What is Undifferentiated Marketing?
Undifferentiated marketing strategy is a mass marketing strategy where marketing campaigns are designed such that they appeal to a larger pool of customers. Here, a singular message is created to attract the entire audience base.
This strategy can be employed for products that are used by different user segments in spite of characteristic differences. For example, a commercial car can be attractive to different customer age groups in spite of gender, age group differences. So here the marketing campaign only focuses on speaking about product attributes. The advertisements are not designed keeping a certain customer type in mind.
Everyday use products occasionally use this marketing strategy. Since we are not targeting customer segments, there is no need for in-depth customer research. In its own way, undifferentiated marketing effectively targets customers by clever messaging. This creates mass-market appeal.
All very popular generic brands that we use each day use undifferentiated marketing strategies to market their products. Some examples of such products can be toothpaste brands, soap and hair product brands, food brands, among others. As you can see these products inherently have a mass appeal. So the marketing campaign only has to leverage that quality.
The goal here is to influence customers directly through marketing campaigns. The messaging of these campaigns is very generic but when successful can incorporate the products into the customer’s daily routine. For this strategy, more traditional advertising mediums are used. These mediums can be television broadcasting, radio, newspapers, etc.
Undifferentiated Marketing VS Differentiated Marketing
Undifferentiated marketing, as we have discussed in the earlier segments of the article, entirely ignores any customer segments to create campaigns that appeal to all the groups. All potential customers and present customers are considered homogeneous entities.
Differentiated marketing is a marketing strategy that focuses on more than two customer segments at the same time. This strategy, unlike undifferentiated marketing, has a focused group that the product’s marketing campaign is based on.
So here, the brand must define its target audience along with their particular needs. Based on these needs, the marketing strategy is then created.
In practice, the undifferentiated marketing strategy will have a singular strategy targeting all groups. The differentiated marketing strategy, on the other hand, will have multiple campaigns targeting different segments.
Differentiated marketing is focused on customer needs, so teams have to spend resources in collecting customer data and feedback that then support the campaign.
Undifferentiated Marketing VS Concentrated Marketing
Concentrated marketing is a strategy that targets a very defined segment of consumers. It concentrates on only one customer segment. The whole campaign is designed to appeal to that particular customer segment.
A customer segment or market segment divides a broad target market into customer segments that have common characteristics, needs, or wants.
Any product that targets a very focused group can use the concentrated marketing strategy. It is particularly effective for small companies who are looking to penetrate a niche market. With a concentrated marketing strategy, they can spend their limited resources on customer research for only that focused segment.
Undifferentiated marketing is almost the opposite of a concentrated marketing strategy. On one hand, concentrated is laser-focused on one customer segment. But on the other hand, undifferentiated marketing doesn’t focus on customer segments at all. Instead, it aims for mass appeal.
Undifferentiated Marketing Strategy Examples
Any widely consumed product that airs their advertisement on television is probably using the undifferentiated marketing strategy. Here are some examples.
1. Coca Cola
One brand that comes to mind that has mass appeal across borders or customer segments is Coca-Cola. The multinational company founded in 1892 has still a stronghold on the carbonated soft drink market. After so many years since its inception, the company still dominates the market with its effective mass marketing strategy.
If you have seen a typical Coca-Cola ad, you’ll notice that it is very generic and doesn’t directly target a customer segment. This strategy has worked for them seeing as they sell a record number of their products each year.
2. Cadbury
Cadbury is a huge multinational company that sells confectionary items. The company similar to Coca-Cola has a mass appeal in the market, with its customers spanning across borders, age groups, genders, and economic classes.
Cadbury’s products are loved by all and their marketing strategy reflects that. The company squashed the narrative that chocolates only appeal to kids by targeting an older demographic through their ads. Today all age groups enjoy their delicacies. So Cadbury’s marketing strategy tries to reflect the same
3. Colgate
Colgate is a multinational company that sells a range of dental hygiene products from toothpaste to toothbrushes. The company has designed a number of different products in a particular category to appeal to their different target groups. For example, through benefit segmentation, you can design a toothpaste for sensitive gums or teeth whitening.
But their most popular and general use products are used across the board. For such general-purpose products, their marketing strategy aims to appeal to a wide range of customers. So they naturally use a mass marketing strategy to do this.
4. M&Ms
M&Ms is another example that uses undifferentiated marketing. It’s apparent from their commercials that they are not targeting any specific customer group but instead are aiming to appeal to a diverse range of customers. Their ads are very generic but innovative, making sure to not target any segment but still be compelling.
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