncertainty within the UK, both politically and economically, meaning a business such as Earthborn should be very cautious when carrying out strategies of growth.

BREXIT has had a negative impact on consumer confidence even before it has been fully implemented. This has caused for inflation rates to rise and consequently retail sales are falling. Being classed as a high-end and high-priced product, this could potentially become a struggle for Earthborn in terms of growth if consumer do not have the confidence to spend excessive amount of money on paint when there are cheaper alternatives currently on the market.

The housing market has recently seen a dramatic slowdown as a result of the referendum which could impact Earthborn both positively and negatively. If consumers aren’t purchasing homes then there may be a lack of need to change homes and therefore a lack of desire to purchase paint products. However, lack of house purchases could also mean that consumers are more likely to renovate their current homes, and will consequently have more money to put towards this.

Changing living concepts surrounds the idea that consumers are now beginning to live a lot more communally. Family households are no longer the gold standard for consumers, which could have an effect on the way homes are decorated, influencing new trends, needs and desires.

Social media is currently the heart of promotion for brands wanting to grow on a small budget.

Proper utilisation of social platforms is crucial to gaining brand awareness and success.

Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with the new and exciting ways technology can be used to influence their home purchase decisions. For example, Ikea made us of VR when they introduced the use of an app within their catalogue. Applications such as room visualizers are being implanted on brand websites which aim to shift consumers current perception of not being able to judge quality online.

Environmental

L

egal

1.

VOC Emissions

2.

Global Warming

3.

Consumer Attitudes

1.

VOC Legislation

The collection of concepts such as Global Warming and VOC Emissions is increasingly influencing consumers and their purchase decisions.

Consumers now want to know the effect that their purchases are having on the environment, a plus for Earthborn as they are a very transparent brand in terms of what goes into and what comes out of their products.

VOC legislations now require paint products to contain a very low VOC content. This was once before one of the USP’s of the Earthborn brand, but with brands now having to be more and more environmentally friendly – it’s important for Earthborn to demonstrate to consumers why they are a great brand, other than just the fact that they are environmentally friendly.

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Being environmentally friendly is something that consumers are now interested in which allows for a positive way and opportunity for Earthborn to grow as a brand within the market.

S w

1.

2.

3.

4.

Virtually ‘VOC’ free product - environmentally friendly Range of product benefits Lower price point in comparison to competitors Wide product range (in the paint market)

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Lack of brand awareness Lack of brand understanding Lack of own retail site Small social following and engagement Lack of presence within high street retail stores Lack of own showroom

Strengths

Weaknesses

O T

Opportunities

Threats

1.

High consumer interest in environmentally friendly decorating products 2.

Educating consumers 3.

Blogger Interactions and promotion – utilising social media 4.

Expansion into mainstream retailers 5.

Product range extension 6.

Lack of own showroom 1.

2.

3.

4.

VOC Regulations Strong Competition Changing Living Concepts BREXIT – House Buying Prices – Consumer Uncertainty

ANALYSIS The SWOT analysis is ranked to show the key strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats for Earthborn. Their ‘virtually VOC free’ products exist to be the top strength for the brand, and one in which they should ensure they use strategically within their marketing efforts. Earthborn need to consider how they can utilise this benefit to eliminate their weaknesses. For example, creating a campaign which educates consumers on Earthborn being VOC free and why this is relevant to consumers will aim to not only increase brand awareness but also brand understanding. A key threat to the brand is VOC regulations resulting in paint brands now becoming increasingly eco-friendly, so this highlights the ability to market the second strength of the product also having a range of other benefits, showing how Earthborn isn’t just a one benefit product.

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Key Insights 1. VOC regulations encouraging paint brands to become eco-friendly is making it harder for Earthborn to stand out and sell their USP, highlighting the importance of marketing other key brand benefits.

2. Earthborn currently has a low brand awareness within the East Midlands due to a lack of stockists within the area.

3. Consumers who are new to the brand misinterpret the brand name and what kind of products that the company may sell. Other consumers have a general misunderstanding of Earthborn & Clay paint as a whole and may need educating on the key benefits to them as individuals.

