Dr Heather Kappes

This course is compulsory on the MSc in Marketing. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes.

Co-requisites:

Students must complete MG4E7 either before taking this course or in the same year as this course.

Students work in teams with vetted company sponsors ranging from global consumer brands to growth-stage startups across sectors including technology, arts, telecommunications, and consumer goods. Each team addresses a real marketing challenge—whether launching new products, entering new markets, repositioning brands, or optimizing digital strategies.

Working from an initial company brief, teams identify where they can create genuine value by applying marketing frameworks and analytics developed throughout the programme. Projects typically involve primary and secondary research, customer insights analysis, and strategic recommendations grounded in both theory and practical constraints. The deliverable is a comprehensive marketing strategy that demonstrates how data-driven insights translate into actionable business recommendations.

This capstone experience bridges academic learning and professional practice, requiring teams to navigate ambiguous problems, synthesize learning from across the programme, and communicate recommendations that balance analytical rigor with business pragmatism. Students gain experience in client management, collaborative problem-solving, and presenting complex marketing strategies to senior stakeholders. Throughout the project, students receive feedback from both faculty and industry practitioners, ensuring recommendations meet academic standards while addressing real business constraints.

2 hours of lectures in the Winter Term.
8 hours of lectures in the Spring Term.

In its Ethics Code, LSE upholds a commitment to intellectual freedom. This means we will protect the freedom of expression of our students and staff and the right to engage in healthy debate in the classroom.

• Building a Marketing Plan, by Ho Yin Wong; Kylie Radel; Roshnee Ramsaran-Fowda, Harvard Business School Publishing.
• Writing Great Marketing Plans, 2005, by T. Caulkins, Kellogg’s/Northwestern University.
• The Marketing Plan Handbook Paperback – 1 Sep 2011 by Alexander Chernev.

Oral examination (40%).

Project (60%) in August.

Students will be expected to submit a project report in August.

For detailed assessment information, including all deadlines and timings, please see the relevant course Moodle page. Assessment timings will be available at the start of each term.