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ZTE INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION ANALYSIS

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Table of contents

1.0 Introduction...........................................................................................................................................3
2.0 The current approach to integrated communications.............................................................................3
2.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................3
2.2 Public relations..................................................................................................................................4
2.3 Direct and digital marketing..............................................................................................................4
2.4 Advertising........................................................................................................................................5
3.0 Techniques and Resources to Build Cross-Functional Relationship......................................................5
4.0 Evaluation of the Role of Communications in Delivering Value to Stakeholders..................................7
4.1 Lauterborn’s 4Cs...............................................................................................................................8
4.2 10 C’s................................................................................................................................................8
4.3 Alternative marketing tools.............................................................................................................10
5.0 Marketing Communication Plan..........................................................................................................11
6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations......................................................................................................12
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1.0 Introduction
ZTE is a household company in telecommunications and information technology. The company
has been in operations since 1986 and listed in both Hong Kong and Shenzhen stock exchange.
Amongst its main focus is the provision of innovative technologies and integrated solutions for
worldwide operators, nations and businesses. The company also focuses on customers from
across 160 countries globally.
With the company serving a large population globally, its commitment and dedication are
enabling connectivity and trust to all its esteem customers to secure a better future. Having this
information in mind, ZTE Company, a leading company in telecommunication, has extensively
employed an integrated community strategy in its operations. Communication marketing
strategies ensure the brand is consistent across all channels and communication is integrated with
its objectives. Communications is essential for the business to reach its global audience for
marketing and selling its products. Therefore, this paper explores how ZTE has aligned its
communication with its objectives.

2.0 The current approach to integrated communications

2.1 Introduction
Marketing communication is a salient factor for a company to reach out to the target market.
Integrated communication strategies encompass the employment of integrated marketing
company tools, a consolidation channel for a company to have seamless delivery of its message
to the target audience for a different target. In effect, it allows the consumers to get information
that has been conveyed. Therefore, communication marketing is of the essence for both the
company and customers. For instance, strong communication marketing potentially shortens the
searching process of the consumers and helpful in dictating the outcome of the brands compared
to companies with weaker communication marketing. ZTE is amongst the company that has
extensively incorporated IMC tools in its day to day operations. The company has been awarded
a certificate ranking it as the best consumer electronics brand because of its efforts to be a
leading marketer of the smartphone.
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2.2 Public relations

ZTE employs public relations as IMC tools to maintain a favorable image and build beneficial
relationships with public communities, especially in the United Kingdom. The company has
partnered with UK rap star Professor Green. Green is the official ambassador of ZTE. The
company has since partnered with Professor Green for the second time consecutively in 2011 and
2012 (Cramer 2012). The company for sometimes in the UK, the market was only selling white-
label devices. Therefore, considering the company launched three own-brand smartphone
focuses on the youths, it needs a marketing tool to enhance its share of the handset market within
the UK. According to the WU So, ZTE’s UK director of ZTE mobile device operations, “ United
kingdom is a key growth market for its consumers own brand since it is the leading edge of the
mobile user experience evolutions”(Reilly 2021). Moreover, the company is gearing up to open
up mobile internet use by selling cheaper smartphones than products such as apples and
Samsung. The company believes the progress of rap star Professor Green into mainstream from
underground is the similar path that ZTE wants to employ. They are also using the service of the
rap star since the market is young, cool, connected and intensively media-savvy, the same
audience the company is targeting.
By implementation of public relations, the company targets to build and maintain a positive
image, inform the target audiences on the positive associations with its new launch of ZTE
Grand X smartphones, generate goodwill among its UK customers and stimulate demand for its
products among the UK young people.

2.3 Direct and digital marketing

ZTE objective is to expand its growth in developing companies and increase its revenue growth.
Therefore, the company has striven to employ a digital marketing platform to market its brand in
these countries. ZTE is in partnership with Splash Media, a social media company (Abril 2015).
The company operates as a ZTE company agency of record to provide social media and digital
marketing. The company focuses is on developing interactive digital marketing solutions. It
entails the creation of content and video for their clients. Thus, ZTE will be using these constants
and video to post on their respective social media platforms for marketing purposes. The social
media company creates contents and video aftermarket research to match the common terms of
the clients. Therefore, it becomes easier to maximize the benefits of search engine optimization
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(SEO). ZTE benefits as it gains more national exposure and shows its work on a global scale to
achieve its marketing objectives.
ZTE also is employing direct selling to enhance its growth in various markets. For instance, ZTE
since its breakthrough in the Indian market, the company has never sold its devices directly.
Instead, the company has been employing resellers and online stores strategies. Therefore, the
company has contemplated using direct selling by selling smartphones to the Indian market. The
stagey will involves the selling of the products and post-sales services (Mathapati et al 2018).
The company sells low-budget smartphones in India and with the introduction of five new
models and sold them directly to its buyers. With the Indian sales of ZTE products contributing
to 10% of the company’s revenue, direct sales with push sales to at least 1 million devices
annually.

