Main Objective of the assessment

This coursework aims to assess the understanding of theories and practices related to marketing communications mix, ability to apply and analyse them and offer creative solutions to business problems.

Description of the Assessment

Choose a UK based company from any of the following industries:

1) Fashion

2) Cosmetics

3) Toiletries

Your company have assigned you to analyse, assess and develop their integrated marketing communications (IMC) mix strategies for the UK market and recommend future actions.

The report has to cover the following areas:

Literature review: You are expected to conduct an extensive review of academic literature on integrated marketing communications and branding wl particular focus on theoretical models such as AIDA and ELM.

Market environment review: Provide a brief review of the UK market of your chosen product/brand. Identify the key competitors, market trends and r environmental factors that may have significant influence on your strategic decisions.

Company strategies: You are now required to analyse the IMC strategies of your chosen organisation in light of the theories and research findings

Discussed in the literature review and address the following issues:

1. Brand positioning: identify and discuss the choice of brand/concept which is being promoted with reference to competitive positioning and differential appeal.

2. Communication mix management: Identify and assess the media and IMC tools used by your chosen organisation.

3. Critically assess the IMC tools that your organisation uses and offer recommendations for improvement.

Please enter here the marking scheme relevant for the coursework and provide an illustration of each assessment criterion achieved at each of the grade descriptor for UG/PG levels.

Notes:

1. The assignment should not exceed 3000 words and should be presented in report format, not as an essay. You are allowed to include any reasonable amount of supporting material in an Appendix.

2. Your analysis of the practical issues should be linked with relevant theories and research findings discussed in the literature review.

3. You should draw upon your personal research done at the library, through the Internet and the recommended reading and material covered throughout the module. Please reference carefully all your research sources.

4. You are asked to use only secondary research for this assignment. You are encouraged to be innovative in your quest for answers, by using images,advertisement examples etc.

5. Please adopt a critical but constructive view supported by factual information, not just personal opinions. If quoting other people's work, please use the accepted form of academic referencing (Harvard style referencing).

6. The online submission must be done in .doc format.

You will be assessed on:

a) How critically you present the literature review and market review.

b) The depth and relevancy of your arguments.

c) Your analytical skills.

d) Your objectivity in identifying problems and limitations.

e) Your presentation style.
 
Additional guidelines

Use of reference materials

The reference material used to refer to the company (market review) should be recent (2-3 years or less) and not old. Other literature used can be from any year.

Report format

1. E-Cover page (include the word count)

2. Table of Contents (with page numbers)*

3. Executive Summary (Max of a page of brief description of the report)

4. Introduction

5. Literature Review (previous models/theories/framework to support your analysis and previous studies to support your argument)

6. Market environment analysis (UK market only)

7.Critical Analysis and Discussion (The company strategies have to be analysed and discussed in light of relevant theories and research findings discussed in the literature review)

8. Recommendations

9. Conclusion

10. References (bibliography; sources used in the assignment)**

11. Appendix (only relevant, succinct material)

Notes:

Don't forget to number your pages and don't forget to spell check your entire assignment.

Please reference your sources carefully using the Harvard Referencing System.

You can customise /adapt these headings to suit your individual needs.

The following do not count towards the word limit: e-cover page, table of contents, executive summary, reference list (i.e. bibliography) and the appendix.

Introduction, market and literature review, critical analysis and discussion, conclusion and recommendations do count towards the word limit