M045LON-International Hospitality and Tourism Marketing

Digital Marketing Promotions

Han Ren (Student ID: 6155560)

Seminar tutor: Mrs Deborah Grieve

Submission date: 28th Feb 2016

Word count: 2465 words

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Executive Summary

KidZania is a role-play indoor global entertained and educational theme park, while Sea

Life Aquarium is bast place that offer the face to face opportunity of undersea creatures.

Both companies have targeted the same age group that is 4-12 years old children. The

purpose of this essay is using the social media marketing strategy to evaluate the strength

and weakness of digital marketing promotion methods for both KidZania and Sea Life

Aquarium. According to the findings of digital marketing promotion for above two

companies, three suggestion have been provided that use Wechat to attract the Chinese

market, user friendly layout for mobile devices and social media cites and refresh content

regularly to attractive customers.

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Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..……4

2.0 Background of Case Study Objects…………………………………….……………………4

2.1 KidZania…………………………………………………………………………….………4

2.2 Sea Life London Aquarium…………………………………………………….…………4

3.0 The Marketing Criteria…………………………………………………………………………5

3.1 Digital Marketing…………………………………………………………………………..5

3.2 The main social media platform………………………………………………………….5

3.3 The trends of digital marketing…………………………………………………………..6

4.0 Digital Marketing Strategies…………………………………………………………………..6

4.1 Consumer engagement…………………………………………………………………..7

4.2 Digital marketing objectives………………………………………………………………7

4.3 Evaluate campaigns………………………………………………………………………7

5.0 Analysis & Finding of case study……………………………………………………….……8

5.1 KidZaina……………………………………………………………………….…….….….8

5.1.1 Frequent postings of activities on Facebook………………………….…………8

5.1.2 The influence of Facebook on campaign………………………………….……..9

5.2 The Sea Life London Aquarium…………………………………………………………10

5.2.1 Launch the activities on Twitter……………..………………………….………..10

5.2.2 The influence of Twitter on campaign………………………………….….……11

6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations………………………………………………….……..12

7.0 Reference……………………………………………………………….………………….…14

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1.0 Introduction

Recently, with the development and innovation of high-technology, the use of social media

has been increased with an exponential rate (Nahai, 2012). There is no doubt that the

social media considers as the fastest growth channel of marketing. Take KidZania and

Sea Life Aquarium for example, compare the different digital marketing promotion methods

for the 4-12 years old children, considering as the Creators of Social Technographics

Ladder. According to the advantage and disadvantage of existing marketing scheme, three

recommendation have been provided by understanding the consumers and delighting

them with the product and service.

2.0 Background of Case Study Objects

2.1 KidZania

KidZania was born in Mexico on 1st September 1999, and it was the first ‘role-play’ indoor

global entertained and educational theme park (Ancona 2008). KidZania London is a

75,000 sq.ft child-size City which landed in Westfield London in 2015. There are streets,

theater, television stations, hospitals and restaurants of various social and institutional

facilities within the park. More than 50-60 real life role-play activities could be chosen, such

as pilots, firefighters, shopkeepers, doctors, reporters, etc. Each role-play experience is

tailor-made for 4-12 year olds children to teach essential life skills, not only financial

literacy, but also team work and independence. What’s more, these "work" in the form of

remuneration paid in tokens, tokens can consume in the park (London 2016).

2.2 Sea Life London Aquarium

The Sea Life London Aquarium was open to public in March 1997, which is the flagship in

Sea Life’s international network of aquariums (Life 2016). Three floors covers 13 themed

zones with thousands of creatures. In order to provide the opportunity of face to face with

creatures from the ocean depths, the aquarium redesigned the rout and displayed a new

underwater tunnel, Shark Walk and a revamped Pacific Ocean tanking 2008. The

aquarium host up to ten thousands of school children each year with the eduction

program, mainly targeting 4-12 year olds children.

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3.0 The Marketing Criteria

3.1 Digital Marketing

Tuten and Solomon (2015) defined the social media as the online methods of

communication, influence of interaction with people, communities and other organizations

is full use by technological acceptable and convenient. Social media is the most popular

source of digital marketing, reaching 1.2 billion users globally (Prodromou 2013). Not only

the online users of social media has been increased meteorically, but also the amount of

time they spend on them is rising (Blyth 2011). According to Nielsen Research, the global

average length of time which spent online social platforms doubled from 2hours in

December 2007 to 5.5 hours in December 2009 (Blyth 2011).

