This document outlines the requirements for a coursework project assessing the positioning strategies of 3 detergent brands in Pakistan. Students will form self-selected groups of 4-6 members to complete a 3,000 word report. The report must include an executive summary, selection of brands based on informant data, analysis of brand positioning strategies through symbols, products, and personalities, a comparison of positioning across brands, and feedback for brand teams. Reports will be graded on introduction, body, conclusion, style, analysis, and adherence to formatting guidelines.

1. Coursework (Project)
Deadline: 08 December 2014, 12:00 am
The assignment acts as one of the several pieces of assessed coursework for this module
and is designed to test the following:
• understand the holistic nature of brands and thus adopt a more balanced
perspective when integrating branding resources to create and sustain powerful
brands.
Topic:
Critically assess the positioning strategies of 3 Detergent Brands available in
Pakistan.
The coursework will consist of a report based on a group project (3,000 ± 5% words no
leeway). Groups will be self-selected and should comprise of 4-6 students. You must
provide a list of your group members to the module leader by week 2. A hard copy of
the report should be handed in to the module leader by due date and a Soft copy should
be emailed to the module leader by due date.
Deadlines must be observed and late submission will result in the automatic deduction
of marks at the rate of 5 marks per day.
Your Task:
You need to do the following:
Find 10 friends each, and ask them to name the Detergent Companies that come to their
minds. Keep some demographic characteristics of these informants (gender, age,
nationality, occupation).
As a group, collect all the answers. Using specific criteria (i.e. target market, product
category) choose the 3 detergent companies that have been mentioned from your
informants. Visit the web sites of these, and find the manner that they are positioned.
Think about the brand as a symbol, the brand as a product and the brand as a person.
Critically evaluate the positioning strategies and offer advice to these firms.

2. The structure of the assignment:
1. Executive summary summarises key issues raised in the report. A table of contents
should follow the executive summary.
2. The selection of the detergent brands should present the method used to select the
detergent companies. A table with the firms suggested from the informants should also
be included, as well as any of your judgments.
3. The positioning of these firms as presented in their advertisements, web sites, etc.
The various dimensions of the positioning should include symbol, product/service and
personality characteristics, as they are portrayed in the media. One section for each firm
summarising the key points used, should be included.
4. Comparison of the positioning of the selected firms. You should try to identify the
points of parity and the points of difference in the positioning of these firms. You could
use diagrams to illustrate your views on how these firms are positioned.
5. Provide some feedback to the firms’ brand support teams on the positioning choices
made. In this section you could discuss about issues in targeting specific groups, changes
that could be beneficial for the detergent firms and any other challenges related to the
image that is developed during the contact with the firms’ channel of communication.
Important information:
There is no need to present plain theory in this report. It is aiming to assess how well you
can apply the theory into this context. However, reference should be made to relevant
concepts or frameworks and examples. All references should be cited and a bibliography
detailing the source be positioned at the end of the report. Students should use relevant
diagrams, models and figures throughout the report. The reports should be clearly
divided to the pre-mentioned sections. The length of the reports should be no less than
3,000 ± 5 words (excluding the executive summary, appendices, tables and references).

