The 4 Ps of Marketing

Created April 15, 2024 by Heather Mendelsohn

Lesson Topic:

Understanding the Marketing Mix

Lesson Description:

This lesson and activity allows students to research the different components of the marketing mix for a specific product or service of their choice. Students will have to answer questions about the product/service, pricing details, ways it is promoted and branded, as well as how the product/service is distributed. Once researched, students will get the chance to use their creativity to create a poster or "recreation" of the actual product/service itself.

Learning Goals/Outcomes:

Students will be able to describe the marketing mix and adapt it to products/services they use every day in their own lives.
Students will be able to identify and describe product/service features, branding, positioning.
Students will be able to describe different pricing techniques for products/services.
Students will be able to list factors to consider in the physical distribution of products.
Students will be able to identify different promotional tools for products/services.

South Carolina CTE Standards:

F. MARKETING FUNDAMENTALS

Effective marketing professionals demonstrate knowledge in marketing fundamentals, as needed in their role. The following accountability criteria are considered essential for students in the Marketing programs of study.

4. Analyze the significance of the 4 P’s of Marketing, i.e., product, price, place, and promotion.

Teacher Planning:

Equipment/Materials/Software Needed:

Computer device, Internet access, Printer, Poster boards, markers, scissors, glue

Time Required for Lesson:

4 - 50 minute periods
Day 1: Students are given guided notes and have a class discussion on the 4 Ps of Marketing.
Day 2: Researching product/service and filling out sheet - if finished early, begin creating poster/item creation
Day 3: Work on poster/item creation
Day 4 Students will present marketing mix in class to the group.

Technology Use:

Software:

Internet, Word Processing Program

Hardware:

Computer, Printer

Instructional Plan:

Anticipatory Set/Pre-Activity:

The instructor will have a class discussion using the guided notes on the 4 Ps of Marketing (see resources). After the notes and discussion, using a product of the instructors choice (without doing any Internet research), have the students as a whole class determine the elements of the marketing mix for that product. This will provide the instructor the opportunity to walk students through the elements and to make sure they have an understanding of each before doing the following activity.

Benefits/Explanation/Real-World Connection:

Allows students to connect the marketing mix to the products/services they buy/use on a daily basis.

After the students have done the research (see resources for the sheet), make sure to allow them time to create their poster. If students select to do a product, they can even think outside of the box and recreate their item with paper materials. A few examples are attached in the resources as images.

Activities (i.e. instructions, warm-up, lesson, cool-down):

Depending on the size of the class, students can either complete this project individually, as partners, or as groups. You'll also notice those that select a product may have an easier time than one who selects a service. Remind them to identify which they select and the target market.

The activity handout can be printed for students to use or instructor can recreate their own - asking different questions they deem necessary for each of the four elements. This handout is in the Resources of the lesson plan.

After the research sheet has been completed, have students create their poster/item creation. The information they researched should somehow be incorporated into the project. For example, if a poster is created, the four elements must be discussed and shown on the poster somehow. If an item creation is completed an example could be putting the information on a cardboard cutout of a french fry if discussing the fries at McDonalds.

Once finished, instructor may choose to have students just turn in the projects or have them do a brief oral presentation to the class about their findings.

Closure:

Have each student write a reflection about what they learned relating to the elements of the marketing mix and how it may affect their future consumer/buying decisions.