This case should help convince students that virtually any product (certainly any consumer product) could benefit from the use of social media tools. Most of the largest companies have embraced social media (see https://medium.com/infographics/f500-companies-on-social-media-in-2016-fbcc56d3919d). An early point of discussion could be the various ways that companies can use social media: advertising, customer feedback, consumer research, handling complaints, product suggestions, and sales promotion (coupons). Another way to open the discussion of this case would be a poll in class to validate findings reported in the case regarding the best way to eat Oreos. Just as with any marketing tool, after every competitor in a category has started using it, the “winners” will have to find ways to distinguish their use of the tool from others. As social media consumers, students should have ideas about what makes a social media effort stand out: current/up to date, attention-getting, entertaining, thought-provoking, easy to understand in the limited screen and time-space of the medium, and ultimately, providing value from the perspective of the consumer. A good close to the discussion could be to discuss what the future of social media might hold. Some future aspects could be higher degrees of personalization, more geo-awareness, and integration with new technologies like virtual reality. 1. How should Oreo’s success in social engagement be evaluated? What metrics would be most useful? Consider both the usage-specific metrics that a social media provider might supply as well as outcome-based measures. What are the pros and cons of relying on one of these types of measures vs. the other? 2. While growing their social media presence, Oreo continues to advertise in traditional media. Why is it important to ensure that messages are consistent among platforms? What specific tactics could be used to ensure this consistency? 3. Although most of Oreo’s social media efforts are directed towards adults, many Oreo lovers are children. To what degree should Oreo also have a focus on marketing directly to children? What are the risks and ethical considerations of such an approach? Are there approaches to marketing Oreos to children that would stand up to ethical scrutiny? (Hint: Among other issues, consider the trend toward childhood obesity.)
> Quintana Company presents the balance sheet shown in Exhibit 6.30 and the statement of cash flows shown in Exhibit 6.31 for 2013. The firm sold investments, equipment, and land for cash at their net book value. The accumulated depreciation of the equipme
> Refer to information about Carter Corporation in the preceding problem. a. What was the change in accounts receivable during 2012? b. Inventories increased by $624.1 during 2012. What was the change in accounts payable for inventories during 2012? c
> Exhibit 6.28 shows the consolidated income statements for Carter Corporation for three recent years. Carter uses the direct method for presenting its cash flows from operations, which appears in Exhibit 6.29. a. What was the change in accounts receivable
> GTI, Inc., manufactures parts, components, and processing equipment for electronics and semiconductor applications in the communication, computer, automotive, and appliance industries. Its sales tend to vary with changes in the business cycle since the s
> Financial statement data for Dickerson Manufacturing Company for the current year appear in Exhibit 6.25. Additional information includes the following: (1) Net income for the year was $568,000; dividends declared and paid were $60,000. (2) Depreciation
> Condensed financial statement data for Hale Company for the current year appear in Exhibits 6.23 and 6.24. During the current year, the firm sold for $5,000 equipment costing $15,000 with $10,000 of accumulated depreciation. a. Prepare a statement of
> (Based on a problem prepared by Stephen A. Zeff.) You work for the Plains State Bank as an analyst specializing in the financial statements of small businesses seeking loans from the bank. Digit Retail Enterprises Inc. provides you with its balance sheet
> Exhibit 6.20 presents data from the financial statements for Heidi’s Hide-Out, a bar and video-game club, with private party rooms for rent. Heidi’s deals with ■Many employees, to some of whom it has
> The following selected information is based on the Year 7 financial statements adapted from those of Beyond Petroleum (BP). BP applies IFRS and reports its results in millions of U.S. dollars. Compute the missing information in each of the following four
> A multinational computer equipment manufacturer reported the following amounts for two recent years (in millions of U.S. dollars). The firm applies U.S. GAAP. a. Compute the ratio of net income divided by revenues for each year. b. Compute the ratio of
