See attached file for the 4 case questions. The expectation is for a MBA student.
· Answer any four of the nine questions below. · Each question is worth the same number of points. · Type your answers and start each question on a new page. · Write your answers in complete sentences and paragraphs. As a rule, keep your paragraphs shorter than half a page. · Try to answer in a structured/systematic way rather than in a long paragraph/unstructured format that may obscure key points. · Provide detailed and thoughtful answers and demonstrate critical thinking and application of marketing concepts to the given scenarios. · Provide evidence and examples to support your arguments and claims. When you use evidence from relevant sources (academic articles, books, company literature, industry reports, research data, etc.) to support your reasoning, cite all sources in APA or Chicago format. · Use appropriate marketing frameworks and tools to illustrate your analysis. · State any assumptions if questions require you to do so. · Aim for 3-4 pages (~1500-2000 words) per answer, but quality is more important than quantity. A well-written, concise answer is preferred over a long, rambling one. · The maximum length for each question is (~2500 words), not including any citations, tables, images, flowcharts, etc. Requirements: 1. Formatting: a. Minimum of 1-inch document margins b. Font size: 11 c. Numbered pages d. Each question response should start on a new page 2. APA or Chicago style is to be used consistently throughout the assignment. For help with the APA/Chicago style, visit the OWL – Purdue’s Online Writing Lab. 3. Upload your completed paper to the Exam 2 Dropbox. a. Name your exam Microsoft Word/PDF document in exactly this format: firstname_lastname_exam (for example, “kris_hans_exam”) Evaluation: Each answer will be graded out of 20 points. Grades will be awarded based on how well you address the question itself, the clarity and logic of your answer, and appropriate use of the course materials (case studies, exercises, guest speakers, in-class discussions, lectures, and readings). The essay answers will be evaluated for use of course concepts, ability to apply the concepts to the situation specified in the questions, use of logic and evidence to make your points, and clarity of the writing. Some questions ask you to design a plan or suggest a technique for addressing a problem – for these types of questions, you will also be evaluated for how specific and thoughtful your plan is. Guidelines for answering the questions: · Demonstrate your understanding of the question topic and cover all the relevant points and sub-questions. · Provide evidence and examples to support your arguments and claims. · Analyze the question topic using appropriate marketing concepts, theories, and frameworks. · Synthesize information from various sources and perspectives and make connections between different marketing topics and issues covered in this course. · Draw meaningful conclusions and recommendations from your analysis. · Please answer critically and thoughtfully. What will differentiate great answers from others is “critical thinking” and application of concepts to these contexts (rather than just a reproduction of concepts). · Communicate effectively in a clear, concise, and professional manner using proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, vocabulary, terminology, format, citation, style, and structure. Please refer to the rubric at the end of this document for evaluation details. 1. Marketing Research for Starbucks’ New Product Bundling Strategy: You are a marketing researcher at Starbucks, a global coffeehouse chain that offers a variety of beverages, food items, and merchandise. The company is considering introducing a new product bundling strategy that would offer customers a coffee + sandwich + cookie/muffin combo meal at a discounted price. The company wants to conduct marketing research to evaluate whether this strategy would have a positive impact on its sales and customer satisfaction. a. What are the main objectives and research questions that Starbucks wants to answer through this marketing research? How would you define the target market and the positioning strategy for the new product bundling offer? How would you define the scope and limitations of this research project? b. What type of research methodology would you use to collect data for this research project? Would you use exploratory, descriptive, or causal research? Would you use primary or secondary data sources? Justify your choices with relevant examples and arguments. c. How would you design a sampling plan for this research project? What sampling frame, sampling method, and sampling size would you use? How would you ensure the representativeness and reliability of your sample? How would you deal with any potential sampling errors or biases that might affect your results? d. How would you choose the contact methods for collecting data from your sample? Would you use personal interviews, telephone interviews, mail surveys, online surveys, or other methods? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each method in terms of cost, speed, response rate, and quality? e. What type of data would you collect for this research project? Would you use quantitative or qualitative data? Would you use structured or unstructured questions? Would you use open-ended or closed-ended questions? How would you design your questionnaire or interview guide to elicit relevant and accurate information from respondents? Provide some examples of questions that you would include in your questionnaire or interview guide. 2. Calgary 2026/2034: How to Win the Hearts and Minds of Voters for an Olympic Bid: You are a marketing consultant hired by the City of Calgary to explore the possibility of submitting a bid for the 2034 Winter Olympics. The City of Calgary had previously attempted to bid for the 2026 Winter Olympics but withdrew after the majority of voters rejected the bid in a citywide vote: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-2026-olympic-bid-dead-city-council-1.4 911476) The City of Calgary had hoped that hosting the Olympics would boost its economy, tourism, and international reputation. However, many voters were concerned about the high costs, risks, and environmental impacts of hosting such a massive event. Based on your analysis of what went wrong in terms of positioning Calgary’s 2026 Olympics bid and your understanding of the current market situation and consumer behavior, answer the following questions: a. How would you segment the market for potential supporters (Calgary residents) of Calgary’s Olympic bid based on geographic, demographic, psychographic, and behavioral variables? What criteria would you use to evaluate these segments? b. How would you identify and select the most attractive target segments of Calgarians for Calgary’s Olympic bid? What factors would you consider in assessing their size, growth potential, profitability, and compatibility with Calgary’s vision and values? c. How would you position Calgary’s Olympic bid in relation to other competing bids (e.g., Salt Lake City and Sapporo) and alternative uses of public funds (e.g., health care and education)? What are the key points of differentiation and value proposition that you would communicate to your target segments? d. How would you develop a branding strategy for Calgary’s Olympic bid that builds on its core strengths and creates a distinctive identity and image in the minds of voters? What are the elements of brand equity that you would focus on enhancing? e. How would you design a marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion) for Calgary’s Olympic bid that aligns with your positioning strategy and meets the needs and expectations of your target segments? How would you differentiate your offering from the competitors in terms of features, benefits, quality, and price? 