3. Note:
Your reports will be checked for plagiarism with the help of Plagiarism Detection
Software. 10% of your project score will be deducted if your work showed a plagiarism of
more than 20%. You have to give a full reference of text used in course work at the end
of written essay for which you are advised to use Harvard Referencing Style or APA
Style.
You will be evaluated on the basis of the following:
1. Introduction (The selection of the detergent brands): Does the student establish
some basis for discussion? Is the point clear? Is the point arguable but not
obvious? (20 Marks)
2. Body: Does the student develop his or her essay as set forth in the introduction?
Does each sentence and paragraph appropriately follow the preceding sentence
and paragraph? (Is this going anywhere?). (20 Marks)
3. Conclusion(Feedback to the brands): Does the student come to a conclusion or
some point from which one would want to pursue further investigation and
consideration? (20 Marks)
4. Academic Style and Language Use: Does the student employ the elements of
style and language on a level appropriate for university studies? Does the student
follow Harvard or APA Referencing style? (20 Marks)
5. Analysis and Focus on Assigned Topic: Have all points been well explained and
developed? Does the student demonstrate a mastery of ideas and concepts? Is
the entire essay related to the assigned topic? (20 Marks)
Presentation of the Essay
 Essays should be impersonal: avoid the uses of “I”, “we”, “you”
 Ensure that sentences have verbs
 Do not start sentences with the words “and” or “but”
 Good English is essential: no jargon or slang please
 Think about what you are writing. Make sure sentences make logical sense.
 Aim for good grammar and correct use of apostrophes!
 Avoid carelessness with spelling, and mis-copying of names from reference
sources
 Submissions must conform to the style guidelines given below.

4. Style Guidelines for Essays
General
· 12pt Times Roman font, except for title on page 1.
· Double line spacing
· Printed one side only
· Justified text alignment (except title and headings)
· Margins: 2.5cm on all sides.
· No footnotes permitted. Use Endnotes and keep these to a minimum.
· Length: It is imperative to adhere to the page limit (word count)
· Place page numbers at the bottom of each page (centre or right corner).
Page 1
· Title of the paper: centred in bold 14 pt Times Roman.
· NO Name of author!! Only your student number
Page 2
· Title (no authors): in 12 pt Times Roman, centred.
· Start the paper
Headings and notes
· Headings: a main heading, designating the topic of major sections should be
centred, bold and capitalised.
· Secondary headings: italics, left-aligned.
· Tertiary headings: italics, left-aligned, underlined.
· Notes: at the end of the paper, preceding the references.
References and citations
Reference citations in the text
Citations in the text should be by the author's last name (no initials!) and year of
publication enclosed in parentheses without punctuation: E.g. (Thorelli 1960).
If you use the author's name in the sentence, there is no need to repeat the name
in the citation; just use the year of publication in parentheses, as in "The Howard Harris
Program (1966)...."
If a particular page, section, or equation is cited, it should also be placed in the
parentheses. E.g. (Thorelli 1960, p. 112) or (Thorelli 1960, Table 1). When citing material
from book sources, you should always include the page numbers.
For multiple authors, use the full citation for up to four authors; for five or more,
use the first author's name followed by "et al." (no italics). E.g. “Henneberg et al. (2009)
suggest that…” (Authors were: Henneberg, Gruber, Reppel, Ashnai, Naude and Huber)

5. A series of citations should be listed in alphabetical order and separated by
semicolons: (Thorelli 1960; Welch 1981).
Avoid lack of a reference citation(s) when “discussion” is taken from a book, journal
article or other source i.e. material taken from reference sources with insufficient
citation. You must provide citations for every quote and for every summary you make
from published work!
References
References are to be listed alphabetically, last name first, followed by publication
date in parentheses. The reference list should be typed double spaced on a separate
page. Do not use indents or tabs. Put two hard returns between each reference. Limit
the references to only those that have been cited in the body of the article, including
notes, tables, and figures. - You are responsible for the accuracy of your references.
Check them carefully.

6. A series of citations should be listed in alphabetical order and separated by
semicolons: (Thorelli 1960; Welch 1981).
Avoid lack of a reference citation(s) when “discussion” is taken from a book, journal
article or other source i.e. material taken from reference sources with insufficient
citation. You must provide citations for every quote and for every summary you make
from published work!
References
References are to be listed alphabetically, last name first, followed by publication
date in parentheses. The reference list should be typed double spaced on a separate
page. Do not use indents or tabs. Put two hard returns between each reference. Limit
the references to only those that have been cited in the body of the article, including
notes, tables, and figures. - You are responsible for the accuracy of your references.
Check them carefully.