Marketing Management, 3rd Edition - Harvard Business School Press

Case Map for Iacobucci, MM: Marketing Management, 3rd Edition, (Cengage, 2013) 

This map was prepared by an editor at HBS Publishing, not by a teaching professor. Faculty at Harvard Business School 

were not involved in analyzing the textbook or selecting the cases and articles. 

Every case map provides only a partial list of relevant items from HBS Publishing. To search for alternatives, or to get 

more information on the cases listed below, visit our web site at www.hbsp.harvard.edu. 

PART I: MARKETING STRATEGY 

Chapter 1: Why is Marketing 

Management Important 

Abstract


Hocol 

Elsa Margarita Uribe, Roberto 

Gutierrez, Andres Barragan 

Type: Social Enterprise 

Knowledge Network case 

Pub. Date: March 15, 2009 

Product #: SKE141-PDF-ENG 

Length: 27p 

Teaching Note: Yes 

This business case illustrates how Hocol competed in the exploration 

and extraction of oil in Colombia. What distinguished this oil company 

was the dynamic construction of a particular business model based on 

a deep understanding of the external context, allowing the 

simultaneous creation of economic value (profitability) and social value 

(promotion of social development). Hocol conceived a business model 

based on the conciliation and mutual reinforcement of different forces 

that impacted its performance at different moments in its history. The 

case describes the ability of Hocol to understand and transform 

multiple contextual forces, adverse and convergent, to develop internal 

capacities and to apply its business competencies to achieve positive 

results in the economic, social and environmental realms. Hocol 

designed a business model under the following principle: "the success 

of the company is founded on the success of the people and groups 

that surround it." While the company claimed "not to have a model," it 

was clear that it was one of learning, experimentation and incremental 

and permanent adaptation to the demands of its external context. The 

conception of a business model with these characteristics redirected 

the development of Hocol s activities, in particular the work of the 

Government and Community Affairs and Industrial Protection team, 

and shaped the activities of the Foundation wherever it operated. 

Hocol maintained that to achieve better economic and social results it 

needed to understand and manage a variety of pressures that 

stemmed from the environment in which it worked. At the same time, it 

needed to build internal resources and abilities that would allow it to 

convert threats into opportunities and to respond to the expectations of 

shareholders, sub-contractors, surrounding communities and other 

stakeholders. In sum, Hocol sought to understand the evolution of 

needs in the society of which it was a part and to help satisfy these 

needs through strengthening community-based organizations and 

governmental institutions. 

Learning Objective: Business model as a cycle of positive feedback 

among different forces that intervene in the creation of value. 

Stakeholder management to reach more competitive surroundings and 

greater well being. The socio-environmental dimension as part of the 

competitive environment of a business. To identify the forces in the 

environment and to observe their relationship with and impact on the 

internal conditions of an organization. Openness towards the joint 

generation of social and economic value, combining philanthropy with 

profitability.


Fiat-Chrysler Alliance: 

Launching the Cinquecento 

in North America 

Gary P. Pisano, Phillip 

Andrews, Alessandro Di Fiore 

Type: HBS case 

Pub. Date: May 11, 2011 

Product #: 611037-PDF-ENG 

Length: 24p 

Teaching Note: N/A 

TripAdvisor 

Sunil Gupta, Kerry Herman 


Pub. Date: Jan 24, 2011 


Length: 19p 


Homeless World Cup 

George Foster, Jocelyn 

Hornblower, Norm O’Reilly 

Type: Stanford case 

Pub. Date: Jun 04, 2010 

Product #: E367 

Length: 26p 


Chapter 2: Customer 

Behavior 

Fiat ended its 27-year absence in the North American automobile 

market when the first Cinquecento (500)-a very small, iconic Italian car 

that had strong sales in Europe-was delivered on March 10, 2011. The 

Italian automaker re-entered the market through an alliance with 

Chrysler, the American automaker Fiat acquired in April 2009. For 

Laura Soave, Chrysler Group's head of Fiat Brand North America, the 

first delivery marked a watershed in a journey that began 12 months 

before when she first took responsibility for re-launching the Fiat brand 

in North America. As the first product of the Fiat-Chrysler alliance, the 

outcome of the Cinquecento launch would indicate how the integration 

of operations, and in particular the sharing of technology, platforms, 

components, manufacturing plants, and distribution networks would 

drive the long-term health of both Fiat and Chrysler. This case looks at 

the various strategic and operational challenges Soave faced 

throughout the process. 

Learning Objective: The case can be used to explore: 1) approaches 

for new market entry into foreign markets, and the associate 

challenges of brand positioning 2) strategies for managing and 

integrating global alliance partnerships 3) leadership issues associated 

with corporate turnarounds. 

By 2010, TripAdvisor was the largest travel site in the world operating 

in 24 countries and 16 languages, with listings for 455,000 hotels, 

92,000 attractions and 564,000 restaurants in over 71,000 destinations 

worldwide. It had over 40 million reviews from 35 million unique 

monthly visitors who were contributing 21 new reviews every minute. 

Known for its hotel reviews, TA expanded into flights, vacation rentals 

and international markets like China. Each of these expansion paths 

provided unique opportunities as well as new challenges. In August 

2010, Stephen Kaufer, CEO, was debating how to prioritize his growth 

plans for the company. 

Learning Objective: To understand how user-generated content 

(UGC) can be leveraged and what are the challenges of replicating 

that model in different countries (e.g., China) and different categories 

(e.g., vacation rentals and flights). 

The case follows Mel Young, Founder and President of Homeless 

World Cup, a non-profit organization whose mission is to eliminate 

homelessness around the world. Homeless World Cup organizes 

annual football (i.e. soccer) tournaments in host cities and through its 

grassroots partner organizations, recruits and trains homeless people 

to play in the events. The case highlights the early days of founding 

and building the organization, including Young's inspiration for the 

idea, and also covers the importance of branding and marketing and 

the organization's relationship with Nike. 

Learning Objective: This case aims to highlight an example of social 

entrepreneurship and the role of cause marketing. The objective is to 

guide students through a few of the many challenges that accompany 

building and marketing a social (entrepreneurial) venture and asks 

students to put themselves in the leader's shoes to make critical 

decisions. The goal is to have students better understand the 

management decision making process. 

Abstract


Pillsbury Cookie Challenge 

Allison Johnson, Natalie Mauro 

Type: Ivey case 


Product #: W11020-PDF-ENG 

Length: 14p 


PatientsLikeMe: An Online 

Community of Patients 

Sunil Gupta, Jason Riis 


Pub. Date: Feb 16, 2011 


Length: 22p 


The Canadian Pillsbury ready baked goods cookie line is experiencing 

less than stellar performance, and the marketing manager is under 

pressure to make strategic decisions that will help turn around the 

segment. The marketing manager engages the help of the consumer 

insight team to conduct market research studies that will shed light on 

consumers and their attitudes, behaviours and preferences towards 

the product. The results from the market research studies are in, and 

the students, assuming the role of the marketing manager, must filter 

through them to determine how this information can be used to 

improve the performance of the cookie segment. More specifically, 

students will need to determine where the greatest opportunities lie, 

who the team should target, what brand messaging is the most 

relevant and what type of communication plan would be most effective. 

Learning Objective: The case highlights a common problem faced by 

marketers - how to improve the performance of a business. In addition 

to this aspect, the case focuses on how to attain and interpret 

consumer information. The following topics are covered in the case: 

Introduction to consumer insights and market research; Customer 

segmentation and targeting, and Brand positioning. This case is best 

suited for an Introduction to Marketing course (either HBA or MBA 

level) or a course that digs deeper into how firms can employ 

customer-oriented strategies, such as the Consumers and Customers 

course. The objectives are to: familiarize students with different types 

of consumer research and how it can help marketers make better 

business decisions; develop students' ability to recognize relevant 

customer insights and to show how these insights can help determine 

strategies; highlight ways to segment the market, other than by 

demographics; explore the ways in which marketing managers can 

improve business performance. 

PatientsLikeMe (PLM) is an online community where patients share 

their personal experiences with a disease, find other patients like them, 

and learn from each other. The company was founded by Jamie and 

Ben Heywood when their 29-year-old brother was diagnosed with ALS 

or Lou Gehrig's disease. In less than five years, PLM has grown to 15 

patient communities where over 80,000 patients discuss 19 diseases. 

In December 2010, PLM is discussing its planned launch of a General 

Platform that would expand the number of diseases covered from 19 to 

over 3,500. Is it the right move, and what does PLM need to do to 

make it a success? 

Learning Objective: To understand how an online community is built 

and monetized and to highlight the challenges in growing the platform 

to a larger scale.


Vestas' World of Wind 

Thomas Steenburgh, Elena 

Corsi 


Pub. Date: Mar 16, 2011 


Length: 38p 


Paydiant 

Jose B. Alvarez, Elizabeth C. 

Williamson, James Weber 




Length: 23p 


The wind turbine manufacturer Vestas launched the industry's first 

highly localized and customized new product launch campaigns which 

used also new tools such as web 2.0 platforms. Used to operate in a 

market where demand exceeded supply, Vestas had lost contact with 

its customer base and had a limited marketing budget, mainly used to 

finance global media advertisement campaigns. The world economic 

downturn which followed the U.S. credit crunch crisis of 2008 and the 

increased competition in the wind turbine market had brought about a 

sudden drop in Vestas orders of new turbines. Vestas thus decided to 

focus more on marketing and developed a new department, Global 

Marketing and Customer Insights. Morten Albaek was hired to manage 

and develop the department and to transform Vestas into the 

undisputed most customer focused company in the industry by 2012 

and among the most customer centric B2B brand by 2015. He tested 

his new approach for the first time with the launch of their new V112 

turbine for which he developed 72 customized campaigns targeting its 

main existing and potential customers and major stakeholders. Yet, 

had the campaign been effective in bringing Vestas closer to its 

customer base? Were they using the right tools? 

Learning Objective: The case should bring students to think about 

the importance for B2B companies of customer focused marketing 

approaches and evaluate the new marketing tools used by the 

company. 

Kevin Laracey, founder of Paydiant, needed to figure out how to 

launch a payment processing company with a new technology based 

on smart phones. Consumers had increasingly turned to electronic 

payment methods such as credit cards and debit cards to make 

purchases. Retailers, however, felt that major credit and debit card 

issuers had too much market power which was leading to higher costs 

for retailers to accept such payment forms. Consumers were 

increasingly adopting smart phones and using those phones to 

manage their lives. Market watchers believed that consumers would 

soon demand to use their smart phones to make purchases. Retailers 

liked this because it increased competition in the payments industry. 

Paydiant had developed a software-based product that required no 

new hardware for retailers and enabled consumers to use their smart 

phones to make purchases. The company needed to decide how to 

bring this new product to market. The case also describes the existing 

payment processing market structure, identifies some of its major 

players, and introduces some other new entrants into the payment 

industry. 

Learning Objective: This case will help students understand the 

difficulties involved in and potential strategies used in entering a retail 

environment as a supplier. The case is also helpful for students 

interested in learning about adoption of a technology where multiple 

players (e.g. retailers, banks, network owners, card issuers, and 

consumers) must all cooperate in order to allow for adoption.


The NFL's Digital Media 

Strategy 

Anita Elberse, Kelsey Calhoun, 

Daven Johnson 


Pub. Date: Oct 20, 2010 


Length: 19p 


In late 2009, Brian Rolapp, senior vice president of media strategy and 

digital media for the NFL, was faced with the challenge of determining 

the league's strategic approach to the wireless market - and presenting 

his views to NFL team owners. What was the league's best strategy for 

the mobile space? The case describes the antecedents of what is 

widely regarded as a landmark deal for the NFL, its $780-million, fouryear 

exclusive partnership with Verizon. Provides in-depth information 

on the NFL's digital media revenues, and relates those to the league's 

overall media and other revenues. Enables a rich discussion of new 

distribution opportunities and ensuing marketing and channelmanagement 

challenges. 

Learning Objective: To understand how sports industries, leagues, 

and teams are affected by and can capitalize on new forms of digital 

distribution; to assess viable business models for content owners and 

distributors in the context of online media. 

Red Lobster 

Red Lobster, a 40-year-old chain of seafood restaurants, has just 

David E. Bell, Jason Riis completed some market research revealing an opportunity to shift their 


target customer segment. The chain is in the final stages of a 10-year 

Pub. Date: Sep 08, 2010 plan of rejuvenation under CEO Kim Lopdrup. When he took over as 

Product #: 511052-PDF-ENG CEO in 2004 the chain was closing restaurants and suffering declining 

Length: 26p 

same store sales and declining customer satisfaction. But in 2010, 


even in a recession, the fortunes of the chain are improving. A recently 

commissioned market research study has revealed, unexpectedly, that 

25% of Red Lobster's customers are "experientials," people coming for 

a "good evening out" rather than Red Lobster's traditional core 

customer who came because of a craving for seafood. Should this 

news cause Lopdrup to do anything differently? 

Learning Objective: The case was written with three purposes in 

mind (i) to permit a discussion about segmenting customers (ii) as a 

general case about the marketing of restaurants and (ii) about the 

potential of seafood as a source of protein especially in light of the 

growth of aquaculture as a source. 

Chapter 3: Segmentation Abstract 

Porsche: The Cayenne 

Launch 

John Deighton, Jill Avery, 

Jeffrey Fear 




Length: 22p 


Can an online discussion forum supply insight into the evolution of 

brand meaning? In 2003 Porsche launched a sport utility vehicle, 

dividing Porsche purists from newcomers to the brand. Vocal members 

of online and offline Porsche communities ridiculed the Cayenne SUV 

and disapproved of the new breed of driver. Some opposed offering 

Porsche Club membership to them, and some even refused to extend 

the fraternal Porsche "wave" or headlight flashing to them on the road. 

Porsche's values of speed, luxury, and a certain masculine zeal 

resonated strongly with its devotees, while drivers of the Cayenne 

(which came to be known as "the SUV for soccer moms") tended to be 

safety-conscious, family-oriented, and conservative. Evolving debates 

on forums allow a class to debate whether the brand had strayed too 

far from its core values and was at risk. 

Learning Objective: To facilitate understanding of the uses and 

limitations of online forums as a source of consumer insight.










Length: 24p 


Fortis Industries, Inc. (A) 

Rowland T. Moriarty Jr., David 

May, Gordon Swartz 


Pub. Date: Dec 16, 2011 


Length: 18p 






















Fortis Industries' packaging division manufactures steel and plastic 

strapping. In 2007, the company underwent a leveraged buyout. The 

case focuses on the packaging division's need to maintain high 

profitability in a declining market for steel strapping. Since 1998, Fortis 

has been losing 1% per year of the steel strapping market. Since then, 

there has also been significant erosion of prices. The division president 

is faced with 1) decreasing price to increase market share, or 2) 

maintain/increase cash flow. The specific decision revolves around the 

potential adoption of a price-flex system that is designed to authorize 

selective discounting by the division's sales personnel.


Ontela PicDeck (A) 

Mohanbir Sawhney, Kent 

Grayson, Patrick Duprss, et al. 

Type: Kellogg case 


Product #: KEL450 

Length: 7p 


Ontela, a technology start-up company, has introduced an innovative 

service called PicDeck that improves the mobile imaging experience 

for wireless subscribers. Ontela sells PicDeck to wireless carriers, who 

in turn private-label the service to their subscribers. Ontela must 

decide which customer segments it should target for the service and 

how to create a positioning strategy and a marketing communication 

plan to promote it. It must also consider the value proposition of the 

PicDeck service for wireless carriers (its direct customers), who need 

to be convinced that the service will lead to higher monthly average 

revenue per user (ARPU) and/or increased subscriber loyalty. Part A 

of the case provides qualitative information on customer personae that 

represent different customer segments. Students are asked to develop 

a targeting and positioning strategy based on this qualitative 

information. Part B provides quantitative data on customer preferences 

that can be used to identify response-based customer segments, as 

well as demographic and media habits information that can be used to 

profile the segments. Students are asked to revise their 

recommendations based on the additional quantitative data. 

Learning Objective: The case reinforces the principles of data-driven 

customer segmentation, discusses the appropriate criteria for selecting 

segments, and provides a deeper understanding of the benefits and 

drawbacks of different approaches to identifying and evaluating 

segments. The case illustrates how the results of data-driven 

segmentation may run counter to approaches that rely on "gut feel" or 

qualitative information alone.


