SIDDHARTH COLLEGE OF COMMERCE & ECONOMICS

ASSIGNMENT ON MARKETING MANAGEMENT

PRODUCT DESIGNING
Products include goods/articles which are useful for the satisfaction of human wants. A product has a unity. It includes wide variety of items such as TV, radio. Soap, booklet. Certain terms such as product modification, product development, product diversification, product differentiation etc. are used in relation to products & their marketing. Product is rightly treated as the heart of making mix as is the quality of product which brings success in the marketing efforts of a firm. Designing of a product means designing outward size or shape of a product. Such designing is a technical aspect of the product & the engineering design of a product is prepared by an expert. Attractive product design can improve the marketability of a product by making it agreeable in appearance, easy to carry & operate, continuous use over a long period & reduction in the manufacturing cost. The determination and specification of the parts of a product and their interrelationship so that they become a unified whole. The design must satisfy a broad array of requirements in a condition of balanced effectiveness. A

product is designed to perform a particular function or set of functions effectively and reliably, to be economically manufacturability, to be profitably salable, to suit the purposes and the attitudes of the consumer, and to be durable, safe, and economical to operate. For instance, the design must take into consideration the particular manufacturing facilities, available materials, know-how, and economic resources of the manufacturer. The product may need to be packaged; usually it will also need to be shipped so that it should be light in weight and sturdy of construction. The product should appear significant, effective, compatible with the culture, and appear to be worth more than the price. Features of product designing:UTILITY & SAFETY: A product design should be easy to operate, eay to handle & operate smoothly. It should be safe to use i.e. possible hazard must be eliminated.
1) 2)

EASY MAINTAINANCE: Product design should be easy to maintain.

LOW COST: The manufacturing & distribution cost of a product should be kept at the lowest level.
3)

4) SALES APPEAL: Product designing should be attractive & agreeable to consumers. 5) ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE: The product design should make the product handy, attractive & easily acceptable to consumers. In short effective product design must: a) Create attention in the product, b) Make the product of utility, c) Produce at the lowest possible cost, & d) enlarge the importance of the product from consumer point of view.

BRANDING
Branding is commonly used trade practice by manufacturers of consumer & industrial goods . branding means giving an attractive name or symbol to the product by which it will be identified in the market & remembered by traders & consumers. A brand means a name, term, symbol, mark, design or picture put the product itself. it is an identification mark or stamp. Branding is an essential in this age of mass production & distribution of identical products. FEATURES OF BRANDING:
1)

SIMPLICITY: A good brand should be simple, brief & easy to pronounce. This gives convenience to traders & consumers

2)

DISTINCTIVE: A good brand should be distinctive. This gives independent & distinct identity to the product. Consumer remembers it easily.

Egg Vicks, glaxo, or pepsodent.

3)

SUGGESTIVE: A good brand should be suggestive i.e. capable of describing the characteristics of the product. The nature, use & purpose of the product should be clearly suggested or indicated from the brand itself. Like Godrej locks, Lajjat papad.

4)

IMPRESSIVE: A good brand should be impressive & appealing in colour & design. This creats quick attraction for the product. Mirinda, Hawkins are popular brands due to impressive words used.

5)

ECONOMICAL: A good brand should be economical to reproduce & should have also long & stable life.

6)

PROTECTABLE:

A good brand should be protectable in the court of law. It should also be acceptable for registration .

normally it should not resemble any other similar brand. 7) UNSUITABLE FOR IMITATION: It should not lead itself to easy imitation by rival procedures as easy imitations will make the brand effective.

8)

PLEASANT ASSOCIATION:

A good brand should create pleasant association in the minds of consumers. This develops loyalty among consumers. 9) ADAPTABILITY:

It should be adaptable to new products introduced or added to the product line & should have harmless names such as Godrej, Tata, Voltas etc. 10) STABLE LIFE: A good brand should have stable life & should not be affected by time. It should not become old fashioned or out of date after one or two years.

