Description
This assignment requires you to answer questions in relation to the case study ‘Dog and Duck Pub’ (a separate document ‘Dog and Duck Pub Case Study’).
This is an individual, case-based assignment made up of two questions – a report on the business and a reflection on your experience of applying academic theory to the case study (see below).
Your report should adopt a formal structure, refer to key academic concepts and theories and utilise current market data. Your work should be referenced using UWE Harvard Referencing.
Question 1: Report (80 marks) – 2,500 words
Using relevant theories, frameworks, and concepts, analyse and evaluate the current position in which the Dog and Duck pub finds itself, and make recommendations for a marketing strategy. Identify any risks or challenges associated with your recommendations.
There are three core sections to the analysis:
Analysis and evaluation summarizing the situation, strategic priorities and alternative options – 1000 words
Recommendations
Challenges and risks
The remaining 1500 words cover sections 2 and 3.
You will be rewarded for relevant and well-integrated reading beyond the lecture content. Consult market reports via the library, such as Mintel or Euromonitor, to familiarize yourself with the market.
Question 2: Reflection (20 marks) – 500 words
Select one theory/framework/concept that you have applied in answering question one. Assess its strengths and limitations for strategic marketing planning in the context of the case study.
Ensure you discuss the model or framework in the context of the case study. Give specific examples of how you were able to use the model or framework effectively, or examples of how it was limited in its usefulness.
Write in the first person (” I felt that…”; “In my experience…”).
Where should I start?
Start by reading the case study and completing a SWOT analysis.
Try to identify different customer groups that the business can service, what their needs are and who might also be trying to service these customers.
What do I need to do to pass?
Use relevant theories and frameworks taught on this module to analyse the situation the business finds itself in; identify and recommend some marketing activities that it can undertake to succeed in its market; and assess the challenges and risks associated with them and what it can do to mitigate them.
Write a reflection on your experience of using one of the models to analyse the case study, referring specifically to the case study.
Make sure you apply rather than describe the theories and frameworks in the analysis and that you justify your recommendations.
How do I achieve high marks in this assessment?
Carry out additional research around the sector you have been asked to consider and use these extra insights in your work. Ensure there is a through-line from your insights to your recommendations.
Make sure you consider elements such as segmentation, targeting and positioning, relative to competitors.
Demonstrate a good understanding of several theories and apply them correctly to the case study.
Provide specific examples in your reflection demonstrating how the model helped or hindered you in your analysis.
How does the learning and teaching relate to the assessment?
The sessions looking at the Marketing Audit and Marketing Strategy are particularly important, because they the sessions where we introduce the core frameworks you need to use to complete this assessment. However, all sessions have bearing on the analysis.
Unformatted Attachment Preview
Dog and Duck Pub Case Study
Introduction
The Dog & Duck is a trendy independent pub located in Stokes Croft
in Bristol. It opened in 2009 and has enjoyed many years of thriving
business, establishing itself as a stalwart of this vibrant area.
The Dog & Duck’s traditional décor, featuring worn wooden tables and
vintage leather armchairs with warm lighting, gives it a homely
welcoming appeal despite its reputation as a popular late-night bar. The
Dog & Duck focuses on quality over quantity, championing local
breweries. It serves a wide selection of local and premium beers, ciders,
and spirits. There is also a traditional menu that makes use of locally
sourced ingredients and includes traditional pub fayre such as burgers,
fish and chips, and roasts at the weekend.
The Dog & Duck have a website which includes both drinks and food
menus, a What’s On section with details of up-and-coming events, and
a table booking function. In terms of social media, they have a
Facebook page with 2,500 followers, but no presence on any of the
other platforms.
Background
The Dog & Duck is owned by Mark Dunster, who used to work as a
banker in London. Mark worked hard in his twenties and thirties
building up sizeable savings. When the financial crash in 2008 led to a
backlash of anger towards bankers, Mark made the decision to retire
from banking, return to Bristol – the city where he had grown up – and
try his hand at being a pub landlord. The Dog & Duck was an
established traditional pub in the area. Mark’s initial vision was to
combine its traditional pub feel with turning it into a trendy late-night
destination, an idea that Mark had seen work for successful venues in
London’s Shoreditch area.
Mark was drawn to Stokes Croft because of its growing reputation as a
vibrant and culturally diverse area. He liked the edgy upbeat
atmosphere and the street art, which includes works by world famous
artists like Banksy. Mark could see that the concentration of bars, clubs,
shops, and restaurants meant Stokes Croft attracts a large number of
both young professionals and students, which would be helpful for
establishing a clientele. Mark’s vision proved to be a success and the
Dog & Duck quickly became a popular late-night venue with young
professionals and students alike.