Making Waves in Rural Kenya 

Sebastian Herrmann, Glenn 

Brophey, Denyse Lafrance- 

Horning 


Pub. Date: Jul 21, 2009 

Product #: 909A15-PDF-ENG 

Length: 10p 


The developers of a simple, inexpensive, locally produced rain water 

harvesting system tackle the social marketing issues in the 

undeveloped market of rural Kenya. The benefits of the product are 

obvious but the poverty levels and entrenched traditions create 

significant and unique marketing challenges. 

Learning Objective: This case is best suited for advanced marketing 

students. The case setting is unique and challenges students beyond 

traditional textbook applications of core marketing concepts. In the 

context of a foreign and undeveloped market, advanced marketing 

students should explore the following issues: Understanding the 

unique needs of various possible segments. Appreciating the impact of 

social influences on the decision-making process. Creating awareness, 

education and acceptance for new behavior and a new product 

concept. This case is intended to push students beyond the 

conventional application of marketing concepts. Students will be 

introduced to the unique needs of the hardcore poor consumers in 

rural Kenya and challenged to adapt marketing strategies to this 

exceptional and undeveloped environment. Truly understanding 

consumer needs and the various social influences in the problemsolving 

process are central to this case. 

Chapter 4: Targeting Abstract 

The Ford Fiesta 

John Deighton, Leora Kornfeld 




Length: 24p 


Executives at Ford wondered if social media could be the marketing 

solution for the launch of the youth-oriented 2010 Fiesta. But with 

social media came a ceding of control. Some at the company believed 

that if Ford was going to move beyond its conservative brand image for 

the launch of the new subcompact chances had to be taken. Others 

erred on the side of caution. Chantel Lenard, Ford's Group Marketing 

Manager for Global Small Car and Midsize Vehicles and Connie 

Fontaine, Manager of Brand Content and Alliances championed a new 

approach for the new vehicle and set into motion a comprehensive 6month 

social media initiative targeting a younger, ethnically diverse, 

and urban-based market, called "The Fiesta Movement". In doing so, a 

large portion of the marketing campaign was handed over to 20 and 

30-somethings across America, and Ford had to acclimate to a new 

way of doing marketing. To what extent should the company guide the 

activities and messages of their army of bloggers? The case is set two 

months into the Movement, as the team evaluates the metrics from 

YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and their website, and wonder if they're 

doing everything they need to do in order to make the Fiesta a success 

with a new target market. 

Learning Objective: To examine the variety of marketing techniques 

in the new social media toolbox; is the ultimate objective to 'go viral', or 

are there other metrics to consider when evaluating a social mediabased 

marketing campaign?


Nike Football: World Cup 

2010 South Africa 

Elie Ofek, Ryan Johnson 




Length: 29p 


L'Oreal: Global Brand, Local 

Knowledge 

Rebecca Henderson, Ryan 

Johnson 




Length: 14p 


Nike's Football division needs to devise a strategy to excel at the 2010 

World Cup games in South Africa. Nike has gone from a niche player 

in the market for football apparel and footwear in 1994 to a formidable 

competitor to Adidas in 2008 (with revenues of over $1 billion for the 

sport). The case traces how Nike has gone about making this 

transformation and its activities at each of the World Cups since 1994. 

For the upcoming World Cup in South Africa, Nike has decided to 

change its target market focus and to use digital and social media 

platforms to connect more extensively with consumers. In addition, 

Nike plans to launch innovative new boots and engage in corporate 

social responsibility and sustainability initiatives. The company has to 

do so in light of competition from archrival Adidas and the pressure of 

succeeding on the biggest stage in football, with billions of people 

around the world watching. The case allows students to analyze how a 

company can best integrate several value propositions into a cohesive 

plan and how it can best communicate with its chosen target market. It 

also allows for a rich discussion of the brand image the company 

needs to portray to leverage success beyond the World Cup event. 

Learning Objective: Devise a marketing strategy and communication 

plan to reach a new target market; how to integrate and promote 

several value propositions by the same company and use a high 

profile event to build brand connection 

Worldwide, and in the U.S. marketplace in particular, the French 

cachet of L'Or al was one of its most powerful marketing tools. 

However, with the opening up of emerging markets, L'Or al had to 

cater to a diverse customer base: an aging population in the West, 

ethnic groups, aspiring and younger customers in the East, emerging 

markets, and growing interest in health and beauty care among men 

all over the world. Employing both traditional and innovative marketing 

techniques, L'Or al worked to double its customer base to two billion 

by 2020 and increase to half from a third its share of sales from 

emerging markets. 

Learning Objective: To learn from and analyze the best practices of 

L'Or al with regard to marketing. To examine how they use their strong 

brand, traditional media, digital media, celebrity endorsements and 

interactive marketing contests to reach a diverse array of loyal and 

potential consumers. Also to examine how a large company shifts 

marketing and messaging efforts around a changing world view and 

changing global economics.


Benecol Spread and Media 

Planning 

Richard Johnson, Robert I 

Carraway, Ervin R. Shames, 

Paul W. Farris 

Type: Darden case 


Product #: UV2930-PDF-ENG 

Length: 21p 


Marketing Analysis Toolkit: 

Customer Lifetime Value 

Analysis, Spreadsheet 

Supplement 

Thomas Steenburgh, Jill Avery 




Length: 9p 



Market Size and Market Share 

Analysis 





Length: 7p 


Benecol Spread, a cholesterol-lowering margarine, was a product with 

unusual media-planning challenges. With a narrow target group and 

unproven market potential, Johnson & Johnson needed to get the most 

"bang for the buck" from its Benecol advertising. Would a mediaplanning 

model (optimizer) requiring executives to quantify their 

judgment on several key inputs be helpful in this process? A 

spreadsheet accompanying the case allows students to weight the 

target groups and to choose among different advertising vehicles to 

form the best possible media plan. 

Customers are increasingly being viewed as assets that bring value to 

the firm. Customer lifetime value is a metric which allows managers to 

understand the overall value of their customer base and relate it to 

three customer strategies firms employ: asset acquisition - attracting 

new customers to the firm, asset maximization - maximizing the value 

the firm extracts from each customer, and asset retention - retaining 

existing customers for the long term. The note gives students a 

foundation for analyzing marketing cases, as well as providing an 

analytical structure and process for completing a marketing plan. The 

note is accompanied by a free Excel worksheet which contains sample 

problems, prebuilt Excel models to calculate customer lifetime value, 

and charts and graphs which help visualize the results. 

Learning Objective: To provide students with analytical tools that they 

can use to more rigorously analyze marketing cases and decisions and 

to develop a strategic marketing plan. 

Marketers frequently need to estimate the size of their markets -- both 

for existing products so that sales forecasts can be developed, and for 

new products so that market opportunities can be assessed. This 

toolkit enables students to size a market and generate a sales forecast 

using a market build-up methodology. Students learn to measure 

market demand and company demand and calculate market and 

product penetration rates and market share. The note gives students a 

foundation for analyzing marketing cases, as well as providing an 

analytical structure and process for completing a marketing plan. The 

note is accompanied by a free Excel worksheet (available only to 

authorized faculty) which contains sample problems, pre-built Excel 

models to calculate market size, market penetration, and market 

share, and charts and graphs which help visualize the results. 



to develop a strategic marketing plan.


NFL UK 

Elie Ofek, David B. Godes, 

Peter Wickersham 




Length: 32p 


The NFL faces a decision on how to continue efforts to grow its 

fanbase in the UK. The decision needs to take into account lessons 

learned from previous NFL activities in Europe, market research on the 

UK sports fan and the implications of any move on the U.S. fan. 

Moreover, the decision should be couched within the broader context 

of the NFL's goal to expand internationally. Alistair Kirkwood, head of 

NFL UK, and Chris Parsons, VP of NFL International, must propose a 

course of action that the London-based team can both execute and 

that will receive the approval of the NFL's commissioner and owners. 

Learning Objective: Examine the consumer and strategic implications 

of taking a brand with a rich history and tradition in one country/culture 

and exporting that to another country/culture (how can one "innovate 

globally with a local tradition?) 

Chapter 5: Positioning Abstract 

Clean Edge Razor: Splitting 

Hairs in Product Positioning 

John A. Quelch, Heather 

Beckham 




Length: 10p 


After three years of development, Paramount Health and Beauty 

Company is preparing to launch a new technologically advanced 

vibrating razor called Clean Edge. The innovative new design of Clean 

Edge provides superior performance by stimulating the hair follicles to 

lift the hair from the skin, allowing for a closer shave. The company 

has already decided to introduce Clean Edge into the men's market 

where it has a strong presence. Jackson Randall, the product manager 

for Clean Edge, struggles with how best to position the product for the 

launch. One strategy is to release Clean Edge as a "niche" product, 

targeting the high-end market of fastidious groomers looking for 

superior skin care products. Another strategy is to release the product 

into the highly competitive mainstream razor market where the product 

can be positioned as the most effective razor available. Randall meets 

internal resistance to the mainstream strategy from the product 

manager for the company's current, but aging, mainstream razor 

products and he must consider the effects of cannibalization in his 

plan. Randall must recommend an optimal strategy and provide 

supporting economic analysis of his decision--not just for Clean Edge, 

but for its effect on the entire company. 

Learning Objective: Explore issues associated with strategic product 

positioning. Review new product development process and understand 

the importance of evaluating product-company and product-market fit 

in assessing new product opportunities. Understand the importance 

and marketing implications of determining whether a new product is a 

big breakthrough or a simple line extension.



Launch 


Jeffrey Fear 




Length: 22p 


The Eleganzia Group 

Elie Ofek, Elena Corsi, Bharat 

Sajnani, Sorina Casian-Botez, 

Francesco Tronci 


Pub. Date: Apr 18, 2011 


Length: 35p 
















limitations of online forums as a source of consumer insight. 

Eleganzia Group management faces tough decisions heading into the 

summer of 2010. With tourism on the decline due to the global 

economic recession, General Manager Giannuzzi must decide how to 

set prices at the Forte Village Resort, the Group's most well-known 

property. His management team is further divided on whether the 

pricing model at the resort should change to being all-inclusive (as 

opposed to one where guests are charged for each additional activity 

or dining option on a pay-as-you-go basis), and whether to convert a 

large number of the 4-star rooms into 5-star suites. Recently acquired 

properties, such as the Castel Monastero in Tuscany and the 

Maddalena Hotel & Yacht Club in north Sardinia, pose a branding 

challenge. Can all the properties, including the Forte Village, be 

successfully brought under one umbrella brand, namely, Eleganzia? 

Moreover, what should the character of each these new properties be? 

Learning Objective: Pricing and Branding strategy in a luxury 

consumption setting; balancing short term revenue with long term 

brand goals.


Reed Supermarkets: A New 

Wave of Competitors 

John A. Quelch, Carole Carlson 

Type: HBP Brief case 



Length: 12p 


Alpen Bank: Launching the 

Credit Card in Romania (Brief 

Case) 

V. Kasturi Rangan, Sunru Yong 




Length: 8p 


Reed Supermarkets is a high-end supermarket chain with operations 

in several Midwestern states. Meredith Collins, vice president of 

marketing, visits stores located in Columbus, Ohio, an important region 

with the largest market and the greatest impact on revenue growth. 

She is concerned about increased competition from dollar stores and 

limited-assortment stores offering very low, appealing price points. 

Reed's market research shows that as a result of the economic 

downturn, customer loyalty is dwindling and consumers are willing to 

go to multiple stores to get the best deals. Collins must decide whether 

to change the current marketing and positioning plan in an effort to 

increase market share to meet challenging corporate targets. Her 

options include retreating from price competition and focusing on 

quality or embracing more private-label brands and competing more 

aggressively on price. She can also maintain the current positioning 

and appeal to customers looking for a quality shopping experience. 

The case contains an implicit quantitative assignment that instructors 

can emphasize to the degree they choose. 

Learning Objective: Explore elements of marketing strategy, market 

segmentation, product differentiation, and product positioning for a 

retail organization. Analyze and differentiate among conflicting 

strategic perspectives. Understand the "cycle of retailing," which 

suggests that new retail stores naturally evolve from low-price, lowoverhead 

stores to become upscale retailers offering additional 

services and product lines. 

In 2006, the country manager for Alpen Bank in Romania, Gregory 

Carle, considers whether to recommend the launch of a credit card 

business. The firm rejected the idea several years earlier because of 

poor economic conditions in Romania. However, Romania is 

experiencing a period of economic growth after joining the European 

Union and Carle believes it is time to reconsider the opportunity 

despite continued skepticism within the company. Carle faces several 

important decisions before he can present his plan to the head of 

International Consumer Businesses. He must decide whether to 

launch a credit card business in Romania, how to position the credit 

card, and how to acquire new customers most effectively. This case is 

appropriate for use in the product policy module of a general marketing 

course, in a new product course, or in a services management course. 

Students are required to complete a quantitative assignment as part of 

case analysis. 

Learning Objective: 1. To expose students to key elements of 

services marketing, especially target market selection, acquisition cost, 

and lifetime value of a customer. 2. To introduce students to 

international marketing issues.


Mary Kay Inc.: Asian Market 

Entry (B) 

John A. Quelch 




Length: 1p 


Verne Global: Building a 

Green Data Center in Iceland 

Thomas Steenburgh, Nnamdi 

Okike 




Length: 28p 


PART 2: PRODUCT POSITIONING 

Chapter 6: Products: Goods 

and Service 

By 2008, over half of Mary Kay Cosmetics' $2.8 billion sales were from 

outside the USA. Sales from China exceeded $500 million in 2008 

through over 450,000 beauty consultants. China was Mary Kay 

Cosmetics' second most important national market with revenues 

growing at over 20 percent each year. In contrast, Mary Kay 

Cosmetics had decided to exit the Japanese market in 2001. 

Learning Objective: Brand Stretching; Adaptation in Emerging 

Markets; Strategic Growth in Emerging Markets. 

Verne Global, a pioneering startup created to build the first large-scale 

data center in Iceland, faces critical challenges regarding its green 

strategy. Verne Co-Founder Isaac Kato is tasked with evaluating how 

the company can most successfully market and sell the green 

components of its service offering. Using only renewable energy in its 

data center facility, Verne can drastically reduce customers' carbon 

emissions, enabling customers to meet emerging government 

regulations and to capture the financial benefit of public goodwill 

arising from green initiatives. But how valuable are Verne's green 

benefits, and are they sufficient to compel customers to pay a premium 

for Verne services? Further, how can Verne best integrate its green 

strategy into its marketing and sales message? Finally, will Verne's 

green benefits enable the company to overcome obstacles in the sales 

process, or will they alternatively overcomplicate an already complex 

sales message? Kato's decision allows discussion of the emerging role 

of green marketing and sales and helps identify how a product or 

service which is good for the environment can also be good for the 

bottom line. 

Learning Objective: To examine green marketing and sales in-depth, 

with a focus on identifying the potential financial benefits of a green 

service offering. This case encompasses a wide range of topics in 

business marketing, including quantifying a customer value 

proposition, defining the optimal marketing and sales strategy for an 

innovative product or service, identifying key decision-makers within 

the customer organization, and identifying potential obstacles to a 

successful sale. 

Abstract


Marvel Enterprises, Inc. 

(Abridged) 

Anita Elberse 




Length: 10p 


Coca-Cola on Facebook 





Length: 11p 


The management team of Marvel Enterprises, known for its universe of 

superhero characters that includes Spider-Man, the Hulk, and X-Men, 

must reevaluate its marketing strategy. In June 2004, only six years 

after the company emerged from bankruptcy, Marvel has amassed a 

market value of more than $2 billion. Originally known as a comic book 

publisher, the company now also has highly profitable toy, motion 

picture, and consumer products licensing operations. However, doubts 

about Marvel's business model and its growth potential continue to 

exist. Had Marvel's winning streak been just a fluke? Was Marvel's 

success dependent on a limited set of blockbuster characters, most 

notably Spider-Man, and should Marvel continue to capitalize on those 

characters? Or was it time to seek growth in a larger set of lesser 

known characters? In exploring growth opportunities, was it wise for 

Marvel to venture outside its current business model and move into 

more capital-intensive activities? What marketing strategy would allow 

Marvel to sustain its success in the coming years? 

Learning Objective: To study a best-practice example of an 

intellectual property (entertainment) licensing model. Also, to examine 

sources of sustainability in industries characterized by products with 

relatively short life cycles and explore how companies can build and 

manage brand franchises. 

