You are part of the brand management team for ebay. You have been asked by senior management to develop a marketing strategy for the brand for the upcoming year. Before doing so, you must conduct a thorough environmental analysis in order to properly inform your marketing strategy and you have been asked to submit your report by the end of the semester. In order to ensure that you are on the right pathway as you are new to the team, senior management has asked for the report to be delivered through a series of checkpoints over the next three months. As no Interbrand Brands will be allowed to be reported on by more than one management team, brand selection will be on a first come basis.

Follow the outline below.

Market Segmentation, Targeting, Differentiation and Positioning.

1. Segmentation Strategy:

- Benefi segment: Define and briefly explain the benefit segment for your product categor.

- Segments: Using the other bases of segmentation(demographic, geographic, etc) develop one or two segments for each of the benefit segments that you identified.

- Segmentation scheme: Draw a segmentation scheme to depict visually the market for your product category. Include this as an appendix.

2. Targeting Strategy:

-Segment evaluatio: Evaluate each of the segments in your product category.

-Target segment selection: Identify the single most attractive segment for your brand. Provide your rationale for your choice. -Segment Profile: Develop a detailed profile of the typical customer in the target segment. Be sure to consider the consumer's buyer behaviour when developing your profile.

3. Differentiation and Positioning Strategy.

- Positioning map: Develop a positioning map that depicits your brand's position compared to other competitors in the market. Note: It is important that the dimensions that you choose are meaningful to the target segment. -What observations can you make about the brand's situation based on the positioning map? What implications do these observations have for the brand? - Value propositio: The value proposition answers the target segment member's question, "Why should I buy your brand?"

-List of possible points of differentiatio: In what specific ways can your brand be differentiated from competing brands?

-Choice of best differentiator: Choose one difference to promote your brand. -Positioning strategy: Select and explain an overall positioning strategy.

Positioning statement: Develop a positioning statemtent. Ensure that you use the proper form: To (target segment and benefit) (brand) is (product category) that (point of difference)