Goodbye Trans AM
April 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
GM is preparing to ‘kill off’ its Pontiac brand as the carmaker searches for viability.
Source: CNNMoney Reports – video report
Date: 4/24/2009
Keys: Marketing, positioning, brands, operations management
Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/04/24/news-gm-pontiac-042409.cnnmoney/
Questions for discussion:
- Do you agree with the explanations offered for shutting down the Pontiac brand name? Explain your thinking.
- How would you handle the large number of brands and models under the GM name?
- How would you rationalize your marketing resources? Explain.
YouTube Video Annotations Gain Momentum with Advertisers
April 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
H&R Block is one of several big brands making use of a video annotations feature released last summer by YouTube. The tax preparation company is running a Razorfish-designed YouTube game that lets users click on “hot spots” in videos that link to other YouTube videos or Web sites.
Source: Clickz.com
Date: 4/23/2009
Keys: Marketing, advertising, strategic alliances, technology
Link: http://www.clickz.com/3633493
Questions for discussion:
- Interaction with the customer is believed by many advertisers to be significantly better than so-called passive communications. Click on the link to the H&R Block “Don’t Miss It” game.
- Do you think this sort of ability to engage the customer is in fact superior to regular web advertisements? Explain your thinking.
- Describe your vision of some creative interaction design that you would recommend for a specific company other than H&R Block?
- Explain what your communication goal would be.
Ford Loss Beats Estimates on 49% Slash in Cash Use
April 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Source: Bloomberg News
Date: 4/24/2009
Keys: Finance, cash management, investing, government
Link: http://www.bloomberg.com
Questions for discussion:
- What is the connection between discounts and incentives offered to customers and the cash requirements of the Ford?
- Do you think Ford will be able to outperform GM and Chrysler and remain operational without the need government funding?
- Explain your thinking.
New home sales show signs of revival
April 27, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Sales of newly constructed homes are showing indications, ever so slight, that the housing decline may be near an end, a government report showed Friday.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 4/24/2009
Keys: Economics, supply & demand, marketing, pricing
Link: http://money.cnn.com
Questions for discussion:
- Housing is a major economic factor that determines employment and production levels in many related industries. This article provides a good illustration of the forces of supply and demand at work to set market prices for new and existing housing. Explain how that works.
- Explain why some people would be motivated to buy, now that lower prices and interest rates have reduced the cost of housing?
- Explain why some people would be motivated not to buy.
CBS Sticks to Independent Web Strategy, and Agencies Cheer
April 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Recent reports suggest premium video portal Hulu is on the verge of selling a stake to Disney-ABC Television Group and hosting Disney/ABC content on the site. If a deal happens, Hulu — already backed by NBCU and News Corp. — will be just one partner short of achieving a monopoly among broadcast giants. And that missing partner is CBS.
Source: Clickz.com
Date: 4/16/2009
Keys: Marketing, distribution channels, strategic alliances, technology
Link: http://www.clickz.com/3633426
Questions for discussion:
- What do you believe this strategy will mean for the participants? For customers? For competitors? Explain your thinking.
U.S. Stocks Advance on BB&T Profit, Consumer Confidence Report
April 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
U.S. stocks rose, heading for a sixth week of gains, after BB&T Corp. said housing markets are stabilizing and better-than-expected gauge of confidence drove consumer shares higher.
Source: Bloomberg News
Date: 4/17/2009
Keys: Economy, stock market, investing
Link: http://www.bloomberg.com
Questions for discussion:
- How does the latest stock market and economic news compare to your sense of the true state of economic conditions where you live?
- Which businesses do you think will respond well to this news?
Fiat could ditch Chrysler
April 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Italian car maker says it could abandon partnership talks with the ailing Detroit company if labor concessions aren’t made.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 4/15/2009
Keys: International business, marketing, government, bankruptcy
Link: http://money.cnn.com
Questions for discussion:
- What would you advise Chrysler to do?
- Do you think the deal makes sense for Fiat?
- What would you do if you were an autoworker, given this situation?
- What would want your union to do?
Hyundai’s $50,000 Puzzle: How to Sell New Luxury Car
April 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Hyundai Motor Co. Chairman Chung Mong Koo insisted the revamped Equus luxury sedan meet all regulations in the U.S., where Hyundai’s flagship has never been sold. Now the U.S. unit has to figure out how to sell a car that costs as much as eight times more than its Accent compacts.
Source: Bloomberg News
Date: 4/17/2009
Keys: Marketing, sales, branding, pricing
Link: http://www.bloomberg.com
Questions for discussion:
- Do you think Hyundai can succeed in selling to both of these markets?
- How would you deal with the task of creating a place in the market for the new model entry?
- What pricing issues will the firm have to contend with?
Economic Free-fall coming to an end
April 13, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Presidential adviser Larry Summers is optimistic for an economic turnaround.
Source: ABCNews – video report
Date: 4/10/2009
Keys: Economic indicators, business cycle, forecasting sales
Link: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7305232
Questions for discussion:
- Do you agree with Larry Summers’ forecast? Explain your reasoning.
- What do you think of the predictors of economic activity mentioned in the article?
- What other buying behaviours do you think reflect consumer attitudes and reflect future economic conditions?
Forget banks, keep an eye on trucks
April 13, 2009 by admin
Filed under Uncategorized
Transportation stocks have outperformed the broader market lately. That’s a good sign as long as freight shippers say the economy is stabilizing.
Source: CNNMoney.com
Date: 4/10/2009
Keys: Stock market, forecasting, marketing
Link: http://money.cnn.com/2009/04/10/markets/thebuzz/index.htm?postversion=2009041012
Questions for discussion:
- To investors in the stock market, earnings are the primary indicators of a firm’s financial wellbeing. The focus is on the banks because their earnings (losses) had fallen so dramatically that many believed they would not be able to recover and continue their business activities once the current recession ended. What other industry-wide reports of earnings would suggest improved economic and therefore, improving stock market activity? Explain.
