Assignment 1 Advertising Campaign Mrk312

Consumers are more knowledgeable than ever before. The internet and the adaptation of social media through mobile devices have allowed the flow of information to travel faster than ever before. The worries of one consumer can quickly become the doubts of thousands if not millions within a short span of time. In terms of cancer and general human health, plastic has become an important issue. Plastic is a concern for both the environment and for the health conscious. Plastic is a synthetic material created by combining materials derived from sources such as petroleum, natural gas or coal. These polymers then must be combined with additives to give the finished product properties such as flexibility or toughness (Life Without Plastic and Mama Mundo Inc., 2013). The shelves of sporting goods stores and general retailers are lined with bottles that market BPA free, but that isn’t enough for some consumers. BPA free plastics still contain chemicals that can interfere with normal human functions. Many of the chemicals in the plastics are not know because they are considered proprietary information by the manufactures (Terry, 2011). With so many unanswered questions about the safety of plastic a market niche has developed consisting of consumers looking for alternatives to plastic water bottles.

One material that has promise is stainless steel. Stainless steel water bottles do not require linings made from plastics such as aluminum products and will not rust and stain. Stainless steel bottles are more expensive, but not found as easily as plastic sport bottles. A few online retailers such as Klean Kanteen offers a product line that use little or no plastic (Klean Kanteen, 2013). The specific market niche interested in this type of product is concerned for both the environment and the effects of plastic. Many consumers that are currently purchasing water bottles that are BPA free may not know about the other harmful chemicals that their bottles contain. Educating these consumers about the health concerns with all plastics may lead them to purchase the safer alternative stainless steel bottles. Stainless steel is more expensive than plastic and will require a dedicated consumer base to pay more for the product.
The potential target market will consist of mainly two segments. The first segment will range in ages from college age students up to health conscience adult topping of at age 35. These consumers are mostly going to be without children and active. Athletes of varying degrees of fitness and educated liberally motived individuals with disposable income will be the bulk of the first market segment. They are concerned with their health, the environment, social status, and quality. This market will want a product that is functional as well as stylish and well made. The bottle is not only a functional item it is also a status symbol. The product is a symbol of their positions and dedication to the health of the planted and their bodies. Within the United States Population an estimated 25,390,046 men and women between the ages of 18 and 35 are single and never married (U S Census, 2011). This group represents a large potential market.
The second target market is going to be mothers of children under the age of 18. These mothers have children using sports bottles as well as young children using Sippy cups and bottles. This group is concerned about protecting their children’s health. The mothers of young children still using bottles will be concerned about the plastic and the safety of using glass bottles while traveling. Mothers want a range of products that work for their intended needs. They are looking for safe products that are easy to clean and are durable. Mothers will also use these products as a status symbol for letting other mothers know their dedication to their children.

