AIMEE HUFF MARKETING MANAGEMENT

BROAD STRATEGY FOR MARKETING CASE/REPORTS

APPLICATION OF FRAMEWORK
Establish CONTEXT
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KEY ELEMENTS TO DISCUSS

Role, year Desired goals/outcomes Issues facing decision maker; strategic and tactical decisions Critical problem Alternatives under consideration

GOALS
! Identify the decision-makers goals ! Identify the issues and the root of the problem ! !

SUGGESTIONS FOR CASE/EXAM

Stay in the year of the case Use consistent terms (We or they)

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ANALYSIS: Whats going on?

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Industry; including key data points (eg, growth rate, size, margins, etc.) PEST Competitors; direct and indirect, key competitors, trends, etc. Customers ! Segmentation: how and why ! Target market; characteristics, buying behaviour, decision process ! Other trends, etc. Channels; trends, behaviour, motivation, etc. Company: high level: history, performance

! Provide qualitative and quantitative analysis whenever possible ! Provide implications for each section; what does this mean in light of the issues/problem? ! Use concepts, theories, tools when appropriate (eg, Ansoffs matrix, perceptual maps, etc)

Move beyond re-stating case facts; draw out the key implications from each section

EVALUATION of the Company/Product: What decisions has the company made in the past, and how is it working out?

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Positioning ! Value proposition, target market, competitive differentiation, and brand ! Identification of merits and shortcomings Tactics Key tension points or problems Alternatives

! Provide qualitative and quantitative evaluation whenever possible ! Provide implications for each section; what does this mean in light of the issues/problem? ! Use concepts, theories, tools when appropriate ! Focus on the elements most closely connected to the issues/problem

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Discuss each element clearly and explicitly Give your opinion; how are they doing, given the problem in the case? Focus your time on the important areas If there are two or more distinct phases in company strategy, discuss them separately Leave enough time to do this section well Creative recommendations are desirable, but they need to be realistic, address the problem(s), and achieve the goal(s)

DECISIONS & PLANNING: What should the company do now?

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Clear identification of your decision(s) Justify in light of issues, problem, goals Positioning & tactical recommendations Evaluation plan/metrics Quantitative assessment/forecasting Contingency plan, time line, action plan

! Be explicit; avoid management speak ! Decision(s) should be logical, and be consistent with the preceding analysis and evaluation ! Provide strong arguments that this is a reasonable solution to the issue/ problem

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