In late 2008, executives at Coca-Cola had to decide what to do with a 

fan-created page on Facebook that had amassed over one million 

followers in three months. From a legal point of view the fan-created 

page was in violation of Facebook's terms of service, because a noncopyright 

holder was using the imagery and logo associated with a 

known brand. Facebook contacted Michael Donnelly, Group Director, 

Worldwide Interactive Marketing for The Coca-Cola Company, to let 

him know that he was in the position to take down the hugely popular 

fan-created site or, conversely, he could take it over and make it an 

official marketing channel for the company. Coke was already 

revisiting its social media policies, with the Diet Coke and Mentos usergenerated 

video incident fresh in its memory. Those videos, which 

featured elaborate geysers with Diet Coke as their main ingredient, 

were among the most viewed online videos at the time but were not 

initially sanctioned by the company. Donnelly knew that opening up the 

brand to creative consumers was necessary, but he and his team had 

to figure out how and to what extent they should do so while still 

protecting one of the world's most valuable brands. 

Learning Objective: To illustrate the changing marketing landscape 

as social media evolves as a mass and mainstream marketing 

platform.


Porcini's Pronto: "Great 

Italian cuisine without the 

wait!" 

James L. Heskett, Richard 

Luecke 

Type: HBS Brief case 

Pub. Date: Apr 04, 2011Product 

#: 4277-PDF-ENG 

Length: 12p 


Porcini's Inc. operates a chain of 23 full-service restaurants located 

near shopping malls and downtown areas in the northeastern United 

States. Known for providing excellent service, Porcini's serves highquality 

Italian cuisine made from fresh ingredients. Looking for 

expansion opportunities, management considers launching a new 

chain of lower-cost, limited-menu restaurants called Porcini Pronto. 

The new outlets will be located along busy interstate highway exits in 

the region and will serve outstanding Italian food at reasonable prices 

to both travelers and local residents. Management is concerned that a 

poor customer experience at Porcini Pronto could tarnish the 

company's well-established and successful restaurant brand. The 

management team asks the vice president of marketing to develop the 

concept and to create an operating strategy for the new outlets. The 

VP must also analyze three alternative expansion strategies before 

management will make any commitments to the project. If Porcini's 

builds and operates the new restaurants, the company will maintain 

complete control of operations and the customer experience but 

expansion will take a very long time. Franchising and syndication are 

two other options which provide faster expansion but introduce the risk 

of losing control of the brand. The VP must analyze the options and 

make his final recommendation. 

Learning Objective: Describe the role of HR programs and 

measurement systems in supporting product and service quality. 

Understand how employee selection and training, customer feedback, 

product offerings, and other elements of a business concept must work 

together to support both the strategy and the customer value 

proposition. Identify the implications for product and service quality 

associated with different growth alternatives including company 

ownership, franchising, and syndication.


Take-Two Interactive 

Software, Inc. 





Length: 20p 


Understanding Buyer 

Choice/Rejection/Experience 

Processes for Complex 

Services: The Example of 

Montessori Private Schools 

Roger A. More 




Length: 8p 




Processes for Complex 

Business-to-Business High- 

Technology Product/Service 

Bundles: The Example of 

Nuclear Power Plants 

Roger A. More 




Length: 9p 


In September 2010, faced with increasing threat from social game 

companies such as Zynga, Ben Feder, the CEO of Take-Two 

Interactive Software. Inc., had to decide the long-term strategy of his 

video-game company. As a publisher of traditional video games for 

Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo, Take-Two had several popular 

video games, such as Grand Theft Auto, to its credit. However, the 

video game industry was undergoing a major transition. In addition to 

digital downloading and cloud gaming, casual and social games were 

transforming the video game industry. Electronic Arts, one of Take- 

Two's major competitors, acquired a social gaming company in 

November 2009 for $400 million. In August 2010, Disney bought 

another social gaming company for $763 million. Social games were 

developed, marketed and monetized very differently from traditional 

console games. Should Take-Two follow the lead of its competitors or 

continue to focus on its core business? 

Learning Objective: To understand how companies navigate through 

the digital transition; to understand how development, marketing and 

monetization differs across business models; to assess the economics 

of traditional and new business models. 

This note develops a comprehensive new set of concepts to 

understand buying processes of parents choosing among complex 

educational services using the example of Montessori private schools. 

This note develops a comprehensive new conceptualization of the 

complex processes that accompany large scale high technology 

product/service bundles using the example of nuclear power plants.




Processes for Complex High- 

Technology Consumer 

Products: The Example of 

Notebook Computers 

Roger A. More 




Length: 13p 


This note develops a comprehensive new set of concepts to 

understand buyer behaviour for complex high technology consumer 

products using the example of notebook computers. 

Chapter 7: Brands Abstract 

Rebranding Gallagher 

Rohit Deshpande, Keith Chi-ho 

Wong 




Length: 12p 


Barcelo Hotels and Resorts 

(A) 

John T. Gourville, Marco Bertini 




Length: 29p 


Steve Tucker, the Deputy CEO of Gallagher Group Limited (GGL), the 

world's largest electric fence company, was about to present a new 

branding strategy to the company's senior managers and Bill 

Gallagher, Jr., CEO. After spending more than 18 months with brand 

consultants, Tucker devised an umbrella brand strategy that would 

instill a uniform brand across all three business units: Animal 

Management Systems, Security Management Systems, and Fuel 

Pumps, which marketed themselves under the respective brand 

names of Gallagher, Cardax, Powerfence, and PEC. However, Tucker 

knew that the unit heads believed the differences in their clienteles, 

product categories, and distributor relationships made it impractical to 

adopt one single brand. GGL's overseas distributors had also raised 

concerns about a uniform brand. In many cases, GGL only owned 

minority interests in these distributors and retained limited control over 

their activities. 

Learning Objective: Managing international distributors; managing 

global branding. 

Barcelo Hotels and Resorts must decide whether to allow its many 

hotels to continue to undertake separate promotional campaigns or to 

run, for the first time, a broad corporate-level promotion. Complicating 

the decision is the fact that the many hotels in its portfolio vary greatly 

in their character, clientele, positioning, and locations. 

Learning Objective: Looks at the costs and benefits of a corporate 

level branding and price promotion strategy. Also, when used with the 

Harrah's case (HBS Case # 502-011), allows for a discussion of 

centralized versus decentralized management of a portfolio of service 

entities.


Health Care Center for the 

Homeless: Changing with the 

Times 

Mary Conway Dato-on, Eileen 

Weisenbach Keller 




Length: 12p 


Bakari Burns, CEO of the Health Care Center for the Homeless 

(HCCH), located in Orlando, Florida was faced with the daunting task 

of rebranding the organization he lead. Burns knew the organization 

experienced difficulty with recognition and marketplace distinction, 

primarily due to the public's misperceptions about the relationship 

between HCCH and the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. 

An external consulting team offered several recommendations for 

change, including an amended name and redesign of all marketing 

materials. This advice and changes in the external environment 

provided an excellent opportunity to reposition and refocus the 

organization. Recognizing the need for a new strategy and 

implementing that strategy were not the same; Burns was not sure 

how to lead the organization through the change process. 

Learning Objective: The objectives of this case are to: Utilize internal 

and external analysis as a means of understanding the current 

situation and Burns' need to rebrand the organization; Understand how 

brand orientation is critical to strategy for NPOs (nonprofit 

organizations); Improve understanding of brand orientation through the 

application and analysis of the construct to the subject NPO; Apply 

Kotter's change model in order to understand Burns' role in introducing 

and leading change toward the acceptance of the new brand image 

and orientation; Facilitate discussion of the mission-driven nature of 

social service organizations and social issues of homelessness and 

health care. This case is suitable for use in undergraduate and firstyear 

graduate courses in change management and branding. The 

detailed treatment of environmental analysis may also make the case 

useful in marketing management or strategy courses. The contentious, 

socially relevant issues of health care and homelessness make the 

case particularly relevant to courses in public administration and 

nonprofit management.


Porcini's Pronto: "Great 

Italian cuisine without the 

wait!" 

James L. Heskett, Richard 

Luecke 

Type: HBP case 



Length: 12p 


Procter & Gamble: Marketing 

Capabilities 


Johnson 




Length: 17p 


Porcini's Inc. operates a chain of 23 full-service restaurants located 

near shopping malls and downtown areas in the northeastern United 

States. Known for providing excellent service, Porcini's serves highquality 

Italian cuisine made from fresh ingredients. Looking for 

expansion opportunities, management considers launching a new 

chain of lower-cost, limited-menu restaurants called Porcini Pronto. 

The new outlets will be located along busy interstate highway exits in 

the region and will serve outstanding Italian food at reasonable prices 

to both travelers and local residents. Management is concerned that a 

poor customer experience at Porcini Pronto could tarnish the 

company's well-established and successful restaurant brand. The 

management team asks the vice president of marketing to develop the 

concept and to create an operating strategy for the new outlets. The 

VP must also analyze three alternative expansion strategies before 

management will make any commitments to the project. If Porcini's 

builds and operates the new restaurants, the company will maintain 

complete control of operations and the customer experience but 

expansion will take a very long time. Franchising and syndication are 

two other options which provide faster expansion but introduce the risk 

of losing control of the brand. The VP must analyze the options and 

make his final recommendation. 

Learning Objective: Describe the role of HR programs and 

measurement systems in supporting product and service quality. 

Understand how employee selection and training, customer feedback, 

product offerings, and other elements of a business concept must work 

together to support both the strategy and the customer value 

proposition. Identify the implications for product and service quality 

associated with different growth alternatives including company 

ownership, franchising, and syndication. 

P&G had become known and recognized as a marketing machine. It 

was the largest advertiser in the world, with 2010 spending of $8.68 

billion. From the company's early exploitation of broadcast media 

(radio and television) for its soap products to more recent experiments 

in digital media for its men's hygiene brand Old Spice, P&G was a 

seasoned marketer with strong consumer research, a powerful 

innovation network, and the world's largest financial commitment to 

advertising. 


P&G the world's largest advertising spender and a renowned marketer 

of consumer products. To understand their marketing strategies, where 

marketing innovation is developed, how it is applied across different 

categories and how marketing shifts with changes in structure and 

culture.


Herborist: A Chinese 

Personal Care Brand Goes 

Abroad 

Kevin Zhou, Grace Loo 

Type: Uni. of Hong Kong case 


Product #: HKU927-PDF-ENG 

Length: 24p 


Taj Hotels, Resorts and 

Palaces 

Rohit Deshpande, Mona Sinha 


Pub. Date: Sep 28, 2010 


Length: 16p 


Herborist, a high-end Chinese personal care brand, had been steadily 

expanding its share in global markets since 2008. The brand 

distinguished itself by integrating traditional Chinese medicine with 

modern biotechnology and emphasising its green and organic 

ingredients. Whereas Chinese were familiar with the concept, how 

would Herborist sell it to consumers outside mainland China who were 

used to using established Japanese brands, such as Shiseido and SK- 

II, or western brands, such as Estee Lauder and Sisley? In 2001, 

Herborist chose to enter the Hong Kong market and test its product in 

this very competitive market that was dominated by the major 

Japanese and western cosmetics brands. The company opened two 

Herborist-branded stores in major shopping centres but was forced to 

close them down two years later due to bad results. The company tried 

again in 2007, this time distributing its products through the Hong Kong 

personal health and beauty chain Mannings. In 2008, Herborist 

entered the Paris market with the help of the cosmetics chain store 

Sephora. Results were mixed; although some of its products became 

top sellers, the overall sales figures were not very promising. By 2011, 

Herborist was ready for the next step in its international expansion 

plan. Which markets should it target and what strategy should it adopt? 

Learning Objective: This case provides students with an opportunity 

to explore the challenges faced by a personal care brand from an 

emerging market in converting to a global brand and requires students 

to analyze different markets and as well as different modes of market 

entry strategy. 

The Taj Hotels, Palaces, and Resorts introduced a new brand 

architecture to counter lack of differentiation and confused positioning 

of its mixed bag of brands. After launching an economy and an 

upscale brand, it dithered over the launch of its upper upscale and 

luxury brands. The case illustrates the marketing and organizational 

challenges of a hybrid brand extension strategy that lies in between a 

'house of brands' and a 'branded house'. 

Learning Objective: To develop understanding of how brand 

architecture is shaped by corporate growth.


The Dannon Company: 

Marketing and Corporate 

Social Responsibility (A) 

Christopher Marquis, Pooja 

Shah, Amanda Tolleson, Bobbi 

Thomason 




Length: 23p 


Classic Knitwear and 

Guardian: A Perfect Fit? 

(Brief Case) 

John A. Quelch, Patricia Girardi 




Length: 8p 


At the end of 2009, The Dannon Company was considering pro 

actively communicating its CSR efforts to consumers. With the strong 

connection between Dannon's production of health foods and its 

commitment to health and nutrition-based CSR activities, 

communicating these activities to consumers could enhance the 

company's success, but risked tainting its deeply ingrained CSR as a 

marketing ploy. Dannon wanted to maintain its holistic approach to 

social responsibility and commitment to social values. Dannon's CSR 

focused on three areas: Nutrition and Health, People and Nature. The 

case follows the perspectives of various stakeholders within the 

organization, including members of the Marketing, Human Resources 

and Corporate Affairs departments. Some of the specific questions 

examined are: Should we communicate Dannon's CSR activities? 

What would be the best means to do so? Should it be a corporate or 

brand level campaign? How would the parent company, Danone, 

respond? Can CSR remain sincere when being leveraged for PR 

purposes? 

Learning Objective: To discuss how a company develops, 

implements and communicates a strategic corporate social 

responsibility program that is aligned with the organization's business 

operations and commitment to social values. 

Classic Knitwear manufactures and distributes casual apparel, either 

unbranded or under a private-label brand name. Partly because 

Classic has no brand recognition with consumers, gross margins are 

low. To improve margins, the company considers partnering via a 

licensing agreement with Guardian, a manufacturer of insect repellent 

that has developed superior repellent technology for clothing. Unlike 

Classic Knitwear, Guardian is a well-known and well-respected brand 

in its target market of outdoor enthusiasts, and Classic Knitwear wants 

to take advantage of this by selling the new clothing line under the 

Guardian brand. The partnership presents many new opportunities for 

Classic Knitwear along with many risks. The CEO wants a quick 

decision in time for the company's upcoming investor call. The case 

explores challenges in product development, brand management, and 

consumer marketing. Students are required to complete a breakeven 

analysis and estimate product demand based on data presented in the 

case. 

Learning Objective: To evaluate a new product opportunity in which 

the firm built exclusively on manufacturing private label and unbranded 

products enters into a partnership to launch a line of branded "value 

added" products. To conduct a break-even analysis and to estimate 

sales potential of a new opportunity.


LeBron James 

Anita Elberse, Jeff McCall 




Length: 4p 


Manchester Products: A 

Brand Transition Challenge 


Beckham 




Length: 11p 


In 2005, to the astonishment of many sports industry insiders, 

superstar basketball player LeBron James fired his agent and 

established his own firm, LRMR, to handle all aspects of his business 

ventures and marketing activities and named his childhood friend 

Maverick Carter as the CEO. LRMR is tasked with turning James into 

a global icon as well as help him reach his personal goal of becoming 

basketball's first billionaire. In late 2008, James has entered various 

lucrative endorsement deals, and is considering three exclusive 

videogame endorsement opportunities from Electronic Arts, 2K 

Games, and Xbox Live to add to his portfolio. Allows for a rich 

discussion about how superstar athletes and other celebrities can 

create and capture value from their brands as well as what role talent 

agencies and other intermediaries play in that process. Provides indepth 

information on three endorsement opportunities that each 

represent a common way in which talent can (choose to) get 

compensated: through a fixed-fee payment, a bonus payment 

structure, or a revenue-sharing agreement. 

Learning Objective: To examine marketing issues and, more 

specifically, celebrity endorsement opportunities in the context of a 

world-class athlete. To explore ways in which superstars in the 

creative industries create and capture value from their brands. 

