MARKETING- MARKETING MANAGER ANALYSIS Due Date Week 7 Note: While representative of possible situations faced by the Brooklyn Nets, all scenarios in this assignment are fictional. Real Business For a large discount retail store like Target or Walmart, it can be difficult to get the marketing mix just right for a given product. There are so many products in the store fighting for the attention of customers. There is also the challenge of helping the suppliers of each product maximize their profits while making sure the store is making money. With so many things to consider, working in marketing for such a large business can be a challenge. Your Role This week, you’ll be acting as a Marketing Manager in the sporting goods section. WHAT IS A MARKETING MANAGER? Marketing Managers are responsible for developing, implementing and executing marketing plans, either for an entire organization or for particular categories or products within the organization, in order to attract potential customers and keep existing ones. Their day-to-day tasks include managing and coordinating marketing and creative staff, leading market research to improve existing products and services, working with advertising agencies, and determining the best way to get products in front of customers. As a marketing manager for a discount retail store in Brooklyn, you have been asked to evaluate a marketing plan for basketballs to ensure that the 4 P’s of marketing are being applied well. Using your knowledge of the 4 P’s and the best approach to generating sales, you’ll take a look at a number of marketing recommendations and choose the approach that you believe will sell the most products. INSTRUCTIONS Step 1: Product In the Marketing Analysis Presentation provided by your marketing team, you’ll see three different basketballs that need to be included in the product display on Slide 2. Each product has unique features. Based on the information provided about the customers that shop at the store location on Slide 3, choose the basketball that you think will sell the most. Explain the rationale for your decision. Step 2: Place On Slide 4 of the Marketing Analysis Presentation, you’ll see the results of a survey that asked potential buyers about where they are most likely to purchase these products. Use your knowledge about product placement to choose the best place to sell the products, deciding between traditional stores and online. Explain the rationale for your decision. Step 3: Promotion Slide 5 of the Marketing Analysis Presentation shows three recommended advertisements, including a special deal promotion, for the product that is expected to sell the best. Based on the information provided about the customers that shop at this store location on Slide 3, determine which promotional activity will sell the most product at this particular store. Explain the rationale for your decision. Step 4: Price Finally, look at the pricing options available for each of the three products together on Slide 6. Based on your knowledge of the Pricing Strategies discussed on pages 186-187 in the textbook, choose the option that has the best pricing mix for all three products. Refer to the customer information on Slide 2, if needed. Explain the rationale for your decision. Note: You should complete Step 5 after reading the material in Week 7. Step 5: Brand & Sales Pitch The company that makes one of the basketballs is looking to rebrand the product. They have asked for your input on possible brands ideas. First, read the Brand Vision statement which summarizes the goal for the new brand. Then, look at the logo, name, and tagline recommendations. Which of the two brand directions do you think best meets the goals of the brand vision? Please support your decisions. Second, write a 2-3 sentence sales pitch that you would use to try to convince someone to purchase this product. Step 6: Market Segmentation The marketing plan for the basketballs at the Brooklyn store has been in place now for four months, and the marketing team has assembled a report reviewing sales data and customer feedback for the last quarter's basketball sales. Overall, the results are lower than you expected and you are concerened that your marketing and creative staff have not properly segmented your target customers. Remember, like many products in the marketplace, the basketball's marketing campaigns must target two different groups of customers: (1) adults who purchase the item as a gift and, therefore, do not actually use the product; and (2) adults and teenagers who purchase the item for their own use and enjoyment. Both groups have different reasons and expectations surrounding the item in question, and those reasons and expectations will have significant impacts on the buyers' purchasing deicisons. Review the five customer segments detailed on pages 194-195 of your textbook: Behavioral, Sociographic, Psychographic, Geographic and Demographic. Select one focus area of each segment that you feel is most relevant to the sale of basketballs at this store location. Keeping in mind the 4 P’s, write 1-2 questions for each focus area that will guide your staff as they investigate these aspects of your campaign. Example: Segment: Geographic Focus Area: Neighborhood Questions: What combination of marketing and media channels did we use to reach current and potential customers? How are we gathering information on where current customers live who purchased a basketball? attachment busASSIGNMENT3.docx attachment BUS508_Assignment3_Template.docx attachment BUS508_Assignment3_Resources.pdf
ASSIGNMENT 2 – Weeks 4 & 5
Finance & Accounting: Senior Accountant Analysis
Due Date: Week 5
Note: While representative of possible situations faced by SunsTruck Sunglasses, all scenarios in this assignment are fictional.
Real Business
Large discount retailers like Target and Walmart employ large teams of Finance and Accounting professionals to help measure and understand the financial health of the business. Financial and accounting information helps these businesses make educated financial decisions, such as whether or not to continue partnering with a retail supplier. While often smaller businesses, it is equally important for these retail suppliers to use financial and accounting data to make educated decisions, such as the best approach to gaining additional funding.
Your Role
This week, you’ll assume the role of Senior Accountant with SunsTruck Sunglasses.
What is a Senior Accountant? Senior Accountants take ownership of reporting costs, profitability, margins and expenditures for a given business. They use the principles of accounting to analyze sales information, create financial reports, make recommendations about the financial health of the company, and more. They are also responsible for training junior accounting staff. |
For the last six months, SunsTruck has partnered with the discount retail store to run pop-up sunglasses stands in their stores for a big summer promotion. Due to the high customer purchase rate, the store has requested stock for five additional stores. SunsTruck needs to increase its production to meet the additional demand. In order to increase production, SunsTruck needs additional money.
