Marketing Management Section B

MBA 72E
Jan 19, 2021
Mazhar Ali
Duration: 2.5 hours (07.15 pm to 9:45 pm)
Format: Google Doc. Font : 12 , Style: Times New Roman
Marks : 40

Note:

(1) High similarity with online resources or among the responses of students will lead to the
deduction of marks.
(2) Every question carries 8 marks

Case study for Q1 and Q2

Healthy Food Products are the market leaders in the Rs. 400 crore soft drink market of the
country. However, with the recent opening up of the economy the company suddenly found itself
faced with a major attack from a multinational giant which markets a globally well known brand
of soft drink and has decided to tap the Indian bazar recently. The attack had been so sudden that
Healthy Food Products was not able to prepare itself fully before it started losing market share to
the multinational giant rapidly. In their anxiety to beat the competition Shri. Tobaccowala, Shri.
Reddy and Shri. Dabli quickly planned and implemented a free gift scheme offering one high
fashion stylish T-shirt on the purchase of six bottles of their soft drink. Since it was not possible
to logistically arrange for this scheme all over the country in the available rime they took a
decision of launching the scheme in the four metro cities only. Big advertisements announcing
the scheme were inserted in all the national, regional and local newspapers along with T.V. spots
at prime time. All ads prominently announced that the scheme was offered in the four metros
only. It has been two weeks since the scheme was launched and it seemed to be getting a good
response in the four metros.
Shri. Tobaccowala/ Shri. Reddy and Shri. Dabli are now perplexed what the company should
do ? Shri. Reddy feels that the company now can take recourse to any of the following three
options.
(a) Withdraw the entire scheme immediately, but in that case, what will happen to the market
share can not be said because it is rumoured that the multinational giant has also planned
a promotional blitz,
(b) Immediately announce a cash discount to Customers all over the country, leaving those
living in the four metros.
However, the consumer reaction to such an offer is unpredictable.
(c) Just wait and see how things turn out, In which case the company may loose precious time
and find itself in a greater soup later,
Q.1 How do you evaluate the hurriedly implemented free gift scheme of the company?

Q.2 What were the options available to the company to overcome the logistical hurdle in the
free gift scheme? Evaluate them. (You may suggest options in addition to the options
given in the case study)

Q.3 Would Microsoft Office be classified as goods or service? Support your response with
reasoning. Describe core, actual and augmented levels of this software offering.

Q.4 If you have to start your own digital marketing agency, how will you segment your
clients and which pricing strategy will you use? Justify every step of your response.

Q.5 How SZABIST may use public relations to promote its image?