Marketing Implementation Guide Homework Successful Product Development Always Involves Weighing The

Detailed Marketing Mini Sim Descriptions with Suggested

Implementation Strategies

Planning and the Marketing Mix

This Marketing Mini Sim provides a walkthrough of the basic elements of a Marketing Mini Sim and

it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that this Marketing Mini Sim be the first that is assigned.

Suggested Pre-Requisite: None

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* Navigate key sections of the Marketing Application-Based Activities environment

* Discuss the importance of the Marketing Mix (Four P’s) on developing a successful strategy

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

As the introductory mission, this simulation offers the most complete walk through of the various

aspects of the Marketing Mini Sim. Should a student not succeed on the first turn, they will be given

quite detailed walk-throughs of some of the post-turn analytical tools that are available to them.

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

Since this sim acts as a walkthrough of the entire environment, it may take students a bit more

than the typical 30 minutes to complete. If they are careful, read the prompts, they should be

able to discern the clues that will lead to successful completion on the first or second try.

• The Backpack: Rachel, Director of Product Development, provides the basic recipe for the

perfect backpack for this segment, if they follow her directions they will be headed in the

right direction. It should have: Rounded Top Shape, Basic Straps, Synthetic Material,

Cartoon Graphic and Water Bottle for Features, and its Color should be Red.

• Advertising: Phillip, Director of MarComm, should have helped them to find the right

Second/Third Turn Strategies

Because this mission goal is a Profitability Hurdle, this is one of the few mission goals that is

cumulative. That means it does become harder to make the goal if they fail on the first or second

try.

On the second turn, a price of $32 or $33 should be enough to make the profit hurdle as long as

WRITING PROMPTS

• Discuss (briefly) how each of the four P’s played a role in your overall marketing plan.

• Were you able to achieve the Profit Goal of the Mission? Which aspect of the Marketing

Mix proved to be key to your success/failure? Explain.

Buyer Behavior

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* Describe the stages of the buying process

* Explain how consumers perceive value

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This is one of several missions that focuses on achieving a game mechanic called “Feature

Desirability” through attentive product development and design. While this simulation attempts

to cover a range of different influences on Buyer Behavior, the interactive mission aims to get

students to understand that a strong design is central to this effort.

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

The key aspect behind creating a successful product is to include those components that align

most closely with customer preferences. In the Outdoor Enthusiast segment, the two key

Preferences are:

• Shape: Large Rectangular

• Straps: Advanced Support

Second/Third Turn Strategies

Unlike goals that focus on Profit, Sales, Awareness, or Market Share, the Feature Desirability goal is

a straightforward threshold goal that is not influenced by the cumulative effects of other turns.

Also, unlike later missions which require students to operate within a certain production budget,

this sim has no such restriction. Any of the following features will have a positive impact on Feature

Desirability:

WRITING PROMPTS

• Discuss (briefly) the stages of the buying process. What role does successful Product

Development play in each stage? Are there some stages where it plays a more crucial

role?

Using Market Research

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* Explain the differences between primary and secondary data sources

* Describe common types of market research data

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This simulation focuses on Feature Desirability and the Product Development process. The most

common goal-type among the Marketing Application-Based Activities, this and other missions

which share this focus encourage students to align product features with customer preferences.

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

If you assigned the Buyer Behavior Sim, one of the first things you may have noticed about this sim

is that it has an additional Market Share Goal. This encourages students to think in terms of

competing against other market entries, but does not require students to limit their production

costs as yet.

Since Comfort is the key Preference among this group, students will want to select attributes which

align with that:

Second/Third Turn Strategies

Some students may try to limit their production costs as the average purchase price for this

segment is $70. While this is a factor in later simulations, students need not worry about that here

so they should be sure to include the designer tag feature, which will ensure a high desirability

score.

WRITING PROMPTS

• Explain the differences between primary and secondary data sources and some common

types of market research data.

• Explain how the needs/wants of the Luxury Market differ from other segments you have

encountered thus far.

Understanding Segmentation & Its Impact on Marketing

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* Navigate the various segment options and discuss their differences

* Explain the impact segment choices have on the 4 P’s

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This simulation focuses on Feature Desirability and the Product Development process. The most

common goal-type among the Marketing Application-Based Activities, this and other missions

which share this focus encourage students to align product features with customer preferences.

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

Since Comfort is the key Preference among this group, students will want to select attributes which

align with that:

• Shape: Teardrop

Second/Third Turn Strategies

Unlike goals that focus on Profit, Sales, Awareness, or Market Share, the Feature Desirability goal is

a straightforward threshold goal that is not influenced by the cumulative effects of other turns.

Also, unlike later missions which require students to operate within a certain production budget,

this sim has no such restriction. Any of the following features will have a positive impact on Feature

Desirability:

• Laptop Sleeve (best impact on desirability for this segment)

WRITING PROMPTS

• Explain how segment choices impact the Four P’s of the Marketing Mix.

• Pick any two market segments and illustrate how they are “Differentiable” within the

overall backpack market.