In January of 2005, Manchester Products Inc., a longtime leader in 

office furniture that only recently entered into the home furniture 

market, acquired Paul Logan's Furniture Division (PLFD). The 

acquisition of PLFD made Manchester an instant market leader in 

household furniture. A key factor in the value of PLFD has been the 

name of the company founder -- arguably the premiere name in highend 

fashion and accessories, and a true lifestyle brand. However, 

Manchester has acquired rights to use the Paul Logan brand name for 

only three years. Jason Adams, VP of Marketing for Manchester, is 

responsible for designing a plan to transition the brand from the Paul 

Logan name to Manchester. He must develop the optimal timing and 

sequencing of the brand transition, assess the implications, and 

establish the appropriate mix of advertising and promotion programs to 

support the transition. 

Learning Objective: 1. Evaluate alternative product policies and 

communications programs for implementing a brand transition. 2. 

Discuss the horizontal and vertical stretching of a brand name in 

relation to product line breadth and depth. 3. Evaluate the marketing 

strategy behind an acquisition, including considerations of productcompany 

and product-market fit. and product-market fit.


Fiat and Chrysler: Gaining on 

Global Automakers? 

Robert E. Spekman, Jacki Fritz 




Length: 21p 


This case examines the formation of an alliance between Fiat and 

Chrysler during the height of the financial crisis as a mechanism to 

save Chrysler from liquidation. The case traces the events leading up 

to the alliance, discusses the early stage issues with which the 

partners have to deal, addresses some of the governance issues, and 

examines the past merger between Chrysler and Daimler that ended in 

a failure. The case presents a normative approach to alliance 

management and conjectures about the success of the Fiat-Chrysler 

alliance. We address whether Chrysler is a suitable partner and 

whether there is a strong enough rationale for the alliance and whether 

the two partners are compatible. Finally, the case explores the lessons 

learned and the cautions that might derail the alliance. 

Learning Objective: 1) Examine an alliance in the automotive industry 

to see if the rationale for the alliance makes sense; 2) Explore the 

alliance-formation process to see if the proper steps were taken during 

the due diligence; 3) See what lessons can be gleaned from previous 

mergers; 4) Understand better how alliances can be used to gain 

competitive advantage. 

Chapter 8: New Products Abstract 

Serious Materials 

Thomas Steenburgh, Liz Kind 




Length: 20p 


Serious Materials is a start up who is moving into clean tech markets. 

The company's first product, QuietRock, originated the sound proofing 

drywall category and created a steady stream of revenue. It was now 

considering how to expand its product line to compete in the rapidly 

developing green building markets. How should Serious Materials go 

to market when they launch their highly anticipated Serious Windows 

and EcoRock product lines? What do they need to do to develop their 

brand? 

Learning Objective: How to create product line extensions in green 

markets.


Clean Edge Razor: Splitting 

Hairs in Product Positioning 


Beckham 




Length: 10p 



Launch 


Jeffrey Fear 




Length: 22p 


After three years of development, Paramount Health and Beauty 

Company is preparing to launch a new technologically advanced 

vibrating razor called Clean Edge. The innovative new design of Clean 

Edge provides superior performance by stimulating the hair follicles to 

lift the hair from the skin, allowing for a closer shave. The company 

has already decided to introduce Clean Edge into the men's market 

where it has a strong presence. Jackson Randall, the product manager 

for Clean Edge, struggles with how best to position the product for the 

launch. One strategy is to release Clean Edge as a "niche" product, 

targeting the high-end market of fastidious groomers looking for 

superior skin care products. Another strategy is to release the product 

into the highly competitive mainstream razor market where the product 

can be positioned as the most effective razor available. Randall meets 

internal resistance to the mainstream strategy from the product 

manager for the company's current, but aging, mainstream razor 

products and he must consider the effects of cannibalization in his 

plan. Randall must recommend an optimal strategy and provide 

supporting economic analysis of his decision--not just for Clean Edge, 

but for its effect on the entire company. 

Learning Objective: Explore issues associated with strategic product 

positioning. Review new product development process and understand 

the importance of evaluating product-company and product-market fit 

in assessing new product opportunities. Understand the importance 

and marketing implications of determining whether a new product is a 

big breakthrough or a simple line extension. 















limitations of online forums as a source of consumer insight.


Nanda Home: Preparing for 

Life After Clocky 

Elie Ofek, Jill Avery 




Length: 27p 


Ad-lider Embalagens, SA: 

Marketing Research for 

Drawstring Trash Bags in 

Brazil 

Rosane Gertner, Dennis 

Guthery, Richard Ettenson 

Type: Thunderbird case 


Product #: TB0141-PDF-ENG 

Length: 21p 


Gauri Nanda, the inventor of Clocky, the alarm clock that rolls off the 

bed stand and forces its owner to find it, has to make critical decisions 

regarding the future of her nascent company. As sales of Clocky show 

signs of declining, she must decide whether to continue her focus on 

the alarm clock category or to branch out into new categories. If the 

former, the question is which segments to pursue and what features to 

develop, and, if the latter, the question is whether the concept of 

"humanizing technology" is something consumers would value in other 

domains. In addition, Nanda must decide how to continue marketing 

Clocky and its successors, given the potential for cannibalization. 

Clocky's success was largely attributable to the media's intense 

interest and coverage, and it is not clear such attention would carry 

over to other new product endeavors. Students are presented with a 

number of new product concepts and the findings from both qualitative 

and quantitative market research. This allows for a rich discussion of 

how managers can think creatively about consumer experiences to 

inform their innovation strategies. 

Learning Objective: Consider consumer input and market factors to 

determine optimal next generation innovation strategies. 

This case presents market research data concerning the launch of a 

new drawstring trash bag in Brazil. Ad-lider, one of the leaders in the 

Brazilian plastic bag industry, has purchased the production machinery 

for producing the trash bag, and now must decide how the new 

product should be launched. Data for focus groups and field interviews 

are included for analysis. The case touches on many areas of 

marketing, including new product development, marketing research, 

and creating customer value. 

Learning Objective: This is appropriate for both undergraduate and 

graduate marketing classes. It's ideally suited for the marketing 

research component of a marketing management class. Alternatively, 

it's also appropriate for the market research session of the new 

product development course or for a qualitative data session of a 

marketing research course. The teaching note is useful for all three 

purposes.


Geox: Breathing Innovation 

into Shoes 

Ali Farhoomand, Havovi Joshi 

Type: Uni. Of Hong Kong case 



Length: 29p 


On 28 July 2009, the board of directors of Geox approved the footwear 

and apparel company's half-year results, which showed consolidated 

sales of US$653 million. This was a remarkable achievement and 

recognition for a company that had only been in the business since 

1995. In the early 1990s, inventor, entrepreneur and erstwhile 

winemaker Mario Moretti Polegato, suffering from hot and sweaty feet, 

used a pocketknife to cut holes in the soles of his sneakers, thereby 

creating the first pair of "shoes that breathe". Convinced that his 

creative solution could be transformed into a commercially successful 

product, Polegato spent several years developing a breathable 

membrane for shoes that allow the feet to breathe while remaining 

watertight. When he succeeded in producing the prototype of such a 

technology in the laboratory, he immediately patented it and began 

marketing it to existing shoe manufacturers. However, none showed 

any interest in his product. He thus decided to embark on his own, and 

commenced manufacturing these "breathing" shoes under the Geox 

brand name. Since then, Geox's innovative products have continued to 

carve out a niche for themselves in the global footwear market. By 

2002, the company had extended its "breathability" technology to 

fabric and entered the apparel market. By 2009, after a mere 14 years, 

Geox had become a global name and was ranked the world's secondlargest 

casual lifestyle footwear sector operator. The company 

conducted its business in 68 countries around the world through over 

10,000 multi-brand points of sale and 997 single-brand Geox shops. 

By introducing yet another product to the established and intensely 

competitive shoe industry, Geox had successfully demonstrated the 

power of innovation. But like any other innovative company, Geox has 

to fret about sustainability of its competitive advantage. 

Learning Objective: This case stimulates discussion on creativity and 

product innovation, and helps students understand how an innovative 

product can disrupt a mature industry. The teaching objectives of this 

case are: 1. To analyze how a creative innovation can impact existing 

industry dynamics 2. To discuss the key principles for a new firm to 

follow in introducing an innovative product and entering a mature 

market successfully 3. To discuss the strategy such a firm needs to 

adopt to maintain its presence in the market.


Local Motors: Designed by 

the Crowd, Built by the 

Customer 

Michael I. Norton, Jeremy B. 

Dann 




Length: 21p 


Emotiv Systems, Inc.: It's the 

Thoughts that Count 

Elie Ofek, Jason Riis, Paul 

Hamilton 

Type: HBS Premier case 



Length: 28p 


In the wake of the meltdown among US auto manufacturers in 2009, 

Jay Rogers - CEO of Local Motors - has a new approach for the 

automotive industry: Decide which models are produced through 

online design competitions, and then allow customers to "build their 

own cars" from the winning designs. The case focuses on two key 

issues: Can Local Motors build a thriving online design community at a 

reasonable cost? And can customers be convinced to add their own 

sweat and labor to the manufacturing process? The case is written 

from the perspective of a start-up company seeking funding while 

trying to implement a novel business concept. 

Learning Objective: This case highlights the promises and pitfalls of 

two increasingly common marketing tactics. First, the case explores 

the concept of involving consumers and communities in the design of 

one's products - inviting a broader discussion of similar initiatives such 

as open-source collaborative efforts. Second, the case examines the 

impact of involving customers in the manufacturing of one's products - 

again part of a broader conversation about the increased push towards 

allowing consumers to customize product offerings. 

Emotiv is getting ready to launch its innovative brain-computer 

interfacing (BCI) technology. The company has developed a special 

headset, called EPOC, and highly sophisticated software that can 

translate a person's emotions, cognitive thoughts and facial 

expressions into digital outcomes. Emotiv wants the technology to be 

adopted by mainstream consumers and is leaning towards the video 

game market as its primary initial target. However, it needs to decide 

whether to continue efforts to convince one of the big three console 

makers (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii) to enable the EPOC on their platform or 

to settle for the PC gaming market. Alternatively, the company could 

have chosen a number of different markets to focus on (such as 

medical, military, market research). A host of additional marketing 

decisions (pricing, channels, bundling a demo game) need to be made. 

The case allows students to grapple with the issues of: selecting a 

target application for the launch of an innovation; determining the 

importance of having a big name partner for the launch by an unknown 

start-up; considering the wisdom of taking a B2C rather than B2B 

approach with a novel technology; using analogous products to 

forecast demand and sales for a new technology. 

Learning Objective: To analyze the launch strategy of a completely 

novel technology: selection of target application and target market; 

importance of big name partners for consumer adoption; forecasting 

adoption pattern.


Genzyme: The Renvela 

Launch Decision 

Tim Calkins, Lynn Harris 



Product #: KEL412-PDF-ENG 

Length: 14p 


Backchannelmedia: Making 

Television 'Clickable' 

Sunil Gupta, Kavita Shukla, 

Zach Clayton 




Length: 19p 


PART 3: POSITIONING VIA PRICE, PLACE, PROMOTION 

Pharmaceutical company Genzyme has created a new drug, Renvela, 

which is a phosphate binder designed to be used primarily by patients 

with kidney failure. Renvela is a slightly different version of Genzyme's 

highly successful Renagel. Company executives must now decide how 

best to launch Renvela. Should it replace Renagel? Should it be a 

premium version of Renagel? Is it worth launching the product at all? 

The case appears rather simple on the surface, but the questions are 

challenging to work through. 

Learning Objective: This case, launched with great success in the 

2009 Kellogg Biotech and Healthcare Case Competition, can be used 

to teach growth strategy and new product strategy. It also provides an 

introduction to the pharmaceutical industry. Students will be given the 

opportunity to think critically about the role of innovation, risk, and 

ethics in healthcare-related firms. 

Backchannelmedia (BCM), a three year old start-up, intended to 

completely disrupt the world of advertising by transforming the way 

Americans watched television. BCM had developed a technology to 

make television "clickable," enabling viewers to interact with the 

content on their television screens. By April 2009, BCM had conducted 

consumer studies and field tests and the results were very promising. 

However, the industry was dominated by large players who could 

impede the introductions of new technologies. BCM's founders would 

have to make critical decisions about how quickly to roll-out their 

technology, and to whom. Which industry players were allies? How 

would BCM monetize the value they would create? Would investors 

see as much potential in BCM as its founders? And how would the 

company's cash constraints impact the strategy in the current 

economic environment? 

Learning Objective: To understand the adaption of innovations, and 

the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. 

Chapter 9: Pricing 

Abstract 

Barcelo Hotels and Resorts Barcelo Hotels and Resorts must decide whether to allow its many 

(A) 

hotels to continue to undertake separate promotional campaigns or to 

John T. Gourville, Marco Bertini run, for the first time, a broad corporate-level promotion. Complicating 


the decision is the fact that the many hotels in its portfolio vary greatly 



in their character, clientele, positioning, and locations. 

Length: 29p 

Learning Objective: Looks at the costs and benefits of a corporate 


level branding and price promotion strategy. Also, when used with the 

Harrah's case (HBS Case # 502-011), allows for a discussion of 

centralized versus decentralized management of a portfolio of service 

entities.


ABICI 

Mukti Khaire, Elena Corsi, Elisa 

Farri 




Length: 21p 


Groupon 

Sunil Gupta, Ray Weaver, 

Dharmishta Rood 




Length: 23p 


The Eleganzia Group 

Elie Ofek, Elena Corsi, Bharat 

Sajnani, Sorina Casian-Botez, 

Francesco Tronci 




Length: 35p 


The co-founder of an Italian, design based bicycle manufacturer 

evaluates if reducing costs by outsourcing would impact its brand. The 

company was founded in 2005 in Italy by three friends and in its first 

five years, it had enjoyed steady growth and built a strong reputation 

for producing high-quality city bicycles, appreciated for their retro-look 

and style. Its country of origin had probably helped them exporting 

their products as their bicycles were 100% made in Italy and the Made 

in Italy label had a reputation of high quality, craftsmanship and 

creativity. Yet their profit margins were relatively low as their 

manufacturing costs were very high. Should they outsource their 

production? If so, to China or to Eastern Europe? Was there some 

other way to improve the profitability of the company? 

Learning Objective: To help students understand the importance of 

country of origin in export markets, and the challenges of reducing 

costs by outsourcing and the impact it might have on a brand. It also 

asks them to identify other ways to improve the profitability of a 

company. 

This case is set in early 2011 after a period of incredible customer and 

revenue growth for Groupon. Reviewing Groupon's rise, the case 

explores whether Groupon promotions are really good for local 

merchants, whether Groupon can continue to thrive amid increasingly 

intense competition, and the key reasons for the company's 

remarkable early success. 

Learning Objective: Help students understand the nature of a 

blockbuster entrepreneurial success, and to critically evaluate 

Groupon's value proposition for merchants and consumers. 

Eleganzia Group management faces tough decisions heading into the 

summer of 2010. With tourism on the decline due to the global 

economic recession, General Manager Giannuzzi must decide how to 

set prices at the Forte Village Resort, the Group's most well-known 

property. His management team is further divided on whether the 

pricing model at the resort should change to being all-inclusive (as 

opposed to one where guests are charged for each additional activity 

or dining option on a pay-as-you-go basis), and whether to convert a 

large number of the 4-star rooms into 5-star suites. Recently acquired 

properties, such as the Castel Monastero in Tuscany and the 

Maddalena Hotel & Yacht Club in north Sardinia, pose a branding 

challenge. Can all the properties, including the Forte Village, be 

successfully brought under one umbrella brand, namely, Eleganzia? 

Moreover, what should the character of each these new properties be? 

Learning Objective: Pricing and Branding strategy in a luxury 

consumption setting; balancing short term revenue with long term 

brand goals.


Pricing Simulation: Universal 

Rental Car V2 

John T. Gourville, Tom Nagle, 

John Hogan 

Type: Simulation 

Pub. Date: Aug 02, 2011 

Product #: 7005-HTM-ENG 

Length: 120 min. 


