Integrated Marketing Communications Plan

Edge & Crown

Ana Lee | Benjamin Rogers | Lulu Saldana | Matthew Rivera

San Diego State University

MKTG 472
Fall 2016
 Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary...........2
II. Introduction.........2
III. Situation Analysis.........3
Issue & Statement of Purpose.......4
Industry Analysis......5
Product Details: The 2017 Acura ILX7
Competitor Analysis.....8
SWOT Analysis..10
The Marketing Mix.....12
Unique Selling Proposition13
Target Audience.13
IV. Target Market Research15
Secondary15
Primary..17
V. Communication
Objectives.19
Overall Objective19
AIDA MODEL19
Specific Objectives.20
VI. Brand Positioning & Message Strategy..22
VII. Media Strategy..23
VIII. Timeline & IMC Flow Plan..30
IX. Budget Analysis..30
X. Measuring Effectiveness32
XI. Results.33
XII. Conclusion..36
XIII. References38
XIV.
Appendix41

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 I. Executive Summary

Edge and Crown is a student based marketing group representing San Diego
State University in a competition to increase purchase consideration for the 2017 Acura
ILX. The 2017 Acura ILX vehicle is an entry level luxury sedan purposed as a segue
into the Acura brand for affluent-minded consumers. This opportunity was given on
behalf of Acura and EdVenture Partners and was presented as a challenge to help
increase the awareness of the brands performance heritage and technologies.

Over the course of 3 months, Edge and Crown designed a campaign that was
focused around Acuras goals of promoting the ILX model to its outlined target market.
The team performed extensive research on the brands industry, competition, and target
audience before developing the campaigns message and strategy. With the discovery
that millennials have a strong interest in purchasing performance vehicle-types and
favored purchases that resonate with their values, the team came up with the tagline
Driven by Success. Aimed to encourage target audience members of this generation
to think of the 2017 Acura ILX as a vehicle that represents their accomplishments and
desires, this message was made as the campaigns slogan and was displayed on social
media and at a campus-based event alongside the vehicles features in order to garner
interest and desire. Incentives were given to encourage participation, peek interest, and
heighten excitement for the car being on campus.

The campaign generated high levels of engagement among users on social

media channels such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, with over 900 people
taking action on our social media pages over the course of a 5-day period. More than
200 members of the target audience attended the on-campus event we hosted, where
they inquired about the cars features and costs and expressed interest by taking action
in getting to know more about the car. The target audience was able to experience the
car on a personal basis and the result was a shift in more consumers of the target
audience viewing compact sedans as a performance vehicle. Overall, the campaign
was viewed as a success since it increased the purchase consideration of the 2017
Acura ILX from 10% to 22%, completing Acuras main goal for this challenge.

II. Introduction

Acura has strived to be a key player in the American automobile industry since its
founding in 1986. Throughout its development in the car industry, Acura has gained a

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various reputations in the field of luxury cars. Fluctuations in the economy and
consumers perceptions have forced Acura to reevaluate its brand image and strategies.
Now, with the goal of continuous innovation on features and builds for its range of
vehicles, the brand is pursuing a focus on revitalizing its image of precision crafted
performance that it has historically promised to its consumers. Being portrayed with
competitors that consist of other high end performance and luxury brands, Acura seeks
to redefine itself in the market by repositioning its vehicles to attract the attention of
younger consumers that pride themselves on the ability to demonstrate a unique and
luxurious experience in their lifestyles. The brand is utilizing their ILX model to achieve
this connection in the hopes that consumers will perceive the brand as an option that
completes their desires.

As four millennials embarking on our own ventures into the real world, we found
that we could really connect with both the appeal that Acura is trying to deliver with the
ILX model, and the consumer base it seeks to attract. In order to help drive awareness,
interest, and purchase consideration for the 2017 Acura ILX model, our marketing group
has to created an Integrated Marketing Communications plan that provides research,
implementation, and insights centered around Acuras vision and goals for their 2017
ILX model. This project has proved to be both challenging and rewarding on numerous
levels and allowed each of us to grow as individuals and marketers. In turn, we have
provided a report that we believe Acura will find useful in its continued growth and
endeavors.

III. Situation Analysis

Company History

Before we begin with explaining the construction of our Integrated Marketing

Communications plan, it is important that we give a brief overview of Acura as a
company. While we previously mentioned that Acura is trying to reach out to a new
demographic, it is difficult to know where a company is going unless it understands
where it has been.

Acura was created in 1986 as an extension of the Honda Motor Company, and
has the prestige of being considered the first Japanese luxury brand in the automotive
industry. The essential idea in the creation of Acura is that Honda did not believe
foreigners would willingly buy luxury vehicles that were marked as Honda. As such, they
created an entirely new brand name in which to market luxury vehicles under while

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keeping a connection to their parent company through the creativeness of their logos
symbol which can be viewed as an A or an H. Additionally, the symbols shape
resembles a caliber, a mathematical tool for precision, and also happens to be the root
of the name Acura (Car Brand Names, 2015). To their success, Acura has used this
concept to brand their vehicles as precision crafted performance. Since then, other
competitors from its origin, such as Toyota and Nissan, have followed this strategy and
created the brands Lexus and Infiniti respectively to compete in the luxury market. The
brand saw major success in the North American market with its first two car models, the
Integra and Legend, selling over 138,000 vehicles and leading in industry sales against
both BMW and Mercedes-Benz combined (Michael, 2016). The brand later produced
the NSX model that could compete with luxury brands such as Porsche and Ferrari
(GlobalCarsBrands, 2015). Consumers were impressed by Acuras potential and saw
the NSX as a reliable alternative to other luxury models.

With Lexus and Infiniti entering the U.S. market, Acura was challenged with
keeping up with too many competitors, and sales began to decline as Acura began
rebranding Hondas in order to remain relevant (Michael, 2016). The brand saw a
turnaround with the introduction of new models including the MDX and has since
attracted buyers with the median age of 50 (Libby, 1972). However, recent business
performance has been lacking and in July 2016, Acura ranked 22th for unit sales
year-to-date and had a 0.8% market share in the United States (Cain, 2016). The brand
is now attempting to increase sales among a more youthful crowd with its current
product lines, particularly the ILX model.

