MKT 7100 MBA Global Marketing Strategy

Individual Report: A marketing audit strategy document for an agency

[3,300 words]

Select a corporate brand from one the following:

Adidas, Air Asia, Beats By Dre, Blackberry, BMW, Bobby Brown, Diesel, Dove, Emirates Airlines, Etihad Airlines, French Connection, Heinz, Jimmy Choo, Jumeirah Hotels, Kellogg’s, KFC, MAC Cosmetics, McDonald’s, Malaysia Airlines, Mercedes, Microsoft, Nando’s, Nestle, Nike, Nintendo, Omega, Oris, Puma, Qatar Airways, Samsung, Shiseido, Sony, Timberland, Tom Ford, Toyota, Under Armour, Unilever, Uniqlo, Virgin, Zara.

Then select one product or service from their current portfolio.

With a view towards presenting a critical marketing audit of activities in 2-3 countries,

comprising of:

1. An appraisal of strategic marketing activities, according to:
2. Corporate Brand image, reputation and architecture
3. Product/Service offering
4. Price and positioning
5. Place
6. Product/Service Brand
7. Target audiences: consumption practices, segments and perceptions
8. Promotional Activities
9. An overall strategic ‘health check’, investigating competitive marketing forces

and industry rivalry, with concluding evidentially-based remarks

3. Novel and erudite insight, appropriate at MBA level and to a practitioner audience

Suggested audit and presentation structure:

Present your audit findings in the form of a historical case study. The purpose of this exercise is to provide a competitive marketing audit of value to a prospective commissioned agency (Brand, PR, or Advertising). Your perspective will be from the client side. As a result, you will assume the role of Marketing Directors, from within the company that owns the product. Therefore your role is to not only to document, illustrate, and explain what has been undertaken; but also to highlight critically, where there are gaps and why there is a need for further improvement. You should however stop short of creating a new campaign or actual marketing plan. You should attempt to arrive at your conclusions through investigating the following:

o Academic literature

o Corporate websites

o Packaging

o Trade press, consumer press, online forums and product reviews

o Point of Purchase

o The product’s marketing communications

o The media where the marketing communications has been placed

So for example if the product is being advertised in the half-time commercial break of the World Cup final, with references to football within their advert; then it is perfectly reasonable to draw conclusions about who the product is being aimed at – through supporting situational data pertaining to the audience of that event

Further key areas to consider:

Who are the desired target audiences and what relationship do they have with the

brand? You will be expected to define and focus on two consumer segments. There

needs to be a clear definition of several unique attributes of each consumer segment.

Beyond this, also offer an appreciation of how they think, feel and do – mapped

specifically to the brand.

What are the key facts and pieces of information communicated by the branded product

or service?

What is the creative approach? Consider for example the use of semiotics, colours,

typography, humour, celebrity endorsement etc.

Where does the branded offering communicate these elements? What are the integrated marketing channels, and where are the touch-points and moments of truth? What are the respective strengths and weaknesses of each of these?

Why do you feel that these audiences have been worth targeting?

Why is a marketing-led approach to these activities the best way to achieve objectives,

beyond other strategic business approaches?

How is effectiveness judged?

Follow a report format, with clear sections, pagination and a comprehensive

contents page

• All academic sources, empirical data, quotes and theoretical frameworks used,

should be fully Harvard referenced

• Diagrams, tables, photos, scans, photos taken by you, screen grabs, charts and

images should be included; where it is deemed appropriate. As your assignment

will be submitted online, you should make sure that all of these figures appear

within the document; in a format that can be viewed. Please ensure that all the

information which you have gathered is properly Harvard referenced and given

an annotated figure, outlined beneath it clearly and in the contents page

[Cursory note: Referenced work, images and tables should not be at the expense of

your own written content and body text. The main method of assessment will be looking

at demonstration of your critical thinking, analyses and justifications - within the body

text of the report.]

Word-count is not inclusive of:

• Title page
• Executive summary (150 words)
• Contents page
• Tables
• References
• Appendices
• Footnotes and endnotes
• Text supportive of figures and diagram

Word count is +/-10% of figure given