MARKETING ESSENTIALS

Group Project Part II

MARKETING MIX ANALYSIS

70 marks total; 20% of your final course grade.

You are to continue your case analysis of the same company you chose in Assignment 1.

Project 2 is to be structured as a business report and must contain the following sections:

1. Introduction: Introduce and describe the company. Provide background, position,

competitive landscape, relevant environmental factors. State the product/product line you
have chosen to analyze and introduce the meaning of the 4 P’s pertaining to that product. (5
Marks)
2. Brand Management: Describe the company’s 3 C’s of its brand; the concept of brand
equity as it pertains to your company; and its brand architecture. (5 marks)
3. Product Strategy: Describe the product with regards to its classification category, the stage
in its product life cycle. If you are studying a service, describe the service in terms of the 4
I’s. Comment on how your company differentiates its product from its competitors. (10
marks)
4. Pricing Strategy: Describe the pricing strategy. Choose one specific product for sale by the
company and state its price. Make assumptions of how the company derived the selling
price for the product in terms of demand, costs, objective and strategy. (10 marks)
5. Distribution (Place) Strategy: Describe the distribution strategy of the product. Which
marketing channel format and intermediaries are being used and why? Consider factors
affecting channel choice and management. (10 marks)
6. Promotion Strategy: Describe the promotions strategy in terms of the various marketing
communications used. Explain why this approach was taken by considering the stage in the
product life cycle as well as the promotion objectives. Make assumptions if you need to, but
support assumptions made. (10 marks)
7. Conclusion and Recommendation: What recommendation would you offer your client
based upon ONE area of the 4P’s. (10 marks)

Professionalism of the Report (10 marks)

 Include a proper and complete title page, table of contents and reference page.
 Eliminate spelling, punctuation, grammatical, structural, and formatting errors.

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Academic Integrity:

Complete 2-part APA citation methodology MUST be followed. Missed citations and/or
Work Cited page entries will be penalized with a grade of zero. Your paper must have at
minimum 6 secondary sources including your textbook and your client’s corporate website.

Due Date: see course Schedule.

Grading: While the report will receive a grade, individual student grading may vary based upon
instructor observation of group interaction, and a completed peer evaluation form. The peer
evaluation form will be developed and delivered by the instructor via email and must be
completed and returned in confidence to the instructor.

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Introduction: Introduce and describe the company. Provide background, position, competitive
landscape, relevant environmental factors. State the product/product line you have chosen to
analyze and introduce the meaning of the 4 P’s pertaining to that product. (5 Marks)

Uncommon Cider is a Calgary-based maker of all natural apple cider (Background Noise, 2020).
Brodie Thomas is its founder, who decided he wanted to make cider the old-fashioned way,
which he learned about while living in the UK (Background Noise, 2020)….

This report will examine and evaluate Uncommon Cider’s brand strategy and marketing mix. It
will then make a one recommendation as to how one of those marketing mix strategies could be
improved.

Brand Management: Describe the company’s 3 C’s of its brand; the concept of brand equity as
it pertains to your company; and its brand architecture. (5 marks)

Brand management is an essential component of any company’s marketing strategy. It has to

do with how a company performs across three levels: competitive advantage, contribution to
society and communication of its story (Gaudet, 2017) For Uncommon, the competitive
advantage is that it is the only cidery of its kind in Western Canada – that which makes its cider
completely of natural ingedients (www.uncommon.ca, 2021)

Uncommon’s brand equity can only be measured by comments which suggest why customers
buy Uncommon’s products (Gaudet, 2021)

Product Strategy: Describe the product with regards to its classification category, the stage in
its product life cycle, and its branding strategies. If you are studying a service, describe the
service in terms of the 4 I’s. Comment on how your company differentiates its product from its
competitors as well as the level of brand equity provided by the company. (10 marks)

Pricing Strategy: Describe the pricing strategy. Choose one specific product for sale by the
company and state its price. Make assumptions of how the company derived the selling price for
the product in terms of demand, costs, objective and strategy. (10 marks)

Distribution (Place) Strategy: Describe the distribution strategy of the product. Which
marketing channel format and intermediaries are being used and why? Consider factors
affecting channel choice and management. (10 marks)

Promotion Strategy: Describe the promotions strategy in terms of the various marketing
communications used. Explain why this approach was taken by considering the stage in the
product life cycle as well as the promotion objectives. Make assumptions if you need to, but
support assumptions made. (10 marks)

Conclusion and Recommendation: What recommendations do you have regarding the

marketing mix of the product analyzed? (10 marks)

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 MARKETING ESSENTIALS

Product Strategy

Puma is a well-known international sports company that focuses on creating, producing, and
marketing footwear, clothing, and accessories. Puma shoes are considered athletic footwear,
more particularly, sports shoes that are made to be comfortable, supportive, and effective for a
variety of sports. Puma shoes are created to meet the needs of athletes and sports enthusiasts
who require comfortable, long-lasting, and high-performing footwear for their physical activities,
according to the American Marketing Association, "a product is anything that can be offered to a
market for attention, acquisition, use, or consumption that might satisfy a want or need."

Puma sneakers are presently at the maturity stage of the product life cycle. The mature stage is
characterized by slower sales growth, more intense competition, and the requirement for
product diversification, according to Kotler et al. (2017). With more than 70 years of experience
in the sports footwear market, Puma SE has built a solid brand recognition around the globe. As
a result, Puma shoes have a substantial market share in the sector, facing opposition from other
well-known names like Nike and Adidas.

Puma sets itself apart from its competitors in a number of ways. Through its emphasis on
sustainability, for instance, is one method. Puma has started a number of environmentally
friendly programs, including using recycled materials in its goods and cutting carbon emissions
across their supply chain. This appeals to shoppers who are concerned about the environment
and distinguishes Puma from rivals who might not be as committed to sustainability.

Puma also created a number of innovations to set their shoes apart from the competition, such
as the IGNITE foam technology, which offers superior cushioning and energy return.
Additionally, Puma employs evoKNIT technology to produce a seamless top with a sock-like fit.
In addition, Puma has worked with athletes, celebrities, and designers including Rihanna, Jay-Z,
and Selena Gomez to produce limited edition shoes and clothing collections to produce limited
edition shoes that appeal to particular consumers. Customers who are interested in fashion and
celebrity culture are drawn to these collaborations because they create buzz.

Overall, Puma shoes are a premium brand of sports footwear that meets the requirements of
athletes and fitness buffs. Puma distinguishes itself from rivals and preserves its status as an
industry leader via its dedication to sustainability and partnerships with well-known figures.

References:

 Kotler, P., Keller, K. L., Brady, M., Goodman, M., & Hansen, T. (2019). Marketing
Management. Pearson.
 Puma. (2022). Sustainability. Retrieved from https://about.puma.com/en/sustainability
 Puma. (2022). Innovation. Retrieved from https://about.puma.com/en/innovation

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