About this course: Positioning is the heart of any Marketing Strategy, the core that you must get right. It does not matter whether you start with a clearly defined target group or with a differential value proposition: you will need end up with a clear segment or segments upon which we build our Marketing Plan. In this course - the second in our Marketing Strategy Specialization - IE professor Ignacio Gafo will guide you through the essential stages of this key marketing process, starting with the basic elements that you will require and deciding on the market segmentation and marketing. The course progresses to examine the key market trends that you will encounter and will provide you with a handy practical toolbox of skills. The course features interviews with industry professionals as well as on location videos where we quiz members of the public on their attitude towards this key concept. After this course you will be in no doubt of where to position your product and which segment you are going to attempt to attract.
Who is this class for: This course is aimed at any ambitious, business minded individual who has aspirations to launch their own product or service and/or has an interest in pursuing a career in marketing. A basic understanding of the principles of marketing would be an advantage but it is not essential.
Created by: IE Business School
Taught by: Ignacio Gafo, Professor
Marketing
| Basic Info | Course 2 of 5 in the Marketing Strategy Specialization |
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 4 weeks of study, 1-2 hours/week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Positioning introduction
In the first module, the positioning concept is introduced and connected to the Marketing Process. Moreover, the market environment analysis is covered and the reasons for going ahead with the positioning are outlined.
7 videos, 3 readings, 1 practice quiz
- Video: 1.0 Why positioning?
- Video: 1.1 Where should we start?
- Video: 1.2 Positioning as a key element in the marketing process
- Reading: Marketing in the age of fragmentation
- Video: 1.3 Market environment analysis: Context and Customers
- Video: 1.4 Market environment analysis: Collaborators, Competitors and Company
- Reading: The Evolution of Marketing
- Video: 1.5 What do we get from a proper positioning?
- Reading: Mountain Dew Kickstart comes alive
- Practice Quiz: Marketing process and Positioning
Graded: Marketing process and Positioning
WEEK 2
Segmentation
In the second module, the focus is on the first element of positioning: The market segmentation. During the module the segmentation concept is covered, together with the reasons for segmenting, the criteria and models that could be used for running the segmentation.
10 videos, 4 readings, 1 practice quiz
- Video: 2.1 Mass market, market segments, niche markets and individuals
- Video: 2.2 Segmentation levels
- Video: 2.3 Why should we segment?
- Video: 2.4 Reasons to segment
- Reading: The art and science of consumer segmentation
- Video: 2.5 Segmentation criteria: geographic and demographic
- Video: 2.6 Segmentation criteria: psychographic and behavioral
- Reading: Personalised targeting: Don’t get personal get social
- Video: 2.7 How to come up with an effective segmentation?
- Reading: Holistic segmentation
- Video: 2.8 Segmentation models
- Reading: Why Unilever believes “consumers are dead”
- Video: 2.9 Expert interview; Jaime Veiga, Global Strategic Insights – Southern Europe Head at Johnson & Johnson
- Practice Quiz: In the following exercise you will have to identify to which segmentation criteria each sentence is related with
Graded: Segmentation and targeting
Graded: Segmentation and targeting 2
WEEK 3
Differentiation and Value Proposition
In the third module, the second element of positioning is addressed: Value proposition and differentiation. Both the value proposition and differentiation concepts are presented, following up with how to come up with them effectively and potential strategies to be followed.
9 videos, 4 readings, 1 practice quiz
- Video: 3.1 What is differentiation and value proposition?
- Video: 3.2 Positioning in real life: Exercise
- Reading: Denny: Fighting commoditization with differentiation
- Video: 3.3 Frame of reference, points of parity and points of difference
- Video: 3.4 How to come up with the points of difference?
- Video: 3.5 The three circles model (Urbany & Davis)
- Reading: Differentiation that matters
- Discussion Prompt: 360 Video: Getting to know the value proposition and business model of Car2go
- Video: 3.6 Differentiation strategies
- Reading: BigPond – Why Emotional differentiation wins
- Video: 3.7 Session 3 Summary
- Reading: Differentiation or Salience
- Video: 3.8 Expert interview; Jacobo Galvez, Marketing Director Consumer Business Unit at Vodafone Spain
- Practice Quiz: Differentiation & positioning. Please fill out the following sentences:
Graded: Differentiation & value proposition
WEEK 4
Positioning
In the fourth module we speak about positioning itself. The positioning concept is analyzed and practical tools are shared to define it . Furthermore, key marketing strategies and market trends affecting positioning are offered.
12 videos, 8 readings, 2 practice quizzes
- Video: 4.1 What is positioning?
- Video: 4.2 Positioning examples at Citroën
- Video: 4.3 Positioning Statement
- Reading: Chobani Plain Inspiring
- Video: 4.4 How to define the Commercial Plan based on the positioning?
- Reading: Dennys reinvents the American dinner
- Video: 4.5 How to come up with the value proposition? Positioning maps
- Reading: Positioning Maps Multimedia
- Reading: Vodafone Egypt: How to make the small seems big
- Video: 4.6 Spider Web Perceptual Maps
- Video: 4.7 Alternative Positioning Strategies
- Video: 4.8 Key trends impacting Positioning (1/2)
- Reading: Consumers in 2016: Generation swipe
- Reading: Can big data and analysis replace intuition?
- Video: 4.9 Key trends impacting Positioning (2/2)
- Reading: Innovation beyond blue oceans
- Reading: Super personalize me! When technological advance meets consumer power
- Video: 4.10 Course wrap up
- Practice Quiz: Positioning
- Practice Quiz: Match these sentences regarding Positioning
- Video: Ready to continue on this journey?
Graded: Positioning
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IE Business School is an internationally recognized business school where the leaders of tomorrow shape their ideas and learn to become global citizens. For over 40 years, IE Business School has promoted innovation and change in organizations, equipping managers with an entrepreneurial mindset that generates employment, wealth, and social well-being.
Regularly featured among the top business schools in the world, IE Business School has an urban campus in Madrid and a faculty of more than 400 professors who teach students from approximately 90 countries in its undergraduate and master programs. IE uses innovative online, face-to-face, and blended learning formats, including the IE Communities Platform where knowledge and experiences are exchanged with over 50,000 IE graduates that currently hold management positions in more than 100 countries worldwide.
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