In November 2013, GoldieBlox was charged with copyright infringement. He used the Beastie Boys song “Girls” in one of his ads promoting new toys for girls without permission. The company’s response to the filing of a lawsuit against the band was not well received and was perhaps a bit premature.
Two business partners considered adding product lines to their international custom software business in Toronto, Canada. By 2009, Myplanet had become increasingly focused, which in turn led to an increase in the average project size to US $ 1 million and a workforce from six to 100. The partners had achieved their considerable growth almost …
In January 2014, Gary Bald, Senior Vice President of Safety, Environment and Health for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCL) prepared for a review meeting with the company’s CEO, Adam Goldstein, and its president, Richard Fain. Before joining RCL in 2006, Bald worked at the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 28 years. After seven years of …
In the days after the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger and its crew in January 1986, NASA officials were reluctant to communicate with the media or the public. A siege mentality prevailed, and the press and the public reacted with intense criticism and inquiries. The case describes NASA’s harmonious relationship with the pre-Challenger media …
In October 2014, Bruce Miller, director of marketing and development and co-owner of The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro, considered changes to the structure, level and presentation of prices in his restaurants. The WORKS was Ontario’s leading full-service hamburger restaurant chain and was the fastest-growing full-service restaurant in Canada in 2013, growing 50% year-over-year. In the …
The case tracks the evolution of the carbonated soft drink industry. It describes the origins of the two great world companies Coca Cola Company and PepsiCo. Describe the brand distribution of the two largest. While Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite and Fanta belong to the Coca Cola Company; Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Mountain Dew, 7 Up, and …
Students are instructed to conduct an in-depth interview with a recent high-engagement / self-expressing buyer of a product or service about their purchase decision. The activity provides students with a first-hand understanding of key consumer choice concepts (eg, stages of the buying process, decision-making roles, habit versus consideration).
Nissan Motors Ltd. went through a spectacular turning point under the leadership of Carlos Ghosn. However, despite strong growth in new car sales, auto parts “aftermarket” in Japan was unable to keep up, hurting dealer profitability. Since dealer profitability is a critical success factor in the automotive industry, Nissan decided to encourage its Japanese dealers …
Kjell & Company was a Swedish electronics retail chain. The company’s products consisted of electronics and home accessories. The company was characterized by excellent customer service and a fair “one for all” personnel policy. In the past, sellers were compensated with a fixed salary and a variable commission, depending on meeting a monthly sales quota. …
While companies brand their products and services in many different ways, there are a few key principles that help define an optimal brand portfolio and associated brand architecture. The brand portfolio strategy involves designing, implementing and managing multiple brands as a coordinated portfolio of significant assets that meet the needs of different clients in a …