UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Unit 2: Research and Plan a Marketing Campaign

Level: 3
Unit type: Internal set assignment
Guided learning hours: 90

Unit in brief
Learners develop an understanding of how marketing research is conducted in order to
plan a marketing campaign.

Unit introduction
A business organisation may have an outstanding existing or planned product or service
to offer prospective customers, but if those customers do not know about it, they cannot
buy it. So a business organisation must make sure it understands the needs of its
prospective customers and then enable them to find out about the product or service
and how it will benefit them. A careful marketing campaign will help the organisation to
achieve this.
In this unit, you will learn how a marketing campaign is planned and developed. You will
explore a range of different objectives that can be included in a marketing campaign
such as increasing sales or market share, or establishing a brand image, and explore
the various stages of the process an organisation goes through when developing its
campaign. Using your understanding of these factors, and of marketing models and
tools, you will develop your own costed marketing campaign for a given product.
You will examine the marketing aims and objectives for existing products and use your
own independent market research data to make recommendations about the type
of marketing campaign a business organisation should undertake. To complete the
assessment task within this unit, you will need to draw on your learning from across
your programme.
This unit will give you an insight into how important marketing is to business. It will
enable you to make an informed choice as to whether you want to specialise in
marketing in employment, training or higher education.

Assessment availability
This unit has a set assignment. Learners must complete a Pearson Set Assignment Brief.

Learning aims
In this unit you will:
A Explore how different markets are researched using different models and tools
B Explore approaches to product marketing nationally and internationally
C Develop a plan for a marketing campaign for a new product.

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UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Summary of unit
Learning aim Key content areas Assessment approach
A Explore how different A1 The role of marketing
markets are researched A2 Market research
using different models methods
and tools
A3 Business models used
in marketing

B Explore approaches to B1 Research the

product marketing characteristics of
nationally and a market
internationally B2 Research marketing
campaigns
B3 Research the
application of the This unit is assessed
promotional mix through a Pearson Set
Assignment.
C Develop a plan for a C1 Marketing aims and
marketing campaign objectives
for a new product C2 Developing the
rationale
C3 The application of
the marketing mix
C4 The marketing
campaign
C5 Appropriateness of a
marketing campaign
C6 Formal business
reports

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 UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Content
Learning aim A: Explore how different markets are researched using
different models and tools

A1 The role of marketing

• Principles and purposes of marketing as a means of anticipating, stimulating or
satisfying demand.
• Principles of marketing applied to a business organisation’s marketing aims
and objectives, distinguishing between financial, e.g. increasing sales, and
non-financial objectives, e.g. brand awareness, and their interrelationship.
• Different approaches to marketing in relation to the size of the business
organisation, budgetary constraints, new product development, product
innovation and the characteristics of market conditions, size and structure,
e.g. mass and niche markets.
• The features of customer relationship management (CRM), e.g. contact
management, sales analytics, email client integration, territory management,
coordination of the salesforce.
• The relationship between business strategy, marketing aims and objectives and
customer loyalty and retention.
A2 Market research methods
Features, advantages and disadvantages of the main methods used to undertake
market research.
• Features of a research plan including:
o timescales
o identification of the subject matter
o specific area of research to be covered
o selection and recording of evidence
o drawing conclusions based on research evidence.
• Research characteristics of market segmentation differentiated by:
o demographics – age, race, religion, gender, family size, ethnicity, income,
education level, socio-economic group
o geographic – location
o psychographic – social class, attitudes, lifestyle and personality characteristics
o behavioural – spending, consumption, usage, loyalty status and desired
benefits.
• Types of secondary research distinguished between internal and external
sources:
o internal to include business data on customers, e.g. average spend and financial
records to include loyalty cards and sales records
o external to include commercially published reports, government statistics,
trade journals, media sources.
• Criteria used to assess the robustness of research findings, including relevance,
timeliness, validity, reliability, appropriateness, sufficiency, currency;
apply these criteria to the outcome of research using the internet.
• Difference between quantitative and qualitative data, and their application
when drawing conclusions and making recommendations.

