Effective marketing mix of a manufacturing company in the context of sustainability and competitiveness

Marketing is an essential part of every company, and a properly designed marketing mix ensures its success, efficiency and competitiveness in the market. The marketing mix is a key tool that allows managers to remain competitive in a global competitive environment. This paper provides a comprehensive view on marketing mix of Faber-Castell and focuses on analyzing the strengths and weaknesses. The main methodology applied is structural analyses, benchmarking, SWOT analysis, IFE and EFE Matrix and marketing mix analysis. The results indicate that Faber-Castell monitors and adapts to the marketing strategies and activities to remain competitive and to respond to customer needs. Furthermore, it focuses on quality, innovation and sustainability, in order to maintain its market position and gain a competitive advantage. Additionally, it also gains a competitive advantage thanks to sustainable products, which are a trendy today.

1 Introduction

Marketing is an essential part of every company, and a properly designed marketing mix ensures its success, efficiency and competitiveness in the market (Wichmann et al. 2021). The marketing mix is a key tool that allows managers to maintain competitiveness in a global competitive environment (Ravangard, Khodadad and Bastani 2020). In today’s modern marketing world, the marketing mix is one of the key concepts and strategies that help support customer loyalty, increase purchase intention and thus sales. In an era of constant development of the global market and increasing competition, the business environment is becoming increasingly demanding. Manufacturing companies are trying to improve their competitiveness through innovation and transformation of their services and products. These innovations are the key to standing out in the market, but they often face many challenges. Traditional approaches to service transformation and product innovation can encounter complex challenges, such as the diversity of customer needs and intense competition. This makes it difficult for companies to identify market opportunities, provide personalized solutions, and respond quickly to changes. Product quality control and manufacturing efficiency are other challenges that many companies face, which can undermine their competitiveness (Zhang et al. 2024).
The trend shows an importance of automation and digitalization to ensure the resilience and adaptability of manufacturing companies to unforeseen situations (Lim 2021). This statement is confirmed by Simoes et al. (2021) and adds that with the increasing labor shortage due to the spread of COVID-19 and restrictions on the movement of people, many manufacturing companies have implemented digital technologies with the clear goal of improving efficiency, process flexibility and increasing connectivity between business partners. In order to maintain the competitiveness resulting from efficient management of corporate resources, it is necessary to modify the usual procedures of e-marketing communication (Pollak et al. 2021). E-marketing communication mix may be an effective tool for targeted and personalized communication (Dorčák et al. 2015).
The study is focusing on a company called Faber-Castell which was founded in 1761 in Germany, in the town of Stein near Nuremberg. Faber-Castell is one of the world’s leading and oldest companies in the field of writing and art supplies. It was founded by Kaspar Faber, who made pencils in a small workshop. Shortly, he was famous and successful and founded his own company. It is a company with a rich tradition and is responsible for a unique brand and approximately 6,500 employees worldwide. The company is one of the leading companies in the production of high-quality writing, drawing, painting and creative writing materials worldwide. Faber-Castell produces over 2 billion wooden pencils and crayons annually, which the company distributes worldwide. The company also focuses on the environment and holds ISO 9001-2000, ISO 14001, FSC®-FM, FSC®-CoC, PEFC™, NATRUE and IFS HPC certificates. For consumers, FSC certification is a guarantee that the wood products they buy come from forests that have been managed in accordance with the highest sustainability standards.

