Strategic

Marketing
Dr Smitha Ranganathan
Course Priority

01 02 03
Develop a thorough Build the ability to Develop a strategic
understanding of the conduct analysis using mindset to diagnose
strategic marketing various tools and problems in the
process and functional frameworks to make organization and make
strategies deployed by strategic decisions at practical
market-leading the business-level. recommendations.
organizations.
 Assessment Priorities
Assignment Description Marks

Class Participation Sessions 1-12 20%

In Class Exercises Mini case-based assignments on impact of business 20%

environment on marketing strategy and role of marketing
strategy in business growth

End of course Group Analysis of a business context considered during the unit 20%
Presentation (MPAW)

Reflective Paper Develop, justify and recommend a Marketing Strategy for a 40%
product or a service
 Spheres of Influence as a Marketer

UNDERSTAND
CONSUMER DETERMINE MARKET IDENTIFY VIABLE
PREFERENCES/PURCHASE POTENTIAL FOR AN SEGMENTS FOR
BEHAVIOUR FOR AN OFFERING TARGETING AN OFFERING
OFFERING/CATEGORY

PLAN TARGETING AND CRAFT GO TO MARKET

MANAGE PRODUCT
POSITIONING STRATEGY FOR AN
PORTFOLIOS
APPROACHES OFFERING
 The How?

• Immersive learning journey

with real-world case studies
& experiential exercises
 Marketing roadmap
Market Research Tactical Marketing Plan
1 2 3 4 5

Definition of Offering Developing the

Study of Macro Market Product Launch
and Positioning marketing Mix
Environment Segmentation

• Prioritize customer • Brand Strategy • Time frame and

• PESTLE • Pricing
• Market needs (Personas) Milestones
Analysis Approach
Segmentation – • Description of • Identification of
• Porter’s Five • Advertising and
• Identification of Offering Potential
Forces Promotion
Target • Arriving at USP Bottlenecks
• Identify and Strategy
Segments (Outcome of • Key Success
Profile – • Sales and
• Confirmation of Positioning) Factors
Primary Channel
Customer needs • Identifying Points • Marketing Action
Competitors Strategy
– Stated and of Differences vs Plan
and • Sales Force
Latent needs competition
Secondary Organization
(Voice of the (Outcome of
Competitors • Sales metrics
Customer) Differentiation)
(SWOT) and Incentives Compiled by Dr SSR
 Marketing roadmap
Market Research Tactical Marketing Plan
1 2 3 4 5

Definition of Offering Developing the

Study of Macro Market Product Launch
and Positioning marketing Mix
Environment Segmentation

• Prioritize customer • Brand Strategy • Time frame and

• PESTLE • Pricing
• Market needs (Personas) Milestones
Analysis Approach
Segmentation – • Description of • Identification of
• Porter’s Five • Advertising and
• Identification of Offering Potential
Forces Promotion
Target • Arriving at USP Bottlenecks
• Identify and Strategy
Segments (Outcome of • Key Success
Profile – • Sales and
• Confirmation of Positioning) Factors
Primary Channel
Customer needs • Identifying Points • Marketing Action
Competitors Strategy
– Stated and of Differences vs Plan
and • Sales Force
Latent needs competition
Secondary Organization
(Voice of the (Outcome of
Competitors • Sales metrics
Customer) Differentiation)
(SWOT) and Incentives Compiled by Dr SSR
Marketing
Research for
Designing Value
Dr Smitha Ranganathan
What is a
customer
insight?
Data Vs Insight
 Data,
Information
Vs Insight
The What and Why?
 It is a not-yet-obvious discovery

Characteristics
It is a unique and fresh
of Customer perspective
Insight

It rarely emerges from

quantitative research
 Insights Defined
The ability to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or
something.
How well do you know your
Customers?
• Who are they? (beyond demographics and
geography)
• What do they do?
• Why do they do it?
• What is their decision making criteria?
• Specific Preferences?
• How do they spend their week? Values, motivations,
attitudes, beliefs?
• Happy with the existing product? What would they
like to modify?
• Pain and Gain points?
When do I carry out Market Research

Pre-launch - Feasibility Research Post Launch – Ongoing ; to remain

Launch – Go to Market Strategy (STP, relevant, rebrand
(Market Sizing, Gauging Opportunity,
4 Ps)
Gaps in current offering.
What will be the segmentation approach for a speciality pet food boutique that
intends to set up shop in a geography of your Choice.
 Psychographic model of dog ownership

