13-22 The iPhone as a Product

Go to Apple’s iPhone website. Describe Apple’s marketing mix strategy for its product and its price. When would an iPhone be a consumer product, and when would it be a B2B product? What does Apple do to augment its product? What type of branding strategy is Apple pursuing? What stage of the product life cycle is the iPhone in? Is Apple undertaking the appropriate strategies, given this stage of the product’s life cycle?

13-23 Organic Coke?

Organic products are increasing in popularity. Suppose Coca-Cola came out with an organic soda product. Use the Internet to research other organic beverages and sodas. Where among Coca-Cola’s product lines would this item fit? How would Coca-Cola’s established branding help or hurt the product launch? What kind of pricing strategy do you think it would use to introduce the product?

13-24 Research a Brand

Choose a favorite brand of clothing or food and use the Internet to gather information about it. What type of brand is it—manufacturer’s, private, individual, or other? Is it part of a brand extension? Is it associated with a co-brand or a licensing arrangement? How do packaging and labeling affect the image the brand projects? Summarize your findings in a brief report.

13-25 Toothpaste Differential

Look at Walmart’s website or a website for an online drugstore. List the various manufacturers of toothpaste. Then, for each one, list the various products they make. How are companies trying to differentiate their products from each other? How do you think consumers react to these various types of toothpaste?

13-26 Comparison Shopping Websites

Go to an online comparison shopping website such as mySimon, PriceGrabber, or DealTime and research the prices for at least three products. Describe the different prices for each product, noting the kind of stores that offer the lowest and the highest prices. Does there seem to be some consistency in their prices? Why or why not?