Assignment List: MKTG305-1201A-04 : Marketing Management

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Assignment List
Unit 1 - Market Analysis & Insight Reading Assignment: Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L., chaps. 2, 4, 6 and 7 Assignment Type: Individual Project Deliverable Length: 45 pages: not including cover page, abstract page, & reference page Points Possible: 150 Due Date: 1/8/2012 11:59:59 PM CT Marketing plans are tools used by managers to guide the process of marketing. They contain strategies and consider many environmental aspects that work together to affect the success of the product or service being marketed. Marketers must learn to do solid research in support of upcoming projects. The Unit 1 Individual Project is a research paper and should address the following: Provide a quick definition of marketing plans using your text. Include the following:

Using an article from the librarys full-text databases, discuss an example of how a marketing plan helped make a product or service successful. On the other hand (using an article from the librarys full-text databases), discuss an example of how decisions in a marketing plan led to failure. Analyze what was different in the 2 examples. This section of the paper should be at least 2 pages in length. In a marketing plan, objectives are created that can be used to gauge progress. You can have some fun with the concept. Movie studios pay stars a lot of money to star in what they hope is a blockbuster. But as you know, there are lots of box office failures. Consider the following:

Using an Internet search, find a movie that failed. Provide a quick overview of why the movie was considered a failure. Applying what you have learned about the concept of market plans, extrapolate what could have gone wrong in the studios plan with regard to forecasting demand for the project. This section should be at least 2 pages in length. The assignment requires the use of articles from the librarys full-text databases. Articles are found in periodicals. These are not to be confused with eBooks or reference books. The most popular databases in marketing are: ABI Inform Global, Academic Search Premier, and Business Source Premier. Your report MUST include a reference list. All research should be cited in the body of the paper. In-text citations and corresponding references should be included in your paper. For more information on APA, please visit the APA Lab. The paper should be written in third person; this means words like I, we, and you are not appropriate. The use of direct quotes is discouraged, but may be used sparingly in appropriate situations. Your assignment should contain a cover page, an abstract page, and a reference page (in addition to the body). The body of the paper should be 45 pages in length, starting with a brief 1-paragraph

introduction and ending with a short conclusion. The entire submission will be 78 pages in length. Click here to view the assignment grading guidelines. *************************************************************************** ***** Background on Course Research Requirements In the business world, it is important to use research to strengthen points that you make in presentations and projects. You will see references to using specific databases throughout this course. Research is a crucial skill in marketing, and learning to use the search functions in these databases is about critical thinking, which complements other research techniques you have used prior to the class. There are 2 main types of databases accessible in the library through FIND ARTICLES & BOOKS. Keep in mind that the most popular databases for marketing articles are: ABI Inform Global, Academic Search Premier, and Business Source Premier. You will be focusing on these databases that contain articles rather than those with reference materials like eBooks. As a college student, you must steer away from inferior Web sites with anonymous writers. For the basic definitions, your textbook should be used. Do not use old texts or books. Acceptable Internet resources include government sites (especially for statistics); Web sites for associations; and company Web sites when you are researching a company or product. Think of classes this way: If you decided to go for a bachelor's degree, why would you rely on what you already knew before you started the program? Should you not add to your knowledge base by going out and researching? You are not permitted to use Wikipedia or any open source Web site in this course. The goal is for you to acquire new research skills in this class. Almost everyone is adept at an Internet search, but most of you are not yet comfortable using the librarys article databases. This month, you will have the opportunity to discover what a great resource you may have been missing. Please submit your assignment as a Word document in APA format using the attached TEMPLATE. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Assignment Type: Discussion Board Deliverable Length: 56 paragraphs Points Possible: 50 Due Date: 1/8/2012 11:59:59 PM CT

The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation. The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each week. What was once pseudo Earth Day is now a year-round, Green marketing revolution, as described in the following:

Purchasers of a national magazine qualified for a free reusable shopping bag. A reality show eliminated water bottles from the set. A popular water bottle company rolled out a new bottle made of 30% less plastic. MAIN DISCUSSION POST: Due by Sunday Address the following:

Pick an existing consumer product. Pitch an idea to the products manufacturer to position it as Green. Sell the concept as if you are the marketing executive for the Green company looking to win the account. Identify your competition, and discuss how your new and improved product is poised to compete (3 paragraphs total for the post). Your main post on the discussion must be submitted by Sunday.

