BBM503/03

Strategic Marketing

Assignment 1
(70%)

Submission Date:
1 July 2023

Due to the limitation of Turnitin, students may request their course lead or tutor to assist to to
passage their Assignments to the Turnitin system before submission, to encourage honest academic
writing and it is not mandatory except for Project course.

BBM503/03 May 2023 Page 1 of 10

 Assignment 1 (BBM503/03 Strategic Marketing)

Tupperware: Why the household name could soon be history

By Sean Seddon & Michael Race

BBC News
12 April 2023

The brand Tupperware has become so synonymous with food storage that many
people use its name when referring to any old plastic container.

But the 77-year-old US company is seeing cracks form in the once revolutionary air-
tight sealing business that made it famous, with rising debts and falling sales
prompting a warning it could go bust without investment.

Despite attempts to freshen up its products in recent years and reposition itself to a
younger audience, it has failed to stop a slide in its sales.

The firm's 'Tupperware parties' made it an icon during the 1950s and 1960s consumer
revolution, and its air-tight and water-tight containers took the market by storm.

But its core business model of using self-employed salespeople who sell primarily from
their own homes has been going out of fashion for a while, and was retired altogether
in the UK in 2003.

Now company bosses have admitted that, without new funding, a brand name which
has passed into common parlance could vanish from the market.

"We use it (Tupperware) as a noun, which is quite unusual for a brand," said Catherine
Shuttleworth, founder of retail analysis firm Savvy Marketing.

"I think a lot of younger people will be surprised it is a brand in itself."

While Tupperware was a "miracle product" when first sold decades ago, Ms
Shuttleworth added, the market has been flooded by companies offering cheaper
alternatives in recent years.

A resurgence during the Covid-19 pandemic, buoyed by people taking up baking and
cooking more at home, reversed sharp falls in Tupperware's share price.

But the rise turned out to be temporary.

Sales have slid again since then, largely because the firm has not been "innovative
enough" over the past 10 to 20 years to keep up with its rivals, according to Ms
Shuttleworth.

A lack of innovation is a far-cry from its early days.

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The company was founded in 1946 by a man, the inventor Earl Tupper, but its public
face was a woman: Brownie Wise.

Tupper's product was a big deal - it utilised new plastics to keep food fresh for longer
- invaluable when refrigerators were still too expensive for many - but until Wise came
along, it was not selling.

She had already started organising events to sell the containers, meeting directly with
the housewives and mothers the company wanted to reach, at gatherings which were
as much about socialising as they were about business.

Her innovative style - and her sales figures - caught the eye of Tupper, and she was
promoted to executive level at a time when women were largely excluded from the
boardroom.

Wise's and Tupperware's impact is still debated by academics, but many say it played
an important role in bringing women into the workforce in post-war America, and
provided a source of income to other women around the world.

One of them is Alison Clarke, professor of design history and theory at the University
of Applied Arts, Vienna, and author of Tupperware: The Promise of Plastic in 1950s
America.

"I think its legacy is the way in which it has provided a source of employment to women
who don't always have access to flexible labour," she told the BBC.

"At the time it was first being sold at parties in the US, lots of women were isolated in
new post-war suburban towns away from their families.

"The Tupperware parties glamourised dull housework, and you could only buy it if you
knew someone who sold it, so it was exclusive, and social, and about relationships
with other women.

"I started off thinking it was an exploitative capitalist conspiracy against women, and
then I met all of these women who had a fantastic life because of it and saw how it
was empowering for them."

'Failed to change'

While the company has always been woman-led on the ground, that has not
necessarily been the case in the boardroom - and Prof Clarke says it has struggled to
tell its own positive story, or keep up with the times.

"It was a brilliantly designed product that was made magical by the way it was sold,"
she added, "but in this digital world, that face-to-face model is no longer as relevant".

That is an analysis shared by Neil Saunders, managing director of retail at the

consultancy GlobalData,

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He said Tupperware had "failed to change with the times" in terms of its products and
distribution, highlighting that the method of selling direct through its parties "was not
connecting" with either young or older customers.

Younger consumers have also embraced more environmentally-friendly products such

as beeswax paper to keep food fresh, he added.

Richard Hyman, another retail analyst, said the basic principles of Tupperware's
products were "not difficult to copy" by other firms. Given that fierce competition, he
said the company had "had a good run".