Issue & Statement of Purpose

Along with the Acuras issue of a decline in recent sales is the dilution of the
brands image. Where the company was once admired for its precision in performance
and dedication to technologies, this reputation of innovation has been replaced with the
feel of repetition as consumers have noticed the brands habit of re-branding Hondas
models into Acura (GlobalCarsBrands, 2015). The brand wants to adjust their image
and regain consumer loyalty and market share by making the 2017 ILX a popular
vehicle amongst young professionals. In order to help drive increased interest and
purchase consideration for the 2017 Acura ILX model, our marketing group has created
an Integrated Marketing Communications plan that aims to combine Acuras classic
tagline with the intended audiences desires, thus aligning the 2017 ILX model with
consumer in order to achieve Acuras vision and goals for their brand.

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 The ILX model focuses on performance, a trait that Acura hasnt really prioritized
for sometime. With technologies such as its dual-clutch transmission integrated into its
design, the ILX truly epitomizes everything Acura is trying to personify: fast, sleek, and
sporty. More than the affordable luxury car market it has found itself situated in, the ILX
is a performance car delivering technology that should be far above its price range. The
model marks a new direction for Acura as a brand, now looking to target a market of
younger consumers. Young professionals in the millennial generation are beginning to
flourish in their professional careers and want products that reflect their
accomplishments. The ILX model is a car that is aimed precisely to do just that.

Industry Analysis
As car brands adapt to the wants and desires of their audience, trends in the
industry include an increase in the demand of cars, a blend in vehicles and technology
capabilities with the inclusion of intelligent cars, and (with a history of fluctuating
gasoline prices) there has been a push for cars to go green; a route that many brands
are responding to with hybrids and electric models (Peters, 2016). Furthermore,
research shows that there is a steady rise in consumers intent to purchase new cars
priced over $40,000 (Forbes Insights, 2012) and 83% of consumers plan to purchase
within the next three years (WSJ, 2016). These figures are leading brands to
aggressively bring attention to their vehicle models in attempt to capture and retain the
evolving market share.

The automotive industry plays a massive role in the worlds economy, with the
U.S. having more than 30 competitors in constant rivalry (Zhang, Nudelman, & Gould,
2015), trying to
obtain loyal
consumers and
capture market
share. There
are many niche
markets in the
automotive
industry
including the
luxury vehicle
segment where
Acura has
been grouped

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in the past. As provided from Peters (2016) graph below, the luxury vehicle segment
accounts for just 4% of the industrys total market share but generates a considerable
amount of profits, worth 18% of all car sales revenue (Taylor, 2015). Even still, the
luxury car industry is expected to grow along with the general industry in the upcoming
years, albeit at a slower rate. As of July 2016, Acura ranked 22th with 11,352 unit sales
year-to-date and had a 0.8% market share in the overall car industry in the United
States (Cain, 2016). Cain (2016) also reported that Mercedes-Benz had the largest
market share of luxury brands at 2.1% and a sales volume of 31,558 vehicles. Their
report does not take into account Tesla sales and as a result, these market percentages
do not factor in Teslas market share, which could cause the percentages to be slightly
skewed. Our findings of the Tesla Motors brand is covered in the competitor analysis
section of this report.

The definition of a luxury vehicle is broadly defined, with its previous

qualifications of price, benefits, and size becoming less crucial and more skewed
(Healey, Woodyard, & Meier, 2011). The definition of a luxury vehicle is now more
closely associated with the perception of the brand, the emotions it portrays, available
performance features, and the brands heritage (Healey, Woodyard, & Meier, 2011). An
expensive price tag no longer justifies luxury, instead consumers are doing their
research to discover which vehicle provides them with the most attributes that complete
their lifestyle and emotions. This change was brought in part to rapid technological
advances that have provided additional options to cars today as well as changes to the
economy from the consequences of the financial crisis in 2008.

During 2008s financial crisis, many luxury brands including Acura saw a decline
in sales corresponding to the overall decrease in consumer household incomes (Forbes
Insights, 2012). As the economy was recovering, consumers ideas of luxury adapted
and they began to focus on other aspects to define the term. Rather than purchasing
vehicles with the most expensive price tag, consumers are now seeking value and
brands that resonate with their desires (Cars.com, 2015). This is one reason why Acura
wants to reposition the ILX model as a performance vehicle however, it is not a simple
fact of the matter to erase the association of luxury with their brand from the mind of
consumers. For the purpose of our campaigns goal of closely aligning with Acuras
vision for their brand, we will refer to their vehicles as performance. When looking at the
current state of the industry, there are a few features that Acura is expected to offer in
the ILX if it wants to remain competitive, even if it is currently the most affordable
vehicle they offer.

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Product Details: The 2017 Acura ILX

The 2017 Acura ILX is considered an entry-level

compact luxury sedan. The vehicles base model
price begins at $27,990, with incremental increases
(up to $34,980) depending on the additional
components listed in said packages. The vehicle is
a front wheel drive with a 2.4-liter direct injection
4-cylinder engine and includes other specifications that match industry standards. With
the addition of the ILX being a compact
sedan, the car provides the benefit of a
light-weight and balance that one would be
hard-pressed to find in a larger vehicle.
Some features of the 2017 ILX include
leather interior trim, technological immersion, high vehicle performance, high
build-quality, and pleasing aesthetics. The 2017 Acura ILX offers several leather trims to
choose from, multi-platform connectivity, a high-performance dual-clutch automatic
transmission, and more. In short, it fulfills many of the requirements that are desired and
considered in a performance vehicle. If the buyer is in search of additional features than
what is offered
with the standard
model, Acura also
offers several
overall vehicle
trims that each
focus on improving
one particular
aspect of the
vehicle. These
trims are labeled
by the brand as
packages and
provide consumers with a way to customize the ILX to their preference by adding
enhancements to the vehicles look or performance while also providing the capability to
deliver Acuras commitment to technological advances. The package name and price
points are mentioned below.

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Available Package Options for the 2017 Acura ILX:

ILX with AcuraWatch Plus starting at $29,290

ILX with Premium Package starting at $29,990
ILX with Premium and A-SPEC Package starting at $31,980
ILX with Technology Plus Package starting at $32,990
ILX with Technology Plus and A-SPEC Packages starting at $34,980

Upon further inspection of these packages, there is a clear understanding of why

Acura would choose the ILX as the model they would want to position as a performance
vehicle. A more detailed look of all the specifications and packages offered with the
2017 Acura ILX is provided in the appendix section of this plan since these factors
strongly contribute to the successful definition of precision crafted performance, the
brands main focus for this vehicle and their image. These features are also designed to
compete with other similar car models from differing brands in the market in which we
will review next.

