Marketing Strategy

SWOT Analysis

Opportunities

Recognized as serving the best ice cream in the world

Weakness

Premium price
Low in nutritional value

Strengths

Image: High quality and super premium ice cream
Customer perception of high end, luxury and good review from loyal customer
Variant in flavour
Innovation not only for ice cream taste and flavour but also for other desert
Experience in International operations

Threats

Large number of competitor
The US ice cream market has been flat

Target Consumers

Cold Stone’s target segment consists of consumers that like to indulge in super premium ice cream. These consumers are looking for more than just ice cream; they are looking to have an experience.

Cold Stone offers personalized service to each customer allowing them to create their own treat, that leaves consumers wanting to come back for more. The target market consists of ice cream lovers and young adults who come in pairs wanting to spend some quality time enjoying their ice cream. Adults tend to bring their kids on the weekend, and they almost always order something for themselves too.

Cold Stone also caters to the health conscious people by providing sorbets and yogurt based products.

Being in a monopolistic competitive industry, Cold Stone differentiates its products by offering a unique experience to its consumers while they visit its store.

Cold Stone Creamery much like Coca Cola tries to promote itself by associating happiness, love, and cheerfulness with its product as is evident from one of its commercial ad below.

Image

Cold Stone Creamery positions itself to be the world’s best ice cream and considers it to be in a class of its own. Cold Stone makes its ice cream daily, in each store, from the freshest ingredients. Using only the finest ingredients means its products are considered to be “super premium”.

The Cold Stone image is something much bigger than just ice cream; it is a place that leaves people happy and wanting to come back for more. It is where people can come and indulge, have fun, and relax.

Marketing Programs - Advertising

Cold Stone Creamery uses several different marketing programs to increase consumer awareness and build relationships with ice cream lovers worldwide.

From the traditional routes such as a TV commercial, to the more recent social media campaigns. Cold Stone Creamery maintains an active Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts to connect with its fan base.

Value Proposition

Cold Stone Creamery offers the best, creamy ice cream with the highest quality ingredients each custom built as per the instructions of the customer in front of him/her for a premium price.

Positioning

To young adults and families with children who love ice cream and want to have a great experience, Cold Stone Creamery is the one super premium store that gives you creamy ice cream custom built per your wishes in front of you in a fun way that's because the store uses the finest ingredients and innovative tricks while blending the add-ins you requested in your ice cream.