Exploring Current Marketing Activities
Objectives
• Analyze the role marketing plays in an organization
• Generalize the types of decisions marketers make
• Analyze how ethical considerations impact marketing strategies
Assignment Overview
In this research assignment, you will analyze the role marketing plays in three different companies whose marketing activities have recently appeared in the news. You'll prepare a paper describing the three companies' approaches to marketing as exemplified in their recent marketing activities.
Deliverables
A three-page (800-word or less) document describing the companies' marketing activities.
Step 1 Select three marketing topics from three different companies whose marketing activities have recently appeared in the news.
Examples of appropriate marketing topics include (but are not limited to):
• Price
• Products or Services
• Advertising/Promotion
• Marketing Strategy
• Distribution/Supply Chain Management
So, for example, you might choose to talk about 1) the price of a Nike pair of shoes, 2) a new supply chain strategy from Pepsi, and 3) a new promotion from Levis. (This is only an example; you are free to choose your companies and the related marketing topics.)
Your selection of companies can come from any industry but be sure to choose companies that are interesting to you and that you want to learn more about.
Remember that for this assignment your goal is to analyze the role marketing plays in each company through the lens of your chosen topics and generalize the types of decisions marketers make.
Step 2 Describe the marketing topic you have selected for each company.
Be sure to state the specifics of the marketing activity. As appropriate, provide links to applicable websites in your paper and/or include references to articles or advertisements.
Step 3 Research each company.
Research each company and discuss possible reasons why the company has taken the marketing action that it did.
• Based on the information available from your research you may or may not be able to determine precisely why the marketing activity has been performed.
• You should, however, be able to discuss a variety of possible reasons why the company has taken the observed action.
• Finally, list any ethical considerations that you think may have impacted the observed marketing strategy.
Step 4 Save and submit your assignment.
When you have completed the assignment, save a copy for yourself in an easily accessible place and submit a copy to your instructor.