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Ansoff Matrix Existing Products New Products Existing Markets Market Penetration Expand Colour Range Social Media Campaign Blogger Collaborations Selling Full Sized Products Online Interior and Eco Fairs

Product Development Blogger Collaboration Range Interior Designer Collaboration Range Eco-friendly Wallpaper Range Colour Consultancy Services

Market Development Retail Stores/Showrooms International Expansion

Diversification Home Accessories Range – i.e Earthborn Candle and Home Scents Range Upcycled Furniture Fashion Collaboration – Collaboration with fashion designer to create a range of products inspired by Earthborn colours.

New Markets

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ANALYSIS Considering Earthborn’s current financial situation, Market Penetration would be the best strategic option going forward. Product and market development may have been some more beneficial strategies for Earthborn in terms of broadening their offering and increasing brand awareness but they point towards a longer-term strategy for the brand.

Therefore, by focusing on Market Penetration for the short-term strategy the brand can build up their financials and awareness in order to be able to have the scope and financials to introduce new product ranges and physical retail stores of their own within the future.

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Strategy

The Strategy A long-term strategy for Earthborn would be to consider how they can compete directly with the likes of Farrow & Ball and Little Greene. Within their current financial situation, low budgets leave them unable to provide the same benefits such as showrooms and presence within main stream retailers. An ideal place for Earthborn to be retailed to gain a strong brand awareness whilst portraying a design-led and high-end image would be John Lewis. Being based within a retail store will allow for personalised advice to be given to consumers upon purchasing and will allow for customers to feel like they are being offered a service as well as a product.

Therefore, the short-term strategy should focus on Earthborn building brand awareness using a small budget in which will give them a platform and hopefully more financial aid to think about expanding and having the ability to be retailed within a main stream store within the future. Earthborn need to market to consumers the key benefits to the brand, highlighting why they are just as good and if not better, than their strong competition.

KEY RECCOMENDATIONS These following recommendations will form the three-year Earthborn strategic plan. They will aim to not only increase brand awareness specifically within lesser known areas, but also to educate consumers on the Earthborn brand and it’s three key benefits, that it’s: eco-friendly, child-friendly and fashionable. The recommendations are as follows: 1. To increase the number of independent retailers stocking Earthborn full-sized products within lesser known areas such as the East Midlands. A full list of store to target can be found in Appendix 4.

2. To allow for the purchasing of full-sized products on the Earthborn website to provide consumers with a base to purchase Earthborn products directly.

3. To dedicate all marketing materials going forward, including new colour cards and social accounts, to being more vibrant and in line with the colourful brand image a paint company would usually have.

4. To create a fully integrated and targeted social and press campaign strategy which will aim to educate consumers on what Earthborn paint is and what it can offer to the three individual consumer types previously mentioned.

5. To actively get involved with the Interiors and Arts & Crafts community by participating in shows and events. With the first exhibit to be at the Country Living Magazine fair.

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SMART OBJECTIVES 1. To retail within a high profile mainstream retailer such as John Lewis within the next 5 to 10 years.

2. To open a Earthborn Showroom within the next 5 years.

3. To raise brand awareness by 20% over the next 3 years through educating and informing consumers on the key benefits of the Earthborn brand.

4. To increase sales of Earthborn paints by 15% over the next 3 years by increasing the amount of independent retailers across lesser brand known areas and by selling full sized products through the Earthborn website.

5. To increase Earthborn’s social following by 30% over the next year, raising to 40% within the next 3 years through collaborating with bloggers and utilising a user generated content campaign.

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The #EarthbornIs Campaign To increase brand knowledge and awareness by displaying to consumers the key benefit that Earthborn products can have to them.

The #EarthbornIs campaign will form five different elements. This will consist of: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

A Press Stunt A Video Series A Blogger Campaign A Social Giveaway Campaign A Targeted Ad Campaign

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The #EarthbornIs Campaign

THE PRESS STUNT Earthborn will create vibrant street murals within each key city within the East Midlands in which analysis shows the brand to have a low brand awareness: Derby, Nottingham & Leicester.

The aim of the murals is not only to increase brand awareness but also to display the wide range of colours that Earthborn has on offer.

