Marketing Communications Boojum PDF

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Description

Boojum Boojum is a very well known establishment found in many locations throughout Dublin and offers customers an enjoyable authentic Mexican experience upon arrival. They hold a high position in the market but are heavily affected by large competition. Boojum wants to appeal to all of the senses of customers who walk through their doors. As you enter you immediately smell the fragrances of authentic Mexican spices and herbs, you hear Mexican music and meat sizzling in the kitchen, you see all the food displayed before and finally you eat and taste the food, all these senses add to the experience and are a key part of the customer journey to which hopefully ends with loyalty.

Competitive Brands Tolteca- 5 Stores (4 Dublin 1 Galway) Tolteca, the most competitive brand when it comes to close competitors for boojum, have four stores located across Dublin. Its Baggot street store is right around the corner from Boojum's Mespil Road store and its Camden Street Store is also in close proximity to Boojum's Kevin Street store which would lead to a lot of competition, especially since both brands have the same target

market

professionals.

of

Tolteca

students/young have

a

strong

customer base and have managed to acquire a large amount of loyal customers. Their advertising is done through social media platforms, advertisements at bus stations, and word of mouth. They also have a website with information about the brand, suppliers, and a section to order online. Tolteca do a similar deal as Boojum do for students, a burrito and a drink for

€6.95. Tolteca restaurants provide customers with a seating area for customers to enjoy their meal, a feature which other restaurants may not opt for or have the room for.

Little Ass Burrito Bar - 2 stores Little Ass burrito bar has a store on Dawson street, close to the Boojum Kevin Street store providing moderate competition. When it comes to marketing, they are not as strong as other competitors. Little Ass is on social media platforms Facebook and Twitter, although their activity on Twitter is almost non-existent to their 2,440 followers and their Facebook posts have declined to almost none since June of 2017. Their website shows visitors their menu and store locations with little to no information about the food or brand in general. A meal here would cost customers 7-9 euro which would be considered expensive for a burrito, however, they do offer students the deal of a burrito for €6 which would attract local college students.

Pablo Picante - 3 stores

One of Pablo Picante's stores is located on Baggot Street which brings more competition to the Boojum on Mespil Road. They have established themselves well on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn which makes it easy for them to communicate efficiently with their followers. On their Facebook page they run competitions to give customers a chance to win free burritos,

they

communicate

very well with their audience through regular posts so as to create

a

loyal/family

relationship with them. They are

quick

at

replying

to

customer queries on Facebook and

they

incorporate

the

Mexican aspect of their brand into their Facebook posts to really sell their image to consumers. On their website they emphasise the authenticity of the establishments through a Mexican theme and use of the Spanish language. On their website they provide the visitor with 'Pablos Story' so that they become engrossed in the brand and develop a small emotional connection to it. Within the restaurants, guests can watch Mexican wrestling on the T.V's while they eat and can also listen to Mexican music, this creates a more Mexican experience for the customer which can play a big part in whether or not a customer might return. A meal here can cost between € 6-8 . Pablos is probably the best burrito bar in terms of their ability to create an authentic Mexican experience.

Burritos and Blues - 3 stores (2 Dublin 1 Cork)

The Burritos and Blues restaurant on Wexford Street competes heavily with the Kevin Street Boojum for a percentage of the DIT Aungier Street student population. They are very active on Facebook and Twitter allowing them to communicate quick and easy with their audience. On their website, they show you the menu and the history of the brand along with in-store deals they have. On Mondays, all burritos are 5 euro, and on Wednesdays, you get the chance to flip a coin for a free burrito. Their Wexford Street restaurant is open until 4 am on Fridays and Saturdays which makes them the only late-night burrito restaurant in that area, giving them a huge advantage over competitors. They offer a seating section in their restaurants which would also encourage customers to dine there. A meal here would cost a customer between €6-8.

Target Audience

The main consumers of Boojum are students and young working professionals who fall into the Generation Y/ Millennial age group, they are aged between 18-34. They are big users of the Internet and smartphones, they incentivise with reward cards and student deals (Jacobsen, 2017). This age group accounts for roughly 24% of the Irish population ("Population Clock: World", 2017). Ireland also has one of the highest spendings per capita on fast food per year which €322 in 2012 (Healy, 2014). There has been a growing trend of burrito restaurants in Dublin with more than twenty dotted around the city. They can cost anywhere between €6-12 so they aren’t the cheapest fast food but many see them as good value as they are very filling and many see burritos as healthier than typical fast food (Walsh, 2015). Burritos are relatively good value for money and quick which is perfect for people with busy schedules and set times to have lunch. Boojum currently has five locations in Dublin city centre all located within walking distance of many universities, businesses and schools. Boojum’s target market would consist of around 432,000 people aged 18-34 in Dublin, which are the most typical consumers from our personal experience of visiting burrito restaurants and specifically would be male students/young working professionals aged between 18-24. Boojum Dublin currently has just over 17,600 likes on Facebook, 7,437 followers on Twitter and 6,660 followers on Instagram. Boojum has the biggest social media following of all the burrito restaurants in Dublin.

