Strategic Marketing Management

NOTE: The two assessments for the Module are connected to the organisation-based case
study; Britvic Soft Drinks Company.

Structure and Approach

The use of a marketing-based case study as a basis for a written assignment will enable you
to demonstrate:
No

Type

On successful completion of this module the student will be

expected to be able to:

Knowledge and
understanding

Critically evaluate opportunities in a sector of the economy with

respect to marketing concepts and theories.

Intellectual, practical,
affective and
transferable skills

Construct the framework for an integrated strategic marketing plan

as it relates to an organisation operating in the chosen sector of
the economy.

Intellectual, practical,
affective and
transferable skills

Design marketing campaigns, or parts thereof, embracing new and

innovative concepts which push forward the knowledge base of the
discipline, for example in the arts, services, relationship or
technology marketing.

Intellectual, practical,
affective and
transferable skills

Develop a critical working knowledge of the important

Management tools and techniques in the marketing planning
process, synthesising and applying these where possible towards
new customer/client solutions and benefits.

The two written assignments are based upon The Britvic Soft Drinks Company case study,
and linked directly to the four learning outcomes of the Module. Your written assignments
need to contain sufficient marketing content to enable a you to meet the learning outcomes
above.

PLEASE READ THE FULL DETAILS OF THE ASSESSMENT

PROCESS IN THE MODULE GUIDE.

Your Role in the Case Study

You are a newly employed marketing trainee from LCA Business School who has been
invited by the Board of Directors at Britvic Soft Drinks Company (called BSD in the
assignment) to investigate the effectiveness of the marketing management and planning of
the company, with a view to expansion in 2015, IN THE UK ONLY.

The Board has asked you to examine six main areas of strategic marketing planning so that
the Company can continue its future development, and to submit a written report on each of
the six areas by the assignment hand-in date.
In order for you to carry out the series of tasks (below), the Board has strongly advised you
to:

Carry out some secondary research using Mintel (and other) database sources for
Britvic and the soft drinks industry in general. This will enable you to find out
information on market size, market shares, consumption and brands in the UK
industry,

Use the Britvic web site as a basis for more specific Company-based research and
examination of marketing auditing, planning and overall strategy. This can be found
at http://www.britvic.com/ and http://www.britvic.co.uk/ respectively.

Use the Module notes and lectures for theory that can be applied to the case study.

Use the Module text (Wilson and Gilligan) as one of the key sources for theory and
references.

Your Specific Assignment Tasks

Specifically, the Britvic Board has asked to you report back on the following tasks:

Assignment One
1. Write a general summary of the current marketing situation of the Company, its
products and/or services, its main brands and market segments and customer
groups, any major soft drinks competitors and any potential problems in the
foreseeable future. (25 marks, approx. 300 words).
2. Carry out a short summary marketing audit for the company using suitable analytical
tools to assess internal and external factors. (50 marks, approx. 400 words).
3. Prepare a brief critique of the BSDs marketing mix, and comment on the companys
key success factors and its overall competitive advantage. (25 marks, approx. 300
words).

Assignment Two
4. As a result of your work, advise on any new primary marketing research that would
enable BSD the company to set future marketing objectives. (15 marks, approx. 500
words).
5. Using the findings from your four earlier reports, indicate how the company might
amend its current marketing strategy, with specific reference to the marketing mix,
branding, and in particular the growing emphasis on internet-based social media. (50
marks, approx. 1000 words).
6. Finally, compile a summary report to the BSD Board which lists your specific
recommendations on achieving long term growth for the company, including how the
marketing function should be managed in future. (35 marks, approx. 500 words).

The Board will then consider your assignment and give you constructive feedback once it
has been examined.

The diagram (above) shows that the first five assignment reports to the BSD Board are
linked by the sixth and final report shown in the centre of the diagram. This allows you to use
the final report to bring together all of your thoughts, ideas, suggestions and
recommendations, and to show that you have examined strategic marketing management
from a company perspective.
It is strongly suggested that you:
1. Read the case study thoroughly,
2. Re-read the case and carry out a critical analysis using the unit learning and teaching
resources, marketing tools, techniques and models where appropriate,
3. Work on each of the Reports in sequence, referring to marketing theory where
relevant, using the Harvard referencing system, finishing with the sixth and final
report,
4. Submit your two assignments in report format, front covers and contents page, lists
of references and any relevant appendices attached at the end of each assignment.