Do you need help for MG2048 Marketing Communications
Assessment Title:
Individual Coursework
Module Leader:
Dr. Gurdeep Singh Kohli
Distribution Date:
20/09/21
Submission Deadline:
12:00 noon on 13/12/2021
Feedback by :
19/01/2022 (20 working days after the submission the deadline.)
Contribution to overall module assessment:
100%
Indicative student time working on assessment:
50 Hours
Word or Page Limit (if applicable):
3000 Words maximum (NOT including: CBASS coversheet, table of contents, executive summary, references and any appendices)
Assessment Type (individual or group):
Individual
MG2048
Main Objective of the assessment
This coursework aims to assess the understanding of theories and practices related to marketing communications mix, the ability to apply and analyse them and to offer creative solutions to business problems.
Choose an organisation (a company or a brand) that operates in the U.K. market from any of the following industries:
https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information
You will analyse, assess, and develop the integrated marketing communications (IMC) mix strategies for the chosen company/brand and recommend future actions.
Scenario
You are the junior marketing and communications executive for your chosen organisation; your manager has asked you to pick 3 recent marketing communications activities (no more than 3 years old, targeting the UK market, using multiple tools and different media) which they have conducted to either promote one of their products/services and/or their brand, and write a comprehensive report about their integrated effectiveness and provide future recommendations.
Report format
CBASS coversheet
Link to coversheet available in Submission instructions section below
Table of Contents (not included in word count)
Provide headings/sub-headings along with corresponding page numbers
Executive Summary (not included in word count)
Provide a concise summary of the report’s main arguments, findings and recommendationsfor the busy executive who doesn’t have time to read the wholereport, focus on sections 2-5 to write this (max: 1 page).
1. Introduction
Briefly introduce your chosen organisation (no history lesson please) e.g. what they sell, what their IMC mix strategy is as well as what the 3 marketing communications activities are your report will be focusing on.
2. Literature Review
On the basis of the 3 activities you have picked initially, you need to now critically review the academic literature on integrated marketing communications, IMC tools (those which were used in the 3 activities you have picked) as well as Branding. You should review the literature on relevant models, theories and concepts which theoretically underpin and apply to the 3 activities you have picked, including, but not limited to: the linear model of communications, the interactional model of communications, Word-of-Mouth communications, AIDA, the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of persuasion etc. (Note: please do NOT discuss your chosen organisation, nor the 3 marketing communication activities themselves).
3. Market environment analysis (UK market only)
Provide a brief review of the UK market of your chosen company/brand/product. Identify at least 3 key competitors, market trends and relevant market environmental factors and explain how they have influenced your chosen organisation’s strategic IMC decisions and given rise to the 3 activities you have picked.
4. Critical Analysis and Discussion
You are now required to critically analyse and discuss the 3 marketing communications activities you have picked for your chosen organisation. A critical analysis requires synthesis with relevant points you have made in your Literature Review and Market Environment Analysis, hence these two sections should ‘inform’ and be part of your analysis. For each activity you should:
A) Briefly assess what the activity involved, which tools and media were used
B) Apply relevant theories/models applicable to the activity as you see fit
You should then consider the 3 activities collectively and evaluate:
C) How well the tools and media in all 3 activities are used in an integrated manner as part of the integrated marketing communications mix
D) How effective the 3 activities, in an integrated manner, were for the organisation – based on concrete factual data about budgeting and favourable outcomes directly related to the 3 activities
E) How well the 3 activities, in an integrated manner, contribute towards the brand’s positioning – relative to the competition (competitive positioning) and within consumers’ minds (differential appeal)
5. Recommendations
Based on your critical analysis (section 4) provide recommendations for improvement for your chosen organisation’s IMC strategies, justified using relevant statistics/references to back up and strengthen your points.
6. Conclusion
Provide brief conclusive remarks (you may combine this with section 5, if you wish)
References List (not included in word count)
(Bibliography – list all sources used in the report, following the Harvard Referencing style)
Appendix
(Optional – only include supplementary, succinct material – strictly NOT to be used as an alternative location for work that should appear in main text)
Please read the marking scheme (in this document) carefully to understand how your report will be marked.
Notes:
You should draw upon your personal research done at the library, through the Internet and the recommended readings and materials covered throughout the module. Please reference carefully all your research sources. Failure to do so may result in plagiarism. Whenever quoting other people’s work, you need to use the accepted form of referencing both in-text and in the reference list (Harvard style).
