Mastering Marketing Magic

Curriculum Area

Subject: Business Studies
Stage: Stage 6 – Year 11
Module: Marketing
Strand: Business Studies Syllabus (NESA)
Focus Area:

• Nature and role of marketing in a business
• Types of markets
• Market segmentation, target market and positioning

Duration

Total Duration: 55 minutes
Class Size: 3 students

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Learning Intentions

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

• Define marketing and describe its role in business
• Explain what market segmentation is and why it’s important
• Identify and describe the four main bases of market segmentation: demographic, geographic, psychographic and behavioural
• Apply concept of segmentation to create a profile of a target market

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Success Criteria

Students will demonstrate success by:

• Participating in class discussions around marketing concepts
• Accurately identifying segments within a market using real-world examples
• Producing a written profile of a target market for a product or service

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Resources

• Whiteboard and markers
• Student workbooks or exercise books
• Projector/Smart screen or computer
• Access to YouTube for showing selected videos
• Printed product cards (see Activity 1 below)
• "Segment Me This" worksheet (provided by teacher)
• Coloured post-it notes

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Lesson Plan Overview

Time	Activity	Description
5 min	Hook	Mystery Consumption Challenge
7 min	Intro	What is Marketing?
8 min	Video & Discussion	Real-world Marketing in Action
10 min	Explicit Instruction	Market Segmentation and Target Markets
10 min	Activity 1	“Segment Me This” Card Sort
10 min	Activity 2	Create Your Customer
5 min	Reflection	Sticky Target Exercise

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Detailed Lesson Flow

💡 Hook (5 minutes) – Mystery Consumption Challenge

Teacher Prep: Place 3 mystery items on the table:

• 1 can of V Energy drink
• 1 pack of coloured gel pens
• 1 set of luxury headphones

Task: Students each choose one item they relate to the most and say:

• Why they chose it
• Who they think it's made for

Purpose: Prompt students to think about consumer behaviour, marketing intention and product appeal. This acts as a segue into market segmentation.

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🎬 Introduction (7 minutes) – What is Marketing?

Teacher-Led Explanation:

Ask:

• “What do you think marketing is?” Write ideas on the board.

Definition to write on board:
Marketing is the total system of interacting activities designed to plan, price, promote and distribute products to present and potential customers. (Refer to NESA Stage 6 outcomes: P2 & P7)

Key Points:

• Marketing is more than advertising; it’s about understanding and meeting customer needs
• It’s about delivering value to the right people, at the right time, in the right place

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📺 Video & Discussion (8 minutes) – Real-world Marketing in Action

Video Clip:
Show a 3-minute YouTube ad by a well-known Australian brand (e.g. Vegemite, Surf Life Saving Sunscreen or Qantas). Teacher selects a suitable one prior to class.

Questions after viewing:

• Who do you think the ad was targeting?
• How could we describe this ‘target market’?
• What made the ad 'speak' to that group?

Mini Conclusion: Advertising is the visible face of marketing—but it’s built on deep segmentation.

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🧠 Explicit Instruction (10 minutes) – Market Segmentation

Teacher Presentation:

Draw a pie chart on the board while explaining segmentation as “splitting the market into meaningful groups based on shared characteristics”.

Divide the chart into the 4 bases of segmentation:

1. Demographic – Age, gender, income, education, family status
2. Geographic – Region, urban/rural, climate, city size
3. Psychographic – Values, hobbies, interests, lifestyles
4. Behavioural – Benefits sought from product, brand loyalty, buying patterns

Example: Teenagers who live in Sydney and are into eco-conscious fashion (Can overlap multiple segments)

Write summary definitions into student books.

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🧩 Activity 1 (10 minutes) – “Segment Me This!”

Materials: Product cards + four corner signs labelling each type of segmentation

Set up:

• Each student draws a random “product” card (e.g. Surfboard, LASIK eye surgery, Afterpay digital card)
• Around the room are 4 corner stations labelled: Demographic, Geographic, Psychographic, Behavioural

Task: Students move to the station they believe is most important for segmenting customers for their product. Justify their choice aloud.

Mini-debrief: Discuss how many products appeal to multiple segments, but successful marketing requires focused target markets.

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🎯 Activity 2 (10 minutes) – Create Your Customer

Materials: “Segment Me This” worksheet

Task:
Each student invents a creative target market profile for a new product using all four segmentation bases.

Example prompt:
“You are marketing a new sustainable water bottle. Who is your target customer?”

• Demographic: 16-20, university students
• Geographic: Urban Eastern states
• Psychographic: Environmentally aware, active lifestyle
• Behavioural: Interested in health and sustainable living

Challenge them to draw AND describe the person (stick figure ok!)

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📝 Reflection (5 minutes) – Sticky Target Exercise

Materials: Target image drawn on whiteboard or printed, Post-it notes

Task:
Students write (on post-it):
1 thing they learnt → stick it near the bullseye
1 question they still have → stick it on the outer ring

Teacher quickly scans to guide tomorrow’s recap or follow-up lesson.

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Assessment for Learning

Formative Assessment:

• Verbal contributions during discussion
• Justifications during Activity 1
• Target market worksheet creation (checked and commented on immediately)

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Differentiation for Small Class (3 students)

• Deep individual attention during each activity
• Allow students to debate and challenge each other's customer profile ideas
• Prompt critical thinking with higher-order questions like:
  • “Why wouldn’t you target everyone?”
  • “How might a regional campaign differ from a metro one?”

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Extension Ideas

• Mini-version of a marketing pitch: students design packaging or slogan for their target market
• Exploration of “niche” vs “mass” marketing campaigns in Australia
• Comparative ad analysis across segments: car ads, food delivery apps, insurance brands

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Conclusion

This lesson places students at the centre of the marketing dialogue, drawing on real-world applications, Australian brands and creativity. With mixed modalities (visual, verbal, kinaesthetic), and deep engagement even in a small class, it leaves students empowered to think like marketers and conscious consumers.

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Prepared for: Stage 6 (Year 11), NSW Business Studies Curriculum
Outcomes: P2, P4, P7 – Demonstrates the role of marketing; evaluates marketing strategies; explains marketing concepts clearly and effectively.