Marketing Strategy and Plan: Analysis and Recommendations

This report presents a detailed analysis of marketing strategies and plans, focusing on practical applications and ethical considerations. It begins with a portfolio reflection, followed by an examination of marketing lessons learned from team projects and critical analyses of newspaper articles. The core of the report involves case studies, including the controversies surrounding Meat & Livestock Australia's advertisements and Uber's operational and ethical challenges. The analysis incorporates marketing theories such as relationship marketing, market segmentation, and the marketing mix to evaluate the issues. Stakeholders are identified, and probable responses to the issues are suggested. The report also reflects on teamwork experiences, highlighting both challenges and benefits of a diverse team environment. The student provides actionable recommendations for future teamwork and marketing practices, drawing upon the provided case studies to illustrate key concepts. The report concludes with a comprehensive reference list.

Running head: MARKETING STRATEGY AND PLAN
Marketing Strategy and Plan
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Table of Contents
Portfolio reflection...........................................................................................................................2
Marketing plan reflection................................................................................................................3
Marketing lessons learned...........................................................................................................3
Lessons from team work..............................................................................................................3
Newspaper article 2 analysis...........................................................................................................5
Case synopsis...............................................................................................................................5
Key stakeholders involved...........................................................................................................6
Probable response........................................................................................................................7
Newspaper article 3 analysis...........................................................................................................7
Case synopsis...............................................................................................................................7
Key stakeholders involved...........................................................................................................9
Probable response........................................................................................................................9
Newspaper article 4 analysis.........................................................................................................10
Case synopsis.............................................................................................................................10
Key stakeholders involved.........................................................................................................11
Probable response......................................................................................................................12
Newspaper article 5 analysis.........................................................................................................13
Case synopsis.............................................................................................................................13
Key stakeholders involved.........................................................................................................13

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Probable response......................................................................................................................14
Reference.......................................................................................................................................15

3MARKETING STRATEGY AND PLAN
Portfolio reflection
Reviewing and critically analyzing various articles related to business scandals and
ethical issues helped me to align the marketing theories learned by me in the semester. Critical
analysis of the business articles helped me to determine the aspects that need to be considered by
the business organizations in preventing the emergence of ethical and other business issues. One
of the key marketing theories being learned by me in the semester is relationship marketing. I
have effectively applied this theory in my critical analysis of the articles. In the critical analysis
of the ethical issues being faced by Richmond football club, I have used this theory in
recommending steps to overcome the issues. Due to critically analyzing the articles with the help
of the theories, I gain the understanding about various aspects and advantages of these theories
and the factors need to be considered in implementing these theories. Implementation of the
relationship marketing theory in the case study of Richmond football club helped me to gain the
practical knowledge about this theory and how it can be beneficial for the organization.
Another example of theory being used by me in the critical analysis is the market
segmentation theory. I have used this theory in evaluating the issue being faced by Meat and
Livestock Australia due to their wrong portrayal of Hindu god. In this case also, I have learned
the importance of effectively determining the target market requirement before catering to the
target customers. Critical analysis of this article helped me to gain an understanding about the
factors that should be considered by the business organizations in initiating the promotional
activities to reach out to the target customers. Another case article being discussed by me is
about the frequent technical snag being faced by Air Asia in the recent years. In this case, I have

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used the theory of marketing mix in recommending effective measures for the organization to
overcome the discussed issues.
Though the theory of marketing mix is being learned by me in the semester but the
practical implementation of this theory in this case helped me to determine the effectiveness of
each of the elements of marketing mix (Huang and Sarigollu, 2014, pp. 113-112). Moreover, it
also helped me in gaining an understanding about the various elements of the marketing mix and
how each of these elements will help the organization in gaining competitive advantages in the
market.
Marketing plan reflection
Marketing lessons learned
Critical analysis and initiating the strategic marketing plan for various businesses
organizations helped to learn different marketing lessons for me and my team. One of the key
marketing lessons being learned by me in creating the marketing plan is that, effective
determination of the requirement of the customers is important for the business organizations to
design their promotional activities. In the case of meat and livestock Australia, it is been seen
that ineffective determination of the preference pattern of the target market reduced the
effectiveness of their advertisements and attracted various issues (Font-i-Furnols and Guerrero,
2014, pp. 361-371). On the other hand, it is also learned by me that, brand image and brand
goodwill is important for the business organizations in gaining competitive advantages in the
market. In the case of Uber, it is being seen that, negative impact on their brand image had
adversely affected their potentiality in the target market.

