3. 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In thispaperisan IntegratedMarketingCommunicationsPlanforHome Depot. The targetaudience is
female shoppersbetweenthe agesof 30 to 50 isthe focusof the proposedcampaignandan abundance
of researchhasbeencompletedtoidentifyandutilize Home Depot’sstrengths,weaknesses,
opportunities,andthreats toprepare a planthat ismost beneficial tothe company. Objectivesand
tactics have beendesignedtowithHome Depot’svalues. Thisdetailedplanincludesmarketing,
creative,media,andpublicrelationsstrategies,aswell asdirectmarketingandsalespromotiontactics.
A comprehensive budgetandmediaplanflowchartwill mapoutthe campaignandthe proposed
measurementandevaluationplanwill assessthe campaignuponcompletion
4. 3
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
History of Home Depot
Home Depotwas foundedin1978 by Bernie Marcusand Arthur Blank. Alongwithinvestmentbanker
KenLangone and merchandiserguruPatFarrah,the founders’visionof one stopshoppingforthe do-it-
yourselfer(DIY) came tofruitionwhenthe firsttwostoresopenedonJune 22,1989 in Atlanta, Georgia
(OurHistory2013). Fromthe start,Home Depot’sgoal isto helpconsumerscreate the home of their
dreamswhethertheywanttodo itfor themselvesorhave itdone forthem. To thisday,Home Depot’s
corporate headquartersare still basedinAtlanta,Georgia. Home Depotrevolutionizedthe home
improvementindustrybybringingthe know-how andthe toolstothe customer. Today itis the largest
home improvementretailerinthe UnitedStates.
MissionStatement
Accordingto Bernie andArthur,the customerhasa bill of rightsat Home Depotwhichentitlesthe
customerto the rightassortment,quantities,andprice. The philosophyof customerservice is
“whateverittakes,”whichmeanscultivatingarelationshipwithcustomersratherthancompletinga
transaction(OurHistory2013).
Home Depot Values
Home Depothas eightcore valuesthatguide the beliefsandactionsona dailybasis. Theyare the fabric
of Home Depot’sunique culture andcentral totheirsuccess(OurValues2013).
1. Takingcare of our people
2. Givingbackto our communities
3. Doingthe right thing
4. Excellentcustomerservice
5. Creatingshareholdervalue
6. Buildingstrongrelationships
7. Entrepreneurialspirit
8. Respectforall people
5. 4
Financial/Investment
Accordingto Home Depot’s2013 Annual Report,Home Depot’srevenue iscurrently$78.812 billionup
from$74.574 billionfrom2013. Theyhave an operatingincome of $9.166 billion,upfrom$7.766 billion
lastyear. Theirnetincome is$5.385 billionandtheirassetsare $40.518 billion,upfrom$4.535 and
downfrom$41.084 billionrespectively.
Product, Servicesand Pricing
Home Depothas over2200 locationsthroughoutthe UnitedStates,Canada,China,andMexico. Stores
average 105,000 square feetwithanadditional 23,000 square feetinthe gardenarea. Store inventory
consistsof up to 40,000 differentkindsof buildingmaterials,home improvementsupplies,appliances,
and lawnandgarden products. Home Depotoffersalow price guarantee to beatany competitor’s
advertisedspecials.
Home Depotofferscustomersthe choice of usingqualifiedprofessional complete theirhome
renovationprojects. Theyoffernational installationservicesthroughpre-screenedindependent
contractors forproducts rangingfromfloorstoroofs. Professional customershave accesstoloyalty
programs,volume discounts,directshipprograms,creditprograms,andotherspecialtysalesinitiatives.
Home Depotoffersweekendworkshops toanyamateurDIY-er. Theyhave special workshopforwomen
and children(Stores,Products,andServices2013).
Milestones
Some of Home Depot’slargestmilestonesinclude:
1978: FoundedbyBernie Marcusand ArthurBlank
1979: Firsttwo storesopenin Atlanta,Georgia
1981: IPOon NASDAQ
6. 5
1984: IPOon NYSE
1989: Openedtheir100th
store
1994: Firststore in Canada
2001: Firststore in Mexico
2006: Firststore in China
Leadership
CEO: Frank Blake (CraigMeneareffective November1) (Saporta,M. 2014).