Brand illustrations will be used to form the visuals of the murals to ensure that they are kept on brand and relevant to Earthborn.

Press will be invited to attend the event, and coverage on the day will be utilised to create the second part of the campaign: The Video Series.

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THE VIDEO SERIES A series of time-lapse videos of the murals being painted by artists will be created to be shared as a series on Earthborn’s YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

The videos will involve the artists speaking about what Earthborn means to them and incorporate the hashtag #EarthbornIs.

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The #EarthbornIs Campaign

THE BLOGGER CAMPAIGN A series of images/video’s on Instagram will be created by interior bloggers highlighting what Earthborn means to them – sharing the #EarthbornIs hashtag.

The IOS Application and agency Takumi will be used to send the brief to 50 bloggers across the duration of the campaign as a way to gain a series of quick, relevant and engaging posts.

Takumi campaigns achieve ultra-high engagement rates by mobilizing micro-influencers and letting them choose the campaigns they work on directly through a platform they trust. Takumi optimizes for authenticity and reaches hyperlocal influencers.

(Takumi Blog, 2017) The image demonstrates how using smaller influences can be more cost effective and receive higher engagement levels.

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THE SOCIAL GIVEAWAY As part of the above-mentioned Takumi Brief, the interior bloggers participating will also encourage consumers to share their posts featuring what Earthborn means to them, again the hashtag #EarthbornIs. This will not only form part of a user generated campaign, but also of a competition in which give consumers the chance to create their very own Earthborn paint colour. The most creative entry will be picked amongst participants and they will be invited to visit the Earthborn HQ and mix their very own limited-edition colour which will be sold on the Earthborn website for one week. This will be in line with the launch of the retail site, and will aim to build buzz around the site launching also.

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The #EarthbornIs Campaign THE AD CAMPAIGN Finally, a series of advertisements will be distributed within popular Interior & Home magazines. These advertisements will be targeted at each identified consumer type and will highlight the key benefit of the Earthborn brand to them. These specific ads will be placed within the interior and home magazines which are most relevant to each consumer.

The ads will also be distributed across Facebook in a series of paid advertisements.

Again, individual consumer audiences will be targeted upon ad distribution with a total spend of ÂŁ100 per month over the duration of the year will be spent on each individual advertisement.

The ads will be targeted as follows:

The Colour/Design Conscious: Fashionable benefit Living Etc Magazine Over 5m design conscious fans on Facebook with interests in: Design, Interior Home Decoration, Interior Painting, Home Improvement (Facebook Business, 2017)

The Mums with Young Children: Child-friendly benefit Ideal Home Magazine 2.3m mums on Facebook in the UK with interests in: Parenting, Motherhood, Interior Design, Home & Garden, Paint (Facebook Business, 2017)

The Eco-Enthusiasts: Eco-friendly benefit Country Homes Magazine Over 5m eco-enthusiast on Facebook with interests in: Environmentally friendly, Interior Design, Home and Garden, Country Homes, Paint (Facebook Business, 2017)

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The Social Revamp Together with the #EarthbornIs campaign, the Earthborn social channels will also undertake a makeover to ensure that the brand is displaying to consumers the bright, cheerful and colourful brand that they are. The images show a comparison between Earthborn’s current social posts, and how Earthborn’s social channels may look within the future.

Earthborn will aim to increase posting to at least once a day across all social channels with an aim to increase engagement. Posts will also include motion and call’s to action to encourage the accounts to be more exciting and relatable.

Earthborn will also aim to actively participate within the Interior & Design social community by searching and interacting with the following hashtags: #InteriorDesign #HomeStyle #HomeDecor #Renovation #Colour #Design #InteriorStyling

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Control, Timings & Budgets

CONTROL The maximum amount of marketing budget has not been allocated to leave room for contingency spending. The most successful forms of advertisement will be monitored to allow for extra spending if it is deemed this will make the campaign more successful. For example, if more blogger posts need to be created to encourage more entries from members of the public to the giveaway, or if there needs to be an up in spend on Facebook advertisements.

In the event of issues of mural location sourcing, instead time lapses videos will still be created with an aim for the rest of the campaign to go ahead. However, these murals will then be created in house at the Earthborn HQ.