The product line will consist of several types of stainless steel bottles. Baby bottles and Sippy cups will bring small children into the product line with the safe alternatives to plastic. The simple design of both the bottle and Sippy cups will feature the stainless steel with the logo stamped on the side of the product. The nipples for the baby bottles will be manufactured with natural rubbers or silicone. The bottles will be smooth without edges for easy cleaning. The product line will offer an expanded line of products for the mature market. The sport bottle will be offered with the same simple stainless steel design with the logo located on one side. The bottles will include a stainless steel lid with a loop holder for easy carrying. The sport bottles will come in three different sizes to accommodate the needs from elementary age athletes up to larger 64oz size bottles. The brand will also offer a coffee traveling mug and a vacuumed sealed thermos for hot and cold beverages.
The advertisements will focus on the environmental impact disposable plastic bottles have. The stainless steel bottles are usable for countless years and this will be a heavy focus in advertisements. The properties of stainless steel will also be highlighted in advertisements. These properties include its stain resistance and the fact that stainless will not rust and does not require a coating on the inside of the container. The message or marketing theme that all materials will reflect will be one of simplicity. The advertisements, the bottle and logo designs, and all online media will have a clean simple feel. The use of neutral colors in the website along with a well-organized and clutter free experience will send the message of simplicity. What can be simpler than drinking safe and clean water? The campaign will directly state the harmful nature of plastics and how simple the alternative is. The alternative will be the stainless steel bottle produced by M.B.S. (Mind, body, and soul). The logo will be a simple circle representing the Earth with the M.B.S inside. The clean uncluttered design of the product will exist to encourage consumers to associate the brand with simplicity and ecofriendly values. The initial distribution of these products will be from manufacturer to consumer. The elimination of the middleman further simplifies the product in cost and environmental impact. Partnering with organizations that focus on health and environmental issues will help create awareness for the product line.
The advertisement for these bottles would rely on social media marketing for the initial market introduction. The use of social media sites such as Facebook, Groupon, and YouTube reach many consumers. The social media giant Facebook currently connects to over 1 billion people worldwide (Facebook, 2013). Consumers on Facebook that “like” a product and choose to follow that brand give the company exposure to additional consumers. Once the consumer hits the “like” button their personal timeline is updated. This action is viewable to their Facebook friends and can lead to sales that extend beyond the target market without wasting advertising dollars. Facebook also collects information on its member’s interest. This information is used by the company for advertising and networking purposes. This feature of Facebook makes it an ideal place to target specific market niches such as the one needed for this product (Facebook, 2013). Another feature of Facebook is its openness with other social media outlets such as YouTube.
YouTube is a social media outlet operated by the search engine giant Google. YouTube offers a very affordable way for a company to produce videos to demonstrate their products. These videos can be shared using web links on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. This type of low cost advertisement allows a company to reach many consumers without spending the money for expensive television ads. This format will also aid the company in the education of consumers in the danger of plastic products. The education of the consumers in order to create the need for a product is something companies have done for decades. The use of social media such as YouTube have made that task easier and more affordable.
The message must reflect the marketing theme of simplicity. Clean and uncluttered messages both in social media post and demonstrations through YouTube are going to be key in building the brand image. Keeping it simple will create a repeated message that will sink into the consumers the more often they are exposed. The message will state very simply and plainly that plastic is bad for man and the Earth. We need to reduce the use of plastic and M.B.S. can help. Stainless Steel bottles are safe all.
The initial product launch would feature an advertisement campaign that utilized several social media platforms. Starting with registering with google and ensuring that the company’s website will be searchable is the first step. Creating a YouTube advertisement that features a young man and women talking about the dangers of plastic would kick start the ad campaign. The ad would then lead from the dangers of plastic to the benefits of the M.B.S. stainless steel water bottles. They are both an attractive and safe alternative to plastic bottles. The YouTube channel would be linked to the companies Twitter and Facebook accounts to allow viewers able to learn more information. M.B.S. would follow similar companies and individuals on both Facebook and Twitter. These environmentally conscience groups will help the company network with potential consumers. The key to successful awareness formation is in the company creating enough connections on social media sites. As more people discover their videos, tweets, and post; the company will receive more exposure. As traffic increases on their social media sites they gain the potential for more traffic on their own website and that will create sales. Every “like” the company receives is the potential for more exposure.

Bibliography
Facebook. (2013). Advertise on Facebook: Facebook. Retrieved from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/advertising/how-it-works
Klean Kanteen. (2013). Kanteen 101: Klean Kanteen. Retrieved from Klean Kanteen: http://www.kleankanteen.com/about/kanteen-101/specifications.php
Life Without Plastic and Mama Mundo Inc. (2013, july 23). about plastic: Life without plastic. Retrieved from Life without plastic: http://lifewithoutplastic.com/en/about-plastic
Terry, B. (2011, April 12). BPA- Free Does Not Mean Safe:My Plastic Free Life. Retrieved from My Plastic Free Life: http://myplasticfreelife.com/2011/04/bpa-free-does-not-mean-safe-most-plastics-leach-hormone-disrupting-chemicals/
U S Census. (2011). Guided Search - Step-by-step access to Census Information . Retrieved from Factfinder2.census.gov: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_11_3YR_B12002&prodType=table