Due to the emergency regulations for COVID-19 the individual presentation has some minor changes so that you are not required to create a multimedia
presentation (in other words a slide show/PowerPoint slideshow will be perfectly acceptable). Please see below. This is to ensure that students with limited
access to technology are not disadvantaged.
Assignment Question and Main information
You, a young marketing researcher, are asked to select one (1) of the three (3) trends below and to critically discuss and analyse this trend and provide
future recommendations to marketers as to how best to capitalise on these particular trends for future business initiatives:
Trend 1: The Rise of Green Consumerism: What Do Brands Need to Know?
-News articles and documentaries around rising sea levels, declining air quality and shrinking animal populations are now more common than ever – and
they’re beginning to become more and more prevalent. For instance, David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series sparked a cultural shift around plastic
consumption. Sales of reusable coffee cups and water bottles have increased dramatically, plastic straws have been banned in a majority bars and
restaurants. Brands like Evian and Coca-Cola have promised packaging made from recycled materials. The impulse to “be greener” is gaining momentum.
According to a recent bespoke study carried out in the UK and U.S., half of digital consumers say environmental concerns impact their purchasing decisions.
Trend 2: Rethinking “Trust” in a New Era of Data Privacy
-In 2018/19 and currently there has been a major shift in the way consumers think about data, privacy and brand trust.
The culmination of high-profile corporate privacy scandals and new data legislation has forced consumers to become more knowledgeable regarding their
digital footprints. It has forced companies to confront and revaluate what’s at stake concerning commercial data collection and processing. This has in turn,
coincided with a sense of fatigue and disillusionment with contemporary online marketing techniques that has begun to exacerbate consumers and
companies alike. While, tools such ad-blocking and VPN protection software may have mitigated this to a degree, they have increasingly and indiscriminately
hacked away at vital revenue streams in companies that rely on online advertising. Together with pressure from declining print advertising revenues, the
spread of ad-blocking tools has led many organizations to look towards pursuing new subscription-based business models to mitigate against the threat.
Trend 3: Inclusive marketing and Brand Transparency
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-Today’s consumers want more than product information from brands. What they really demand is the brand’s perspective on topics that matter — and how
they positively contribute. In 2020, a brand’s view on issues such as diversity and inclusion, climate change, and sustainability will become even more
important.
For example, consumers expect to hear from diverse voices, and so we should consider identity, culture, and representation. Brands like Axe and Gillette
have already contributed to a global shift in mindset.
The majority (60%) of Generation Z — those born between 1995-2005 — say they want to change the world. And this new generation has all the tools to
learn about the brands they engage with. In France, for example, one in six people use Yuka, a barcode scanning app assessing the health benefits of
products. In luxury fashion, Good On You classifies brands by their ethics.
For brands it can be considered a competitive advantage in 2020 to be transparent about their role in society and highlight where they plan to invest to
improve their own systems and production efforts, as well as improve society in general.
Additional information
You need to link the discussion to relevant marketing theories and models. Your research should be supported with a Reference List in Harvard @
Newcastle notation. The list should include peer-reviewed academic articles (published in referent journals or presented on academic conferences), relevant
books, reports of influential international organisations (e.g. Eurostat, Euromonitor), databases (e.g. Passport, Mintel), reputable media outlets (e.g. The
Economist, Forbes etc.).
For the presentation, please synthesise the overall assignment based off the CRA (Critical Research Assignment) criteria provided below and develop a
marketing pitch for future investors looking to invest into a contemporary trend in marketing. This should be aimed at a practitioner audience and should
focus on the key themes that would interest these investors.
-The number of slides in the presentation should not exceed 10-12.
This assessment method is completely aligned with the intended learning outcomes of this module and encourages you to demonstrate your analytical skills
and apply them by conducting individual marketing research and presenting findings derived from different data sources in a professional format.
Remember that critical analysis involves (i) carrying out a substantial amount of focussed reading and (ii) producing a coherent critical assessment of what
you have read and interpreting and adapting to a change in the market.
Structure and Weighting
-The assessment is an essay of 2500 words. This assignment accounts for 60% of the mark awarded, alongside this, students will be asked to develop a
contemporary slideshow presentation. It will not be presented but will examined by the Module Leader digitally, this will account for 40% of the mark
awarded for the module. The overall assignment combined is worth 100% of the marks available for the module.