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Lessons from team work
In our team all the members were from diversified cultural backgrounds. Thus, it helped
us to gain various perspectives and approaches regarding an issue. We as a team always came up
with different alternative approaches in creating the marketing plan for the organizations.
Moreover, we being from the culturally different backgrounds seemed to know more about the
other cultures, which helped us to enhance the coordination in the team (West 2012). On the
other hand, some issues are being emerged in our teamwork. One of the key issues being
identified is the lack of consensus among the team members. No one was ready to accept the
opposite opinions in the team. Thus, in the future teamwork, I will ensure that a hierarchical
structure should be initiated prior to the start of the teamwork. This will help to have one leader
in the team and will help to build the consensus in the team. Due to having leader in the group,
building of consensus will be easy as all the team members will be bound to go by the opinion of
the leader (Fulmer 2012). Another factor that I will ensure in future team work is having
members with similar attitude and approaches. This will help to have low percentage of
difference in opinion in the group along with having low rate of conflict in the team. It will in
turn help to enhance the productivity of the team.

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Newspaper article 2 analysis
Case synopsis
A recent advertisement being released by Meat & Livestock Australia to promote their
lamb products for the Australian market have stirred up controversy. This is due to the reason
that, according to the theme of the advertisements, different religious figures are being shown
meeting in a lunch table for having lamb (Browne 2017). The idea or the conveyed message for
the advertisement is positive and favorable for the target audience due to the reason that, the
motive of the advertisement is to convey that people from diverse social and cultural
backgrounds can meet up and share meal together. Thus, cultural diversity is being given the
importance in the advertisements. However, due to ineffective portrayal of the advertisements
along with not determining the beliefs and traditions of the target market, the objective of the
advertisement got diluted and caused controversy. The controversy aroused due to the fact that in
the advertisement, lord Ganesha have been shown having lamb lunch with other religious
figures. However, according to the Hindu mythology, lord Ganesha is vegetarian. Due to the
portrayal of the Hindu god having lamb, it hurt the Hindu community due to which, social
backlash is being faced by the marketing organization (Browne 2017).
Thus, the marketing issues being generated from this advertisement is the ineffective
determination of the target market and ineffective communication (Ulmer, Sellnow and Seeger
2013). This is due to the reason that the target audience of the advertisement is the culturally
diversified population of Australia. However, prior to the commencement of the advertisements,
the marketing organization should effectively determine the traditions and customs of the target
market. Effective determination of the target market might help them in identifying the areas,

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which will hurt the communities (B&T 2017). However, they have not done that and thus, the
key objective of the advertisement got diluted. On the other hand, due to ineffective
communication practices of the marketer, the message being conveyed through the advertisement
is not being well communicated. The advertisement should be well designed in order to enable
the customer to gain the exact meaning. Due to poor deign and structure of the advertisement, the
core message of the advertisement is not being communicated to the audience.
Key stakeholders involved
In the above discussed issue, the key stakeholders are the Meat & Livestock Australia,
customers from the Hindu community, customer from other communities and government or
other regulatory bodies. Customers form different communities including the Hindu community
are the key stakeholders due to the reason they are the ones whose sentiment got hurt due to this
advertisement. In addition, the marketing organization who has promoted the advertisement is
also one of the key stakeholders. However, customers from other communities are also being
included as stakeholders due to the reason that, in the article it is being stated that representatives
from other communities also shared their displeasure over this advertisement (Chauhan, Haigh
and Rita, 2012, pp. 361-371). Thus, the negativity being generated from the advertisement has
adversely affected the customers from other communities. Moreover, government is also being
included as stakeholder due to the reason that, they have the important role of regulating this
type of advertisements, which can stir social issues. Other stakeholders include the farmers and
supermarkets. This is due to the reason that, if the demand for the lamb meat gets reduced due to
this issue, then the farmers will get affected along with the supermarkets. They will be able to
sell less amount of lamb from their stores.

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Probable response
If the advertisement is already been shown, then the first step to be taken by me is to
apologize to the involved parties in the public forum. This is due to the reason that, this case
involves religious sentiments, which cannot be resolved with any marketing theory or concept.
Thus, the first thing to do is to apologize to all the involved parties. This will reduce the
implications of the advertisement among the customers. The next step should be the removal of
the controversial advertisement from the television. These steps will ensure that the impact of the
advertisement will not extend.
If I can go in time, then I will take the help of marketing models in implementing
measures to overcome the issue. Market segmentation is one of the most effective marketing
models that can be used in resolving the issue (Wedel and Kamakura 2012). Effective
implementation of the market segmentation will help the organization in determining the taste
and preference pattern of the target customers along with the areas, which need to be avoided in
order to prevent any controversy. Thus, initiation of the market segmentation will help me in
having the access to the customer information in the target market. Accordingly, the
advertisements and promotional activities can be designed. It will help me to design the
advertisement in such as way that, the target customers will have positive impression about the
advertisement.
Newspaper article 3 analysis
Case synopsis
Uber is one of the most prominent and leading cab service aggregators in the world. They
have emerged as one of the most favorable and best reviewed cab services in all the major cities