Colour Cards/New Marketing Materials Mural Artists Bloggers Post Costs Paint Pots (Bloggers/Artists) Facebook Advertisement Campaign Photoshoot LivingEtc Feature Ideal Home Feature Country Living Feature Time Lapse Videos Country Living Fair

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Amount

1 3 50 65 30 1 1 1 1 3 1

Cost Total £30,000 £ 30,000.00 £300 £900 £50 £2,500 £10 £650 £100 £3,000 20,000 20,000 7,700 £7,700 £8,000 £8,000 £7,000 £7,000 £1,000 £3,000 £1,495 £1,495 £ 84,245.00

1st Year 3rd Year 2nd Year 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter3rd Quarter 4th Quarter 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter3rd Quarter 4th Quarter 1st Quarter 2nd Quarter 3rd Quarter 4th Quarter Strategic Timeline Launch Retail Site Target New Retailers Marketing Materials Rebrand Press and Social Campaign Communication Timeline Source Mural Locations Source Artists Mural Creation Time-Lapse Video 1 Launch Time-Lapse Video 2 Launch Time-Lapse Video 3 Launch Blogger Takumi Campaign Social Giveaway Campaign Giveaway Winner Announced Ad Campaign Photoshoot Facebook Ad Distribution Magazine Ad Distribution Limited Edition Paint Launch

TIMINGS

The strategic plan will aim to run over the course of three years, with the communication plan running for one year alongside. The launch of the communication campaign on social will aim to be in line with the launch of the retail site, not only in an aim to gain traction to the site, but also to give consumers somewhere to directly go and purchase products if they are enlightened by Earthborn products on social.

January

Febuary

March

April

May

June

Communication Timeline Source Mural Locations Source Artists Mural Creation Time-Lapse Video 1 Launch Time-Lapse Video 2 Launch Time-Lapse Video 3 Launch Blogger Takumi Campaign Social Giveaway Campaign Giveaway Winner Announced Ad Campaign Photoshoot Facebook Ad Distribution Magazine Ad Distribution Limited Edition Paint Launch Country Living Fair

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July

August

September October

November December

Conclusion In conclusion, the Earthborn strategic and communication plan ultimately aims to give the brand opportunity to grow to compete with its strong competitors. Utilisation of social media will aim to build this awareness with the use of small budgets but with a strong potential for a large reach.

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References & Appendix

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Reference List 1. Academic.mintel.com. (2017). Consumer Trends, Attitudes and Spending Habits for the Home - UK - March 2017. [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/821881/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

2. Earthborn paints. (2017). About Earthborn Breathable Paint. [online] Available at: http://earthbornpaints.co.uk/about-us/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

3. Coatings World. (2017). Demand for Interior Paint to Grow Nearly 3% Annually. [online] Available at: http://www.coatingsworld.com/issues/2017-03-01/view_market-research/demand-for-interior-paintto-grow-nearly-3-annuall [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

4. Coatingsworld.com. (2017). Market Trends & Forecast - Coatings World. [online] Available at: http:// www.coatingsworld.com/knowledge-center/coatings-markets-amp-technologies/market-trends-ampforecast [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

5. Epd.gov.hk. (2017). VOC Regulation | Environmental Protection Department. [online] Available at: http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/prob_solutions/voc_reg.html#point_1 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

6. Academic.mintel.com. (2017). DIY Retailing - UK - May 2016 - Market Research Report. [online] Available at: http://academic.mintel.com/display/748275/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

7. Greene, A. (2017). About Us - UK Paint Manufacturers & Online Paint Shop | Little Greene. [online] Littlegreene.com. Available at: https://www.littlegreene.com/about [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

8. Facebook.com. (2017). Farrow & Ball. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/farrowball/ about/?ref=page_internal [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

9. trendone.com. (2017). Macro-Trend: Ethical Consumption. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/trends/macro-trends/macro-trend-detail/ethical-consumption.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

10. trendone.com. (2017). Macro-Trend: Reconomy. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/ trends/macro-trends/macro-trend-detail/reconomy.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

