Food Marketing Series

The setting

GOODFIELD MARKET gave its best end-of-aisle display to a new line of refrigerated soups. Shoppers walk past it, though the same soups sell steadily in their usual position, and the signage, the price card and the product itself each say something slightly different.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a marketing associate at GOODFIELD MARKET.

Your task

The merchandising director (judge) wants you to explain why the display is not working and what should change. Identify the elements of the promotional mix at work on a display like this, explain why the elements of an advertisement have to be coordinated, explain the components of the message a shopper reads in the two seconds they give it, explain how the soups fit the wider product mix, and explain what promotion is meant to achieve here.

Performance indicators

• Identify the elements of the promotional mix.
• Explain the importance of coordinating elements in advertisements.
• Explain the components of advertisements.
• Explain the concept of product mix.
• Explain the role of promotion as a marketing function.

The judge will ask

1. 1.Why might a product sell better in its usual spot than on a premium display?
2. 2.What would you change first, and how long would you give it?

The setting

HEARTHSTONE BAKERY wants to put the word local on the front of its bread packaging. The flour is milled nearby; the yeast, the salt and the packaging are not. The owner is keen and the print run is booked.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a marketing associate at HEARTHSTONE BAKERY.

Your task

The owner (judge) wants you to recommend what the packaging should say. Describe the regulation of promotion as it applies to a claim like this one, explain the role of business ethics in promotion when a claim is technically arguable, identify the consumer protection provisions that apply, explain what the claim would do for the HEARTHSTONE brand, and explain what promotion is supposed to be doing for the bakery in the first place.

Performance indicators

• Describe the regulation of promotion.
• Describe the use of business ethics in promotion.
• Identify consumer protection provisions of appropriate agencies.
• Explain the nature of corporate branding.
• Explain the role of promotion as a marketing function.

The judge will ask

1. 1.What wording would you be comfortable defending?
2. 2.Is a weaker but honest claim worth less to the bakery?

The setting

TERRA FOODS has run in-store sampling for its frozen dumplings every weekend for two years. Store managers say the sampling weekends feel busy, and nobody has ever established whether sales hold up afterwards.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a marketing associate at TERRA FOODS.

Your task

The director of marketing (judge) wants you to recommend whether sampling continues next quarter. Describe the need for marketing data before that decision is made, identify the data that should be monitored, explain the nature of the marketing research that would answer the question, identify the other sales promotion channels the same effort could go to, and explain the marketing strategy sampling is meant to serve.

Performance indicators

• Describe the need for marketing data.
• Identify data monitored for marketing decision making.
• Explain the nature of marketing research.
• Identify communications channels used in sales promotion.
• Explain the concept of marketing strategies.

The judge will ask

1. 1.How would you establish whether a sampling weekend actually worked?
2. 2.What would you need to see to recommend stopping?

The setting

ORCHARD LANE has been offered a substantial promotional allowance by a large supplier in exchange for giving its brand most of the shelf in one category, which would mean dropping two smaller regional producers the store has carried since it opened.

Your role

You are to assume the role of a marketing associate at ORCHARD LANE.

Your task

The general manager (judge) wants you to recommend whether ORCHARD LANE takes the offer. Explain the concept of product mix and what this would do to it, explain what product management has to weigh here, explain the business ethics involved in dropping long-standing suppliers for an allowance, explain how you would identify the product opportunities the store would be giving up, and explain what the decision says about the store's brand promise.

Performance indicators

• Explain the concept of product mix.
• Explain the nature and scope of the product/service management function.
• Explain business ethics in product/service management.
• Identify product opportunities.
• Identify company's brand promise.

The judge will ask

1. 1.What do you tell the two regional producers?
2. 2.What would make you recommend taking the offer?