2 Literature review

Nowadays, manufacturing companies face significant pressure due to intense market competition. For this reason, it is crucial for these companies to emphasize on improving and increasing the quality of their products, minimizing waste, achieving higher customer satisfaction, and increasing productivity (Chauhan 2019). Therefore, companies are trying to implement the most efficient processes that would help them remain competitive in the market and achieve growth (Kljajić-Dervić 2019).
Marketing is defined as a social and managerial process through which individuals and groups satisfy their needs through the production and exchange of products and values (Kotler and Keller 2013). To have a successful marketing it is necessary to develop a marketing strategy. A marketing strategy is a set of long-term decisions about individual ways to satisfy the needs of an enterprise’s current and potential customers using its internal resources and external capabilities. Depending on the industry, market situation, and the prevailing features of the organization’s management, a marketing strategy can be developed for a period of 1 to 25 years (Laburtseva 2021). The main area of focus is at analysis and evaluation of value streams data, which may lead to difficulties that prevent efficient and customer-oriented cooperation in globalized manufacturing, trade or services (Strakova et al., 2021).
Adopting effective marketing strategies is a challenging task in a competitive market, which involves comprehensive marketing planning, techniques and mechanisms to identify the best course of action. The basic element in using a marketing strategy is the 4P marketing mix, which has gradually evolved from the original 4Ps and include product, price, promotion and place (Altay et al. 2022). Pricing is one of the most important part of the 4Ps, as the pricing strategy is a key tool for guiding price decisions in companies. The choice of pricing strategies is influenced by the nature of the products offered, their uniqueness, scope of production, location but also the way they are presented to the customer and also the company’s idea of profit: volume, speed, distribution over time (Kmety Bartekova 2021).
SWOT analysis plays a key role in the marketing strategy development process. It helps to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization in relation to both external and internal factors (Ferrell and Hartline 2019). Marketing analysis is a key tool for understanding the market and formulating successful marketing strategies. The most commonly used analysis is SWOT analysis, which is used as a useful method for analyzing the environment surrounding a company or organization. Additionally, it could be stated that consumers have time-inconsistent preferences that are being restricted by self-structured regularities that arise from social and self-interest considerations (Tarnanidis 2023).
Marketing mix (MM) according to Kotler and Armstrong (2018) is a comprehensive set of tools that organizations use to achieve their marketing objectives in a specific market. This mix includes strategies related to product, price, distribution and communication, which are necessary to be thoroughly analyzed and adapted for successful operation in the market. It is a key element of the business process that deals with planning, promotion, pricing and distribution of products or services with an emphasis on customer needs and preferences. MM is a key part of the overall marketing strategy of the company, which acts as a link between the company and the market.

3 Methodology

This paper uses primary and secondary data. Primary data include information obtained directly from the selected company Faber-Castell through internal documents, a questionnaire survey and interviews with managers. This data will provide a direct view of the selected company in the manufacturing industry. Secondary data sources include information from publicly available sources such as websites, social networks and other online sources. To achieve the set objectives and answer the research questions, the following methods and procedures are used in this paper.
The main method used for the purposes of this study is structural analysis. According to that, Faber-Castell as a company is presented based on relevant information from the official company website: www.faber-castell.com and also social networks, personal experiences, annual book, company training or internal company materials. Subsequently, individual tools of the company’s marketing mix are analyzed. The observation method and experience with the company’s products is also be reflected here.
To assess the status, expert panel was created to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats thus, to conduct SWOT analysis. This analysis provides a basic structure for understanding internal and external factors affecting the competitive position. For the quantitative assessment of internal and external factors influencing the competitive position of the selected company, the Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) and External Factor Evaluation (EFE) matrices are implemented. These matrices are as well conducted on the basis of expert panel and is aimed to enable a weighted assessment of strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and the results are presented in the research. Afterwards, three similar companies from the same industry are presented and compared by the use of benchmarking method. The results are processed into graphs and tables.
The aim of this paper is to understand the market position of Faber-Castell within the competitive environment of selected companies from the sector of high-quality products for writing, drawing, painting and creative work and to develop a base of knowledge to be able to formulate recommendations for companies in the manufacturing sector on the Czech market. To achieve the objective, there are two research questions set:
Q1: What marketing mix tools are actively used in the model company?
Q2: Does the model company offer sufficient scope to maintain its position in the market and competitive advantages compared to direct competitors?

4 Results

In this part of the paper the results are presented according to the research methodologies applied and thus are presented in subsections.

4.1 SWOT analysis at Faber-Castell

In this part of the research, we introduce the background to the SWOT analysis in Faber-Castell. Having performed the analysis, we will gather an overview of the internal and external environment of Faber-Castell. This analysis focuses on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and is used to evaluate the market position and determine competitiveness.