Dog is Human
Companion Baby

Dog is Animal Guard Mascot

Role is Functional Role is Emotional

Targeting – Which segments to consider
Basis for Segmentation
Basis for Segmentation (Contd.)
Decoding
Customer
Personas
 General Buyer Persona

Nidhi Rao (The Concerned Pet Parent)

Demographics Challenges
Age? Income? Location? Gender Identity? What does this person struggle with in
relation to meeting goals? What serves as
● Age: 32 years a roadblock for this person’s success?
● Income: INR 13 lakhs pa
● Finds it difficult to switch her current job
● Gender: Female
● Mostly gets time with her family during the weekends
● Location: Whitefield, Bengaluru
● Indecisive when buying gifts for her pet
● Takes quite some time to shop for her pet like it takes
for herself
Identifiers
Communication preferences? Common Objections
Social media platforms? Why wouldn’t they buy your
product/service?

● Prefers Text, SMS, WhatsApp ● Thinks, home cooked food to be healthier for her pet
● Instagram than readymade food
● Facebook ● Prefers grooming her companion-pet herself
Background ● LinkedIn ● Buys attarctive gifts for her pet even if the item is of no
Job? Career Path? Family? use as such but her dog would be happy to get it
Lifestyle?

● Job: Banker
Goals
● Education: B.Com Primary/secondary goals? Personal vs professional goals? Role-related vs company goals?
● Family: Married, 1 kid ● Wants to be a successful Investment Banker
● Extrovert ● Spending time with her friends and family
● Punctual, Loves to ● Buying gifts and stuffs to pamper her German Shepherd and taking her companion-pet with her
socialize wherever she goes
● Hobbies: Reading ● Wants to make her dog feel that she is just like another family member, keeping her happy and
near her
 General Buyer Persona

Karan Peswani (The Practical Owner)

Demographics Challenges
Age? Income? Location? Gender Identity? What does this person struggle with in
relation to meeting goals? What serves as
● Age: 27 years a roadblock for this person’s success?
● Income: INR 11 lakhs pa ● Finds it difficult to get time between work and personal pfiorities
● Gender: Male ● Gets less time to work out after office work
● Location: Andheri, Mumbai ● Spends a lot of time reading the labels, magazines etc. before buying
food or healthcare products for his pet dog
● Struggles to get a proper dog trainer
Identifiers
Communication preferences? Common Objections
Social media platforms? Why wouldn’t they buy your
product/service?

● Emails, SMS, Texts ● Would only purchase useful products for his dog
● Less active on Social Media recommended by the vets
● Prefers calls over in-person ● Prefers readymade dog food over home-cooked meals.
Background interactions Understands the different dietary needs of his pets
Job? Career Path? Family?
Lifestyle?

● Job: Software engineer Goals

at a Service based firm Primary/secondary goals? Personal vs professional goals? Role-related vs company goals?
● Education: B. Tech
● To become a senior software engineer at a Product based firm
● Family: Single
● Exercising and staying fit, Binge watching during weekends
● Introvert, Intuitive
● Spending time to train his Rottweiler to become a proper guard dog, going out for
● Hobbies: Gaming,
daily evening walks with him, Participating in Dog shows/competitions
Trekking
● Spending on the health and well-being of his dog, keeping him fit and happy
 General Buyer Persona

Neha Sharma (The Aesthetic Conscious Owner)

Demographics Challenges
Age? Income? Location? Gender Identity? What does this person struggle with in
relation to meeting goals? What serves as
● Age: 26 years a roadblock for this person’s success?
● Income: INR 9 lakhs pa ● Needs to save a lot of money to open her own firm
● Gender: Female ● Gets less time for self care
● Location: Hi Tech City, Hyderabad ● No pet grooming stores nearby
● Drives 45 minutes twice a week to take her cat for
grooming
Identifiers
Communication preferences? Common Objections
Social media platforms? Why wouldn’t they buy your
product/service?

● Over the phone, Video calls ● Values the appearance of her cat more than its health and
● Very active on Social Media well-being
● Instagram ● Spends a lot on pet grooming products as compared to pet
Background ● Facebook healthcare or veternarian visits
Job? Career Path? Family? ● Snapchat
Lifestyle?

