BRAND MANAGEMENT

Case Write-ups and Case Discussions Leader (40 points)

To enhance your grasp and management of various problems in brand management area, the
case discussions are scheduled to help students utilize the materials from the lecture with the
cases from the real business situations in the global marketplace. We will read several cases in
this class. Seven cases will be led by the case discussion leaders of the case weeks. Each student
will prepare and present their analysis for discussion purposes.

Each student is required to submit three case write-ups and lead one case discussions.

*** Three Written Case Write-up Reports (10 points each):

Each case report should be double spaced and typed. The length of the body of the write up
should not exceed three pages. The reports may include (1) overview of the day's case, covering
the points listed above in the discussions and (2) cases recommendation when asked is a formal
proposal submitted to management (i.e., CEO). A half-page response to each question asked for
each case assigned is due at the beginning of class.

When writing a case analysis, consider the following points:

1) You may use the “bullet” point form for part of your answer. However, the point must be
understandable.
2) Do not simply restate data from the case. The CEO is already familiar with the business
and case facts!

An unlimited amount of graphs, charts, calculations, etc. can be included in an appendix and
should be properly referenced in the body of the report.

*** Leading the Case Discussions and Presentation (10 points):

This is not a traditional case presentation. Instead, it is a teaching case, in which you are required
to use appropriate course tools and Web sites in leading the class in analyzing the case. Our
discussion takes place during either the first or the last 45-60 minutes of class depending on the
flow and the nature of the lectures. The discussions leaders are responsible for the following:--

1. Reading the case thoroughly, and preparing a 5-10 minutes summary of the case, to be
presented to the class with overheads or PowerPoint. Be clear and direct; do not just repeat the
case.

2. Leading the discussion, developing a set of discussion questions that involves the class. That
is, your grade depends on how well you stimulate the class to work through the solution. Be
creative! Use questions, matrices, Websites, role-plays, etc. in covering the following areas.
Remember, there are certain key points that each case is designed to teach and to illustrate. You
need to figure out what each case is attempting to teach and which skills are to be learned.
3. The presentation and the report must contain:

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 a.) Central Problem
Define clearly and concisely the basic problem in the situation.
b.) Secondary Data
Identify, justify, and use five sources of information which you feel are the most
useful and appropriate. Show the class how you did it. Involve them in learning how
these work! Be sure that the class knows how to find them.
c.) Analysis of Situation
Use the concepts from this course in analyzing the case?
d.) Identify Alternative Strategies
Based on the analysis, identify possible alternative strategies to cope with
the problems or situation that you have defined. Involve the class in evaluating the pros
and cons. How the strategy would change the situation/ problems?
e.) Course of Action
Get the class involved in a discussion of recommended courses of action.

4. Though, every student is expected to work on the cases individually before coming to the
class. The case discussion leaders are responsible for bringing the class to closure on the case. I
will take the perspective of the Board, who will evaluate your analysis.

CASE ANALYSIS & DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Case Analysis -- Introducing New Coke

Evaluate Coke’s brand equity (prior to launch of New Coke) in terms of Keller’s CBBE pyramid.

Study Questions:
1) What factors led to Coca-Cola’s huge initial popularity?
2) What was Coca-Cola’s brand building strategy? How did the company build the world’s
strongest brand?
3) What was Pepsi’s branding game? Did Coke properly respond to Pepsi Challenge? Was
Pepsi truly a threat to Coke?
4) Why do consumers buy Coca-Cola? How do these motives align with the brand strategy
for New Coke?
5) Coca-Cola invested $4 million researching the reformulation question. Do you agree with
following statement? What are the implications for practice of brand management?
“All the time and money and skill poured into consumer research could not measure
or reveal the deep and abiding emotional attachment to the original Coca-Cola.”
6) What should we learn from Coca-Cola’s mistakes?

Case #1 -- Apple Inc., 2008

Evaluate Apple’s brand equity in 2008 in terms of Keller’s CBBE pyramid.

Study Questions:

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1) What were Apple’s major competitive advantages during its initial rise to prominence in the
PC industry of the 1980s?
2) Analyze the structure of the PC industry over the past 20 years. How have the dynamics of
the PC industry changed in that time?
3) Evaluate Apple’s brand strategies since 1990.
4) Has Steve Jobs finally solved Apple’s long-standing problems (a) with respect to the
Macintosh business, and (b) with respect to its broader strategic position?
5) Going forward, what should Steve Jobs do?