Table 1: SWOT analysis at Faber-Castell
Source: Authors

4.1.1 Strengths

Faber-Castell’s strengths include its wide range of products, from pencils and crayons to luxury pens, which allows it to cater to a variety of target groups. As a family-owned company that is present in the industry for 260 years, it maintains high standards of production and design, which allows it to provide customers with very high-quality products. With a global reach and a well-developed distribution network, Faber-Castell is able to cater to customers all over the world. The company also actively promotes social and environmental responsibility through sustainable products and support for community projects. Other strengths of the company include its flexibility in production and effective management. These strengths allow Faber-Castell to remain a leader in the writing and art supplies market.

4.1.2 Weaknesses

Faber-Castell’s weaknesses include the strong competition in the writing and art supplies industry, which requires constant innovation and product differentiation to maintain its market share. With the rapid pace of technological change, it can be difficult to keep up with innovation and adapt to new trends in the writing and art supplies industry. The high price of products may limit their availability for certain customer segments, which may limit their availability for a wider customer base. Lack of innovation leads to a loss of customer interest. Limited product availability is a weakness, as there are only 135 stores in the Czech Republic where Faber-Castell products can be purchased. Another weakness of Faber-Castell, which can be considered also a strength, is the wide range of products, as it can lead to a dispersion of resources and attention.

4.1.3 Opportunities

Faber-Castell has a wide range of opportunities ahead of it that could strengthen its growth and competitive position. One of them is the use of new technologies and digitalization. The company can invest in the development of modern digital tools for artists and creative individuals, which would allow them even greater freedom in expressing their ideas and creative visions. Innovation and creativity are also important factors that can strengthen Faber-Castell’s competitive advantage. The company has the opportunity to continuously create new products that appeal to a diverse range of customers, from professional artists to amateurs. Investments in research and development can bring innovative materials and technologies that improve the user experience with Faber-Castell products. Personalization and custom design are other options that the company can explore. Offering product personalization options can attract customers looking for unique and individual products. Online sales are also an area with huge potential for growth. The company can invest in developing its e-commerce environment and provide customers with a convenient and clear way to purchase its products directly online. The growing demand for educational and creative products provides Faber-Castell with another opportunity to expand its market share. The company can create special editions of products and courses that help customers develop their skills and abilities, enhance their creativity. With these opportunities and the right strategy, Faber-Castell can achieve further success and maintain its position in the market.

4.1.4 Threats

Faber-Castell faces various threats that can affect its market presence and the success of the business. These threats include, in particular, competition in the writing instruments sector. Competitive pressure may cause the company to lose market share if it is unable to maintain its position in the market. Changes in customer preferences are another challenge that Faber-Castell faces. It is essential for Faber-Castell to monitor market trends and respond flexibly to customer needs in order to maintain its competitive position and remain relevant to its target group. Technological advances pose another threat, as the growing popularity of digital drawing and writing tools may reduce the demand for traditional writing instruments. Economic factors and exchange rate developments are also important threats for Faber-Castell. Adverse changes in the macroeconomic environment, such as recession or inflation, may affect customers’ purchasing power and reduce their willingness to spend on luxury products such as writing instruments. Political uncertainties, trade restrictions or changes in legislation may have a negative impact on the business environment in which Faber-Castell operates.

4.2 IFE and EFE matrix at Faber-Castell

The assessment of internal and external factors of Faber-Castell was carried out based on the output data from the SWOT analysis. The IFE (Internal Factor Evaluation) and EFE (External Factor Evaluation) matrices are strategic analysis tools that are used to assess internal and external factors affecting the company’s performance. The weights are determined based on the importance of each factor for success. The rating (1-4) is the quality or strength of each factor, where 4 is the best and 1 is the worst. The overall rating is the sum of the weighted values of the individual factors.
Based on the company’s strengths and weaknesses, the IFE matrix was compiled, which is used to evaluate the company’s internal environment. An overall rating of 3.23 means that the company has a predominance of strengths over weaknesses.

