Take Home– 20 points possible
- Assume you are developing a direct mail campaign to sell a piece of fitness equipment geared toward young working adults who would prefer working out in the privacy of their own home as opposed to joining a fitness club or gym. What elements would be important to the success of your mailing? Provide a brief description of each of the elements and how each might be used to directly sell this piece of equipment to men and women 25 – 54.
- Sales promotions are widely used by manufacturers to reach and influence both members of the trade as well as end-users (i.e. consumers). Assume you work for a packaged goods company (Fast Moving Consumer Goods or FMCG) and the organization is introducing a new brand of tooth paste it believes is superior to both Crest and Colgate. It has developed a promotion targeted to retailers such that they will stock the new brand in their stores but now must decide on what sales promotion tools it will employ in reaching retail buyers. Describe which one(s) would be most beneficial to include in a Consumer Sales Promotion Plan and why.
- The Sony Corporation has developed a new technology that makes finding recorded music in the cloud easier than ever and a listening experience that delivers audio fidelity far beyond what current technology offers. The user has only to say aloud the band or singing group’s name or simply mention the name of a tune or a few words that reflect lyrics from the tune and the Sony Imagine will find and play the music through either small ear pods or through larger home-size speakers. Either way, both locating specific tunes and playing them with unequaled clarity make the Imagine something Sony believes will be an instant hit with younger consumers. The company is planning an aggressive advertising campaign but has turned to your Public Relations agency to assist with the launch of this new product. What would a successful PR campaign consist of? Be specific in your recommendations.
- Packaging is an important element of most every consumer product since the majority is purchased at a retail outlet and without the aid of store personnel. Assume you are directing the development of a package for a new brand of suntan lotion. The lotion will be will a spray on and national distribution is expected but only in North America. What provides the new product with its Unique Selling Proposition is its ability to let in just enough sunlight to provide a quick, easy, and even tan while preventing excess rays from reaching the skin once a certain amount of sunlight is detected. You have been told the product will be high priced since no other competitor can promise what your company’s product can. You will need to determine a name for the product and a suitable package design. What characteristics should the package employ? What size, shape, color, etc., should the package be? Also make a recommendation on an off-shelf display (POP). What size, shape, color, should the display be and what should be the construction material used? Be specific in your recommendations and provide “reasons why” for each recommendation made.
- Mountain Dew is a well-known brand that is consumed primarily by young, active, outdoor-oriented consumers and is the fourth highest-selling soft drink brand in the U.S. On the market for more than 75 years, Mountain Dew is positioned as a brand that stands for fun, exhilaration, and energy—FEE for short. Brand managers have been consistent over time and across communication media in maintaining the FEE theme that represents the brand’s core meaning and its positioning. As the new Brand Manager for Mountain Dew, what marketing communication tools (e.g. advertising) would you recommend for carrying the brand forward? Provide a rationale for each of the tools you recommend.