Question

Scenario 1: New Product Launch
A local smoothie shop is introducing a new protein smoothie. The owner already knows how to make it and has the ingredients, but sales are slow because customers don’t know it exists.

Scenario 2: Declining Sales
A popular clothing brand notices that teen sales have dropped, even though the clothes are good quality. Competitors are getting more attention on social media.

Scenario 3: Pricing Problem
A gaming accessory company releases a new controller at a high price, but customers say it’s too expensive compared to similar products.

Scenario 4: Wrong Target Market
A shoe company runs TV ads during daytime shows, but most buyers are students and young athletes who are rarely watching TV at that time.

For EACH scenario, students must:

Identify which business function is most involved

Explain how marketing plays a role

Predict what could happen if marketing is ignored

Final Question (Reflection):

“Which business function do you think is most important? Defend your answer.”

Deliverable:
Completed scenario worksheet + reflection paragraph

Answer 1

Scenario 1 — New Product Launch (protein smoothie)
- Most involved business function: Marketing (product launch / promotion)
- How marketing plays a role:
- Creates awareness (signs, samples, in-store demos, social posts, local ads).
- Positions the smoothie (health benefits, protein amount, who it’s for).
- Drives trial and repeat purchases (intro discounts, loyalty points, bundling with popular items).
- Collects customer feedback to tweak recipe, price, or messaging.
- If marketing is ignored:
- Very low awareness → few sales despite having the product and ingredients.
- Wasted inventory and lost revenue; competitor offerings capture attention.
- Owner misses opportunities to learn customer preferences and optimize the product.

Scenario 2 — Declining Teen Sales
- Most involved business function: Marketing (brand management / digital & social media)
- How marketing plays a role:
- Researches why teens prefer competitors (trend, influencer effect, content style).
- Rebuilds social strategy (TikTok, Instagram, influencer collaborations, UGC campaigns).
- Refreshes messaging, visuals, and product positioning to match teen tastes.
- Runs targeted promotions and engagement campaigns (challenges, campus pop-ups).
- If marketing is ignored:
- Brand becomes less relevant to teens; market share and future lifetime customers decline.
- Competitors solidify their position; recovery becomes harder and more expensive later.

Scenario 3 — Pricing Problem (high-priced controller)
- Most involved business function: Pricing/Finance (pricing strategy), with close marketing input
- How marketing plays a role:
- Researches perceived customer value vs. competitors and communicates unique benefits (build quality, features, warranty).
- Tests price sensitivity and recommends pricing tactics (intro discount, bundles, financing, premium positioning).
- Uses messaging, reviews, influencer demos to justify premium pricing or to reposition as a value product.
- If marketing (and pricing analysis) is ignored:
- Low sales and inventory buildup; negative customer perception of value-for-money.
- Revenue goals missed; brand may be forced to deep discounts that hurt margins and brand image.

Scenario 4 — Wrong Target Market (daytime TV ads)
- Most involved business function: Marketing (advertising / media planning)
- How marketing plays a role:
- Identifies target audience media habits and places ads where they’ll see them (social platforms, streaming, campus channels, sponsorships).
- Tailors creative and timing to students/young athletes (short-form video, influencer partnerships, event activations).
- Tracks ad performance and reallocates budget to high-ROI channels.
- If marketing is ignored:
- Advertising spend is wasted on an audience unlikely to buy; poor ROI.
- Potential customers remain unaware; sales remain low despite continuing ad spend.

Reflection — Which business function is most important?
I think marketing is the most important business function because it connects everything a company makes (product, price, place, people) to the customer demand that generates revenue. Good products and efficient operations matter, but without marketing to identify customer needs, create awareness, communicate value, and drive sales, a business can’t earn or sustain revenue. Marketing also informs product development, pricing, and distribution decisions with market feedback, so it shapes what the company does next. That said, no function works alone: operations, finance, and HR are essential to deliver the product, keep costs in check, and scale—but marketing is the function that creates and sustains the market for everything else.