Strategic marketing planning is a three$-$phase process that represents the set of steps a marketer goes through to develop and implement a strategic marketing plan. These three phases of the process are planning, implementation, and control.

The goal of this activity is for you to demonstrate your understanding of what these three phrases are as well as what specifically takes place during each of these phases.

First, read the case about how Disney plans its marketing strategies. Then click and drag each Disney action to the step in the strategic marketing planning process that best represents that action.

Case:

Effective marketing doesn't just happen. Firms like Disney plan their marketing strategies to adjust to changes in the environment, the competition, and their customers.

Disney's objective is to create entertainment experiences based on storytelling. One of Disney's key strengths is its well$-$known brand. Disney targets its Pleasure Island to singles and couples, Epcot to adults and families with older children, and the Magic Kingdom to families with younger children.

When Disney executives noticed attendance at the theme parks declining, they concluded that crowding and long lines were hurting customers' enjoyment of the parks and causing potential visitors to vacation elsewhere. In response, they reinvented the customer experience and eased crowding throughout the parks by combining global positioning satellites $($GPS$),$ smart sensors$,$ wireless technology, and mobile devices. They instituted a FastPass service, allowing guests to obtain a timed ticket for a ride, thus skipping long lines for popular attractions. FastPass$+,$ introduced later, allows advance reservations for a limited number of rides per day through the My Disney Experience website and mobile app, where guests can plan and manage their visit to the parks. Finally, the guest can wear a MagicBand$-$a wristband with a radio frequency chip identifying the individual. By simply waving the band, the guest can use a FastPass$+$ reservation, pay for purchases, and even open the door to his or her Disney resort room!

Match Disney's actions to each step of the process.