ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES
MN5006Serving Customers in Global Markets 2014-15
Assessment 1 (week 7) – Individual work contributing to E-portfolio:

Select two different items of marketing communications – such as a TV advert, magazine advert, billboard, Billboard, website, direct mail brochure, etc. These can be either from two different organisations or two items from the same organisation – but conveying different messages. You should then compare and contrast how each item uses consumer behaviour theories to achieve its objective.

You must write a report which includes the following four sections:

1. Introduction
In this section you should briefly introduce the communication material you selected (i.e. a website, TV advert, poster etc.), state why you chose these particular ones and why understanding the psychology of the customer is important to business. Also state what you believe to be the key message the advertiser wishes to communicate in each of your selected examples.

2. Main Section
a) By week 5 we will have discussed how an understanding of the theories of consumer psychology can enable companies to attract the consumer’s attention, to facilitate their learning, to embed the required message in the consumer’s memory, and to motivate them to act in the way the company desires. Using your selected items explain in turn how each of these aspects of theory is employed – or not employed – in each of your examples.

b) We will also have discussed how our personality and attitudes influence the way we respond to marketing messages but also how the later, our attitudes, can be changed by them. In this section please show how predominantly either a Behavioural or a Cognitive approach, or a combination of both, is being employed in each example. Explain your answer by reference to some of the theory or models covered in the class.

3. Conclusion – compare and contrast each of your selected items and evaluate how effective each is in applying consumer behaviour theory to achieve their objectives. You should also suggest how you think each could be improved further by a better application of theory.

4. Bibliography – provide a list of the sources of information (books, articles, websites) you used. Make sure you provide a web-link to your chosen item so the assessor can easily find it.

Further Directions

• The report should be concise with minimum repetitions.
• References to theory should be included, with appropriate citation, and fully Harvard referenced in a bibliography.
• Students are encouraged to summarise the information at the conclusion stage.
• The report should be between 1000 – 1500 words. All non-key, but useful, information (e.g. details of research findings) should be put in an Appendix section – contents of appendices are not included in the word count.
MARKING CRITERIA

MN5006 Serving Customers in Global Markets
2014/2015 Semester 1
Individual Assignment Assessment Feedback Form

Student Name: ID: Date:

1st marker: 2nd marker:

Criteria Comment A B C D E R
Clear demonstration of use of theories of attention, learning, memory, motivation and personality, attitude in each case
Good explanation of use of behavioural, cognitive or combined approach
Effective discussion on difference in application of theory in each example
Student demonstrates reflection and good critical analysis
Coherent and logical structure and good use of language
Appropriate referencing and bibliography

Overall comment:
Second Marker comment:
Agreed Mark: