MRKT1299 Marketing

All assignments should indicate: Subject name and code, group members and student numbers Products and services are not created in a vacuum -- they are themselves a "product" of multiple factors shaped by consumer behaviour decision-making. In Phase 1, your task will be to deconstruct 3 competitive brands in the same product category, comparing and contrasting the consumer behaviour decision-making using relevant concepts from different chapters of the textbook. This task requires developing an understanding of the consumer behaviour forces that contributed to the success (or failure) of the product. How did the product come about? What strategy was developed to market it? What consumer need did it fill? What role did or does it play in the lives of its users? What is the psychographic profile of the target market? Etc. To answer these questions you will need to work with a variety of research sources, including the following: · Library and various research resources · Contacts with the product's creator or other representative of the company · Interviews or surveys of people who have used or now use the product.

Choose 3 competitive brands(APPLE , SAMSUNG AND SONY) that belong to the same product category that your group would like to study to answer the questions below  The companies should operate in Canada. 2 Topic Selection - Confirm with me in advance for approval. One person from your group will need to post the following in the Discussion Forum in Moodle by the due date. 1. Partner or Group Member Names 2. Project Topic for Phase 1. One topic per group allowed only. Must be approved by the instructor. First come -first-served. No topic duplication will be accepted. 3. Project Country for Phase 2. Country selection will be on a first come- first served basis and may not be duplicated. Your first task as a group is to select a topic that excites you. I will help you if necessary, but my preference is for you to find something that you will enjoy learning more about. Your topic can be: A product: Example: Dove versus Axe versus Old Spice A service: Example: Fairmont Hotel versus Best Western Hotel versus Holiday Inn A retailer: Example: Nordstrom versus HBC versus Walmart Note: I reserve the right to ask you to change a topic if I don't feel it's appropriate, if I anticipate you will have trouble completing the assignment, etc. If possible your group should choose a topic (APPLE V/S SAMSUNG V/S SONY) that allows you to locate adequate background information. Your choice of company should be one that has resources available for information i.e. web site, business reports, and magazine articles. Preferably, you should be able to locate one or more people who have experienced the topic. Phases 1 and 2 of the project will be marked on the basis of an appropriate standard of research, content, and organization of material. Your paper must be word processed and follow proper APA formatting. 10 pages maximum page limit. The 10 pages maximum limit does not include cover page, table of contents page, appendix, and bibliography. Marks will be lost if the 10 page maximum is exceeded – note the grader will stop reading at the page limit. Business writing style is also heavily encouraged: the use of subheadings, thorough bullet points, and the use of charts and tables as appropriate. Double check APA formatting.

 The following section details questions/information that should be answered in your project, when comparing and contrasting the 3 competitive brands:

5. The Self

a. Self-concept: Explain which “self” each product appeals to

 b. Explain the role of the extended self for each of the products

 6. Personality, Lifestyle and Values

 a. Trait theory: identify the traits of the target market for each product

b. Brand personality: identify the brand personality of each of the products

 c. Lifestyle: identify the lifestyle of the target market for each product

 d. Persona: For each of the 3 products, create a visual collage of the persona or psychographic profile of the target market for the product. Each persona should be one page and should be included in the appendix to the report.