Competitor Analysis
In competing within the luxury car brand segment of the automobile industry,
Acura is faced with a handful of competition. As previously mentioned, fellow Japanese
luxury brand marquees, Infiniti (Nissan) and Lexus (Toyota) are the brands primary
rivals but the scope of competition does not stop there. Acura does in fact still compete
with other foreign luxury car brands, particularly with German automakers like Audi and
BMW. Additionally, with the nature of the car industrys product being a long-term
investment, we recognize that other models not categorized in this niche segment, such
as non-luxury compact sedans, could be viewed as the ILXs competition. For the
purposes of providing a concise report, we have chosen to list competitive models that
most closely compares to the ILX in terms of vehicle specifications, pricing, features,
and market share. Below, we have provided a list as well as a brief overview of those
competitive models. The list highlights some features carried by the selected brands in
competition with Acura and the names of the vehicles that go head-to-head with the ILX
in the market.

Infiniti Q50
Base Price: $33,950
Predictive Forward Collision Warning
Direct Adaptive Steering

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 Lexus CT 200h
Base Price: $31,250
Hybrid Hatchback, 5-door
Vehicle Stability Control

Audi A3
Base Price: $31,200
All-Wheel Drive
6-Speed Transmission

Mercedes CLA 250

Base Price: $32,400
7-Speed Dual Clutch, Dynamic Select
Direct Injection Turbo 4-Engine

BMW 328i
Base Price: $38,350
8-Speed STEPTRONIC Automatic
BMW TeleService

Tesla Model 3
Base Price: $35,000
All electric compact vehicle
0 to 60 MPH under 6 seconds

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 As one can see, the Acura ILX offers a wide array of features at a much more
competitive price than other car models within the same market. Starting at $27,990, the
Acura ILX is an incredible bargain, which is one of the strong points Acura is pushing to
inform consumers about.

Lastly, it can be noted that we have decided to include Teslas Model 3 on our list
of competitors that closely compete with the Acura ILX. Although the Model 3 is not
currently available in the market, we felt that it was important to list the vehicle due to
industry trends of green cars mentioned in the industry analysis and Teslas rapid rate
of market share in the competitive space. Tesla is most certainly a company to keep a
close watch on, having surpassed Mercedes-Benz and BMW in sales of luxury vehicles
in under four years (Randall, 2016). Acura will need to constantly monitor its external
environment and evaluate its internal strengths and weaknesses to account for strategic
decisions and positioning in the automotive industry.

SWOT Analysis

As a brand, Acura itself has numerous strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and

threats in regards to the automobile industry. Below is a chart of our findings when
examining SWOT. Following that is an expansion on each item.

Strengths:
With Acura having been in business for over 30 years now, it has established itself as a
renowned brand outside of being an extension of Honda. Not only are consumers
already aware of the Acura brand, they know it is associated with positive attributes
such as reliability, fuel efficiency, and advanced technological innovation. Despite being
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created to mitigate any association with Honda, Acura still benefits by having access to
Hondas effective value chain and numerous other assets.

Weaknesses:

As mentioned before, association with Honda could prove to be a weakness for the
Acura brand. After 30 years many people, even those who havent necessarily done
their fair share of research, know by now that Acura is owned by the Honda Motor
Company. As a result, there is still a certain stigma that Acura has as a luxury brand
that other auto manufacturers such as BMW or Mercedes might not have. Honda does
not currently have, or has ever had, an association with luxury. Acura has to put in an
extra effort to convince buyers that their vehicles are of similar quality to those from car
companies that solely focus on luxury vehicles. It was touched on before, but Acura also
has a very low ranking in overall market share. Ranked at 22nd for the first half of 2016,
Acura trails primary competitor Lexus by a huge sum, selling less than half the vehicles
the Toyota-expansion did. Because of Lexus success, its difficult to make the
argument that an association with a cheaper brand is solely responsible for Acuras
poor performance. In addition, Acura is beating another primary competitor, Infiniti, by a
very narrow margin.

Opportunities:

There are still many potential untapped potentials out there that Acura can still harness
and take advantage of. One of the opportunities just so happens to be the purpose of
our creating of this Integrated Marketing Communications plan: repositioning the brand
towards a younger user base. There is definitely a niche for performance and luxury
vehicles for younger professionals that may not be able to afford, or just not want to
commit to, buying slightly more expensive vehicles offered by brands like Mercedes and

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BMW. Using its reputation for reliability and efficiency as a lead, Acura needs to
convince this demographic that the ILX can satisfy many of their wants. Another
opportunity relies on the notion of increasing fuel prices. Because Honda, and as such
Acura, are one of the leading innovators of hybrid technology, this could make their
vehicles more desirable in the future.

Threats:
There are several key threats looming over Acura and the ILX. The first, which has
previously been mentioned, is intense competition from other established auto
manufacturers. Despite Acuras own repertoire as a car company, at the end of the day
it is a dog fight when going up against powerhouses like Mercedes, BMW, and even
Lexus. They each boast top-notch technological research and development teams that
constantly keep Acura on guard. Another huge threat is one that has surfaced quite
recently: ridesharing. It is often said that millennials would prefer to share rather than
buy, and it appears that when it comes to transportation, this is at least somewhat true.
The surge of ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft, which has made it extremely efficient
and affordable to get around in a car without actually owning one, can mean trouble not
only for Acura but all auto manufacturers. More people utilizing these apps equals less
people prone to actually but their own cars. Lastly, increased government regulations on
everything from vehicle safety features to fuel consumption may potentially restrict
Acuras push to become a performance automotive brand.

The Marketing Mix

To touch on Acuras overall basis for their 2017 ILX, we have provided a
shorthand that goes over the 4Ps and frames the encompassing elements used in the
brands marketing activities.

Product: The 2017 Acura ILX is a compact luxury sedan that has a sophisticated
design and provides several technological features. Its 201-hp, 2.4 liter direct injection
4-cylinder engine, and 8-speed dual-clutch transmission qualifies the car as a
performance type. Additional packages can be purchased to enhance the drivers
experience of the car through either aesthetics or functionality.

Place: Acura primarily makes its sales in U.S. from dealerships nationwide. Buyers may
also build the ILX on Acuras website and search existing dealerships that have a
matching product.

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Price: The ILX base model price begins $27,990 and can climb up to $34,980
depending on added features that the buyer chooses to include.

