NMIMS Global Access

School for Continuing Education (NGA-SCE)

Course: Principles of Marketing
Internal Assignment Applicable for December 2022 Examination

Ans1
Introduction

Distribution planning is a methodical approach that ensures the efficient delivery of

commodities to various distribution centers while keeping track of which products are to be
given in what quantities at what locations at the desired time. Both the anticipated demand
based on this year's forecast and the previous demand trends accounting for seasonal swings
are taken into consideration.

Distribution planning has the potential to boost output when done properly. Demand is taken
into account while distributing goods, eliminating any shortages, and ordering, transporting,
and storing costs are also significantly decreased. The capability of controlling and
maintaining the required level of inventory is the main benefit of effective distribution.
For example, efficient distribution planning for Frooti should include the product's demand
throughout the year, particularly during peak and off-season months, as well as the product's
major consumer areas because distribution frequency in such regions needs to be increased.
Content and Application
Manufacturers of soap make an effort to meet consumer expectations by primarily selling
their goods through established classes of commerce where customers would typically expect
to find such products. Supermarkets, mass merchandisers, dollar stores, and convenience
stores are some examples of these conventional commerce venues. To get their products onto
store shelves, soap producers often use one of two distribution strategies: direct distribution
to retailers or distribution through trade intermediaries.
1. Direct to Retailers
Direct delivery to retailers eliminates the need for trade intermediaries in the distribution
process. Consumer prices are lowered as a result of the trade intermediary margins for
providing the services of finance, storage, and distribution being also decreased. Large chain
stores like Kroger and Safeway have huge distribution centers where products are stored and
sent directly to neighborhood shops within a certain region. Soap items are frequently
supplied to large-chain stores using a distribution pathway that goes from producer to retailer
to customer, shipping straight to the DC of the retailer.

2. Trading Middlemen
Manufacturers of soap typically use "indirect channels" to deliver their goods to independent,
small- and medium-sized merchants with constrained storage space. One or more
"wholesalers" are involved in indirect routes. The wholesaler usually assumes ownership of
the product in these situations and is in charge of distributing it to its retail clients. Because
they take on financing, warehousing, and distribution risks that are greater than those that can

1
be handled by smaller retailers, wholesalers are essential to the distribution funnel. Trade
intermediaries add intermediate margins to the services they supply since they add more
touchpoints to the distribution funnel, which typically results in higher pricing for customers.
In this case, the steps are manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and consumer.

3. Direct to Customers
Since the invention of the Internet, prominent soap producers have started selling their
products directly to consumers online. In addition to the other brands in its portfolio, Procter
& Gamble also offers Tide laundry detergent and Ivory hand soap for purchase online at the
P&G eStore. Similar to this, a lot of soap producers and distributors leverage their web
presence as a new channel for connecting with customers. Both boutique soap products from
specialized manufacturers like Tom's of Maine and the top brands of soap from big
manufacturers are sold on soap.com. Online sales have the definite advantage of eliminating
the 30 to 50 percent trade middleman profit. Manufacturers have two options: keep the profit
for themselves, or give the savings to customers.
An advertising strategy is a report or document that describes a company's strategies for
promoting both itself and its goods over a specific time frame. It offers a breakdown of the
content, channels, demographics, spending, schedule, and success measures.
Communication strategy organizes how to reach important company stakeholders. The
approach provides communicators with a complete framework that outlines what they should
say, who they should say it to, when they should say it, and how they should say it. The
process is frequently essential for marketing teams to interact with both current and
prospective clients. It could be useful for providing regular project updates to clients and
stakeholders. Professionals can proactively raise public awareness of specific topics while
also evaluating the effect of their messaging on their target audiences by using
communication planning.
1. Channel breakdown: A breakdown of the advertising channels the marketing team will
employ for its promotional activities may be found in the advertising plans. Email
marketing, adverts on social media or search engines, billboards, direct mail, and print
ads are a few examples of these offline and online advertising tactics.
2. Costs and budget: All advertising plans include advertising expenses and a budget for
advertising so the marketing department can make sure the plans stay within budget and
schedule expectations. One component of the overall marketing budget is the advertising
budget.
3. Evaluation metrics: Whether it's a specific sales objective, click-through rate, number of
new customers, return on investment, brand awareness level, or engagement rate, a strong
advertising plan contains a methodology for measuring the efficacy of each component of
the plan.
4. Schedule and deadlines: To make the strategy a reality, the team must achieve milestone
deadlines and the suggested timeframe for promotional activities.
5. Target audience demographics: While broader plans outlining marketing tactics and
strategy often include information on target audiences and demographics in the form of
buyer personas, an advertising plan may also include details on who the ads will aim to
reach to make sure the advertising message is in line with the target market.

