Lesson Plan

• Describe how the BCG, GE/McKinsey and PLC tools evaluate a product portfolio.
• Explain how each portfolio quadrant influences the 4Ps (product, price, place, promotion).
• Apply portfolio analysis to recommend specific marketing‑mix actions for real‑world products.

• Projector and screen
• PowerPoint slides showing BCG & GE matrices
• Worksheet with a sample product portfolio (printed)
• Sticky notes or index cards for group mapping
• Whiteboard and markers
• Exit‑ticket slips

Begin with a quick 4‑minute poll: “Which product in your favourite brand feels ‘star‑like’ and why?” Use responses to link prior knowledge of the 4Ps to the need for systematic portfolio analysis. State that by the end of the lesson students will be able to map products onto analytical tools and justify marketing‑mix decisions.

1. Do‑now (5'): Students match a list of product types to appropriate 4P strategies on the board.
2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Overview of BCG, GE/McKinsey and PLC analyses with illustrated examples (projector).
3. Group activity (15'): Using the printed worksheet, teams place each product from the case study into the BCG matrix and identify its PLC stage.
4. Guided discussion (10'): Groups share their placements; teacher highlights how quadrant placement drives product, price, place and promotion choices.
5. Case‑study application (15'): Each group selects one quadrant and designs a concise marketing‑mix plan (bullet points) for the associated product.
6. Debrief & check for understanding (5'): Whole‑class review of key take‑aways; students complete an exit ticket stating one marketing‑mix change they would make for a “Question Mark”.

Summarise how portfolio analysis provides a strategic lens for tailoring the 4Ps and why regular review is essential. Collect exit tickets as a quick retrieval check. For homework, ask students to choose a real company, map at least three of its products onto a BCG or GE matrix, and write a brief report recommending specific marketing‑mix adjustments.