Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning: Analysis
Assignment 79 Instructions: Market Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning (STP): A Case Study–Driven Strategic Analysis Academic Orientation and Submission Conditions This assessment on topic of Market Segmentation Targeting Positioning represents the sole graded submission for the module and carries the entire weight of your final mark. The work you submit is expected to reflect the level of analytical maturity associated with upper-division undergraduate or postgraduate business study in the United States. Your submission must be uploaded through the institution’s Turnitin-enabled learning platform. Work submitted through email, shared drives, physical media, or informal channels will not be evaluated under any circumstances. The required length for this submission is 5,000 to 5,500 words. Submissions falling below or exceeding this range compromise the integrity of the assessment design and will be treated as non-compliant. The word count excludes references, appendices, tables, figures, and preliminary pages. To protect anonymity in grading, your document must include only your Student Reference Number (SRN). Names, email addresses, or identifying markers should not appear anywhere in the file. A total of 100 marks are available. A minimum score of 50% is required to pass the assessment. All sources must be cited using the Harvard referencing system, applied consistently and accurately. Work that incorporates published material without attribution, whether intentional or accidental, will be addressed under academic integrity policies. The use of generative AI tools is restricted to language refinement, proofreading, or structural review after original thinking has occurred. AI-generated analytical content, interpretations, or strategic conclusions are not permitted unless explicitly authorized. A completed Assignment Cover Sheet must accompany your submission. Omission of this document may render the submission invalid. Purpose and Intellectual Framing of the Assessment Rather than asking you to describe marketing theory in isolation, this assignment invites you to inhabit the role of a strategic marketing analyst responding to a real organizational situation. You will examine how market segmentation, targeting decisions, and positioning strategies operate in practice, where ambiguity, competition, and constrained information are the norm. You are required to select one organization operating in a competitive market environment. This may be a private firm, a non-governmental organization, or a publicly listed company, provided it is not government-owned. Your chosen organization functions as your “client” for the purposes of the case study. The organization should demonstrate clear market-facing activity, such as product launches, brand repositioning, customer portfolio shifts, or geographic expansion. FMCG brands, technology firms, service providers, and platform-based businesses are all acceptable, provided sufficient secondary data exists. Your task is not to praise the organization’s marketing approach, nor to criticize it superficially. Instead, you are expected to interrogate the logic behind its segmentation choices, the strategic coherence of its targeting priorities, and the effectiveness of its positioning in consumer perception. Learning Outcomes Embedded in This Assignment This assessment (Market Segmentation Targeting Positioning) is designed to measure your ability to: Conceptualize a strategically significant marketing problem rooted in STP theory Apply segmentation, targeting, and positioning frameworks within a specific organizational context Synthesize academic literature and industry data to support evidence-based evaluation Develop strategically meaningful recommendations that demonstrate value creation Achievement of these outcomes requires more than textbook repetition. It requires judgment, selectivity, and theoretical fluency. Structural Expectations and Academic Components While your submission will contain familiar academic elements, the internal logic of the document should reflect strategic reasoning, not formulaic report writing. Each section should feel like a natural progression of thought rather than a checklist. Front Matter and Academic Apparatus Your document should include the following preliminary components before the main analysis begins: Academic Integrity Declaration Title Page Table of Contents List of Tables, Figures, or Abbreviations (if applicable) These elements establish credibility and navigability but do not contribute to the word count. Strategic Overview for Decision-Makers Executive-Level Synthesis Early in your document, you will provide a strategic overview written for senior decision-makers. This section should condense the full analysis into a clear, coherent narrative that explains: Why the organization’s current STP approach warrants examination What analytical methods and data sources were employed What the most significant insights reveal about market alignment How your recommendations create strategic advantage This section should be written after completing the full analysis, even though it appears near the beginning. The tone should be confident, concise, and analytical, free from academic hedging. Market Context and Organizational Landscape Commercial Environment and Competitive Logic Rather than offering a generic company background, this section situates the organization within its market ecosystem. You should examine: Industry structure and competitive intensity Consumer trends shaping demand patterns Macro-environmental factors influencing segmentation viability Shifts in buyer behavior relevant to targeting decisions For example, a streaming platform may face fragmentation in attention economies, while an FMCG brand may contend with private-label competition and price sensitivity. Your discussion should make clear why segmentation choices matter now, not historically. Segmentation Architecture and Analytical Rationale Bases of Market Division This section examines how the organization currently divides its market. You may explore: Demographic segmentation (age, income, household composition) Psychographic segmentation (values, lifestyles, motivations) Behavioral segmentation (usage rates, loyalty patterns) Geographic or technographic segmentation where relevant You are expected to assess whether these segmentation bases are measurable, accessible, substantial, differentiable, and actionable, drawing on academic criteria without listing them mechanically. Use secondary data, such as industry reports, consumer surveys, or published case studies, to support your evaluation. Target Market Prioritization Strategic Choices and Trade-Offs Targeting is inherently exclusionary. This section should explore who the organization chooses not to serve, as much as who it prioritizes. You should evaluate: Criteria used to assess segment attractiveness Alignment between target segments and organizational capabilities Resource allocation implications Risks associated with over-concentration or excessive breadth For instance, targeting Gen Z consumers may offer growth potential but require cultural fluency and platform-specific communication strategies. Your analysis should acknowledge alternative targeting paths and justify why the current or proposed approach is strategically sound, or flawed. Positioning Logic and Market Perception Value Propositions in Competitive Space Positioning exists in the mind of the consumer, not in internal strategy documents. … Read more