2.4 Advertising
Another IMC tool is advertising. ZTE is using this tool for rapidly evolving and attracting hefty
revenues. Advertising is considered a new wave of opportunity to attract many mobile buyers.
ZTE has employed a signature-based message advertising solution that is a special promotion to
benefits the customers with some goodies on top of the advertising information (Zhang et al
2011). This strategy has been effective in the reduction of construction cost required during an
advertisement campaign. Furthermore, it fabricates an effective and amazing user experience
with its products worldwide. Therefore, ZTE employed mobile advertising with signature-based
message advertising solution will make the company explore different audience and regions to
increase its market share and revenue growth.

3.0 Techniques and Resources to Build Cross-Functional Relationship

Based on the experience on various industries in Korea, Kim (1997) stated that the technologies
trajectories of catching up nations are moving towards a different compared to technologies of
the emerged economies. Subsequently, technologies development in advanced economies goes
through phases of emergence, consolidation and maturity. On contrary, technologies in emerging
economies start with imitation, involving the acquisition of assimilation and enhance
technologies borrowed from the advanced countries. ZTE technology evolution borrowed the
same process. It started reverse engineering a mature technology of an advanced economy. Thus,
after the first phase, they repeated the process of reverse engineering and enhanced other
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technologies borrowed from advanced nations. These technologies include SDH transmission
systems. The purpose of technology learning is to enhance the rapid growth of its products both
in domestic and international markets. Technology learning was further enabled by the company
huge investment in the research and development (R&D) department. Its success to become a
global brand through reverse engineering is not only through its R&D units in China but also
effort from several of its international R&D facilities globally (Fan 2011). Therefore, the
company needed to have strong and effective R$D management. it then reforms the management
through the help of Laurent. Laurent helps the company to raise financial capital by utilization of
the stock market and eventually, made ZTE become the first telecom equipment firm to be
included in the stock market in 1997.
ZTE is an emphasis on talent training and capacity building. The company ranked the leading
young talents as the core technicians for the future. They have been efforts to cultivate these
leading talents to the desired level for the wellbeing of the company (ZTE Corporation 2020).
For instance, ZTE invited lecturers to offer training both online and offline. This training
involved employees from different department that include but not limited to manufacturing,
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new employees, marketing personnel and production personnel

Figure 1 ZTE training of workforce

4.0 Evaluation of the Role of Communications in Delivering Value to Stakeholders

Communication creates an efficient stakeholder relationship. In effect, robust stakeholder
relationship management is a prerequisite for a useful firm. It is a salient factor that has a direct
influence on the total environment and profits performance of a company. Thus, ZTE has created
a proactive stakeholder relationship management to take care of various stakeholders with
different sorts of expectations and needs. It also serves as a powerful tool to manage stakeholder
relationships at various tiers (Kraft 2010). The company has utilized innovative marketing and
communication channels to facilitate the process of reaching its stakeholders. The role of
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marketing communication using innovative marketing and communication channel helps the
company in marketing its new launch products and facilitating interactions with global media,
consumers and other stakeholders. The purpose of the evaluation is to show how communication
with stakeholders makes ZTE well perceived and recognized by its customers and the general
public.
The company has since seen great results from its efforts of employing innovative marketing
tools such as VR webinar, online meetings and virtual exhibition. The success has made ZTE
expand its communication channels as it is committed to enabling connectivity and trust.
Furthermore, it is leveraging its technologies to expand its market share. The company is using
innovative marketing communication tool since it is dealing with technologies. For instance,
ZTE has deployed the first operational 5G network in some part of Europe and completed the
very first voice and data call in other countries in partnership with Orange. Therefore, to create
awareness and market its products among its customers, the company employs communications
strategy such as VR webinar that will reach to its global audience. Therefore, the message is
conveyed to the target market using a technological tool that they are possessing. Using of
innovative marketing and communication channels is perfect since its targeting tech-savvy
individuals and they can access message without difficulties.
However, this mechanism has limitation in locking out individuals who may find it difficult to
access the internet. Generally, ZTE targets phones users from different field of expertise and
many of them are not much into tech apart from phone operation. Therefore, through innovative
marketing is effective for reaching a wider audience, a percentage of the consumers may be still
analogue and need the employment of other traditional marketing and communication tool to
access information.

4.1 Lauterborn’s 4Cs

The company has extensively employed Lauterborn’s 4Cs. On consumer wants and needs the
company is creating products led by the customers. This ensures that customer satisfaction is met
and consumers are happy with the product (Zhang et al 2018). For example, the company major
in creating low-budget products in emerging economies and enable consumers to purchase
smartphones.
The second aspect is the cost to satisfy. The company is focused on providing low-budget
smartphones to satisfy the market that feels products such as apples and Samsung are too
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expensive for them. Instead of ZTE being competitors to these premium products producers, it
becomes a substitute and offers an alternative to buyers based on the price.
The third “C” is convinced to buy. ZTE products are available through different channels. They
include but not limited to products in stores, online stores and partnership with other companies
to enable sales and promotion.
Finally, is the aspect of the collection of communication? The company has incorporated
marketing communications tools such as online conference to enable interaction between the
management and the customers.

