Topic: How does advertising in womens magazines affect womens body image.
The following guidelines should be used during the creation of your partner white paper: Understanding Consumer Welfare.
Project Description
Marketing graduates sometimes work for government, public interest, public service, and corporate organizations that work to promote and enhance consumer welfare. Consumer welfare issues groups often have profound implications for both marketing practice and consumer behavior.
Your assignment for this project is to engage in an extensive analysis of a controversial issue of interest to your team which has implications for consumer welfare. Examples include, but are not limited to, topics such as:
• whether cigarette advertisers are targeting children
• whether marketing perpetuates theft by encouraging materialistic values
• whether government labeling requirements on foods are effective
• does advertising affect body image
• marketing and gambling
• does marketing encourage underage consumption of alcohol
• the pros and cons of Social Networking
Work with your teammate to identify a topic you wish to study. The topic may be the one identified above or you may find a new topic of interest. Clear the project with me by the assigned due date. I don't want too many teams having the same topic. I may ask you to choose another topic, if this is the case.
Your team should clearly specify the research question and conduct relevant research. Your insights should be based on sound and complete research and may come from a variety of sources:
• Academic articles
• Industry reports and company policies
• TV shows like 20/20 or 60 Minutes
• Government reports
• Advertisements or other IMC material
• Primary data (focus groups, interviews, questionnaires)
The purpose
In business and academia, a white paper is an opportunity to take a stand on an issue and support that stand with credible support, critical thought, and individual/team analysis.
White Paper Format
The final paper will have the following format:
1. Title page
2. Executive Summary
3. Review of your research question
4. Review of findings
5. Implications for marketing practice
6. Your position and/or recommendation and supporting rationale
In your paper be sure to present arguments that support a given perspective as well as arguments that refute it.
The structure
Review the White Paper resources outlined in the Lesson 1 Course Schedule located in the syllabus.
The length
There is no standard length for white papers. In marketing, our challenge is always communicating messages effectively AND succinctly, so that's what we're looking for in this white paper. Be thorough enough to make a strong case, but don't include superfluous research that does not support your claim. In this class, two to seven pages is probably a good range, with 2 pages running the risk of being light on content and seven really pushing the upper limit. However, you should note that two pages done well could receive an A. Seven pages without focus could receive a disappointing grade. Don't think more is better. Good research and smart analysis is better.
Papers should be typed, double-spaced, grammatically correct, and include a works cited list in APA style. It should be typed in 12-point Times Roman font. If you are submitting your work in a folder, your margins should be 1 and ½ inch for left, 1 inch for the right margin and 1 inch for top and bottom. Otherwise, 1-inch margins are acceptable.