Positioning Statement Providing

students

and

working

individuals

in

Ireland

with

authentic

high

quality/customizable Mexican cuisine. Being the ideal way for a quick satisfying eat and long-lasting energy for the day. With an authentic but modern décor and trendy atmosphere.

Values and Beliefs Associated with Customer High quality and customizable Mexican menu for burrito lovers of all walks of life. At a highly reasonable price and ease of availability. With even better deals for college students.

Position in the market Looking at Boojum and their positioning we first must look at what position do we want to occupy in the consumer’s mind. For example, BMW occupying the incredibly successful position of the “Ultimate driving machine.’ We ourselves aim to be the “Ultimate Burrito Provider” in the minds of our consumers and especially our target market mentioned above. Priding ourselves on our extreme quality and reasonable pricing.

Perceptual Map of Boojum and their Direct Competition

High Quality Boojum

Bunsen Burger

Mama’s

Subway

Revenge Burritos

and Tolteca

Blues

Burger King Low

High

MacDonalds

Price

Pablo

Price

Picante

SuperMacs

Low Quality

When mapping out the competitors of Boojum we took into consideration popular fast food establishments not just related through similar cuisine. As Boojum is also hotly competed by many other fast food chains and restaurants. Taking two criteria of quality and price, we

began to measure and position each establishment according to these points, while looking at their product lines. As shown it is clear in the minds of our consumers' Boojum is considered a higher quality than most of the competition. When measuring their price it can be put on the same measurement of the closest competition. The perceptual map shows it is clear Boojum has the greater benefits when compared to the competition, and what position we occupy in our consumer’s mind. Using these findings we are able to get a better idea on how to approach our positioning strategy. Our target segment consists of 423,000 people aged between 18-34 in Dublin as previously stated. Our aim will be focusing on the competitive advantage we have over our competition, our quality and improving and cementing our position in the consumer’s mind. By positioning ourselves in the mind of our specific demographic and extending this to more customers we will achieve our targets and objectives. Convincing new and on the fence, customers to try our great food.

Objectives By January 1st, 2019, Increase market share in Dublin by 10%, from 45% to 55% By September 1st, 2018, Increase social media following and engagement by 20% By January 1st, 2019, Increase footfall by 25% in all Dublin locations By January 1st, 2019, Increase brand awareness by 20%, from 60% to 80% of target segment

By January 1st, 2019, Increase brand image/equity by 30% of its current figure

Customers

“Our core customer is a male student, but there’s a broad appeal across different ages.” David Maxwell, Boojum Managing Director. .Due to the low pricing strategy, quality of food, student deals and locations near Trinity College and DIT Kevin Street and Aungier Street, the bar does mainly attract the student and perhaps the content and girth of ingredients lend more to the appetite of a male student. However, Maxwell does claim that in some sites "there are lawyers, dentists, doctors, accountants, all sorts. We try not to pigeonhole ourselves".

PEST Analysis Political Factors – This refers to how and to what degree a government intervenes in the marketplace. Government regulation from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on the food industry has resulted in burrito bars being forced to maintain a very high standard when it comes to the freshness of their food as well as add healthier options. Public health policies are pushing for foods with lower sodium and sugar intakes (Frue, 2017).

Economic Factors – The economic state of a country has a profound impact on how an organisation does business and how profitable they are. Healthier alternatives to foods are pricier compared to fast food or easy-to-make meals. However, the convenience of a burrito, despite possible perceived unhealthiness, can outweigh the trial and error of cooking food from scratch.

Social Factors – Fast food trends change based on what consumers are looking for. We’re seeing a rise in organic and whole food diets as lifestyle changes come into play. Vegetarian eating is becoming less of a fad and more of a lifestyle choice (Frue, 2017). Boojum has responded to this social phenomenon and now offers a vegetarian option on its menu.

Technological Factors – Technology can give a company an edge over its competitors. It is necessary to create packaging, food labels and produce the food. With the advancement of technology, it helps burrito bars reach consumers in new and easier methods, such as social media. Boojum has just under 6 and a half thousand followers on Instagram. This is an area that the company can improve upon in order to generate greater brand awareness.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths The strengths of the burrito bar lie in what it does best. These include the high-quality food, top quality service, customer retention, and prime location. Boojum has an outlet on Kevin Street, in between the two biggest DIT buildings which attract a huge student crowd.

Raw materials - Boojum take great pride in the way that they use authentic Mexican ingredients. The Boojum website tells us that their cupboards are packed with Mexican ingredients and are definitely not things that you would find at your local supermarket

Store layout - All of the restaurants offer comfortable dining in facilities for up to 30-45 people. They have a very decorative interior and play popular music while you eat.

Young/Friendly staff - Staff are generally college students or young adults who are able to work flexible hours and are enthusiastic about working.

