Business Question

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Conducting a Brand Audit
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Introduction
You have a total of two weeks to finish your brand analysis report and
should complete the seven steps of this project by the end of Week 4:
Step 1: Review Slate Case File
Step 2: Review the Branding Elements
Step 3: Research Slate’s Competitors
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Step 4: Discuss Competitors’ Branding Strategies
Step 5: Present Your Research Results
Step 6: Submit your Brand Analysis Report
Step 7: Complete your Brand Analysis Report
Step 8: Submit Your Work
If you have any questions, ask your instructor. To get started, click Step 1:
Review Slate Case File.
Competencies
Your work will be evaluated using the competencies listed
below.
1.3: Provide sufficient, correctly cited support that
substantiates the writer’s ideas.
1.6: Follow conventions of Standard Written English.
2.5: Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions or
decisions, checking them against relevant criteria and
benchmarks.
6.1: Identify the general (external) environment in which
an organization operates and discuss the implications for
enterprise success.
6.2: Evaluate strategic implications for domestic and
international markets of an organization’s industry.
6.4: Develop and recommend strategies for an
organization’s sustainable competitive advantage.
12.2: Analyze marketing information.
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Review Slate Case File
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INBOX: 1 New Message
Subject: Thinking about the consumer and branding
From: Jillian Best, CEO, MCS
To: You
Attachments:
Slate Case File
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/dam/permalink/5a894
dcf-f012-4f02-8014-f98a4bbb7741.html?ou=1213097)
Good Morning,
I have attached the Slate case file to this email. It provides
additional details you will need to inform your work with
Carlos Chance, their head of branding.
Branding
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/scor/uncurated/mba/2
218-mba640/learning-topic-list/branding.html?
ou=1213097)
is a very important element of marketing. As
you work on this project, it is imperative that you stay
focused on the consumer. Remember that a company’s
customers do not buy features; they buy benefits, both
tangible and intangible. It is also critical to understand
customers and how the brand influences their buying
decisions.
Best wishes,
Jillian
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After you have reviewed the Slate case file and read about branding,
proceed to Step 2, where you will examine the elements of branding
decisions.
Review the Branding Elements
Through correspondences with Carlos about his expectations for the brand
analysis report, the focus of your analysis starts to become clear:
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INBOX: 1 New Message
Subject: Focus of Brand Analysis
From: Carlos Chance, Head of Branding, Slate, Inc.
To: You
Hello,
Primarily, we want you to examine the branding strategies
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/scor/uncurated/mba/2
218-mba640/learning-topic-list/branding-strategies.html?
ou=1213097)
of our competitors. This report will function
as a brand audit
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/scor/uncurated/mba/2
218-mba640/learning-topic-list/brand-audit.html?
ou=1213097)
that allows us to examine our competitors’
strengths, weaknesses, customer expectations, and our own
relative position in the market.
These details form the basis of the main branding elements
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/scor/uncurated/mba/2
218-mba640/learning-topic-list/branding-elements.html?
ou=1213097) . I met with our CEO, Shanice Watts, and she
wanted me to emphasize the following eight categories we
would like you to analyze in your report about our two biggest
competitors:
1. brand personality
2. brand image
3. brand identity
4. brand differentiation
5. brand positioning
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6. brand communication
7. brand loyalty
8. brand equity (including financial equity)
Slate’s executive teams are really looking forward to your
report. Thanks for helping us with this.
Best,
Carlos
When you have finished reading about the branding elements, proceed to
the next step, where you will begin your research on Slate’s competitors.
Research Slate’s Competitors
Required Readings
Ferrara, M. H. (2013). Handbook of global marketing. Gale.
1. Building an international brand
(https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2759400009/GVRL?
u=umd_umuc&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=ebb02cb8)
2. Managing a brand across multiple markets
(https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2759400035/GVRL?
u=umd_umuc&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=6dac9663)
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3. Global brand success stories
(https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX2759400037/GVRL?
u=umd_umuc&sid=bookmark-GVRL&xid=2bd6b92f)
To carry out this assignment, you need to understand Slate’s competitors’
brand strategies, their consumers, how to acquire market knowledge
through primary and secondary research
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/scor/uncurated/mba/2218mba640/learning-topic-list/primary-and-secondaryresearch.html?
ou=1213097) , and how to use that knowledge to build and support a
brand.