You are asked to use only secondary research for this assignment. When presenting your arguments, you may use images, advertisement examples, screenshots of videos etc. as you see fit.
Please adopt a critical but constructive view supported by factual information, not your personal opinions.
The coursework should be presented in report format, not as an essay. You are allowed to include reasonable amount of supporting material in an appendix.
The reference material used to refer to the company and the market should be recent (2-3 years or less). For this coursework, “academic literature” should be from sources similar to those in the reading list and the end-of-chapter references lists in the textbook, mostly books and journals. The publication year of the academic literature references is not restricted but must be reasonable and appropriate. Online study guides, essay mills, and blogs are not considered academic references and thus should be avoided.
Coursework length
The assignment should not exceed 3,000 words.
Exceeding the maximum length will result in penalty with each additional 10% in length resulting in 5% discount in the marks that is determined based on the marking scheme (i.e., 3,001 to 3,300 words result in 95% of original mark; 3,301 to 3,600 words result in 90% of the original mark; and so on). There is no such discount imposed on reports that are shorter than 3,000 words.
Prior to submitting, when declaring your word count on the Wiseflow coversheet, please ensure you have considered the following carefully:
Typographic guidance:
Page setup: A4, 1-inch margins, single line spacing. Pages must be numbered.
Headings and subheadings: Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri; 11 points minimum.
Body text: Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri; 11 point, justified.
All tables must be editable text-based, not images.
UG mark bands, degree equivalent and grade point bands [Senate Regulation 2] are:
Indicative Mark Band
Degree class equivalent
Grade
Grade Point
90 and above
1
A*
17
80-89
1
A+
16
73-79
1
A
15
70-72
1
A-
14
68-69
2.1
B+
13
63-67
2.1
B
12
60-62
2.1
B-
11
58-59
2.2
C+
10
53-57
2.2
C
9
50-52
2.2
C-
8
48-49
3
D+
7
43-47
3
D
6
40-42
3
D-
5
38-39
Fail
E+
4
33-37
Fail
E
3
30-32
Fail
E-
2
29 and below
Fail
F
1
Coursework must be submitted electronically via the University’s WISEflow system. The required file format for this report is Adobe PDF. Your student ID number must be used as the file name (e.g. 0123456.pdf). You must ensure that you upload your file in the correct format and use the College’s electronic coursework coversheet. Please note that submissions of ‘.pages / .docx etc’ documents will not be accepted and must be converted to approved format.
The electronic coursework coversheet must be completed and included at the beginning of all coursework submissions prior to submitting on WISEflow.
Marking Scheme
Criteria
Mark descriptors
Executive Summary and Introduction (10%)
70 and above
60 to 69
50 to 59
40 to 49
30 to 39
29 and below
Executive summary is clear and concise, covering all key points. Introduction clearly and concisely presents the brand, highlighting features of its IMC strategy, supported by several appropriate references.
Executive summary is clear, covering all key points. Introduction clearly and concisely presents the brand, highlighting features of its IMC strategy, supported by some appropriate references.
Executive summary covers most key points, could be clearer and/or more concise. Introduction broadly presents the brand, provides some relevant information supported by a few references
Executive summary is incomplete and/or unclear in places. Introduction requires more information on the brand; supported by at least one reference
Executive summary is missing or does not serve the relevant purpose. Introduction lacks information on the brand and lacks appropriate references.
Executive summary is missing or does not serve the relevant purpose. Introduction lacks information on the brand and lacks appropriate references.
Literature Review (20%)
70 and above
60 to 69
50 to 59
40 to 49
30 to 39
29 and below
Clear demonstration of a sophisticated, critical and thorough understanding of the role and nature of Marketing Communications and its diverse elements of marketing communication mix with several appropriate references.
Clear demonstration of a well-developed, critical and comprehensive understanding of the role and nature of Marketing Communications and its diverse elements of marketing communication mix with some appropriate references.
Demonstration of a critical and substantial understanding of the role and nature Marketing Communications supported and its diverse elements of marketing communication mix with a few references.
Provides evidence of some critical understanding of the role and nature Marketing Communications and its diverse elements of marketing communication mix with at least one reference or few inappropriate references.
Work demonstrates evidence a partial but uncritical understanding of the role and nature of Marketing Communications and its diverse elements of marketing communication mix with no references.