> Dyreng Plc. (Dyreng), a Belgianbased construction firm, reported the following information for Year 11. Dyreng applies IFRS and reports in thousands of euros (€). Further information available to you reveals the following six items, wi
> SeaBreeze Inc., a Taiwan-based semiconductor manufacturer, reported the following information for Year 12. SeaBreeze Inc. applies IFRS and reports in millions of yuan (Â¥). Further information available to you reveals the following five items
> Dragonfly Limited (Dragonfly), a diversified electronics firm headquartered in Singapore, reported the following income statement information for its year ended December 31, Year 7. Dragonfly applies Singapore financial reporting standards and reports it
> Broyo Corporation (Broyo), a large paper company, reported the following income statement for its year ended December 31, Year 13. Broyo applies IFRS and reports its results in millions of euros. Broyo supplied additional information about the followin
> Information from GoodLuck Brands’s income statements for the years ended December 31, Years 6, 7, and 8, is shown next. GoodLuck Brands is a U.S.-based manufacturer and distributor. The company applies U.S. GAAP and reports its results
> Information from Cementex Corporation’s (Cementex) income statements for the years ended December 31, Year 9 and Year 10, is shown in the following display. Cementex is a Mexican construction firm that applies Mexican accounting standar
> Exhibit 4.4 presents the balance sheet of Paul Loren Company for Years 10 and 9. This balance sheet uses the terminology, format, and accounting methods of U.S. GAAP, and Paul Loren reports results in millions of U.S. dollars. (Adapted from the financi
> Exhibit 4.3 presents the balance sheet prepared by Svenson, a Swedish telecommunications firm, for Years 7 and 6. Svenson applies IFRS and reports its results in millions of Swedish kronor (SEK). In addition to the items reported in Svensonâ€&
> Exhibit 4.2 presents the balance sheet prepared by Infotech Limited, an Indian information technology firm, for Years 12 and 11. Infotech applies accounting standards issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and reports its results in mi
> The following selected information is based on the Year 7 financial statements of the German healthcare firm, adopted from the financial statements Bayer Group. Bayer Group applies IFRS, and reports its results in millions of euros. Compute the missing i
> What is the purpose of temporary accounts?
> What are some of the top issues 3M should consider in developing the Flag Highlighter?
> Most of the ingredients needed for pizza could be acquired from local suppliers located in close proximity to the Domino’s stores in a given city, eliminating the extensive supply chain network that Domino’s utilizes with their hub-and-spoke approach. W
> 1. Review the tactical pricing approaches shown in Exhibit 11.4. Which of these did you see evidence of being part of the SBC pricing strategy? Discuss the evidence you observed. 2. The SBC executive noted that children who start their cycling experienc
> 1. What were the key execution problems noted in the video for the new Wild Ophelia brand (at both WalMart and Walgreen’s? 2. What steps could be taken to ensure that Vosges’ next attempt at distribution for Wild Ophelia is more successful?
> Define GoPro’s product in terms of the essential benefit and core product. How does an understanding of the essential benefit drive product development for a company like GoPro? What kind of enhanced products could GoPro offer to add to the consumer’s
> The marketing manager for McDonald’s has been asked to develop a code of marketing ethics for the company. Develop a marketing code of ethics for McDonald’s, keeping in mind that the company has stores all over the world.
> When going global, one of the most fundamental decisions marketers must make is the standardization/localization decision regarding the different elements of the marketing mix. For the Product component of the mix, Domino’s chose a localization strategy
> The salesperson in this video notes that expanding business with existing customers is one of the best ways to increase total sales. Why is this the case? What are some of the keys (from the video and your own ideas) for increasing the amount of busine
> SBC is effectively using social media to strengthen their brand community, but has made a conscious decision not to offer their bicycles via their websites or other digital channels. Do you agree with this strategy? Why or why not?
> 1. Should Creston Vineyard use a push or pull strategy in its channels? 2. Describe Creston Vineyard's distribution intensity strategy.
> 1. How can Walmart change its image with consumers? 2. Will a change in image allow Walmart to charge a price premium?
> What are the risks BMW faces as it continues to add new cars to its product line?
> By segmenting their product line into 7 segments, has New Balance selected the optimal amount of segments?