To start your research, visit the websites of Slate’s two biggest competitors
and review both scholarly and reliable nonscholarly sources to explore their
branding decisions. Your research of the two companies should focus on the
branding elements discussed in the previous step.
Consult a minimum of three scholarly sources and twelve reliable
nonscholarly sources (15 total). Make sure that you use reliable,
nonscholarly sources such as Reuters, Bloomberg, Yahoo! Finance, Statista,
Barrons.com, Morningstar.com, Money, Forbes, Fortune, Financial Times,
The Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review, as well as the UMGC
Library databases such as Hoover’s, IBIS World, and ABI/INFORM.
In addition, explore the following branding websites for relevant content:
www.adage.com
www.adweek.com
www.brandchannel.com
www.ama.org
www.cmo.com
www.marketingprofs.com
Then proceed to the next step, where you will discuss branding strategy.
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Discuss Competitors’ Branding
Strategies
Importance of Branding
As you are researching Slate’s competitors, Carlos asks you to
participate in a meeting on the importance of branding
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/umuc/tgs/mba/mba64
0/2242/course-resource-list/meeting-on-the-importance-ofbranding-equity.html?ou=1213097)
with his team.
Review the meeting details, then go to the discussion area and begin by
posting your main response to Carlos’s questions by Saturday midnight
(latest!). Support your arguments with at least one source from the course
readings, and three reliable nonscholarly sources derived from your own
research. Then respond to at least two postings in the discussion group.
Complete all discussion posts and responses by Tuesday midnight (latest!).
Review the MBA Discussion Guidelines
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/umuc/tgs/mba/mba640/2242/course
-resource-list/mba-discussion-guidelines.html?ou=1213097)
for
instructions on participation in discussions.
In the next step, you will respond to your boss’s request for a vetted list of
references you are using to support your report.
Present Your Research Results
When you are just about finished with your research, MCS CEO, Jillian Best,
decides to check in on your progress. She emails you requesting that you
provide a list of the sources you are using for analysis:
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INBOX: 1 New Message
Subject: Sources for Slate Project
From: Jillian Best, CEO, MCS
To: You
I know that you’re deep into your analysis of the Slate, Inc.
case, but I wanted to preview your work and check in on the
sources of information you are using to develop your report.
Slate has asked to examine the sources of secondary research
that we are using in our report to ensure their quality and
originality. Accordingly, I want you to share the list of
references you have been using to research Slate’s
competitors.
Deliverable: Provide a reference list derived from your
research that has a minimum of four scholarly and 16 reliable,
nonscholarly sources (20 in all).
I suggest using reliable nonscholarly sources, such as Reuters,
Bloomberg, Yahoo! Finance, Barrons.com, Morningstar.com,
Money, Forbes, Fortune, Financial Times, Statista, The Wall
Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review, as well as
UMGC Library databases, such as Hoover’s, IBIS World, and
ABI-Inform.
All sources should be referenced using APA formatting.
Thanks for your hard work,
Jillian
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Submit your reference list to the Assignments folder. Then proceed to the
next step, where you will write your brand analysis report.
Submit Your Brand Analysis Report
Required Readings
Chapters 7 and 16
Lancaster, G., & Massingham, L. (2018). Essentials of marketing management
(http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?
url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1581263&site=edslive&scope=site&profile=edsebook)
(2nd ed.). Routledge.
Deliverable: Based on your research of the two companies’ brands, write a
13-page report (six pages separately on each company under its own
heading, and each brand element supported separately under its own
subheading, plus one page for recommendations to Slate) that addresses the
following branding elements
(https://leocontent.umgc.edu/content/scor/uncurated/mba/2218mba640/learning-topic-list/branding-elements.html?ou=1213097) :
1. brand personality
2. brand image
3. brand identity
4. brand differentiation
5. brand positioning
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6. brand communication
7. brand loyalty
8. brand equity (including financial equity)
As you examine these branding elements, your report should also answer
the following questions:
1. How strong are the companies’ brands in the market?
2. What are the factors contributing to their strengths and weaknesses?
3. How are these two brands competing against each other? How strong
is their global performance?
4. How do consumers perceive their brands?
5. Are there any sub-brands? Are there any brand extensions?
Support your work with course readings, scholarly sources, and reliable
nonscholarly sources, such as Reuters, Bloomberg, Yahoo! Finance,
Barrons.com, Morningstar.com, Money, Forbes, Fortune, the Financial
Times, Statista, the Wall Street Journal, and Harvard Business Review, as
well as UMGC Library databases, such as Hoover’s, IBIS World, and ABIInform. All sources have to be cited using APA formatting, both within the
text and in the reference list.