3.2 The main social media platform

Facebook is the most popular social media whose users has boasted over 1.39 billion

active users globally till December 2014, half of whom log on the site every single day

(Mintel 2016). Facebook contains the user’s interest, buying behavior as well as other

personal information. With the Facebook’s reporting tools, it is able to closely track the

campaign's performance and adjust the ads for straightforward marketing. Moreover, it is a

low-rise marketing of advertising as the payment depends on the result. According to

Mintel (2016), another key driver of Fackbook’s growth is mobile, which advertising

revenue has increased from 53% in 2013 to 69% in 2014. March 2015, it was leading a e-

commerce that Facebook Messenger app launched a new payment feature. What’s more,

the initiative strategy targets another billion people who rarely access to the social media.

Twitter is an online microblogging service, containing the latest news and interesting

experience. Approximately 500million tweets are sent each day, with the limitation of 140

characters’ length, 80% which use a mobile device to access the network (Mintel 2016).

Twitter is a great place to advertise via Promoted Tweets and track the customer feedback

about companies. Tuten and Solomon (2015) pointed out that 5700 tweets happen per

every second. Based on Mintel (2016), the advertising revenue increased 17% from 2013

to 2014. Twitter used to be a text-based message publisher, but it launched video service

for 30 seconds in January 2015. Moreover, since September 2014, the twitter featured a

‘buy ’button that allowed users bot buy goods directly instead of a third party (Mintel 2016).

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YouTube was established in 2005. Blyth (2011) indicated 24hours of footage has been

uploaded to YouTUbe each minute. Hence, marketers put video advertising via YouTube,

for instance, InVideo Ads or YouTube video ads, as well as add company culture or

content. Mintel (2016) reported that YouTube has launched a kid app in US since February

2015 which was funded through advertising.

3.3 The trends of digital marketing

The trends of digital marketing is increasing due to the three main advantage.

• Firstly, the use of social media is for free. It was a revolution that change the way of

marketing in the worldwide. In the past, the small companies has little opportunities of

competing with international competitors with a large amount of budge for market

penetration. However, thanks to the born of social media, both companies have the

same access for target markets.

• In addition, the impact of social medial led to gathering and building a community of

people with same interest in tourism. So that it could easy to launch the related activities

with various forms, such, video, pictures, etc.

• Furthermore, social medial is considered as the best platform to offer highly engagement

with people. Online users are used to sharing an interest or connect with friends and so

easily to be well engaged and receptive.

4.0 The digital marketing strategies

The markets have to generate the profit by digital as it has the high potential in driving

revenue (Ryan 2014). Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick (2016) indicated that digital marketing

aims to use main social platform to achieve the marketing objectives for brand cognitive,

such as encourages audience participation, interaction and sharing.

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(Figure1 Internal and external

influences on digital marketing

strategy)

4.1 Consumer engagement for social media marketing

Ryan (2014) indicated that customer engagement would boost the digital marketing

maturity and leadership. He also explained the marketer should consider how important of

launch the campaign and overall digital marketing simultaneously, rather than abundant

devices development. The time consuming of social media marketing should not be

underestimated. Recently, 90% customer shift the devices to achieve the goal as they

expect the perfect experience of browsing. Hence, it’s essential that the companies create

a great user experience to build customer engagement and drive conversions via social

media.

4.2 Digital marketing objectives

Tuten and Solomon (2015) illustrated the objectives and advantage of digital marketing as

below,

• Increase Awareness : Social media marketing could increase the influence of brands by

hold an active presence in the social spaces where target customer involved.

• Influence Desire : The promotions methods via Social media is always using specific

theme activities to persuade customer to aware of a sense of desire.

• Encourage Trial : Social media is a good channel to support and distribute sampling and

loyalty programs.

• Cement Brand Loyalty: Higher level of brand loyalty could stick longer time on social

media sites.

4.3 Evaluate campaigns

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There were 3 ways to exam the effective design campaigns, whether customer could

complete the tasks effectively, whether the tasks could be completed in efficient time and

whether the customer satisfied with the interaction (Chaffey and Ellis-Chadwick 2016).

5.0 Analysis & Finding of case study

5.1 KidZaina

5.1.1 Frequent postings of activities on Facebook

Increase Awareness of KidZania is the key element for the new brand which KidZania

imported last summer to London. Digital marketing is used to create awareness through

real experience sharing. For example, KidZania London post celebration for Chinese New

Year via Facebook with existing pictures of a traditional Lion Dance which successfully

attracted 4-12 year-old children & teen’s interest and spread thousand of times on the

same day.

(Figure2 KidZania London Facebook

page on Chinese New Year)

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Influence Desire is another objective which KidZania promotes the brand to aware of a

sense of desire. For example, KidZania posted a advertisement of Mother’s Day on 27th

February 2016, including the extension activities for 4-12 year-old children on 6th March

2016.

