Topic: Marketing Assignment (Master)
Paper instructions:
In your midterm, you completed the first part of a marketing plan: the analysis of the existing market. Now, based on that analysis, create a sustainable MARKETING campaign for that same organization. (I emphasize marketing; do not go deeply into operations, finance, or management.)
Please do NOT try to create a full-year global plan for an entire multinational corporation. Pick one product and one market. Also, this is NOT a report: as an MBA, you’re expected to lead and generate ideas. You don’t have to be a creative wizard, but you should be able to make decisions and recommendations.
Write your paper in the following order, with separate sections, not a continuous essay. You have only 3000 words (no allowances or overages) and may allocate your words as you wish.
I. Cover Sheet + Table of Contents. Does not count toward word total. Do NOT put your name in your paper.
II. Introduction + Goals (25 points). This consists of three parts…
1. BRIEFLY describe your organization. It must be the same one from your midterm. Please limit this to key information; do not provide the corporate history.
2. Describe the target market. This could be any of the stakeholders from your midterm, though most likely it will be the customers. If you want to target a new customer segment, explain why.
3. Create S.M.A.R.T. Goals for People, Planet, and Profit. Make sure all 3 goals are marketing related and will be the direct result of your marketing campaign.
III. Positioning Map (25 points). Create a map featuring your brand in its desired position (which you will promote in this campaign), your target customer, and at least 1 competitor. Include a key (a guide to the symbols used).
IV. Marketing Mix (25 points). What will you do to achieve your goals? Again, this is not a report — demonstrate your original thinking. Be sure to explain your decisions (the WHY) and justify them with research.
• Product: What is the product or cause? (Pick just one if your company has several.) How is it different or better than the competition? Will you change anything? Why or why not?
• Price: What is the company’s current pricing strategy? What will be your new pricing strategy, and why? Show the old price, the new price, and a competitor’s price. (That’s 3 different numbers.)
• Place: What is the product’s current distribution? How would you change that distribution and why? How will your distribution compare to the competition?
• Promotion: This should address what YOU will do.
1. Show what media and messages you will use to address all 5 stages of AIDA+. Be specific about where and when your promotions will run.
2. HOW you will measure your campaign’s effectiveness? (Use the metrics strategies we discussed in class. Please do not just say “sales.”)
V. Promotion Budget & Implementation Calendar (25 points).
1. Based on your goals and your promotion plan, create a detailed OBJECTIVE-AND-TASK budget. Do NOT include ordinary operational expenses, such as office space, salaries, or cost of goods sold. Just show specific promotion expenses. You must research and use actual costs. Remember, an objective-and-task budget shows how each marketing expense will contribute to your goal.
2. Create a timeline of specific dates and activities.
VI. Reference Notes + Bibliography. Research is a critical component of this paper. Support all of your facts, data and arguments using multiple authoritative sources, not just company websites. No Wikipedia. Every source you list must be directly relevant to your paper, so do not include class readings unless you used them to create this plan. Include reference notes in the body of the document AND a bibliography of all your sources at the end. Please use a proper reference note format, as we discussed in class. Your reference notes and bibliography do not count toward word total.
IMPORTANT NOTES
• Length: Maximum 3000 words — no overage allowed. Longer papers will be downgraded 1 point for each % they exceed the limit. The maximum does not include the title page, contents, reference notes, or bibliography. However, words in charts and tables DO count toward your limit. Do not fill your plan with definitions, theories or unnecessary background information.
• Proofread: Proofread your paper to minimize errors and ensure clarity. Also, reread the instructions AFTER your paper is complete to catch any omissions.
• Objectivity & Feasibility: Your paper should be a well-reasoned and substantiated argument. If you say, “our product is high quality,” PROVE IT with facts or third-party quotes. Also, don’t just present your ideas; explain them. Why is this the best option?
ABSOLUTELY NO PLAGIARISM: This is a test of your original analysis and thinking, not your ability to copy and paste. You must base your plan on research, but quote other sources sparingly and always use proper quotation marks and references. We’ve discussed plagiarism at length in the forum and at your induction; it’s your responsibility to completely avoid any form of plagiarism.
Additional materials: not defined