MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PROJEC

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to put to practical use the information being discussed both in the lecture and the textbook.

General Rules: Your responses should be detailed and thorough. The project must be typewritten and submitted on Blackboard. The key to a successful grade on the project will come from answering all questions, giving thorough explanations, justifying your answers with the material being covered, the ability to use terminology being used in class and the text, grammar, spelling and visual appeal. Much of marketing is in the presentation. Prior to handing in any part of the project ask yourself, “Is this good enough to submit to my employer?” Project work should be submitted promptly.Assignments submitted past their respective deadlines will be penalized 10% per week (starting from day one) and only if I choose to accept them late.

New Product Concept: For this semester, the new product concept is an energy product . It may take any form you choose i.e. drink, chew, bar, powder, etc.

DON’T FORGET TO CITE YOUR SOURCES!

Chapter 4 - Promotions Opportunity Analysis

Positioning Strategy (10 points – approx. ½ page)

· In no more than one page, choose a positioning strategy. The question that needs to be answered here is what product differentiation you hope to achieve in the consumer’s mind relative to the competition. There needs to be a reason a customer would buy your product vs. the competitors. What will be your product’s competitive advantages?

· This should be completed in full sentences and visually appealing. It should not be written as a school paper but rather using a persuasive business tone. Imagine you work for the company.

Target Market Profile (20 points – 1 page)

· Create a DETAILED target market profile you wish to pursue.

· Use a bullet-style, MS Word table format.

· Table should include demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioral variables (these should be the rows).You will use two columns. One will be for the different variables mentioned above and the second for the profile you have created. Only include relevant segmentation. Use consumer laymen terms.

Concept Development (20 points – 1 page)

· Design a one page concept development piece. At this stage, please refer to the product category. Feel free to call it, Product X. Product name is due at a later date. Please include features and attributes that are relevant to the category. Depending on the category, this could include colors, sizes, flavors, etc. Students may include pictures of the “product”, user, etc.

· Use any software package you wish. Students will be graded on visual appeal, content and the ability to stick to one page. Before uploading this assignment onto Blackboard, it should be saved as a pdf file to avoid my inability to open the file.

Competitive Analysis (30 points – approx. 2 pages)

· Identify and briefly summarize two major (and relative) competitors in this industry.

· Create a column of your company next to your competitors.

· Should include 10 points of differentiation (these should be the rows).

· Use a bullet-style, MS Word table format. Four columns across by 11 rows down. Four columns will be the points of differentiation, your company and the two competitors you have chosen. The 11 rows will be the column headings and your 10 points of differentiation.

Chapter 2 - Corporate Image & Brand Management

Naming the product (10 points – one paragraph)

· Choose a brand name for the concept.

· In a paragraph, please explain why you chose this brand name (not why you are marketing the product). Students will be graded on creativity, relevance and visual appeal. Students that choose a name that already exists, will receive no credit for this assignment and will not be afforded the opportunity to redo for any credit.

Chapter 6 – Ad Design

Means-End Chain (15 points; 1 page)

· Create 5 Means-End Chains for your product.

· The chains must be relevant to your concept.

· Document should be easy to follow and visually appealing.

· Any chains submitted that are either copied from the text or lecture will receive zero credit.

Chapter 8Traditional Advtg (approx. 1/2 page plus media information)

Traditional Advertising (15 points)

· Choose one type of traditional advertising you believe would be an effective vehicle for your advertisement (i.e., newspaper, magazine, tv, outdoor, etc.)

· Include the specific vehicle,(i.e. Motor Trend Magazine)

· Include a small description of your choice

· Attach parts of the vehicle’s media kit that justify your choice

· Include an explanation why you believe the choice would be an effective one and remember to refer back to your target profile and the media kit

Chapter 9 – Online Advtg

Digital Advertising (10 points - approx. 1 page)

· Choose one type of online advertising you believe would be an effective space for your advertisement.

· Include exactly where online we will be able to find your strategies and lay out the details.

· Include an explanation why you believe the choices would be effective ones.

Chapter 10 – Alternative Marketing

Alternative Marketing(10 points - approx. 1 page)

· Choose one form of alternative marketing you believe would be effective.

· Include an explanation why you believe the choice would be an effective one.

· Describe the details of how the strategy would be implemented.

Chapter 12 - Consumer Promotion

Develop a consumer promotion plan (10 points – approx. 1 page)

· Choose one type of consumer promotion you believe will be most effective (we discuss several in lecture) for your product and explain why.

· Explain in detail the specifics of the promotion. Dependent on which type you choose, this will include amount coupon is for, type of premium, how will the consumer find out that the promotion is being offered, distribution, etc.

· Include a copy of what it would look like.

· Include an explanation why you believe the choice would be an effective one. Feel free to refer to your target market profile.

Chapter 13 - Public Relations

· Cause-related marketing (15 points – approx. 1 – 2 pages)

· Choose a non-profit cause you believe would be appropriate for your company to support.

· Justify why this would be a good match.

· Layout a plan of how your company plans on supporting this cause.

· Describe how you plan to let the consumer know of your involvement with this cause.

ORAL PRESENTATION (POWER POINT)

Oral Presentation (50points)

Students are REQUIRED to develop a computer-run visual of their marketing communication project and submitted the day of the final exam. Students are required to use Microsoft PowerPoint. The presentation must include the following:

· Concept Development – Please include the product name on this revised version

· Explanation of Product Name

· Positioning Strategy

· Target Market Profile

· Competitive Analysis

· Traditional

· Online Advertising Strategy

· Alternative Strategy

Please keep to a 10-15 minute maximum.

This assignment will not be graded for content; that will have already been graded during the semester. Students will be graded on their ability to develop a creative and visually appealing presentation.

The oral presentation schedule will be chosen randomly. Students who do not present on their given day, will receive an automatic 5-point deduction. Students absent on days they are not presenting will receive a 2-point deduction from their own presentation for each day they miss. Those who are late or leave early from another student’s presentation day will lose anywhere from 1-2 points per day at my discretion.

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