Marketing Report on (Company Name) - Assignment | Learning Outcomes

Key Marketing Concepts

Learning Outcomes: Knowledge and Understanding tested in this assignment:

·Explore the key marketing concepts as stipulated in the Chartered Institute of Marketing Award for Marketing Principles
·Discuss the underpinning theories that drive marketing decisions (for example marketing mix, consumer behaviour, segmentation)
·Describe the key marketing planning tools available to marketers including competitive positioning, product portfolio analysis, growth strategies, internal and external audits
·Recognise the importance of marketing to an organisation and how it interacts with other functions. Learning Outcomes: Skills and Attributes tested in this assignment:
·Collect data from a variety of authoritative and current sources and communicate results effectively in an appropriate format
·Synthesise information in order to draw connections between theory and current marketing practice
·Use pre-defined marketing planning techniques. Transformational Opportunities
·To engage with industry via contemporary reading (Campaign, MarketingWeek, WARC)
·To apply learning in to business context

Performance will be assessed using HBS Grading Criteria and Mark scheme.

Guidance for improvement will be given in writing on the Assessment Feedback Form or on the StudyNet Feedback Form within 4 weeks of submission.

For each day or part day up to five days after the published deadline, coursework relating to modules submitted late will have the numeric grade reduced by 10 grade points until or unless the numeric grade reaches 40 for levels 4, 5 and 6 or 50 for level 7 (PG).  If a submission is more than 5 days after the published deadline, a grade of zero will be awarded.

Assignment Title:

Marketing report on (company name – one of two choices)

Description of the assignment:

You have been asked to produce a report that explores an organisation’s marketing environment and its marketing responses to that environment. Choose one of the brands below:
a) Coca-Cola Energy Drink
b) Marmite Peanut Butter

Please structure your report by including a brief introduction, the following 5 sections and a short conclusion:

1. Macro environment
Produce an analysis of the macro environment for the company and its proposed product. Identify at least 3 major external factors that could help or hinder the progress of this business. You should refer to at least 3-4 credible research sources to justify your choice. Explain what impact these factors are likely to have on the company’s marketing programme for this product.  

2. The target customer
Identify one customer profile. Use secondary research to show evidence of who the target market is for this product. Then describe what a typical customer of your company looks like using behavioural, demographic, geographic and lifestyle segmentation and whether the target audience for this product would be the same or different, and in what aspect. Use at least 3-4 relevant research sources to support your argument.

Underpinning Theories that Drive Marketing Decisions

3. Product and price
Produce two perceptual maps that show the positioning of your company and at least four other competitors.  One map must have the axes ‘price’ and ‘quality’, the other can have axes of your choice but not ‘price’ and ‘quality’. Justify, with reference to at least 3-4 credible research sources, why you have positioned the company and its competitors in the way you have.

4. Growth strategies
Use Ansoff’s matrix to identify the appropriate strategy for the chosen brand. Explain, using 3-4 research sources, why this is right action for the brand to take.  Briefly explain the marketing mix (4Ps) for this growth strategy and how it will help you to achieve growth.

5. Buyer behaviour
Explain how the 4Ps described in task 4 map onto the consumer buyer behaviour model. Show where each of the 4Ps is used to influence the consumer at each of the 5 stages of the model. Support your points with relevant research sources.

Any specific guidance:

Present your work in a professional manner by including a cover page with all key details (module name and code, title, date, word count) and proof-read the content before submission, it could make a difference.

If you do not know how to use Harvard Referencing, please refer to the CASE Guide. You are expected to use a range of recent academic resources, as suggested above, including your core text, trade journals, academic research journals, market research reports, company websites.

·Search as much as you can into the topic, as it would enable you to create a more comprehensive, in depth analysis
·Try not to re-capture or re-tell any specific sources, otherwise it would be just copying and the content will be descriptive and derivative
·Read and integrate academic articles with the perspectives of the industry and not just rely on the main article, as it would strengthen the quality of your work

·Late submission without agreed extension carries a penalty: please refer to guidance highlighted in red on page 1.
·Failure to keep the word count of 2,500 words carries a penalty of 5% deduction

Student Support and Guidance

·For further help, contact your module leader in their drop-in hours or by email.
·Use the Grading Criteria and Mark Scheme to help improve your work.
·Go to CASE workshops, use the CASE website and drop-in hours www.studynet.herts.ac.uk/go/CASE/
·Academic English for Business support is available through daily drop-ins from the CASE office.  See the CASE workshop timetable on the CASE main website page for details.

1. Macro environment

Identify macro-environmental factors and explain the impact these factors would have on the company’s marketing programme? Justify the inclusion of the factors by using at least 3-4 credible research sources?

2. The target customer

Use behavioural, demographic, geographic and lifestyle segmentation to describe the customer? Support the argument with at least 3-4 relevant research sources?

3. Product and price

Produce two different perceptual maps including the company and at least four of its competitors? Justify the positioning of the company using at least 3-4 credible research sources?

4. Growth strategies

Choose a growth strategy and explain it?
Explain how any changes to the 4Ps would be applied to the company?
Use at least 3-4 credible research sources to support the argument?
For content and quality of critical evaluation

Show at each of the 5 stages of the Buyer Behaviour model how the 4Ps would be used to influence the consumer?   

For content and quality of critical evaluation Integration of Research. Literature and Theory Did the student: Connect the research or theory with the commercial practice of the business under review?