Promotion: Acura is choosing to connect its tagline of precision crafted performance

to the ILX along with a aspirational, confident, and forward-thinking tone. Acura
promotes their ILX model through many tools including social media, print, and video
advertisement. Their focus is on the educated millennial market is apparent through
their college graduate program discount of $500 off the total price of the car.

Unique Selling Proposition

After review of Acuras marketing mix for their 2017 ILX model, our group
determined a statement that would embody the ILX and distinguish the vehicle amongst
its many competitors. We considered the vehicles tangible aspects as well as the
intangible traits that Acura wants to portray in their product. With the consumer in mind,
our unique selling proposition to them reads:

The Acura ILX is a highly innovative and technologically-driven vehicle,

providing consumers with the comfort, reputation, quality and experience of other
high-end cars, at an affordable price. Backed by Acuras heritage and performance
technologies, the ILX is a car that reflects the personalities and accomplishments of its
consumers, showcasing their unique journey through life.

On the basis of this statement, our group performed thorough research to define
the audience members that best match Acuras concept. The following section details
these individuals in a comprehensive manner.

Target Audience

With careful consideration of many market and industry factors, our team has
specified the target audience including their traits, perceptions, and location. Using
secondary research sources and Nielsen's market segmentation tool, we have created
two profiles that represent our primary and secondary audiences intended for Acuras
2017 ILX campaign. The profiles give clarity to what these persons may look like and list
both demographics and psychographics of the audience members. Reasonings and
details for the selection of our target audience profiles are provided in the research
section of this report.

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 Millennials
75 Million with a buying power of $200 Billion (Byron, 2016 and Schwabel,
2015)
More likely to purchase performance or sporty cars (Rayadmin, 2014)
They want a connection to their brand of choice (Smith, 2015)
What they drive represents their goals in life (Dua, 2016)
62% more likely to remain loyal customers through content engagement
with a brand (Content Science, 2016)

SDSU - Leadership starts here

35,000+ students (SDSU Admissions, 2016)
Many are first time graduates in their family
Top ranked AACSB accredited MBA (SDSU MBA Program, 2016)
Future Careers: Biotech, Nursing, Tech, and Finance

Profiles

Stephen & Alyssa

The SDSU Graduate
Potential Current Consumer

Demographics & Psychographics

28 years old
Proud SDSU alumni; values success and
accomplishments
Lives in North Park, San Diego
Full-time career in Biotech
Often goes out with friends on weekends
Unmarried, but in a relationship
Drives a 2007 Honda Civic and is looking
for an upgrade
75k+ annual income
IMC Tools to reach them: Email, Event,
Flyer, Social Media

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 Emilia & Ken
The SDSU Undergraduate Student
Future Consumer

Demographics & Psychographics

23 years old
First time graduate in their family;
takes pride in their education
Lives in Pacific Beach, San Diego
Part-time intern
Often hangs out in cafes and has
a busy social life
Single
Drives a 2012 Honda Accord and
loves the reliability and low
maintenance of their vehicle
IMC Tools to reach them: Email,
Event, Flyer, Social Media

IV. Target Market Research

As mentioned in the profiles above, we are focusing the 2017 Acura ILX
campaigns target audience to be previous and current SDSU students that fit the
Millennial age range. Explanations of this segments behaviors and actions can be
found in the secondary research section of this report and support our conclusions in
selecting this target audience. Since this consumer is known to have varying
characteristics, it is critical to understand their mindset on a more personal level outside
of generalized data. For this reason, our team has also conducted primary research to
measure our target audiences own perceptions of their preferences and views of the
automobile industry, this information can be located after the presentation of our
secondary research.

Secondary

Research suggests that Acuras strategy to target the millennial segment can
prove to be a worthwhile approach. As a generational cohort, millennials are the largest
segment and are defined by J.D. Powers Power Information Network as being between
the ages of 21 to 38 years old (Durbin, 2016) whereas Nielsen groups them into two

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groups of younger and older millennials: 18 to 27 and 27 to 36 years old (Marketing
Charts, 2014). This generation is the target of many products for their sheer mass and
estimated spending power and are described to have diverse, expressive, and
optimistic traits. Millennials consist of 80 million people with an estimated spending
power of $1.6 trillion (Cars.com, 2015) and they consisted of over 26% of new vehicle
purchases in the year 2014. Millennials are more adapt to seeking information from
independent sources and researching cars before they purchase (Cars.com, 2015).
This means that they value transparency and authenticity in brands and products. That
means that they view their vehicles as beyond a car, rather it is a reflection of the
owners themselves. Targeting this segment would be a sound investment for Acura
because of their growing buying power and large market share, especially as the
economy progresses. Millennials are 44% more likely to trust experts and 247% more
likely to be influenced by blogs or social media (Content Science, 2016). They tend to
migrate towards content that will provide them with the necessary information to make
decisions. This segment values a personal experience and they appreciate engaging
content with 62% of them suggesting that they are likely to remain loyal customers
through this aspect (Content Science, 2016).

Studies show that millennials are heading towards urban locations, more namely
in the Western regions of the United States (Marketing Charts, 2014). Additionally, the
countrys biggest car market is in California (Durbin, 2016). This provides Acura with a
strong incentive to present their ILX model in this region. Upon further deduction, our
group has found that San Diego is listed as one of the top ten markets by concentration
of Millennials relative to the country (Marketing Charts, 2014).

About 1 in 4 Millennials carry a college degree (Marketing Charts, 2014), with

concentrations in Engineering, Science, and Business Administration providing the
highest salary capacity with an average range of $39,000 to $100,000+ to its holders
(PayScale, 2016). In the city of San Diego, the percentage of people who own a degree
is at 34% as of 2012 (Tavernise, 2012). According to San Diego State Universitys
website (2016) the University is the largest in San Diego and the third largest in the
state, with a 74% completion rate of program degrees over a six-year period (Studies &
Research, 2016). SDSU is also a top ranked AACSB school for their business and MBA
programs (SDSU MBA Program, 2016).

Gathering our data collected from this research, we can conclude that the target
market for our campaign should consist of Millennials ages 27 to 36 years old in the
Technology, Business, and Engineering sectors who reside in the San Diego region and

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are educated individuals who have obtained a degree at San Diego State University
with a steady annual income of $39,000 or more.