The company has made some efforts to diversify its strategy, including by selling in
US retail chain Target and others around the world, and expanding its range to include
other cooking products.

Had Tupperware made bigger changes 10 years ago, Mr Saunders added, the firm
might be in a different position now.

But now there is no time for Tupperware bosses to wonder what might have been. The
company could go bust without a rapid cash injection - and with such a well-known
brand name, the prospect of a retail giant like Walmart or even Amazon swooping in
cannot be ruled out, Mr Saunders says.

Shares in Tupperware plummeted on Monday and, despite a small recovery on

Tuesday, fears are growing that without significant fresh financial backing, the lights
on Tupperware's party could go out for good.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65243711

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Task:

A marketing plan is a blueprint that comprehensively features an organisation's overall

marketing efforts, organisations that are successful in marketing invariably start with a
good marketing plan to provide direction and focus for their products and brands.

You are required to undertake an analysis of re-branding, re-positioning and re-

marketing of Tupperware in Malaysia as the 77-year old company has been
struggling in recent years to maintain its relevance against rivals. Your marketing plan
should include (but not limited to) the following sections:

• Executive Summary
• Situation Analysis (current marketing situation, market trends, market growth,
SWOT analysis)
• Development of the product
• Marketing Strategy (mission, marketing objectives, segmentation, target
markets), positioning, marketing mix/4Ps, marketing research)
• Financials (budgets, sales forecast, expenses forecast)
• Controls
• Other supporting information you may want to include

The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with an opportunity to integrate the
theories of marketing management you have learned in the course to the development
of a “real-world” product marketing plan.

GUIDELINES:

Report
• This is an individual assignment and no duplication of work will be tolerated. Any
plagiarism or collusion may result in disciplinary action, hence; remember to cite
your work. The value of your work here lies in your in-depth discussion in the
application of marketing management concepts.
• The total mark for this assignment is 100, and will contribute 70% towards the total
grade of the course.
• The assignment must be typed and professionally presented. It should be in essay
format. Font Size: 12-point, Times New Roman; Spacing: 1.5.
• Your written report should not be more than 5000 words, excluding references and
appendices.
• Students are highly encouraged to passage their Assignment to the Turnitin
system before submission to encourage honest academic writing, and it is not
mandatory except for project course.

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 CHECKLIST FOR A MARKETING PLAN INVOLVED IN THE
RELAUNCHING OF A PRODUCT

1. Set SMART goals

• What is my marketing goal?
• How will I measure success?
• Is my goal SMART (Specific, Measurable,
Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound)?

2. Define your target audience

• Who is my target audience?
• What are their goals, obstacles, values, and
pain points?

3. Establish your unique selling proposition

(USP)
• What problem am I solving with my product
or service?
• What makes my product different from my
competitors?
• How can I communicate my USP in my
audience’s language?

4. Determine your marketing budget

• Do I need to hire any freelancers or
outsource any work?
• What paid software and tools do I need?

5. Choose your marketing channels

• Where can I reach my target audience?
• How many channels do I have the time and
budget to handle?

6. Track your results and keep iterating

• Did I meet my goals?
• What worked well?
• What can I improve on or test out for next
time?

