Looking at Cherries with a Marketing Eye

Marketing

Marketing Cherries (sample product) to consumers

The following is a Marketing case study on cherries: from a marketing stand point, this approach is most effective way to market and advertise different products.

1.Positioning in marketing:

Case: Marketing Cherries

a. Entities: Marketing for the target market, or typical consumer of cherries is an adult who purchases the groceries, so mainly women. These women are conscious of their health and, given the higher price of cherries, must be in the middle to higher income class. These women are typically mothers, so between the ages of 35-55 and are raising children. Cherries are typically an impulse purchase, so they are not planned. This means that this is an affordable luxury to these women that they can purchase whenever they feel the urge. Therefore, they are much less price conscious.

b. Mission (marketing Target): The need that cherries are filling is the need for comfort and health.
For these consumers, a healthy snack is typically costly, artificial, and they are usually not as tasty.
These consumers eat these healthy snacks, not for taste, but for health. Cherries have
been known to reduce cholesterol, weight, and have other health benefits. Cherries offer the
benefits of a sweet treat, snack or desert with health benefits.

This would satisfy the 4th section on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, esteem. The reason
is because the women that eat cherries feel like they ate healthy and enjoyed this treat.
Additionally, for them, being in shape is a confidence boost because they are so health-
conscious. They will tell their friends and show them how smart and healthy they are.
This also brings them back to the days that they enjoyed little sweets, like candies, this
is like candy for adults. Although kids aren’t the main consumer, they are also an added
motivation to purchase cherries. Mothers are health conscious for their children and
cherries are sweet and healthy, so the mother might be looking for healthy snacks for her
children.

2. Summary: Marketing to target a typical consumer purchase process:

a. A typical consumer purchase process starts with problem recognition. In this
case, there is no problem recognition because this is an impulse purchase. The only
problem that would arise is a sudden urge or need for a sweet, healthy snack when the
mother sees cherries at the store. At this point, she will feel the need for a healthy snack
for her and her children.

When the mother feels the urge, she will usually pick up the most attractive
package as long as the price is relatively concurrent with the other packages. In the case
where the mother wants a sweet, healthy snack for her kids, but looks at other options,
she will look around the fruit section and evaluate the competition.

b. The mother would find blueberries, apricots, raspberries, and other tasty fruits.
Since the packaging, the pricing, and the initial impulse directed her towards cherries, the
mother will most likely purchase the cherries.

c. In evaluating the different cherries, the mother will find the most attractive
packaging first, and then look at the price. The attractiveness of the packaging is more
important than the price because these consumers are less price conscious and more so
searching for a treat.

d. After the purchase, the mother will bring the cherries home and share them with
her children. This is a perfect family moment that will boost the mothers esteem and
create nostalgic family experiences. This will ensure that next time the mother is in the
mood to splurge a little and have a pleasant eating experience, she will purchase cherries
again.

3. Marketing Major Objective/Issue in the case

a. Cherries made a great stride in their business when they stopped selling in bulk and
started packaging in small, attractive containers they increased profitability and decreased
wasted product. They offer a smart, sweet, healthy snack and they need to continue to
push the health benefits to the health conscious mother and her children.

4. Significant items of analysis and Marketing conclusions

a. Cherries do not seem to have a product life cycle, they’ve always been in a stable state.
It would be interesting to look at the product life cycle of the health food industry
because they seem to be in the maturity stage. Since many women between the ages of
35 and 55 are very health conscious, they are closely tied to the health food industry.
Since the health food industry is in the maturity stage, their strategy should be to keep
introducing new, healthy products. This would be an opportune time to blitz the market
like pomegranates and Acai berries did. Cherries should invest in advertising the major
health benefits of cherries; coupled with the delicious taste, cherries could see a spike in
demand for their fruit in the market of health conscious women between the ages of 35
and 55

b. In conclusion, cherries have come a long way to be as prominent as they are today. Their
value chain is complex and efficient and their sales are doing great. They must keep
pushing the benefits of this fruit in order for mothers to continue to desire cherries.

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