Marketing background of the chosen company
Key information about the industry indicating where the company fits and/or positions itself
Pay special attention to sustainable practices – i.e. what have been done to balance economic, environmental, social benefits.
Who are the targeted customers/segments?
How the company and its products are positioned in the market (against the rivals’ offering)?
Useful references:
PPT slides for Marketing planning and strategy
The company’s website • Industry and company information databases accessible via La Trobe’s library, such as IBIS, Factiva, EBSCO, Company 360
Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning
BUS5SMM BUS5SMM Individual assignment 2 (Marketing) – more detailed guidelines Marketing background of the chosen company • Key information about the industry indicating where the company fits and/or positions itself • Pay special attention to sustainable practices – i.e. what have been done to balance economic, environmental, social benefits. • Who are the targeted customers/segments? • How the company and its products are positioned in the market (against the rivals’ offering)? • Useful references: • PPT slides for Marketing planning and strategy • The company’s website • Industry and company information databases accessible via La Trobe’s library, such as IBIS, Factiva, EBSCO, Company 360 • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning Product vs. sustainability • What products/product range are being offered by the company? • Key decisions for product policy (some, but not limited to): • Product quality/features • Packaging, labelling • Design and materials • Production • Supply chain management • Considerations for consumption and disposal • How can sustainability be incorporated into those key decisions? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Product policy • The company’s website • Book section: “Sustainability goods” (pages 50-69) from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Product policy http://search.alexanderstreet.com.ez.library.latrobe.edu.au/view/work/bibliographic_entity|bibliographic_details|2454786#page/156/mode/1/chapter/bibliographic_entity%7Cdocument%7C2454805 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-012-0317-2 Price vs. sustainability • What are the general pricing strategies (e.g. value-based, cost-based or competition-based) and their relevant sub-type(s) being used by the company? • Do and how they adopt any new-product pricing strategies? • What are their product mix pricing strategies (if applicable)? • How are their product prices normally adjusted? • Has any sustainable pricing practice been applied? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Pricing policy • The company’s website • Book section: “The last mile: Pricing for life” (pages 294-302) from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Price policy http://search.alexanderstreet.com.ez.library.latrobe.edu.au/view/work/bibliographic_entity|bibliographic_details|2454786#page/156/mode/1/chapter/bibliographic_entity%7Cdocument%7C2454805 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-012-0317-2 Promotion vs. sustainability • What and how key elements of the promotion mix are being used (e.g. advertising, PR, sales promotion, online marketing etc)? • How has the firm attempted to design communications to inform stakeholders about its efforts, commitment, and achievement toward balancing/addressing economic, social and environmental benefits? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Promotion policy • The company’s website • Book section: “Strategic brand promotions: Prospects for sustainability marketing” (pages 303-309) from from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Promotion policy http://search.alexanderstreet.com.ez.library.latrobe.edu.au/view/work/bibliographic_entity|bibliographic_details|2454786#page/156/mode/1/chapter/bibliographic_entity%7Cdocument%7C2454805 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-012-0317-2 Place/distribution vs sustainability • What marketing channels are being used by the company to distribute its products? • How has the firm been managing its marketing intermediaries? • How has the firm managed to achieve sustainable distribution? • Useful references: • PowerPoint slides for Place/Distribution policy • The company’s website • Book section: “Sustainable distribution” (pages 163-175) from Readings and cases in sustainable marketing: A strategic approach to social responsibility book (to log in with LTU username & password) • Leonidou, C., Katsikeas, C., & Morgan, N. (2013) "Greening" the marketing mix: do firms do it and does it pay off?. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(2), 151-170. (especially “Green marketing program” section) (to log in with LTU username & password) • Kotler’s Marketing Management book with chapter(s) relevant to Place policy http://search.alexanderstreet.com.ez.library.latrobe.edu.au/view/work/bibliographic_entity|bibliographic_details|2454786#page/156/mode/1/chapter/bibliographic_entity%7Cdocument%7C2454805 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-012-0317-2 Comparison to rivals • Compare the marketing mix (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) to its closest competitors (1 or 2 closest rivals) Recommendations • Make recommendations for improving the marketing mix to achieve stronger competitiveness (to consider including relevant sustainability aspects) • Make sure that the recommendations are well justified and connected to previous analyses of the marketing background, internal/external environmental situation, and marketing mix analyses. Appendices • SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats for the chosen firm) • Positioning chart for the firm: see PowerPoint slides for Marketing planning and strategy. See also the example below for the car makers Other requirements • Report format with headings and sub-headings • Approximately 2,500 words (+/- 10% accepted; excluding executive summary & list of references) • Use Microsoft Word format only, Times New Roman 12 point font, 1.5 line spacing • Use Harvard referencing. • 15-20 references are expected (including at least 5 academic references) • See the Subject Learning Guide for marking rubric, and other information in LMS • All submissions MUST be made via LMS (Turnitin), otherwise the work won’t be marked. • Late penalty will be applied; extension (if any) will need to be made by logging application for Special Consideration via Ask La Trobe.