Part 6: Play the Part—Making Channel Strategy Decisions
Instructor Brief for Role Play on Making Channel Strategy Decisions
Summary and Purpose
This role play involves Oceans of Beauty (OOB), a hypothetical marketer of handcrafted
jewelry made from undersea products like coral and shells. OOB understands that the
competitive landscape has changed and their distribution strategy must change in order for
them to remain competitive.
The purpose of this role play is to reinforce that a fundamental element of marketing
strategy answers the question: Through what channel(s) will buyers complete a transaction
with my firm?
Skills
In this role-play exercise, students will have the opportunity to practice valuable work skills,
including:
• Strategic thinking: formulating strategies to achieve an organization’s vision while
accounting for its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
Format
There are two primary roles in this activity: Jack Simmons, a marketing consultant, and Shari
Willis, CEO of Oceans of Beauty.
Background/Scenario
Oceans of Beauty is a marketer of unique handcrafted jewelry made from undersea
products like coral and shells. The company has grown exponentially during its first decade,
starting with the output of a single innovative designer—now its CEO—and expanding to a
production network of jewelry artisans across the world. Since its founding, OOB has
offered its products exclusively through high-end fashion boutiques and wearable art
Since OOB was founded, the competitive landscape has changed significantly. Handcrafted,
one-of-a-kind jewelry is now readily available on sites like Etsy and Amazon Handmade,
which promote heavily to consumers anywhere in the world. Growing numbers of online
jewelry marketers in India and China, once derided for poor workmanship, are sourcing
better products and working hard to improve their reputations.