Marketing case study

SBS MARK 804 short answer case responses. Joanne Dearlove, Learning Development October 2018

MARK 804: Tri 1 2019. Case study responses

Understanding the task:

You have been provided with some typical approaches to case studies and some case study

questions.

Note: In analysing a case, the task is typically to: • identify the problem(s) in the situation presented in the scenario • analyse the key issues within the context of theory/ies presented in your course • develop and compare alternative solutions to the problems • consider the advantages and disadvantages of various possible solutions • select the best solution and make recommendations for action • write up your case analysis in appropriate case analysis report format. However, not all these approaches apply in this case study and those that do apply do not apply to every question in this case study.

The first approach “identify the problem(s) in the situation presented in the scenario” is redundant since the case is about ‘value’ and the ‘marketing mix’. These topics have been given to you in the questions, so no further marketing problem needs to be identified. However, these marketing problems need to be explained in detail.

Q.1(a) How do Woolworths, Coles and Aldi create value for their customers?

Q.1(b) Compare any of the above supermarkets to an international supermarket chain.

Name some significant differences between the two; how do they create value for

their customers compared to the Australian grocer? Name two differences and one

similarity. Please justify your answer.

Q. 2 How do the Australian grocers use socially responsible product decisions to

create and capture customer value? Provide evidence to justify your answers for all

three retailers.

Q. 3 Which elements of the extended marking mix (i.e. all seven elements) have been

carefully managed by (choose either Woolworths, Coles or Aldi) the business referred

to in this case? Suggest one marketing mix element that might be better managed in

order to deliver customer value, justifying your answer.

SBS MARK 804 short answer case responses. Joanne Dearlove, Learning Development October 2018

Activity 1: Which approaches are useful for each of these questions? Which approaches do not apply to this case study at all?

Question Approaches that are useful

Q.1(a) How do Woolworths, Coles and

Aldi create value for their customers?

analyse the key issues within the context of theory/ies presented in your course: this means, write about ‘value’ using marketing terms

Q.1(b) Compare any of the above

supermarkets to an international supermarket

chain. Name some significant differences

between the two; how do they create value for

their customers compared to the Australian

grocer? Name two differences and one

similarity. Please justify your answer.

analyse the key issues within the context of theory/ies presented in your course: this means, write about ‘value’ using marketing terms before you give examples from the case develop and compare alternative solutions to the problems: this means, name the differences and similarities using marketing terms before you give examples.

Q. 2 How do the Australian grocers use

socially responsible product decisions to

create and capture customer value? Provide

evidence to justify your answers for all

three retailers.

analyse the key issues within the context of theory/ies presented in your course: this means, write about ‘value’ using marketing terms before you give examples from the case

Q. 3 Which elements of the extended marking

mix (i.e. all seven elements) have been

carefully managed by (choose either

Woolworths, Coles or Aldi) the business

referred to in this case? Suggest one

marketing mix element that might be better

managed in order to deliver customer value,

justifying your answer.

analyse the key issues within the context of theory/ies presented in your course: this means, write about the ‘marketing mix using marketing terms before you give examples. Justify means you need to explain ‘why’ you think your answer is correct. To do this, use ‘because’ in your sentence

Planning for the task:

The approach: analyse the key issues within the context of theory/ies presented in your course is common to all three questions because this is a guide to analysis

In this case study, this analysis requires that you:

1 decide which features of creating value and which features of the marketing mix are

relevant

2 identify which parts of the case are explained by these features

SBS MARK 804 short answer case responses. Joanne Dearlove, Learning Development October 2018

For example, question 1a asks: How do Woolworths, Coles and Aldi create value for their

customers? Activity 2: Decide what theories/concepts you have studied that explain how companies create value for their customers. For example, which of the following might be involved in creating value for each supermarket? Market segmentation: demographics? price consciousness? benefits? Niche markets

Marketing mix: product, price, place, promotion, people, process, physical Positioning, based on???? Differentiation, based on?????

