Assignment: Product Mix Strategy & Growth Opportunities
Learning Objective: Be able to analyze a real company’s product portfolio using the four key dimensions of product mix strategy and propose opportunities for product line or brand extensions.
Task – Work in Groups
1. Choose One Company to Analyze:
Use their website, annual reports, or product catalogs.
1. Nestlé – Global FMCG leader with food, beverages, baby care, health science, pet care, and more
2. Unilever – Brands across personal care, home care, nutrition (Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s, etc.)
3. Apple Inc. – Tech ecosystem offering hardware (iPhones, Macs, wearables) and services (iCloud, App Store, Apple TV+, Apple Music)
2. Analyze the Company’s Product Mix (Remember: this may include service products as well)
- Product Mix Width
- How many product lines does the company offer?
- List at least 3 distinct lines.
- Product Mix Length
- Estimate the total number of products (items) the company offers across all lines.
- Product Mix Depth
- Choose one product line and list the variations of at least one key product (e.g. sizes, features, flavors, versions).
- Consistency
- Are the
product lines closely related in terms of:
a. End use?
b. Production processes?
c. Distribution channels? - Is the product mix highly consistent or not? Why might this be intentional?
3. Propose Growth Opportunities
Based on your analysis, suggest:
- One product line extension (adding more versions to an existing product line)
- One brand stretch (launching a new product line under the same brand in a new category or market)
Explain:
- How each idea fits with the company’s brand image or core strengths
- What risks or challenges might be involved