Marketing essentials
This module introduces the dynamic world of marketing, equipping you with the tools to understand and navigate its ever-evolving landscape. Designed for those new to the subject, this module focuses on real-world applications, helping you develop the skills to identify opportunities, solve marketing challenges, and make strategic decisions. With an emphasis on digital transformation, sustainability, and ethics, you’ll explore how marketing operates across diverse sectors. Through engaging case studies, you’ll apply theories to solve contemporary marketing problems and gain hands-on experience that sets the stage for future studies and career growth.
What you will study
Block 1 introduces foundational marketing concepts and methods, focusing on how businesses understand and respond to consumer needs. It sets the scene by providing a firm foundation in marketing by identifying its definitions, roles, significance, and evolution within different business contexts. You’ll become familiar with marketing orientations and the steps involved in the marketing process. This block also provides insights into consumer behaviour and sheds light on the impact of digital technologies on marketing, including opportunities and challenges. It delves into the importance of research in marketing and how it informs marketing decisions.
Block 2 introduces key marketing concepts such as segmentation, targeting, and positioning (STP), showing how organisations identify and reach different customer groups. You’ll then delve into branding, examining how brands are developed, positioned, and perceived by customers. The block also introduces the marketing mix, with a comprehensive study of each component – product, price, place, and promotion – using real-world examples to analyse their application in marketing strategies. You'll explore product-related decisions, pricing strategies, distribution channels, and the importance of promotional activities in creating integrated marketing communications. Additionally, you’ll learn about services marketing, focusing on the role of people, processes, and physical evidence, and explore innovations such as sensory marketing and the metaverse. Mini-case studies and examples will illustrate successful and unsuccessful STP strategies and marketing mix decisions, providing a solid foundation for applying these principles to real-world marketing challenges.
Block 3 introduces the key ideas behind marketing strategy in an approachable way. You’ll start by looking at how marketing strategy has evolved and fits into the bigger picture of business decision-making. The block will walk you through a planning framework, helping you explore external and internal factors that shape an organisation’s strategy. You’ll use tools like PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces to assess external factors and learn how to evaluate a company’s strengths and resources. You’ll also look at how companies position themselves in the market, using a SWOT analysis to create practical recommendations. Finally, you’ll learn about putting strategies into action, tackling challenges, and keeping things on track. Real-world examples and case studies, including a focus on Lidl, will help you connect these ideas to everyday marketing practices.
Entry requirements
This is a key introductory OU level 1 module. OU level 1 modules provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning to help you progress to modules at OU level 2.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an adviser.
What's included
You'll have access to a module website, which includes:
- a week-by-week study planner
- course-specific module materials
- resources
- forums
- audio and video content
- assignment details and submission section
- online tutorial access
Computing requirements
You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.
Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.
To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).
Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.
Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.
It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.