11. trendone.com. (2017). Macro-Trend: Bricks & Clicks. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/ trends/macro-trends/macro-trend-detail/bricks-clicks.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

12. Wallace, T. and Chan, S. (2017). Shoppers cut back as inflation kicks in - and top Bank of England official says it will get worse. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/04/21/shoppers-cut-back-inflation-kicks/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

13. PropertyWire. (2017). Home lending down sharply year on year on UK, but due to stamp duty rush in 2016 - PropertyWire. [online] Available at: http://www.propertywire.com/news/uk/home-lendingsharply-year-year-uk-due-stamp-duty-rush-2016/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

14. Gov.uk. (2017). Employment remains at record high rate of 74.6% - GOV.UK. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/employment-remains-at-record-high-rate-of-746 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

15. Yorkshirepost.co.uk. (2017). ‘House prices are set to soar despite economic uncertainty’. [online] Available at: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/house-prices-are-set-to-soar-despite-economic-uncertainty-1-8568354 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

16. Fraser, I. (2017). Mortgage lending in ‘neutral gear’ as buyers’ incomes are squeezed. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/04/20/mortgage-lending-neutralgear-buyers-incomes-squeezed/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

17. Demo.hypeinnovation.com. (2017). Trend: New Living Concepts. [online] Available at: https:// demo.hypeinnovation.com/servlet/hype/IMT?userAction=Browse&documentId=984f9571c6f2a2c6de458137820ddb6c&templateName= [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

18. Takumi Blog. (2017). Crunching the numbers on social media influencer engagement. [online] Available at: https://blog.takumi.com/crunching-the-numbers-on-social-media-influencer-engagement-456df91bcee0 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

19. Facebook Business. (2017). Audience Insights. [online] Available at: https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/facebook-audience-insights [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

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Academic.mintel.com. (2017). DIY Retailing - UK - May 2016 - Market Research Report. [online] Available at: http://academic. mintel.com/display/748275/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Bykoket.com. (2017). 10 Best Interior Design Magazines in UK. [online] Available at: http://www.bykoket.com/news/interior-design/best-interior-design-magazines-uk [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Coatings World. (2017). Demand for Interior Paint to Grow Nearly 3% Annually. [online] Available at: http://www.coatingsworld. com/issues/2017-03-01/view_market-research/demand-for-interior-paint-to-grow-nearly-3-annuall [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Coatingsworld.com. (2017). Market Trends & Forecast - Coatings World. [online] Available at: http://www.coatingsworld.com/ knowledge-center/coatings-markets-amp-technologies/market-trends-amp-forecast [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Deco - inspiration for eco friendly interiors. (2017). Eco-friendly paints - what it means and who makes them. [online] Available at: http://www.decomag.co.uk/content/eco-friendly-paints-what-it-means-and-who-makes-them [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Demo.hypeinnovation.com. (2017). Trend: New Living Concepts. [online] Available at: https://demo.hypeinnovation.com/servlet/hype/IMT?userAction=Browse&documentId=984f9571c6f2a2c6de458137820ddb6c&templateName= [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Diy.com. (2017). DIY Supplies & Accessories | DIY at B&Q. [online] Available at: http://www.diy.com/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Earthborn paints. (2017). About Earthborn Breathable Paint. [online] Available at: http://earthbornpaints.co.uk/about-us/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

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Greene, A. (2017). About Us - UK Paint Manufacturers & Online Paint Shop | Little Greene. [online] Littlegreene.com. Available at: https://www.littlegreene.com/about [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Homebase.co.uk. (2017). Homebase | DIY, Bathroom, Kitchen, Garden, Furniture, Lighting, Decorating, Homewares and more. [online] Available at: http://www.homebase.co.uk/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

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Takumi Blog. (2017). Crunching the numbers on social media influencer engagement. [online] Available at: https://blog.takumi. com/crunching-the-numbers-on-social-media-influencer-engagement-456df91bcee0 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017]. trendone.com. (2017). Macro-Trend: Bricks & Clicks. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/trends/macro-trends/macro-trend-detail/bricks-clicks.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017]. trendone.com. (2017). Macro-Trend: Ethical Consumption. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/trends/macro-trends/macro-trend-detail/ethical-consumption.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017]. trendone.com. (2017). Macro-Trend: Reconomy. [online] Available at: https://www.trendone.com/trends/macro-trends/macro-trend-detail/reconomy.html [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

Wallace, T. and Chan, S. (2017). Shoppers cut back as inflation kicks in - and top Bank of England official says it will get worse. [online] The Telegraph. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/04/21/shoppers-cut-back-inflation-kicks/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2017].

