MARKETING OVERHAUL

Grupo Jaremar, a leading food manufacturer in Honduras and Central America with iconic brands, faced evolving market dynamics where traditional marketing approaches were becoming less effective in reaching key demographics, particularly younger consumers. Our analysis of their Marketing Department revealed a strong traditional foundation but significant gaps in digital strategy, execution, and measurement. We recommended a strategic transition towards a digital-first marketing approach, underpinned by a departmental restructuring that integrates digitally-native younger personnel alongside experienced team members, aiming to enhance reach, engagement, ROI, and future-proof the company's market leadership.

1. Client Introduction: A Central American Staple Grupo Jaremar is a cornerstone of the Honduran economy and a major player in the Central American food industry. With decades of history, the company boasts a portfolio of well-loved and trusted brands (such as Clover Brand, Gold Star, Campofresco, Limpiox, among others) found in households across the region. Their success has been built on strong product quality, extensive distribution networks, and historically effective traditional marketing campaigns.

2. The Challenge: Navigating a Changing Media Landscape Despite its established success, Grupo Jaremar recognized signs of a shifting landscape:

• Evolving Consumer Behavior: Increased internet penetration and smartphone usage in Honduras and Central America meant consumers, especially younger generations, were spending more time online and engaging with brands differently.

• Competitive Pressure: Newer or more agile competitors were beginning to leverage digital channels, potentially eroding Jaremar's share of voice online.

• Traditional Channel Saturation: While still relevant, the ROI on traditional media (TV, print, radio, billboards) was becoming harder to measure and potentially diminishing compared to previous decades.

• Generational Gap: Marketing messages and channels used might not be resonating effectively with Millennial and Gen Z consumers, who represent future market growth.

• Data Deficit: A lack of robust digital analytics hindered data-driven decision-making and optimization of marketing spend.

Grupo Jaremar needed to assess if its current marketing structure, skills, and strategy were equipped to navigate this digital shift effectively and maintain its leadership position.

3. Our Approach: In-Depth Marketing Department Analysis We conducted a comprehensive analysis of Grupo Jaremar's Marketing Department, focusing on:

• Strategy Review: Examining the existing marketing plans, target audience definitions, and channel mix.

• Budget Allocation: Analyzing spending patterns across traditional vs. digital channels.

• Team Structure & Skills: Assessing roles, responsibilities, and crucially, the team's existing skillset, particularly concerning digital marketing disciplines (SEO, SEM, Social Media Management, Content Marketing, Digital Analytics, E-commerce Marketing).

• Process & Workflow: Understanding how campaigns were planned, executed, and measured.

• Digital Footprint Audit: Evaluating their current website effectiveness, social media presence and engagement levels, and search engine visibility.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Gathering insights from Marketing leadership, team members, Sales, and relevant executives.

• Competitive Benchmarking: Analyzing the digital marketing activities of key competitors in the region.

4. Key Findings: Strengths and Opportunities Our analysis highlighted several key points:

• Strong Brand Equity: Jaremar benefits from immense brand recognition and loyalty built over years.

• Traditional Expertise: The team possessed deep experience in traditional marketing, trade marketing, and managing large-scale campaigns.

• Digital Underutilization: A significant opportunity existed to leverage digital channels more strategically. Digital efforts were often siloed, tactical rather than strategic, or outsourced without full integration.

• Skills Gap: A clear gap was identified in specialized digital marketing skills within the core team structure.

• Measurement Limitations: Campaign success was primarily measured through traditional metrics (e.g., sales lift, anecdotal feedback) rather than detailed digital KPIs (Engagement Rate, CTR, Conversion Rate, ROAS).

• Need for Agility: The existing structure wasn't optimized for the rapid iteration and response required in digital marketing.

• Untapped Youth Market Potential: Direct digital engagement strategies were lacking to connect authentically with younger consumers online.

5. Recommendations: Transitioning to a Digital-Focused Strategy with New Talent Based on the findings, we proposed a phased transition towards a more integrated and digitally-savvy marketing function:

• A. Strategic Shift to "Digital-First":

  • Adopt a mindset where digital channels are central to strategy, not peripheral.

  • Integrate digital touchpoints across the entire customer journey.

  • Focus on data-driven decision-making for all marketing activities.

• B. Marketing Department Restructuring & Talent Infusion:

  • Introduce Key Digital Roles: Create and fill positions like Digital Marketing Manager, Social Media Strategist/Community Manager, Content Creator (video/graphics focus), SEO/SEM Specialist, and potentially an E-commerce Marketing Coordinator.

  • Integrate Younger Personnel: Actively recruit graduates and young professionals with innate digital understanding, proficiency in current platforms (TikTok, Instagram, etc.), and fresh creative perspectives. This isn't about replacing experience, but blending it with new skills. Frame these hires as specialists bringing essential expertise.

  • Foster Collaboration: Redesign workflows to ensure seamless collaboration between traditional marketing experts (brand managers) and the new digital specialists. Create cross-functional teams for major campaigns.

  • Upskilling/Reskilling: Provide targeted digital marketing training for existing team members willing and able to adapt, preserving valuable company knowledge.

• C. Budget Reallocation:

  • Conduct a thorough audit of traditional media spend ROI.

  • Gradually reallocate budget towards prioritized digital channels (e.g., social media advertising, search engine marketing, influencer collaborations relevant to the food industry, content creation) based on performance data.

• D. Implement Key Technologies:

  • Adopt robust web and social media analytics platforms.

  • Utilize social media management and listening tools.

  • Explore CRM integration for better customer data management.

6. Expected Outcomes: By implementing these recommendations, Grupo Jaremar can expect to:

• Increase Reach & Engagement: Connect more effectively with existing and new customer segments, especially younger demographics, on the platforms they use most.

• Improve Marketing ROI: Optimize spend through measurable, data-driven digital campaigns.

• Enhance Brand Relevance: Modernize brand perception and foster direct conversations with consumers.

• Gain Competitive Advantage: Outpace slower-adapting competitors by mastering the digital landscape.

• Build a Future-Ready Team: Develop a dynamic, adaptable marketing department equipped for ongoing market changes by combining deep industry experience with cutting-edge digital skills.

The transition to a digital-focused marketing strategy, powered by a restructured department that strategically integrates young, digitally-native talent, represents a vital step for Grupo Jaremar. This evolution will enable the company to leverage its strong brand heritage while effectively engaging consumers in the modern digital era, ensuring continued growth and market leadership in Central America.