Activity 3: you will need to complete this activity outside of class time. Once you have chosen the features of value creation that you believe are relevant, decide which parts of the case study are explained by these, for example:

SBS MARK 804 short answer case responses. Joanne Dearlove, Learning Development October 2018

Now refer back to the question (eg How do Woolworths, Coles and Aldi create value for their

customers?) and decide how to answer the question, in sentences using the features of value creation that you have identified in the case.

SBS MARK 804 short answer case responses. Joanne Dearlove, Learning Development October 2018

Writing the response:

When answering the case questions, it is important to begin the response with the issues, theories

and concepts you are using to answer the question. Below are two examples of a marketing report

on the case of L’Oréal Paris.

Activity 4: Which of the two paragraphs on L’Oréal Paris’ sounds better to you? Why?

L’Oréal Paris markets itself as a leading skin care

specialist for both women and men. The

company markets its expertise in the skin care

field, promoting the fact that that their “Men

Expert Range” has been “designed specifically

for men, featuring products to suit every age and

lifestyle” (L’Oréal Paris 2012).

The target market for the product Men Expert –

Vita Lift 5 Daily Moisturiser (Vita Lift 5) is for men

between the ages of 35 - 55 – a mature man who

sees himself as “sharp, tough, cool” (L’Oréal

Paris, 2012). In the most recent advertising

campaign, the advertisement features Hugh

Laurie and refers to the target market during the

initial stage of the ad. “…one day you wake up

and you’re 45… and a bit…” (Laurie 2011).

L’Oréal Paris use spokesmen that men can relate

to and who are perceived as relatively normal

and conventional. However, L’Oréal is well-

known for their women’s beauty products and

by using handsome, successful actors they are

also appealing to women who may purchase this

product for their partner.

Market segmentation (Armstrong, Kotler &

Adam 2018) based on gender is a key feature of

L’Oréal Paris’ marketing strategy. Combined

with a market position based on scientific

expertise, L’Oréal targets its male target market

through the advertising of products designed

specifically for men, for example, the “Men

Expert Range” (L’Oréal Paris 2012). Advertising

further narrows the target market to men in the

age range 35-55 by using a famous man who falls

within this age ranges and mentions this in the

advertisement (Laurie 2011). However, while the

product is targeted at men, the advertising is

targeted at both women and men. Women

purchasers are targeted through the appeal of a

spokesman who is well known and this leverages

the company’s existing female market.

SBS MARK 804 short answer case responses. Joanne Dearlove, Learning Development October 2018

Activity 5:

Theme: In English, whatever comes before the verb carries most importance in the sentence and

serves to organise and connect the information across different sentences. If themes are simple and

about singular entities, the paragraphs read as a description, but if instead the themes are about

concepts, ideas, opinions or issues, the paragraphs read as analytical or even critically analytical.

Underline the beginning of each sentence (the part before the verb) in each of the two examples in

the table above. What is the difference? What is the effect of this difference? Which sounds

better?

Final Point:

Each question is worth ten marks and the total words is 2000, suggesting each question is roughly

700 words or about 2 typed pages in 1.5 line spacing.

You will need a brief introduction for each question and the introductions should summarise all the

main points you intend to make. Again, each introduction should begin with marketing language, for

example:

‘Targeting markets through advertising requires companies to consider not only the users of the

products they are advertising but also the purchasers of the products. Product positioning is also

important when determining appropriate advertising. In the case of L’Oréal Paris’, the use of a

famous male spokesperson uses both these strategies to reach its target market.’

AND NOT

‘L’Oréal Paris uses a famous male spokesperson when advertising its specialised line of male

products. This approach demonstrates the ways in which advertising can target a product’s market

and also the purchasers of the product.’

To answer Q 1a, this may mean comparing and contrasting the three supermarkets in the

introduction according to the marketing issue you are writing about, for example:

‘Product positioning is used differently by L’Oréal Paris, by Lancome and by Ella Bache in order to

position themselves in the market on the basis of differentiation. L’Oréal Paris …………….. In

contrast, Lancome and Ella Bache both ………….’