Mark employs Elsie as the pub manager, to oversee the bar and kitchen
staff. Elsie is a local to Stokes Croft, with strong ties to the community.
Whilst this can be helpful in terms of understanding the needs of the
local market, Elsie can sometimes be obstructive when it comes to
planning nights or promotions to reach the student market.
Mark and Elsie generally share responsibility for booking DJs. Mark
manages everything to do with the backend running of the business
himself including looking after the marketing activity which he often
has little time for. Because there is no dedicated marketing resource,
posts on Facebook tend to be sporadic – sometimes a few a month,
sometimes nothing for a few months. Currently, the Dog & Duck do
not have a presence on Instagram and Tik Tok.
Mark has kept a flexible approach to meeting the needs of its diverse
patrons, working hard to balance its reputation as a traditional pub
serving good food, with its appeal as a late-night venue. However, this
has presented challenges at times in terms of staffing for the different
shifts and ensuring the venue is ready for the lunch shift after late night
events. Mark finds it difficult to strike the right balance with the food
menu, as the Dog & Duck’s ethos of ‘quality over quantity’ supports
the use of local and sustainable ingredients. However, this can make
the food too expensive for the student market.
The pub market in the UK
Despite the steady decline in the number of pubs operating nationwide,
the market grew by 15% between 2013-19 (Mintel, 2022). However,
the pub and bar industry was severely impacted by the COVID-19
pandemic in 2020 and 2021 due to the numerous lockdowns and
restrictions. Post-pandemic, the industry recovered well as consumer
confidence returned, and in 2022 was estimated to be at 97% of prepandemic levels.
COVID hugely accelerated the uptake in online shopping, changing the
way consumers purchase goods and pushing direct to consumer
models, such as brand subscriptions and social media shopping – for
example, TikTok and Instagram shops. This has been challenging for
the pub and bar industry, with products typically tricky and expensive
to post. However, some brands responded to this development in
changing consumer habits by offering things like cocktails for delivery.
The entire industry is now facing more challenges as inflation
continues to increase, reaching 10.1% in September 2022, a 40-year
high (Mintel 2022). Added to this, rising energy costs, increase in living
costs, and rising supplier costs are all starting to take their toll. In some
cases, small brewers reported that their energy bills doubled or trebled
last year (Cooney, 2022). Businesses have no choice but to pass these
increasing costs on to customers by raising prices. The U-turn on the
proposed freeze on alcohol tax duty also hasn’t helped. The alcohol
duty freeze had been due to take effect from February 2023. However,
on the 17 October 2022, UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt postponed the
freeze until August 2023 (HM Treasury, 2022).
Forecasts suggest that many consumers will visit pubs less frequently
and those that do go out will prioritize quality when choosing where to
go and what to consume (Mintel, 2022). Recent research from Ipsos
and the We Invented the Weekend festival suggests that a third of
British people plan to cut back on the amount they go out this year
compared with last, with most citing the need to save on daily living
costs and bills. That makes sense when given the average cost of a night
out increased from £68.03 in March 2022 to £73.36 in October 2023
(Wilkinson, 2023).
Added to increasing financial pressures, evidence indicates that
Millennials and Gen Z are drinking less alcohol than previous
generations (Kraus et al., 2008). Instead, they often choose alcohol-free
and low alcohol drinks. According to Van de Sande (2022), marketleading beer companies are now spending around 30% of their
marketing budget on 0% beer, a trend being fueled by the wider
society’s increasing focus on wellbeing and health.
Ready-to-drink alcohol is also a growth area popular with young people
looking to save money (Dingwall, 2022). Premixed cans of gin and
tonic, Margarita and other cocktails are available in all supermarkets,
as well as corner stores and garages, making them a popular choice for
barbeques and gatherings at home with friends.
Social media is also an important factor driving changes in consumer
behaviour. Before the days of mobile phones and social media, it was
easier to party without any fear of being captured looking drunk. Now
there is a constant stream of live videos and photos shared online for
anyone and everyone to see, including family, friends, and potential
future employers (Van de Sande, 2022).
Despite the challenges that marketers may face cutting through the
noise online to connect with young people, it seems that Millennials
and Gen Z are proving to be highly responsive to sophisticated and
innovative marketing (Van de Sande, 2022). Messages to this audience
need to tap into the zeitgeist around making conscious and positive
choices, without having to compromise on taste and quality.
