1. Principle of Marketing (MGT 301) Spring, 2015
Graded Discussion Board No. 1
Due Date: June 01, 2015.
Total Marks: 10.
Weightage: 03.
Topic: Understanding Marketing & Marketing Trends.
NOTE: There is no grace period in case of GDB
Learning objectives:
To familiarize the students with the power of brand towards fascinating its target market, and
acquaint them with the latest trends of garment industry of Pakistan.
Learning Outcomes:
After attempting the GDB students will be able to:
 Learn the role of a brand towards capturing its respective target market.
 Learn and analyze customers’ reaction towards the brand development.
Scenario:
The trend of wearing branded clothes is radically increasing among general public specifically in
metropolitan cities of Pakistan such as Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad etc. We daily come
across a large number of billboards displaying designers’ latest collections that are advertised by
the best models, actors, and actresses. Ready to wear branded clothes are now likely acquired by
customers and these brands are using inimitable promotional procedures to attract their
respective target market. In continuation to this, a new trend of producing branded clothes for
kids is observed, famous brands such as; Mini Minors, Colors, Maria B, Outfitters, Leisure Club,
and Cross Roads are quite renowned in this regard. Ideally, parents and adults are seen as more
brand conscious whereas kids usually don’t have any brand sense, having said this people are
getting more brand conscious and want their kids to wear branded clothes as well. This is the
reason why companies are catering adults and kids for producing unique, fashionable, and stylish
cloth.
Point of discussion:
As a customer how would you perceive above scenario, and do you support this branding trend
shift from adults to kids? Share your opinion with proper arguments.
Marking Scheme:
The total marks of this GDB are 10; mention at least 4 points in detail to justify your answer.
Avoid irrelevant text/material while answering the question.

2. Student’s Guide:
 Keep your discussion with the mentioned scenario and irrelevant answers and material will not
be graded.
 Do not copy/paste the text/paragraphs from the reference links.
 Be careful from those blogs who are promoting cheating culture among our students and
killing their creativity and critical thinking. Answers copied from such blogs will be
straightaway marked as zero. Similarly any relevant or irrelevant material copied from
internet sources will get the same treatment. It can seriously damage your grades.
*Note:
For acquiring the relevant knowledge, do not rely only on handouts but also watch the course
video lectures and read additional material available online or in any other mode.
Important Instructions:
 Your discussion must be based on logical facts.
 The GDB will open and close on above specified date and time. Please note that no grace day
or extra time will be given for posting comments on GDB.
 Use the font style “Times New Roman” and font size “12”.
 Your answer should be relevant to the topic i.e. clear and concise.
 Do not copy or exchange your answer with other students. Two identical / copied comments
will be marked Zero (0) and may damage your grade in the course.
 Books, websites and other reading material may be consulted before posting your comments;
but copying or reproducing the text from books, websites and other reading materials is
strictly prohibited. Such comments will be marked as Zero (0) even if you provide
references.
 You should post your answer on the Graded Discussion Board (GDB), not on the Moderated
Discussion Board (MDB). Both will run parallel to each other during the time specified
above. Therefore, due care will be needed.
 Obnoxious or ignoble answer should be strictly avoided.
 You cannot participate in the discussion after the due date via email.
 Questions / queries related to the content of the GDB, which may be posted by the students on
MDB or via e-mail, will not be replied till the due date of GDB is over.
 For planning your semester activities in an organized manner, you are advised to view schedule
of upcoming Assignments, Quizzes and GDBs in the overview tab of the course website on
VU-LMS.

3. NOTE RELATED TO LOAD SHEDDING: PLEASE BE PROACTIVE
Dear students,
As you know that Pre Mid-Term semester activities have started and load shedding problem is
also prevailing in our country. Keeping in view the fact, you all are advised to post your
activities as early as possible without waiting for the due date. For your convenience; activity
schedule has already been uploaded on VULMS for the current semester, therefore no excuse
will be entertained after due date of assignments, quizzes or GDBs.