TOPIC 1: Customizing Global Marketing – a matter of degree

Basic marketing principles as we learned in MRKT 310 such as segmentation, targeting, differentiation, positioning and marketing mix (product, price, place and promotion) remain constants in any marketing situation — that is why they are called principles. However, the application of those principles of marketing can vary from country to country. The more the product is global on the continuum the more standardized those marketing strategic decisions become.

Let's take the example of Dove Soap, a product which is considered a commodity here in the U.S. It is a mass marketed product. But, in some underdeveloped countries soap is considered an expensive luxury and therefore is marketed to middle income and higher income consumers. On the other hand, Camry, a product that is almost 100 years old, is sold in the US as a soap for beautiful women, but it is sold in some underdeveloped countries as a product with significant skin care benefits, similar to expensive moisturizers in the US. So, those products have different target markets with different value propositions, different pricing structures, different marketing communications. Yet, it's the same product.

YOUR TASK: Select a product you buy and use frequently, and make your best assessment of the product's target market, the way the manufacturer differentiates it and how it is positioned in your home country. (If you are drawing a blank, refer to the AMA marketing terms dictionary available at www.marketingpower.com). Explain how you would target and differently in an underdeveloped country of your choice. Might want to look up some of the characteristics of a country for more information on that country. The link

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ will take you to the CIA World Factbook, a fertile source of economic and political informaion about every country in the world.

Use a reference and interact with at least one (1) classmate.

TOPIC 2: Is Now the Right Time?

The website, The Global Brand, highlights five factors that lead to global brand success. They are:

1. A great brand experience

2. Clear and consistent positioning

3. A sense of dynamism

4. Sense of authenticity

5. Strong corporate culture

Check out the descriptions for each of these factors at http://www.millwardbrown.com/subsites/global-brand-online/brand-success/five-brand-success-factors and then apply them to the case narrative for Connexia. Decide whether one, all, some or none of these factors are present, cite the case narrative with your evidence. You can take on all five factors or just fully develop one of them and let your classmates do the heavy lifting on the others.

This exercise will help you enormously when you make your ultimate decision on go or no-go with the movie tie-in promotion.

Use at least one (1) reference. No need to interact.