Although Millennials who are currently pursuing a degree at San Diego State
University may not fit the age, income, or career criteria we have described of the target
market, they make up 86% of the Universitys population (Services, 2016) and we have
convincing evidence to show that this segment should be included in Acuras campaign
for the 2017 ILX model. Data suggests that it is beneficial for Acura to also include
younger Millennials into their marketing efforts despite their lack of income or
profession. As previously mentioned in the industry analysis, vehicle purchases in next
three years are set to increase by 83% (WSJ, 2016). Evidence also dictates that 43% of
Millennials are inclined to purchase based on life-stage change (WSJ, 2016). This
means that within the three year mark, young Millennials who are graduating within this
time frame have a high interest to purchase vehicles. It is imperative that Acura helps
this segment begin their journey of exploring the brand early on, their growth potential
cannot be ignored and as they prefer to seek information and base their decisions on
their own opinions rather than marketing pitches made by brands, exposing them to the
vehicle at an early stage will help bring Acura into their consideration set when they are
ready to make purchases (Cars.com, 2015). There should be a focus on long-term
customers, not just the current trends, since millennials will have a steady buying power
for the upcoming years (Cars.com, 2015).

For these reasons, we have decided to also include 18-21 year olds as a
secondary target audience in Acuras 2017 ILX campaign along with the primary target
audience consisting of 21- 38 year olds who have graduated SDSU and are pursuing
careers in the Business, Technology, or Engineering sectors making an annual income
of at least $39,000.

Primary
Our team wanted to understand the target audience based on their own personal
viewpoints, so we conducted a focus group of MBA students at San Diego State
University and distributed surveys to representatives in both the primary and secondary
target audience segments. Detailed descriptions of both activities are outlined in this
section.

During the focus group session, 21 participants were tested on their knowledge
of various car brands in the luxury niche of the automotive industry in the form of a quiz
and received high engagement from the class. Six brands and their models were shown

18
to the participants including the Acura ILX and its competitors and the winner of the quiz
received a $10 Starbucks gift card as an incentive. The MBA students were asked to
recognize the brand and model by name identification after they were shown an image
of the cars front exterior. Participants were also asked to rate how much they liked the
vehicle from a scale of 1 to 7, with 1 being that they do not like it at all and 7 being that
they really like it. The results varied in accuracy with no participant correctly guessing
all vehicle brands. Our winner correctly guessed five out of six brands, only mistaking
Infiniti. Out of the 21 participants, 57% correctly identified Acura. The most recognizable
brand from the quiz was BMW at 90% and least was Infiniti who had a 5% recognition.

Following the quiz, we asked respondents to fill out a survey in order to gather
their perceptions on performance vehicles. The survey contained 20 questions and had
a variation of multiple choice and fill-in the blank responses. Our respondents on viewed
performance as a very important consideration in their next vehicle purchase decision
with an average score of 7.8. When rating its importance on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1
as the lowest and 10 as the highest, 67% of our respondents responded with a score of
7 or higher. Respondents were also given a list of technological features that they felt
best qualified a vehicle to be labeled as performance. Sport mode, all-wheel drive, and
torque vectoring were the top three choices. A vehicles price, style, and features are
the key points they tend to look for in a new car. Lastly, we asked for five things that
came into their mind when thinking of the Acura brand. The top associations are as
follows: sleek, luxury, performance, reliability, and comfort.

Our team reached out to current San Diego State University students with a
similar survey to gauge their thoughts of performance vehicles. The survey questions
were a combination of predetermined questions set by Acura and questions that our
team felt to include in the survey. The survey was distributed to peers and their
networks electronically through links to the survey. Responses totaled 214 and a $100
Visa gift card was the incentive for completion.

Once again, performance was seen to be an important factor in respondent's

vehicle purchase considerations with an average score of 7.3 on a 1 to 10 scale and
over half of surveyors strongly agreeing to this. 47% of respondents believed that a
coupe qualified as a performance vehicle compared to 33% who agreed with the idea of
a compact sedan being considered performance. Top three qualities that respondents
felt performance vehicles should have were responsive performance, superior handling,
and powerful performance. Respondents agreed that technology improves a vehicles
performance and todays performance vehicles are different from the past. 57% of
respondents are looking forward to the future of performance vehicles, believing that it

19
will be more fun to drive. Other factors that were important to our respondents include
Gas economy, price, and comfort.

With a collected perception of our target audiences, our team will now specify our
plan to meet Acuras 2017 ILX campaign purpose.

V. Communication Objectives

Focusing our marketing efforts on San Diego State Universitys students and
relying on feedback from our primary and secondary research activities, our campaigns
main purpose is to create an Integrated Marketing Communications plan that will
increase the purchase consideration of the 2017 Acura ILX model amongst the San
Diego State University community. In order to achieve this goal, we must first make
them aware of the vehicle and educate them on its properties. With a clear
understanding of what the product is, our target audience can then begin to interact and
grow interest for it. As more familiarity develops, our anticipation is that that target
audience will consider the 2017 Acura ILX as a vehicle for purchase. We have provided
our campaigns general overall objective as well as specific objectives that we plan to
measure against the AIDA model.

Overall Objective

Increase purchase consideration of the 2017 Acura ILX amongst young driven
professionals (21-37 years old) in the San Diego State community and educate SDSU
undergraduate students (18-21 years old) on the features and benefits of the car, while
simultaneously positioning the brand as youthful, innovative, affordable, and
performance oriented.

AIDA Model

Our campaigns goal is to drive consumers of our target audience through the
purchase funnel of the AIDA model. AIDA is an acronym that represents Awareness,
Interest, Desire, and Action. Our team felt that it was best to use this model as a guide
to tracking where our target audience was in their purchasing decision. We have
provided an image of the model following this explanation as well as specific objectives
we want our consumers to accomplish during each stage of the funnel. The specific
objectives include the tools we plan to use and measure in order to successfully drive
them down into the Action stage.

20
Specific Objectives

Based on our AIDA model we created very specific objectives to drive

awareness, raise interest, generate desire, and increase purchase consideration. With a
brand like Acura one of our advantages was the brand awareness they already have.
Our biggest challenges were to generate desire and increase purchase consideration
based on all their competitors. In order to drive awareness of the 2017 Acura ILX we
used different social media platforms based on our target market. We utilized Facebook,
Instagram, and Snapchat due to the large amount of users on these platforms that fit
our target audience.