Table 2: IFE matrix at Faber-Castell
Source: Authors

The IFE matrix assesses internal factors, while the subsequent EFE matrix assesses external factors, i.e. opportunities and threats. An overall score of 3.48 indicates that the company is able to respond effectively to external factors and take advantage of opportunities offered by the environment while addressing threats that may affect its performance.

Table 3: EFE matrix at Faber-Castell
Source: Authors

The company adopts an offensive strategy, because strengths prevail over weaknesses and opportunities prevail over threats. With the help of strengths, the company is ready to take advantage of opportunities.
The overall SWOT analysis and the IFE and EFE matrices show that the company has strengths that it uses to maximize market opportunities. This means that it has high potential for growth. Faber-Castell’s strengths allow it to respond effectively to market threats. However, there are also areas where the company has weaknesses, and external areas can weaken these weaknesses even further.

4.3 Marketing mix at Faber-Castell

4.3.1 Product

As part of the marketing mix, it is important to ensure that the products are of high quality, innovative and meet the needs of customers. This includes not only the product itself, but also the packaging, design and the added value that the product brings. The company has its product portfolio, which is divided into several lines, so-called product lines. Products are divided into these product lines according to their purpose and target consumer group. These product lines are: (a) Playing & Learning; (b) Art & Graphic, Creative Studio; (c) General Writing, Technical Drawing; (d) Marking; (e) Generation Z; (f) Fine Writing and (g) Premium. The products are characterized primarily by their high quality and many product innovations. Graf von Faber-Castell is a luxury brand of writing instruments and accessories, which is known for its high quality, exclusive design and first-class materials.
The first product line of Faber-Castell Playing & Learning is designed to supports children’s development and natural creativity and to support the development of children’s imagination, creativity, fine and gross motor skills, social skills and other important skills. The target group is children from 3 to 12 years old. The pigment is based on a natural, ecological basis, so it is safe for children. Furthermore, the Grip Crayon is a signature product from this line and is known for its innovative designs and ergonomic features. The Grip Crayon is a wooden pencil that has a specially shaped body with ridges and grooves that provide a comfortable and firm grip.
The Art & Graphic and Creative Studio ranges between two main product lines from Faber-Castell, designed for artists, draftsmen and anyone interested in art supplies. Art & Graphic includes professional art supplies that meet the demanding requirements of artists and illustrators. The products in this range include high-quality pencils, crayons, markers, watercolors, oil paints, acrylic paints, charcoal, inks and more. These products offer a wide range of colors, a total of 120 colors, different degrees of hardness and textures, to give artists maximum possibilities for expressing their creativity. World-famous artists and designers such as Vincent van Gogh, Paul Klee, Karl Lagerfeld and Neo Rauch appreciated the wide spectrum of color shades and, above all, the first-class quality of the colors, which has remained at the same high level to this day. High-quality pigments guarantee excellent quality and brilliant colors that last for centuries and help artists create timeless works of art and guarantee resistance to fading.
General Writing by Faber-Castell is a writing instrument line that offers a wide selection of products suitable for everyday writing and drawing. This line is affordable and includes products that meet the basic writing and drawing needs of a wide range of users. The products in this line are valued for their quality, comfort and affordability. The most famous item in this line is the Grip 2001 triangular pencil, for which Count Anton received an international innovation award. Other products in this line are graphite pencils, erasers, mechanical pencils, pens and ballpoint pens. Within technical drawing, the range includes products designed for technical drawings, such as drawing instruments, drawing boards, compasses, rulers, mechanical pencils, graphite pencils, refills, erasers, multi-function templates, technical pens, rulers.
The Marking line includes highlighters, dry highlighters, markers, whiteboard markers, crayons, glues, correctors and permanent markers, which are suitable for writing on glass, plastic, metal, wood, paper and cardboard, CDs and more. Generation Z is a young and innovative generation that is influencing many aspects of the market, including preferences in writing and art supplies. Faber-Castell is responding to the needs and preferences of this generation by offering products and marketing strategies that appeal to young consumers. These include modern and stylish pens and ballpoint pens, erasers, mechanical pencils, graphite pencils, markers, notebooks, pencil cases and correction tape, and many others.
The Fine Writing line is designed for those who appreciate quality writing and luxury writing instruments. This line offers elegant and sophisticated writing instruments that are made of premium materials and equipped with excellent writing mechanisms. The products of this line mainly include various types of ballpoint pens, refills and inks.
Faber-Castell is known for its first-class and luxurious writing and art supplies, which form the Premium category on the market. These products are considered synonymous with quality, elegance and innovation, which is associated with a long tradition and cutting-edge technological processes, as well as an investment in quality and luxury. Faber-Castell products are known for their elegant and sophisticated design, which combines tradition with modern aesthetics. Each product is carefully designed with an emphasis on detail and quality. Each Faber-Castell product is made with precise craftsmanship and details.

