PROJECT SPECIFICS:

- Choose a product, service, or business in the industry of your choice. Make sure that there are at least two other similar (but with different target audiences) products, services, or businesses in the same industry, so that you can compare the three. Examples: Theme Parks featuring Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, and Six Flags Magic Mountain or…. three magazines like Cat Fancy, Fortune, and Seventeen … or….car models like a Tercel, a Ford F-150, and a Maserati ….or…..food places like a Soup Kitchen, Denny’s and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse …. You get the idea???? Make up your own three.

- Keep it under 30 pages

- Single or double spaced….surprise me.

- Print it out two-sided

- No citation page required (most of this you will have to figure out in your head.

- No table of contents (just answer all questions in the order asked).

- All tables and charts must be electronically created ( no hand drawn )

- # 2, plus  # 3, plus # 4, plus # 5, should be equal in length to one half of your paper by themselves. The  other nine questions should equal the other half of the paper (approximately).

- Discuss, in as much detail as necessary, the following topics:

1.  Pick four different companies in business TODAY, and give me an example of how one of them practices the ‘production orientation’, another does the ‘sales orientation’, another does the ‘marketing orientation’ and the last one practices the ‘societal marketing’ orientation. Give an example of their product line and your justification.

2.  Describe all of the segmentation variables that your three choices used to target their customers. How are they different from each other ? (Geographic, Demographic, Psychographic, and Benefits Sought). A chart that supplements your discussion is necessary. This will be a long answer.

3.   Discuss the Marketing Mix for all three products. (Four P’s) . Compare all three in detail …Make a chart of the four P’s… I expect this section to be quite extensive …. ( Long discussion and chart )

4.  Visit the web sites for all three competitors. Give a synopsis of your findings and thoughts. Are they user friendly sites? Do they provide needed information? Are they interactive? Do they offer coupons, locations, or directions, if applicable? Tell me as though I am blind. This should be pretty detailed.

5. How have each of the three competitors positioned themselves in the market- place? In your opinion, have they done a good job? If not, why not? Do you feel that the target consumers see the company properly (as the company expects)? Design a short survey…5 Questions  / 15-20 people….. To find out and analyze the results. Do all three competitors occupy the same place in the consumers mind or are they somehow differentiated from each other? Is one the “quality leader” while the others are vying to be the “price” leader, etc.?

6.   What issues do these competitors have to deal with? Think in terms of INTERNAL and EXTERNAL factors…. Do a SWOT analysis for your primary choice.

7. Think of any product in the world that is no longer being sold…. (Be specific about brand and description)….. It must have been a good idea at one point….. So what was good about it before it lost its popularity with the consumers? Use a company that went out of favor due to ‘social’ changes that took place in America.

8.   What can you find out about your three choices and how they are addressing the “societal marketing concept”? Do they pollute? Do they recycle? Do they use toxic chemicals? (Hint: look at their web sites or in-house literature). Do they support charitable causes? Google it.

9.  Explain to me how you would argue that Walmart has several ‘sustainable competitive advantages over any other retailer in the world….. ( you will have to google this one and it should be about a page )

10. How does Personal Selling (Relationship Selling) affect the final consumer who buys your product? Connect the dots for me....what kind of ‘white collar’ sales efforts from ALL the different suppliers was required to 'create' the final product?  In other words, how did the efforts of all the B2B buyers and sales people associated with your primary choice impact the final consumer once they bought your product or service?

11.   Discuss at least three different activities that your choice has to deal with in their ‘Blue Collar’ supply chain management process. (i.e.: suppliers, assembly line workers, raw ingredients, resellers, forklift drivers, trucking companies, etc.). Explain how they interact with or handle these issues.

12. Give me a descriptive analysis of your impressions of each of the three competitive  advertising efforts.   Include a brief  description of your favorite campaign or ad. If they don't have one, suggest one.

13. We have talked about 'Land's End' and how they were able to sell more product by data mining a list of  customers, out of their own data storage, and then matching accessories to the 'Blue Sports Jacket and  Grey Slacks" that were purchased as much as 18 months before by their 'best' customers.....remember, they offered those customers matching shirts, ties, shoes, etc., and the company was rewarded because over 30 % of those past customers ordered 'new' stuff from the special mailing that Land's End sent them.....Think about ANY ONE OF YOUR THREE PRODUCTS....how would you try to get your 'BEST' customers to order MORE ?  Your best customers are 1-RECENT....2-FREQUENT....and 3- HIGH DOLLAR people.

That is it!!!! Add some color charts where you see fit and “pretty it up” a little. I will take into consideration any “extra effort” you put forth that was not specifically asked for….and give you some extra points to offset any lack of content that I see. It is up to you. Good luck! 

Caution : Do not approach this project as if you are a student….you will goof it up…..you must think like a “marketing manager” in order to answer these questions….pretend you will lose your job if you don’t do this right…think through it carefully.