Evaluate the effectiveness of SH's marketing strategy between 2017 and 2025.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [AO1] Knowledge about marketing strategy (planning, contents, benefits/limitations of marketing planning).
2. [AO1] Knowledge about approaches to marketing strategy (consistency with business/product/market, coordinated strategy, specific marketing objectives, role of IT/AI).
3. [AO1] Knowledge about strategies for international marketing (globalisation implications, importance, identification/selection/entry, pan-global vs local, choosing strategy, factors influencing entry).
4. [AO1] Knowledge of how to plan a marketing strategy (not repetition of Appendix 1, but further knowledge of elements).
5. [AO1] Marketing strategy involves the marketing mix.
6. [AO1] Marketing strategy involves the marketing mix, which includes the 4 Ps (Price, Product, Promotion, and Place).
7. [AO1] Marketing strategy involves the marketing mix, which includes Price, Product, Promotion, and Place, which can be formulated through market research.
8. [AO1] Some basic knowledge about operations strategy.
9. [AO2] Application of knowledge, analysis, or evaluation of marketing strategy to SH between 2015 and 2025.
10. [AO2] Reference to SH being set up by Sarah 20 years ago, employing technology specialists for innovative products, innovation as competitive advantage.
11. [AO2] Reference to rapid growth from 5 to 520 employees in 20 years, private limited company, products sold via specialist computer game stores.
12. [AO2] Reference to marketing strategy created in 2017, aim to become market leader for gaming headsets in country D by 2025.
13. [AO2] Reference to economic boom in 2017, SH's product voted 'Best Gaming Headset in country D' in 2019, annual revenue peaks in 2021.
14. [AO2] Reference to 45% share of gaming headset market in 2021 (SH market leader).
15. [AO2] Reference to economic recession in 2023, NHT launching competing range in 2023, SH's products more technologically advanced than NHT's.
16. [AO2] Reference to NHT's products being half the price of SH products, SH's market share falling in 2025, NHT becoming market leader.
17. [AO3] Analysis of SH's objective in 2017 to become market leader, considering internal factors (technological innovation) and external environment changes.
18. [AO3] Analysis of price skimming strategy (recouping investment) and its effectiveness in economic recession or against cheaper competition.
19. [AO3] Analysis of promotional focus (digital, TV/billboard advertising, celebrity endorsement).
20. [AO3] Analysis of distribution channel (specialist computer game stores) and absence of online retail options.
21. [AO3] Analysis of market research findings (consumers value technology, price second most important) and economic climate affecting priorities.
22. [AO3] Analysis of target market (70% under 30 years old) and its impact on marketing strategy.
23. [AO4] Judgement on the success/effectiveness of the marketing strategy between 2017 and 2025.
24. [AO4] Discussion of criteria for judging success (marketing objective, profitability, shareholder objectives, size).
25. [AO4] Evaluation of whether the marketing strategy, developed in 2017, was revisited often enough over an eight-year period.
26. [AO4] Evaluation of the extent to which SH's success/failure between 2017 and 2025 is due to the marketing strategy versus other factors.
27. [AO4] Evaluation of other external influences (economy, social factors like technology interest/pandemic, lack of competition) on SH's performance, beyond the marketing strategy.