Chapter 1
Exercise 1.1
Marketing in Today’s Economy
CarsDirect http://www.carsdirect.com
1. Explore the CarsDirect website, including pricing a vehicle of your choice. How successful is
CarsDirect in reducing the hassles associated with buying an automobile?
2. Does the design of the CarsDirect website convey confidence and trust in the car buying process?
How has CarsDirect answered consumers’ concerns over the lack of a human element in their
marketspace?
Exercise 1.2
Daytona 500 http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com
1. What is the product offered by the Daytona International Speedway and the Daytona 500? How
does the Daytona 500 create and deliver customer satisfaction through the five types of utility?
2. How does the Daytona 500 website enhance the marketing of the speedway and its events? In
what sense does the website serve as a metamediary for all things NASCAR?
Chapter 2
Exercise 2.1
Strategic Marketing Planning
Viacom http://www.viacom.com
1. Identify Viacom’s strategic business units. What are the major competitive advantages of each
SBU?
2. Follow the links to the various MTV networks (MTV, MTV2, mtvU, and Tr3s) and read about
their different audiences and marketing strategies. How do the MTV networks fit into Viacom’s
strategic planning process?
Exercise 2.2
American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org
1. Based on the Red Cross’s website, can you discern the agency’s marketing strategy? Is this
strategy consistent with its mission?
2. Does the Red Cross appear to be a customer-oriented agency? How is the company using its
website to build relationships with customers?
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Chapter 3
Exercise 3.1
Collecting and Analyzing Marketing Information
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company http://www.rjrt.com
1. Describe the internal, external, and customer environments that influence R.J. Reynolds’ marketing
strategies. Which issues seem to be perennial problems for the company?
2. How has R.J. Reynolds used its marketing strategy to counteract negative influences within its
operating environments?
Exercise 3.2
Ben & Jerry’s http://www.benjerry.com
1. Based on Ben & Jerry’s website, can you determine the characteristics of the firm’s customers?
How are these customer groups related to selling ice cream?
2. How is Ben & Jerry’s website used to collect customer information?
Chapter 4
Exercise 4.1
Developing Competitive Advantage and Strategic Focus
Apple http://www.apple.com
1. Apple is consistently rated as one of the world’s most innovative companies. What evidence to
this effect do you see on the website? How has Apple translated innovation into a major strength?
2. Most of Apple’s products carry a premium price relative to those of the competition. Does Apple’s
strengths in innovation overcome its weakness in price competitiveness? Explain.
Exercise 4.2
Ford Motor Company http://www.ford.com
1. Assume you are preparing a SWOT analysis for Ford. Based on the company’s website, identify
several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Which are the most important for Ford’s
future marketing strategies?
2. How can Ford leverage its strengths to create competitive advantages?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Chapter 5
Exercise 5.1
Customers, Segmentation, and Target Marketing
iVillage http://www.ivillage.com
1. Describe the markets that iVillage appears to be targeting. What variables are being used to
segment these markets?
2. What companies use iVillage to promote their goods and services? Who are their target markets?
Is iVillage a good metamediary for reaching these target markets?
Exercise 5.2
Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com
Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com
1. Based on their websites, compare and contrast the apparent target markets and marketing mixes of
Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
2. Describe how these companies use their websites for positioning. What aspects of company and
product differentiation are apparent within each website?
Chapter 6
Exercise 6.1
The Marketing Program
FedEx Supply Chain Services http://www.fedex.com/us/supply-chain
1. What services does FedEx provide that would assist firms in their distribution and supply chain
efforts?
2. Why would a firm turn to FedEx Supply Chain Services rather than perform its own supply chain
activities?
Exercise 6.2
Golf Discount http://www.golfdiscount.com
1. What pricing strategies does Golf Discount use? Which strategies are likely to be the most
effective for novice golfers?
2. In what ways does the Golf Discount website illustrate the shifting balance of power to consumers?
Exercise 6.3
SAP http://www.sap.com
1. What are the key benefits of implementing a supply chain solution such as SAP?
2. What are the likely challenges in implementing a supply chain solution?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Exercise 6.4
Zoo Atlanta http://www.zooatlanta.org
1. Who are the zoo’s customers? How does Zoo Atlanta communicate with each target customer
group?
2. Based on the information contained on its website, how does Zoo Atlanta use each element of the
integrated marketing communications mix?
Chapter 7
Exercise 7.1
Branding and Positioning
Procter & Gamble http://www.pg.com/en_US/brands/all_brands.shtml
1. Review the U.S. product categories and brands offered by Procter & Gamble. How many of these
brands are currently in your household? Which brands do you believe enjoy the highest brand
loyalty? Why?
2. Which of the brands in the list are likely to have the highest brand equity? Are brand equity and
brand loyalty always closely related? Explain.
Exercise 7.2
State Farm Insurance http://www.statefarm.com
1. What elements of branding are visible on State Farm’s website?
2. How is State Farm’s positioning relative to competing firms evident on its website?
Chapter 8
Ethics and Social Responsibility in Marketing Strategy
Exercise 8.1
Lockheed Martin
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/who-we-are/ethics.html
1. Read about ethics at Lockheed Martin. How has the firm successfully integrated marketing ethics
throughout its corporate culture and marketing program?
2. Visit the company’s Integrity Minute page and view the latest video series
(http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/who-we-are/ethics/iminute.html). Do you feel that training
materials like these are effective in establishing an ethical culture at Lockheed Martin?
Exercise 8.2
McDonald’s
http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/sustainability/our_focus_areas.html
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1. Read about McDonald’s social responsibility initiatives. How has McDonald’s integrated social
responsibility with its marketing strategy?
2. Are you surprised at McDonald’s level of involvement in giving back to its communities? Other
than Ronald McDonald House Charities, why have most consumers never heard of McDonald’s
many philanthropic initiatives?
Chapter 9
Exercise 9.1
Marketing Implementation and Control
Advance Auto Parts http://corp.advanceautoparts.com/about/general.asp
1. At Advance Auto Parts, how important are people to the implementation of marketing strategy?
2. What implementation approach does Advance Auto Parts seem to be using? Why?
Exercise 9.2
Home Depot http://careers.homedepot.com/our-culture/our-values.html
1. What are Home Depot’s core values that guide its corporate culture?
2. How does Home Depot use these values to implement its marketing strategies?
Chapter 10
Exercise 10.1
Developing and Maintaining Long-Term Customer Relationships
Blue Cross Blue Shield http://www.bcbs.com
1. How does Blue Cross Blue Shield use its website to build relationships with customers?
2. How does Blue Cross Blue Shield deliver exceptional quality and value to customers?
Exercise 10.2
American Customer Satisfaction Index http://www.theacsi.org
1. What trends do you see in customer satisfaction since the ACSI began in 1994? Which industries
have fared the best?
2. What are some potential reasons for the satisfaction trends across service sectors?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.