Executive VP&CFO:Carol Tome
Executive VP&CIO:Matt Carey
Executive VP-USStores:MarvinEllison
Marketing CommunicationStrategies
Home Depotusesa multitude of channelstogettheirmessage across. Theyuse the majorityof their
advertisingonprintandtelevision. Nearlyeveryweek,Home Depotreleases anew ad in newspapers
across the country. Theyhighlightthe manyproductsoffered. The frontpage of the ad usually
advertisessome type of appliance suchasa refrigeratorora washer/dryercombo. Asyoudig intothe
restof the ad, youwill findsalesforproductsineachpart of the home.
Home Depot’scurrentsloganis“More Saving. More Doing.” Theircurrent Twitterhashtagis “Lets Do
This”whichtellsusto getup off of the couch and tackle thathome improvementprojectwe have been
puttingoff.
Home Depotis on Facebook,Twitter,YouTube, andPinterest. As yousearch theirchannels,youwill
finda varietyof DIY videos,specialoffers,andinstructionsforputtingthingstogether. Pinterestis
exclusivelycateredtothe female demographic. Youwill findseasonal craftideas,andanyidea forany
room of the house. All storeshave weekendDIYclinicsonthe thirdSaturdayof the month. Theyhave
special workshopsforwomenandchildren.
7. 6
Competitors
Lowe’s-foundedin1946 byCarl Buchan whopurchasedthe companyfromhisbrother-in-law andhad
the foresighttoanticipate apost-WWIIhousingboom. He envisionedcreatingachainof hardware
storesthat eliminatedwholesalersanddealtdirectlywithmanufacturers. Theyare headquartedin
Mooresville,NorthCarolina.
Lowe’shasestablished areputationforlow prices. Theyexisttohelpcustomersimprove andmaintain
theirlargestasset-theirhome. Inmore of their1,830 stores,Lowe’shasimplementedmultiple systems
to improve the customerexperience whichincludesanupgradedstore informationtechnology
infrastructure thatallowscustomersandemployeestoaccessricherproductinformation.
Lowe’snowhasenlarged,cleaned,andbrightenedtheiraislestomake fora more pleasantshopping
experience, whichiswhatthe female demographic islookingfor.
Lowe’srevenue was$53.4 billionin2013. (AboutUs 2014).
Menard’s-family-ownedcompanyfoundedin1960 and has more than 280 storeslocatedin14 states.
Theyare headquarteredinEauDe Clare,Wisconsin. Menardsbeganasa pole-buildingcompanyuntil
the mid-1990s whentheyexpandedintohome improvementretail. Menardsisnow retail home center
leaderinthe Midwestandthe thirdlargesthome improvementretailerbehindHome DepotandLowes.
Accordingto theirwebsite,Menardsisknownthroughoutthe home improvementindustryasthe low
price leader(Menards2014). Theirsloganis“Save Big Moneyat Menards!” Theyuse a “biggeris
better”approachwiththe average store size beingaround130,000 square feet. Menardshasthe
distinctionof biggesthome improvementretail store inthe world. ItislocatedinOwensboro,KYwitha
size of 246,000 square feet(Mattingly2012).
Menard’sis committedtoprovidinghigh-qualityguestserviceswhetheritisthroughhelpingguest
designand/orcalculate projectswiththeirDesign-ItCenteroransweringquestionsaboutmerchandise
(AboutUs 2014). In 2013, Menardsmade around $7.9 billioninrevenue.
8. 7
TARGET AUDIENCE
Target Analysis
I will be targetingfemaleDIY-ersbetweenthe agesof 30-50. Theywill have amiddle-classincome,live
ina suburbanareaand are existinghome ownerswhowanttoupdate theirhome withthe potentialto
sell saidhome inthe nearfuture.
Demographic Characteristics
The womenare betweenthe agesof 30-50. Theylive inthe suburbsandare home ownerswhowantto
update theirhome forpotential re-sale.
Psychographic Characteristics
These womenmake the home improvementdecisionsintheirhousehold. If theycan,theywill goahead
and fix the problemthemselves. Theyare willingtolearnandare notafraidof gettingtheirhandsdirty.
Theyresearchfor the bestdeal theycan findona product and are not loyal toany store,justwhoever
has the bestdeal.
A Day in the Life
She walksintothe home improvementstore withhercell phone totake picturesandhernotepadto
take notesand compare prices. She isreadyto sell herfirsthome,butthe home needssome updates
before itisreadyto sell. She ismainlylookingtoreplace the floor,spruce upthe landscaping,and
change out the lighting. She decidestostartin the gardensectionof the store. As she looksaround,she
noticesthe store’s“Simple Steps”locatedabove certainproducts. Forexample,how youcanhave a
thickerandhealthierlawn. Theyshowpicturesof afedandunfedlawnplustime onhow to selectthe
rightcolor forthe differentseasons. She looksatthe differentplantsinthe gardenare,butplantingwill
be her husband’sjobbecause of herallergies. She can’tgointoa floristwithoutsneezing! She looksat
the differenttilesforthe patio. Hmm, she thinks,youknow the patiocoulduse a facelift. She takesa
photoof the tiles.
Afterlookingaroundthe gardenarea,she headstothe lighting. Anemployeecomesuptoherand asks
if she needsanyhelp. She thinksaboutitfor a secondandexplainstothe employee thatshe wantsto
change out the bathroomlightingandupdate the chandelierinthe diningroom. She alsoexplainsthat
she doesn’twantto spendtoomuchmoneybecause she andherhusbandplanto sell the home inthe
nearfuture. The employee guidesherthroughthe process. She takesphotosof the lightingand
chandeliershe likes. Nextshe headstothe flooringdepartmentto lookatlaminate flooring. She
decidedtogo forhardwoodbecause of the price. The flooringexpertcomesbyandasksif she needs
any help. She saysshe doesandthennoticesthatthe store doesa free consultationoninstalling
9. 8
flooring. She asksthe employee tohelpherfindalaminate floorwitha12” thicknessandone thatlooks
like engineeredhardwood. He showsherseveral optionsandgiveshersamplestotake home andlay
downon herfloorso she can choose the rightflooringforher. She also asks aboutthe free consultation
and letsthe employee knowthatshe will be giventhemacall soon. She browsedaroundalittle longer
and thenleftthe store witha lotto thinkabout.
10. 9
SWOT ANALYSIS
SWOT Analysis-astructured planningmethodusedtoevaluatethe strengths,weaknesses,
opportunities,andthreatsinvolvedinaprojectorin a businessventure.
Internal Factors-StrengthsandWeaknesses
External Factors-OpportunitiesandThreats
Home Depot’s strengths include beingthe largesthome improvementretailerinthe world. Home
Depotisone the world’smostadmiredcompanies,accordingtoFortune Magazine. Home Depothas
rediscovereditscore valuesunderthe leadershipof FrankBlake.
Home Depot’s weaknessesinclude the constantproductrecalls. Home Depotalsohasa problemwith
targetingtheirmarkettowardswomeneventhoughtheyare attemptingtocorrectthisissue (e.g.their
Pinterestchannel).
Home Depot’s opportunities includethe continuationof the housingrecovery. Customersare updating
theirhomestoprepare fora future sale. Home Depothasincreasedtheirdigital advertisingandhas
customizedtheironline shoppingexperience. Theyare beginningtotargetthe female demographic
withDIY clinicsandfemale-basedproducts.
Home Depot’s threatsnowinclude the possibilityof the housingmarkettrendingdownward. The
housingmarketcontinuestoremainunsteady. Lowe’shasgainedheadwayintothe female
Strengths
Largesthome
improvementretailerin
the world
One of the mostadmired
companies
Rediscoveryof core
values
Weaknesses
ProductRecalls
Target marketingand
advertisingtowardsfemale
demographic
Opportunities
HousingRecovery
Online Shopping
Targetingthe female
demographic
Threats
The highpossibilityof the
housingmarkettrending
downward
CompetitionfromLowe’s
12. 11
CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
Home DepotMarketingObjectivesandStrategies
Objective:Toimprove the effectivenessof customerservice to the targetaudience by75% insix
months.
Objective:To increase salesthroughdirectmail advertisingforthe targetdemographicby60% in six
months.
Objective:Toincrease brandawarenessamongtargetaudience by65% in six months.
Strategy:Work withmanagersandemployees,particularlyfemaleemployeestoimprove customer
satisfaction
Strategy:A directmail campaigntargetingfemalepropertyowners
Strategy:Increase brandawarenessamongwomen30-50 within-store workshops,targetedadvertising,
and emailsdirectlytargettothe female buyer.