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Appendix 1. Surveymonkey Results

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2. Social Media Analysis

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Appendix 2. Social Media Analysis

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3. Stockist Information - East Midlands

4. Example list of Independant Retailers to target Heidi’s Home Furnishings (Nottingham) Inspiring & colourful, Modern vintage home décor, linens, upholstery, painted & reclaimed furniture.

Studio in the Park DERBY Rustic inspired furniture, home wares, gifts and unique one off interior accent pieces.

Studio Home and Interiors MELBOURNE Refined rustic inspired hand painted furniture, unique interior accent pieces and homewares and accessories.

Little Paperie ASHBOURNE A quirky boutique stocking luxury brands of stationery, greetings cards and party décor. We also specialise in painted furniture & gifts.

The Vintage Rooms MATLOCK Inspirational inspirers of others, celebrating individual style and not convention.

Pomponette LEICESTER A fusion of classic & contemporary European interiors for the discerning. Pomponette is a sophisticated, homely environment in which to shop that is awash with an intelligently curated variety of furniture options and timeless wares.

Village Chic SILEBY Timeless antique and French vintage finds, specialising in armoires and bespoke paint service.

Pixie Green Interiors MARKET HARBOROUGH French country interiors; painted furniture, soft furnishing, decorative accessories and gifts.

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4. Focus Group Transcript Interviewee: Hey, I am Sophie and as part of my programme of study I am undertaking research into the brand Earthborn. The focus group will be a focussed discussion and will take approximately 30 minutes. We will concentrate on the following: First impressions of Earthborn and their products, and a general brand perception.

The focus group will be taped and transcribed, and should you want a copy of the transcription then please ask me and I will arrange for one to be sent to you.

The information you give me will be used in support of my work and will be written up as part of my report. Anything you say will be treated with the strictest confidence and your contribution to the discussion will not be attributed to you as an individual, what you said will be used for illustration only; to reinforce a point that I am making.

Does anyone have any questions? *Shaking of heads in agreeance* Interviewee: Okay then we’re good to start! I want to begin by speaking with the participants who have never heard of Earthborn. What sort of products do you think this brand could offer?

Participant 1: Definitely something eco-friendly and ‘earthy’ *laughs* Participant 2: I’d have to agree but it could be anything really, there’s a lot of different ways a brand can be eco-friendly.

Interviewee: Well you are correct haha! Earthborn are actually an eco-friendly paint brand. Now you know this, what kind of colours do you think the brand might sell?

Participant 3: Maybe like earthy colours?

Participant 2: When I think of it, makes me think of the colours brown and green – I wouldn’t of thought that It sold the same bright colours paint is usually sold in.

Participant 4: Yeah it makes me think of the same.

Interviewee: So does the idea that it actually stocks 77 colours in a variety of shades shock you?

Participant 2: It doesn’t shock me, it just wasn’t something that I would think of initially when hearing the brand name.

Interviewee: Okay cool, let’s move on to those of you who have tried and used Earthborn – what made you want to try the product?

Participant 5: I came across Earthborn when a friend had just decorated her home and she had the loveliest matte yellow within her room. I wanted the same so I went out and bought it!

Participant 6: I’m a strong believer in being eco-friendly but sometimes I find that this usually been products packaging aren’t as high-end which is annoying when you’re spending more for a product. I feel like I want the whole package to look good. I used to always use Lakeland paints but then I came across Earthborn in a store one day and haven’t really used anything else since.

Interviewee: So what would you say your first impressions of the brand were?

Participant 6: Intriguing, it was something I had to try and I’m really glad that I did!

Participant 5: The colour was just perfect so that was really my initial impression, I think when I used it the product went on really well too.

Interviewee: Would you buy Earthborn paint again?

