Your task is to prepare a Strategic Marketing Report for an existing Free-to-Air Television Broadcaster as it adjusts to an increasingly challenging and competitive marketing landscape. 

You should undertake your own external research on the company and competitors (NB not just other free-to-air television broadcast companies). You will then need to develop a problems and opportunities statement for the company as the basis for a 5-year strategic marketing plan that could be presented to the board/owners of the company. Note who your audience is – they already understand the company and have a high level of understanding of business concepts.

REPORT STRUCTURE

1. Title Page

2. Executive Summary

An executive summary provides an overview of a document and is usually the first thing the reader will see. Your Executive Summary should state the problem being analysed and the method of solving the problem. Conclusions and recommendations are then given brief synopsis. Do not show too much detail. Don’t include any references. 

3. Table of Contents

A list of information in the report with page numbers, plus a list of any images, diagrams and charts etc. 

2. Situation Analysis – External

4. Introduction/Background

Purpose of the report (who are you writing the report for and why?) Any basic background information relating to the report. What areas will you cover in this report (structure)?

Background needs to be presented professionally with relevant detail about the company, its history and key areas of operation and performance. Include detail of any marketing or financial data. Use tables and/or graphs as appropriate. Current vision, mission and marketing aims (as appropriate) should be shown. Summarise with an informative narrative. Do not rewrite the Executive Summary!

5. Situation Analysis – External

This section should demonstrate the ability to undertake background research and data collection on the current market, industry, competitors and demand for your company/brand. Your narrative explaining your findings should provide a critical analysis of the data and include coverage of the key up-to-date elements of the external environment. 

6. Situation Analysis – Internal

This section should demonstrate the ability to undertake research and data collection on the internal factors affecting the specific brand. Your narrative explaining your findings should provide a critical analysis of the data and include coverage of the key up-to-date elements of the internal environment. 

7. Problems and opportunities

Based on your research and exploration of the data, report on the problems and opportunities you have identified. Number these. Explain each with sufficient detail so that the audience obtains a clear idea of the issue. You should report 2-3 key items for each problem and each opportunity. 

8. Recommendations

Based on the analysis undertaken you are required to propose a number of recommendations (3-5). These will be drawn from the analysis you have undertaken. You are expected to write a compelling/persuasive case for their adoption that is well supported by the previous sections of your report. The recommendations should be numbered, achievable, realistic and provide the audience with clear guidelines on what would be required for their implementation. 

9. Conclusions

Recap the purpose of the report, what you did, and your key findings.  

10. Reference list:

11. Appendices