PACKAGING
Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end use. Packaging contains, protects. Preserves, transports, inform, and sell. It is fully integrated into government, business, institutional, industry, and personal use. Container or wrapper for a consumer product that serves a number of purposes including protection and description of the contents, theft deterrence, and product promotion. Innovative packaging may actually add value to the product if it meets a consumer need such as portion control, recyclables, tamper-proofing, childproofing, easy-open, easy-store, easy-carry, and no breakability. The labels on packages are important components of the overall marketing mix and can support advertising claims, establish brand identity, enhance name recognition, and optimize shelf space allocations. When designing packaging, the cost to manufacture, ship, and display the package must be considered. Packaging must be small enough to accommodate available shelf space and large enough to deter theft. It must also

contain an adequate amount of product to keep the unit price competitive. Packaging should be designed to highlight product benefits and can be an integral part of the product itself, like facial tissue boxes. For some products, such as Pez Popper candy, the package is the product. Innovative packaging can create a whole new product class like juice boxes. Packaging may be looked at as several different types. For example a transport package or distribution package is the package form used to ship, store, and handle the product or inner packages. Some identify a consumer package as one which is directed toward a consumer or household. Packaging may discussed in relation to the type of product being packaged: medical device packaging, bulk chemical packaging, over-the-counter drug packaging, retail food packaging, military materiel packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, etc It is sometimes convenient to categorize packages by layer or function: "primary", "secondary", etc.

Primary packaging is the material that first envelops the product and holds it. This usually is the smallest unit of distribution or use and is the package which is in direct contact with the contents.

Secondary packaging is outside the primary packaging perhaps used to group primary packages together. Tertiary packaging is used for bulk handling, warehouse storage and transport shipping. The most common form is a palletized unit load that packs tightly into containers.

These broad categories can be somewhat arbitrary. For example, depending on the use, a shrink wrap can be primary packaging when applied directly to the product, secondary packaging when combining smaller packages, and tertiary packaging on some distribution packs Packaging refers to the container or wrapper that holds a product or group of products. Most commercial packaging serves two basic functions: protecting the product from damage during shipping, and promoting the product to the ultimate consumer. Some common types of packaging include shipping cartons, containers for industrial goods, and bags, boxes, cans, and other holders for consumer products. Packaging is of great importance to both sellers and buyers of products. It can prevent spoiling, breakage, tampering, or theft; enhance convenience in use or storage; and make products easier to identify. A significant improvement in packaging can even create a "new" product by expanding the ways in which it can be used, and thus its potential markets. For example, a soup

that is packaged in a microwavable bowl might suddenly increase its sales to working people. packaging was used primarily to surround and protect products during storage, transportation, and distribution. Some packages were designed with aesthetic appeal and even for ease-of-use by the end consumer, but package design was typically left to technicians. After World War II, however, companies became more interested in marketing and promotion as a means of enticing customers to purchase their products. As a result, more manufacturers began to view packaging as an integral element of overall business marketing strategies to lure buyers. This increased attention to packaging coincided with socioeconomic changes taking place around the world. As consumers became better educated and more affluent, their expectations of productsand their reliance on themincreased as well. Consequently, consumers began to rely much more heavily on manufactured goods and processed food items. New technologies related to production, distribution, and preservatives led to a massive proliferation in the number and type of products and brands available in industrialized nations. Thus, packaging became a vital means of differentiating items and informing inundated consumers.

The importance of consumer packaging was elevated in the United States during the late 1970s and 1980s. Rapid post-war economic expansion and market growth waned during that period, forcing companies to focus increasingly on luring consumers to their product or brand at the expense of the competition. Package design became a marketing science. And, as a new corporate cost-consciousness developed in response to increased competition, companies began to alter packaging techniques as a way to cut production, storage, and distribution expenses. Furthermore, marketers began to view packaging as a tool to exploit existing product lines by adding new items and to pump new life into maturing products. Today, good package design is regarded as an essential part of successful business practice. Since many potential customers first notice a new product after it has arrived on the shelves of a store, it is vital that the packaging provide consumers with the information they need and motivate them to make a purchase. But packaging decisions involve a number of tradeoffs. While making a product visible and distinctive may be the top priority, for example, businesses must also comply with a variety of laws regarding product labeling and safety. Protecting products during transport is important, but businesses also need to keep their shipping costs as low as possible. The following provides an overview of some

of the factors to consider in packaging products for consumer markets. Package design must meet five groups of functional criteria: in-home, instore (or warehouse), production, distribution and safety, and legal. In-home requirements usually dictate that packaging be convenient to use and store, remind users when and what to repurchase, reinforce consumers' expectations of the product, and tell them how to safely and effectively use the product. In addition, increasing numbers of consumers expect packaging to be recyclable and environmentally sensitive.

