Question

Directions:
Students are given 4 short business scenarios (teacher-provided or written on board).

Example scenario:

“A sneaker company lowers prices after sales drop.”

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

Below is a completed worksheet you can hand in. Each scenario lists the most involved business function, how marketing helps, and what could happen if marketing is ignored. A short reflection paragraph follows.

Scenario 1: New Product Launch
- Most involved business function: Marketing (Promotion/Sales)
- How marketing plays a role: Marketing creates awareness and interest — e.g., in-shop signage, social media posts, sampling events, POS displays, email/text offers, and a clear value message (protein boost, taste, price). Marketing also identifies the best customers (regulars, fitness-minded locals) and communicates the benefit to them.
- If marketing is ignored: Customers will remain unaware, so the smoothie will keep selling slowly despite being available; ingredients may go to waste and the owner loses potential revenue.

Scenario 2: Declining Sales
- Most involved business function: Marketing (Market Research & Promotion)
- How marketing plays a role: Marketing investigates why teens are choosing competitors (trends, influencers, price, style) and refocuses the brand on teen channels — e.g., influencer partnerships, TikTok/Instagram campaigns, trend-driven collections, and user-generated content to regain attention.
- If marketing is ignored: The brand will continue losing market share to competitors, sales to teens will keep falling, and the brand could become irrelevant to the target demographic.

Scenario 3: Pricing Problem
- Most involved business function: Marketing (Pricing Strategy) and Finance
- How marketing plays a role: Marketing researches customer price sensitivity and competitor pricing, then positions the controller (premium features vs. value) and recommends pricing, promotions, bundles, or added perceived value (warranty, software, exclusive skins) to justify or lower price.
- If marketing is ignored: Customers will reject the product as overpriced, leading to poor sales, excess inventory, discounted fire sales that hurt profit margins, and damage to brand reputation.

Scenario 4: Wrong Target Market
- Most involved business function: Marketing (Advertising/Segmentation)
- How marketing plays a role: Marketing identifies the real audience (students and athletes), chooses the right channels and timing (social media, streaming platforms, campus events, sports sponsorships), and tailors messages so ads reach people where they spend time.
- If marketing is ignored: Ad spend will be wasted on viewers who aren’t buyers, sales will stay low, and the company will miss opportunities to connect with the actual customers.

Reflection paragraph
I think marketing is the most important business function because it connects a company’s product or service to real customer needs and drives revenue. Even the best product, price, or operations fail if no one knows about it or understands its value; marketing identifies the right customers, communicates benefits, and guides decisions about product features, pricing, and distribution. Marketing also provides crucial feedback (market research) that helps other functions improve products, set prices, and plan production. Without marketing, a business risks offering the wrong things to the wrong people and wasting resources, so effective marketing is essential for growth and sustainability.