The Marketing Mix: Promotion Write a 2 paper in which you respond to the following task: "Explain why P & G has changed its promotions strategy for Tide, describe the changes and analyze how doing so might help P & G to develop a competitive advantage." Note that though there are three elements requested in the task above, the majority weighting, (66%), in grading your answer will be placed on the section underlined. In answering this case aim to demonstrate your learning not only of the materials from MOD04, but also those from MOD01-03. Ensure that you repeat the case question in full and verbatim on the title page of your submission. Excluding your title and reference pages, your paper should be no more than three pages long. Please submit your case for grading by the end of this module. Begin your analysis by reading the following sources: • Byrnes, N.; Berner, R.; Zellner, W.; and Symonds, W. C. (2005, Feb. 14) Branding: Five New Lessons: The P & G purchase of Gillette shows that innovation is key, and marketing is more diffuse and personal. Business Week. Retrieved from Proquest database, May 30, 2008 . • Berner, R. (2006, May 01) Detergent Can Be So Much More: P & G''s new ads strive to "stake out the emotional high ground.'' Business Week. Retrieved from Proquest database, May 30, 2008 . • Berner, R. (2006, May 29) I Sold It Through The Grapevine: Not even small talk is sacred anymore. P & G has enlisted a stealth army of 600,000 moms who chat up its products, Business Week. Retrieved from Proquest database, May 30, 2008 . The Background Info page provides information you will find useful in writing your paper. Module 04 - Background Information The Marketing Mix: Promotion Having developed an understanding of how consumers make purchase decisions, and how marketers analyze markets and select targets, we turn our attention in Modules 02-05 to how firms can win and retain customers and here in Module 04 we focus on one of the four elements of the Marketing Mix, "Promotion", the form and manner of the communications made about the product to the customer and/or to channel intermediaries. Note though that the other elements of the marketing mix also communicate information to the consumer. For instance the design and look of the product in the case of goods, or the physical setting and appearance of staff in the case of services, the distribution outlet, and its location, and the stated price, all communicate information about the product. Thus the Promotional, Distribution, Product and Price strategies must all work together to achieve the objectives of the marketing strategy. This raises a number of questions such as: What methods are available to marketers to communicate information about products? Is communicating "information" all that goes on in promotion, or are there other more subtle, less obvious (to the receiver) effects? How do marketing managers develop effective promotional strategies? The materials on this page as well as in the case have direct relevance to those questions and the fourth part of the Marketing Audit you are doing as your SLP. For both the case and the SLP, the following materials have been provided: Required Sources: Required PowerpointTM presentation: Note that there is NO presentation for this module Online Text: Christ, Paul (2008). Principles of Marketing. Retrieved May 30, 2008, from KnowThis.com. Read the following chapters: Promotion Decisions Advertising Advertising Campaign Case-related articles and online sources: Byrnes, N.; Berner, R.; Zellner, W.; and Symonds, W. C. (2005, Feb. 14) Branding: Five New Lessons: The P & G purchase of Gillette shows that innovation is key, and marketing is more diffuse and personal. Business Week. Retrieved from Proquest database, May 30, 2008. Berner, R. (2006, May 01) Detergent Can Be So Much More: P & G''s new ads strive to "stake out the emotional high ground.’ Business Week. Retrieved from Proquest database, May 30, 2008. Berner, R. (2006, May 29) I Sold It Through The Grapevine: Not even small talk is sacred anymore. P & G has enlisted a stealth army of 600,000 moms who chat up its products, Business Week. Retrieved from Proquest database, May 30, 2008. Optional: Online Text: Christ, P. (2008). Principles of Marketing. Retrieved May 30, 2008, from KnowThis.com. Read the following chapters: Sales Promotion Public Relations Personal Selling The Selling Process