Weaknesses

Weaknesses can give the restaurant an idea of things they need to improve on. Boojum trains its staff by throwing them straight into the deep end and dealing with the customer straight away. Trial and error is often an effective technique in training and development but efficiency and quality of service suffer as a result. Customers are often left frustrated with the speed and quality of service when new staff are serving.

Staff Turnover (Constant training and development) - The young staff will eventually look for a job with more hours and higher pay resulting in high staff turnover every year. This effects the efficiency of the business.

Opportunities There are opportunities for the company to expand its product base and provide different types of food and beverages. As busy as the restaurant is during peak hours, business slows considerably during off-peak hours. There may be ways to counteract this trend to generate growth. There might be a demographic to be attracted during slow times. Boojum could also start offering salad bowls as a healthy alternative.

Special Offers - To increase footfall during off-peak times Boojum could reduce prices by 1 euro or offer a free drink with burritos.

Diversified food range - Boojum can implement new meal plans to attract the 'healthy consumer'. Alternative such as salad bowls and gluten-free foods could attract an untouched market within the burrito industry.

Threats Threats to a business in the food industry include competing brands and rising food prices. The popularity of burritos means Boojum has a slew of competitors. A burrito in Boojum

tends to cost about €7, meaning they are not the cheapest food on the market. Other chains such as Tolteca and Pablo Picante might see this as an opportunity to obtain market share with lower prices. Furthermore, if something negative affects the market for Mexican food, a threat exists if you need to raise prices or find new suppliers, the company may lose business as a result.

Boojum’s Marketing Communications Activity From examining Boojum’s marketing communications activity it is evident that this company is very active with regards to advertising, direct marketing, branding, packaging, PR activities, and sponsorship. A form of direct marketing that Boojum completed was when they introduced the Boojum food truck and it was positioned at the Guns ‘n’ Roses concert at Slane castle Meath. The Boojum truck was exposed to over 80,000 people and this event proved successful according to managing director David Maxwell as it helped to get their name out there in a competitive industry (The Journal, 2017). Boojum has always taken a keen interest towards sponsorship and promotional events and from an interview with the marketing manager, she stated that Boojum is continuously sponsoring local charities, student fundraisers, clubs and societies (My Ulster Life, 2013). They also held an eating contest between Belfast Giants and Ulster Rugby and they have also held hot wing challenges too. This event raised money for the Make A Wish foundation and to have Ulster Rugby competing was a major help for Boojum as they have a huge fan base which attracted more viewers and gave more exposure to Boojum (Ulster Rugby, 2012). The strategy behind these events is they hope local media will report and post photographs of the events to raise brand awareness. It is evident here that Boojum is very keen to develop their brand image, however, the events that we have mentioned here don't occur as often as they could. More frequent events like these would improve the brand image and get Boojum's name ahead of competitors in the consumer's minds.

Boojum’s Online Activity: Boojum is currently very active on social media as they have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. As Boojum is based in Dublin, Belfast, Galway and Cork they have a Facebook and Twitter account for each respective region. They have a substantial Facebook following of 76,403 over their four accounts while all Twitter accounts they have approximately 32,000 followers. Boojum has a strong social media marketing strategy as they are constantly posting creative daily content and are continuously engaging with their followers and this gives off a personal feel that they want their customers to enjoy the Boojum experience. As the target market for Boojum is mainly students and young working professionals they understand that a lot of time is spent on their smartphones scrolling through content on social media so this is why Boojum are so interactive on these social networks. They run competitions online to in order to recruit new customers to their restaurants and these have proved an effective way of expanding their target market and building brand awareness. Online reviews in the food industry are crucial and across their platforms, they have excellent reviews regarding their food, their customer service and the upkeep of their restaurants nationwide. Boojum’s website provides information about their

products, deals, locations, menus and their home delivery system. On March 10 th 2016 Boojum teamed up with the mobile network 48 Go Conquer and here people had to upload an image to Twitter and link Boojum to the 48 Go Conquer Twitter page in return to get a free burrito. This was an effective marketing plan as hundreds turned up outside Boojum on Kevin St. The website is ranking high on Google which indicates that their marketing team are well trained in the area of search engine optimization. As the word “burrito” is strongly connected with Boojum they will want to rank high on Google, so when someone Google searches “Burrito” they will aim to be at the top of the search results but currently, they are the second organic result behind Pablo Picante. Overall Boojum has a strong presence in the online medium and this will continue to grow and grow. (Boojum, 2017)

Budget Boojum

is

private

a

company

so there is

no

public information available their

sales

revenue, budget

about or

so the will

be

estimated using Objective-and-Task Budgeting which bases the budget on the amount of expenditure's needed to achieve specific objectives and the task used to reach them.

As in Section 3, five Marcom objectives have been set out with tasks that will be used to help achieve them. Increasing brand image is one of the most important objectives, as having a good image will help increase customer loyalty and attract new customer which in turn should increase footfall and therefore sales. €1000 a month for the next year will be used to sponsor local events in places that have large numbers of the target audience such universities. We will not use television ads as many of the target audience don't watch much television but mainly use smartphones, tablets and laptops Dublin bus ads will be s...