Coursework

Context

Switch Foods is a UAE-based plant-based food brand committed to sustainability and health.

Their flagship product, the Switch Burger Patty, offers a meat-free alternative designed to

appeal to flexitarians and environmentally conscious consumers. Switch Foods aims to

increase adoption of plant-based diets in the region while respecting cultural norms and

dietary preferences.

Assignment task

Assume the role of a Marketing Communications Executive for Switch Foods. Develop a

2,000-word Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) plan using a recognised planning

framework (e.g., SOSTAC) and PESO (Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned) channels to

achieve the following goals in a specific country in the MENA region:

Goal 1: Increase awareness of the health and environmental benefits of plant-based

eating.

Goal 2: Nudge positive attitudes toward meat alternatives and encourage trial of Switch

product line.

Target audience

Youth (1826), including university students and young professionals with growing interest in

health, sustainability and ethical consumption.

Budget

The allocated budget is AED 100,000.

Plan structure (suggested)

Background: brief profile of Switch Foods and market context for your chosen country.

Situation analysis: critically assess the external environment and audience behaviours

using tools such as PESTLE, SWOT and competitor review. Summarise key findings

and show how they shape your objectives and strategy.

Objectives: clear articulation of appropriate SMART marketing communications

objectives for awareness, attitude and engagement, linked to your situation analysis

(not general marketing objectives).

Strategy: articulation of the target audience insights, positioning, value proposition, the

core theme and big idea of the campaign and messaging; role of PESO channels;

cross-cultural localisation choices.

Tactics: detailed activity plan per channel (e.g., content formats, media, sequencing,

creative hooks, influencer/partnerships, PR angles). Avoid listing tools without detail

(e.g. influencer marketing).

Action: responsibilities, timeline/schedule ( 12 months).

Budget: itemised allocation within AED 100,000 (e.g., production, media, partnerships

measurement). Ideally, presented in the form of a table in the main body of the plan.

Control: KPIs, tracking, testing (e.g., A/B); risks and mitigations, including ethical risks.

Show how measures link to SMART objectives.

Originality and creativity in thought

Avoid simply replicating safe, widely used strategies and tactics or copying existing

campaigns of existing brands. This does not demonstrate originality in your work. Push

the boundaries of creativity to develop fresh approaches that are dynamic, culturally

relevant and clearly aligned with your SMART objectives. Show us how your work

delivers unique value to the targeted audience.

A supporting task: Industry Consultation (Appendix – last section of the report after

References)

You are required to discuss specific aspects of your campaign with a business or marketing

professional (e.g., a manager, mentor, or network connection) for a minimum of 10 minutes.

The Goal: you do not need to pitch the entire IMC whole plan. Instead, select one or two

specific areas where you are uncertain or need a sanity check (e.g., your creative concept,

your choice of media channels, or your ethical stance). Use this consultation to test the

viability of your thinking.

The Output (Appendix): write a reflective summary (max 200 words) surrounding what

emerged from the conversation located in the Appendix. You are encouraged to use the

first person (“I”). To demonstrate authenticity, avoid generic statements like

“The feedback

was helpful.” Instead, you must document a critical before and after evolution of your work.

This reflective summary should move beyond saying who said what. It must provide an

account of

i. A Friction Point: what specific part(s) of your plan and thought process did on they

question, challenge or ask you to clarify?

ii. The Pivot Point: exactly what did you change, remove, or refine in your IMC plan as

a direct result of this conversation? (e.g.,

“I originally planned to use TikTok, but the

feedback highlighted that my target audience is older, so I shifted the budget to

LinkedIn.”)

Important Requirements

No Transcripts: you are NOT required to audio record this conversation or produce

or submit a written transcript.

Anonymity: to maintain privacy, do NOT include the individuals name (refer to them

by role, e.g., a Senior Retail Manager. Include date, time and place of the

conversation (e.g. 14-Nov-2026 16:00 at Spur Caf Dubai. Please note that this can

be online (video or voice only).

Word Count: this reflective summary of max 200 words is excluded from the main

report’s word count.

Cross-cultural & ethical awareness

Be sure to address the appropriateness of language, visuals, norms and channel choices for

your selected country. Show how your plan avoids harmful stereotyping and promotes

inclusivity. Your work should feel authentic to MENA audiences – avoiding clichs and overly

Westerncentric narratives. Celebrate the regions diversity, pride and richness while keeping

the message accessible.

Please note: the allocated word count excludes words used in tables, images, figures,

appendices and the Reference Section. Referencing must be formatted in accordance to

Harvards Reference style.