Fortis Industries, Inc. (A) 

Rowland T. Moriarty Jr., David 

May, Gordon Swartz 




Length: 18p 


At a Florida rental car agency, students assume the role of a district 

manager responsible for setting prices for rental cars across three 

Florida cities: Miami, Orlando, and Tampa. Over 12 simulated months, 

students must analyze price sensitivity between leisure and business 

travelers and consider strategies that maximize rentals across 

weekdays and weekends in each city. Demand for rental cars can vary 

depending on the month and whether the location is more popular with 

business or leisure travelers. Unrented cars have associated holding 

costs while running out of cars is lost opportunity for profit. Students 

can make periodic inventory adjustments among the locations to 

match anticipated demand. The market for rental cars in Florida is 

intensely competitive and students must also consider the likely 

competitive response to their pricing decisions. Ultimately, students 

must analyze the economic, seasonal, and competitive forces of the 

rental car market and develop a pricing strategy to maximize the 

cumulative profit for the firm. Students benefit from running the 

simulation multiple times with increasing complexity. This single-player 

simulation includes three pre-set scenarios or faculty can design 

custom scenarios to meet specific learning objectives The second 

release of this popular simulation retains the immersive experience of 

the original while streamlining the information available to students and 

the debrief tools for faculty. 

Learning Objective: Understand the nature and dynamics of 

consumer response to price (price elasticity). Account for demand 

differences across customer segments and regions. Understand and 

plan for seasonal variations in demand. Explore the impact of pricing 

decisions on firm profitability. Use pricing strategies to optimize 

inventory. Anticipate and understand competitive reactions to pricing 

decisions. Understand how price and general economic conditions 

affect overall market demand. 

Fortis Industries' packaging division manufactures steel and plastic 

strapping. In 2007, the company underwent a leveraged buyout. The 

case focuses on the packaging division's need to maintain high 

profitability in a declining market for steel strapping. Since 1998, Fortis 

has been losing 1% per year of the steel strapping market. Since then, 

there has also been significant erosion of prices. The division president 

is faced with 1) decreasing price to increase market share, or 2) 

maintain/increase cash flow. The specific decision revolves around the 

potential adoption of a price-flex system that is designed to authorize 

selective discounting by the division's sales personnel.



Pricing and Profitability 

Analysis 





Length: 8p 



Breakeven Analysis 





Length: 6p 


Pricing is one of the most difficult decisions marketers make and the 

one with the most direct and immediate impact on the firm's financial 

position. This toolkit will introduce the fundamental terminology and 

calculations associated with pricing and profitability analysis. Users will 

learn how to produce and interpret demand curves and calculate the 

price elasticity of demand. The concepts of revenue, costs, and 

contribution margin, gross margin, and net income will be introduced to 

inform profitability analyses. Finally, retailer profitability metrics 

including retailer margin and penny profit are discussed. The note 

gives students a foundation for analyzing marketing cases, as well as 

providing an analytical structure and process for completing a 

marketing plan. The note is accompanied by a free Excel worksheet 

which contains sample problems, prebuilt Excel models to calculate 

demand curves, price elasticity, and profitability metrics for firms and 

their channel partners, and charts and graphs which help visualize the 

results. 



to develop a strategic marketing plan. 

Marketing managers are often called upon to make recommendations 

for or against programs that cost money to implement. Before 

expenditures are made, managers want to be sure that they will be 

getting a return on their investment. One way of assessing this is by 

calculating the breakeven point. In this note, we introduce the concept 

of breakeven analysis and show how it is used to guide marketing 

decision making. This analysis helps students assess the feasibility of 

proposed fixed and variable marketing expenditures, the feasibility of 

permanent pricing changes, and the feasibility of a new product 

introduction. The note gives students a foundation for analyzing 

marketing cases, as well as providing an analytical structure and 

process for completing a marketing plan. The note is accompanied by 

a free Excel worksheet which contains sample problems, pre-built 

Excel models to calculate breakeven, and charts and graphs which 

help visualize the results. 



to develop a strategic marketing plan.


Better World Books 

Michael I. Norton, Fiona Wilson, 

Jill Avery, Thomas Steenburgh 




Length: 24p 


Global Wine War 2009: New 

World versus Old 

Christopher A. Bartlett 




Length: 23p 


Chapter 10: Channels of 

Distribution and Logistics 

WineInStyle 

Arar Han, George Foster 



Product #: E401-PDF-ENG 

Length: 17p 


Better World Books, a young start-up, provides a socially-conscious 

alternative to Amazon, collecting and selling used books to keep them 

out of the wastestream, while providing a portion of their profits to 

support global literacy efforts. The case presents an emerging new 

business model: the for profit "B corporation" designed to combine 

profits and mission. Founder Xavier Helgesen struggles with how to 

price his products to capture the value of their social good, how to 

manage multiple channels of distribution, including selling direct to 

consumers, and managing negative public perceptions of the social 

impact of the business once the company turns profitable. 

Learning Objective: To introduce a new type of business model 

which combines for-profit and social mission. To explore the 

challenges and opportunities associated with having a social mission. 

The case contrasts the tradition-bound Old World wine industry with 

the market-oriented New World producers, the battle for the US 

market, the most desirable export target in 2009 due to its large, fastgrowing, 

high priced market segments. The case allows analysis of the 

way in which newcomers can change the rules of competitive 

engagement in a global industry. It also poses the question of how 

incumbents can respond, especially when constrained by regulation, 

tradition, and different capabilities than those demanded by changing 

consumer tastes and market structures. 

Learning Objective: To explore global industry analysis and 

competitive dynamics. 

Abstract 

Robert Eberhart is an American electronics executive living abroad in 

Japan as market president. He's ready to move on to something new 

and discovers that the changing distribution laws in Japan may provide 

him a chance to upend the supply chain for California wines. Legal, 

marketing, operational, and executive management challenges ensue. 

Learning Objective: To demonstrate the beginnings and development 

of a startup import-export business, and to illustrate management 

challenges thereof.


Rebranding Gallagher 

Rohit Deshpande, Keith Chi-ho 

Wong 




Length: 12p 


DBK: The Power of Direct 

Sales 

John Deighton, Sarah L. Abbott 




Length: 10p 


Steve Tucker, the Deputy CEO of Gallagher Group Limited (GGL), the 

world's largest electric fence company, was about to present a new 

branding strategy to the company's senior managers and Bill 

Gallagher, Jr., CEO. After spending more than 18 months with brand 

consultants, Tucker devised an umbrella brand strategy that would 

instill a uniform brand across all three business units: Animal 

Management Systems, Security Management Systems, and Fuel 

Pumps, which marketed themselves under the respective brand 

names of Gallagher, Cardax, Powerfence, and PEC. However, Tucker 

knew that the unit heads believed the differences in their clienteles, 

product categories, and distributor relationships made it impractical to 

adopt one single brand. GGL's overseas distributors had also raised 

concerns about a uniform brand. In many cases, GGL only owned 

minority interests in these distributors and retained limited control over 

their activities. 

Learning Objective: Managing international distributors; managing 

global branding 

The sales representatives at Designs by Kate (DBK) sell private label 

jewelry at hosted parties and through online social media channels. 

They are also responsible for recruiting, training, and managing new 

sales reps. CEO and founder Kate Creevey designed the commission 

plan to encourage sales reps to build teams and become "leaders" for 

their teams. The strategy has been very successful over the 

company's first five years. Now the CEO is concerned that growth in 

top-line revenue is slowing, possibly due to an unwillingness by current 

sales representatives to build and manage their own sales teams. A 

survey reveals that many sales reps believe their incomes from jewelry 

sales decline when they add members to their sales teams due to 

increased competition for hosting parties within the same geographic 

area. The CEO must revisit the commission structure to determine if it 

is still an effective incentive. The case includes a quantitative 

assignment that students should complete as part of case analysis. 

Learning Objective: 1. Understand the importance of the perceptions 

of incentives by sales representatives and the effect these perceptions 

can have on company performance. 2. Explore the use of 

compensation structure as a motivational tool for maximizing key 

financial objectives. 3. Understand the value proposition associated 

with a direct sales model.


The Lao Coffee Industry: 

Implementing Vertical 

Integration for a Social Cause 

at Bolaven Farms 

Marta K Dowejko, Gilbert Wong 

Type: Uni. Of Hong Kong case 



Length: 19p 


Founded in 2007, Bolaven Farms is a coffee business with a social 

purpose. Set up in Laos and Hong Kong, Bolaven Farms aims at 

providing high-quality coffee to the worldwide public while helping to 

alleviate poverty among coffee farmers in Laos. The business model 

involves a full integration of the coffee supply chain, from planting the 

coffee seed to selling the final branded product to wholesale and retail 

customers. Consequently, farmers and the company benefit from 

excluding intermediaries from the supply chain and keeping profit 

margins for themselves. The company's vision of educating farmers 

and providing them with higher income for their work is very compelling 

to the public and was quickly picked up by the media. However, the 

business model has yet to be tested. For one thing, once the farmers 

graduate from the programme, they need employment assurance and 

additional land to cultivate. For another, the coffee market is a mature 

one, with many players and a multitude of competing and lower-priced 

offers to choose from. People find the company's vision very inspiring, 

but it is also very difficult to translate into viable actions. The company 

has already invested US$4.0 million in the project, but is still a long 

way from educating the public and finding customers willing to pay 

premium prices for the coffee. Both ends of the supply chain need 

further refinement, and Say is not willing to compromise on quality or 

price. The case begins with an introduction of the coffee industry and 

its practices. A description of Laos as a business environment for 

Bolaven Farms follows. The case describes the development and 

implementation of a business model that incorporates vertical 

integration supported by social networks. It allows for an advanced 

analysis of issues related to choosing an appropriate business model 

and focuses on the risks related to future expansion and resulting from 

the strategic choices of the entrepreneur. 

Learning Objective: 1. To understand the role of social capital and a 

value network in developing a new venture 2. To uncover Bolaven 

Farms' strengths, weaknesses and performance in integrating its value 

chain 3. To learn about the strengths and weaknesses of vertical 

integration 4. To discuss the types of risks and difficulties that a new 

venture faces while implementing its vision and mission.








Length: 27p 


Herborist: A Chinese 

Personal Care Brand Goes 

Abroad 

Kevin Zhou, Grace Loo 

Type: Univ. of Hong Kong case 



Length: 24p 





















Herborist, a high-end Chinese personal care brand, had been steadily 

expanding its share in global markets since 2008. The brand 

distinguished itself by integrating traditional Chinese medicine with 

modern biotechnology and emphasising its green and organic 

ingredients. Whereas Chinese were familiar with the concept, how 

would Herborist sell it to consumers outside mainland China who were 

used to using established Japanese brands, such as Shiseido and SK- 

II, or western brands, such as Estee Lauder and Sisley? In 2001, 

Herborist chose to enter the Hong Kong market and test its product in 

this very competitive market that was dominated by the major 

Japanese and western cosmetics brands. The company opened two 

Herborist-branded stores in major shopping centres but was forced to 

close them down two years later due to bad results. The company tried 

again in 2007, this time distributing its products through the Hong Kong 

personal health and beauty chain Mannings. In 2008, Herborist 

entered the Paris market with the help of the cosmetics chain store 

Sephora. Results were mixed; although some of its products became 

top sellers, the overall sales figures were not very promising. By 2011, 

Herborist was ready for the next step in its international expansion 

plan. Which markets should it target and what strategy should it adopt? 

Learning Objective: This case provides students with an opportunity 

to explore the challenges faced by a personal care brand from an 

emerging market in converting to a global brand and requires students 

to analyze different markets and as well as different modes of market 

entry strategy.


Franz Collection, Inc.: The 

Road From Subcontracting to 

Brand Marketing 

Lien-Ti Bei, Shih-Fen Chen 



Product #: 910M30-PDF-ENG 

Length: 21p 


Nettwerk: Digital Marketing in 

the Music Industry 





Length: 20p 


The case describes the three-stage transformation of a Taiwanese 

company - from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of small 

gifts for Western European customers, to an original design 

manufacturer (ODM) providing design and production of home d cor 

and gifts to customers in Europe and the United States, to an own 

brand manufacturing (OBM) company launching its brand of porcelain 

tableware targeted at the global market. The story of Franz Collection 

is a story of product outsourcing and international cooperation, where 

OEM subcontractors in Asia have tried to set up their own marketing 

channels and brand names to bypass their Western clients and appeal 

directly to consumers. This case describes the managerial dilemmas in 

establishing a global brand faced by manufacturers in Taiwan and the 

neighbouring countries. 

How is music marketed in the digital era? Nettwerk Music Group built 

on its foundation as a social, grassroots marketer of music and artists, 

and emerged as a leader in the Internet-enabled social media 

environment. For most of the past decade Nettwerk CEO Terry 

McBride let fans consume music on their own terms. He encouraged 

file-sharing, the remixing of his artists' songs and videos, and an 

environment in which "the audience is the record company." In the 

digital marketplace compact discs mattered much less, said McBride. 

"Digital assets" were the currency, in the form of ad, television, movie, 

and videogame song placement, ringtones, mixes, and communitycreated 

content. But new artist-label contracts were needed if digital 

assets were going to flow freely. Moving away from the infrastructure 

of the music business also meant having to do without the financial, 

logistical, and promotional power of the major labels. To provide an 

alternative to the muscle of the major labels, the company is launching 

a venture capital project called "Polyphonic." 

Learning Objective: The teaching objectives of the case are: - to 

examine the mechanisms of social marketing in an era of widely 

available digital tools - to analyze the use of traditional digital media 

such as the Internet for such activities as ecommerce and promotion, 

and new media tools such as blogs, YouTube, Facebook, My Space 

and the collaborative, user/fan-based activities they enable - to 

examine the 'long tail' argument as it pertains to the digital music 

marketplace - to compare and contrast the relationship of old 

media/broadcast media to the mass market with the resonance of new 

media and fragmented, niche markets.


Major League Baseball 

Advanced Media: America's 

Pastime Goes Digital 

Anita Elberse, Brett Laffel 




Length: 24p 


Bank of America: Mobile 

Banking 





Length: 22p 


In January 2010, Bob Bowman, chief executive officer of Major League 

Baseball Advanced Media -- MLB's digital arm -- is facing a number of 

decisions related to its app for Apple's new iPad. For example, what 

are the best name, price, and set of features for MLBAM's iPad app? 

The case describes what is often seen as one of the most successful 

paid-content businesses in sports and media. Provides in-depth 

information on MLBAM's four main sources of revenues and relates 

those to the league's overall revenues. It also describes the company's 

online and mobile offerings in considerable detail and outlines the 

choices facing MLB's offering for Apple's iPad device, enabling a rich 

discussion of viable marketing strategies. 





In January 2010, Jen McDonald, head of Bank of America 

Corporation's (BoA) Digital Marketing group, was discussing the bank's 

mobile strategy with Douglas Brown, senior vice president, Mobile 

Product Development. BoA launched mobile banking in 2007 and 

within three years it had 4 million active customers. This success 

prompted line-of-business managers to request Jen and Doug to 

include more functionality in the bank's mobile app that were specific 

to their businesses such as credit cards and mortgages. Jen and Doug 

had to decide how to leverage the mobile platform for various 

businesses of the bank without creating confusion or increasing 

complexity for the consumers. Recognizing the potential impact mobile 

technology could have on the entire banking industry, they also had to 

decide on how to position BoA's mobile banking in the long run.


Zappos.com: Developing a 

Supply Chain to Deliver 

WOW! 

Michael Marks, Hau Lee, David 

W. Hoyt 



Product #: GS65-PDF-ENG 

Length: 28p 


eBay Partner Network (A) 

Benjamin Edelman, Ian I. Larkin 




Length: 14p 


Chapter 11: Advertising 

Messages and Marketing 

Communications 

Zappos was founded in 1999, during the Internet boom, to sell shoes 

online. The company's founding premise was to provide the ultimate in 

selection to its customers--all brands, styles, sizes, and colors. Zappos 

organized all aspects of its business (including recruiting, culture, call 

center, inventory, website, and supply chain) to provide the best 

possible service--it wanted to "wow" everyone who interacted with the 

company, from customers to employees to corporate partners. Zappos 

grew rapidly, and by 2008 was profitable with net sales (after returns) 

of about $650 million. The company faced a number of issues as it 

looked forward. While it had penetrated only about 3 percent of the 

U.S. market for shoes, Zappos had expanded its product lines to items 

such as camping gear and video games. It needed to determine those 

elements of its strategy had contributed to its success in shoes, and 

whether it would be able to duplicate that success in other product 

lines. It also needed to determine how it could scale its businessmuch 

of the effort it had made to "wow" its customers was labor 

intensive and expensive--could this be scaled to a company with 

revenues of tens of billions? Finally, the economic landscape changed 

dramatically in late 2008, with the financial market collapse and 

recession. The service-intensive Zappos.com business was based on 

sales at little to no discount, unlike many websites that relied on selling 

at the lowest possible price. Would the company need to make 

changes to respond to the changed economic environment, and if so, 

what were those changes? The case provides an opportunity to 

evaluate the core competences of an Internet retailer that has 

experienced rapid, initial success. The case enables students to 

consider supply chain issues, which are critical to the company's 

success, in the broader context of the business: the bases of Zappos' 

success, its core competencies, culture, and competitive environment. 