3. Pricing Strategy for Tesla’s Cybertruck: You are a marketing consultant hired by Tesla Canada to develop a pricing strategy for its new electric pickup truck called “Cybertruck” that will be launched in 2024. The Cybertruck is a futuristic-looking vehicle that offers high performance, durability, and versatility. It can tow up to 14,000 pounds, accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and travel up to 500 miles on a single charge. Tesla Canada wants to position the Cybertruck as a disruptive and innovative product that appeals to customers who value sustainability and style. a. What are the main objectives and constraints that Tesla Canada faces in setting the price for the Cybertruck? How would you prioritize and balance these objectives and constraints? b. What are the main factors that affect the demand and supply of the Cybertruck? How would you estimate the price elasticity of demand and the break-even point for the Cybertruck? c. What are the main competitors and substitutes for the Cybertruck in the Canadian market? How would you assess their pricing strategies and their impact on Tesla’s competitive advantage? d. How would you determine the value of the Cybertruck to different customer segments based on their willingness to pay, perceived benefits, and costs? How would you use value-based pricing methods (e.g., economic value estimation) to set an optimal price for each segment? e. How would you design a pricing structure and tactics for the Cybertruck that aligns with your pricing strategy and meets the needs and preferences of your target segments? How would you use price discrimination, bundling, dynamic pricing, or other techniques to capture more value from customers? 4. How Ryan Reynolds Minted Millions From His Mobile Marketing Moves Ryan Reynolds is not only a successful actor and producer, but also a savvy entrepreneur and marketer. In 2019, he acquired a stake in Mint Mobile, a budget wireless provider that operates as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) using T-Mobile’s network. He used his celebrity status and humour to differentiate the brand from its competitors and attract millions of customers with low-cost plans and innovative marketing campaigns. On March 15, 2023, he sold Mint Mobile to T-Mobile for up to $1.35 billion, making him one of the richest celebrities in the world. In this question, you will analyze the marketing strategies and outcomes of Ryan Reynolds’ sale of Mint Mobile to T-Mobile. You will also compare this deal with his previous sale of Aviation American Gin in 2020. a. Describe the target market and value proposition of Mint Mobile. How did Ryan Reynolds use his celebrity status and humour to differentiate the brand from its competitors? What were some of the marketing campaigns and tactics that he used to attract and retain customers? b. Explain how T-Mobile’s acquisition of Mint Mobile affects T-Mobile’s marketing mix. How does it enhance T-Mobile’s product, price, place, and promotion strategies? How does it leverage Mint Mobile’s brand equity and customer loyalty? How does T-Mobile communicate the benefits of the deal to its stakeholders? c. Evaluate the effectiveness of Ryan Reynolds’ digital marketing agency Maximum Effort in creating engaging and viral campaigns for Mint Mobile and other clients. What are some of the digital marketing tools and techniques that it uses to reach and influence consumers? How does it measure and optimize its digital marketing performance? d. Discuss how Ryan Reynolds’ sale of Mint Mobile reflects his marketing orientation and skills. How does he identify and satisfy customer needs and wants? How does he create value for his customers and shareholders? How does he use market research and data to inform his decisions? e. Compare and contrast Ryan Reynolds’ sale of Mint Mobile with his sale of Aviation American Gin in 2020. What are some of the marketing opportunities and challenges that he faced in each deal? How did he position and promote each brand in their respective markets? How did he negotiate and close each deal? Exam Question Rubric: This assignment is graded out of 20 points using the following rubric Criteria Does Not Meet Expectations 1 Partially Meets Expectations 2 Meets Expectations 3 Exceeds Expectations 4 Max Points Quality of Analysis Inadequate comprehension of concepts or theories presented in course materials. Includes irrelevant external resources and/or few or no course materials. Partial comprehension of concepts or theories presented in course materials. Includes course materials and external resources with limited relevance. Adequate comprehension of concepts or theories presented in course materials. Includes course materials and relevant external resources. Broad and in-depth comprehension of concepts or theories presented in course materials and relevant external resources. 4 Required Components Response is missing/does not address required components indicated in the instructions. Response is missing/does not address some of the required components indicated in the instructions. Response includes all components and meets the requirements indicated in the instructions. Response includes and exceeds the requirements indicated in the instructions. 4 Support for Ideas Offers simplistic or little support for ideas. Ideas are irrelevant to the course. Connections between ideas are unclear. Ideas are partially supported/relevant, too broad, or repetitive. Includes some examples. Inconsistent connections between ideas. Ideas are supported by appropriate examples that lead to logical conclusions. Consistent connections between ideas. Substantial and logical development of new ideas and insights. Conclusions are original, compelling, and topical. 4 Writing Unclear organization. Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. Some signs of logical organization. A few grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors. Organization supports purpose. Well-constructed paragraphs. Almost no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors. Organization fully and imaginatively supports purpose. Well-constructed paragraphs and subheadings. No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. 4 Referencing (Chicago or APA Style) CMOS or APA style is followed a few times in the document. No sources or mostly not cited in CMOS/APA. CMOS or APA style is followed sometimes in the document. Some sources are missing (or not cited in CMOS/APA). Most of the document follows CMOS or APA style. Most sources are cited in CMOS/APA with few errors. The entire document follows CMOS or APA formatting and all sources are properly cited in CMOS/APA. 4