> 1. Dole creates partnerships with its vendors, are there any drawbacks with this philosophy? 2. What are some of the criteria that Dole should consider when selecting vendors?
> What are the advantages and disadvantages of Best Buy’s customer centricity strategy?
> What are the long-term consequences for Dole’s decision not to focus primarily on taste?
> You are the market research director for a consumer product company. You have been asked to evaluate China as a potential market for your company’s products and begin a search of secondary data. What types of information would you consider in assessing
> 1. Are people more likely to purchase gas from BP because of its commitment to the environment? 2. In light of the recent crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, how does BP convince the public that they are sincere about caring about the environment?
> 1. What central changes are contributing to the growth of Yum! Brands in global markets? 2. Give some examples of ways that you believe Yum! Brands will have to adapt its offerings to appeal to global customers in different countries.
> 1. Vosge has chosen a premium/luxury positioning strategy. What are the pros and cons of this marketing approach for Vosge? 2. What aspects of Vosge’s marketing strategy supports their experience/storytelling approach? What are the risks to this strate
> Go to the Strategic Business Insights (SBI) website (www.strategicbusinessinsights.com) and click through to the section on VALSTM. Find the VALSTM survey and complete the questionnaire. a. Are the results surprising? Why or why not? Do you see yourse
> The alumni director at your institution wants to know how to serve the alumni better. Design a survey of no more than 10 questions that the alumni director can use to ask alumni about their interest in getting more involved with their school.
> The marketing manager for Disney Cruise Line wants to know what demographic trends will affect the cruise line business over the next five years. What kind of research is needed to address this question? Conduct some secondary research and try to you i
> You are the marketing manager for Oxymoron Detergent and have been tasked with introducing this product into Argentina. What six factors would you need to consider in determining the proper channel of distribution for the introduction of Oxymoron deterg
> As we have discussed, understanding the consumers in a target market is critical to creating an effective value proposition. Assume you are the Vice President of Marketing for Regal Cinemas. What do you think is the demographic profile (including the a
> Imagine you are the Vice President of Sales for a large security company and you have been asked to put together a sales information system that collects, analyzes, interprets, and distributes information from the sales force. How would you do it? What
> This case about a familiar high-tech company covers some important themes: brand evolution, innovative advertising and alternative approaches to the creation of advertising content. Many students in class will likely be staring at laptops with the littl
> You are the marketing manager for a small company located in the United States that manufactures specialized parts for high-end ink-jet printers. The company’s largest customer (Hewlett Packard) has asked your company to supply parts to 10 of its distri
> Although many students will not have shopped at Restoration Hardware, this case is focused on two areas upon which most will be experts: shopping in retail stores and shopping via the internet. The case can be introduced by asking students to share how
> Students will likely be familiar with Uber. Many of them, especially those of drinking age, may have used Uber to get home after visiting a bar with friends. This responsible behavior (planning ahead to not drink and drive), may be an interesting scenari
> Amazon has proved to be a company that has mastered the service environment. And, they have no intention of stopping. From continued online experiments (with features being added to Prime membership), to entering deeper into consumers’ homes (with the Ec
> The Virgin Group may be a less familiar brand to students in the U.S., but many will have heard of Virgin Records and Virgin Airlines. The company’s experience in extending its brand provides a good foundation for helping students discern the criteria t
> This case provides an opportunity to elaborate on two important Product Management principles: New Product Development and the Product Life Cycle. It also is a good case for discussion of generational marketing and the need to understand the unique pref
> Amex faces a daunting challenge. They have been caught off guard with Chase’s excellent perception of which market is available and what would resonate with them. The professor could use the questions below to discuss Amex’s past (and now obvious) failur
