MKT 220: Principles of Marketing

Course Description

This course will examine the basic principles of marketing, including looking at the “hot buttons” of a consumer (what it is that makes them take action) and how to capitalize on this knowledge. The course topics include, but are not limited to, marketing communications, pricing strategies, ethics, e-commerce, and product life cycles. Students will combine these activities to develop a true marketing plan for a real company. (3 credits)

Prerequisite

  • None

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Define what marketing is and discuss its core concepts.
  2. Explain company wide strategic planning, the marketing forces and how marketing management functions.
  3. Describe how environmental, economic and demographic environments affect marketing decisions and the ability for a company to serve its customers.
  4. Define the marketing information system, its importance, and the advantages/disadvantages of various data collection methods.
  5. Understand the consumer market and the major factors that influence consumer buying behavior and the buying decision process.
  6. Discuss the major levels of market segmentation, the bases for segmenting consumer & business markets and competitive product positioning.
  7. Describe and define the roles of product and service branding, packaging, labeling and support services.
  8. Explain how companies find and develop new product ideas and maximize a product life-cycle.
  9. Identify and explain the external and internal factors affecting pricing decisions.
  10. Explain why companies use distribution channels and how retail and wholesale distribution differ.
  11. Discuss the process and advantages of integrated marketing communications and the role of sales in the customer relationship process.
  12. Identify and compare the benefits of direct marketing vs. online marketing.
  13. Define the major social criticisms of marketing and the role ethics plays.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Group Weekly Discussions (Weeks 1-8)

20%

Midterm Exam (Week 4)

20%

Final Exam (Week 8)

20%

Group Research Paper

20%

Tests (Weeks 1-8)

10%

Peer Evaluation

10%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Armstrong, Gary and Philip Kotler. Marketing. 14th ed. Pearson Publishing, 2020. ISBN-10: 0-13-519336-2 or ISBN-13: 978-0-13-519336-5

Additional Resources

  • Powerpoint presentations, weeks 1 - 8
  • Optional Readings:
    • Pepsi and Coke (week 1)
    • Brand_Leverage (week 3)
    • Multiproduct (week 3)
    • Share-of-Wallet (week 3)
    • What is Branding (week 4)
    • Marketing Water (week 5)
    • The secrets of marketing cpn (week 5)
    • Crisis Management (week 6)
    • Promoting Website (week 7)
    • Ethics in Advertising (week 8)
    • Ethical Marketing (week 8)

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignment(s)

1

1,2

Topics: Creating Customer Value and Engagement & Company and Marketing Strategy

  • Readings: Chapters 1 & 2 (download Week 1 notes)
  • Optional Readings: Pepsi and Coke
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic

2

3,4

Topics: Analyzing the Marketing Environment & Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights

  • Readings: Chapters 3 & 4 (& download Week 2 notes)
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic

3

5,6

Topics: Understanding Consumer and Business Buyer Behavior & Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategy

  • Readings: Chapters 5 & 6 (& download Week 3 notes)
  • Optional Readings: Brand_Leverage, Multiproduct and Share-of-Wallet
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic

4

7

Topics: Products, Services and Brands

  • Readings: Chapter 7 (& download Week 4 notes)
  • Optional Reading: What is Branding
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic
  • Take Midterm Exam

Midterm Exam
Chapters: 1-7
SLOs: 1-7

5

8,9

Topics: Developing New Products and Managing the Product Life Cycle & Pricing

  • Readings: Chapters 8 & 9 (& download Week 5 notes)
  • Optional Readings: Marketing Water and The secrets of marketing cpn
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic

6

10,11

Topics: Marketing Channels & Retailing and Wholesaling & Engaging Customers and Communicating Customer Value & Personal Selling and Sales Promotion

  • Readings: Chapters 10-13 (& download Week 6 notes)
  • Optional Reading: Crisis Management
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic

7

3,12

Topics: Direct, Online, Social Media and Mobile Marketing & the Global Marketplace

  • Readings: Chapters 14 & 15 (& download Week 7 notes)
  • Optional Reading: Promoting website
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic

8

13

Topics: Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics

  • Readings: Chapter 16 (& download Week 8 notes)
  • Optional Readings: Ethics in advertising and Ethical marketing
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the Lecture material
  • Respond to the Discussion Topic
  • Take Final Exam

Final Exam
Chapters: 8-16
SLOs: 3, 8-13

Additional Information

  • Student will be applying the principles in the text to a specific company you have chosen from the list provided (Walt Disney World, Krispy Kreme, Levi Srauss, Home Depot, Ford or Revlon).
    • In the first week, select a company that you will be using as a “case study” for the whole semester. It doesn’t matter which company you choose, but it should be one you are interested in as you’ll be using the same company all semester long. The company will also determine which group you are assigned to.
    • All of the students who have chosen the same company will now be a group, working together for the rest of the semester. Note: There is a maximum of 5 students per group. Companies will be chosen by students on a first come, first serve basis.
  • Each week, you will read the text assignments and online class notes (as well as any additional or optional readings).
  • Each week, you will complete research on the weekly post-topic and how it pertains to your company.

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.