13. 12
INTEGRATED CREATIVE STRATEGY STATEMENT
One of the mostimportantcomponentsof anintegratedmarketingcommunicationsprogramisthe
advertisingmessage(Belch258). Goodcreative strategyandexecutioncanoftenbe central to
determiningthe successof a productor brand (Belch260). Many creative people sayitisimportantfor
clientstotake some risksif theywantbreakthroughadvertisingthatgetsnoticed(Belch266).
Establishedhome
improvementretailer
Experiencedandtrained
employees
DIY Workshopsforwomen
How-toTask Specific,
Informational Banners
ThroughoutStore
Price Matches
Discountsforloyal customers
You Tube DIY Channels
Womensticktogether
Womenwantto buildconfidence
How-todemonstrations forwomen
by women
Made to feel like partof a team
Somebody’sgottodo it
Seekingtrustedexperienced
assistance
Easy to finddirection
14. 13
REJECTED CREATIVE STRATEGY STATEMENTS AND INTEGRATED
CREATIVE STRATEGY STATEMENT
Statement:We sticktogether.
Statement:We wantto bringout the DIY-erinyou.
Statement:Somebody’sgottodoit.
Statement:Togetherwe canfix it.
Statement:Iam woman,hearme fix!
Core StrategyIdea:Somebody’sgottodo it.
15. 14
CREATIVE BRIEF
The smallerthe brief,the biggerthe ideas(BelovedBrands).
Creative Brief
Client:Home Depot
Type:TelevisionAd
Whyare we advertising?
To increase salesamongwomen
Whomare we talking to?
Womenwhowant to gettheirhome improvementprojectsdone
What do they currentlythink?
Womenbelievetheyneedamanto fix things,theycan’tdo itthemselves
What wouldwe like them to think?
Womenare capable of completinghome improvementprojects
What is the single most persuasive ideawe can convey?
Home Depotwantswomento knowthattheycan doit
Whyshould theybelieve it?
Home Depotis willingtoofferworkshopsandexpertadvice specificallydesignedforwomen
Are there any creative guidelines?
One 30 secondTV spot
16. 15
CREATIVE EXECUTION
Sample Creative Execution-TVAd
Client:Home Depot
Title:The Faucet
Length:30 Seconds
Writer:Mariah Abell
VIDEO AUDIO____________________
1. Shot of faucetleaking 1. Soundof waterspewing
2. Woman walksto livingroom 2. “Honey,the faucetis leakingagain!”
where herhusbandiswatchingthe game
3. Husband doesn’tlookawayfromthe TV 3. “ Didyou hearme…the faucetis
leakingagain!“I’ll fix itwhenthe
game’sover!”
4. Wife goesto Home Depot,talkto associate 4. Soundof clockticking;graphics:3
hourslater
purchasessupplies,
5. Husband walksintokitchenanddiscovers 5. “I thoughtyousaidit wasleaking!”
Wife hasfixedthe leakandboughta new faucet
Has a lookof surprise onhisface
6. Woman walksto local Home Depotand
speakstoemployee whoshowsher
newkitchenfaucets andhowto install it
7. She isholdingawrenchand has one handon
hipwitha satisfiedsmile onherface
1. Shotof faucetleaking
2. Woman walkstolivingroom
where herhusbandiswatching
the game
3. Husbanddoesn’tlookawayfromthe TV
4. Woman goesto Home Depotand speaks
withassociate andpurchasessupplies
5. Husbandwalksintokitchenanddiscovers
hiswife hasfixedthe leak
6. Husbandhas a lookof surprise onhisface
7. Womanis holdingawrenchandhas one
handon hip and has a satisfiedsmile onherface
1. Soundof water spewing
2. Wife:“Honeythe faucetis
leakingagain!”
3. Wife (soundingannoyed): “Did
youhear me…the faucetis
leakingagain!” Husband:“I’ll
fix itwhenthe game’sover!”
4. Soundof clock ticking
5. Graphics:3 Hours Later
6. No audio
7. Announcer:“Well,somebody’s
got to do it!”
17. 16
MEDIA OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
BUDGET
Home Depotspent$771.7 milliondollarsinadvertisingin2013 up 737.6 millionin2012 (Statista2014).
My mediaplanforHome Depotwill be a six-monthcampaignrunningfromOctober1st
to March 31st
.