(Figure2 KidZania London Facebook page for Mother’s Day’s promotion)

5.1.2 The influence of Facebook on campaign

-Strengths of these postings,

• Facebook is consistently use through the worldwide whose website is always branded as

the kid safety priority company, which assist the company build up the best image of

kids-friendly and safety environment.

• There are two online access to KidZania, one is the website, and the other is for mobile

devises. A number of people benefit from this kind of Word of Mouth and decided to

attend by themselves.

• Moreover, since the campaign post, more customers have chosen to visit the KidZania

than before. With the chain effect, KidZania considered as the top choice for half-term

Feb 2016.

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-Weaknesses of these postings

• Facebook’s rule does not extend to every corner of the world. for example China has

banned the Facebook based on Economist (2013). Therefore, the KidZania London

Chinese New Year’s campaign could not spread and target the customers in Mainland

China, but only the Chinese who live in UK.

• Sheehan (2010) explained if the pop-up adverting becomes so intrusive that people will

swift another channel to connect with their friends. For example, thousands of brands

have been set up their own Facebook pages on social networks, less successful deals

made.

5.2 The Sea Life London Aquarium

5.2.1 Launch the activities on Twitter

Encourage Trial is important to attract new targeted customers. For example, The Sea Life

London Aquarium

hold the Junior

Broadcaster selection

(8-11 years old) via

Twitter. According to

the requirement,

each candidates

need to submit a 30

second-video of

hosting the

introduction whatever

the any animal or

creature.

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(Figure3 Sea Life London Twitter page on Broadcaster selection)

Cement Brand Loyalty is another objective of digital marketing which aiming in customer

sticky. For instance, the Sea Life London Aquarium launches the annual pass scheme.

5.2.2 The influence of Twitter on campaign

The Sea Life London Aquarium account of Twitter introduced everything, which included

the latest online promotions and the recent activities. In order to approach to the education

purpose, the website is always posting background details and education undersea

creature. The educational part is also designed and filled with jokes and comments about

the health, lifestyles and adventure of the show (Little 2013).

-Advantage of these postings,

First of all, an organic approach was taken with very minimal online spend to promote the

Twitter page. Now this advertisement of junior Broadcaster selection has became the top

click rate and forwarding rate. Not only the positive feedback via Twitter, but also got

impact on visiting onsite. A large number of students rushed to aquarium for recording

during the last half-term (15th-20th Feb), in order to meet the submission deadline on 6th

Mar 2016.

Secondly, most marketer prefer to using the unique aspects of Twitter. Twitter played the

role as a short broadcast to feed their followers rather than just a social destination. It’s

easy to elevate the brand’s online presence via partner promotions, cross‐park

promotions, collaborations with other major websites and exploring mobile initiatives

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Finally, it would express the companies positive image and reputation via digital WOM.For

instance, adding positive comment on campaign pages.

-Disadvantage of these postings,

• The same promotional activities that appeared on Twitter were also visible on Facebook.

With comparison, the pages of Twitter have been only illustrated with text-based context.

However, the Facebook one showed more vivid photos and video both for events and

the animals.

• With the character's limitation, no more than 140 character could be published via

Twitter.

6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations

There is a doubt that whether social networks will be an effective way for marketers to

reach end consumers with the advertisement. Compared to traditional marketing, social

media marketing focus on reputation and brand creation. The best practice is as below,

1. Use WeChat to attract the Chinese market.

• WeChat is the main social media used by Chinese with 1.1 billion registered accounts

and 570 million daily active users (DMR 2015) and it could broadcast the advertisement

in second.

• Reasons: more then 292,000 UK visas were granted to Chinese citizens in 2013

which increased 40% over the previous year (Mintel 2016), many of whom are

looking to entertain their children. WeChat is used as an information source with

users asking for recommendations as well as experience sharing.

2. Deploying the operation interface friendly

• More than half consumers are used in browsing the company websites via

smartphone. 75% of kids under 8 now use mobile devices (Fast Company 2013).

• Reasons: In order to attractive a younger demographic, the access to company

websites should be designed user-friendly, which apply for both PC and mobile

platform compatibility.

3. Regularly refresh content to attract target consumers

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• The company should establish the social media platform with interaction, such as

regular campaigns and comments.

• Reasons: Kelly Wallace (2016) explained 8-12 children spent about six hours

averagely on consuming social media. The interesting online context as well as

topic could more consumer sticky on social media.

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(Figure4 Twitter page of Starbucks Coffee)

Thousands of customers

forwarded this message.

It is easy to click the

bottom to follow this

topic.

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7.0 Reference:

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