> As described in the case, Nike is facing competitors (e.g. Under Armor) who are changing their distribution strategies from B2B to B2C. Nike has traditionally been a B2B company when it comes to distribution. Though it is not without experience in B2C di
> This case helps students get to the essence of marketing analytics. By using a company in India, where the multi-billion-dollar data infrastructure available in much of the west is absent, it may be easier to boil down your discussion of analytics by foc
> Marketing research is often looked at by students (and by some professional managers) as a dull, “academic” exercise that takes too much time, costs too much money, and doesn’t tell us anything that we don’t already know. However, as this case illustrate
> In the chapter you learned that harmonious performance of Marketing (big M) and marketing (little m) within a firm can lead to greater levels of success. Why is this true? What does it mean that these two need to be “harmonious?” What would be some li
> The story of Dunkin’ Donuts is useful for class discussion as it is a brand that most students will have experience with but one that might not readily come to mind as an example of skillful marketing management. An area of focus for the discussion shou
> Instructors leading a discussion about this case will find a review of the two HBR articles by Simanis & Duke and Mahajan to be very helpful*. One way to introduce the case is to ask students why a company would even bother marketing to a target market
> This case provides an opportunity to reinforce several key principles that are covered in this introductory chapter. While the case is largely focused on advertising tactics, there are examples of strategic marketing that can be discussed as well. A ke
> Select a specific branded product associated with a company and assume you are the marketing manager in charge of mobile marketing strategy for the product. a. Come up with a simple concept for a branded mobile app and explain how the specific purpose o
> Consider the concept of a landing page and its use in assisting the completion of specific desirable actions as well as its relationship with other forms of digital marketing communication. Identify one landing page associated with a display ad as well a
> Select a B2C company that you are familiar with, along with a product sold by that company. Identify a particular consumer target market. Imagine you have been tasked with developing a paid media strategy for the related product to that target. 1. Pick
> Consider a major purchase you have made recently. Review the AIDA model (Exhibits 13.7 and 13.8) and accompanying discussion. a. Think back on the process that led up to your purchase and reconstruct the types of promotion that you experienced during e
> This chapter discusses the role of the marketing manager in promotional strategy (Exhibit 13.3 and accompanying discussion). The trend today in both large and small firms is for much of the promotion function to be outsourced. a. Comment on this outs
> Exhorting firms to develop networks and alliances for purposes of value co-creation sounds like a good idea. However, is there a point at which such approaches can be taken too far (a) from a legal perspective, (b) from an ethical perspective, and (c
> Consider this statement: “It’s important in business today for all firms to work to cut out the middleman. Intermediaries represent costs that can be saved by finding ways to cut them out of the system. Down-channel buyers always benefit when this happ
> Review the section on change drivers and select any two within the set that you want to focus on. Pick an organization of your choice and answer the following questions: a. In what ways do each of the change drivers impact the firm’s ability to success
> Consider the issue of disintermediation in electronic channels. a. Do you believe that all channels will disintermediate down to simple direct channels over time? Why or why not? b. Does your opinion change if the question is asked only about B2C c
> The chapter discusses the importance of being “nimble” in all aspects of a firm’s operation – that is, to be in a position to be maximally flexible, adaptable, and speedy in response to change. a. Identify two firms in two different industries that yo
> Consider the concept of value co-creation. a. In your own words, explain the concept of value co-creation. b. What are some specific ways value can be co-created? c. Provide an example of a specific value network you believe results in a high level of v
> Assume that you are a marketing manager for Pantene shampoo and conditioner, two of P&G’s star products, and that several of P&G’s competitors have recently begun to cut prices to retailers and also to offer more aggressive channel allowances in order to
> Select any three of the pricing tactics identified in the chapter. For each tactic: a. Identify a brand (other than the examples in the chapter) that you believe is currently employing that tactic. b. Provide evidence to support the use of that tactic.