Successful Product Development

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* Discuss how product development is the foundation of the 4 P’s

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This simulation focuses on Feature Desirability and the Product Development process. The most

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

If you assigned the Buyer Behavior or Segmentation sims, one of the first things you may have

noticed about this sim is that it has an additional Product Cost Goal. This encourages students to

think in terms of weighing the cost/benefit tradeoffs of product development.

In the Outdoor Enthusiast segment, the two key Preferences are Capacity and Waterproofing.

Second/Third Turn Strategies

Unlike goals that focus on Profit, Sales, Awareness, or Market Share, the Feature Desirability goal is

a straightforward threshold goal that is not influenced by the cumulative effects of other turns.

Any of the following features will have a positive impact on Feature Desirability:

• Waterproofing (most important)

• Water Bottle

WRITING PROMPTS

• Some marketers maintain that strong product development is the foundation of the 4 P’s.

Why (or why not) do you think that is true?

• Successful product development always involves weighing the balances between

customer approval and the costs of production. How did you balance these concerns in

this mission?

How Price Impacts Sales

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* List factors that influence price setting

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This advanced simulation includes three mission goals, but if the product model is strong and

price is strategically chosen, then students should have no problems achieving all three goals.

The key to this simulation is understanding that an extremely high-quality product can demand a

price far in excess of the segment average.

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

As with all missions that focus on the Outdoor Enthusiast segment, the backpack should have the

following attributes:

• Shape: Large Rectangular

• Straps: Advanced Support

• Material: Advanced

• Features: Waterproofing

• Color: Green

Second/Third Turn Strategies

Because the goals on this mission are cumulative over each turn, this mission becomes

progressively harder if one does not succeed on the first try. Some experimentation will be needed.

WRITING PROMPTS

• Various factors come into play when setting price. Discuss the importance of customer

value on maximizing profit.

Retail Strategy

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* Describe the variety of channels of distribution available for products

* Explain the pros and cons of each channel including their impact on margin

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This advanced simulation includes two mission goals, including targets for both profit and gross

margin. The key to this simulation is understanding that retail channels have an impact on

margin (and thus profit) which varies from channel to channel. Also, price has an impact on the

availability of channels since certain retail channels only accept products within a specific price

range.

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

Rachel will provide your students with the recipe for the backpack for this mission. Their job will be

to pick the right price and the right channels. With a production cost of $24 and an average retail

Second/Third Turn Strategies

Because the goals on this mission are cumulative over each turn, this mission becomes

progressively harder if one does not succeed on the first try. Some experimentation will be needed.

If the student has cleared one of the goals and just needs a little boost on profitability, a slight

WRITING PROMPTS

• Retail channels add sales opportunities for your products but also impact your margin.

Discuss the pros and cons of adding certain channels to your retail strategy.

• Whether or not you were successful at this mission, you likely discovered the critical

difference that raising your price had on adding the High End Outdoor channel. Analyze

Integrated Marketing Communications

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

* Describe the elements of an integrated marketing communications effort

* Explain the impacts of a consistent strategy and implementation

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This advanced simulation focuses on the mission goal of awareness. Awareness is generated by

game mechanics responding to student selections for a positioning message and media

vehicles that together constitute the student’s ad campaign. In an effort to highlight the rising

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

As mentioned, if your students follow the directions they will not win on the first attempt. This will

prompt a follow up discussion and a new round that looks more closely at Internet media.

Second/Third Turn Strategies

and your student will clear the awareness goal.

WRITING PROMPTS

• Describe the elements of an integrated marketing communications effort. What is the role

of the positioning message vs the role of media vehicles?

Marketing Metrics

Suggested Pre-Requisite: Planning and the Marketing Mix

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completing this assignment, you should be able to:

ACHIEVING THE MISSION GOALS

This advanced simulation focuses on a single mission goal of 70% market share. This is a variation

on earlier simulations in that it focuses on product development, but it doesn’t provide as much

Tips to Achieving the Mission Goals

The winning backpack design consists of:

• Shape: Rounded Top

• Straps: Wide Padded

Second/Third Turn Strategies

As long as the student’s selections are somewhat close to those above, they should eventually be

able to succeed at this mission.

“Close” configurations include using features such as water bottle instead cartoon graphic, and

WRITING PROMPTS

• How many turns did it take you to achieve the goal? Which analytical tools did you consult

along the way to refine your approach? How did they influence your decisions?

• The data analytics that you are reviewing here are very similar to the kinds of analytics that

Sample Course Schedule

This is a sample schedule of an integrated use of Marketing Mini Sim followed by Practice

Marketing:

Class Date TOPICS

#1 09/01 Course Introduction

#2 09/08 Strategy and Planning

IN CLASS 09/08 MARKETING MINI SIM – PLANNING

DUE 10/20 MARKETING MINI SIM – PRICING

IN CLASS 10/20 PRACTICE MARKETING – PRACTICE ROUND

#9 10/27 Channels

DUE 10/27 PRACTICE MARKETING – ROUND #1

#10 11/03 IMC

DUE 11/03 PRACTICE MARKETING – ROUND #2

#11 11/10 Promotion

Contact Customer Support :

McGraw-Hill’s Customer Experience Group

Online (chat, email) mpss.mhhe.com

Phone 1.800.331.5094

Sunday: 12 PM to 12 AM EST