The document describes a simulation where the team acts as marketing managers for Holden Evan Inc., a dog food company. Their flagship brand, Grand Champion, has suffered declining sales during an economic downturn. Three customer reports are presented: one customer breeds fewer dogs due to lower demand, one switched to a cheaper brand, and one switched due to financial issues. The company lowered the product's price by reducing ingredients. The team advises focusing on customer relationships and understanding needs rather than the product. They choose customer relationship management as the best orientation to help the brand.

1. Team: Diana Ximena Álvarez Niviayo
Daniel Espejo Brochero
Jane Stephanie Morales Reyes
María Alejandra Pachón Rocha
Tutor:
Haidy Johanna Moreno
Ceballos
Facultad de Estudios en Ambientes Virtuales
Gestion de marketing / Gestión de Mercados
Grupo 1 2013B
Bogotá D.C. 2013

2. Introducción
Este presentación es realizada por el grupo quienes
a partir de una previa lectura del libro “Principios de
Marketing” (Philip Kotler & Armstrong, 2011 edición
14) realizamos un ejercicio o mini simulación y
reafirmamos los conocimientos sobre el concepto
moderno de Marketing.
Durante el recorrido de las siguientes diapositivas,
los intergrantes del grupo seremos los
mercadologos y/o asesores de marketing para la
empresa Holden Evan Inc. Usaremos una segunda
lengua en este caso inglés, por ser una empresa
Internacional la que requiere de los servicios y
porque entendemos que es el lenguaje internacional
de los negocios.

3. Our team’s scores through the
process

4. These are the ones we chose to
analyze the simulation

5. Chapter 1: ¿ What is
marketing?
Marketing is the process by which companies create
value for customer relationships in order to capture
value from customers in return.
Kotler & Armstrong 2011- Principles of Marketing, 14th
edition
Let´s follow an example of marketing

6. Working as Marketing Manager
Holden Evan Inc., has long been the premium dog food market leader with
its flagship Grand Champion brand. The brand targets breeders, trainers,
and owners of purebred dogs willing to pay higher prices for superior
nutritional and health benefits. During an economic downturn, the Grand
Champion brand has suffered a sharp and prolonged decline in sales. The
brand has become unprofitable. The marketing team is concerned that
customer needs and wants may have shifted. Your objective as Marketing
Manager is to re-evaluate the brand´s marketing strategy and marketing
management orientation to determinate if they need revision.
Our consideration:
Holden Evan, Inc, has created a product for dogs called “Gran Champion
Brand”, nonetheless there was an economic downturn that causes some
weird changes and it is necessary the intervention of a Marketing
manager with experience in order to advise the supervisor about the
situation.

7. Working as Marketing Manager
Your supervisor, the Vice President of Marketing, describes your
assignment. «We have traditionally been the market leader in the
premium dog food market whit our Grand Champion brand. However,
during the recent economic downtown, the brand suffered a sharp
drop in sales. We conducted consumer research about this; here are
three representative customer reports for you to review»
Our consideration:
Once the Supervisor, tell us the esccenary, He showed to us three
customers reports to start the analysis.

8. Working as Marketing Manager
Customer Report : One
Jaime, a breeder of champion German Sheperds, has used Grand
Champion for 15 years. He told researchers he loves the quality of
Grand Champion. However, in the last few years, demand for his
expensive dogs has gone down. He has reduced his breeding form
twelve litters a year to two, and puerchases significantly less food for
the smaller number of dogs.
Our consideration:
The first report shows that Jaime, has not changed the product, so the
problem is not it at all, but the demand of litters is the one that is being
affected. In this case We considered that the cost of the product is not
the problem either. The customer still like the quality of the food.

9. Working as Marketing Manager
Customer Report : Two
Jenna runs a dog-training business specializing in preparing dogs for
shows. She has bought Grand Champion for ten years to sell in her
business and to feed dogs she boards. However, she has recently
switched to a cheaper brand. She explained «I felt that selling Grand
Champion added prestige to my business, but demand decreased. My
customers needed a less expensive, although still good quality, food»
Our consideration:
We considered that due to the economic downturn, people are saving
money, and it is the reason for looking at cheaper product, but not
because of “Gran Champion Brand”, Jenna´s store is focused on
production concept, so it doesn’t affect us.