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UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

A3 Business models used in marketing

The contribution of marketing models and tools to the development of a marketing
campaign.
• Internal factors that influence the features of a marketing campaign, including:
o size of the marketing budget and the availability of finance
o size, culture, ethics and values of the business organisation
o relative cost of different marketing techniques, e.g. media and technology,
and availability of specialist marketing staff.
• External factors that influence the features of a marketing campaign using
the STEEPLE model (Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental, Political,
Legal, Ethical).
• Role and features of competitor analysis and the implications for a business.
• Determination of competitive forces in a market using Porter’s Five Forces
Analysis and the implications for a business.
• Influence on a marketing campaign of the position of a product in the product
life cycle (introduction, growth, development and decline).
• Application in a marketing campaign of the marketing mix (the 4Ps: product,
price, place, promotion) and the extended marketing mix (the 7Ps: people,
process and physical environment).
• Components of the promotional mix (advertising, public relations or publicity
sales promotion, direct marketing and personal selling) and their application
in a marketing campaign.
• Product positioning: its purpose and contribution to the development of a
marketing campaign aimed at specific target groups.

Learning aim B: Explore approaches to product marketing nationally and

internationally
B1 Research the characteristics of a market
The application of appropriate research methods and techniques to research the
characteristics of a specific market for a product or service.
• Characteristics of specific market sectors to include:
o target markets and segments
o market size, structure and trends and main competitive forces in the market, using
appropriate business models supported by quantitative and qualitative research.
B2 Research marketing campaigns
• The application of appropriate research methods and techniques to research
the features of a marketing campaign, including:
o aims and objectives of the marketing campaign
o SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) targets
and objectives in a marketing campaign
o marketing mix and the extended marketing mix in a marketing campaign,
including the marketing message, pricing strategies, the unique selling point
(USP), the role of social media in promoting customer engagement
o adaptation of the marketing mix and budgetary considerations in the light of
changing circumstances over the lifetime of a marketing campaign
o methods used to assess the effectiveness of a marketing campaign, including
outcomes mapped against objectives, quantitative and qualitative measures;
internet metrics.

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 UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

B3 Research the application of the promotional mix

• Application of appropriate research methods and techniques to research ways
in which a business promotes its products or services in its target market in
relation to:
o advertising
o public relations or publicity
o sales promotion
o direct marketing
o personal selling.
• The role of the internet in promoting products and services and enhancing the
brand, including the influence and importance of social media.

Learning aim C: Develop a plan for a marketing campaign for a new product
C1 Marketing aims and objectives
• Selection of appropriate marketing aims and objectives to suit business goals
in a range of different contexts, including new product, improved product,
branding, diversification.
• Application of research data to conduct a situational analysis: SWOT (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) and STEEPLE (Social, Technological,
Economic, Environmental, Political, Legal, Ethical).
• Application of research data to determine a target market, conduct a
competitor analysis and apply Porter’s Five Forces Analysis.
C2 Developing the rationale
• Interpretation, analysis and use of data and other information to make valid
marketing decisions.
• Additional sources of information that may be required in different business
contexts.
• Methods to assess the reliability and validity of research findings, including data
and information used in the formulation of the rationale of a marketing
campaign.
C3 The application of the marketing mix
• Application of the components of the marketing mix in the formulation of a
marketing campaign:
o product development, e.g. form and function, packaging, branding
o pricing strategies, e.g. penetration, skimming, competitor-based, cost plus
o promotional, e.g. advertising, public relations, sponsorship, use of social
and other media, guerrilla marketing, personal selling, product placement,
digital marketing, corporate image
o place, distribution channels, e.g. direct to end users (mail/online/auction),
retailers, wholesalers
o extended marketing mix: people, physical environment, process.

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UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

C4 The marketing campaign

Application of marketing principles to the preparation of a marketing campaign.
• Components of a marketing campaign to include:
o objectives of the marketing campaign
o purpose of the marketing message
o selection of an appropriate marketing mix
o selection of appropriate media
o allocation of the campaign budget
o timelines for the campaign, including monitoring milestones
o how the campaign is to be evaluated.
C5 Appropriateness of a marketing campaign
• Criteria used in the evaluation of the effectiveness of a marketing campaign
including:
o contribution of the marketing campaign to a business’s long-term strategic aims
o how far the marketing campaign reinforces and supports brand value
o sustainability of the planned marketing activities
o how far the campaign is able to respond and adapt to both internal and
external changes in the business environment
o appropriateness of marketing activities to the target market, their needs
and interests
o legal or ethical considerations that result from the roll-out of the marketing
campaign.
C6 Formal business reports
• The purpose of formal business reports and their format:
o target audience and their requirements and expectations
o format of a formal business report: title and details of report, introduction,
analysis and management issues, conclusions, recommendations; appendices.

