Unit rationale, description and aim
Product marketing is a diverse discipline, blending management expertise, creative insight, and analytical precision to drive successful product strategies. This unit serves as the essential bridge between the foundational marketing principles introduced in BUSN114 and a deeper exploration of product marketing as an independent field. It is taught from the perspective of a Product Marketing Manager responsible for making product-specific decisions in the marketplace and applying practical tools to design and implement an effective marketing mix. As such, the unit focuses on key managerial aspects—such as going to the market, product development and prototyping, ideation, forecasting, branding, and promotion. The unit simultaneously also incorporates discussions on producing goods and services that add authentic value through universal design and promote responsible stewardship of resources for the common good, the environment, and society.
The aim of this unit is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the key concepts, practical tools, and best practices specific to product marketing. In doing so, it lays a strong foundation for advanced studies in marketing and equips students with the capability to transition seamlessly into higher-level product marketing roles and professional practice.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Explain the nature and contribution of product mar...
Learning Outcome 01
Analyse the role of product marketing mix elements...
Learning Outcome 02
Develop comprehensive go-to-market strategies, inc...
Learning Outcome 03
Evaluate potential market adoption and technology ...
Learning Outcome 04
Apply universal product design principles to creat...
Learning Outcome 05
Content
Topics will include:
- Introducing Product Marketing
- Understanding the Product Marketing Mix
- Layers of a Product
- Universal Product Design
- Product Ideation and Development
- Agile Methodology and Stagegate
- Prototyping Product
- Product Branding
- Go to Market and Launch Plans
Assessment strategy and rationale
To pass this unit, students must demonstrate achievement of all learning outcomes and obtain an overall mark of at least 50%. Assessments are marked against rubrics aligned with unit outcomes, with the final grade reflecting overall performance.
Assessment 1 – Market Analysis Report (Individual): Students investigate unmet consumer needs, analyse market trends, identify industry gaps to justify a new product concept, and include a short section discussing potential market adoption and technology diffusion. The output is a market-informed analytical report.
Assessment 2 – Pitch and Strategic Rationale (Group): Students deliver a 4-minute pitch presentation supported by a 1,000-word strategic rationale. Building on Assessment 1, the task requires the design and presentation of a prototype using design-thinking principles, agile methodology, and universal design. Emphasis is placed on creating tangible solutions that address accessibility, sustainability, and commercial feasibility.
Assessment 3 – Comprehensive Proposal (Group): Expanding on Assessment 2, students prepare a detailed proposal with a go-to-market strategy covering adoption, pricing, promotion, and technology diffusion. Considerations include scalability, accessibility, sustainability, feasibility, and alignment with selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
To uphold academic integrity, assessment contexts will vary each semester (e.g., not-for-profit, government, service, or start-up settings), requiring students to apply their skills across diverse marketing functions.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Market Need Analysis Students...
Assessment Task 1: Market Need Analysis
Students will investigate unmet consumer needs, analyse market trends, and assess gaps in the industry to justify the development of a new product. This assessment encourages critical thinking and strategic insight, ensuring that product concepts are grounded in real-world demand and market viability.
Submission Type: Individual
Assessment Method: Written
Artefact: Analytical Report
25%
Assessment Task 2: Product Development and Proto...
Assessment Task 2: Product Development and Prototyping
Student will develop a 4-minute pitch presentation supported by a 1,000-word critical strategic rationale. You will build on the market research conducted in Assessment 1 and design and present a product prototype using design-thinking principles, agile methodology, and universal design considerations. This task emphasises translating concepts into tangible solutions while addressing accessibility, sustainability, and commercial feasibility.
Submission Type: Team
Assessment Method: Written and Oral
Artefact: Product prototype package and pitch presentation
35%
Assessment Task 3: Go-to-Market Strategy Buildin...
Assessment Task 3: Go-to-Market Strategy
Building on the product prototype, pitch presentation, and 1,000-word critical strategic rationale developed in Assessment 2, students will work in the same teams to create a comprehensive proposal for your product for your client, partner or other decision-makers. This assessment focuses on evaluating market adoption and technology diffusion and developing a go-to-market strategy, including marketing, pricing, and promotion, to translate the prototype into a viable market offering. Considerations should include scalability, accessibility, sustainability, and commercial feasibility, and alignment with selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Submission Type: Team
Assessment Method: Written
Artefact: Sustainable Product Design Proposal
40%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
Learning and teaching in this unit is designed to actively engage students through participation in workshops (or equivalent practical activities) that reinforce and deepen their understanding. These sessions encourage students to collaboratively and individually construct and synthesise knowledge. As a cornerstone of the product marketing major, this unit adopts an active learning approach to develop the expertise and processes employed by product marketing professionals who make strategic decisions about products in the marketplace.