1. Drive Awareness of the 2017 Acura ILX.

This objective is the broadest goal we have for our campaign involving the 2017
Acura ILX. In order for Acura to successfully market its products to its intended
audience, they need to know of the existence of the brand and product. Awareness is
the first step in connecting with the target audience.

Tools we will use during the campaign to gauge and measure this specific objective:

- Facebook Ads

21
 - Instagram Ads
- Event Flyer
- Snapchat Filter
- Email

2. Raise Interest for the 2017 Acura ILX.

Once the target audience is made aware of the Acura ILX, we will drive them
down the AIDA model and bring them to the interest stage. Audience members who
have realized that the Acura ILX exists, will be curious to learn of the cars benefits to
them. If the car appeals to them, they will show their interest in learning more about the
vehicle.

Tools we will use during the campaign to gauge and measure this specific objective:

- Facebook Ads
- Instagram Ads
- Event Flyer
- Snapchat Filter

3. Generate Desire for the 2017 Acura ILX.

At this point of the AIDA model, consumers are deep along in the funnel and
audience members who are engaged, have a developed a strong connection to the
brand and may need some incentive or rationale to begin considering the vehicle for
purchase.

Tools we will use during the campaign to gauge and measure this specific objective:

- Event Flyer (raffle)

- Event Attendance
- Brochure (provided by the dealer)

4. Increase Purchase Consideration of the 2017 Acura ILX.

This is our campaigns primary goal and the main objective that Acura is seeking
to accomplish. Audience members who are at this stage need very little reasoning to
complete their purchase intention. At this stage, a convenient opportunity to purchase
will convert brand enthusiasts into owners.

Tools we will use during the campaign to gauge and measure this specific objective:

- Engagement and Participation at the Event (success board, raffle, car

interaction)
22
VI. Brand Positioning & Message Strategy

Our target audience does not make purchases for the sake of buying, preferring
to do their research, they appreciate aspects that translate into their lifestyles and
values (Cars.com, 2015). In that being said, the ideal campaign theme should reflect the
values and aspirations of our target audience (young and driven professionals). Our
advertisements and posts will feature themes that resonate with both the target
audience as well as the ILX so that the message we present is viewed as genuine,
clever, and authentic. After much deliberation, we have agreed to present the Acura ILX
along with the campaign slogan:

Driven by Success
Our team felt that this slogan accentuates the target audience in both segments
and speaks to the Acura ILX as a vehicle that successful persons drive. The tones we
plan to use in our campaign closely align with Acuras tones and are as follows:

Edge & Crown Acura

Bold Aspirational
Fearless Forward-thinking
Strong Confident
Confident
Sleek
Humorous

We have produced the following phrases that associate our user to the vehicle
and deliver the message in a tone that speaks to them. Success is a Journey and not a
Destination, Driven by Success, A Ride that Lasts Forever, Performance You can
Feel. Our messages will tie in with the following features that we plan to bring
awareness to:

23
VII. Media Strategy

Since we understand that our target audience is highly engaged in social media,
we plan to use various platforms of this tool in order to reach them. The following
section will cover the platforms we will use and the messages we will display on them.
Implementation of promotional photos, courtesy of Acura and self-created images were
used to best relay our campaigns message to our audience.

Social media

Facebook

Our team received

several promotional photos
from Acura of the 2017 ILX
that we implemented in our
social media platforms. These
photos give our target
audience a crisp and
appealing view of the vehicle.
In addition to these photos, our
team created our own images
to convey our messaging,
including a flyer to create

24
awareness for our event. From there, we created copy that introduced a feature of the
performance vehicle and used calls-to-action in the descriptions to get people engaged.
A calendar of media posts was created ahead of time so that we could post in the
designated time frames and stay consistent in our theme. The facebook posts were
planned to receive organic engagement from our target audience. We boosted our
posts to gain reach for our audience, Facebook boosts also contribute to Instagrams
audience and their viewings.

Instagram

Hashtags Used:
#DrivenbySuccessILX
#ILXSDSU
#sdsu
#aztecs
#fightfightfight
#ibelievethatwewillwin

Our Instagram postings involved the same

content as our Facebook posts. This was
intentional to keep a consistent image and
tone among our audiences. The posts
focused on highlighting aspects of the 2017
Acura ILX and included hashtags so that
viewers could track our posts. These
hashtags also helped us see who was sharing
and participating in our content. Instagram
posts received boosts from Facebook.

Snapchat

Snapchat is a platform is have grown in popularity among Millennials. Our team

felt that if the campaign were to use social media to communicate with our target
audience, Snapchat was a definite tool to implement. We used Snapchats on-demand
geofilter to create an ad and reach our audience. The filter can be used once a picture
is taken and we placed the filter to cover the Universitys campus.

25
 A demonstration of the uses and functionality of our Snapchat filter is shown
below. A template is made and submitted to the Snapchat app. Once approved, users
who take a picture and view public filters that act as stickers on their photo can see the
filter. If they wish, they may apply it to their photo and send it to their friends.

26
Event

An on-campus event hosted at San Diego State University to showcase the 2017
Acura ILX and drive awareness, engagement, interest, desire, and increase purchase
consideration for the vehicle.

27
 With millennials being a generation of information seekers, our team wanted to
provide a sense of the 2017 ILX on a personal level. With the purchase of a car being
serious investment, for many owners, the need to see and feel the vehicle is almost
always a necessary step in the purchasing phase. By the nature of our target audience
being college students, their intent to test drive a vehicle at this stage of their life is very
low. We wanted to create an event that would encourage our target audience to have a
similar experience. Bringing the Acura ILX to our intended audience will provide them
with a way to interact with a car in a tangible sense and create an unforgettable
experience that will allow them to associate their success with the ILX.

Logistics

The components of the on-campus event featured two 2017 Acura ILX vehicles,
a Success Board, an interactive raffle, and food incentives. The event took place on
November 17, 2016 between the hours of 10AM to 2PM in front of Hepner Hall, San
Diego State Universitys iconic and historical building. This location was chosen
because of its symbolism to the University as well as the reasoning that it is in a central
location to the school. Hepner Hall sets a clear stage for the ILX and is in a highly
visible location. Our team arrived a few hours early in order to set up and prepare for
the days event.

Promotional Flyer

Prior to the event, a

promotional flyer was created and
strategically placed throughout
common traffic areas of the schools
campus. This event had a somewhat
humorous tone and marked mystery
and anticipation for the event day.
Flyers were placed in highly visible
traffic points at the start of week
before the event took place. An
image of the flyer is presented for
reference.

