Mkt 421

Marketing Mix

Maria Montoya

MKT/421

September 3, 2012

Michael Stutler

Abstract

This paper will describe the elements of the marketing mix. The marketing mix includes the product, place, price, and promotion. The organization selected for this paper is HEB, a retail grocery chain, and this paper will explain how the marketing mix affects the development of this organization’s marketing strategy and tactics. This paper will also describe how each element is implemented to make them the largest and best retail grocery chain in the nation.

Marketing Mix

HEB is one of the largest grocery chains in the United States. HEB started in Texas and is expanding rapidly. HEB opened its first store in 1905 in Kerrville, Texas, and, now has more than 300 stores in Texas and northern Mexico. HEB was known for Howard Edward Butt, one of the founders; it was later known for Here Everything’s Better, which became their popular marketing slogan. HEB believes in value, hard work, taking care of the customers, and most of all in dreaming big. Aside from offering the best customer service, HEB sells only the freshest and safest products (HEB, 2012). To get where HEB is at, a successful business, it has had to depend on what the organization needs and what is the best for their customers. The success of this retail grocery chain falls on their marketing mix, their marketing strategy and tactics, and how they implement their roles and decisions. HEB uses the marketing mix to achieve their goals, especially business revenue goals.

Product

The four elements of the marketing mix are product, place, price, and promotion (Kotler & Keller, 2009). First, HEB focuses on format and a customized product mix. This product mix is composed of wide selections of national name brands outsold by their private store brand products. According to David J. Livingston, managing partner of DJL Research, “their private-label products are just incredible” (SCT, 2005). HEB’s own...