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 Marketing Plan Marking Rubric
INDICATOR INDICATOR
Very strong evidence
of skill present
5-4 points
Description of product / client (5%)
Description of The plan contains details
product/client of the products/services;
status (5%) from the customer’s point
of view, and identifies key
competitors and how the
product/service is
positioned to compete.
Market Analysis (30%)
Client’s status in Information is thoroughly
current market (5%) and clearly reported,
including such things as
the type of product/
service, current marketing
efforts, current
knowledge about
customers and
competitors, etc.
Industry trends (5%) Describes how major
trends and information
helped identify
immediate opportunity.
Buyer profile Describes in-depth the
and behaviour (5%) buyer in the customer
profiles buying roles,
buying behavior, and
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INDICATOR INDICATOR Points earned
Moderate evidence Strong evidence
of skill present of skill not present
3-2 points 1–0 points
The plan describes the Little to no information
products/services; is provided on the
however, detail on the product /service, its
features, benefits, and features and benefits,
competitors is lacking. or its competitors
Information is for the Information is provided,
most part, thoroughly but there is a great deal
and clearly reported. But of potentially important
some information that information missing.
may be critical to the
marketing plan is
missing
Describes major trends Gives a brief history of
that could impact this the industry, but does
industry in the near not demonstrate
future understanding of
trends
Briefly describes the The buyer profile
buyer in the customer section is incomplete.
profiles buying roles,
buying behavior, and
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 buyer decision making
process.
Competition’s A thorough SWOT
SWOT analysis (5%) analysis is provided, and
reasoning for each item in
the SWOT is provided
and logical.
Product/client’s A thorough SWOT
SWOT analysis (5%) analysis is provided, and
reasoning for each item in
the SWOT is provided
and logical.
Primary Excellent plan for
Research results collection of data justified
(survey, focus with many facts from
groups, interviews) current business
(5%) environment.
Business Proposal (20%)
Mission Useful mission statement
statement (5%) that is relevant to the
business
Key planning Identifies and validates
assumption (5%) key assumptions in the
strategy.
Short and Short- and long-term
long-term goals (5%) business goals are
attainable and time-
bound.
Target market (5%) Clearly identified by
demographics and
BMK501/03 May 2022
buyer decision making
process.
SWOT analysis is SWOT analysis is
provided, but there are provided, but there are
some missing points and missing points and
reasoning for each item there is no reasoning
is not always thoroughly provided for the items.
provided and/or logical.
SWOT analysis is SWOT analysis is
provided, but there are provided, but there are
some missing points and missing points and
reasoning for each item there is no reasoning
is not always thoroughly provided for the items.
provided and/or logical.
Adequate data Data collection plan is
collection plan justified unorganized and not
with a few facts from supported by business
business environment. environment.
Mission statement is not Irrelevant use, not
totally relevant to the matching business use
business.
Identifies and validates Does not surface the
most of the key key assumptions or
assumptions in the validation for the
strategy. strategy.
Short- and long-term Goals are missing or
business goals may not are irrelevant to the
be attainable or they’re business.
not time-bound.
Somewhat identified by Not identified by
demographics and demographics and
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 product/service meets
needs/wants of target
group.
Strategies and Action Plan (25%)
Product (5%) Clearly evident what
product/service is being
provided.
Price (5%) Includes the pricing
structure and explains
why/how these prices
were determined.
Place (5%) Location is very
convenient for target
market.
Promotion (5%) Promotional material
makes target market
clearly aware of what the
product/service is, what it
does and where it is
available.
Position (5%) Unique selling position
(USP) in the market clearly
determined
Budget ( income statement, costs, returns, accuracy) (10%)
Income statement is
complete and
demonstrates a
reasonable return on
investment (ROI); all
calculations are accurate
BMK501/03 May 2022
product/service may product/service does
meet needs/wants of not meet needs/wants
target group. of target group.
Somewhat evident what Unclear what product/
product/service is being service is being
provided. provided.
Includes the pricing Does not provide
structure but does not complete pricing
explain how the prices structure; some
were determined. products or services
are missing. No
rationale for the pricing
strategy is given.
Location is accessible Location is not very
for target market. convenient for target
market.
Promotional material Promotional materials
makes target market does not make target
somewhat aware of market aware of what
what the product/ the product/service is,
service is, what it does what it does and where
and where it is available. it is available
Unique selling position Unique selling position
(USP) in the market is (USP) in the market is
somewhat determined not determined.
Income statement is Income statement is
complete and not complete and
demonstrates a demonstrates an
questionable return on unreasonable return on
investment (ROI); most investment (ROI); most
calculations are accurate calculations are
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 and accurately and accurately inaccurate and
categorized. categorized. inaccurately
categorized.
Evaluation (5%)
Evaluates data or criteria Evaluates data or criteria Has difficulty
in a way that reflects an in a way that reflects evaluating important
in-depth understanding some basic data or criteria, which
of the product/service. understanding of the demonstrate a lack of
product/service. understanding of the
product/service
Business Writing (5%)
The plan contains no The plan contains more The plan has many
more than five spelling or than five spelling or spelling or grammatical
grammatical errors. If any grammatical errors. errors. No citations
sources have been Citations, if needed, have been provided.
referenced, proper have been cited The plan has not been
citations have been used. correctly. The plan is formatted
The plan is formatted formatted appropriately appropriately.
appropriately.
Total 100

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