Book Structure

The physical textbook consists of six parts — brand, consumer, product, advertising, price and promotion, and retail. Collectively the 22 chapters cover the key aspects of managing brands and categories.

Not constrained by physical space, the web book, equivalent in size to over 1,200 textbook pages, is about twice the physical version.

While the focus remains on application, equal emphasis is given to the execution. So, this version is better suited for the measurement scientists and data scientists at analytics firms, as well marketers keen to learn “how it is done”. Technological developments are also making it easier for practitioners to take a DIY approach, and the web book will empower them to do so.

Note, however, it is not a handbook providing step-by-step guidance. It is intended to remain quick, easy and interesting to read.

New and fast developing frontiers such as biometrics and digital are given the attention they deserve. The number of chapters has increased from 22 to 27, and three new parts have been carved out. Existing chapters have been expanded and web pages are updated frequently.

The following details pertain to the web book:

Part I deals with brand, brand image and brand equity. It covers the analytic methods used for developing brand and marketing strategies.

Part II deals with qualitative and quantitative research methods, with emphasis on how these conventional research processes are embracing online platforms. It covers customer segmentation, customer satisfaction and customer value management. It also addresses how consumer panels, consumer analytics and big data enhance our understanding of consumers and their buying behaviour.

Part III is centred on product. It deals with the entire new product development process from ideation, concept and product development to product launch. It covers the analytic methods and procedures that are deployed to screen ideas, concepts and products, at each phase of the NPD process.

Part IV covers digital marketing. The New Media chapter explains how the internet has transformed the way brands engage with consumers, and outlines the new rules and the new perspectives. The Digital Marketing chapter imparts an understanding of how marketers must adapt, and the tools and techniques they should embrace. The next chapter, Digital — Execution, serves as a systematic guide to developing and executing digital marketing plans.

Part V relates to advertising, packaging and biometrics. The fundamentals and vital concepts of advertising are covered in a chapter devoted to imparting the sense of how advertising works, and what mechanisms work best for different marketing objectives.

In the context of analytics, importance is given not only to the behavioural metrics that flow from the digital platforms, but also to the attitudinal engagement measures, which remain key to our understanding of the quality of advertising. Furthermore, in view of recent developments, the chapter Advertising Analytics also devotes considerable attention to the way analytic techniques and research processes are being refined and re-engineered.

Chapters are also devoted on the research techniques employed during the stages of development of packaging, and on the prominent biometric techniques used for the analysis packaging, advertising, and other elements of the marketing mix.

Part VI deals with price and promotion. It covers a variety of pricing research methods, and techniques for promotions evaluation.

Part VII, retail, covers retail tracking, retail analytics, sales and distribution, and category management. It focusses on the use of metrics and analytic techniques to develop sales and distribution plans, and manage categories.

Part VIII, the concluding part, is devoted to Statistics for Marketing Analytics. It covers basic statistics, sampling and market mix modelling.

This text also includes seven case studies that have been crafted to facilitate a deeper understanding of the subject. You may download datasets and charts pertaining to these case studies from the 'CASES' link at the bottom of the menu on the left side of this page.