My budgetwill allocate asfollows:
50% televisionadvertising
20% mobile marketing
10% social media
10% websites
10% printadvertising
MEDIA OBJECTIVES
1. To reach75% of the target audience inmajormetropolitanmarkets(New York.LosAngeles,
WashingtonD.C.,Chicago,Houston) withafrequencyof 10 ads ineach market,eachmonthoverthe six
monthcampaign.
2. To reach75% of the targetaudience inthe Midwesternmarkets(Detroit, St.Louis,Minneapolis,
Indianapolis,Cincinnati,Cleveland,KansasCity,Louisville) withafrequencyof 20 ads in eachmarket,
each monthoverthe six monthcampaign. I have chosento advertise inthe Midwestbecause
competitorsLowe’sandMenardsconcentrate inthe Midwesternmarkets.
MEDIA STRATEGIES
1. For the major metropolitanmarketsIwill allocate 50% of the televisionbudgetandair30
secondspotsto air onthe broadcastand cable networks. The entire printadvertisingbudget
will be spentinthe national marketaswill social mediaandwebsites.
2. For the Midwesternmarkets,Iwill allocatethe other50% of the televisionbudgetanduse the
entire mobile advertisingbudgettocreate targetadvertisingusinglocationserviceson
smartphones.
MEDIA TACTICS
Television
Televisioncombinessightandsound,anadvantage notofferedbymostmedia(Belch328).
Broadcast-98%of householdsownatleastone TV set.
18. 17
1. ABC-reaches75.7%of households(National TV Spots2006). I am purchasing30 secondspotson
Thursdaynightswhen Grey’sAnatomy,Scandal,andHow to Get Away with Murder air. Scandal
isone of the top ratedprograms forwomen.
2. CBS-reaches74.9% of household(National TV Spots2006) I am purchasing30 secondspots
duringThe Good Wife on Sundaynightsand The Big Bang Theory onMonday nightsinthe
monthof October,thenIwill myadvertisingtoThursdaynightsstartingOctober30 when Big
Bang resumesitspermanenttime slot(Deadline2014).
Cable
1. HGTV has over90 millionsubscribers (Kagan2006). I will buy30 secondspotsto air during
popularHGTV shows HouseHunters and LoveIt or List It.
2. DIY-airsinover53 millionhomes(National TV Spots2006). I will buy30 secondtelevisionspots
that will airduringfemale-hostedshowssuchasKitchen Crashers,SweatEquity,Mega Dens,
and Rehab Addict.
3. Lifetime isthe sixthtopratedcable stationandhasover90 millionsubscribers(Kagan2006). I
will buy30 secondtelevisionspotstoairduringthe 7-10pm primetimeweekdayhours.
4. FX-airsinover95 millionhomes(National TV Spots2006). I will buy30 secondtelevisionspots
on Wednesdaynightsduringthe 13-weekrun(October-January) of American HorrorStory:Freak
Show. AHS is one of the top-ratedshowsforwomenwithover59% female viewership
(Thielman2014).
Print
1. HGTV Magazine is the 8th
best-sellingmonthlymagazineonnewsstandsandhasa circulationof
over1.3 million(HGTV MediaKit2014) I will buycover2 at 5% with3 pages
(one full colorpage ad for3 issues) at$77,188. In the January/February2015 issue,the rate in
the same category will rise to$84,906 (HGTV Media Kit2014).
2. BetterHomesand Gardenshave a female demographicof over80% and itscirculationisover7
million. Iwill buy2 full colorwhole pagesatthe price of $552, 970 (BHG Media Kit2014).
3. Redbookistargetedtowomen25-45 whoare goingthroughkeylife decisions(WritersMarket
2014) includingbuyingand/orsellingtheirfirsthome. Redbook’scirculationisover2.2million.
I will buy4 full page adsat the cost of $111, 800.
Social Media
1. Facebook-Iwill buy$500 perday promotional adstotarget womeninthe UnitedStates
2. Twitter-Iwill use 3-5promotedtweetsperdaytonon-followersbytailoringthe tweetstotarget
womenwhoare lookingforhelpwiththeirDIYprojects.
3. Pinterest-Iwilluse the new“promote pins”advertising. Since Pinterestisnew tothe advertising
market,there isnotenoughdata to show how much itwill cost.
