• The student must develop the following 5 sections based on the information provided about the assigned company and the marketing challenges it faces. Consider the structure of the case study document when drafting your answers.
• This exercise is based on the concepts and frameworks discussed in class up until this midterm.
• The provided information will serve as a foundation for analyzing the marketing case and proposing an appropriate recommendation for the company

1. SWOT Analysis
   
   • Company SWOT Analysis: Conduct a SWOT analysis for the company in 2017. Identify the company’s key Strengths (internal capabilities that
     give the company a competitive edge), Weaknesses (internal limitations or shortcomings), Opportunities (external factors or trends the
     company can exploit), and Threats (external challenges or risks that could impact the business).
   • Competitor SWOT Analysis: Select a key competitor that represents the main threat to the company. Perform a SWOT analysis for this
     competitor, highlighting areas of potential competition or differentiation.
2. Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis

• Conduct a Porter’s 5 Forces Analysis to understand the industry ‘s landscape in 2017 in terms of internal competition, the potential of new

entrants, the negotiating power of the suppliers, the negotiating power of customers and the ability of customers to find substitutes. This will help you to evaluate further the developed by the Company strategy, whether the Company successfully exploited the opportunities and mitigated threats.

•

3. Buyer Persona
• Target Audience: Create a buyer persona analysis (2017). Include demographics but put special interest in psychographic elements (e.g.,

interests, values, and lifestyle) and behavioral (e.g., purchasing habits, brand loyalty, or digital engagement). Show a deep understanding of who

the company is trying to reach and how they make purchasing decisions.

•

1. Define the Marketing Problem and Propose One Alternative/Solution
   
   • Marketing Problem: Identify the main challenge the company was facing in 2017: customer acquisition, brand positioning, market saturation,
     new competition, etc. Be specific and support your statements with evidence from your research.
   • Proposed Solution: Based on your previous analysis of the problem, give your opinion on the strategy adopted by the Company in 2017 to
     maintain its competitive position or propose an alternative solution. This solution should be feasible for the company, considering its resources and market conditions. Explain why this solution is appropriate for addressing the identified marketing challenge.
2. Recommendation

• Final Recommendation: Based on the provided analysis, recommend your proposed solution and explain why it is the best option for the

company. Address potential risks or drawbacks of your solution and justify why the benefits outweigh these risks. Your recommendation should be actionable and strategically sound, considering the company's market position.

Formalities:

• Word count: 1,800 words (+/-10%) (maximum). Suggested word counting: o SWOT Analysis: 300 words

o SWOT Analysis for Main Competitor: 300 words
o Porter 5 Forces Analysis: 300 words
o Buyer Persona: 300 words
o Define the Marketing Problem and Propose One Alternative/ Solution: 400 words o Recommendation: 200 words

• Cover, Table of Contents, References and Appendix are excluded from the total word count.
• Font: Arial 12.5 pts.
• Text alignment: Justified.
• The in-text References and Bibliography must be in Harvard’s citation style

1. It assesses the following learning outcomes:
   1. Critically review the content of a case study to frame and integrate concepts and techniques that are critical to complex problem solving.
   2. Apply these principles and tools in case study analysis.
   3. Develop planning, research, analytical and problem-solving skills through real business case studies.
   4. Formulate recommendations or solutions to reliably solve case study problems.
   5. Justify recommendations or solutions with prior academic research.