MKT 610 Milestone Two Guidelines and Rubric
Competitive Review
Overview: The final project for this course is the creation of an integrated marketing communications (IMC) plan. Based on the knowledge obtained in this course
and previous course work, you will examine and create essential elements that make up an IMC plan.
You will be assigned to a group for this final project. As a group, you must develop a regional advertising campaign for a new hypothetical fast-food restaurant
concept developed by Darden Restaurants. (See below for details about Veggies.) The campaign’s components include a written advertising plan, a media plan
and budget, and the development of the creative materials needed to execute the plan. In addition to traditional media, you must include internet and outdoor
advertising and sales promotion in your IMC plan. For additional information on the final project, review the Final Project Guidelines and Rubric document in the
Assignment Guidelines and Rubrics section of the course.
Prompt: For Milestone Two, your group will be submitting the competitive review due in Module Four. One member of your group should submit a draft of this
main element of the final project and include each group member’s name in the document. Focus on the major direct fast-food competitors for Veggies (analyze
a minimum of two competitors). (See below for details about Veggies.) Gather the competitive information and complete the Competitive Review worksheet.
Along with completion of the worksheet, write a brief summary identifying each competitor’s key benefits to consumers, positioning, estimated advertising and
promotion budget, promotion program mix, message, and media strategies. Also include a summary of what you see as the major findings from your analysis,
the major competitive issues facing Veggies, and some of the competitive strategic options available to Veggies. Finally, present samples from each competitor’s
current advertising campaign.
Additional Veggies Information
Location: Loudon Road, Concord, NH: approximately halfway between Airport Road and Steeplegate Mall
Primary trade area: 15-mile radius; Secondary trade area: 50-mile radius
Stand-alone store with 60 seats and two drive-through service windows. The drive-through is expected to account for approximately 55% of sales.
Competitors within one mile of Veggies: McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, Taco Bell. Other nearby restaurants include Friendly’s, D’Angelo,
Olive Garden, Applebee’s, Red Lobster, Chili’s, Ruby Tuesday.
Annual sales objective: $1,000,000.
Average sales transaction: $6.25
Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., Friday and Saturday
There is ample free parking and free Wi-Fi with a 30-minute limit. The restaurant is family style with comfortable seating.
Menu items include:
● Veggie burgers and cheeseburgers. The veggie burger recipe is a closely guarded secret. The product won first place at an international veggie
burger competition in Vienna, Austria. Unlike conventional veggie burgers, this product is plump, juicy, and cooked in convection ovens.
● “Better than Nuggets” (faux chicken nuggets)
● Veggie wraps
● Veggie and veggie bean burritos
● Veggie egg rolls
● Veggie stir fries
● Various salads
● Beverages, including fruit juices, tea, coffee, milk
● Desserts, including regular and no-fat shakes, yogurt ice cream, fruit yogurt, soft-serve regular and no-fat ice cream, fresh fruit bowls, fresh
apple and blueberry pie
All menu items are made from all-natural, organic ingredients, and are purchased locally whenever possible. Bread products arrive fresh from local
bakeries. Vegan menu items are available. No meat or fish products.
Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Submit your milestone as a 2- to 4-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and oneinch margins. Any sources should be cited according to APA style.
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value
IMC Planning:
Competitive Review
Worksheet
Competitive review was completed
with all available information
Competitive review was completed;
however, some information is missing
Competitive review was not completed 10
Brief Summary for Each
Competitor Analyzed: Key
Benefits, Positioning,
Estimated Budget,
Promotion Program Mix,
Message, and Media
Strategies
Includes all the main elements and
requirements and cites multiple
examples to illustrate each element
Includes most of the main elements
and requirements
Does not include any of the main
elements and requirements
30
Brief Summary:
Major Findings from
Analysis
Provides in-depth analysis that
demonstrates complete
understanding of multiple concepts
Provides in-depth analysis that
demonstrates complete
understanding of some concepts
Does not provide in-depth analysis 10
Brief Summary:
Major Competitive Issues
Provides multiple major competitive
issues
Provides one major competitive issue Does not provide major competitive
issues
10
Brief Summary:
Competitive Strategic
Options
Provides multiple competitive
strategic options
Provides one competitive strategic
option
Does not provide competitive strategic
options
10
Critical Elements Proficient (100%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Brief Summary:
Competitor Advertising
Campaign Samples
Provides two or more competitor
advertising campaign samples
Provides one competitor advertising
campaign sample
Does not provide competitor
advertising campaign samples
10
Critical Thinking Draws insightful conclusions that are
thoroughly defended with evidence
and examples
Draws logical conclusions, but does
not defend with evidence
Does not draw logical conclusions 10
Research Incorporates many scholarly
resources effectively that reflect
depth and breadth of research
Incorporates some scholarly resources
that reflect depth and breadth of
research
Does not incorporate scholarly
resources that reflect depth and
breadth of research
5
Mechanics No errors related to organization,
grammar and style, and citations
Some errors related to organization,
grammar and style, and citations
Major errors related to organization,
grammar and style, and citations
5
Total 100%