Marketing analysis research report overview
I magine playing the role of a new assistant marketing analyst for an advertising
agency.
Your manager has just given you the first assignment in your new job, which is to
develop a 1,500-2,000word research report of a product (a product can be a good or
service) of your choice in accepted business style, including an executive summary.
The assignment focus is to research the market for a product to determine whether
it is a product your company would like to sell. The report will serve to brief
your manager on critical marketing factors relating to the product. After
conducting your research, you will make your professional recommendation,in both
report and presentation format,as to whether the company sales team should sell
this product or service.
You will work on components of this report throughout the course and submit them in
the following order:
Component
Due
Product selection and a list of sources
Rough draft of report for instructor review (outline provided below)
Final draft of report and presentation (outline provided below)
Topic1
Topic 4
Topic7
Outline
Please follow this outline as you write your research report:
1. Product
State your choice of product and provide a rationale (i.e., explain why you chose
this product).Use at least three credible academic resources in researching your
product. Wikipedia is not considered a credible academic resource for this
assignment.
2. Marketing Mix (The Four Ps)
Outline the four Ps for your choice of product.
The Four Ps
Product: a good, service, or idea to satisfy the consumer’s need
Price: what is exchanged for the product
Promotion: a means of communication between the seller and buyer
Place: a means of getting the product to the consumer
3. Environmental Scan
Conduct a scan of the environmental forces that affect your product.
Environmental Forces
Social
Economic
Technological
Competitive
Regulatory
4. Market Segmentation
Demographics and/or psychographics (choose one or both to describe).
What are the demographics of the market segment(s) for your product?
Describe consumers of your product using a psychographic profile.
5. Ethical Issue
Within your product choice, there are ethical issues. Present both the pros and
cons of your choice of an ethical issue and your position on it as it applies to
your product. For example, online retail products are impacted by privacy issues
and the Internet.
6. Social Responsibility Issue
Within your product choice, there are issues of social responsibility. Present
support or opposition foryour position on a social responsibility issue as it
applies to your product. For example, should companies that sell certain products
commit to cause-marketing, like Coca-Cola does when sponsoring local Boys and Girls
Clubs?
7. Global Marketing and the Internet
Discuss how the Internet can be used globally by a company selling your product
choice in order to identify new marketing opportunities. New marketing
opportunities could include development of new products or the extension of
existing products into the marketplace.
What are the benefits? What are the potential problems a company should consider,
including cultural considerations?
8. Recommendation
Make your recommendation as to the best method for marketing the selected product
or service.
9. Executive Summary
An executive summary is a one-page report that provides the reader, usually an
executive, with a condensed version of a lengthy report. After reading the
executive summary, readers exercise theirjudgment in deciding whether or not to
read the entire report. If the summary is comprehensive, the executive will save
time by not having to read the entire report. Write your executive summary after
you have completed the research report and present it at the beginning of the
completed document.
Executive Summary Format (One Page)
State the purpose of the report.
In this report, your purpose is to make a professional recommendation,based on
information gathered through your research, as to the best method for marketing
your particular product.
Highlight the key facts (gathered through research) that inform or influence your
recommendation.
Make the recommendation.
Presentation
Create an 8-10 slide PowerPoint (PPT) presentation designed to deliver the research
findings and recommendations in your report to your manager. Your presentation
should persuasively demonstrate your position on why the sales team should or
should not sell the product. Include the notes you would utilize while delivering
your presentation.
Possible Ethical Issues
Promotion of “Sin Products” (e.g., alcohol, tobacco, gambling)
Is it unethical to promote these products? Should there be limits or regulations on
the promotion of these products?
Advertising as a Mirror of Society
Does advertising reflect a society’s accepted standards or create new standards?
Government Regulation and a Free Market
Should there be regulations in such areas as advertising, product safety, and
pricing, or should market forces “self-regulate” companies and industries?
Privacy Issues and the Internet
Should there be protection for the user in terms of privacy? Are “cookies”
appropriate? Should “opt-in” or “opt-out” be required?
Privacy Issues and Marketing Research
What are the ethical and privacy issues in consumer research?
Consumer “Bill of Rights”
As a product of the early 1960s, is the Consumer Bill of Rights still necessary?
Why or why not? If it is necessary, could it be expanded?
Advertising to Children
Should there be limits placed,or protections enforced, when it comes to advertising
to children?
Advertising to “Vulnerable” Consumers
What constitutes a “vulnerable” consumer? Should firms be required to provide
special considerations or accommodations for such consumers?
Subliminal Advertising
What is subliminal advertising? What are the ethical issues involved? Is it
effective? Is it used? What are some examples?
Predatory Pricing
What is predatory pricing? What are some examples?What are the ethical and legal
issues involved?
Possible Social Responsibility Issues
Corporate Social Responsibility
Should corporations be socially responsible, or should they concern themselves with
profit only?
Using Societal Marketing to Promote a Positive Corporate Image
Is it appropriate for firms to burnish their image by supporting causes?
Green Marketing
What is “green marketing,” and how can it benefit a company?