10. Working as Marketing
Managers
Customer Report : Three
Andrew and Mandy are wealthy couple who own five purebred
dachshunds, which compete in shows. They have bought Grand
Champion for several years, because the dogs like the food and
because Andrew and Mandy like to give their dogs «the best food,
leashes, beds, even clothing.» After Mandy was laid off in the
economic downturn, however, the couple has switched to a cheaper
dog food.
Our consideration:
In this case Andrew and Mandy, assure that our product is the best,
thus the quality is still excellent. Unfortunately, was laid off and it
caused a new customer need (save money).

11. Working as Marketing Manager
Definitely, our product is not the problem, but the economic downturn caused a
new customer need, so clients wants the food but the situation is creating
confusion, whether buying less food or buying a cheaper one

12. Working as Marketing Manager
The Vice President of Marketing continues: «We´ve become concerned
that our brand is suffering from marketing myopia. We´ve focused in the
past on making Gran Champion more and more elaborated. But in
response to current trends, we´ve now eliminated some organic grade A
beef and some antioxidants from the food to make it less expensive. It´s
still excellent nutrition for dogs. We need to decide what brand experience
we should promote for our customers now.» You return to your office to
consider. Choose the best brand experience.
Our consideration:
It is so nice to realize the marketing myopia the company is focused on.
We think that according to the reports given before, it is not necessary to
make changes in the product; of course it can be part of a strategy to
enhance it and innovate, but in this case it is not necessary. On the other
hand this situation is a step to be better. The company already took the
decision, let’s look what happen.

13. Working as Marketing Manager
What happen now is that the company has another product variety and customers
can have another cheaper option. Doing it can work (product concept), but it
continues bringing marketing myopia.

14. Working as Marketing Manager
Now that we have two kinds of products, both good qualities, we advised the
Company to expand the market. If we just focus on our current customers, it is
possible to fail, because their needs are covered with the product they already
know. (Focusing on marketing concept)

15. Working as Marketing Manager
To answer the question, we consider second option, because, the first one
focuses more on competing than covering needs, and the third one is like general
for dogs, and the company idea is more for purebred dogs.

16. Working as Marketing Manager
The Vice President of Marketing says: « So far you have chosen a target
market and an appropiate value proposition. Now you must decide which
marketing management orientation is best for our situation. Check with
our three marketing analysts for advice before you choose.»
Let’s look the marketing manager orientation and listen to what our
analysts suggest.
Marketing Analyst One says: « We need to continue making
improvements to Grand Champion in order to recruit more customers. If
we offer the best dog food for the money, customers will buy. All other
aspects of marketing will follow from our focus on product quiality and
innovation.»
We consider that it is not advisable to focus on product concept; one
reason is because the customers’ needs are already covered, it changes
the concept of marketing and goes more to be marketing myopia.

17. Working as Marketing Manager
Marketing Analyst Two says: « We need to really get to know our
tageted customers and adapt Grand Champion to suit their needs.
This is the starting point for all other marketing efforts.»
We think that this is a good option, but let´s go to the third one.
Marketing Analyst Three says: «Our customers may cheap dog food
now, but what´s best for society as a whole and our customers in the
future? We have to think bigger than our customers do. We need to
keep in mind the long-term welfare of our customers and their dogs.»
We are in agreement with including the society, and surely it is a kind
of balance, but this is not the case to find a solution of this situation,
now the priority is to see what Is being affected in the company and
look for the best procedure.

18. Choosing a marketing management
orientation
As we were analyzing, the best option was the one marked

19. Customer relatioship
management
One idea here that we considered best match is the second one, because neither
the first one focuses on Marketing concept (It focuses more on selling concept),
nor the third one that goes to be more like a competence, and we are looking for
our customer relationships more than competence. It is a good one. Delight our
customers would be an effect when they see their Pets’ pictures on a jar.

20. Working as Marketing Manager
In this option we can work for the society and go beyond the customer needs. It is
like social marketing

21. Working as Marketing Manager
Of course that delighting our customers is our satisfaction and as we said before it
is so great if part of our family is published everywhere. (considering that
nowadays a dog is part of a family)

22. Part of the key to success for Marketing managers to position
their companies and products at the top of the preferred by
customers, is analyzing in detail to be able to detect what are
the real needs of the market and which products or services
the company has to create to provide more than long-awaited
satisfaction. It is important to understand that being involved
in the entire product or service development process is
essential for reliable communication within the company. In
addition, if necessary, be willing to enter into parnerships to
carry out strategies that make the business remains highly
competitive in today's market. Finally, always keep in mind
that it is more profitable to offer a product or service that
generates welfare society that only "sell it". This will definitely
attract more customers and positions the brand bringing
excellent results..
Final Conclusions