Learning Objective: The case highlights an Internet retailer that has 

grown rapidly, but faces significant issues, including scope of product 

offerings, supply chain costs, customer service costs, and scalability. 

The teaching objective of the case is to examine these issues, and the 

considerations that the company must make in choosing a way 

forward. 

eBay considers adjustments to the structure and rules of its affiliate 

marketing program, eBay Partner Network (ePN). In particular, eBay 

reevaluates affiliate compensation structure, the role of bonuses for 

especially productive affiliates, and the overall rationale for outsourcing 

online marketing efforts to independent affiliates. The case presents 

the history and development of ePN, ePN's importance to eBay, and 

the mechanics of online affiliate marketing. 

Learning Objective: Management of commission-based referral 

systems, including their structure, implementation, and incentives. 

Abstract


Trip Advisor 





Length: 19p 



Capabilities 


Johnson 




Length: 17p 


By 2010, TripAdvisor was the largest travel site in the world operating 

in 24 countries and 16 languages, with listings for 455,000 hotels, 

92,000 attractions and 564,000 restaurants in over 71,000 destinations 

worldwide. It had over 40 million reviews from 35 million unique 

monthly visitors who were contributing 21 new reviews every minute. 

Known for its hotel reviews, TA expanded into flights, vacation rentals 

and international markets like China. Each of these expansion paths 

provided unique opportunities as well as new challenges. In August 

2010, Stephen Kaufer, CEO, was debating how to prioritize his growth 

plans for the company. 

Learning Objective: To understand how user-generated content 

(UGC) can be leveraged and what are the challenges of replicating 

that model in different countries (e.g., China) and different categories 

(e.g., vacation rentals and flights). 








advertising. 






culture.


Health Care Center for the 

Homeless: Changing with the 

Times 

Mary Conway Dato-on, Eileen 

Weisenbach Keller 




Length: 12p 


Bakari Burns, CEO of the Health Care Center for the Homeless 

(HCCH), located in Orlando, Florida was faced with the daunting task 

of rebranding the organization he lead. Burns knew the organization 

experienced difficulty with recognition and marketplace distinction, 

primarily due to the public's misperceptions about the relationship 

between HCCH and the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida. 

An external consulting team offered several recommendations for 

change, including an amended name and redesign of all marketing 

materials. This advice and changes in the external environment 

provided an excellent opportunity to reposition and refocus the 

organization. Recognizing the need for a new strategy and 

implementing that strategy were not the same; Burns was not sure 

how to lead the organization through the change process. 

Learning Objective: The objectives of this case are to: Utilize internal 

and external analysis as a means of understanding the current 

situation and Burns' need to rebrand the organization; Understand how 

brand orientation is critical to strategy for NPOs (nonprofit 

organizations); Improve understanding of brand orientation through the 

application and analysis of the construct to the subject NPO; Apply 

Kotter's change model in order to understand Burns' role in introducing 

and leading change toward the acceptance of the new brand image 

and orientation; Facilitate discussion of the mission-driven nature of 

social service organizations and social issues of homelessness and 

health care. This case is suitable for use in undergraduate and firstyear 

graduate courses in change management and branding. The 

detailed treatment of environmental analysis may also make the case 

useful in marketing management or strategy courses. The contentious, 

socially relevant issues of health care and homelessness make the 

case particularly relevant to courses in public administration and 

nonprofit management.


United Breaks Guitars 





Length: 13p 


Bank of America Sports 

Sponsorship 

Stephen A. Greyser, John L. 

Teopaco 




Length: 19p 


Giant Consumer Products: 

The Sales Promotion 

Resource Allocation Decision 

(Brief Case) 

Neeraj Bharadwaj, Phillip D. 

Delurgio 




Length: 14p 


When social media propagate a complaint about poor customer 

service, an international media event ensues. How do viral videos 

spread and what can firms do about them? This case dissects an 

incident in which a disgruntled customer used YouTube and Twitter to 

spread a music video detailing United's mishandling of his $3,500 

guitar and the company's subsequent refusal to compensate him. The 

song was called "United Breaks Guitars." Within one week it received 

3 million views and mainstream news coverage followed, with CNN, 

The Wall Street Journal, BBC, the CBS Morning Show, and many 

other print and electronic outlets picking up on the story. The 

mechanics of viral propagation are uncovered and the limited 

opportunities for response by the firm are revealed. The case supports 

the notion of the Internet as an insurgent medium, better at attack than 

at defense. Learning Objective: To examine the mechanisms of 

social media and its effects on the perception of a company and its 

brand. What strategies can companies deploy in order to operate 

effectively when the power to craft messages and images is shared 

between marketer and consumer? 

A major sports sponsor must decide on new, renewal, or withdrawal 

from significant relations with teams/leagues/events, using a distinctive 

approach to assessment. 

Learning Objective: Decision-making on specific sponsorship 

situations and understanding of sponsorship. 

This case provides students with an opportunity to become familiar 

with some major strategic issues that firms face when formulating and 

implementing a sales promotion, including: cannibalization, brand 

equity erosion, forward-buying, pass-through, and consumer 

stockpiling. It also provides them an opportunity to utilize retail scanner 

purchase data in order to evaluate the historical performance of sales 

promotions. Based on calculating top-line revenue, marketing margin, 

and return on marketing investment (ROMI) for prior promotions, 

students can recommend the most financially and strategically 

defensible initiative from a choice of several competing sales 

promotions. The setting is the frozen foods category in the consumer 

packaged goods industry. 

Learning Objective: To provide students with a greater appreciation 

of how such strategic issues as cannibalization, brand equity erosion, 

forward-buying, pass-through, and consumer stockpiling can factor into 

decision-making pertaining to sales promotion activity. To provide 

students with an understanding of the multi-disciplinary nature of brand 

management. To provide students with some insight into how annual 

brand plans and sales promotions are developed and implemented. To 

provide students with exposure to financial analytics, including return 

on marketing investment (ROMI), commonly utilized by brand 

managers at consumer packaged goods firms.


The Power of Persuasion: An 

Exercise in Creating 

Persuasive Advertising 

Michael Parent, Leyland Pitt, 

Stacey Morrison 




Length: 1p 


Chapter 12: Integrated 

Marketing Communications 

and Media Choices 

BBVA Compass: Marketing 

Resource Allocation 

Sunil Gupta, Joseph Davies- 

Gavin 




Length: 16p 


Do subliminal cues have an effect on behavior? This question is at the 

heart of many debates in advertising. In this exercise, students can 

determine, through their own experience, the impact of subconscious 

cues on their decisions. In this simulation, the instructor places a 

number of specific cues throughout the building. Students, in turn, are 

tasked with creating an advertising poster for a chain of children's play 

centers. Inevitably, their posters incorporate some, and sometimes all, 

of the cues. The exercise can lead to a deep and constructive 

discussion on the effect of subconscious cues on consumers. 

Learning Objective: The goal of this exercise is to allow students to 

determine for themselves, through their own experience, the impact, if 

any, of subconscious cues on their cognition. This exercise exposes 

students, by way of their own susceptibility, to the influence that 

subliminal visual cues can have on the creative process. Subliminal 

persuasion is something that has been the subject of controversy in 

both social psychology and the business world for over 100 years. 

Psychologists and marketers have been debating whether perception 

can occur without awareness or consciousness. Specifically, are there 

things that people experience that influence their actions, despite 

whether or not they are consciously or knowingly perceived? Using an 

experiential learning pedagogy, this exercise introduces students to 

how and why marketers may choose to use this technique and allows 

for the students to decide for themselves whether they are believers or 

critics. The experiment can also generate an in-depth discussion on 

the ethical considerations inherent in marketing and advertising. 

Teaching about subliminal persuasion in this way will help to 

emphasize the practical nature of its usage, as well as allow for 

students to debate the issue in terms of their own experiences with the 

exercise. Furthermore, knowing what types of elements work in 

subliminal persuasion will aid in understanding theories in consumer 

behavior. The case is appropriate for courses in Marketing and 

Advertising at both the undergraduate and graduate levels 

Abstract 

BBVA Compass, the 15th largest commercial bank in the U.S., is a 

part of the BBVA Group of Spain, the second largest bank in Spain 

with $755 billion in assets. In December 2010, Frank Sottosanti, Chief 

Marketing Officer of BBVA Compass, was reviewing the marketing 

performance of the company and deciding how to allocate next year's 

marketing budget across various offline and online channels. 

Learning Objective: To highlight the challenges involved in allocating 

marketing resources between (a) offline and online advertising, (b) 

display and search advertising, and (c) various display ad networks.


Vestas' World of Wind 

Thomas Steenburgh, Elena 

Corsi 




Length: 38p 


Demand Media 





Length: 18p 


The wind turbine manufacturer Vestas launched the industry's first 

highly localized and customized new product launch campaigns which 

used also new tools such as web 2.0 platforms. Used to operate in a 

market where demand exceeded supply, Vestas had lost contact with 

its customer base and had a limited marketing budget, mainly used to 

finance global media advertisement campaigns. The world economic 

downturn which followed the U.S. credit crunch crisis of 2008 and the 

increased competition in the wind turbine market had brought about a 

sudden drop in Vestas orders of new turbines. Vestas thus decided to 

focus more on marketing and developed a new department, Global 

Marketing and Customer Insights. Morten Albaek was hired to manage 

and develop the department and to transform Vestas into the 

undisputed most customer focused company in the industry by 2012 

and among the most customer centric B2B brand by 2015. He tested 

his new approach for the first time with the launch of their new V112 

turbine for which he developed 72 customized campaigns targeting its 

main existing and potential customers and major stakeholders. Yet, 

had the campaign been effective in bringing Vestas closer to its 

customer base? Were they using the right tools? 

Learning Objective: The case should bring students to think about 

the importance for B2B companies of customer focused marketing 

approaches and evaluate the new marketing tools used by the 

company. 

Google search had helped Demand Media grow to be a $1.9 billion 

online publisher. Then, social media and smartphone apps began to 

change the way people navigated the Internet. How should Demand 

Media respond? The business ran on a radically new model in which a 

stable of 10,000 freelance contributors supplied content, the Internet's 

search engines brought it 75 million readers each month, and 

advertising generated revenue. It took the guesswork out of content 

production, with algorithms that indicated which topics were being 

searched and created content accordingly. Demand treated its 5,000 

online articles published per day as an investment, not a cost, a 

reversal of the traditional media model. In addition to being able to 

infer consumers' interests with its algorithm, the company had a 

formula for estimating the lifetime value of each piece of content. As 

the business models of print and broadcast media declined, Demand 

had figured out how to leverage digital and social media tools to bring 

down the costs of creating content and to find an audience. In spring 

2011, executives at the five-year-old company were pleased with the 

company's billion dollar IPO, the biggest Internet IPO since Google's, 

but changes in consumer behavior on the Internet were obliging a 

review of the model. Learning Objective: To examine the new forms 

and models of content creation and distribution in the digital publishing 

environment.



Sales 





Length: 10p 


The NFL's Digital Media 

Strategy 

Anita Elberse, Kelsey Calhoun, 

Daven Johnson 




Length: 19p 


Benecol Spread and Media 

Planning 

Richard Johnson, Robert I 

Carraway, Ervin R. Shames, 

Paul W. Farris 




Length: 21p 






















with a direct sales model. 

In late 2009, Brian Rolapp, senior vice president of media strategy and 

digital media for the NFL, was faced with the challenge of determining 

the league's strategic approach to the wireless market - and presenting 

his views to NFL team owners. What was the league's best strategy for 

the mobile space? The case describes the antecedents of what is 

widely regarded as a landmark deal for the NFL, its $780-million, fouryear 

exclusive partnership with Verizon. Provides in-depth information 

on the NFL's digital media revenues, and relates those to the league's 

overall media and other revenues. Enables a rich discussion of new 

distribution opportunities and ensuing marketing and channelmanagement 

challenges. 





Benecol Spread, a cholesterol-lowering margarine, was a product with 

unusual media-planning challenges. With a narrow target group and 

unproven market potential, Johnson & Johnson needed to get the most 

"bang for the buck" from its Benecol advertising. Would a mediaplanning 

model (optimizer) requiring executives to quantify their 

judgment on several key inputs be helpful in this process? A 

spreadsheet accompanying the case allows students to weight the 

target groups and to choose among different advertising vehicles to 

form the best possible media plan.


Matchstick Inc.: Word of 

Mouth Marketing (A) 

Ken Mark, Allison Johnson 




Length: 3p 


Infineon Raceway (Sears 

Point Raceway): Marketing in 

the Motorsports World 

George Foster, Norm O'Reilly, 

David W. Hoyt 



Product #: SPM41-PDF-ENG 

Length: 44p 


Matchstick Inc. (A) case introduces students to how brands are starting 

to put in place non-traditional advertising, such as word-of-mouth 

campaigns. The founder of Toronto-based Matchstick Inc. is working 

on a campaign for the Ketel One vodka brand. Ketel One, managed by 

Diageo, a global beverage firm, is trying to increase its awareness and 

sales in the Canadian market. Ketel One's brand manager has turned 

to Matchstick to generate awareness among its elusive target 

audience. 

Learning Objective: The cases introduces students to how brands 

are starting to put in place non-traditional advertising, such as word-ofmouth 

campaigns. 

This case describes the history, operations, and economics of Infineon 

Raceway (Sears Point Raceway) in Sonoma, California, and the 

challenges facing the racetrack as a result of the economic recession 

of 2008-9. The racetrack's most important race is a NASCAR Sprint 

Cup event. It also hosts IndyCar, NHRA drag races, and other events. 

Speedway Motorsports Inc. purchased the track in 1996, and made 

substantial a capital investment to improve the spectator experience. 

The track is heavily dependent, financially, on corporate sponsorship. 

Its naming rights agreement with Infineon Technologies was expiring in 

2012, and many of its other corporate sponsors were cutting back or 

ending their sponsorships due to economic stress. The case describes 

the advantages of corporate sponsorship, and the ways in which a 

company can utilized sponsorship to build its brand, reward and 

motivate employees, drive retail traffic to stores and distributors, and 

entertain customers. The case includes a 10 page appendix with 

background information of the basic types of motor racing and 

descriptions of major racetracks in California. 

Learning Objective: This case provides the basis for discussion of 

marketing in the motorsports industry, particularly as it applies to 

facilities. The concepts of sponsorship renewal, title sponsorship, 

activation and sponsorship evaluation are also implicated. If the facility 

component of the case is emphasized, it could be adapted to a facility 

management course as well. Finally, the case could be used to 

supplement material in a sport finance course related to revenue 

generation through sponsorship.


Air France Internet Marketing: 

Optimizing Google, Yahoo!, 

MSN, and Kayak Sponsored 

Search 

Mark Jeffery, Lisa Egli, Andy 

Gieraltowski, Jessica Lambert, 

Jason Miller, Liz Neely, Rakesh 

Sharma 



Product #: KEL319-PDF-ENG 

Length: 18p 


Air France Internet Marketing: 

Optimizing Google, Yahoo!, 

MSN, and Kayak Sponsored 

Search Exhibit Spreadsheet, 

Spreadsheet Supplement 

Mark Jeffery, Lisa Egli, Andy 

Gieraltowski, Jessica Lambert, 

Jason Miller, Liz Neely, Rakesh 

Sharma 



Product #: KEL321-XLS-ENG 

Length: N/A 

Rob Griffin, senior vice president and U.S. director of search for Media 

Contacts, a communications consulting firm, is faced with the task of 

optimizing search engine marketing (SEM) for Air France. At the time 

of the case, SEM had become an advertising phenomenon, with North 

American advertisers spending $9.4 billion in the SEM channel, up 

62% from 2005. Moving forward, Griffin wants to ensure that the team 

keeps its leading edge and delivers the results Air France requires for 

optimal Internet sales growth. The case centers upon Air France's and 

Media Contacts' efforts to find the ideal SEM campaign to provide an 

optimal amount of ticket sales in response to advertising dollars spent. 