Websites
1. HGTV-buybanneradson the HGTV home page
19. 18
2. DIY-buybanneradson the DIY home page
3. Hulu-buysponsorshipsduring5female skewedshowsincludingthe #TGIT lineup
Mobile Advertising–Home Depotwasone of the earliestretailerstoembrace mobileadvertising.
(Funmobility2014). Theystartedadvertisingonmobile in2010 and are aheadof the curve inregards to
mobile advertising. Home Depothasdone several mobile redesignsnow includingover1000 how-to
videos(ThinkwithGoogle 2012). I will use the 2.5 millionmobile advertisingbudgettotargetthe
Midwesternmarketbyusinglocationbasedadvertising.
FLOW CHART
The flowchart will be ina MicrosoftExcel file.
20. 19
PUBLIC RELATIONS OBJECTIVES, STRATEGIES AND TACTICS
Definitionof PublicRelations
What ispublicrelations? Accordingto PublicRelationsNews,publicrelationsis“the management
functionwhichevaluatespublicattitudes,identifiesthe policiesandproceduresof anorganizationwith
the publicinterest,andexecutesaprogramof action (andcommunication) toearnpublicunderstanding
and acceptance (Belch2014 p. 573).” An effective publicrelationsprogramcancontinue overseveral
months,possiblyevenlastyears(Belch2014 p. 573).
PublicRelationsObjectives
PR Objective-astatementof the outputs,outcomes,orbusinessresultsaPReffortisdesignedto
achieve. Theyare narrow,precise,andmeasurable.
1. To increase the participationandnumberof Do-It-Herself workshopsby50% in one year. A
bloggergave herlocal Home Depotworkshopa bad review. Herwebsite GrinningLike anIdiot,
isone of the top 15,000 websitesinthe UnitedStates(Alexa2014). She looked forwardtothe
class,but itwas not whatshe expected. The staff wasnothelpful andthe employeedidnot
demonstrate howtohandle anyof the toolsused. As explainedinherpost,she now hasa more
positive experience withcompetitorLowe’s.
2. To increase the value of Home Depotto femalesby50% usingsocial mediaandendorsements.
Pinterestisexcludedbecause Home Depothasalreadyusedittotargetwomensuccessfully.
PublicRelationsStrategies
PR Strategy-aplanof actiondesignedtoachieve anobjective;the overalldirectionyouare goingtotake.
1. Collaborate withStephanie,the bloggerforGrinningLike anIdiot,tocreate a user-friendlythe
Do-ItHerself workshop.
2. Obtainendorsementsfromhighlyinfluential womenlikeOprahWinfreyandfemale hostson
HGTV and DIY Network. Utilize theseendorsementsonsocial media.
21. 20
PublicRelationsTactics
PR tactic-aspecificactionsteprequiredtodeliveronastrategy.
1. Have people whoparticipatedinthe DIYworkshopsbuildahome fora single motherwith
Habitatfor Humanity. Have local mediacoverstory.
2. Sendworkshoppressreleasesandinvitationstoworkshopstoprintoutlets,women’s
organizations,andfemale-ownedbusinesses.
3. Publicize endorsementsfromhighlyinfluential womenonsocial mediautilizingvideoof
themwithtools,showingsnippetsof DIYprojects.
22. 21
DIRECT MARKETING OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
DirectMarketing-asystemof marketingbywhichorganizationscommunicatedirectlywithtarget
customerstogenerate a response ortransaction(Belch2014 p.474).
Direct MarketingObjectives
1. To increase salesinthe flooringdepartmenttofemalehome ownersby50% insix months.
2. To increase directmailingstofemalehomeownersby75% in six monthsandhave an 80%
response rate.
3. To get 75% of newfemale customerstobuyexclusivelyatHome Depotfortheirhome
improvementneedsinsix months.
Direct MarketingTactics
1. A catalog(online andprint) thatcatersto the female buyer. The catalogwouldhave what
womenwantto shopfor at the Home Depot. It wouldalsohave some how-toprojectsthatshe
couldfinishinaweekend(buildabench,spraypaintoldchandelier,etc.).
2. Email blastsdirectedtothe female customer. FirstIwouldpartnerwithConstantContactto
create a directmailingdatabase exclusivelyforwomen. I wouldcreate apersonalizedemail to
each female customeraboutouroffersandsales. Some customerswouldbe randomlyselected
to take part in a surveyabouthow well we didonemail blastsandwhethertheywouldshopat
Home Depotand/or tell theirfriendsaboutit.
