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BUSM099 Digital Marketing
2021-22 Assessment Brief
100% 3,000-word Individual Project
Submission Deadline: Friday 17.12.2021, 3pm via QMPLUS
Students are required to prepare and develop a digital marketing campaign for a brand of their choice using knowledge introduced in the module. The project should follow the sections of the SOSTAC plan.
SOSTAC plan:
Situation Analysis • The Situation Analysis section works as the introduction to the chosen brand’s current online situation. You can use a SWOT analysis to do this or take a more narrative approach. The situation analysis must also examine the online presence of immediate competitors (top 3 competitors) and demonstrate awareness of the chosen brand’s digital capability.
Objectives • Objectives must be concrete (measurable) and indicate a time component. Objectives must provide clear links to the digital marketing strategies that will be utilised in the next section.
Strategies • Strategies must consider the value proposition (VP) and/or the online value proposition (OVP). Strategies must answer the first level of “how” regarding proposed objectives as per the SOSTAC framework (i.e., how do we get there?).
Tactics • Tactics represent the first stage of the implementation plan and must provide a clear path for idea implementation using a selection of tactical tools. Tactics must answer the second level of “how” regarding the strategies and must be addressing proposed objectives (i.e., how exactly do we get there?).
Actions • Actions represent the second stage of the implementation plan and should cover the basic skills and related personnel that your proposed campaign will need (i.e., who does what and when). Development time should be considered roughly. Budget planning is optional.
Controls • Controls represent the third stage of the implementation plan and should discuss what exactly will be measured (and how this will be measured) to determine whether objectives are being met.
Appendix • You should use the appendix to demonstrate the practical application of module learning in the context of your campaign. There is no such thing as a “checklist” for the appendix. You may consider: 7Ps digital marketing mix, website/app design, data driven marketing, emerging digital technologies and so on.
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Notes: • The word limit is 3000 words. This does not include reference lists or bibliographies, tables and figures, and executive summary.
An executive summary should be provided at the beginning of the report (maximum of 250 words).
• There is no need for a separate introduction, conclusion, or implications section.
• Project title should be simple which includes the name of the selected brand or organisation – i.e., ‘Project for Brand X’. • Formatting: font size 12 point, font style Calibri or Time New Roman, lines be 1.5 spaced
• You should provide theoretical and practical clarity providing functional links to academic literature and are also expected to make use of secondary sources of information (a good balance between academic and non-academic sources). Academic literature used is expected to be from top quality journals (ABS 3 and above). All those sources need to be cited properly in text and put in the bibliography.
• The SWOT should focus on the digital environment not the brand in broad terms. A critical analysis of the brand’s micro- and macro-environment and the contemporary issues and challenges in the context of digital marketing is essential to the SWOT conclusions.
• Be realistic with your objectives. “To increase Google’s 50% web traffic in 3 months” is an UNREALISTIC objective. “To increase Google’s 0.01% web traffic in 3 months” is a REALISTIC objective.
• The strategy section must clearly demonstrate the online value proposition (OVP). • You will be exposed to a range of different tactics across the module. Be selective and specific.
• Controls are primarily linked to the use of analytics.
• Use tables and figures across your work – treat this as a report commissioned by a client.
