Walmart Research Plan

8/20/2019 Walmart Research Plan

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PROJECT OVERVIEW

The challenge is to create a campaign for Walmart to drive sales of the company’s male

grooming products. This research plan outlines the information needs, methods that will

be used to find key insights and action items for the team, with assigned responsibilities.

INFORMATION NEEDS

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSUMER

• What are the shopping behaviors, norms and tendencies that are exhibited by

millennial males?

• What are the main factors that motivate, influence, and determine how millennial

males make purchasing decisions - especially when it comes to their personal

grooming products?

• What are the most effective ways to engage with millennial males, especially

when attempting to educate or inform them?

• What are the emotional and rational ways to influence millennial male consumers

and which of these ways are most likely to convince them to purchase grooming

products at Walmart?

• Where are millennial males currently shopping for their grooming products and

what drives them to make the decisions they do, in terms of what they buy and

from where?

• How can we drive millennial males to Walmart for all of their grooming needs?

METHODS TO FIND ANSWERS

• Focus groups, surveys and observations will help us to understand the behaviors

that influence and ultimately determine where and why millennial males purchasegrooming products, so that we can best position Walmart’s brand and grooming

category to appeal to this target demographic.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMPANY

• What existing perceptions about Walmart’s brand influence millennial males and

their purchasing decisions?

• How can we best communicate the company of Walmart's mission to help

millennial men live better while spending less – with/on their grooming products?

• What is true of the Walmart brand that is appealing to millennial males?

• What is true of the Walmart brand that is not appealing to millennial males?

• What is true about the in-store experience that has potential to drive in-store

traffic to the male grooming aisles?


• Focus groups and surveys will be the best way to understand the existing

perceptions of the Walmart brand. This research will help us reposition Walmart’s



male grooming category as we leverage the positive brand perceptions and

determine how to communicate around, debunk or change negative perceptions.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CATEGORY

• In the category of male grooming, what brands does Walmart carry and what

kind of product variety does it offer?• What kinds of male grooming marketing campaigns have been used by Walmart

or other stores to successfully market this category – in store or elsewhere?

• What tactics have been used to successfully reach millennial males and market

grooming products?


• Secondary research as well as observations and interviews in Walmart stores will

help us to better understand the male grooming category and what is currently

being done to drive in store traffic to these aisles.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COMPETITION

• Who are Walmart’s key competitors and what are they doing to market their male

grooming products and competencies?

• What differentiates Walmart from other competitors within the multinational retail

corporation segment?

• What are competitors doing right to market their male grooming product lines?

• What experiences are competitors providing that are connecting millennial males

across all product lines, especially male grooming?


• Interviews with Walmart staff as well as secondary research and observationalresearch (visiting competitor’s male grooming aisles) will helps us to identify

Walmart’s threats and opportunities.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CULTURE

• What events, holidays and other culturally relevant societal trends already exist

that impact the male grooming market?

• How can Walmart's marketing and communications leverage these opportunities

to connect and influence this target market?


• Focus groups will be the best way to determine what cultural content millennial

males are most interested in to identify opportunities for media engagement and

content creation.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHANNEL

• What makes the delivery channel of in-store purchasing relevant to millennial

males?



• How are consumers receiving information about products available in store?

POTENTIAL METHODS TO FIND ANSWERS

• Focus groups will investigate how millennial males feel about the target channel

and hopefully uncover what can be done to foster a more engaging or appealing

in store experience. This research should also strive to identify what it is thatdrives millennial males to the male grooming aisle and once there, how they

make purchasing decisions.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONVERGENCE

• What is the best way to mix all channel outreach efforts and increase

engagement with millennial males?

• How will we measure success across all channels to see results across an

integrated marketing communications campaign?

POTENTIAL METHODS TO FIND ANSWERS

• Focus groups and surveys will determine what social media platforms and more

traditional channels are most relevant and should be integrated into our

campaign for maximum engagement levels.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Sales of male grooming products are not one of Walmart's most competitive business

segments. In order to increase the number of grooming items in the millennial male’s

shopping basket, and ultimately increase credibility and share of the company’s overall

male grooming category, we need to determine the best way to communicate Walmart’s

valuable assortment, low prices and desire to help consumers live better.

Thorough research is absolutely essential, and the first step, to smart and strategic

campaign planning. Primary research will be conducted in order to find answers to our

questions and information needs about the consumer, company, category, competition,

culture, channels and convergence. By using a variety of methods, including surveys,

focus groups, and direct observation of consumers at Walmart locations, we will uncover

the insights and truths that will drive the campaign strategy.

This research will determine how, why, when and where millennial males consume

grooming products to drive Walmart’s strategic initiatives within this business category

and ensure return on marketing and communications investments.



TIMELINE

ACTION ITEM ASSIGNED LEAD

9/16 Team Research Plan Due Research/Planning Director, MM

9/23 Research materials crafted and ready for

action

Content/Production Director, ET

9/30 Supervisor review of research findings,

synthesis and analysis

Research/Planning Director, MM

10/2 Formal client review of objectives,

strategies and status

Account Director, SK

10/16 Supervisor review of communications plan,

including MOST + ROI, tacking andmeasurement approach

Media/Engagement Director, SP

10/22 Supervisor review of creative and media

engagement platform executions

Media/Engagement Director, SP

11/11 Internal presentations and review of client

leave-behind project deck

Content/Production Director, ET

11/13 First supervisor review of client leave-

behind project deck

Creative Director, KO

11/25 Second supervisor review of client leave-

behind project deck

Creative Director, KO

12/2 FINAL CLIENT MEETING

Deliverables include final client leave-

behind project deck and team evaluations

Account Director, SK

Walmart Research Plan

Documents

Transcript of Walmart Research Plan