Current situation
Although The Dog & Duck remains popular with students and young
professionals, overall sales of alcohol and food are falling, whilst costs
are increasing. Mark understands that he needs to do more to engage
with his target audience, but he is struggling to make the time to
understand what their needs are.
Competition in the area continues to be fierce. A new cocktail bar has
just opened, called Mixture, specialising in espresso martinis and
targeting students. There is also a Tex-Mex cocktail bar called Mojitos
& Burritos, which is proving to be popular with young professionals
and students due to their menu which offers healthy food at affordable
prices. Mojitos & Burritos also offer a good selection of non-alcoholic
cocktails alongside the classic alcoholic cocktails.
Mark knows he can’t rely on The Dog and Duck’s reputation as a solid
fixture of Stokes Croft and he needs to innovate to stay current. But he
is not sure whether to focus on the food side of the business, or consider
creating events, such as music nights, or both; or whether to look at
another option entirely, such as providing a space for community
events. He’s concerned about spreading himself too thin by adding
additional responsibilities to his plate.
The People’s Republic of Stoke’s Croft (www. https://prsc.org.uk) are
an active community group made up of artists and activists committed
to maintaining an ethos of collectivism and spaces for championing
local voices. The PRSC actively resists corporate investors and big
businesses. Whist this fits with ethos of the Dog & Duck, Mark feels
under pressure to continue to source ingredients and beverages locally,
making it challenging to consider changing suppliers to reduce costs.
Mark is keen to look at future-proofing the Dog & Duck so it’s able to
withstand the tough challenges he believes lie ahead. He would like
you to suggest a plan for the future of this business, clearly justified. It
should include an audit of the current situation, using relevant academic
models to structure the analysis and give them confidence in your
evaluation. He would like a clear sense of which customers they should
target to grow their business and which product offer might be most
likely to succeed in 2023.
References
Cooney, C. (2022) More than 70% of pubs do not expect to survive winter as energy costs
soar. The Guardian [online]. Available from:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/aug/23/pubs-winter-energy-costs-soar.
[Accessed: 19 June 2023]
Dingwall, K. (2022) The No-Alcohol Industry Boomed Over the Pandemic. Where’s It Going
Next? Forbes.com [online]. Available from:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/katedingwall/2021/10/29/the-no-alcohol-industry-boomedover-the-pandemic-wheres-it-going-next/?sh=502cec233daf. [Accessed: 21 June2023]
Kraus, L., Seitz, N.-N., Piontek, D., Molinaro, S., Siciliano, V., Guttormsson, U., Arpa, S.,
Monshouwer, K., Leifman, H., Vicente, J., Griffiths, P., Clancy, L., Feijão, F., Florescu, S.,
Lambrecht, P., Nociar, A., Raitasalo, K., Spilka, S., Vyshinskiy, K., and Hibell, B. (2018) ‘Are The
Times A-Changin’? Trends in adolescent substance use in Europe. Addiction, 113, pp. 1317–
1332.
Van de Sande, M. (2022) The rise of alcohol-free: how to reach millennials and gen Z
changing the drinks industry. The Drum [online]. Available from:
https://www.thedrum.com/opinion/2022/01/14/the-rise-alcohol-free-how-reachmillennials-and-gen-z-changing-the-drinks [Accessed: 21 June 2023]
HM Treasury (2022) The freeze to UK alcohol duty rates has been extended six months to 1
August 2023, the government announced today (19 December 2022). Gov.uk [online].
Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-six-monthextension-to-alcohol-duty-freeze [Accessed 21.6.23]
Mintel (2022) Pub Visiting – UK, 2022 [online]. Available at:
https://reports.mintel.com/display/1100529/ [Accessed: 21 June 2023]
Wilkinson, C. (2023). How the cost of living crisis is changing the way we party. Timeout.
Friday 3 March 2023. Available from: https://www.timeout.com/uk/arts-and-culture/howcost-of-living-crisis-is-changing-how-we-party [Accessed: 21 June 2023]
BRISTOL BUSINESS SCHOOL
ACADEMIC YEAR 2023/24
Assessment Brief
Submission and feedback dates
Before 14:00 on 15th January 2024
Is eligible for 48-hour late submission window.
Marks and Feedback due on: 14th February 2024
Submission deadline:
N.B. all times are 24-hour clock, current local time (at time of submission) in the UK.