INTERACTIVE RESPONSES: Due by Sunday Select 2 of your classmates posts. Discuss whether their products truly benefit the environment and what they could do to strengthen their Green marketing campaign. Your replies to at least 2 other student posts must be submitted by Sunday. You will be graded on the quality and interactivity of your work. The use of unoriginal text and excessive quotes indicates a lack of comprehension and shows that you may not have mastered the concepts. Submitting all your posts in one sitting or within a compressed time period will adversely affect your interactivity.

Click here to view the assignment grading guidelines. In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other

postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Unit 2 - Brand-Building Reading Assignment: Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L., chaps. 8-11 Assignment Type: Individual Project Deliverable Length: 45 pages: not including of cover page, abstract page, & reference page Points Possible: 150 Due Date: 1/15/2012 11:59:59 PM CT Brand building is a crucial exercise that often takes years to accomplish. The benefit of brand equity is realized in the bottom line. In this assignment, you will complete primary along with secondary research. PART 1: Primary Research and Text Application Find a consumer who is extremely loyal to a brand-name product. The person can be a family member, friend, classmate, or other. Probe him or her for information as to why that brand loyalty exists. Discuss how the individual feels about competitive brands. Analyze the interview using the brand equity and brand positioning concepts from your text. This section of the paper should be at least 2 pages in length. PART 2: Secondary Research in the Databases Next, research the brand using its Web site and articles from the librarys full-text databases to address how the brand does the following:

Identifies market segments and targets Developed its brand equity over time Positions itself in the market

This section of the assignment requires the use of articles from the librarys full-text databases. Articles are found in periodicals. These are not to be confused with eBooks or reference books. The most popular databases in marketing are: ABI Inform Global, Academic Search Premier, and Business Source Premier.

This section of the paper should be at least 2 pages in length. Your report must include a reference list. All research should be cited in the body of the paper. In-text citations and corresponding references should be included in your paper. For more information on APA, please visit the APA Lab. The paper should be written in third person; this means words like I, we, and you are not appropriate. The use of direct quotes is discouraged but may be used sparingly in appropriate situations. Your assignment should contain a cover page, an abstract page, and a reference page (in addition to the body). The body of the paper should be 45 pages in length, starting with a brief 1-paragraph introduction and ending with a short conclusion. The entire submission will be 78 pages in length. Click here to view the assignment grading guidelines. Please submit your assignment as a Word document in APA format using the attached template. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Assignment Type: Discussion Board Deliverable Length: 56 paragraphs Points Possible: 50 Due Date: 1/15/2012 11:59:59 PM CT The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation. The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each week. Marketers are innovative when it comes to product positioning. They have to be. Analyzing and selecting a

positioning strategy can mean the difference between success and failure for a new or existing product. Product endorsers have been an integral part of marketing for centuries. Popular music has become a major part of ad campaigns. Song selection coupled with a product endorser for a multiplatform campaign is a way to differentiate from other brands. Two recent examples include the following:

A popular brand of body wash upped the ante by using Pussycat Doll, Nicole Scherzinger, as the endorser who also sang a Brazilian-inspired reinterpretation of Duran Durans Rio. Then, there is a shampoo company that launched a global brand campaign that features mega star Madonna and is the first of its kind using an artist of such stature to launch a global brand. MAIN DISCUSSION POST: Due by Sunday

Create a new consumer product. Define your target market. Select a song and an endorser for your campaign, and explain the rationale behind your choices. Discuss your competition and how you are both poised to compete and differentiate (3 paragraphs total for the post). Your main post on the discussion must be submitted by Sunday.

INTERACTIVE RESPONSES: Due by Sunday Select 2 of your classmates posts. Reply to each with a critique of the fit between product, endorser, song, and positioning. Explain. Your replies to at least 2 other student posts must be submitted by Sunday. You will be graded on the quality and interactivity of your work. The use of unoriginal text and excessive quotes indicates a lack of comprehension and shows that you may not have mastered the concepts. Submitting all your posts in one sitting, or within a compressed time period, will adversely affect your interactivity. Click here to view the assignment grading guideline. In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Unit 3 - Product Strategy & Pricing Reading Assignment: Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L., chaps. 12-14 Assignment Type: Group Project Deliverable Length: 12 pages per student Points Possible: 150 Due Date: 1/22/2012 11:59:59 PM CT The Marketing Scene is a publication that provides a platform for professionals and consumers to discuss new ways of marketing, the effectiveness of advertising trends, specific ad campaigns, and the impact this information has on society. The stories on the site encompass the following marketing topics:

