• Product Distinction: each brand offers a unique flavor profile and ingredients to meet specific consumer preferences.

• Brand recognition: strong brands and established reputation in the chocolate market.

• Innovation potential: opportunities to introduce new flavors, formats or ingredients to maintain consumer interest.

• Marketing tools: the ability to influence demand through advertising offers in trade marketing.

• Capital: MARS has large funds to implement its marketing strategy in Kazakhstan

• Prevalence in almost all the most popular sales and communication channels

• Corporate culture: a functioning corporate culture allows employees to be motivated to work and improve their performance through various activities.

Weaknesses:

• High competition: MARS occupies only 19% of the Loose Category market

• Adult prejudices that block children from buying chocolates.

• Low number of SKUs: compared to its closest competitors in Kazakhstan, MARS has fewer different SKUs (12); there are 1000+ SKUs on the market

• High price: against the backdrop of rising inflation in the country and rising prices for candies, they are becoming less attractive to residents of Kazakhstan, who mostly have low incomes

• Perception of Value: high level pricing strategy ensures the brand is premium to be perceived by a wide audience

• Price promotions: the ability to use discounts and special offers to attract customers and increase sales.

• The wide range of products allows MARS to use a price differentiation strategy by setting different prices for different product categories

Weaknesses:

• Price Wars: competitive pressure can lead to price reductions, potentially impacting profit margins.

• Fluctuating Costs: dependence on raw material costs can lead to price adjustments, impacting consumer behavior.

• Extensive Distribution Network: Wide availability in various retail channels ensures maximum reach and convenience for consumers.

• Strategic Partnerships: Collaborations with major retailers and organizations can lead to prominent placement and promotional opportunities.

• Online Sales Channels: Growing e-commerce presence expands accessibility and caters to changing consumer shopping habits.

Weaknesses:

• Reliance on Retailers: dependence on retail partners for shelf space and promotion can limit control over product placement and visibility.

• Competition for Shelf Space: intense competition within the candy aisle can make it challenging to secure prime locations.

• Limited Control Over Online Sales: reliance on third-party platforms for online sales can restrict control over pricing and brand messaging.

• Targeted Marketing Campaigns: ability to tailor messages and promotions to specific customer segments and demographics quickly and widely.

• Leverage Social Media: direct interaction with consumers through social media platforms to build brand and engage with the community.

• Brand Image Building: using various marketing channels to create a strong brand identity and emotional connection with consumers.

Weaknesses:

• Advertising Clutter: the competitive environment in the candy market can make it difficult for you to cut through the noise and grab consumers' attention.

• Anti-advertising: the likelihood that a brand's image will be tarnished by negative media coverage or consumer criticism.

• Measuring Effectiveness: accurately tracking the ROI of marketing campaigns can be challenging.

Age category:

16 - 4,1%

17-25 - 78,9%

26-35 - 3,3%

36-45 - 9,8%

45+ - 4,1%

All respondents who participated in the survey are familiar with the products of the Mars company. 4.9% of them consume the company's chocolate candies daily, 25.2% several times a week, 25.2% once a month, and 44.7% rarely. The majority of respondents are familiar with the products thanks to: retail stores - 78%, advertising - 17.1%, learned from friends - 3.3%, social networks - 1.6%. Usually, retail stores are the place of purchase - 82.9%, cafeterias - 8.1%, the rest buy at gas stations, food vending machines, and markets.

Respondents rated the tastes of chocolate bars on a scale of 1 to 5:

• Snicker: 5 - 42.3%, 4 - 30.9%, 3 - 14.6%, 2 - 8.1%, 1 - 4% Twix: 5 - 29.3%, 4 - 39%, 3 - 17.9%, 2 - 9.8%, 1 - 4%

• Bounty: 5 - 32.5%, 4 - 26.9%, 3 - 19.5%, 2 - 6.5%, 1 - 14.6% Milky Way: 5 - 25.2%, 4 - 24.4%, 3 - 23.6%, 2 - 18.7%, 1 - 8.1%

• Mars: 5 - 21.1%, 4 - 28.5%, 3 - 18.7%, 2 - 15.4%, 1 - 16.3%

Additionally, 67.5% of respondents have tried limited editions of chocolate candies, while 32.5% have not.