2
Conclusion
Effective marketing can improve your company's operations and increase your profitability.
Your sales and profits will rise if you concentrate on your target customers, take advantage of
the flaws in your rivals, highlight the advantages of your items, and effectively communicate
your message. You may accomplish these objectives and more with the help of my four-part
marketing strategy. By studying your rivals' mistakes and trials, you can gain all the
knowledge they have acquired without actually committing the same mistakes. Additionally,
you may learn more about what is popular in your market and what customers want to buy.
Please don't give in to the need to make a quick analysis. Your financial advantages will be
greater if you have done extensive research for your plan.
Ans2
Introduction

An organization's advertising strategy for generating leads and reaching its target market is
outlined in a marketing plan, which is a practical document. A marketing strategy outlines the
outreach and PR initiatives that will be implemented over time, along with how the business
will evaluate its success. It is common to use the terms "marketing plan" and "marketing
strategy" interchangeably because a marketing plan is developed using a broad strategic
framework. It is occasionally possible to merge the strategy and the plan into one document,
especially for smaller organizations that may only execute one or two important campaigns
per year. While the marketing strategy offers the overall value proposition, the plan specifies
marketing actions on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis.

FOR EXAMPLE

John has a fresh company concept that he thinks fills a specific market niche. He decides to
launch a firm, and his first action is to write a business plan including all of the aims, values,
risks, and financial details of his enterprise. John can establish his business with the financial
support of friends and family, recruit a few workers, and eventually produce his goods. He
must now start making sales to continue operating his firm. John develops a marketing
strategy with the aid of a marketing firm to accomplish this. The target market for John's
product, which is males who have recently retired, is identified through market research in
the marketing strategy. The marketing strategy then suggests the most effective ways to
contact this target market. According to the completed market research, older, retired males
utilize social media less than traditional forms of media, hence the marketing strategy places
more of an emphasis on radio and television than social media.
Content and Application
Brand awareness, to put it simply, is how familiar consumers are with a specific good or
service. When marketers discuss brand awareness, they typically mean brand awareness
among a target demographic or target market. Different levels of brand awareness exist:

 Knowledge of your brand name

 Knowledge of your product line
 Knowledge of the brand characteristics (i.e. what distinguishes you from competitors)

3
All three of the aforementioned variables should be measured when determining the level of
brand awareness your company has, perhaps with the help of a brand awareness survey. Even
though it's beneficial if many consumers are aware of your brand name, this knowledge won't
always translate into more sales if consumers don't understand what you do or why they
should buy from you.
The Khelo India initiative was launched to revive India's grassroots athletic heritage,
establishing the foundation for all national sports, and elevating India to a major sporting
power. In terms of our country's general development, sports are a crucial element. India has
advanced steadily in the sports world during the past several years. This enormous potential
must be displayed on a worldwide stage. It's time to encourage new talent and provide them
with the best training and facilities available. Sports participation must be strongly
encouraged for players to reach their full potential. India won't be able to realize its goal of
becoming a sporting superpower till then.
How to start building your brand's awareness
It's crucial to understand how much brand recognition you presently have before you can
begin to increase it. You will have to start over if you're a new brand or you're entering a
brand-new market. However, if your company has been operating for some time (or even a
long time), you probably already have some level of brand recognition. You may look at a
variety of things to get a sense of how well-known your brand is right now. These consist of:
 Your email database: the number of persons that have requested to hear from you.
 Your social media: how many individuals on social media sites like Facebook and
Instagram are your followers.
 Your search results: how many people use Google and other search engines to look up
your brand name.
How to increase brand awareness
It's crucial to present yourself publicly if you want to become well-known. However, it's not
just about plastering your logo everywhere; it's also about informing the public about what
you stand for and creating a favorable reputation supported by solid brand insights. To create
strong brand awareness, follow these three fundamental principles:

 Marketing: Utilizing both paid and unpaid marketing opportunities will help you reach
your target market.
 Messaging: Creating a compelling value proposition to convey to your intended
audience.
 Nurturing: Delivering your brand promise and motivating customers to use word-of-
mouth marketing to spread the news about your business.
A brand awareness campaign is a marketing initiative created to introduce people to a new
product or service or an underutilized one that already exists (for example, when a brand
launches in a new country). A brand awareness campaign tries to express the qualities that set
it apart from the competitors in addition to promoting the product or service. It varies from a
conventional marketing campaign in that the increase in sales will not be used to determine
its effectiveness (although that might factor into it). The primary goal is to raise the target
audience's understanding of the brand and its products; there are several ways to assess this
goal's success, which we'll cover in a moment.