In-store criteria require that packaging attract attention on the shelf, instill confidence in the buyer, identify the product or brand and differentiate it from the competition, communicate benefits and uses, and entice customers to actually purchase the item. The product must also be easy for retailers to store and stock on the shelves or the floor, and simple to process at a check-out counter or other final point of distribution. For instance, packaging that is oddly shaped and takes up a large amount of space may draw attention, but it may also be shunned by mail-order sellers concerned about shipping costs or by space-conscious store retailers. Production demands, the third group of functional criteria influencing packaging, are primarily based on cost. A designer may create a fantastic package that

would perform excellently in the marketplace, but if the company cannot find a way to produce the package costeffectively, the design is useless. Among the most important considerations in this realm is production line speed. If a container is too long, wide, or short, it could significantly slow the speed of the production machines. Similarly, if the top or spout of a container is too small or is oddly shaped, the product may not flow easily into the package. Packaging considerations related to distribution and safety are important and numerous. If an unacceptable portion of the goods are damaged during storage, transportation, or distribution, the package has failed. Likewise, if the package injures the user, future sales could be lost or the company could be liable for damages. As a result, packaging engineers face numerous technical considerations that have a residual impact on the final look and feel of the package. For instance, packages must be able to withstand the pressure of several other crates stored on top of them. They must also be able to resist moisture, adapt to temperature changes, and withstand rough handling. From a cost standpoint, packages must also be designed to suit standardized transportation requirements related to weight, size, and durability. Finally, they should be designed so that the bar code on the package is easily scanned.

Furthermore, packages should ideally be designed to handle normal use by consumers. Examples of packages that may result in harm to consumers include: those with sharp edges, such as some pull-top canisters; glass containers; and heavy item boxes which might break when the consumer is carrying them or cause strain or injury to the consumer when picked up or set down. The fifth basic group of functional packaging requirements relate to laws and legislation. Various federal laws have been passed to protect consumers from misrepresentation and unsafe products. For instance, some laws require that potentially dangerous goods, such as gasoline or drugs, be stored in specially constructed containers. Other laws forbid producers from misrepresenting the quality or quantity of a product through misleading packaging. Perhaps the most influential class of laws that affect packaging, however, is that related to labeling.

Product Labeling :-

The label is the text printed on a product package or, in the case of items like clothing, attached to the product itself. Legally, labels include all written, printed, or graphic material on the containers of products that are involved in interstate commerce or held for sale. The main body of legislation governing packaging and labeling is the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1966. It mandates that every product

package or label specify on its "principal display label" (the part of the label most likely to be seen by consumers) the following information: 1) the product type; 2) the producer or processor's name and location; 3) the quantity (if applicable); 4) the number and size of servings (if applicable). Furthermore, several restrictions apply to the way that the label is displayed. For example, mandatory copy required by the act must be in boldface type. Also, if the company is not listed in the telephone book, the manufacturer's or importer's street address must be displayed. Other information required by the act relates to specific foods, toys, drugs, cosmetics, furs, and textiles. For instance, under the act labels for edible products must provide sodium content if other nutritional information is shown. They must also show ingredients, in descending order from the one of highest quantity to the one of least quantity. Certain food items, such as beef, may also be required to display qualitative "grade labels" or inspection labels. Likewise, "informative labeling" may be required for products such as home appliances. Informative label requirements mandate information about use, care, performance capability, life expectancy,

safety precautions, gas mileage, or other factors. Certain major home appliances, for example, must provide the estimated cost of running each make and model for one year at average utility rates.