> Review Exhibit 11.3 on price-quality positioning, along with the accompanying discussion. a. Consider the low quality/high price quadrant. Identify a brand (other than the examples in the chapter) that you believe currently resides in this quadrant. H
> Pricing against competitors is common. Yet the approach carries some significant problems. a. What are the advantages of competitor-based pricing? b. What are the risks of using competitor-based pricing exclusive of other approaches? c. Identify a few
> Why might penetration pricing potentially negatively impact brand image and product positioning in the long run? Given this risk, why would a marketing manager use penetration pricing? Identify a brand (other than the examples in the chapter) that you
> Consider the five dimensions of service quality: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. a. Identify a recent service encounter you have experienced as a customer (either B2C or B2B) that you would classify as a generally bad exp
> Review the Gap Model of Service Quality (Exhibit 10.6). Consider each of the five gaps where customer expectations might not be met. Select a firm of your choice and for each potential gap list specific actions that the firm could take to improve the l
> The market research director for John Deere has just received a call from the marketing manager in the company’s lawn tractor division. The manager wants to know how the new advertising campaign is being received by current customers. Design a research
> Review Exhibit 10.5 and the accompanying discussion on search, experience, and credence attributes of offerings. a. Why are the types of offerings on the far right side of the continuum – professional services – difficult for customers to evaluate? b. W
> The service-profit chain guides managers toward understanding and facilitating successful linkages in the service delivery system to drive loyalty, revenue growth, and higher profits. a. What functional areas of a firm must a marketing manager effecti
> 1. Marketing managers must be cognizant of the unique characteristics of services: intangibility, inseparability, variability, and perishability. a. How does each of these characteristics potentially impact the development and execution of marketing pl
> SanDisk is introducing a new line of flash drives to complement its existing products, and you are responsible for creating the package design. What key information and other creative elements would you include on the package?
> You have been asked by Coca-Cola’s product manager to present the arguments for and against extending the Coke brand to a new cola drink. What would be the arguments for and against extending the Coke brand to a new cola drink?
> Johnson & Johnson has been able to establish strong brand equity for its line of baby products. What benefits does J&J have because of its brand equity for these products?
> You are the product manager for Ralph Lauren’s Polo shirts. What specific information are you trying to convey in the brand’s iconic polo pony logo? For example, what does the Polo brand say about quality, features, style relative to the Tommy Hilfiger
> Motorola is introducing a new phone that incorporates Internet surfing capability using new LTE technology, a GPS program, and other new features that will greatly expand the features available on a cell phone. Develop a marketing strategy for the launch
> You are the marketing manager for Coca-Cola products in the United States. Describe the product line for Coke-branded products and briefly describe how each product differs from the other products in the Coke brand product line.
> One of the most difficult characteristics of a product to define is style. You are the marketing manager for Cadillac; define the product style for an Escalade. Compare and contrast that with product style for Chevrolet Tahoe (another large SUV built o
> Put yourself in the role of a marketing manager – from this perspective, do you agree with the concepts of societal marketing and sustainability? Why or why not? How does a focus on sustainability affect the marketing manager’s role and activities? Id
> Choose two comparable phones from Samsung and Microsoft/Nokia and examine each product. How does the product form differ between the two products? How are they the same? Now consider the features of the two products. What features are unique to each
> You are a marketing manager for Starbucks. Describe the following as it relates to the product experience at Starbucks: essential benefit, core product, and enhanced product. Now imagine you are the marketing manager for Aquafresh Extreme toothpaste.
> McDonald’s is interested in your opinion of how it would stack up on a perceptual map against Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, and Chick-fil-A on the attributes of convenience and product quality. Create the map by putting convenience as the vertical axi
> Consider each of the brands below. Review the list of potential sources of differential competitive advantage (differentiation) highlighted in the chapter. For each: (a) indicate which one differentiation source you believe is most important to them cu
> Assume for a moment that you are in marketing for Staples (the office supply company) and that the clients you are responsible for are business users (not end-user consumers). What five business market segmentation variables do think will be most useful
> You work for Siemens Power Generations systems and are responsible for the sale of large, expensive ($2 million to $5 million) turbine generators to power utility companies. You have been contacted by the Ever-Sure Utility Corporation in Any Town, USA.
> You are the marketing manager for Lenovo laptop computers. Identify and briefly discuss the differences between the consumer market for laptops and the business market. Then give an example of each difference using college students as the consumer mark
> You are the marketing manager for the Bowflex Revolution Home Gym. You believe the product appeals to both men and women. As you develop the marketing strategy, what differences might you consider in the product based on whether a man or woman is buyin