Students explore the knowledge base underpinning fundamental product marketing theories, concepts, and practices during these hands-on activities. By engaging in these practical sessions, both individually and in small groups, learners will gain an understanding of the various product marketing approaches and the key functions performed by product marketers. Additionally, the unit utilises a collaborative learning framework delivered through a blend of pre-recorded and live/on-campus lectures, discussions, and real-world examples. This approach is intended to build students’ critical and reflective skills within both independent and group learning environments.
Mode of delivery: This unit is offered in different modes to cater to the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants and maximise effective participation for isolated and/or marginalised groups.
Representative texts and references
Primary textbook
Trott, P. (2021). Innovation management and new product development (7th ed.). Pearson Education.Optional texts
Elliott, G., Rundle-Thiele, S., Waller, D., Smith, S., Eades, E., & Bentrott, I. (2023). Marketing (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Australia.
Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C., Lukas, B. A., Schembri, S., Niininen, O., & Casidy, R. (2021). Marketing principles (4th Asia–Pacific ed.). Cengage.
Current Scholarly articles
Amajuoyi, P, Benjamin, LB, and Adeusi, KB 2024, Agile methodologies: Adapting product management to rapidly changing market conditions. GSC Advanced Research and Reviews, 19(2), 249-267.
Chummee, P 2022, The determinants of product innovation and marketing innovation effecting to the innovation performance. Turkish Journal of Computer and Mathematics Education, 13(2), 1-6.
Cooper, RG 2022, The 5-th generation stage-gate idea-to-launch process. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 50(4), 43-55.
Hydock, C, Chen, Z and Carlson, K, 2020, Why Unhappy Customers Are Unlikely to Share Their Opinions with Brands. Journal of Marketing, 84(6), 95-112.
Kessari, M, Joly, C, Jaouen, A, and Jaeck, M 2020, Alternative food networks: good practices for sustainable performance. Journal of Marketing Management, 36(15/16), 1417-1446
Lee, H, Lalwani, AK and Wang, JJ 2020, Price No Object!: The Impact of Power Distance Belief on Consumers' Price Sensitivity Journal of Marketing, 84(6), 113-129.
Morgeson III, FV, Hult, GTM, Mithas, S, Keiningham, T and Fornell, C 2020, Turning Complaining Customers into Loyal Customers: Moderators of the Complaint Handling–Customer Loyalty Relationship. Journal of Marketing, 84(5), 79-99.
Ng, S, Faraji-Rad, A and Batra, R 2021, Uncertainty Evokes Consumers' Preference for Brands Incongruent with their Global–Local Citizenship Identity. Journal of Marketing Research, 58(2), 400-415.
Ozdamar, EZ, Atik, D and Murray, J 2020, The logic of sustainability: institutional transformation towards a new culture of fashion. Journal of Marketing Management, 36(15/16), 1447-1480.
Patrick, VM and Hollenbeck, CR 2021, Designing for all: Consumer response to inclusive design. Journal of consumer psychology, 31(2), 360-381.
Simpson, B, Schreier, M, Bitterl, S and White, K 2021, Making the World a Better Place: How Crowdfunding Increases Consumer Demand for Social-Good Products. Journal of Marketing Research, 58(2), 363-376
Varadarajan, R, Welden, RB, Arunachalam, S, Haenlein, M and Gupta, S 2022, Digital product innovations for the greater good and digital marketing innovations in communications and channels: Evolution, emerging issues, and future research directions. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39(2), 482-501.
Vomberg, A, Homburg, C and Gwinner, O 2020, Tolerating and Managing Failure: An Organizational Perspective on Customer Reacquisition Management. Journal of Marketing, 84(5), 117-136.
Wilson, JAJ 2020, Understanding branding is demanding. Journal of Marketing Management, 36(13/14), 1178-1189.
Zhou, C, Albuquerque, P and Grewal, R 2021, Competition and Firm Service Reliability Decisions: A Study of the Airline Industry. Journal of Marketing Research, 58(2), 377-399.