Packaging Strategy:

One of the most critical roles for packaging is promoting products. Indeed, just as ease-of-use and readability are elements of the strategic packaging mix, packaging is an important part of a company's strategic marketing mix. Most packages for consumer products are designed for one of three purposes: 1) to improve the packaging of an existing product; 2) to add a new product to an existing product line; or 3) to contain an entirely new product. Redesign of packaging for existing products may be prompted by several factors. Many times, a company may simply want to breathe new life into a maturing product by updating its image or adding a new feature to the package, such as an easy-pour spout. Or, a company may redesign the package to respond to a competitive threat, such as a new product that is more visible on the shelf. Other strategic reasons for package redesign are: changes in the product; economics, which may require less or more expensive packaging; product line restructuring; alterations in market strategy, such as

aiming the product at a different age group; trying to promote new uses for a product; or legal or environmental factors that lead to new materials or technology. Even small packaging changes for established brands and products typically require careful consideration, since a great deal of money is often at risk if a company alienates or confuses customers. A second reason for package redesign is to extend a product or brand line. In these instances, the packaging strategy usually reflects an effort to closely mimic the established brand or product, but to integrate the benefits of the new feature into the existing package in such a way that customers will be able to easily differentiate it from other products in the line. The chief risks inherent in packaging for extensions are that the new package will confuse customers or frustrate retailers. The third impetus for package design is the need to generate housing for an entirely new product. This is the most difficult type of packaging to create because it often requires the designer to instill consumer confidence in an unknown product or brand, and to inform the buyer about the product's uses and benefits. Packaging for products and brands that are entirely new to the marketplace are the most challenging to develop. In contrast, packaging for goods that are entering established product categories require less education,

but they must overcome established competition. A common packaging strategy for such products entails mimicking the packaging of leading products, which helps to assure the buyer that the product is "normal."

Q.2) MARKETING ETICSEthics is a major branch of philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life. It is significantly broader than the common conception of analyzing right and wrong. A central aspect of ethics is "the good life", the life worth living or life that is simply satisfying, which is held by many philosophers to be more important than moral conduct.

Marketing ethics is the area of applied ethics which

deals with the moral principles behind the operation and regulation of marketing. Some areas of marketing ethics (ethics of advertising and promotion) overlap with media ethics. Fundamental issues in marketing ethics Frameworks of analysis for marketing ethics Possible frameworks:

Value-orientated framework, analyzing ethical problems on the basis of the values which they infringe (e.g. honesty, autonomy, privacy, transparency).

Stakeholder-orientated framework, analysing ethical problems on the basis of whom they affect (e.g. consumers, competitors, society as a whole). Process-orientated framework, analysing ethical problems in terms of the categories used by marketing specialists (e.g. research, price, promotion, placement).

None of these frameworks allow, by themselves, a convenient and complete categorization of the great variety of issues in marketing ethics.

Ethics are a collection of principles of right conduct that shape the decisions people or organizations make. Practicing ethics in marketing means deliberately applying standards of fairness, or moral rights and wrongs, to marketing decision making, behavior, and practice in the organization.
In a market economy, a business may be expected to act in what it believes to be its own best interest. The purpose of marketing is to create a competitive advantage. An organization achieves an advantage when it does a better job than its competitors at satisfying the product and service requirements of its target markets. Those organizations that develop a competitive advantage are able to satisfy the needs of both customers and the organization.

As our economic system has become more successful at providing for needs and wants, there has been greater focus on organizations' adhering to ethical values rather than simply providing products. This focus has come about for two reasons. First, when an organization behaves ethically, customers develop more positive attitudes about the firm, its products, and its services. When marketing practices depart from standards that society considers acceptable, the market process becomes less efficient sometimes it is even interrupted. Not employing ethical marketing practices may lead to dissatisfied customers, bad publicity, a lack of trust, lost business, or, sometimes, legal action. Thus, most organizations are very sensitive to the needs and opinions of their Customers and look for ways to protect their long-term interests. Second, ethical abuses frequently lead to pressure (social or government) for institutions to assume greater responsibility for their actions. Since abuses do occur, some people believe that questionable business practices abound. As a result, consumer interest groups, professional associations, and self-regulatory groups exert considerable influence on marketing. Calls for social responsibility have also subjected marketing practices to a wide range of federal and state regulations designed to either protect consumer rights or to stimulate trade.