This optimal search marketing campaign is based on choosing 

effective allocation of ad dollars across the various search engines, as 

well as selecting appropriate keywords and bid strategies for 

placement on the search result page for Internet users. In determining 

the optimal strategy, the case presents background information on the 

airline industry as well as the Internet search options available at the 

time, including Google, Microsoft MSN, Yahoo!, and Kayak. 

Additionally, background information is provided on SEM and its 

associated costs and means of measuring the successfulness of each 

marketing effort. The case illustrates how one must first determine the 

key performance indicators for the project to guide analysis and enable 

comparison of various SEM campaigns. Cost per click and probability 

to produce a sale differ among publishers. Therefore, using a portfolio 

application model's quadrant positions can be used to determine 

optimal publisher strategies. Additionally, pivot tables help illustrate 

campaigns and strategies that have historically been most successful 

in meeting Air France's target Internet sales. Multiple 

recommendations on how Media Contacts can assist Air France in 

improving its SEM strategy can be derived from the data provided. 

Learning Objective: Students learn how to optimally leverage the 

Internet in generating customer sales in a cost-effective manner. 

Students will analyze and manipulate a variety of data using pivot 

tables to determine optimal strategies for obtaining maximum total 

online bookings through the various online channels available. Using a 

portfolio application model, students can determine an optimal 

publisher strategy and complete copy improvement analysis. 

Subjects Covered: Customer relationship management; Customer 

retention; Customer satisfaction; Global business; International 

business; Internet; Internet marketing; Marketing communications


HubSpot: Inbound Marketing 

and Web 2.0 

Thomas Steenburgh, Jill Avery, 

Naseem Dahod 




Length: 21p 


Sony and the JK Wedding 

Dance 





Length: 9p 


This case introduces the concept of inbound marketing, pulling 

customer prospects toward a business through the use of Web 2.0 

tools and applications like blogging, search engine optimization, and 

social media. Students follow the growth of HubSpot, an 

entrepreneurial venture which, in its quest for growth, faces significant 

challenges including: developing market segmentation and targeting 

strategies to decide which customer to serve and which to turn away, 

configuring pricing strategies to align with the value delivery stream 

customers experience, and determining whether inbound marketing 

programs can generate enough scale or whether traditional outbound 

marketing methods need to be employed to accelerate growth. 

Learning Objective: To explore the opportunities and challenges 

presented by an emerging Web 2.0 inbound marketing model of 

marketing communications pertaining to segmentation and targeting, 

pricing, and driving growth for an entrepreneurial start-up. 

Executives at Sony Music Entertainment faced a dilemma: a usergenerated 

video featuring controversial artist Chris Brown's music was 

netting millions of views per week on YouTube. Sony held the 

copyright to the song, and was entitled to issue a takedown notice to 

the party that uploaded the video. How should Sony act? This case 

looks at the issues faced by marketers in an environment in which 

consumers disseminate content without the assistance, or approval, of 

gatekeepers. 

Learning Objective: To examine the new opportunities to create 

value for fans, and in turn companies, that arise in the dynamic social 

media environment. The role and positioning of the marketer shirts as 

new consumer attitudes and behaviors are brought about by popular 

participatory media destinations such as YouTube, blogs, and Twitter. 

Chapter 13: Social Media Abstract


Coca-Cola on Facebook 





Length: 11p 


The Ford Fiesta 





Length: 24p 


In late 2008, executives at Coca-Cola had to decide what to do with a 

fan-created page on Facebook that had amassed over one million 

followers in three months. From a legal point of view the fan-created 

page was in violation of Facebook's terms of service, because a noncopyright 

holder was using the imagery and logo associated with a 

known brand. Facebook contacted Michael Donnelly, Group Director, 

Worldwide Interactive Marketing for The Coca-Cola Company, to let 

him know that he was in the position to take down the hugely popular 

fan-created site or, conversely, he could take it over and make it an 

official marketing channel for the company. Coke was already 

revisiting its social media policies, with the Diet Coke and Mentos usergenerated 

video incident fresh in its memory. Those videos, which 

featured elaborate geysers with Diet Coke as their main ingredient, 

were among the most viewed online videos at the time but were not 

initially sanctioned by the company. Donnelly knew that opening up the 

brand to creative consumers was necessary, but he and his team had 

to figure out how and to what extent they should do so while still 

protecting one of the world's most valuable brands. 

Learning Objective: To illustrate the changing marketing landscape 

as social media evolves as a mass and mainstream marketing 

platform. 

Executives at Ford wondered if social media could be the marketing 

solution for the launch of the youth-oriented 2010 Fiesta. But with 

social media came a ceding of control. Some at the company believed 

that if Ford was going to move beyond its conservative brand image for 

the launch of the new subcompact chances had to be taken. Others 

erred on the side of caution. Chantel Lenard, Ford's Group Marketing 

Manager for Global Small Car and Midsize Vehicles and Connie 

Fontaine, Manager of Brand Content and Alliances championed a new 

approach for the new vehicle and set into motion a comprehensive 6month 

social media initiative targeting a younger, ethnically diverse, 

and urban-based market, called "The Fiesta Movement". In doing so, a 

large portion of the marketing campaign was handed over to 20 and 

30-somethings across America, and Ford had to acclimate to a new 

way of doing marketing. To what extent should the company guide the 

activities and messages of their army of bloggers? The case is set two 

months into the Movement, as the team evaluates the metrics from 

YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and their website, and wonder if they're 

doing everything they need to do in order to make the Fiesta a success 

with a new target market. 

Learning Objective: To examine the variety of marketing techniques 

in the new social media toolbox; is the ultimate objective to 'go viral', or 

are there other metrics to consider when evaluating a social mediabased 

marketing campaign?


PatientsLikeMe: An Online 

Community of Patients 

Sunil Gupta, Jason Riis 




Length: 22p 


Groupon 

Sunil Gupta, Ray Weaver, 

Dharmishta Rood 




Length: 23p 


EMC2: Delivering Customer 

Centricity 





Length: 24p 


PatientsLikeMe (PLM) is an online community where patients share 

their personal experiences with a disease, find other patients like them, 

and learn from each other. The company was founded by Jamie and 

Ben Heywood when their 29-year-old brother was diagnosed with ALS 

or Lou Gehrig's disease. In less than five years, PLM has grown to 15 

patient communities where over 80,000 patients discuss 19 diseases. 

In December 2010, PLM is discussing its planned launch of a General 

Platform that would expand the number of diseases covered from 19 to 

over 3,500. Is it the right move, and what does PLM need to do to 

make it a success? 

Learning Objective: To understand how an online community is built 

and monetized and to highlight the challenges in growing the platform 

to a larger scale. 

This case is set in early 2011 after a period of incredible customer and 

revenue growth for Groupon. Reviewing Groupon's rise, the case 

explores whether Groupon promotions are really good for local 

merchants, whether Groupon can continue to thrive amid increasingly 

intense competition, and the key reasons for the company's 

remarkable early success. 

Learning Objective: Help students understand the nature of a 

blockbuster entrepreneurial success, and to critically evaluate 

Groupon's value proposition for merchants and consumers. 

This case introduces the concept of customer centricity and traces its 

development at EMC, the world's leading data storage hardware and 

information management software company. EMC's customers had 

historically relied on EMC salespeople to guide them through the 

complex, consultative buying process. However, with the rise of social 

media, prospective customers are getting more of the information they 

require earlier in the purchase process online. As they do so, their 

physical interactions with EMC salespeople are decreasing, while their 

digital interactions are increasing. Given the changing business 

environment, BJ Jenkins, senior vice president of Global Marketing, 

faces significant challenges as he tries to maintain EMC's culture of 

customer centricity. These include 1) translating EMC's platinum 

service levels, designed to appeal to the world's largest companies, to 

small businesses and B2C customers, 2) understanding how the 

replacement of physical interaction with digital interaction in the 

consultative selling process affects EMC's business, and 3) managing 

a VAR sales model that distances EMC from its customers. 

Learning Objective: The case allows students to grapple with the 

strategic and tactical decisions that accompany sales management 

and customer management strategy in a B2B technology setting. It 

also allows them to understand the shifting landscape of social media 

and how it enables and constrains customer relationship management 

and the practice of customer centricity.



Sales 





Length: 10p 


foursquare 

Mikolaj Jan Piskorski, Thomas 

R. Eisenmann, Jeffrey J. 

Bussgang, David Chen 




Length: 24p 






















with a direct sales model. 

The cofounders of foursquare are deciding how to respond to 

competitive threats and scale up the organization. Foursquare was a 

location-based online service that allowed users to "check in" to a 

location using an application on a smartphone. Foursquare kept track 

of a user's check-ins, shared them with users' friends, and unlocked 

"Specials" that gave users discounts at nearby locations. Within a year 

and a half of its founding the company had 45 employees and over 5 

million users and was valued in excess of $100 million. However, 

many competitors, including Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp, developed 

competitive services requiring foursquare to respond. 

Learning Objective: To illustrate the promise of geo-location 

technologies and examine principles of lean start-up technologies. 

Matchstick Inc.: Word of Matchstick Inc. (A) case introduces students to how brands are starting 

Mouth Marketing (A) 

to put in place non-traditional advertising, such as word-of-mouth 

Ken Mark, Allison Johnson campaigns. The founder of Toronto-based Matchstick Inc. is working 


on a campaign for the Ketel One vodka brand. Ketel One, managed by 



Diageo, a global beverage firm, is trying to increase its awareness and 

Length: 3p 

sales in the Canadian market. Ketel One's brand manager has turned 


to Matchstick to generate awareness among its elusive target 

audience. 

Learning Objective: The cases introduces students to how brands 

are starting to put in place non-traditional advertising, such as word-ofmouth 

campaigns. 

PART 4: POSITIONING: ASSESSMENT THROUGH THE 

CUSTOMER LEN


Chapter 14: Customer 

Satisfaction and Customer 

Relationships 

State Bank of India: 

Transforming a State Owned 

Giant 

Rajiv Lal, Rachna Tahilyani 




Length: 38p 


Abstract 

February 2011: O.P. Bhatt reflected contentedly on his five-year term 

as Chairman of State Bank of India (SBI), India's largest commercial 

bank. He had led SBI on a journey of transformation from an old, 

hierarchical, transaction oriented, government bank to a modern, 

customer focused, and technologically advanced universal bank. In 

2006, when Bhatt assumed leadership, SBI had been losing market 

share for over two decades to private and foreign banks. Analysts and 

industry observers had predicted that at the prevailing growth rates 

ICICI Bank, a private bank launched in 1994, would overtake SBI in 

terms of deposits in four years. However, by 2010, SBI had more than 

doubled its profits, deposits and advances; regained market share and 

won the Asian Banker Achievement award for the strongest bank in 

the Asia Pacific region. 

Learning Objective: Demonstrate successful turnaround and 

increased revenues by focusing on customer management and 

relationships.


American Well: The Doctor 

Will E-See You Now 

Elie Ofek, Ron Laufer 




Length: 28p 


What is next for healthcare IT provider American Well, whose 

innovative Online Care technology allows physicians to deliver care to 

patients online in real time? Using American Well's platform, patients 

with non-emergency health concerns can communicate with 

physicians online or by phone and receive advice or even a diagnosis 

without having to visit the physician's office. American Well's cofounders, 

Ido Schoenberg and Roy Schoenberg, believe this platform 

will reduce the cost of care delivery, create new revenue-earning 

opportunities for providers, and contribute to a more efficient, 

convenient healthcare delivery system. While the platform could 

benefit insurers, providers, employers, and patients alike, the company 

has only marketed to a few health insurance companies to date. In 

November 2009, three insurers have adopted the technology and 

American Well expects several more to do so over the next 12 months. 

As the company plans to accelerate adoption by health insurers, it is 

also considering other growth options. Is it too early to commit 

resources to developing and marketing American Well's secondgeneration 

product, which facilitates real-time connectivity between 

primary care physicians and specialists? Should American Well pursue 

new markets in the U.S., such as hospitals, chains of clinics, and 

pharmacies, or even expand internationally? In a broader sense, 

American Well's technology solves the economic obstacle of time and 

place by connecting excess supply (of physician capacity) with excess 

demand (for patient care). Could this model be adapted to other 

industries, such as legal and accounting services? Alternatively, 

should American Well continue to focus solely only on its primary 

product and on becoming the leader in the Online Care Industry? 

Learning Objective: Examine how a novel service, in the context of 

healthcare, should think about its next-generation offerings and 

markets.


Green Hills Market Loyalty 

Program 

James Lattin, Meredith P. 

Jensen 



Product #: M318-PDF-ENG 

Length: 29p 


Chapter 15: Marketing 

Research Tools 

With the competitive 2007 holiday season approaching, Gary Hawkins 

(CEO of Green Hills Market, an independent grocery retailer in 

Syracuse, NY) was looking for a promotional program that would keep 

his best customers coming to Green Hills for all of their holiday meal 

shopping. Hawkins knew that his larger competitors (such as Price 

Chopper, Wegmans, and Wal-Mart) would use their size and buying 

power to procure products at the lowest possible cost, enabling them 

to offer rock bottom prices. Hawkins was looking for a program that 

would take advantage of Green Hills' proprietary systems for tracking 

customers' buying patterns and shopping preferences. The 

promotional program under consideration was a continuity program, in 

which shoppers earned points that could be redeemed for pieces of 

Arzberg porcelain. Hawkins and his team needed to establish their 

objectives for the holiday season and decide whether or not the 

Arzberg promotion was right for Green Hills Market. The case can be 

accompanied by a data set ("M318 Green Hills Data Set") that 

captures weekly expenditures by a sample of 1000 households 

shopping at Green Hills Market before, during, and after the Arzberg 

promotional program. The students can use these data (and other 

information available in the case) to examine how well the Arzberg 

promotion actually worked. "M318 Green Hills Data Set" can be 

obtained from cases_requests@gsb.stanford.edu. 

Learning Objective: This case is intended for use in a course on 

marketing; the focus here is on reward programs and customer loyalty. 

Students are first asked to consider whether or not a particular 

promotional program (one in which shoppers earn points that they can 

redeem for pieces of Arzberg porcelain) is appropriate for Green Hills 

Market. The students must take into account promotional program 

costs, savings, expected redemption rates, etc., in making their 

determination. The case then presents results from the Arzberg 

program and asks whether or not the promotion was successful. 

Abstract


Pillsbury Cookie Challenge 

Allison Johnson, Natalie Mauro 




Length: 14p 


The Canadian Pillsbury ready baked goods cookie line is experiencing 

less than stellar performance, and the marketing manager is under 

pressure to make strategic decisions that will help turn around the 

segment. The marketing manager engages the help of the consumer 

insight team to conduct market research studies that will shed light on 

consumers and their attitudes, behaviours and preferences towards 

the product. The results from the market research studies are in, and 

the students, assuming the role of the marketing manager, must filter 

through them to determine how this information can be used to 

improve the performance of the cookie segment. More specifically, 

students will need to determine where the greatest opportunities lie, 

who the team should target, what brand messaging is the most 

relevant and what type of communication plan would be most effective. 

Learning Objective: The case highlights a common problem faced by 

marketers - how to improve the performance of a business. In addition 

to this aspect, the case focuses on how to attain and interpret 

consumer information. The following topics are covered in the case: 

Introduction to consumer insights and market research; Customer 

segmentation and targeting, and Brand positioning. This case is best 

suited for an Introduction to Marketing course (either HBA or MBA 

level) or a course that digs deeper into how firms can employ 

customer-oriented strategies, such as the Consumers and Customers 

course. The objectives are to: familiarize students with different types 

of consumer research and how it can help marketers make better 

business decisions; develop students' ability to recognize relevant 

customer insights and to show how these insights can help determine 

strategies; highlight ways to segment the market, other than by 

demographics; explore the ways in which marketing managers can 

improve business performance.








Length: 27p 



Capabilities 


Johnson 




Length: 17p 




























advertising. 






culture.


Red Lobster 

David E. Bell, Jason Riis 




Length: 26p 


Flare Fragrances Company, 

Inc: Analyzing Growth 

Opportunities (Brief Case) 

John A. Quelch, Lisa D. 