28
The Vehicles

In consideration of
the high demand of views
that the 2017 Acura ILX
was going to receive, our
team negotiated to have
two vehicles brought on
campus so that our target
audience could
comfortably interact with
the performance cars.
Two vehicles gave our

event more appeal as

well as allowing
students to experience
the vehicle under a
shorter wait time. The
vehicles that our team
ordered were
specified to be in red
and black, San Diego
State Universitys
official school colors.

Raffle

Our team developed a raffle system in which we would provide five $100 Visa gift
cards to random participants. In order to be in the drawing, participants were highly
encouraged to experience the car and learn its features through first-hand experience,

29
our social media postings, reading posters and brochures, or engaging in conversation
about the vehicle. Afterwards, they were asked to name three features or benefits of the
car. There were no right or wrong responses and participants were allowed time to
thoughtfully or thoroughly express their answers. Their names and emails were
collected to determine winners and follow-up with feedback.

Success Board

The Success
Board asks
our target
audience to
reflect on
what success
means to
them.
Participants
are free to
share their
thoughts by
writing it on
the board.
Others can
read, reply,
and see what
their peers
are feeling.

Incentive

Food is commonly used as an incentive as well as a tool to bring people

together. For this event, our team ordered twelve dozen Krispy Kreme donuts that were
handed out during event day. Participants were given a donut for completing various
tasks such as interacting with the car, following on social media, filling out the Success
Board, and sometimes just for being fans of Acura or the ILX model. The Krispy Kreme
donuts were used as a way to drive organic word of mouth to our event.

30
Promotional Strategy

Our entire campaign was implemented over the course of a 5-day week, with
activities leading up to the on-campus event day. The dates that the campaign took
place on were weekdays, starting from Monday until Friday. Although the majority of our
campaign activities concluded with our event that took place on Thursday, we ran the
social media for another 24 hours to give our target audience time to respond to the
event and the week of activity.

VIII. Timeline/IMC Flow Plan

A timeline and flow of our Integrated Marketing Communications plan can be

viewed below in order to gain a visual understanding of our campaigns format.

IX. Budget Analysis

Acura allotted a budget of $2000 for use in executing our campaign. We made
the decision to split our budget equally on advertising as well as the event that we

31
produced on campus due to the engagement level we would gain from both of these
activities. We considered that social media and flyers would drive awareness of the
2017 Acura ILX and that the event itself would cause many participants to grow interest
and desire for the vehicle.

On the day of the event, a photographer would be present to build excitement

and the feeling of exclusivity as attendees experienced the ILX for themselves. An
interactive poster was placed near the station for attendees to express their thoughts of
the meaning of success. Incentives such as donuts and entry into a raffle were held to
boost attendance and brand perception. An outlined proposal of the $2000 budget
allowance can be viewed below as well as a graph that visually represents the data.

Budget Allocation

Primary Research and Survey Incentive: $200 (10%)

Response Incentives (x2 gift cards) $200

Advertising: $890 (45%)

Event Flyers $50
Facebook/Instagram Boosted Ads $640
Snapchat Geofilter $200

Event @ SDSU: $910 (45%)

Event Photographer $100
Raffle Prize (x5 @ $100) $500
Information Posters (x3) $200
Interactive Poster Board $10
Donuts $100

Total: $2000 $2000

32
X. Measuring Effectiveness

In order to determine the effectiveness of the specific objectives we had initially

came up with we decided to focus on the pre and post survey we created . With the
survey we had a better understanding of the effectiveness of each specific objective.
With the metrics we utilized we were able recognize the potential of the objectives we
set.

Our first objective was to increase awareness among our target market by 70%.
Brand awareness consists of the recognition and affiliation consumers have with a
brand. Brand awareness for Acura would mean being easily recognized as a brand, but
for our specific objective it would imply for the 2017 ILX model to be recognized. In
order to measure if there was an increase in the awareness stage we included specific
question in our pre and post survey tailor towards awareness. We kept both the pre and
post survey consistent in order to accurately measure our results. In order, to measure
the awareness we included an image of the 2017 Acura ILX and included questions
such as Please name the brand of this vehicle and if they answered the right brand
then they would be prompted with the follow up question Please identify the model of

33
the vehicle. In the post-survey by asking questions as the ones mentioned we were
able to identify how much of our target market was aware of the model.

Our second objective was to raise interest within our target audience for the 2017
Acura ILX by 35%. When a consumer is in the interest stage it implies that they are
aware of the benefits and advantages of the products and will start further research. Our
objective was for consumers to express interest on the 2017 Acura ILX and we were
able to measure that with specific questions. We included a question asking our survey
takers how they felt about the vehicle with the options strongly like, like, neutral, dislike,
and strongly dislike. Based on their answers we would be able to determine if they had
any type of interest for the model. One of the ways to increase interest would be
through our on campus event in which we would be educating people on the benefits
and advantages of the vehicle.

XI. Results
Marketing/Promotion

The Driven by Success campaign reached a total of 15,444 people across 6

marketing channels: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, sales, posters, and raffles. Of the
people that were reached, a total of 2,184 engaged in some way with the marketing
efforts that were provided throughout the campaign. Of the different channels, the top
performer was facebook, reaching almost two thirds of the total reach for the campaign.

The Facebook advertising campaign was designed to promote features and

benefits of the 2017 Acura ILX, while also informing users of the event on campus later
in the week. The advertising on Facebook spent a total of $114 and ran for a total of 5
days until the event was completed. With a total of 11 different advertisements, the
campaign reached a total of 9,881 people and received a total of 916 engagements,
including 537 video views over three seconds. The overall cost per engagement on
facebook ended up being $0.12 and proved to be the most effective and cost-efficient
way to reach our target audience.

Instagram advertisements, similarly to Facebook, ran to promote both the

features and benefits of the 2017 Acura ILX, while increasing awareness of the campus
event. Total spend for the Instagram campaign was $114, and also ran a total of 5 days

34
throughout the week. A total of 4,123 people were reached by advertising efforts on
instagram, with 841 engagements, 758 of which were video views longer than 3
seconds. With a total cost of $0.14 per engagement, Instagram was the second biggest
contributor to campaign results behind Facebook.

