Reference no: EM132586974

Individual Case Analysis - REINVENTING OFFICER'S CHOICE

Assignment description from Course Outline: Officer's Choice is trying to decide which potential creative spot to develop for their rebranding exercise. In no more than 3 pages (single spaced, 12 point font), please present your choice from the proposed potential creative spots, along with an explanation. Your choices should be based not upon "gut" instinct, but upon sound analytics. In addition to picking the "best", also rank order the ads. Finally, please indicate whether (and why) any of the creatives is unacceptable.

In your analysis, you will find it useful to identify the specific criteria you used while comparing the ads, the relative importance of these criteria, and how well you think each ad performs on the different criteria. Do not use any outside sources when conducting your analysis. You should stick only to the information contained in the case materials. Your individual paper is due BEFORE Session 5.

Detailed Guidelines for assignment: Situation synopsis: As Rahimtoola, Head of Marketing at ABD, looked down at the three creative pitches on his desk, he mulled over the criticality of the decision he now needed to make. Which of these creatives, submitted by three leading agencies of the country, should he select? It was a particularly significant decision, the final step in the complex brand reinvention process for their flagship brand, Officer's Choice Whisky (OCW), and he needed to get this right. How should he go about the process of selection in a systematic manner, taking into account all the crucial aspects that have been highlighted in their extensive market research?

Your main task is to analyze the proposed creative pitches and select the one that they should go with. You will find proposals/creative pitches from 3 agencies, some of them may have proposed more than one route (evaluate each route independently as a separate creative pitch if so).Please present your choice of the potential creative spots along with an explanation. Your choice should be based not upon "gut" instinct, but upon sound analytics. In addition to picking the "best" also rank order the creatives. Finally, please indicate whether (and why) any of the creatives is unacceptable.

In your analysis, please identify the specific criteria you used while comparing the ads, the relative importance of these criteria, and how well you think each ad (creative idea) performs on the different criteria.

Please go through the case/exhibits for a history of the brand and to understand the circumstances that led to the extensive revamping of the OCW brand. At the time of the case where you come in, the brand has already been given a new packaging and it is now deciding on the best creative way to go for their MARCOM based on the extensive market research (presented in the exhibits).

Begin with an analysis of the competitive environment at the time of the case to set up the need for a rebranding exercise for OCW including new communication. What are the brand objectives? Please also come up with a POSITIONING STATEMENT for the rebranded OCW. Note: You will find that the creative pitches highlight print ads, although the creative ideas can be extended to TVCs as well. You do not need to analyze the media strategy or make recommendations therein, but just evaluate the basic creative idea.

Additional guidelines: You may find it useful to recall the discussion of the Communication Objectives based model of advertising (lecture 4). Recall that communication objectives should set the tone for the creative strategy. Frame your criteria for evaluation of the creatives based on the relevant communication objectives + relevant issues as discussed in the case (market research findings plus

communication brief; see exhibits).

In sum, your writeup should include (use this as a checklist):

1. Analyze the competitive environment at the time of the case and motivate the need for a rebranding exercise for OCW, including a new MARCOM campaign. Include relevant aspects of the environment and do a 3C (Company, Customer, and Competition) analysis.

2. Analyze and contrast the MARCOM, positioning strategies and specific tools that are being used by OCW, Bagpiper and Imperial Blue.

3. Define the brand objectives at the time of the case.

4. Frame a positioning statement for OCW to guide the new MARCOM.

5. Creatives Evaluation Step 1: Frame appropriate evaluation criteria based on market research data, the included communication brief and other evidence from the case. Select appropriate objectives using the Communications Objectives Model and discuss with evidence why each criterion you select is critical for this case.

6. Creatives Evaluations Step 2: Make an objective evaluation of the proposed creatives using the criteria developed in Step 1. Rank order all the creatives. Based on your analysis, explain which creative you would choose, and why.

Finally, please remember:

You will not be evaluated on the "correctness" of your answer but on whether you have identified the important criteria, and how well you have argued that a creative does/does not perform well on your criteria.

This is an assignment meant to be completed INDIVIDUALLY. Be true to the ISB honor code. Please do not refer to any external material (including internet resources) for this exam. You can refer to course materials including the coursepack, lecture slides, your notes etc.