Among the respondents, 93.5% pay attention to the taste of bars, 67.5% to the price, 35.8% to the composition, 17.1% to the packaging, 16.3% to the brand's experience and reputation, 12.2% to the brand itself and the country of manufacture, 7.3% to popularity.

The majority of respondents, 52.8%, only try new flavors of chocolate bars if they are interested in the product, 39% prefer to stick to their favorite flavors, and 8.1% always try new products.

On a scale of 1 to 5, respondents rated the importance of certain factors (1 - not important, 5 - very important):

• The significance of packaging was rated as:

  5 - 10.6%

  4 - 26%

  3 - 33.3%

  2 - 8.9%

  1 - 21.1%

• Promotions and bonuses:

  5 - 28.5%

  4 - 23.6%

  3 - 19.5%

  2 - 9.8%

  1 - 18.7%

• Variety of flavors:

  5 - 32.5%

  4 - 22.8%

  3 - 24.4%

  2 - 8.9%

  1 - 11.4%

The majority of respondents, 78.9%, buy chocolate bars for personal consumption, 8.9% for treating guests, 8.1% for friends and family, and 4.1% as gifts.

As recommendations for the popularity of bars, respondents suggested:

• Price reduction

• Integration of the product into the traditions and mentality of Kazakhstan Expansion of assortment

• Active participation in public events, fairs

• Improvement of design

• Launching some promotions

• Increasing size of candies

• Developing a product with less sugar for people with healthy lifestyle

Prepare a set of candies with gifts for children.

This idea is being developed at the beginning of the school year for school children, for the New Year and International Children's Day in 2025.

Gifts should be personalized. For instance:

Gifts for summer (summer stuff) : swimming equipment, creative reusable straws, jewellery

Gifts for school: office supplies

Gifts for NY: NY`S hat, supplies for NY`s tree

The New Year's set is also suitable for adults. There should be gifts that both children and adults will like.

1. Alikhan owes you a Snickers

2. Wish Muhammad a good day

3. Amir should share his favorite meme with you.

4. Surprise Ali by buying M&M's

5. Dinmuhammed must fulfill 1 of your wishes

6. Compliment Alan

7. Share some fun news with Nurislam

8. Have a soulful evening with Aisultan

9. Send Aldiyar a selfie with a candy bar

10. Make a picnic with Aruzhan

11. Take a selfie with Tomiris

12. Go to a restaurant with Amina

13. Make a gift for Medina

14. Compliment Aiym

15. Hug Aisha

Start a trend on TikTok. Run a proposal that the coolest wrap task completed will win prizes. You can create a viral video where a girl comes across the phrase: “Ali owes you a Snickers,” but she doesn’t know such a person in her circle. Then she jokingly searches for any Ali on Instagram and writes to him about what he owes her. Ali also jokingly sends her what is written on the candy wrapper, but the punchline is that she receives a whole box of bars from the manufacturer MARS.

The following disadvantages were also identified: high price, overly sweet, few promotions

As recommendations for the popularity of bars, respondents suggested:

• Price reduction

• Integration of the product into the traditions and mentality of Kazakhstan Expansion of assortment

• Active participation in public events, fairs

• Improvement of design

• Launching some promotions

• Increasing size of candies

• Developing a product with less sugar for people with healthy lifestyle

  
  

Both qualitative and quantitative research findings provide valuable insights into consumer behavior, preferences, and suggestions for product improvement. Strategies targeting taste enhancement, pricing optimization, promotional activities, and product diversification could potentially enhance the popularity and appeal of Mars chocolate bars in the Kazakhstani market.