Marketing Strategy

This course develops strategic thinking and planning in marketing, drawing on the textbook Marketing Management: A South Asian Perspective. Divided into eight modules, the course covers marketing strategy, research, consumer behaviour, segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP), branding, competition, the marketing mix, and digital trends. Students learn to analyze markets, identify the right audience, craft effective marketing messages, and develop comprehensive, real-world marketing plans.

This course introduces students to strategic marketing by examining how organisations create, communicate, and deliver value in competitive markets. Students explore the complete marketing planning process, including market research, consumer behaviour, segmentation, targeting, positioning, branding, competitive strategy, the marketing mix, and emerging digital marketing trends. Through case studies and practical assignments, students develop marketing strategies that can be applied to real-world business challenges.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand the role of strategic marketing within business strategy.
• Design marketing research plans and interpret market intelligence to support decision-making.
• Analyse consumer and business buying behaviour to develop effective marketing strategies.
• Apply segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP) frameworks to identify and serve appropriate customer segments.
• Evaluate brand equity, competitive positioning, and growth strategies.
• Design integrated marketing programmes covering product, pricing, distribution, and promotion.
• Assess emerging digital marketing trends and their implications for business strategy.

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Explain the role of strategic marketing in organisational decision-making.
• Design and evaluate marketing research plans to support business decisions.
• Analyse consumer and business markets to develop effective marketing strategies.
• Develop segmentation, targeting, positioning, and branding strategies for different market contexts.
• Formulate competitive growth strategies using established marketing frameworks.
• Design integrated marketing programmes aligned with business objectives.
• Evaluate digital marketing opportunities and propose data-informed growth strategies for South Asian markets.

• Marketing Management: A South Asian Perspective – Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane Keller, Alexander Chernev, Jagdish N. Sheth, G. Shainesh, and Amit Kapoor.

• Case studies and readings from Harvard Business Publishing, Ivey Publishing, MIT Sloan, Case Centre, and selected industry resources are assigned throughout the course.