4.3.2 Price

For Faber-Castell, product development is the main priority. The starting point for product development is first current topics (i.e. customer needs, current trends) or materials. Only then, when a suitable product has been developed in the optimal price range, can it be launched on the market and reach a specific target group of customers. There are many brands and different types of products with different uses in the writing instruments market, and therefore price is a very crucial factor for the customer when making a purchase. Faber-Castell strongly emphasizes the quality of its products and sets prices that correspond to the quality, craftsmanship and unique features. The company often offers tiered prices to satisfy a wide range of customer segments. For example, it offers affordable products for students and higher-priced luxury products for professional artists and collectors.
Faber-Castell often uses a skimming strategy for launching new products. This means that it sets a high price for its luxury products as a reflection of their quality, prestige and exclusivity. In this way, it can target market segments that are willing to pay higher prices for premium writing and art supplies. Although this strategy may increase short-term profits, it may also discourage customers with lower purchasing power and slow down product adoption in the market. To motivate larger purchases and strengthen customer loyalty, Faber-Castell uses sales-related and promotional pricing strategies, monitoring market conditions and customer preferences. Faber-Castell regularly offers discounts and promotions on its products, which may include volume discounts, student discounts, or seasonal discounts during school supply buyback periods. The company often creates gift sets and packages that contain combinations of products at attractive prices.
Faber-Castell’s most expensive product is consistently the Graf von Faber-Castell brand, which includes luxury writing pens for enthusiasts and artists. The pens are made of various precious metals, such as gold, silver, or titanium, and may be decorated with gemstones or other luxury materials. These pens are usually created as luxury collector’s items and are priced high. The price can also be influenced by factors such as limited availability and demand among collectors and writing enthusiasts. The most expensive products in terms of consumer price are, for example, the „Art & Graphic Limited-Edition Cassette“ from the Art & Graphic series. This is a limited-edition cassette with a purist design that contains 400 creative products from the Faber-Castell Art & Graphic series. These limited editions allow Faber-Castell to present highly valued artists’ materials in unique packaging or in special combinations and to inspire its customers.
Comparing the prices of Faber-Castell products with the competition depends on the specific products and market segments they operate in. Faber-Castell offers a wide range of writing and art supplies, including pencils, crayons, pens and more. In general, Faber-Castell products fall into the mid- to high-end price range, due to their popularity, quality, reputation and brand. In order to benchmark the prices with the competition, the overview is displayed on the figure 1 below. According to the available data, it can be assumed that prices are in a similar price range. Some Faber-Castell products are more expensive, but Faber-Castell is considered a brand of high-quality writing supplies and prestigious status, which can also be reflected in the prices of the products.

