A professor and her husband, while on vacation in eastern Europe, found some beautifully handcrafted, fired-clay figurines for sale in Budapest. Displayed by the artist in a stall in a small open market near the Danube, the pieces were exquisitely fashioned in unique designs. In a long conversation with the professor, the maker commented that no one should buy one of the figures ‘unless it spoke to him.’

During two visits to the market, and a trip to the artist’s small studio in his home across the river, the professor bought three pieces. Two were different poses of a boy in a type of jester’s costume and one a figure of a young woman in contemporary dress. The models, the artist’s son and wife, were introduced at the studio. The studio contained a large number of finished individual pieces, no two alike. The artist indicated that he spent over half of his time at the stall selling his goods – time that he would rather spend creating. The relatively small number of tourists and the occasional local well-to-do individuals who visited his small open market stall simply did not provide enough customers.

Upon their return home, the professor and her husband displayed their new art pieces in their living room. They were surprised at how many of their friends admired the figures, and asked where they might obtain similar works.
Since the professor was teaching a course in international marketing, it occurred to her that she could use the development of a marketing plan for the figures as a classroom project. Such a plan could be either from the standpoint of the artist who wanted to sell his figures abroad, or from the standpoint of a dealer abroad who wanted to import and distribute the art goods. Such a plan would have to include at least a determination of potential demand, marketing channels to use, methods of promotion, export, import procedures, physical distribution, and economic feasibility.

Questions

1. How might a textbook such as this one be of use to:

(a) the class in the assigned project,

(b) the artist if he decided to try to export his works, and

(c) a potential new importer in another country?

2. List some of the items that should be included under each of the major dimensions of a marketing plan for the art goods.