Your report to Carlos should be 13 pages (12-page brand analysis plus one
page for recommendations to Slate), excluding cover page, the reference list,
and appendices. Any graphics, tables, and figures should be included as
appendices. Your report should have one-inch margins and be double spaced
in 12-point Times New Roman font. The report should be organized using
headings and subheadings to improve its readability.
By midnight on Saturday of Week 4, submit your report to the Assignments
folder.
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Complete Your Brand Analysis
Report
Deliverable: Incorporate any revisions to your final Brand Analysis report.
Also, include the following:
1. A one-page executive summary that highlights the most important
findings of your analysis.
2. A clear recommendation on Slate’s branding of the new product that
they intend to launch, and include your rationale (at the end of the
paper).
3. A one-page table in an appendix at the end of the paper that compares
the eight brand elements for the two brands.
Your final report to Carlos should be 13 pages, excluding cover page,
executive summary, the reference list, and appendices (12-page brand
analysis plus one page for recommendations to Slate). Any graphs, tables,
and figures should be included as appendices. Your report should have oneinch margins and be double spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font. The
report should be organized using headings and subheadings to improve its
readability.
Submit your final report to the Assignments folder.
Submit Your Work
By the end of Week 4, submit all of your work to the Assignments folder.
Take note of the recommended delivery dates and file-naming protocols in
the table below:
Recommended Project Delivery
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Step
Submission
Week
Deliverable
File-naming protocol/Submission
instructions
Step
4
Week 3
Branding
Strategies
discussion
Submit discussion posts in the Branding
Strategies Discussion area
Step
5
Week 3
Reference list
lastname_references_date.docx
Step
6
Week 4
Brand
Analysis
Report
lastname_brand_analysis_date.docx
Step
7
Week 4
Final Brand
Analysis
Report
lastname_final_brand_analysis_date.docx
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Check Your Evaluation Criteria
Before you submit your assignment, review the competencies
below, which your instructor will use to evaluate your work. A
good practice would be to use each competency as a selfcheck to confirm you have incorporated all of them. To view
the complete grading rubric, click My Tools, select
Assignments from the drop-down menu, and then click the
project title.
1.3: Provide sufficient, correctly cited support that
substantiates the writer’s ideas.
1.6: Follow conventions of Standard Written English.
2.5: Develop well-reasoned ideas, conclusions or
decisions, checking them against relevant criteria and
benchmarks.
6.1: Identify the general (external) environment in which
an organization operates and discuss the implications for
enterprise success.
6.2: Evaluate strategic implications for domestic and
international markets of an organization’s industry.
6.4: Develop and recommend strategies for an
organization’s sustainable competitive advantage.
12.2: Analyze marketing information.
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Take Action
Submit your assignment to your instructor for review and
feedback.
Follow these steps to access the assignment:
Click My Tools in the top navigation bar.
Click Assignments.
Select the relevant assignment.
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Course Resource
Slate Case File
Client Name: Slate, Inc.
Industry: Sporting Goods
Product Line: Sports Apparel and Footwear
Competitors:
•
•
Nike
Adidas
Slate, Inc. has asked us to provide a brand analysis report on these two competing brands to
inform Slate’s decisions on the direction of its branding strategy.
Comparing Nike and Adidas brands can provide valuable insights to Slate, Inc. for several
reasons:
1. Competitive Analysis: Both brands are significant sports apparel and footwear players.
A comparison can help understand how they compete regarding product offerings,
marketing strategies, and target markets.
2. Brand Positioning: Understanding how each brand is positioned in the market can
provide insights into their unique selling propositions and how they differentiate
themselves.
3. Consumer Perception: Analyzing how consumers perceive and interact with each brand
can help identify strengths and weaknesses in their branding strategies.
4. Market Trends: Comparing these brands can also shed light on current sports apparel
and footwear trends.
5. Innovation and Technology: Nike and Adidas are known for their innovation and use of
technology in product development. A comparison can highlight their approach to
innovation and how it impacts their brand image.
6. Sustainability Practices: With growing consumer interest in sustainability, comparing
the brands’ environmental impact and sustainability practices can be informative.