Figure 1: Price benchmark
Source: Authors

4.3.3 Promotion

Faber-Castell, the oldest manufacturer of writing instruments, places great emphasis on promotion, which is essential for strengthening its position in the market. The marketing mix in the field of promotion includes strategies and tools that reach customers and build awareness of the company’s products. The company’s international communication strategy is based on creativity and aims to build relationships with customers and increase their trust and loyalty. This strategy adapts to the individual markets and conditions in which the company operates, thanks to its global presence.
Faber-Castell uses various forms of advertising. Television commercials run on various channels and focus on the features and benefits of products for children, students and artists. Print advertising in printed media such as magazines, posters, newspapers and catalogues contains product photos, product descriptions and information about availability. Another form of advertising used is advertising in public spaces such as billboards and advertising spaces on public transport. The company also invests in online advertising, such as search engine advertising and social media advertising. These forms of advertising allow the company to reach an online audience and get closer to its customers in a targeted manner. The company also actively works with the media and the public through various PR activities, such as press releases, media events, collaborations with influencers, sponsorships and charity activities. This builds a positive brand image and strengthens relationships with customers and the public. Faber-Castell organizes excursions for the public directly in the production buildings, the museum and the castle, which was created by Lothar von Faber and Count Alexander von Faber-Castell.
To support sales, Faber-Castell carries out various activities such as discounts and loyalty programs. It also uses direct marketing through email campaigns, catalogs and flyers, and event marketing, which includes art workshops, new product presentations, and trade fairs where it presents its products and interacts with customers and fans. Online platforms are used for inspiration, shopping, or entertainment. Online advertising and social media play a crucial role in the image and visibility of the brand and products. The company’s main means of communication in the online environment is its website www.faber-castell.com, which offers not only information but also a lot of inspiration for children, teachers, artists and others. Photos, videos with various themes, new products and competitions are published on the website and social networks. It also provides content for campaigns to support the launch of new products, promote existing products and seasonal occasions such as back to school, which specifically boosts demand. The homepage plays an important role as it contains the most important information about the company, products and directs users to further information.

4.3.4 Place

As a world leader in the field of writing instruments, Faber-Castell covers practically all continents with its distribution. This is made possible by the existence of many production plants, branches and separate independent distributors. This distribution model allows both to reach the entire market in a given area and at the same time to provide intensive support to the given distribution entity from the company’s headquarters as well as distribution and marketing support. Of course, this model places high demands on the expertise and qualifications of all company employees from product development, through production to subsequent sales, which is the result of cooperation between the sales and marketing departments. The products are available worldwide and can be purchased in stationery stores, bookstores, toy stores, specialized stores and supermarkets.
European stationery markets are known for their significant diversity. This diversity often stems from the diversity of products used in individual countries, especially within school systems. Each country has its own preferences and requirements for stationery, which leads to a diversity of product offerings on the market. Artists’ preferences vary from country to country, and each country may prefer different techniques or materials. Another factor contributing to the diversity of European markets is the way in which product lines are defined and distributed. They are available in different countries in each country, which creates a diversity in the range of stationery available in schools, offices and the market in general. This diversity presents a challenge for businesses operating in European stationery markets, which must respond effectively to local needs and preferences of customers.
In recent years, with the rapid development of online business, it is logically necessary to adapt sales activities to these new conditions of the present. The development of e-commerce logically also requires new qualifications for sales and marketing staff. The standard distribution model will of course continue to exist, but the rapid development of e-business has dramatically changed the possibilities of purchasing a product by the end user, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, now in terms of time and convenience. This is not specific to Faber-Castell, the rapid development of sales platforms, a typical example of which is Amazon, affects all sectors of customer needs.

