CASE INTERVIEW FRAMEWORKS
The Four Ps
This is a useful framework for evaluating marketing cases. It can be applied to both products and
services. The Four Ps consist of:
Price
The price a firm sets for its product/service can be a strategic advantage. For example, it can be
predatory (set very low to undercut the competition), or it can be set slightly above market
average to convey a "premium" image. Consider how pricing is being used in the context of the
case presented to you.
Product
The product (or service) may provide strategic advantage if it is the only product/service that
satisfies a particular intersection of customer needs. Or it may simply be an extension of already
existing products, and therefore not much of a benefit. Try to tease out the value of the product in
the marketplace based on the case details you have been given.
Position/Place
The physical location of a product/service can provide an advantage if it is superior to its
competition, if it is easier or more convenient for people to consume, or if it makes the consumer
more aware of the product/service over its competition. In the context of a business case, you
may want to determine the placement of the product or service compared to its competition.
Promotion
With so much noise in today's consumer (and business to business) marketplace, it is difficult for
any one product/service to stand out in a category. Promotional activity (including advertising,
discounting to consumers and suppliers, celebrity appearances, etc.) can be used to create or
maintain consumer awareness, open new markets, or target a specific competitor. You may want
to suggest a promotional strategy in the context of the case you are presented relative to the
promotional activity of other competing products/services.