3. Testimonialsfromcurrentfemale shoppers. Iwouldtake several namesfromthe customer
database and call or email andask themif theywouldlike toparticipate inatestimonial video
that wouldbe postedonHome Depot’sFacebookpage. Theywouldexplaintonew customers
whytheyshopat Home Depotand itsbenefits.
23. 22
SALES PROMOTION OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES
SalesPromotion-adirectinducementthatoffersanextravalue orincentivefor the productto the sales
force,distributors,orthe ultimate consumerwiththe primaryobjective of animmediate sale (Belch
2014 p.520)
SalesPromotionObjectives
1. To increase the salesinthe flooringdepartmentpurchasedbywomenby60% insix months.
2. To get 75% of female customerstosignupfora new loyaltyprograminsix months.
3. To entice 75% of newfemale customerstofollow Home DepotonTwitterandFacebook.
SalesPromotionTactics
1. Introduce a refundandrebate programfor the customer. For example,if the flooringdelivered
to the customer’shome isseverelydamaged,Home Depotwill letthe customertrade infora
newfloorat no cost,regardless if the new floorthe customerhaschosencostsmore than the
previousfloor.
2. Introduce a loyaltyprogram,one of the fastestgrowingareasof salespromotion(Belch2014
p.552). Forevery$10 spentat Home Depot,the customerwill receive 1pointinthe program.
There will be amilestone foracertainnumberof points. Forexample,if acustomergets upto
10,000 points,theywill receive afree floorinstallationwiththe purchase of the flooring.
3. Conducta conteston FacebookandTwitter. If a customersharesa photowith10 people,they
will be enteredintoadrawingtoreceive a$50,000 home improvementmakeover.
24. 23
MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION PLAN
Thisintegratedmarketingcommunicationsplanrevolvesaroundincreasingbrandawarenessandsales
instoresand online. These objectiveswill be measuredthroughoutthe six monthcampaignto gather
informationaboutspecificaspectsof the planaswell aspost-testingtoevaluate the planinitsentirety.
In six months,we will create asurveycontactingpeopleusingourmailingwe createdsix monthsbefore.
We will ask howyouropinionhaschangedof Home Depotin the past six months,are theymore loyal to
the Home Depotbrand, andwill theyrecommendHome Depottotheirfriends? We will alsoaskif they
have any recommendationstoimprove the Home Depotbrand.
Withthe Do-ItHerself workshop,we willgetattendance levelsfrom Home Depotassociatesandhave
evaluationformstobe filledoutafterthe workshop iscompleted. We will askcustomersif theyenjoyed
or didnot enjoythe workshopandwill theyattendanotherworkshopinthe near future. We will also
ask if theysuggestanyrecommendationstoimprove the workshops.
Social mediametricswill be evaluatedthroughoutthe campaign. We will measure the reachand
engagementof customersonchannelslike FacebookandTwitter. We will see how manycustomers
have startedfollowingHome Depot’ssocial mediapagessince the startof the campaign,andhow many
poststheyhave sharedinthe pastsix months.
25. 24
CONCLUSION
In conclusion,atrue marketingcommunicationsplanisthe developmentof marketingstrategies and
creative campaignsthatweave togethermultiple marketingdisciplinessuchaspaidadvertising,public
relations,promotion,andsocial mediathatare selectedandimplementedtosuitthe goalsof the brand.
Thisplan will helpHome Depotgrowoverthe course fromOctober2014 to March 2015. The objectives
includedinthisplancanbe efficientlymeasuredandthe tacticsare well researched,thoughtout
methodstoimprove the positionandbrandawarenessof the company. Manyof the strategiestobe
implementedwillaccomplishmore thanone goal,makingthe planmostcost efficient.