The Snapchat filter was activated on the day of the event and ran for
approximately 24 hours. With a total spend of $200, the snapchat filter was geo targeted
to heavily populated locations around campus such as the library and the farmers
market to expose the filter to as many users as possible. Over the course of the day, the
snapchat filter received 38 uses and a total of 769 views. With this, total cost per view
was $0.25 per view making it an effective way to reach users through use of new and
upcoming advertising media.

The event itself incorporated a number of objectives focused on engaging

different members of the audience. The most successful marketing tool used to engage
the audience with the event was a raffle ticket competition, allowing users to fill out their
names and 3 features of the 2017 Acura ILX that they like. The incentive for
engagement included 5 gift card giveaways, and in return, students would need to
engage with the vehicle and learn about the features of the car in order of have a
chance to win. The raffle included a total of 221 participants who all offered their 3
favorite attributes. From the data tabulated, the 3 most likable features were responsive
performance, Superior Handling, and Bluetooth Connectivity. The event raffle proved to
be the most beneficial communication tool, as well as the most expensive. While the
raffle prizes amounted to $500, they also received a total of 221 individual responses
about thoughts and feelings towards different features of the Acura ILX. Finally, with this
data, the total cost per engagement for the raffle event amounted to $2.26 per
response/engagement.

The second marketing tool used at the event was an interactive poster known as
the success board. The overall goal of this board was to engage users to write/share
their feelings about success and what makes them successful. By incorporating the
success board into the event, we were able to stimulate the persons reflection of their
own success while they engaged with the car. There were a total of 48 responses on
the success board, and considering the board cost of the poster was $17, the cost per
engagement amounted to $0.35 per engagement.

Finally, the last communication tool used at the event involved personal selling,
in which the student marketing group interacted with people who walked past or visited
the event in order to encourage viewers to engage with the 2017 Acura ILX. By being

35
present, interacting with visitors, and promoting the Acura ILX, the group was able to
increase awareness, interest, desire and purchase consideration among visitors.
Although there was no quantitative data collected by this process, the engagement with
individuals contributed to following interactions with other communication tools such as
the raffle, the success board, and the post-campaign survey. As the students time was
not paid for, there was no cost per engagement, however it was estimated that
approximately 50% of people engaged with actually signed up for the raffle so the
estimated number of engagements is calculated at 442 people who engaged with the
event and event staff.

Post-Campaign Surveys:

The event concluded the marketing campaign for the 2017 Acura ILX and no
more tools were implemented to promote the features and benefits of the new vehicle.
In order to understand the impact that the campaign had on the target audience, a
follow up survey was sent out to as many users as possible. A final $100 gift card
incentive was also promoted to encourage users to take the survey. By utilizing the
school email server, emails gathered via raffle tickets, and engaging with audience
members on facebook, the survey was distributed with questions pertaining to the AIDA
model objectives such as Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action. There were 119
participants in who took the post-campaign survey.

Consumer Buying Stage: Percentage

Responses:

Awareness (Know of) 50% (+6%)

Interest (Like) 33% (+20%)

Desire (Want) 29% (+19%)

Action (Purchase Consideration) 22% (+12%)

Figure 11.1: The total percentage of survey respondents in each stage of the AIDA
model, as well as the increase from pre-campaign results

The table above shows the total percentage of respondents who have answered
survey questions that classify them to be in each of the 4 stages in the AIDA model. In
order to calculate awareness of the 2017 Acura ILX, an image of the Acura ILX was
placed at the beginning of the survey and participants were asked to name the brand
36
and model of the car displayed. Of 119 participants, 50% of those were aware of the
2017 Acura ILX. This percentage increased by 6% when compared to the pre-campaign
survey results.

The share of participants who were interested in the 2017 Acura ILX was
calculated by asking participants how much they like the vehicle in the picture;
participants who answered like or strongly like, were recorded as being in the interest
stage of the AIDA model. A total of 39 People (33% of respondents) claimed to be
interested in the 2017 Acura ILX, an increase of 20% from the first survey.

The Desire stage of the AIDA model was calculated by asking participants if they
could see themselves driving the Acura ILX. If participants could see themselves in the
car, they would be considered to want the vehicle. A total of 39 participants (29%)
responded yes to the desire question in the survey, an increase of 19% from the
pre-campaign survey.

A key objective of the campaign was to increase purchase consideration of the

2017 Acura ILX. This objective was paired with the action stage of the AIDA model and
participants were asked about purchase consideration of the vehicle. If participants
answered yes, i would consider purchasing the vehicle, then they were classified as a
being in the action stage of the AIDA model. Of the 119 participants in the
post-campaign survey, 22% say that they would consider purchasing the 2017 Acura
ILX. The percentage of participants in action stage increased by 12% when compared
to the pre-campaign results.

XII. Conclusion
The Integrated Marketing Communications plan for the 2017 Acura ILX focuses
on all aspects of increasing purchase consideration among the target audience,
including both graduates and undergraduate students from San Diego State University.
Using the model, the target audience was influenced by means of 6 different channels
and communication tools: Facebook advertising, Instagram advertising, a Snapchat
filter, sales, poster boards, and raffles.

Following the implementation of the tools used above, marketing team was able
to reach a total of 15,444 people and received a total of 2,184 engagements.
Furthermore, we increased the percentage of total participants in all different stages of
the AIDA model by use of our marketing efforts.

37
 In comparison to pre-campaign responses, a post campaign survey displayed an
increase in % of total respondents in all stages of the AIDA model. With respect to the
2017 Acura ILX, Awareness/Attention increased by 6%, Interest increased by 20%,
Desire increased by 19%, and Action/Purchase Consideration increased by 12%.

Primary research allowed the group to identify the target audience, marketing tools and
advertising initiatives gave the group a platform to communicate relevant messages to
that audience, ultimately aiming to increase purchase consideration for the 2017 Acura
ILX, and the post-campaign survey aimed to generate the change in consumers from
different stages in the AIDA model. With respect to all stages of the IMC plan, Edge and
Crown was able to research, strategize, implement and monitor campaign efforts for all
channels of communication and generate quantifiable results for Acura. Given the
results and the increase of % of the target audience not only considering purchase of
the 2017 Acura ILX, but attention, interest and desire too, we can conclude that the
SDSU Acura ILX campaign was a success.

In conclusion, the SDSU marketing team, Edge and Crown found this to be an
extremely beneficial experience, both challenging and rewarding. The team gained
experience in a vast number of real-life business-related situaitons such as...

38
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XIV. Appendix

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