Controversy in ads Lifestyle campaigns Target marketing The global view Emotional advertising Marketing the economy Individual Portion Read a few stories at http://www.themarketingscene.com/index.php/discussions/ , and devise your own story that fits in one of the categories listed. Stories should be 250350 words in length and can be written in first or third person. You could become a published writer (really). Wouldnt that look good on your resume? The stories need to have a marketing focus, but the topics are broad and can reflect your own taste. Using this template, please add your file (your story) to the Group Files area by Friday of group week. You will also post a second copy of your paper on the Group Discussion Board as a reply to a thread you create for yourself. You could be contacted to publish your work. NOTE: Failure to post in Group Files will mean a zero for the story submission. Please add your file. Group Portion Each group member should critique all of the submitted stories on the Group Discussion Board by replying to the appropriate story thread. Just as you have done in the discussions each week, provide advice to the author of the draft. Be specific with your comments. You are critiquing content and quality of applications, not grammar or formatting. Ask questions or provide advice that will improve the story and show that you have mastered the marketing concepts discussed. Using this template, please add your file (your story) to the Group Drop Box by Friday of the group week. Post your critiques to the Group Discussion Board by the end of the week. You will be graded on the quality of your postings and the timeliness of your submissions. Click here to view the assignment grading guidelines. Please add your file. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Assignment Type: Discussion Board Deliverable Length: 56 paragraphs Points Possible: 50 Due Date: 1/22/2012 11:59:59 PM CT The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation. The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each week. The United States is experiencing inflation, increased unemployment, and escalating gas prices. A 71year-old food company is associated with hard times, and as the economy heads downward, the product bucks the cycle and enjoys sales increases. During the down economy, marketers are experimenting with various tactics to entice consumers to buy. Cars come with free or cut rate gas; buy a gift card for a friend, and you get one free; and the supermarket is full of 2-for-1 specials each week.

MAIN DISCUSSION POST: Due by Sunday Excluding the supermarket deals, choose a product and marketing campaign that targets buyers in a down economy. Discuss the effectiveness of the campaign and how you might improve upon it. Be sure to include your thoughts on competition and differentiation (3 paragraphs total for the post). Your main post on the discussion must be submitted by Sunday.

INTERACTIVE RESPONSES: Due by Sunday Select 2 of your classmates posts, and reply to each with your opinion of the effectiveness of the

campaign. If you deemed it to be successful, analyze how it entices consumers. On the other hand, if it fell flat (in your mind), explore the reasons. Your replies to at least 2 other student posts must be submitted by Sunday. You will be graded on the quality and interactivity of your work. The use of unoriginal text and excessive quotes indicates a lack of comprehension and shows that you may not have mastered the concepts. Submitting all your posts in one sitting or within a compressed time period will adversely affect your interactivity.

Click here to view the assignment grading guidelines. In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Unit 4 - Channels & Communications Reading Assignment: Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L., chaps. 15-17 Assignment Type: Individual Project Deliverable Length: 45 pages: not including cover page, abstract page, & reference page Points Possible: 150 Due Date: 1/29/2012 11:59:59 PM CT Building a brand is crucial exercise that often takes years or decades to accomplish. The benefit of brand equity is realized in the bottom line. You researched brand equity from a consumer standpoint. For this assignment, you will select a big nationally or internationally known brand that has advertisements that feature a famous person or persons. PART 1: Research Background Research the selected brand using both its Web site and articles in the librarys full-text databases, and address the following:

What does the brand mean in todays market? How has it evolved over time? What is the target market(s) for the brand? Has that changed from the past?

How is the competition positioned? This section of the assignment requires the use of articles from the librarys full-text databases. Articles are found in periodicals. These are not to be confused with eBooks or reference books. The most popular databases in marketing are: ABI Inform Global, Academic Search Premier, and Business Source Premier. This section of the paper should be at least 2 pages in length. PART 2: Application Marketing is not all serious research involving scholarly, statistical, and practitioner resources; it is also about trends, buzz, and pop culture of the day. Actors, models, musicians, athletes, and reality stars of the moment are hounded by the press. Their lives unfold in the media, and many are seen wearing, carrying, eating, or driving a particular brand. For this section, you may research the following in any media outlet:

What celebrities endorse your brand? Why are they a good fit? To what target market do they connect? What other famous characters could be connected to your brand? Explain why. What about the competition? What kind of endorsers do they use? This section of the paper should be at least 2 pages in length. Your report must include a reference list. All research should be cited in the body of the paper. In-text citations and corresponding references should be included in your paper. For more information on APA, please visit the APA Lab. The paper should be written in third person; this means words like I, we, and you are not appropriate. The use of direct quotes is discouraged but may be used sparingly in appropriate situations. Your assignment should contain a cover page, an abstract page, and a reference page in addition to the body. The body of the paper should be 45 pages in length, starting with a brief 1-paragraph introduction and ending with a short conclusion. The entire submission will be 78 pages in length. Click here to view the assignment grading guidelines. Please submit your assignment as a Word document in APA format using the attached TEMPLATE. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Assignment Type: Discussion Board Deliverable Length: 23 paragraphs