4
Conclusion
Building a successful brand takes time; it cannot be done immediately. Additionally, it may
take some time for the results of your brand-building activities to be visible in your financial
performance because not everyone you expose to your brand will be immediately ready to
buy. Consider the brand of an estate firm. A potential client may not be in the market for a
property right now, but they very well may be one year from now. Then, hopefully, your
brand will be top-of-mind thanks to your earlier brand awareness campaigns.
Ans3(A)
Introduction
It's no secret that in the modern world, the video streaming industry has grown to be a billion-
dollar industry. Numerous video streaming services have jumped on the potential profit
bandwagon as digitalization is rife. Audiences have been gravitating toward the greatest
video streaming option, whether they are looking for information or enjoyment. Even though
everyone is dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic in different unique ways, some habits
seem to be practiced by everyone: Streaming services are prospering thanks to the global
yearning for entertainment and escape. Since the pandemic started, for instance, The media
industry is attempting to find technical solutions that will help it weather this momentous
occasion while also presenting new chances and challenges.
Concept and Application
Reasons for drop in subscribers
1. Downloads of video streaming apps have greatly increased as a result of the COVID-19
All the main businesses now allow their staff to work remotely due to lockdowns. Employees
in the IT industry must finish their tasks since they cannot afford to participate in any outdoor
activities, while those in other professions are attempting to make the best use of the internet.
The Houseparty app, which enables users to host parties for their friends using their
smartphone, is currently popular on the market. Another app that has received a lot of
audience downloads is Disney Plus. if so, the lockdown can end up being beneficial for the
company.
2. Major Video Streaming Apps Ceased HD Content Streaming due to COVID-19
Lockdown
Due to the lockdown brought on by COVID-19, some phone companies have requested that
the telecom ministry and home ministry weigh in on the existing over-the-top streaming
video services, which have multiplied. Some of the platforms that offer these services are
Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube. These video streaming services cannot
be held solely accountable for the significant burden on telecom firms because a big portion
of the IT staff is working from home. They use phone hotspots, which use their phone sim
data, to keep connected to their gadgets because they work from home.

5
Solutions for increasing subscribers

1. Utilize analytics to comprehend your customers

Media businesses gather a lot of information. Utilize it to get the knowledge that can be put to
use and enhance the subscriber experience. Consider how falling consumption trends may
indicate a subscriber's inclination to cancel. Keep an eye out for service interruptions and
frustrating viewer experiences (such as buffering, stream quality, integrity metrics, etc.) that
can result in churn.
2. Give your service team the equipment they require
Give customer service representatives the resources they need to communicate with
customers, such as a customer engagement (CRM) platform that serves as a single repository
for customer information. You may create a comprehensive view of each subscriber using a
CRM, which includes:

 Case study or product

 Device inclinations
 Engaging content
 Top pursuits (e.g., action movies, sports, etc.)
Conclusion
The marketing and product teams can use this 360-degree view to optimize subscriber care
results as well as to enhance and further customize the subscriber experience. By providing
subscribers with intelligent service, you can build seamless, personalized experiences that not
only satisfy users but also turn them into devoted, reliant subscribers.
Ans3(B)
Introduction

An organization's specialized marketing strategy is outlined in a marketing plan, which also

includes the exact steps that must be done and the expected outcomes. Using marketing plans
as a guide, businesses may implement marketing strategies and track their success over time.
An effective marketing strategy gives direction for future endeavors and aids in
understanding a company's target market and competitors, as well as the effects and
outcomes of marketing decisions.

Concept and Application

Revenue of Video Streaming Apps Rising Due to Increase in Movie & TV Series Viewers
The audience needs to find something to keep them engaged during this quarantine period
since TV show production has been halted. There has been a dramatic increase in TV and
streamed viewing as a result of more and more individuals choosing to stay inside. To keep
themselves entertained, people subscribe to numerous entertainment-related platforms. The
video streaming services are just some of the ones that have the most subscribers from
individuals all over the world. There is a ton of movies and TV shows available online for
binge-watching. A recent data analysis revealed that during this time of lockdown, the
proportion of video content watched by each home may swiftly increase by 60%. Later, this

6
study derived lessons from two earlier crises. The percentage of TV viewership in New York
jumped by 45% during the 2016 snow. However, due to individuals spending the day at
home, video streaming services experienced a 61% increase in the number of people
watching their television series and movies.
Over-the-top streaming services have gained a lot of popularity over the past four to five
years. They offer all the top films and television shows in one location, allowing their
viewers to binge-watch their favorites nonstop. During this time of quarantine, the demand
for these video-sharing sites will soar, opening up lucrative opportunities for large investors
to profit. We can anticipate even more of these investments given how in-demand the
streaming sector is right now due to the coronavirus lockdown. These days, streaming
platforms are the heart of people's enjoyment, and media companies are not going to allow
this excellent chance to boost their profits to pass them by.
Conclusion
Unexpectedly, the COVID-19 pandemic offers a chance for video streaming providers to
improve their reputation and revenue. Even though it is anticipated that the current pandemic
will have many negative effects on the financial situations of many significant companies
around the world, the aforementioned arguments demonstrate that the video streaming
company will profit from the world economic crisis rather than suffer from it.