In this assignment, you will need to help determine which type of financing option is best for your company and train your junior accountants on the accounting cycle and financial statements.
Instructions
Step 1: Financing
The junior accounting team has assembled a Financing Report that (a) offers three options for securing the additional funds required to meet the new order; and (b) details the criteria Shaun, the owner of SunsTruck, would like you to consider when choosing one of the options. Based on this report:
- Identify which financing option you think is the best option for SunsTruck to pursue given Shaun’s constraints. Explain the rationale for your decision.
Note: You should complete Steps 2 & 3 after reading the material in Week 5.
Step 2: Accounting Cycle
A junior accountant is working to get everything in order for the new financing and has come to you with a question about what do next in the accounting cycle.
- Read the email the junior accountant sent you and identify the best next step to take in the accounting cycle. Explain your reasoning.
Step 3: Financial Statements
A potential investor has been identified, but before it is willing to commit, it has requested information about SunsTruck’s current debt from the junior accountants.
- Identify the correct financial statement for your junior accountants that will provide the investor with the information it has requested. Explain to your junior accountants why you are giving them this financial statement and where the debt information is located.
Step 4: Financial Analysis
If you were the type of financier selected in Step 1, would you invest in SunsTruck? Explain the rationale for your decision.
Points: 110 | Assignment: Finance & Accounting – Senior Accountant Analysis | |||
Criteria | Unacceptable Below 70% F |
Fair 70-79% C |
Proficient 80-89% B |
Exemplary 90-100% A |
1. Identify the best financing option and explain your reasoning. Weight: 30% |
Does not accurately identify financing option; explanation lacks logic and supporting information. Demonstrates inadequate understanding of finance. |
Accurately identifies financing option; minimally supports answer with logical explanation and information from the Financing Report and/or course material; OR Does not accurately identify financing option; adequately supports answers with information from the Financing Report and/or course material. Demonstrates adequate understanding of finance. |
Accurately identifies financing option; adequately supports answer with logical explanation and information from the Financing Report and/or course material. Demonstrates good understanding of finance. |
Accurately identifies financing option; thoroughly supports answer with logical explanation and specific information from the Financing Report and course material. Demonstrates excellent understanding of finance. |
2. Identify the next step in the accounting cycle for the junior accountant to complete and explain your reasoning. Weight: 20% |
Does not accurately identify accounting cycle step; explanation is missing or lacks logic and supporting information. Demonstrates inadequate understanding of accounting. |
Accurately identifies accounting cycle step; minimally supports answer with logical explanation and information from course material; OR Does not accurately identify financing option; adequately supports answers with information from course material. Demonstrates adequate understanding of accounting. |
Accurately identifies accounting cycle step; adequately supports answer with logical explanation and information from course material. Demonstrates good understanding of accounting. |
Accurately identifies accounting cycle step; thoroughly supports answer with logical explanation and specific information from course material. Demonstrates excellent understanding of accounting. |
3. Identify the best financial statement to provide to the potential investor and explain your reasoning. Weight: 20% |
Does not accurately identify financial statement and/or explanation is missing or lacks logic and supporting information. Demonstrates inadequate understanding of financial statements. |
Accurately identifies financial statement; minimally supports answer with logical explanation and information from financial statements and/or course material; OR Does not accurately identify financial statement; adequately supports answers with information from financial statements and/or course material. Demonstrates adequate understanding of financial statements. |
Accurately identifies the financial statement; adequately supports answer with logical explanation and information from financial statements and course material. Demonstrates good understanding of financial statements. |
Accurately identifies financial statement; thoroughly supports answer with logical explanation and specific information from financial statements and course material. Demonstrates excellent understanding of financial statements. |
4. Recommend whether or not, you as the financier, should invest in SunsTruck and explain reasoning. Weight: 20% |
Makes no recommendation and/or does not provide supporting explanation or information. Demonstrates inadequate understanding of financial analysis. |
Makes a recommendation; minimally supports answer with logical explanation and information from financial statements and/or course material. Demonstrates adequate understanding of financial analysis. |
Makes a recommendation; adequately supports answer with logical explanation and information from financial statements and course material. Demonstrates good understanding of financial analysis. |
Makes a recommendation; thoroughly supports answer with logical explanation and specific information from financial statements and course material. Demonstrates excellent understanding of financial analysis. |
5. Write in a professional manner using correct grammar and spelling and appropriate citations. Weight: 10% |
Writing does not meet minimal standards. Tone is not professional. Lacking in logic, clarity, and/or consistent formatting. Contains many spelling and/or grammatical errors. Does not include citations or they do not allow the reader to locate the source. |
Writing is satisfactory. Professional tone is developing. Shows moderate logic, clarity, and/or consistent formatting. May contain more than 2-4 spelling and/or grammatical errors. Includes citations but they may be inconsistently formatted or they do not easily allow the reader to locate the source. |
Writing is mostly good. Tone is professional. Shows logic, clarity, and consistent formatting. May contain few or no spelling and/or grammatical errors. Includes citations that allow the reader to locate the source. |
Writing is excellent. Tone is professional and sophisticated. Shows logic, clarity, and consistent formatting. Contains no spelling or grammatical errors and work is cited consistently so that the reader can locate the work cited. |