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 UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Assessment criteria
Pass Merit Distinction
Learning aim A: Explore how different markets are
researched using different models and tools
A.P1 Perform market A.M1 Analyse a market A.D1 Evaluate the
research in a given for a given context, findings of own
context using based on own comprehensive
different methods detailed market market research for
and tools. research. a given context.
A.P2 Explain features of
a market for a given
context.
Learning aim B: Explore approaches to product
marketing nationally and internationally
B.P3 Explain the way in B.M2 Analyse the
which a product is effectiveness of B.D2 Evaluate the
marketed in a given the marketing of a effectiveness of
context. product in a given the marketing of a
B.P4 Explain the context. product in a given
effectiveness of context.
the marketing of a
product in a given
context.
Learning aim C: Develop a plan for a marketing
campaign for a new product
C.P5 Produce a plan for a C.M3 Analyse decisions C.D3 Justify decisions and
marketing campaign and approaches approaches taken
for a new product in taken in own detailed in own plan for a
a given market. plan for a marketing comprehensive
C.P6 Explain decisions and campaign for a new marketing campaign
approaches taken product in a given for a new product in
in own plan for a market. a given market.
marketing campaign
for a new product in
a given market.

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UNIT 2: RESEARCH AND PLAN A MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Essential information for assignments

This unit is assessed using a Pearson Set Assignment Brief. A set assignment must be
used to assess learners.

Further information for teachers and assessors

Resource requirements
For this unit, learners must have access to a range of current business information from
websites and printed resources.

Essential information for assessment decisions

Learning aims A, B and C
For Distinction standard, learners must undertake market research in a specific
market sector using an extensive range of sources such as industry reports, marketing
campaigns and data tables showing market trends, from which they draw relevant
conclusions to prepare the rationale for a marketing campaign for a specific product.
Learners must present a rationale with a logical structure, applying a variety of relevant
marketing principles, models and tools. Learners provide comprehensive coverage of
relevant, rationalised marketing aims and objectives, including an evaluation that is
entirely relevant to the context. References will be clearly focused and entirely relevant
to the context. Learners demonstrate a thorough understanding of marketing concepts
and their relevance. They will use a detailed analytical approach that leads to entirely
relevant and balanced conclusions. A range of analytical tools will be used, which fully
address the context of the case study. All aspects of the marketing plan will be covered
in detail, and in context, with clear reference to the relevant aspects of the marketing
mix, including the extended marketing mix. The budget is realistic and detailed and
identifies the potential returns on marketing expenditure.
For Merit standard, learners must carry out market research in a specific market sector
using a wide range of research sources. Learners use their research findings to conduct
an analysis that enables them to clearly identify the key factors in a successful marketing
campaign. For example, they could show how the extended marketing mix has been
applied in a successful marketing campaign. Learners must present a rationale with a
logical structure and apply relevant marketing principles, models and tools. Learners
rationalise marketing aims and objectives, which are relevant to the context. References
are made to individual research that are relevant to the context and demonstrate a good
understanding of marketing concepts and their relevance. Conclusions are relevant and
balanced. A variety of analytical tools are used leading to a coherent, justified evaluation.
The marketing mix will be presented in context with some application of the extended
marketing mix. The budget presented by the learner is realistic and covers most
marketing activities.

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For Pass standard, learners must perform relevant market research in a given context,
collating data on a specific market sector. They must use their research findings to
identify the features of the market and show how these features have influenced the
marketing campaign for a product in that market. For example, they could show how
a particular market trend such as the increase in online shopping, has influenced the
marketing campaign of a specific product. Learners must prepare a rationale that has a
basic structure and attempts to apply relevant marketing models and tools with some
use of marketing principles. Learners provide relevant marketing aims and objectives,
which are relevant to the context. Reference will be made to their own research
activities, which includes a basic grasp of marketing models that leads to conclusions
which may lack relevance in some places. Learners will show evidence of the use of
analytical tools in justifying the marketing campaign. A marketing mix will be presented
covering most aspects of the scenario. The budget shows a basic understanding of the
costs associated with each activity.

Assessment controls
Time: this assignment has a recommended time period. This is for advice only and can
be adjusted depending on the needs of learners.
Supervision: you should be confident of the authenticity of learner's work. This may
mean that learners be supervised.
Resources: all learners should have access to the same types of resources to complete
the assignment.
Research: learners should be given the opportunity to carry out research outside of the
learning context if required for the assignment.

Links to other units

This unit links to:
• Unit 1: Exploring Business
• Unit 3: Business Finance.

Employer involvement
This unit would benefit from employer involvement in the form of:
• guest speakers and interview opportunities
• work experience
• business material as exemplars
• visits to appropriate business organisations.

Opportunities to develop transferable employability skills

In completing this unit, learners will have the opportunity to develop research and
planning skills.

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