Introduce the chosen sector or company and provide an initial holistic assessment of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns on this sector/company. What key challenges (or opportunities) is the wider external context is bringing?

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1. BACKGROUND
The Covid-19 global pandemic is presenting a unique set of challenges to marketers and will demand to
rethink short-term and long-term decisions. In the past months, we have witnessed major changes in the
behaviour of consumers and many businesses are concerned about the potential long-term effects. This
individual assignment will give you the opportunity to explore the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic is
having on a sector or company of your choice and develop a set of digital marketing strategy
recommendations to address these challenges or to capitalise on emerging market opportunities. In
particular you should consider how digital marketing strategies and digital capabilities can be used to
successfully pivot to business models that will allow the company (or companies in the sector) to survive
and potentially thrive. Pivoting can be defined as lateral strategic move designed to reconfigure the way
value is created for the customer and the company. For example, the restaurant sector has been badly
affected by the pandemic. Restaurant owners could consider new digital experiences beyond simply
delivering cooked food. For example, they could sell “at-home-cooking-kits” with all the necessary
ingredients and combine this offer with video lessons and webinars to keep customers engaged.
This article that we discussed in week 1 can be useful to help you to select an appropriate case:
• Guillén, M.F. (2020) ‘How Businesses Have Successfully Pivoted During the Pandemic’, Harvard
Business Review Digital Articles., pp. 2–5.
In completing this assignment, you will find the following WARC 1
special section useful:
1 You can access WARC.com through the e-library
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2. THE PODCAST FORMAT
You will present the results of your research, analysis and interpretation of the chosen topic in a short
podcast episode of minimum 10, maximum 12 minutes. You can consider this the introductory episode of
your new podcasting series! You will also submit the podcast script (approx. 2500 words excluding
reference list). A podcast is a digital audio show, often involving multiple episodes, which can be
downloaded and listened to on a computer or on mobile devices. The following links include relevant
resources on podcasts, including how to develop them:
• Podcasting: What do I need to know? (BBC Academy): http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zcwxmsg
• Podcasting historical timeline and milestones: https://internationalpodcastday.com/podcastinghistory/
• How to start a podcast: every single step: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/planning/how-to-start-apodcast/#ch-1
• Planning your podcast – podcast scripts and formats: https://www.voices.com/blog/planning-yourpodcast/
When planning your podcast, you should consider the following:
1. In your podcast you can focus on a sector (and consider several companies in the sector) or on a
specific company that is particularly representative of the sector.
2. Your podcast should demonstrate engagement with concepts, theories and frameworks discussed in
the digital marketing strategy module. For higher grades, your analysis and discussion must
demonstrate that you have also extended your knowledge of the selected topic beyond what has been
discussed in class or on the recommended readings.
3. You are expected to conduct a literature search to inform your interpretation of the selected topic. You
should focus primarily on academic literature and reports from leading industry organisations.
4. You are not required to conduct primary research (i.e., collect data) to complete this assignment.
5. Finally, remember to name the podcast episode (title) and the podcast series to give some context to
the listener.
3. INDICATIVE PODCAST STRUCTURE
SECTION INDICATIVE CONTENT
Part 1 – Introduction
Approx. 2 minutes
Introduce the chosen sector or company and provide an initial holistic
assessment of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting
lockdowns on this sector/company. What key challenges (or opportunities) is
the wider external context is bringing?
Part 2 – Customer
Analysis
Approx. 2-3 minutes
Assess how the behaviour of the target customers is changing or is likely to
change.
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Part 3 – Assess the
value proposition
Approx. 2-3 minutes
Assess the value proposition of main players in the sector (or of the selected
company) and evaluate how the wider external context and the changing
behaviour of consumers is likely to affect this value proposition.
Part 4 – Marketing
Recommendations
Approx. 4 minutes
Provide a set of digital marketing recommendations to address the identified
challenges (or to capitalise on emerging opportunities). Your recommendations
should consider new ideas for creating value for the customer and the
sector/company. In particular you should consider how digital marketing
strategies and digital capabilities can be used to successfully pivot to business
models that will allow the company (or companies in the sector) to survive and
potentially thrive.
Refence list Include a full list of all works citied including all academic articles, data sources,
and any industry reports you have used in your report. Adopt Harvard
referencing conventions (not included in the word-count).
4. GENERAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
This project consists of two components (Podcast File and Script), and you will receive one holistic grade
including both. You will submit these two components via KEATS by 13:00 pm on Wednesday 6th of
January 2021.
Podcast file
• A podcast episode of minimum 10 minutes and maximum 12 minutes in a compatible audio format.
Podcast script
• The script of your podcast must be handed in via KEATS in PDF format.
• Include your student ID in the script submission.
• Please note that a full reference list must be included. This must show the extent to which you have
engaged both with the academic and the practitioner literature outside of the module textbooks and
the learning material shared via KEATS.
• The indicative wordcount for the script is 2500 words excluding references. However, this is not a
prescribed wordcount and you should aim to communicate concepts and ideas clearly and concisely in
your podcast. It is fine to submit a longer / shorter script. The only limitation is the minimum /
maximum duration of the podcast.
5. MARKING CRITERIA
All assessments are marked holistically out of 100 in accordance with the specific criteria listed below, the
module specific marketing criteria listed in appendix 1 and the generic KCL PG marking criteria detailed
here:
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/governancezone/Assets/Assessment/Marking%20Criteria,%20Taught%20Postgradu
ate.pdf. All formal grades in this module are awarded in accordance with the King’s Business School’s
marking and moderation policies.
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Assessment Criteria Description
Understanding Understanding of the relevant digital marketing strategy concepts, theories and
frameworks and ability to apply these to underpin the analysis and
recommendations.
Depth of knowledge Systematic identification and investigation of relevant academic articles, data
sources and industry reports. Examination, interpretation and synthesis of
concepts, data and information.
(You are expected to use and cite a good mix of sources including books, articles
from academic journals, leading industry publications, market research reports
and databases).
Experimentation
and problem solving
Ability to present commercially recommendations which logically follow from the
research and analysis conducted and address the requirements of the brief.
Structure and
written expression
Communication of key messages and ideas in a clear format
Clarity of structure
Appropriate application of Harvard Referencing Conventions
6. ACADEMIC HONESTY
Academic misconduct at King’s is categorised into four areas: plagiarism, collusion, cheating through
deception and fraud, and contract cheating. It is university policy that all allegations of academic
misconduct will be thoroughly investigated and may result in action being taken under the university’s
Misconduct Regulations. If a charge of academic misconduct is upheld the penalties range from a formal
warning to expulsion, depending on the severity of the act or if it is a repeat offence. Plagiarism is the most
common form of academic misconduct and may arise intentionally or otherwise (e.g. through negligence,
poor scholarship or lack of understanding). At King’s plagiarism is defined as the taking of another person’s
thoughts, words, results, judgements, ideas, images etc, and presenting them as your own. Further details
on King’s College Academic Honesty & Integrity Policy can be found here:
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/governancezone/assessment/academic-honesty-integrity
For team projects, all team members are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of the work turned in
by the group regardless of which member actual produced it. Teams, as they plan their work, should
budget sufficient time for a thorough review by the team members before submitting an assignment.
Plagiarism on a team project will impact the grade of all members of the team.