26. 25
REFERENCES
Belch,G. & Belch,M. (2014). Advertising&Promotion:AnIntegratedMarketingCommunications
Perspective. NewYork:McGraw-Hill
Menards.(2014). AboutUs. Retrievedfrom: http://www.menards.com/main/footer/about-
menards/about-us/c-3582.htm
Johnson,M. (2011). Menards Pushes“BiggerisBetter”Approach.Retrievedfrom: http://finance-
commerce.com/2011/04/menards-pushes-%E2%80%98bigger-is-better-approach/
Mattingly,K.(2012). MenardsMega Store OpensinOwensboroonTuesday. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.14news.com/story/18169455/owensboros-menards-mega-store-opens-tuesday
Lowe’s(2014). AboutUs. Retrievedfrom: http://media.lowes.com/about-lowes/
Home Depot.(2014). ProductRecalls. http://www.homedepot.com/c/Product_Recalls
Saporta,M. (2013). Home DepotShareholdersRediscovertheirComfortZone atAnnual Meeting.
Retrievedfrom:
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2013/05/23/home-depot-shareholders-rediscover.html
Bloomberg(2014). Online Extra:HowLowe’sHammersHome Depot. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2004-04-04/online-extra-how-lowes-hammers-home-depot
Couret,J.(2014). Home DepotNamedNumber15 US Brand. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2014/01/13/home-depot-named-no-15-us-brand.html
Caldwell,C.(2014). Home Depotto Focus Lesson Store Openings,More onInternetSales. Retrieved
from:
http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2014/04/home-depot-to-focus-less-on-store-
openings-more-on.html
Hall,G. (2014). The DIY MovementisFillingHome ImprovementAisles-withWomen. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2014/04/the-diy-movement-is-filling-home-
improvement.html
The Richards Group.DietCoke Creative Brief.(2009).
27. 26
BelovedBrands.(2012). Howto Write an Effective CreativeBrief. Retrievedfrom: http://beloved-
brands.com/2012/05/28/creative-brief/
Nationaltvspots.com(2014).NetworkDemographics. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.nationaltvspots.com/ntvs-networks
WritersMarket (2014). Retrievedfrom:www.writersmarket.com
Thielman,S.(2014). What WomenWatch on TV: theirViewingHabitsMaySurprise You. Retrieved
from:http://www.adweek.com/news/television/what-women-watch-tv-156621?page=1
Statista.(2014). Home DepotAdvertisingSpending. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.statista.com/statistics/298763/home-depot-ad-spending-usa/
HGTV MediaKit.(2014). Retrievedfrom: http://www.hgtvmagmediakit.com/advertising/2014-rate-card
How Much for a 30 SecondTV Spot?Retrievedfrom:
file:///C:/Users/Mariah/Downloads/TV_pricing_chart_for_web.pdf
BetterHomesand GardensMediaKit. Retrievedfrom:http://www.bhgmarketing.com/rates.html
Andreeva,N.(2014).2014 Fall Preview:CloudyRatingsForecast&Where the NetworksStand.
Retrievedfrom:http://deadline.com/2014/09/fall-2014-season-preview-fox-cbs-abc-nbc-cw-837937/
TwitterforBusiness.(2014).Retrievedfrom: https://business.twitter.com/products/promoted-tweets
FacebookforBusiness.(2014). Retrievedfrom: https://www.facebook.com/business
ThinkwithGoogle.(2012). Home DepotBridgesthe Gap BetweenIn-StoreandMobile Experience.
Retrievedfrom:http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/case-studies/home-depot-360-mobile-strategy.html
GrinningLike anIdiot.(2014). Home Depot-DoitHerself Review. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.grinninglikeanidiot.com/2014/02/home-depot-do-it-herself-review/
B2B PR Blog(2013). 31 PR Tactics thatMake for Memorable Campaigns. Retrievedfrom:
http://b2bprblog.com/blog/2013/07/31-pr-tactics-that-make-for-memorable-campaigns
ReedCollege of Media. (2014).IMC Interactive Module onDifferentiatingBetweenGoals,Objectives,
Strategies,andTactics
ReedCollege of Media. (2014). IMC Interactive WritingMeasurableObjectives
Celsi,C.(2014). PR Goals,Objectives,Strategies,andTactics:How to Tell the Difference. Retrieved
from:https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140708131724-5005043-pr-goals-objectives-
strategies-and-tactics-how-to-tell-the-difference
28. 27
DirectMarketingand CommunicationsManagement.(2014).Several KeyDirectMail Tacticsto Help
BuildCompanyTrust.Retrievedfrom: http://dmcm.net/article_selection/seven-key-direct-mail-tactics-
to-help-build-company-trust/
Home Depot.(2014). Home DepotSavingsCenter. Retrievedfrom:
http://www.homedepot.com/c/Savings_Center