Points Possible: 50 Due Date: 1/29/2012 11:59:59 PM CT The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation. The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each week. Books and computer-software products sell effectively on the Web. Publishers and third parties sell both from sleek Web sites all over the world. Interview a consumer from each of the following age groups:

1825 years old 2645 years old 46 years or above (you may vary the ages slightly) MAIN DISCUSSION POST: Due by Sunday Determine which they purchase more of online: books or software. Be sure to find out reasons behind their answers. Then, address the following questions:

Do they prefer buying from Web sites and having products delivered? Is shopping at a bricks and mortar establishment preferable? Do they do a little of both: online shopping and bricks and mortar? For your post, compare and contrast responses. What are the implications for sellers (3 paragraphs total for the post)? Your main post on the discussion must be submitted by Sunday.

INTERACTIVE RESPONSES: Due by Sunday Select 2 of your classmates posts, and reply to each with a critique of their analysis and how it applies to concepts being studied this week. Your replies to at least 2 other student posts must be submitted by Sunday. You will be graded on the quality and interactivity of your work. The use of unoriginal text and excessive

quotes indicates a lack of comprehension and shows that you may not have mastered the concepts. Submitting all your posts in one sitting or within a compressed time period will adversely affect your interactivity. Click here to view the assignment grading guideline. In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Unit 5 - Applications in Marketing Reading Assignment: Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L., chaps. 18, 19 and 21 Assignment Type: Individual Project Deliverable Length: 45 pages: not including cover page, abstract page, & reference page Points Possible: 150 Due Date: 2/5/2012 11:59:59 PM CT Select a Fortune 500 international company in the service industry. Using your selected company as the basis for your research, prepare a paper that will:

Describe the main line of business of the company Name four of the countries in which the company operates Explain, in detail, the implementation of the 4P's marketing mix concept by the company Describe any differences observed in the implementation of this concept, from one country to another. Present your findings as a 4-5 pages Word document formatted in APA style. Submit your assignment. Submitting your assignment in APA format means, at a minimum, you will need the following: 1. 2. 3. TITLE PAGE. Remember the Running head: AND TITLE IN ALL CAPITALS ABSTRACT. A summary of your papernot an introduction. Begin writing in third person voice. BODY. The body of your paper begins on the page following the title page and abstract page and must be double-spaced (be careful not to triple- or quadruple-space between paragraphs). The type face should be 12-pt. Times Roman or 12-pt. Courier in regular black type. Do not use color, bold type, or italics except as required for APA level headings and references. The deliverable length of the body of your paper for this assignment is 4-5 pages. In-body academic citations to

4.

support your decisions and analysis are required. A variety of academic sources is encouraged. REFERENCE PAGE. References that align with your in-body academic sources are listed on the final page of your paper. The references must be in APA format using appropriate spacing, hang indention, italics, and upper and lower case usage as appropriate for the type of resource used. Remember, the Reference Page is not a bibliography but a further listing of the abbreviated inbody citations used in the paper. Every referenced item must have a corresponding in-body citation.

This assignment will be assessed using additional criteria provided here.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials

Assignment Type: Discussion Board Deliverable Length: 56 paragraphs Points Possible: 50 Due Date: 2/5/2012 11:59:59 PM CT The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion. At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation. The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each week. MAIN DISCUSSION POST: Due by Sunday Create an ad campaign for an online university's bachelor's degree program. Include your ideas for the following:

Advertising: Where will you advertise, and what will your message be? Public relations

Interactive marketing: How will you use the Internet, social networking sites, and mobile ads (3 paragraphs total for the post)? Your main post on the discussion must be submitted by Sunday.

INTERACTIVE RESPONSES: Due by Sunday Select 2 of your classmates posts, and reply to each with a critique of the proposed plan and how well it fits in with the concepts being studied this week. Your replies to at least 2 other student posts must be submitted by Sunday. You will be graded on the quality and interactivity of your work. The use of unoriginal text and excessive quotes indicates a lack of comprehension and shows that you may not have mastered the concepts. Submitting all your posts in one sitting or within a compressed time period will adversely affect your interactivity. Click here to view the assignment grading guidelines.

In your own words, please post a response to the Discussion Board and comment on other postings. You will be graded on the quality of your postings. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Unit Materials