Groups are to imagine that a business based in the United States has asked them to prepare an international marketing program plan for a product or collection of products (e.g., a product line)[1] to be targeted toward consumers in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Assuming the company selection requirements outlined below are met, groups are free to prepare their international marketing program plan for a U.S.-based business competing in one of the following product (i.e., physical good) categories:[2]

• Denim clothing
• Eyewear
• Frozen foods
• Jewelry
• Power tools
• Sports equipment

Please note that, unlike for the market attractiveness evaluation assignment, this project will require you to prepare an international marketing program plan document and presentation for a specific U.S.-based business (e.g., Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.) already competing in the relevant product category. You are free to choose the U.S.-based business, but you are required to select one that is publicly traded and that is actually involved in the production of goods in the relevant product category (instead of simply the retailing or other distribution of goods). Further, please identify a company that is not already active in the consumer market in CIS nations. For the purposes of this project, it would be ideal if goods manufactured by your company were not available to consumers in CIS nations. (I recognize the complications created by gray markets, cross-border shopping, and even counterfeit goods, and you may want to consider the impacts of these complications in this final project.)

[1] Including a proposed line extension.

[2] You are free to define your product category further. For example, you could focus in on denim jackets, children’s eyewear, or frozen organic vegetables.