● Job: Freelancer, Goals

Photographer Primary/secondary goals? Personal vs professional goals? Role-related vs company goals?
● Education: BA English
● Aims to open her own photography firm and to own a lavish bunglow in Paris
● Family: Single
● Spending adequate time in the salon
● Extrovert, Jolly
● Never to miss an opportunity to post herslef with her Persian Cat on social media
● Hobbies: Modelling,
● To take her Persian cat for grooming twice a week as its appearance adds value to her
Cycling
aesthetic lifestyle and makes sure to dress up her cat at every outing or party
Perceptual Map for Watch
Brands
• https://s3.amazonaws.com/he-assets-
prod/interactives/117_watch_branding/Launch.html
“Product Space” Representation of Positioning for Soaps
High moisturizing

Tone 7
Zest
4
Dove Lever
5 2 2000
Sensitive
Safeguard
Coast
Lux 8
Nondeodorant 3 Deodorant

1
Dial
Lifebuoy
Lava
6

low moisturizing
 Advertising Effectiveness

Types of Product Development

Market
Research Segmentation
Problems
Shopper Behaviour
 The Market Research Process
Analyze and
interpret the
Collect the Data data

Choose the most

appropriate data
Determine collection
sources of method
Formulate the information and
Problem design a
research process
Sample titles

Study of Consumer Personas for healthy food services: Go-To-Market

Strategies in Greater Mumbai Region
Leveraging Digital Marketing for Promotions of Cross-border campaigns: An
Exploratory study for Mastercard
DIGITAL PAYMENTS - DECODING ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Star Power – Influence of Celebrity Endorsement on Consumer Purchase of

Skin Care Brands
Connect title to objectives

2.To assess 3.To recommend

1. To identify
consumer target personas
what healthy diet
personas for for Go-to-Market
means
healthy diet Strategy
Recognize this product?
Saving the
Fryer!

• https://www.saffrontrail.com/my-review-of-philips-air-fryer-and-recipe-
for-onion-pakoda/
Factors
influencing TARGETED RESEARCH THE HOW WELL THE RESEARCH
success of a COMPANY CONDUCTED
BEFORE MARKET LAUNCH
WAS CONDUCTED

product
launch
campaign –
HOW WELL THE
INTELLIGENCE WAS USED
Marketing Intelligence
– Implications
• Extending Markets – Human to
Veterinary Markets – Strategic
Decisions
• Optimal Packaging – Tactical
Decisions, Fragrance of a Detergent
• Could Influence Corporate Strategy -
Video
Formulate the
Question
• Why are sales declining in a
geography?
• Should we offer a new, low
priced item in the product line
to reach price sensitive
Markets?
• Why is there an increased
spike in sales?
Determine sources of information and design a
research process

Data Type

Secondary
Primary

Accumulator Process
Non –
Internal External Experimental
Experimental

Location Orientation
Laboratory Field Qualitative Quantitative
 • Secondary – Internal Sources
• Cost of Goods Sold, Unit sales
by Product, Region, Customer
• Expenditure across sales
seasons
• Sales Call Records

• Secondary – External
Sources
• Trade Reports – Syndicated
Data Sources Research
• Customer Research Reports
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/market-
research-tools-resources
 • Experimental
Primary Impact of Ads, Control group Vs Experimental
Research - group
A/B testing for Digital Funnels
Experimental http://bit.ly/hbspFae34F03
Primary Research – Field Based
• Innovative Ways to Change Consumer Behaviour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y99rjZv84Ic
 The
Approach -
Qualitative
Research
Ethnographic Research across Companies
• Ethnographic research is a qualitative method
where researchers observe and/or interact with a study's participants
in their real-life environment

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEmIAiHMxN8
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhebyS5OXw4
Social Listening
 Nielsen’s
Brand
Association
Map
 IDENTIFY
Early Warning Signs of
Nielsen’s Potential Threat
Brand
Association
Map
 Nielsen’s
Brand
Association
Map

ILLUMINATE
Markets that
are popular, and
ones that are
not (golf?)
 Nielsen’s
Brand
Association
Map

RECOGNIZE
Messaging
Attributes from
Advertising
 Nielsen’s
Brand
Association
Map

DETERMINE
Competitors as
seen by
consumers
 Illustration of Experimental Method in Comparing
Effectiveness of Two Ads
Difference in
Groups of people response between
are similar except two groups
for the ad they see

Half of
Average for group who
the
saw Ad #1 = 3.2
people
Representative see Ad #1
group of
customers Half of
the
Average for group
people
who saw Ad #2 = 4.6
see Ad #2

1 2 3 4 5
Average product interest rating by group
Key Concerns in Data Interpretation

Reliability Sample

Key
Issues

Validity