Assignment Guidelines:
Written assignment, 2,000 words ±10% excluding appendices.
Objective:
The objective of this assignment is to develop a brand marketing strategy for a specific company or product, integrating theoretical concepts with practical application to drive brand growth and differentiation.
Instructions:
- Company/Product Selection (SME or NGO only):
Select a company or product of interest for the project. The company or product should be an SME or NGO and be facing branding challenges or opportunities that can be addressed through strategic marketing initiatives.
- Situation Analysis:
Conduct a comprehensive situation analysis to understand the current state of the company or product's brand. This analysis should include:
- Brand Analysis: (1000-1250 words)
Conduct a comprehensive analysis of the brand's marketing strategy using relevant marketing frameworks and tools, including but not limited to:
- Brand positioning: Assess the brand's current positioning in the market and its differentiation strategy compared to competitors.
- Brand identity: Analyze the brand's visual identity, brand personality, and brand associations.
- Brand communication: Evaluate the effectiveness of the brand's advertising, promotions, and other communication channels in reaching and engaging the target audience.
- Brand equity: Measure the brand's equity using appropriate metrics such as brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality, and brand associations.
- Customer analysis: Understand the brand's target audience, their needs, preferences, and behaviors.
- Competitive analysis: Identify key competitors and analyze their positioning, strengths, and weaknesses relative to the brand.
- Vectors of Superiority
- Brand Strategy Development: (750-1000 words)
- Based on the situation analysis, develop a brand marketing strategy aimed at achieving specific objectives. The strategy should address:
- Brand positioning: Define the brand's unique value proposition and positioning in the market.
- Marketing TA
- Channel Strategy
- Pricing Strategy
- Media & Communication Strategy
AI Use:
You may use AI tools for this assignment in accordance with the myHult AI policy. Generative AI software should not write your paper for you but can help organize your writing and support your original ideas. All AI usage must be acknowledged as per the policy’s citation framework.
It is best practice to include your prompts and outputs as appendices in the paper and to acknowledge any AI tools used for structure, grammar, and clarity.
Unacknowledged AI work or a high AI use score will be treated as an academic integrity violation and referred to the Academic Integrity Committee. If unsure about a tool, consult your professor.
Referencing and Citation:
As part of your academic responsibilities, all submitted work must adhere to the APA 7th edition guidelines for proper referencing. Please refer to this resource to verify citation and formatting rules before submitting your assignments.
Additionally, make sure to utilize the Turnitin Draft Coach to review your papers before submission (not after). Instructions for this can be found on the Academic Essentials course page.
Rubric
Major Individual Assignment
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts |
|---|---|---|
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeOrganization and Clarity | 10 to >8.75 ptsADemonstrates concise and consistent execution. The structure is well defined, clear and entirely appropriate for the subject matter. Transitions between ideas are handled very well.8.75 to >7.75 ptsBDemonstrates consistent execution. The structure is clear, and generally appropriate for the subject matter. Transitions between ideas are handled effectively. 7.75 to >6.75 ptsCStructure is unclear, although generally appropriate for the subject matter. Clarity of ideas is weak.6.75 to >5.75 ptsDStructure is unclear and hard to follow. Errors in execution detract from the overall message.5.75 to >0 ptsFUnstructured and almost entirely unclear. | 10 pts |
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIssue Analysis | 20 to >17.5 ptsAPresents an insightful and thorough analysis of all identified issues. Includes all necessary calculations.17.5 to >15.5 ptsBPresents an adequate analysis of most of the issues identified, but lacks depth in some areas. Is missing some necessary calculations. 15.5 to >13.5 ptsCPresents an adequate yet limited analysis of most of the major issues identified, but lacks depth in several areas. Conclusions may lack support.13.5 to >11.5 ptsDThe level of analysis could use better framing and more depth. Factual and/or computational support for the analysis is omitted.11.5 to >0 ptsFThe level of analysis almost entirely lacks framing and/or depth. | 20 pts |
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeIssue Identification | 20 to >17.5 ptsAPresents an accurate, compelling and insightful summary of the challenge being addressed.17.5 to >15.5 ptsBPresents a reasonable summary of the challenges being addressed. 15.5 to >13.5 ptsCPresents a confusing or superficial view of the challenges being addressed.13.5 to >11.5 ptsDStructure is unclear and hard to follow. Errors in execution detract from the overall message.11.5 to >0 ptsFFails to identify the challenges to be addressed. | 20 pts |
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeUse of Course Concepts | 15 to >13.0 ptsADemonstrates complete command of tools and concepts from the course. Makes appropriate and powerful connections between identified issues and the strategic concepts studied in the course readings and class lectures.13 to >11.5 ptsBDemonstrates sufficient command of tools and concepts from the course. Makes some connections between identified issues and the strategic concepts studied in the course readings and class lectures. 11.5 to >10.0 ptsCDemonstrates partial command of tools and concepts from the course. Makes limited connections between identified issues and the strategic concepts studied in the course readings and class lectures.10 to >8.5 ptsDMakes only a few, if any, connections between identified issues and concepts from course readings and class lectures.8.5 to >0 ptsFFails to make connections between identified issues and concepts from course readings and class lectures. | 15 pts |
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeAction Recommendations | 20 to >17.5 ptsARecommended course of action has strong arguments based in the analysis and issues and includes anticipated consequences and alternatives.17.5 to >15.5 ptsBRecommended course of action is appropriate to address major issues, and is linked to the analysis. Some anticipated consequences and alternatives are included. 15.5 to >13.5 ptsCRecommendations are mostly appropriate to address issues and are at least partially linked to the analysis. Anticipated consequences and alternatives are lacking.13.5 to >11.5 ptsDThe recommended course of action could use more connections to the identified issues, and the addition of one or more anticipated consequences or alternatives would strengthen the plan.11.5 to >0 ptsFRecommendations are largely inappropriate or absent. | 20 pts |
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSources & Citation | 15 to >13.0 ptsAEvidence and ideas clearly refer to subject matter and aim of assignment, drawn from a range of sources, in addition to assigned readings and in-class discussions, including scholarly books, journal articles, research institutions, government publications, and industry associations. All evidence is properly cited in APA style in-text citations and a correctly formatted reference list.13 to >11.5 ptsBEvidence and ideas are taken from a number of sources and author goes beyond material presented in class. Some outside sources are intended for a general audience and/or are web-based (i.e. not scholarly). All evidence is properly cited in APA style in-text citations and a correctly formatted reference list. 11.5 to >10.0 ptsCAuthor has used a limited number of sources for evidence and ideas beyond the assigned readings for the course. Outside sources are almost exclusively web-based. The text may have few in-text citations to identify the source of evidence or ideas; reference list may not be formatted in a consistent and/or appropriate APA style.10 to >8.5 ptsDMakes only minimal use of sources provided by instructor and/or relies exclusively on non-scholarly outside sources or personal opinion. Use of in-text citations to document sources may be sporadic and ineffective. The reference list includes only a few sources and is randomly formatted making sources difficult to identify or locate.8.5 to >0 ptsFDoes not provide sources for evidence or ideas presented in the paper beyond minimal or tangential reference to assigned readings. Relies mostly on general or personal opinion. Statements or evidence are not supported by in-text citations. There is no reference list, or the reference list is not formatted in the appropriate APA manner. |