APPENDIX: FINAL PROJECT
In this course, you will learn how firms use the 5Cs (customer, company skills, competition, collaboration, and context) to form general market strategies and then use the 4Ps (product, place, promotion, and price) in order to implement their plan. Throughout the course, we have seen how product design is based on customer needs and desires, how advertising communicates these needs in a manner consistent with consumers’ search processes. This project will ask you to integrate many of these ideas in order to analyze a firm’s current marketing strategy and to make recommendations on how this strategy can be improved.

1.    Choose a firm that you are interested in studying. This firm can either manufacture products, deliver services, or both. No two individuals will be allowed to analyze the same firm, so make sure that you inform me of your selection as soon as possible.
2.    Give a brief history of the firm and its products, paying attention to the product/service of focus. Be sure to highlight any major recent successes and failures (1-2 pages).
3.    Begin with a SWOT analysis. Then perform an situation analysis of the company using the 5Cs. Using publically available information and your own critical thinking, determine the company’s competitive advantage, customers, competition, partners, and the context (e.g., regulatory, technology, demographic, cultural shifts, industry trends, etc. (3-4 pages).
4.    Now, discuss the market-product focus. First, discuss the product/service’s current target market (who does the company think that they are going after). Then, discuss the points of difference between the company’s offering and those of its major competitors. If points of parity are also important to the current strategy, discuss those too. Then, create a positioning statement that helps communicate the key product points to prospective customers (prior to your recommendations). (3-4 pages)
5.    Using the analysis performed in parts 3 and 4 of the project, make recommendations on how the firm may either improve its general marketing strategy and implementation (4Ps). Start with listing 3 distinct strategy changes. Because this is a critical thinking exercise, it is essential that you discuss the pros and cons of each recommendation that you make (after all, if the firm is not already pursuing your idea, there may be a good reason why). Then, based on the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy, choose a recommendation. Following this choice, outline how this will lead to changes in overall positioning, and how you will use the 4Ps to support this new position. (3-4 pages).

In total, projects should be between 7-15 pages long, double-spaced with standard margins. Projects are due Monday May 16 at 11:59PM and must be submitted through angel. No Late Projects Accepted!