In which ways can word-of-mouth communication influence the effectiveness of a promotion mix for a product?
> When GaGa began adding novelty bars in new flavors, what was the effect on the width and depth of its product mix?
> What forms of interpersonal communication besides language can be used in personal selling?
> Why is packaging particularly important for a company like GaGa, which can’t afford advertising?
> Do you think GaGa’s SherBetter pints and bars are likely to follow the product life cycle of traditional ice cream products? Explain your answer.
> How do industry profits change as a product moves through the four stages of its life cycle?
> Is a personal computer sold at a retail store a consumer product or a business product? Defend your answer.
> How does branding benefit consumers and marketers?
> What are the stages in the product adoption process, and how do they affect the commercialization phase?
> Why are the largest industrial corporations in the United States so committed to international marketing?
> How does an organization’s product mix relate to its development of a product line? When should an enterprise add depth to its product lines rather than width to its product mix?
> How do convenience products and shopping products differ? What are the distinguishing characteristics of each type of product?
> What are the major functions of labeling?
> Describe bundle pricing and give three examples using different industries.
> Define communication and describe the communication process. Is it possible to communicate without using all the elements in the communication process? If so, which elements can be omitted?
> In what ways can packaging be used as a strategic tool?
> What are the main factors a marketer should consider when developing a package?
> Describe the functions a package can perform. Which function is most important? Why?
> What is co-branding? What major issues should be considered when using co-branding?
> Identify the factors a marketer should consider in selecting a brand name.
> What are some of the product issues that you need to consider when marketing luxury automobiles in Australia, Brazil, Singapore, South Africa, and Sweden?
> Compare and contrast manufacturer brands, private distributor brands, and generic brands.
> What are the three major degrees of brand loyalty?
> What is brand equity? Identify and explain the major elements of brand equity.
> Using Figure 11.1 as a guide, create a matrix of the current product mix for your company. Figure 11.1 Figure 11.1 The Concepts of Product Mix Width and Depth Applied to U.S. Procter & Gamble Products Laundry detergents Toothpastes Bar soaps Deodor
> Create a brief profile of the type of consumer who is likely to represent each of the product adopter categories for your product.
> What does the term integrated marketing communications mean?
> A retailer purchases a can of soup for 24 cents and sells it for 36 cents. Calculate the markup as percentage of cost and as percentage of selling price.
> Discuss how the profitability of your product will change as it moves through each of the phases of the product life cycle.
> How is Wyndham using symbolic and experiential benefits to target its hotels to certain groups of travelers?
> How should Wyndham market its hotels according to their stages in the product life cycle?
> Contrast globalization with customization of marketing strategies. Is one practice better than the other?
> How is Wyndham using supplemental features at its hotels to create a competitive advantage?
> How does Zappos encourage word-of-mouth marketing through digital media?
> Describe some ways in which Zappos uses digital media tools.
> How does Zappos use digital media to create an authentic relationship with consumers?
> How does Eaton target business and consumer markets? Are there any differences?
> How is Eaton using digital marketing to reach its customers?
> Should organizations be allowed to promote offensive, violent, sexual, or unhealthy products that can be legally sold and purchased? Support your answer.
> Describe ways that Eaton is addressing global challenges.
> Under what conditions is cost-plus pricing most appropriate?
> Name and describe the major ethical and legal issues that have developed in response to the Internet. How should policy makers address these issues?
> What is differential pricing? In what ways can it be achieved?
> Define interactivity and explain its significance. How can marketers exploit this characteristic to improve relations with customers?
> How does e-marketing differ from traditional marketing?
> How has digital media affected the pricing of products? Give examples of the opportunities and challenges presented to marketers in light of these changes.
> How do the characteristics of digital marketing affect the promotion element of the marketing mix?
> How can marketers exploit the characteristics of the Internet to improve the product element of their marketing mixes?
> Describe the different Technographic segments. How can marketers use this segmentation in their strategies?
> How has digital media changed consumer behavior? What are the opportunities and challenges that face marketers with this in mind?
> Why are social networks becoming an increasingly important marketing tool? Find an example online in which a company has improved the effectiveness of its marketing strategy by using social networks.
> Explain the distinction between push and pull media. What is the significance of control in terms of using websites to market products?
> Review the various types of pricing strategies in Table 20.3. Which of these is the most appropriate for your product? Table 20.3 Table 20.3 Common Pricing Strategies Differential Pricing Psychological Pricing Negotiated pricing Reference pricing S
> Identify the six stages in the process of establishing prices.