Submission details
Module title and code:
UMKDFG-15-M Marketing Management
Assessment type:
Written case study analysis report and personal reflection
Assessment title:
Dog and Duck Pub Case Study Analysis and Reflection
Assessment weighting:
100% of total module mark
Size or length of assessment: Maximum word count is 3000 words (no +/- 10% to be
used), 2,500 for the case study analysis and 500 for the
reflection.
Module learning outcomes assessed by this task:
1. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the external
contexts within which organisations work, encompassing macroeconomic issues,
ethical issues, sustainable development, and regulatory frameworks.
2. Evaluate and utilise relevant mechanisms by which organisations may position and
market themselves to establish competitive advantage in international markets,
whether existing or emerging.
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the development and operation of
markets for resources, goods and services, customer expectations, service and
orientation.
4. Demonstrate the importance of understanding consumers in formulating
competitive strategy and market positioning.
5. Make selective and critical use of appropriate academic resources for the
examination of complex market and consumer issues.
6. Apply theories and concepts in devising appropriate marketing strategies and
policies within a changing context to meet the needs of stakeholders.
7. Demonstrate effective communication of complex ideas and arguments.
Completing your assessment
What am I required to do on this assessment?
This assignment requires you to answer questions in relation to the case study ‘Dog and
Duck Pub’ (a separate document ‘Dog and Duck Pub Case Study’). This is an individual, casebased assignment made up of two questions – a report on the business and a reflection on
your experience of applying academic theory to the case study (see below).
In order to pass this module, you need to achieve a mark of at least 50%. Marks are
recorded as percentages (a mark out of 100) and follow the usual conventions of rounding
up and down.
Your report should adopt a formal structure, refer to key academic concepts and theories
and utilise current market data. Your work should be referenced using UWE Harvard
Referencing.
Question 1: Report (80 marks) – 2,500 words
Using relevant theories, frameworks, and concepts, analyse and evaluate the current
position in which the Dog and Duck pub finds itself, and make recommendations for a
marketing strategy. Identify any risks or challenges associated with your recommendations.
There are three core sections to the analysis:
1. Analysis and evaluation summarizing the situation, strategic priorities and
alternative options – 1000 words
2. Recommendations
3. Challenges and risks
The remaining 1500 words cover sections 2 and 3.
You will be rewarded for relevant and well-integrated reading beyond the lecture content.
Consult market reports via the library, such as Mintel or Euromonitor, to familiarize yourself
with the market.
Question 2: Reflection (20 marks) – 500 words
Select one theory/framework/concept that you have applied in answering question one.
Assess its strengths and limitations for strategic marketing planning in the context of the
case study.
Ensure you discuss the model or framework in the context of the case study. Give specific
examples of how you were able to use the model or framework effectively, or examples of
how it was limited in its usefulness.
Write in the first person (” I felt that…”; “In my experience…”).
General Guidance
•
You may use subheadings, but avoid excessive use of bullet points
•
Please include your full marketing audit in an appendix
•
Include a title page (details on what this should contain are below – do not state
your name), contents, and references. There is no need for an executive summary
•
Please number your pages
•
Use communication skills to put forward plans and ideas in a persuasive manner
•
There is no requirement to use everything we have studied; you don’t have to use all
the models we cover, just the most appropriate ones
•
The word count excludes the title page, reference list and appendices
•
Further guidance will be given in class
In terms of formatting:
Please use the Word file format (.doc or .docx).
All work should be word processed in 12-point font Times New Roman or Arial and single
spaced.
The first page of your coursework must include:
•
•
•
•
Your student number
The module name and number, which is UMKDFG-15-M Marketing Management
Your word count
The coursework title, which is Dog and Duck Pub Case Study Analysis and Reflection
Where should I start?
Start by reading the case study and completing a SWOT analysis.
Try to identify different customer groups that the business can service, what their needs are
and who might also be trying to service these customers.
What do I need to do to pass?
Use relevant theories and frameworks taught on this module to analyse the situation the
business finds itself in; identify and recommend some marketing activities that it can
undertake to succeed in its market; and assess the challenges and risks associated with
them and what it can do to mitigate them.
Write a reflection on your experience of using one of the models to analyse the case study,
referring specifically to the case study.
Make sure you apply rather than describe the theories and frameworks in the analysis and
that you justify your recommendations.
How do I achieve high marks in this assessment?
Carry out additional research around the sector you have been asked to consider and use
these extra insights in your work. Ensure there is a through-line from your insights to your
recommendations.
Make sure you consider elements such as segmentation, targeting and positioning, relative
to competitors.
