Paper 2: Brand Tracking and Marketing Mix Analysis
Purpose of Paper
The purpose of this project is to synthesize the material that you are learning in the class to real products in the marketplace. You will be required to analyze the effectiveness of the marketing plan for a consumer brand.
Due Date: This paper is due at the start of class on Saturday, October 8th. You need to turn in a printed copy AND email be your paper as well.
Formatting the Paper
1. The paper must be 4-6 pages double spaced, Times New Roman font, 12 pt size. 1” margins. Please include page numbers in the lower right-hand corner of each page.
2. If you cite any articles, websites, or other materials, do your best to cite them properly in the text and in a References section at the end of your paper. You may use any style guidelines you wish (APA, MLA, Chicago style), as long as you are consistent throughout the paper. If you are unfamiliar with style guidelines, I suggest using APA: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
3. You need to use a cover page for this assignment, which should contain the name of your project, your name, the date, and the course name or number.
4. You may use tables, figures, graphs, models, etc. in your paper. They will not count against your page limit. However, these things need to be placed in an Appendix at the end of your paper and not in the middle of the paper. Label the items correctly (Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, etc.) and use those labels in your text (such as: “See Table 1 for the demographic makeup of Pepsi customers”).
5. The paper should be grammatically correct and free of typos.
Your paper must have the following sections. Please use bold headers to label each section of your paper.
I. Section 1: Brand and Target Market Information – about half a page
This is the introduction section of your paper. This part of the paper must include the following information:
Brand name
Manufacturer
Target market (this must be based on your University Reporter analysis from Paper 1)
Brand positioning (how is your brand distinct from its competitors)
Mission statement for your brand (if you can find one)
II. Analysis of your Brand’s Marketing Mix (Strengths and Weaknesses) – 1 to 1.5 pages
This is the heart of your paper and should critically analyze how this brand competes with their marketing mix (products, price, place, and promotion). It is essential that you apply the concepts and theories that we have discussed in class and that can be found in your text. If you have images or ads that you would like to share because you think they are interesting or relevant they may be added in an appendix at the end, but your writing should stand on its own.
For additional info, see these sections of the textbook:
Product: Chapters 10, 11, & 12
Pricing: Chapter 19
Place: Chapters 13 & 14
Promotion: Chapters 15, 16, 17, & 18
III. Assessment of Marketing Environment Issues (Opportunities and Threats) – 1 to 1.5 pages
What are the issues in the external environment that have the potential to impact your brand (good or bad)? Chapter 4 in your book provides a list of issues that should help guide your group in the types of issues that you should consider: Competition, Demographic Trends, Social Trends, Legal and Political Issues, and Economic Trends.
IV. SWOT
Your paper should include a table that summarizes the major Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that you identified in sections II and III.
V. Role of Corporate Social Responsibility (See Chapter 3) – about half a page
Does your brand/company engage in corporate social responsibility? Are these activities consistent with the brand in terms of ethics, inclusiveness, diversity and sustainability? Does the company have a code of ethics that you could find?
VI. Critical Assessment and Recommendations – about 1 page
The paper must be a critical analysis. Even the #1 brand in a category has room for improvement. This is an opportunity to apply what you have learned during the semester. Telling me that everything is just fine with the brand is not an acceptable option. The paper should also identify and discuss other observations that are important for this brand to consider for enhancing their success in the marketplace. This section of the paper is where you can allow your creativity and insights to really shine.
Resources
In addition to the textbook, there are many other resources that will be helpful for this project. For example, the company’s website, social media pages, videos and ads, online customer reviews, Wikipedia, the company’s published financial statements, and business news articles related to the brand and its products.
While it is not necessary to purchase the product/service that you are researching, it is highly recommended that you shop for the product (online, in-store or both). This experience will provide insight about your brand’s marketing mix and strategies. The findings from your shopping experiences should be incorporated into other parts of your analysis.