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around the world. However, in the recent years, there are various ethical and operational issues
being emerged around them. One of the issues emerged is the ill treatment with their drivers and
negligence in enhancing the customer safety (Butler and Topham 2017). These issues have
already adversely affected the brand value of Uber. However, the issue emerged between Uber
and the Transport authority of London in the recent time caused huge implications in their
operation in London as well as in other cities around the world. The issue originated when
transport department of London forfeited the renewal application of cab permit of Uber due to
the reason of not being fit and proper to ply on the roads of London. According to the transport
department of London, the key reasons for the forfeiture of their license is the lack of
concentration on the customer safety, increase in criminal offences by their drivers and lack of
effective evaluation systems to check the background of the drivers before their selection (Butler
and Topham 2017). Moreover, the application being used by Uber may also be encrypted, which
will be difficult for the regulatory bodies to gain the access of the app for enforcement services.
Thus, forfeiture of the permit license of Uber due to the reasons caused negative implication on
the reputation of them along with huge loss in the business potential in London.
Uber is having more than 40000 drivers driving for them along with having more than 3.5
million users alone in London. Thus, forfeiture of the license of Uber will make them to lose a
huge chunk of existing customers. Along with this issue, the global goodwill and reputation of
Uber also affected (Esen, 2012 pp. 47-58). This decision by the transport department of London
will also motivate regulatory bodies in other countries to review the permit of Uber. Thus, it will
pose a huge threat for them in their future business potential. Moreover, in the contemporary
business scenario, goodwill and reputation are having huge influence on the customer behavior.
Thus, as stated in this article, according to Uber’s chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi, it is a

10MARKETING STRATEGY AND PLAN
concern for them to cater to their customers around the world with having negative
organizational reputation.
Key stakeholders involved
In this case, several stakeholders are being associated due to the reason that, apart from
the key stakeholders such as Uber and the transport department of London, there are various
stakeholders such as the customers of Uber, drivers and some other regulatory bodies. Uber is
the core stakeholder in this case due to the reason that they will be directly suffered due to the
forfeiture of their license (Schrieberg 2017). On the other hand, transport department of London
is another key stakeholder in this issue as they have issued the objection in permitting the license
to Uber. Apart from them, existing customers of Uber in London are also an important
stakeholder in this issue. This is due to the reason that, it is stated in the article that, customers of
Uber have shared their dissatisfaction over this issue. According to them, Uber is one of the most
reliable and comfortable mode of transportation for them and thus due to the absence of Uber in
London, they will face the problem. Another stakeholder is the drivers for Uber. Due to the
forfeiture of the license of Uber in London, the 4000 drivers earning their livelihood from Uber
will lose their job (Sundarajan 2014). Thus, they will also be directly affected by this
phenomenon.
Probable response
According to me, if I can go back in time then, the key measure that I will involve in
overcoming the issue is to sit and bargaining with the regulatory bodies. This is due to the reason
that, in operating in a particular region, it is necessary for the business organizations to
effectively adhere to the regulations and legislations. Thus, in case of the Uber also, there is no
place to skip these regulations. According to me, it will be favorable for Uber if they discuss

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with the regulatory bodies about the core issues such as encrypted application and enhancing the
customer safety. Uber should initiate some policies according to the criterions being given the
regulatory authorities. These measures will help Uber to resolve the issues with the regulatory
bodies.
On the other hand, if I could go back in time, the first thing should be done is to initiate
relationship marketing. This is due to the reason that, the key requirement for Uber is to enhance
the loyalty and level of satisfaction of their customers. Involvement of relationship marketing
will help the organization in creating trust among the customers (Kollewe and Topham 2017).
The key issue for Uber is the increase in the level of dissatisfaction of their customers due to
ineffective service being provided by them and their drivers. Thus, I job will be to first regain the
lost faith of the customers. In this case, relationship marketing will be beneficial. It will help
them to engage the customers and effectively determining their requirements (Jahanshani et al.
2014). Accordingly, they can provide their service to the customers.
Newspaper article 4 analysis
Case synopsis
Any misinformation being shared by the employees or internal stakeholders in an
organization intentionally or unintentionally will have negative impact on the organization.
Richmond football club is one prominent and top performing football clubs in Australian
Football League. They are most popularly known as tigers by their million of supporters. They
have also won the premiership championship in 2017. Thus, Richmond club is having huge
brand value with having good number of global brands as their sponsors (Kuikka and
Laukkanen, 2012, pp. 529-537). However, a serious ethical issue is being emerged due to a