5 Discussion

This part of the paper answers the research questions and suggests recommendations and possible changes for Faber-Castell as well as other companies operating in the manufacturing sector and focusing on the production of writing and art supplies.
At this stage, we can proceed to answer first research question: What marketing mix tools are actively used in the model company?
Faber-Castell uses a wide range of marketing mix tools to reach its customers, increase awareness of its products and drive sales. The company constantly monitors market trends and adapts its marketing strategies and activities to remain competitive and responsive to the needs of its customers. Faber-Castell offers a wide range of products, which are divided into different lines such as Playing & Learning, Art & Graphic, General Writing, Technical Drawing, Marking, Generation Z, FineWriting and Premium and boasts the luxury brand Graf von Faber-Castell. In this way, the company tries to address different market segments and satisfy different customer needs. Faber-Castell is characterized by a high level of innovation, which includes not only the products themselves, but also their design and functionality. Faber-Castell has a wide range of products at different price points and employs a price differentiation strategy, which allows it to reach a wide range of customers. It emphasizes the quality of its products and sets prices that reflect this quality, craftsmanship and unique features
The second research question states: Does the model company offer sufficient scope to maintain its market position and competitive advantages compared to direct competitors?
Based on the information obtained from the research, it emerges that Faber-Castell is able to effectively use its marketing mix and, thanks to its emphasis on quality, innovation and sustainability, maintain its market position and gain a competitive advantage. It also gains a competitive advantage thanks to sustainable products, which are a trend today, as stated by Maksudunov et al. (2020). A complete marketing strategy, which includes various elements of promotion, distribution and product portfolio, can address different market segments and build a strong brand based on the breadth of the portfolio, tradition, popularity, satisfaction and thanks to the emphasis on the quality of its products and innovation. In addition, the company is ready to respond to new challenges and opportunities brought by the rapidly changing writing instruments market and thus maintain its leading position in the market. The use of new technologies and digitalization is another element that the company actively integrates into its business processes and customer communication and achieves its competitiveness. This is also proven by research conducted by Sui (2024). In this way, it is able to better respond to new trends and remain relevant to its target groups. Thanks to its global presence and wide product range, Faber-Castell has a wide customer base around the world. The company also actively uses social media and online sales to reach customers and build brand awareness. Overall, it can be said that Faber-Castell effectively uses its marketing mix to maintain its position in the market and gain a competitive advantage through a combination of high-quality products, an innovative approach, sustainability and effective customer communication.

6 Conclusion

Based on the research there are a set of recommendations to be applied, namely: (a) focus on product quality and innovation, (b) optimal pricing policy for all segments, (c) development of distribution channels, (e) emphasis on promotion and communication with customers, (f) strengthening digital presence and online sales, (g) increasing support for sustainability, (h) improving internal leadership and an innovative environment, (i) developing partnerships and collaborations, (j) strengthening global presence, (k) introducing loyalty programs.
Additionally, it is important to also mention the study limitations. These include for example the research specification which targeted to companies operating in the manufacturing industry. Also, the analysis was mainly conducted for Faber-Castell and a comparison was made within the industry with the main competitors. In case of other different selection of a company operating in the manufacturing industry, it might happen that the results would wary. This can be perceived as a perspective for future research, and a comparison of the research outcome can be benchmarked with other companies operating in the manufacturing industry.

Poznámky/Notes

This article is one of the partial outputs of the currently implemented research grant VEGA no. 1/0110/24 and research grant IGMP no. I-25-103-00.

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Kľúčové slová/Key words

marketing mix, marketing trends, marketing strategy, marketing innovation, SWOT analysis
marketingový mix, marketingové trendy, marketingová stratégia, marketingové inovácie, SWOT analýza

JEL klasifikácia/JEL Classification

M31, M39, L23

Résumé

Efektívny marketingový mix výrobnej spoločnosti v kontexte udržateľnosti a konkurencieschopnosti

Marketing je nevyhnutnou súčasťou každého podniku a správne navrhnutý marketingový mix zabezpečuje jej úspech, efektivitu a konkurencieschopnosť na trhu. Marketingový mix je kľúčovým nástrojom, ktorý manažérom umožňuje zostať konkurencieschopnými v globálnom vysoko konkurenčnom prostredí. Tento článok poskytuje komplexný pohľad na marketingový mix spoločnosti Faber-Castell a zameriava sa na analýzu silných a slabých stránok. Hlavnou aplikovanou metodikou sú štrukturálne analýzy, benchmarking, SWOT analýza, IFE a EFE Matrix a analýza marketingového mixu. Výsledky naznačujú, že podnik Faber-Castell monitoruje a prispôsobuje marketingové stratégie a aktivity tak, aby zostal konkurencieschopný a reagoval na potreby zákazníkov. Ďalej sa zameriava na kvalitu, inovácie a udržateľnosť, aby si udržal svoju pozíciu na trhu a získala konkurenčnú výhodu. Navyše získava aj konkurenčnú výhodu vďaka udržateľným produktom, ktoré sú dnes trendy.

Recenzované/Reviewed

11. March 2025 / 13. March 2025