Case #2 – Brand in a Hand, ADIDAS

Create a positioning statements for ADIDAS brand should be in the following format:
• Product/Brand and Its Unique and Most Important Claim
• Among All Competitive Frame for Target Market
• Because Support, Reasons Why

Study Questions:
1) What is adidas’ position in the athletic shoe market? Who are other players in this market?
How does the brand seem to be doing in this market?
2) What evidence does adidas have that suggests the importance and potential success of digital
interactive and mobile marketing?
3) What is the Brand in the Hand concept? What does this mean to adidas and its branding
efforts?
4) What were the objectives of the Missy Elliott (ME) campaign in the United States, and why
did adidas choose to centre the campaign based on Elliott? Do you think this campaign will
be successful in the United States and why?
5) How important a role should MMC play in adidas’ overall brand communications strategy?
Is MMC just a novel approach to marketing communications and a marketing fad (is it
merely communicating the same message in a new format), or should it be an integral part of
adidas’ overall brand communications strategy?

Case #3 -- Dove Evolution of a Brand

This case explores the transition from classic brand management to a management system that
separates brand development (centralized) from brand building (regionalized) in a new media
environment. Start the analysis by conducting Dove’s brand equity in 2008 in terms of Keller’s
CBBE pyramid.

Study Questions:
1) What is a brand? Why does Unilever to want fewer of them?
2) What was Dove’s market positioning in the 1950s? What is its positioning in 2007?
3) How did Unilever organize to do product category management and brand management in
Unilever before 2000? What was the corresponding structure after 2000? How was brand
meaning controlled before 2000 and how is it controlled at the time of the case?

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4) Spend a little time searching blogs, using Google Blog Search, Technorati, BlogRunner, or
any other blog search engines, to get a sense of what people are saying about Dove today.
What does this discussion contribute to the meaning of the brand?

Case #4 -- McDonald’s and the Hotel Industry

This case asks us to consider how far the McDonald’s brand can be stretched into categories
other than fast food restaurants. Can the McDonald’s brand be leveraged into the hotel industry?

Study Questions:
1) Describe McDonald’s brand identity. What is the core identity? Does it differ by segment of
consumers—adults vs. children?
2) What elements of McDonald’s brand identity could be leveraged into the hotel industry?
Which elements cannot be leveraged?
3) Consider the seven segments for hotel and lodging described in the case. Thinking about
McDonald’s brand identity, as well as competition, what segment(s) would be reasonable for
a McDonald’s extension into the hotel industry?
4) Create a hotel concept for McDonald’s based on your analysis. What would the brand
promise be?
Case #5 -- Habitat for Humanity International

Evaluate Interbrand’s valuation of Habitat for Humanity. (Skim p1-8, Analyze p9-14)

Study Questions:
1) What are the brand drivers for Habitat for Humanity?
2) Apply the Interbrand methodology to the Habitat brand.
a. How would you calculate the economic earnings attributable to the brand?
b. How would you estimate the role of the brand (see Exhibit 14)?
3) Do you agree with Interbrand’s $1.8 Billion valuation of Habitat for Humanity International?

Case #6 – Intel Inside

Study Questions:
1) What was the original motivation behind Intel’s decision to launch the Intel Inside branding
campaign? What factors have accounted for the success of the campaign?
2) What are the current problems Intel is facing in the PC market? What has been the brand
promise in all of Intel’s advertising campaigns throughout the years?
3) Lewnes says that “the core values of the brand have been constant all along.” What are these
core values of “Intel” brand? How has the company’s advertising evolved over time?
4) What do you think of the Blue Man Group advertisements? Why does Lewnes consider this
campaign to be “one of the biggest advertising breakthroughs” in the company’s ten-year
history? Do you agree with the direction the campaign appears to be taking?
5) Should the company extend the “Intel Inside” branding campaign to other non-PC categories
such as cell phones and PDAs? Why or why not? What does Pollace mean when she says,
“We need to be thinking about computing, which can encompass any number of different
devices”?”

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6) More generally, what does it take to brand an “ingredient”? From a consumer perspective,
how does the Intel Inside logo affect your PC buying decisions? Can any company pull it off
in any product category? Could another component manufacturer have pulled off a similar
feat in the PC category?

Case #7 – Lenovo: Global Brand

Evaluate Lenovo’s brand equity in terms of Keller’s CBBE pyramid.

Study Questions:
1) Why did IBM want to sell its PC business? Why did IBM sell to Lenovo?
2) What explains Lenovo’s success prior to the acquisition?
3) What challenges did Lenovo face after the acquisition?
4) How should Lenovo handle the brand management challenges associated with the
acquisition?
5) In trying to become a global brand, does Lenovo have a problem coming from China?