Donovan 




Length: 11p 


Chapter 16: Marketing 

Strategy 

PART 5: CAPSTONE 

Red Lobster, a 40-year-old chain of seafood restaurants, has just 

completed some market research revealing an opportunity to shift their 

target customer segment. The chain is in the final stages of a 10-year 

plan of rejuvenation under CEO Kim Lopdrup. When he took over as 

CEO in 2004 the chain was closing restaurants and suffering declining 

same store sales and declining customer satisfaction. But in 2010, 

even in a recession, the fortunes of the chain are improving. A recently 

commissioned market research study has revealed, unexpectedly, that 

25% of Red Lobster's customers are "experientials," people coming for 

a "good evening out" rather than Red Lobster's traditional core 

customer who came because of a craving for seafood. Should this 

news cause Lopdrup to do anything differently? 

Learning Objective: The case was written with three purposes in 

mind (i) to permit a discussion about segmenting customers (ii) as a 

general case about the marketing of restaurants and (ii) about the 

potential of seafood as a source of protein especially in light of the 

growth of aquaculture as a source. 

Flare Fragrances, a manufacturer of perfumes for women, faces a 

growth challenge in a difficult economic environment. CEO Joely 

Patterson outlines two growth opportunities for her marketing staff to 

evaluate. One involves launching a new scent -- and possibly 

separating it from the trusty "umbrella brand" that comprises Flare's 

other scents; the other involves deepening Flare's penetration into the 

drugstore channel. In Patterson's view, the firm can pursue the first 

opportunity, the second, or both -- but it must do something . In helping 

Patterson to assess the opportunities, the marketing team must 

consider a wide range of factors, including brand management, 

consumer demographics, and positioning and pricing issues. The case 

requires students to complete a quantitative assignment as part of 

case analysis.Key topics include product line management, product 

positioning, and new product launch. 

Learning Objective: 1. To explore multiple considerations in 

generating stronger growth from a well-established consumer products 

business. 2. To develop quantitative skills necessary for systematic 

analysis and comparison of multiple growth opportunities. 

Abstract


foursquare 

Mikolaj Jan Piskorski, Thomas 

R. Eisenmann, Jeffrey J. 

Bussgang, David Chen 




Length: 24p 


The Generics Pharmacy 

Jim Kayalar 




Length: 16p 


The cofounders of foursquare are deciding how to respond to 

competitive threats and scale up the organization. Foursquare was a 

location-based online service that allowed users to "check in" to a 

location using an application on a smartphone. Foursquare kept track 

of a user's check-ins, shared them with users' friends, and unlocked 

"Specials" that gave users discounts at nearby locations. Within a year 

and a half of its founding the company had 45 employees and over 5 

million users and was valued in excess of $100 million. However, 

many competitors, including Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp, developed 

competitive services requiring foursquare to respond. 

Learning Objective: To illustrate the promise of geo-location 

technologies and examine principles of lean start-up technologies. 

The price of pharmaceuticals in the Philippines is second only to Japan 

in Asia and one of the highest in the world despite the Philippines 

being a less developed country and nearly half of its population living 

on US$2 a day. The case illustrates how The Generics Pharmacy a 

local pharmaceutical company challenged the existing industry 

business model and became the largest pharmaceutical retailer in the 

country within a period of only three years. Under the strategic 

leadership of CEO Benjamin Liuson, The Generics Pharmacy 

succeeded in formulating a superior value proposal by focusing on the 

supply and demand side constructs at the bottom of the pyramid and 

bringing affordable high quality medicines within reach of low income 

individuals. Superior leadership, management and strategic initiative 

succeeded in integrating and balancing tenets of corporate social 

responsibility, entrepreneurial foresight and resource based strategy to 

catapult the company into a leadership position. 

Learning Objective: The case can be best positioned for use in a 

strategic management/leadership class. The case can be used to 

teach the strategic management process, and it utilizes the value 

chain, SWOT, life cycle, Ansoff, and scenario planning tools.










Length: 24p 


Google in China (A) 

John A. Quelch, Katherine E. 

Jocz 




Length: 13p 


Google in China (B) 

John A. Quelch 




Length: 1p 






















In January 2010, Google threatened in a public statement to stop 

censoring its search results on its google.cn website, as required by 

Chinese authorities. Should Google exit China? Or attempt a 

compromise with the Chinese government? 

Learning Objective: To discuss whether or not to exit a multinational 

market in response to a crisis in relations with the host government. 

In a January 2010 public statement, Google threatened to stop 

censoring its search results on its Google.cn website, as required by 

Chinese authorities. Should Google exit China? Or attempt a 

compromise with the Chinese government? 

Learning Objective: To discuss whether or not to exit a multinational 

market in response to a crisis in relations with the host government.


Soren Chemical: Why is the 

New Swimming Pool Product 

Sinking? (Brief Case) 

V. Kasturi Rangan, Sunru Yong 




Length: 8p 


Natura: Exporting Brazilian 

Beauty 

Bruce McKern, Leonardo 

Yamamoto, Daniela Bouissou, 

David W. Hoyt 



Product #: IB92-PDF-ENG 

Length: 41p 


Topics include distribution channels, pricing, and new product 

marketing. Jen Moritz, the marketing manager for Soren Chemical Co. 

is struggling with the poor sales performance of Coracle, a new clarifier 

for residential swimming pools. The performance is puzzling because 

Coracle is chemically similar to another Soren product that has sold 

well for treatment of larger pools. Soren distributes the other product 

B2B through "chemical formulators" serving the commercial pools 

market -- but Soren uses wholesale distributors to sell Coracle. Given 

the slow start in establishing Coracle as a consumer brand, Moritz 

suspects that the go-to-market strategy may be flawed, but she is 

unsure where the problem lies; she examines channel strategy, 

distribution partners, the Coracle pricing scheme, the threat of 

competitors' offerings, and other potential problem sources. 

Learning Objective: 1. Examine the interactive nature of the elements 

of the marketing mix, i.e. the impact of pricing and branding policy on 

the incentives of channel partners 2. Evaluate different approaches to 

pricing, including value pricing, competitive parity pricing, and 

customer indifference pricing (cannibalization) 3. Understand the 

trade-offs in new product marketing between an ideal strategy and 

what is actually feasible and affordable 

This case describes the development and international expansion of 

Natura, a Brazilian cosmetics company. The company was founded in 

1969, and developed products using environmentally sustainable 

practices, and that were distributed using a direct sales model. The 

company was highly successful in the Brazil, despite the challenging 

Brazilian economy. Natura had successfully entered the Mexican and 

French markets. In 2008, it considered entering the U.S. market. The 

case describes the company's growth, its principles of environmental 

and social responsibility, its culture and organization, and its 

international expansion to 2008. It describes the U.S. market, and the 

challenges and opportunities that Natura would face if it tried to 

expand into the U.S. 

Learning Objective: This case can be used to discuss ways that local 

factors can be used to create a company well suited to prosper in the 

local culture. When entering a foreign market, these unique attributes 

can distinguish the company from its competition, but must be made 

relevant to the market being entered. The case allows students to 

learn about Natura's experience in Mexico and France, and evaluate 

ways in which it may successfully compete in the U.S. market.


Paradise Vacations 

Jonathan Michel, Mark 

Vandenbosch 




Length: 10p 


In February 2008, the president of Vacances Paradis Inc. (Paradise) 

was assessing his options for the company's competitive strategy for 

the future. Paradise was Quebec's market leader in the tour operating 

industry but was facing a significant challenge: FunTours Holidays 

(FunTours) had stolen a sizeable portion of Ontario's market share in 

only two years and was planning on conquering the Quebec market for 

the 2008/09 winter season. FunTours' aggressive strategy was to 

provide large capacity at low prices, thus creating a price war and 

decreased margins. The president had to consider how to meet 

FunTours' threat in the face of several challenges: the tour industry 

was fundamentally changing as a result of shifting from traditional 

travel agents towards Internet distribution; limited differentiation in 

product offering forced competing on price; and a growing customer 

base as more people could afford travel. Price had emerged as the 

dominant criteria for travelers and a huge consideration for tour 

operators. The president wondered which strategy would be best for 

the company's short- and long-term viability. 

Learning Objective: The teaching objectives are: To develop a 

strategic approach to competition and its effects on the industry, the 

company and the customer; To develop analytical and decisionmaking 

skills in the creation of a competitive pricing strategy; To 

highlight the importance of strategic alliances between competitors and 

suppliers; To build an understanding for competitive approaches in 

undifferentiated markets.


Nashville Predators: 

Marketing Strategy for an 

NHL Franchise 

June Cotte, Jamie Duncan 




Length: 30p 


In summer 2008, the Nashville Predators' management team was 

considering the strategy behind marketing the team. They thought it 

prudent to investigate the feasibility of opportunities in other hockey 

markets throughout North America, should a new owner want to move 

the team. Management had to consider both financial returns and onice 

success. They needed to create a comprehensive strategy, starting 

from a recommended location, and moving through specific 

recommendations on promotions, pricing and customer focus. To help 

create their strategy, the management team performed the following: 

developed a comprehensive tactical marketing plan, including income 

projections; identified the marketing challenges of operating in very 

different markets; recognized that the choice of a city location largely 

constrained the remaining decisions and tactics. Using this 

information, the management team could now identify their next steps, 

and what future plans should include. 

Learning Objective: The teaching objectives for this case include the 

following: To illustrate to students to the creation of a comprehensive 

tactical marketing plan, including income projections To promote an 

understanding of the marketing challenges of operating in very 

different markets To demonstrate the importance of consistency. For 

example, the choice of a city location largely constrains, and thus 

determines, the remaining decisions and tactics that are both possible 

and logical. The case can be successfully used in a marketing 

management course or in a course on promotion management. The 

entertainment focus of the firm makes the case suitable for a course 

on services, leisure and entertainment management. For all 

applications, this case provides a data-mining exercise: what's 

happening and what the next steps should be. 

Chapter 17: Marketing Plans Abstract


Marvel Enterprises, Inc. 

(Abridged) 

Anita Elberse 




Length: 10p 


BBVA Compass: Marketing 

Resource Allocation 

Sunil Gupta, Joseph Davies- 

Gavin 




Length: 16p 


Inspiratica Web Services 

Roger A. More, Rocky 

Campana 




Length: 20p 


The management team of Marvel Enterprises, known for its universe of 

superhero characters that includes Spider-Man, the Hulk, and X-Men, 

must reevaluate its marketing strategy. In June 2004, only six years 

after the company emerged from bankruptcy, Marvel has amassed a 

market value of more than $2 billion. Originally known as a comic book 

publisher, the company now also has highly profitable toy, motion 

picture, and consumer products licensing operations. However, doubts 

about Marvel's business model and its growth potential continue to 

exist. Had Marvel's winning streak been just a fluke? Was Marvel's 

success dependent on a limited set of blockbuster characters, most 

notably Spider-Man, and should Marvel continue to capitalize on those 

characters? Or was it time to seek growth in a larger set of lesser 

known characters? In exploring growth opportunities, was it wise for 

Marvel to venture outside its current business model and move into 

more capital-intensive activities? What marketing strategy would allow 

Marvel to sustain its success in the coming years? 

Learning Objective: To study a best-practice example of an 

intellectual property (entertainment) licensing model. Also, to examine 

sources of sustainability in industries characterized by products with 

relatively short life cycles and explore how companies can build and 

manage brand franchises. 

BBVA Compass, the 15th largest commercial bank in the U.S., is a 

part of the BBVA Group of Spain, the second largest bank in Spain 

with $755 billion in assets. In December 2010, Frank Sottosanti, Chief 

Marketing Officer of BBVA Compass, was reviewing the marketing 

performance of the company and deciding how to allocate next year's 

marketing budget across various offline and online channels. 

Learning Objective: To highlight the challenges involved in allocating 

marketing resources between (a) offline and online advertising, (b) 

display and search advertising, and (c) various display ad networks. 

Inspiratica Web Services was started by one owner in 2006, and since 

then the company was realizing six figure sales, had offices in 

downtown London, Ontario, hired six staff and expanded its product 

offering to a complete web services package. The owner was just 

finishing university and he finally would have time to fully commit to his 

business. The purpose of this case is to teach students how to make a 

strategic market plan for a company. It focuses on managing a 

company's portfolio by looking at opportunities in the market, 

determining where competition is in the market and determining a 

pricing model that would match the target customer.


Marketing Planning at Just 

Us! Cafes 

Sara Loudyi, Julia Sagebien, 

Normand Turgeon, Ian McKillop 




Length: 21p 


Jeff and Debra Moore are the founders of Just Us!, a fair trade coffee 

cooperative, retailer and wholesaler. Just Us!'s mission is to actively 

promote fair trade and its benefits for producers in developing 

countries. The Moores have maintained a strong commitment to 

educating consumers while building strong brand identity and 

upholding constant growth. To support the main distribution channel in 

grocery stores, management opened four caf s (two each in Wolfville 

and Halifax) and distributed products on university campuses. Just 

Us!'s overall sales continued to grow, but sales were leveling off. In 

addition, the prevailing economic climate in Canada and increasing 

competition were worrying the founders. Recently, the Moores hired a 

new marketing director who was required to incorporate unique 

knowledge of fair trade practices, ethical purchasing and social 

entrepreneurship, combine it with typical growth-driven marketing 

decisions and ultimately propose a marketing plan that would 

consolidate coffee shop operations. 

Learning Objective: This case would be best suited for an MBA-level 

introduction to marketing, marketing strategy or marketing 

management course. It may also be presented in other marketing 

courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The case provides 

a great deal of industry and company information and the kind of 

qualitative analysis that is required to make strategic decisions about 

the distribution practices of Just Us! products and the consolidation of 

the coffee shops' operations. It illustrates to students: The concepts of 

fair trade, ethical purchasing, sustainable and equitable economic 

development, and cooperatives as a form of ownership. Examples of 

successful social entrepreneurs and how they manage tensions 

between values and growth. Some of the requirements of success in 

the fair trade market such as strong corporate culture, consistent brand 

equity and clear positioning. Typical marketing decisions of companies 

that aim to fuel their growth. Students can use the strategic knowledge 

gained to propose a marketing plan for Just Us! for the year 2009. The 

goal is to stimulate sales growth, while respecting the values of Just 

Us! as a cooperative and a promotion agent of fair trade.


GPS-To-Go Takes on Garmin 

Donald Pillittere 




Length: 9p 


"GPS-to-GO is a successful company that has a wealth of brilliant 

researchers and scientists who have created advanced global 

positioning systems (GPSs) for complex air-traffic control and logistics 

systems. Now, the vision of one of the up and coming managers is to 

use GPS-to-GO's knowledge to dominate the consumer market with 

premium-priced and feature-rich GPS units. Even though GPS-to-GO 

is far ahead in terms of GPS technology, the consumer market 

demands low-cost units and yearly follow-on products, which requires 

drastically different skills than GPS-to-GO's typical five- to 10-year 

cost-plus government projects. One of the managers is tasked with 

how to meet the cost target and market window for the new product, 

while working with the same engineering group that caused the unit 

manufacturing problem and launch delays in the first place. The key 

issues concern 1) engineering-centric companies and their culture, 

business strategies and processes for managing new product 

development 2) the implications these strategies and processes have 

on addressing the needs of customers, shareholders and employees in 

a totally new market segment 3) the role managers can play in making 

critical decisions with a keen eye on roadblocks to success, such as 

culture, inadequate skills and overly optimistic and myopic visionaries. 

Learning Objective: The potential audience for the GPS-toGO business 

case is graduate students in MBA, executive MBA and executive 

education programs taking courses in managing new product 

commercialization, managing technology and innovation, strategic 

thinking, operations management and leadership. Juniors and seniors in 

undergraduate business programs can also benefit from the business 

case. The case has several learning objectives: To discuss specific 

challenges faced by corporations in their ability to utilize cross-functional 

teams in order to develop and launch new products in unfamiliar markets 

that require different skills and order-winning criteria. The case gives 

students the opportunity to experience a realistic and difficult business 

decision of the sort that today's managers face daily -- a decision that 

requires careful analysis with often incomplete information when the 

expectation of the receiving audience is for an outcome that is assured; To 

give students a realistic understanding of team dynamics, individual 

motivations and challenges (technical and human resources) faced by 

project teams in successfully commercializing a new product (or service); 

To help enhance students' ability to analyze a business problem with both 

quantitative and qualitative data, ensure it is in line with the corporate 

strategy and gain the team's and management's commitment to proceed.

Marketing Management, 3rd Edition - Harvard Business School Press

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