Participant 6: Like I said I swear by it now, it’s the only thing I use!

Participant 5: Yes it is lovely paint so if they had another colour which I thought was right then definitely.

Interviewee: Great thank you! So, moving back to those of you who haven’t tried Earthborn. Do you think you’d like to try now you have heard the positive comments?

Participant 1: Yes of course, I’d at least like to know more.

*Participant 2,3,4 nod in agreeance* Interviewee: What is it about the comments you heard that makes you think you’d like to try Earthborn?

Participant 2: Maybe that it’s eco-friendly? I’m not sure that I have heard of a paint brand that is eco-friendly before so that is definitely something new to me.

Participant 3: I love matte finishes, and i’m always looking for changing up by home and I love trying out new things. I’m constantly changing up and painting so a little lick of new paint never hurt anybody when trying out!

Interviewee: Okay thank-you. If I was to give you a little more background on the products Earthborn offer, I’d love to know your impressions then. They offer a range of eco-friendly high-quality clay paints in a variety of 77 ontrend matte colours. Clay paint is breathable meaning it is non-toxic, so really good for the little ones rooms!

Participant 5: I never knew that it was non-toxic! Painting my little girls bedroom always makes me a little anxious so this is really good to know.

Participant 3: I have used clay paint before I think and I really loved it so I would definitely look to trying Earthborn.

Interviewee: Perfect, thanks so much for your answers. That seems to be all of my questions covered, does anyone have anything about Earthborn that they would like to add?

*Everyone shakes head in agreeance* Interviewee: Okay perfect, thank-you so much for taking time out to participant in this focus group – you have been so much help! *END OF FOCUS GROUP*

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4. Sample Focus Group Consent Form

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Illustration List

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Demand for interior paint is forecast to grow 2.9% per year to 535 million gallons in 2020. (Coatings World, 2017)

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Earthborn, 2017. Illustration 1. [Image] Earthborn, 2017. Illustration 2. [Image] Earthborn, 2017. Illustration 2. [Image] Earthborn, 2017. Photoshoot 1. [Image] Earthborn, 2015. Photoshoot 2. [Image] Ottewell, S. 2017. Pen Portrait 1. [Image] Ottewell, S. 2017. Pen Portrait 2. [Image] Ottewell, S. 2017. Pen Portrait 3. [Image] Paint Pot. (2017). [image] Available at: http://images.clipartpanda.com/paint-bucket-vector-757-paint-bucket-with-handle-icon.png 10. Environmentally Friendly Logo. (2017). [image] Available at: http://www.free-icons-download.net/images/ eco-friendly-flag-icons-68615.png 11. Homebase Logo. (2017). [image] Available at: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/logopedia/images/5/5a/ HOMEBASE_MASTER_LOGO_CMYK_500x500.png/revision/latest?cb=20120424193402 12. B & Q Logo. (2017). [image] Available at: https://www.bandqcareers.com/wp-content/themes/bq-careers/ assets/images/logo/bq_logo.png 13. Wifi Icon. (2017). [image] Available at: https://qph.ec.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-5720273bd9b248d6d889d8c6524054f3 14. Ottewell, S. 2017. Perceptual Map. [Image] 15. Earthborn, 2014. Photoshoot 3. [Image] 16. Earthborn, 2017. Photoshoot 4. [Image] 17. Earthborn, 2016. Photoshoot 5. [Image] 18. Earthborn, 2017. Photoshoot 6. [Image] 19. Ottewell, S. 2017. Mural 1. [Image] 20. Ottewell, S. 2017. Mural 2. [Image] 21. Ottewell, S. 2017. Social 1. [Image] 22. Ottewell, S. 2017. Takumi 1. [Image] 23. Takumi. (2017). [image] Available at: https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1200/1*RIIUj-GuCtgswY_ HFfEOMA.png 24. Ottewell, S. 2017. Social 2. [Image] 25. Ottewell, S. 2017. Campaign 1. [Image] 26. Ottewell, S. 2017. Campaign 2. [Image] 27. Ottewell, S. 2017. Campaign 3. [Image] 28. Earthborn, 2014. Photoshoot 7. [Image]

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