Work does not demonstrate understanding of the role and nature of Marketing Communications and its diverse elements of marketing communication mix and there is absence of references.
Market Environment Review (20%)
70 and above
60 to 69
50 to 59
40 to 49
30 to 39
29 and below
Clear understanding of the nature of business and industry; relevant and appropriate tools are discussed and the implications on IMC strategy thoroughly considered.
Clear understanding of the nature of business and industry; relevant and appropriate tools partially discussed.
Adequate understanding of the nature of business and industry; relevant and appropriate tools somewhat discussed.
Some understanding of the nature of business and industry; relevant and appropriate tools somewhat discussed.
Inadequate understanding of the nature of business and industry; only a few relevant and appropriate tools discussed.
This section is missing or irrelevant information presented.
Analyses of branding, positioning, and IMC strategies (25%)
70 and above
60 to 69
50 to 59
40 to 49
30 to 39
29 and below
The assignment demonstrates excellence in the analysis and synthesis of the issues. Both parts of the assignment (Strategy and Tactics) have been critically analysed.
The assignment demonstrates a high degree of competence in the analysis and synthesis of the issues. Both parts of the assignment (Strategy and Tactics) have been competently analysed.
The assignment demonstrates a significant degree of competence in the analysis and synthesis of the issues. Both parts of the assignment (Strategy and Tactics) have been adequately analysed.
The assignment demonstrates a degree of competence in the analysis and synthesis of the issues. Both parts of the assignment (Strategy and Tactics) have been adequately analysed.
The assignment demonstrates a limited competence in the analysis and synthesis of the issues. Both parts of the assignment (Strategy and Tactics) have been analysed, but rather weakly.
The assignment does not demonstrate analysis and synthesis of the issues. Very weak presentation of both parts of the assignment (Strategy and Tactics).
Recommendations and conclusion (15%)
70 and above
60 to 69
50 to 59
40 to 49
30 to 39
29 and below
Provides excellent recommendations clearly linked to the above analysis and justified convincingly; very clear summary of the report.
Provides good recommendations well linked to the above analysis; good summary of the report.
Provides reasonable recommendations somewhat linked to the analysis; report summary may be partial or vague.
Provides limited recommendations not clearly linked to the analysis; limited summary.
Recommendations are very vague and/ or unconnected to the analysis; limited or missing summary.
This section is missing, or extremely limited and unconnected.
Overall Structure including clarity of expression (10%)
70 and above
60 to 69
50 to 59
40 to 49
30 to 39
29 and below
The assignment is presented in a professional format, meeting all the requirements identified in the guidelines; there is a logical flow between the sections, making it very easy to follow the arguments. The level of grammar and spelling is excellent.
The assignment is presented in the appropriate format, meeting all the requirements identified in the guidelines; there is a fairly logical flow between the sections, making it fairly easy to follow the arguments. The level of grammar and spelling is very good.
The assignment is presented in a report format, meeting all the requirements identified in the guidelines; there maybe a few limitations in the logical flow between the sections, making parts of the arguments somewhat difficult to follow. The level of grammar and spelling is acceptable.
The assignment is presented in a basic format, meeting some of the requirements identified in the guidelines; the logical flow between the sections is limited, making parts of the arguments difficult to follow. The level of grammar and spelling is compromised.
The assignment is presented in a basic format, failing to meet the requirements identified in the guidelines; The logical flow between the sections are very limited, making several parts of the arguments very difficult to understand. The level of grammar and spelling is seriously compromised.
The assignment is not presented in a report format and does not meet most or all of the requirements identified in the guidelines; there are serious flaws in its structure and logical flow between the sections, making it extremely difficult to follow the arguments. The level of grammar and spelling is unacceptable.
Academic Misconduct, Plagiarism and Collusion
Any coursework or examined submission for assessment where plagiarism, collusion or any form of cheating is suspected will be dealt with according to the University processes which are detailed in Senate Regulation 6.
You can access information about plagiarism here.
The University regulations on plagiarism apply to published as well as unpublished work, collusion and the plagiarism of the work of other students.
Please ensure that you fully understand what constitutes plagiarism before you submit your work.
University’s Coursework Submission Policy
Please refer to BruNet for information on submitting late, penalties applied and procedures.
College’s Coursework Submission Policy
Please refer to BruNet for information relating to the College’s Coursework Submission Policy and procedures.
Extenuating Circumstances Policy
Please refer to BruNet for information relating to extenuating circumstances and procedures.