> Evaluate the following statement: “Appropriate advertising media are always available if a company can afford them.”
> Describe the function and effectiveness of brand ambassadors. What are some risks associated with choosing a brand ambassador?
> Of the various pricing objectives, which one does Under Armour appear to be pursuing in its marketing of running shoes, and why?
> Review the key concepts of addressability, interactivity, accessibility, connectivity, and control in Table 10.1, and explain how they relate to new social media. Think about how a marketing strategy focused on new social media differs from a marketing c
> Would you recommend that Under Armour use cost-based pricing, demand-based pricing, or competition-based pricing for a new shirt equipped with LED lights? Explain your answer.
> When pricing its products, what external factors should Standard Renewable Energy pay particular attention to, and why?
> Discuss the impact of strategic alliances on international marketing strategies.
> Does geographic pricing affect what business customers pay for a wind turbine they buy from Standard Renewable Energy compared to prices paid by nonbusiness customers? Explain your answer.
> How are value-conscious, price-conscious, and prestige-conscious customers likely to react to the price of a wind turbine?
> List the characteristics of products that have inelastic demand, and give several examples of such products.
> What is the reason for using the term F.O.B.?
> Chambers Company has just gathered estimates for conducting a breakeven analysis for a new product. Variable costs are $7 a unit. The additional plant will cost $48,000. The new product will be charged $18,000 a year for its share of general overhead. Ad
> Explain why optimum profits should occur when marginal cost equals marginal revenue.
> How can a product’s characteristics affect the composition of its promotion mix?
> No matter what marketing media are used, determining the correct marketing mix for your company is always important. Think about how social media might affect the marketing mix.
> Why do most demand curves demonstrate an inverse relationship between price and quantity?
> Compare and contrast price and nonprice competition. Describe the conditions under which each form works best.
> Why are pricing decisions important to an organization?
> What are the major methods used for transfer pricing?
> What should marketers consider as they decide whether to license or enter into a joint venture in a foreign nation?
> Compare and contrast a trade discount and a quantity discount.
> How do legal and regulatory forces influence pricing decisions?
> What types of expectations may channel members have about producers’ prices? How might these expectations affect pricing decisions?
> In what ways do other marketing mix variables affect pricing decisions?
> Do you think price competition plays a role in the way baseball teams price their single-game tickets? Explain your answer.
> Why is it hard for firms to monitor and protect against intellectual property violations over the Internet?
> How do target market characteristics determine which promotional methods to include in a promotion mix? Assume a company is planning to promote a cereal to both adults and children. Along what major dimensions would these two promotional efforts have to
> How does dynamic pricing allow a team to judge the price elasticity of demand for a particular game and then use this information in future pricing decisions?
> What other marketing mix variables must teams consider when using dynamic pricing to set ticket prices? Why?
> Why do you think more targeted promotional efforts such as personal selling and sales promotion are necessary for Nederlander’s specific target market?
> Describe how Nederlander’s strong customer relationship management results in increased loyalty to the organization.
> How does Nederlander’s Audience Rewards program result in a competitive advantage?
> How will NAFTA affect marketing opportunities for U.S. products in North America (the United States, Mexico, and Canada)?
> How do driver appearances on television and public events contribute to promoting the Indy Racing League?
> How does the Indy Racing League utilize the various components of integrated marketing communication?
> What is the link between sponsorships of cars and drivers by corporations and promotion of the IRL?
> How has Internet piracy impacted organizations?
> What are the primary purposes of personal selling?
> Would you recommend that Urban Farmz use promotional pricing at the farmers’ markets where it regularly sells its products? If so, which techniques would you suggest, and why?
> Identify the steps of the personal selling process. Must a salesperson include all these elements when selling a product to a customer? Why or why not?
> What is personal selling? How does personal selling differ from other types of promotional activities?
> For each of the following, identify and describe three techniques and give several examples: (a) consumer sales promotion methods and (b) trade sales promotion methods.
> What is sales promotion? Why is it used?
> How does a sales manager, who cannot be with each salesperson in the field on a daily basis, control the performance of sales personnel?
> What major factors should be taken into account when designing the size and shape of a sales territory?
> If you were asked to provide a small tip (or bribe) to have a document approved in a foreign nation where this practice is customary, what would you do?
> Explain the major advantages and disadvantages of the three basic methods of compensating salespeople. In general, which method would you prefer? Why?