4.2 10 C’s

10 C’s is a useful framework in planning and creation of a strong approach to facilitate the
creation of a robust marketing plan that is viable and last for a long period (Spountzi et al 2018).
They include the following:

The first aspects are the customer. ZTE focus on understanding its market composition. For
instance, the company in the UK is targeting to promote its products among young and tech-
oriented customers.
Secondly, ZTE culture helps the company to connect with its customers globally. The company
has employed marketing mechanisms to reach direct its customers and have one on one
conversation on its products to enhance its presence among its customers. Thirdly, is the
convenience of its products. ZTE is dealing with customers in at least 160 countries and there is
a need for customers to buy and get their products with ease. Therefore, the company is
facilitating easy shopping of its products through responsive and adaptive online stores websites.
On the aspects of competition, the company is targeting a different market compared to the
leading dealers of smartphones.
Moreover, to stand competition from its rivals, ZTE is constantly improving its products through
the launching of improved and modernized products to satisfy its markets. Furthermore, ZTE is
leading in the provision of 5G across various countries to enhance both voice and video call. The
company has incorporated marketing and communication tools to promote its products and
ensure revenue growth. The forms of communication include the use of public relations to create
a positive perception among its global market. ZTE marketing plan is always consistent with the
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company majoring in innovative marketing to reach its tech-savvy markets with its technological
products.
Another aspect of 10 C’s is the creative content. ZTE is always posting its new content and
development on its social media platforms to inform its customers. Also, ZTE employs use of
signature-based message advertising solution to reach its audience individually.
Signature-based message advertising solution is a customized marketing mechanism that helps
the company to reach its audience. ZTE is using coordination to ensure the proper delivery of its
products to buyers. The creation of both physical and online stores is helpful in products and
service delivery. The company is working with the local stores that provide door-to-door
delivery to distribute its products. Finally, ZTE is in control of its marketing plan by constantly
evaluating its plan, for instance in India, ZTE decided to use direct selling to increase its sales
after a review of online stores performance.

4.3 Alternative marketing tools

ZTE is a telecommunication company and employment on digital marketing tool is essential in
the realization of its objectives. Therefore, the company needs to employ social media marketing
for brand awareness and product promotion. Many social media platforms provide a perfect
marketing opportunity. Social media marketing focuses on the creation of buzz, fostering
community and enabling two-way communication (Uzunoka et al 2017). Some of the social
media platforms including but not limited to Facebook, Pinterest, blogs and Twitter. Other digital
marketing is search engine optimization and content marketing.
ZTE can employ the use of internet search engines such as Google and Bing to gain visibility
and traffic from individuals conducting searches via these search tools (Killoran 2013). The
mechanism creates internet content aimed at the target audience.

ZTE can also use Guerrilla marketing to create awareness of and goodwill towards its products.
The marketing strategy combines the elements of humor, wit and spectacle to capture
individuals’ attention and engage them in the marketing process (Baltes et al 2008). They may
include the use of telltale signs of Guerrilla marketing that will be imaginative and surprising to
the customers.
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Finally, the company can use electronic media platforms. TVs and Radio still attract a large
number of viewers and listeners. Therefore, ZTE should increase budget allocation to these
marketing avenues to reach a wider audience and enhance its revue performance.

5.0 Marketing Communication Plan

An integrated marketing communication plan is vital for the performance of a company towards
the realization of its objectives. It will help the company is targeting to reach new demographics,
retaining customers and converting of leads.
The first step involves the company understanding and knowing its target audience. The step
encompasses analysis of the buyer personals, past sales and marketing data (Orasmae 2017).
Furthermore, it involves an assessment of the overall scope of the target customer demographics.
The second step involves the company setting a budget plan. The budget should be aligned with
the communication plan to ensure is not less or excess.
The third step is the analysis of the unique selling proposition. The company needs to analyze
and identify unique products it will be dealing with to reach a greater audience and expand
operations to new markets.
The fourth step is the definition of the marketing communication methods. The company needs
to define clear marketing goals/objectives that are needed to optimize its marketing system.
Therefore, the company needs to select the channel of promotion that suits its products.
The fifth step involves a consistent brand element (Uzunoka et al 2017). The company ensures
its branding elements are maintained throughout all phases of the marketing communications and
across all channels, platforms and even media.
The sixth is the listing down of key success metrics. The process of gauging the success of
marketing communication effort needs a set of success metrics that can be recorded, evaluated
and used for future optimization strategies.
The final step is to execute, test and reiterate. Once the marketing strategies are ready, the
company should start to execute the strategies to realize the success metrics and adjustment of
the plan as required (Parente et al 2014). The company should maintain an open-minded
approach and use dynamic strategies that can be changed and optimized along the way.
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6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations

An integrated marketing communication tool is important to push the agenda of an organization.
ZTE is still a company that is trying to explore various markets to increase its global market
share in the telecommunication industry. Therefore, the employment of the right marketing
communication plan will propel the company to unprecedented scale and achieve greater
success. Having this information, this report recommends the following
 The company should try to develop its technology rather than using reverse engineering
to become competitive in developed markets
 The company should emphasize more on social media marketing because most of its
target audience is accessible through various platforms
 ZTE need to focus on the development of high-quality products despite selling them at a
low price to ensure customer satisfaction.

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