Demonstrate a good understanding of several theories and apply them correctly to the case
study.
Provide specific examples in your reflection demonstrating how the model helped or
hindered you in your analysis.
How does the learning and teaching relate to the assessment?
The sessions looking at the Marketing Audit and Marketing Strategy are particularly
important, because they the sessions where we introduce the core frameworks you need to
use to complete this assessment. However, all sessions have bearing on the analysis.
What additional resources may help me complete this assessment?
•
•
•
The briefing video and slides are available on the Blackboard site
A regularly-updated FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) document is available on the
Blackboard site
Specific study skills pages relating to this module include:
o How to plan and structure your writing
o Writing skills
o Research skills / techniques
o Report writing
o Reflective writing
o How to write critically
o English language support
The Module Leader is available via email and will respond during normal working hours; Office Hours
are also posted on the Blackboard site
What do I do if I am concerned about completing this assessment?
UWE Bristol offer a range of Assessment Support Options that you can explore through this
link, and both Academic Support and Wellbeing Support are available.
For further information, please see the Academic Survival Guide.
How do I avoid an Assessment Offence on this module? 2
Use the support above if you feel unable to submit your own work for this module.
Make sure you work on this assessment individually. Text-matching software is used to
check every submission against other submissions made at the same time, previous
submissions to UWE and other universities, and internet sources. We may also manually
search for matches.
Marks and Feedback
Your assessment will be marked according to the following marking criteria.
You can use these to evaluate your own work before you submit.
Criteria
Analysis and evaluation,
Q1. (30%)
Recommendations, Q1.
(40%)
Structure, presentation,
referencing, Q1 (10%)
Reflection, Q2. (20%)
Comprehensive
identification, analysis,
and evaluation of key
issues. Thorough
identification and
assessment of alternative
strategies. Excellent
selection and application
of theory.
Excellent and appropriate,
with originality of thought.
Excellent justification and
detail. Consistent with issues
raised in the analysis.
Supported by accurate
application of theory.
Consideration of practical
implications and how any
constraints might be
overcome.
Excellent standard of
literacy, organization of
material, and
presentation. Referencing
is excellent. Excellent
integration of relevant
literature from outside the
module reading list.
Excellent analysis and
evaluation of selected
theory, identifying
issues and practical
implications, and
recommending
improvements.
Contextualised to the
case study.
Identifies most of the key
issues in the case, and
demonstrates good
analysis and evaluation.
Some consideration given
to alternative strategies.
Good selection and
application of theory.
Good and largely appropriate.
Good justification and
reasonable detail. Largely
consistent with issues raised
in the analysis. Supported by
largely accurate application of
theory. Consideration of
practical implications though
may lack suggestions as to
how any constraints might be
overcome.
Good standard of literacy,
organization of material,
and presentation. Just a
few referencing errors.
Evidence of reading
beyond the lecture slides.
Good analysis and
evaluation of selected
theory, identifying
issues and practical
implications, and
recommending
improvements.
Contextualised to the
case study.
Adequate analysis and
evaluation but lacking
depth. May miss some
important issues. May not
discuss alternative
strategies. Limited
selection and application
of theory.
Adequate but not always
realistic. Level of justification
and detail could be improved.
Not always consistent with
issues raised in the analysis.
Adequate, though not always
accurate, application of theory
to support recommendations.
Limited consideration of
practical implications and how
constraints might be
overcome.
Adequate standard of
literacy, organization of
material, and
presentation. Referencing
is adequate but there may
be several errors or
omissions. Limited
evidence of reading
beyond the lecture slides.
Adequate analysis and
evaluation of selected
theory, but with
limited identification of
issues and practical
implications. May not
identify improvements.
May be general rather
than contextualised.
Superficial analysis and
evaluation, lacking breadth
and depth. Misses
important issues. No
consideration of
alternative strategies.
Limited, unsystematic,
and/or inaccurate
application of theory.
Inadequate, mostly
inappropriate, and lacking
clarity. Lack of consistency
with issues raised in the
analysis. Limited theoretical
support. Little or no
consideration of challenges
and risks associated with
implementation.
Weak level of literacy,
organization of material,
and presentation. Several
instances of incorrect or
omitted references. Little
or no evidence of reading
beyond the lecture slides.
May be significantly under
or over word count.
Weak assessment of
selected theory. Little
or no attempt to
identify implications or
to recommend
improvements. Likely
to be general rather
than contextualised.
Grading
70-100%
Distinction
60-69%
Merit
50-59%
Pass
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