Chrysler then and now

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The automaker’s long history does include prior troubled times.

Source: CNNMoney Reports – video report

Date: 5/01/2009

Keys: Marketing, brands, finance, management

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2009/05/01/news.050109.chryslerthen.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think Chrysler will rebound this time? Explain your answer.
  • Will the alliance with Fiat be positive or negative for those trying to sell cars in the North American market?
  • What would you do with Chrysler if it was totally up to you to choose?

Chrysler aftershocks to hit industry hard

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Experts worry that auto suppliers will be devastated by Chrysler’s bankruptcy and the shutdown of its plants.

Source: CNNMoney.com

Date: 5/01/2009

Keys: Economics, supply chain, operations management, marketing, labor relations

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2009/05/01/news/companies/chrysler_aftershocks/index.htm?postversion=2009050116

Questions for discussion:

  • The article explains the chain reaction resulting from Chrysler’s closing plants and reducing production. What would you do now if you were a parts supplier to the auto industry?
  • An auto worker at Chrysler?
  • An owner of a Chrysler franchise dealership?

MTV Plays Telephone With Twitter

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The old children’s game of Telephone, in which a whispered message is passed — and inevitably distorted — among players, has obvious applications on a platform like Twitter. The question is whether those applications can be made to benefit an advertiser.

Source: Clickz.com

Date: 5/01/2009

Keys: Marketing, advertising, strategic alliances, technology

Link: http://www.clickz.com/3633603

Questions for discussion:

  • What do you think of this product concept?
  • Do you think it can be repeated with other products? Which ones?
  • Is there a negative side to using this sort of word-of-mouth promotional tool? Explain your thinking.

Hulu-Disney deal hurts YouTube, helps cable

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Sure, for a year now, YouTube has trailed Hulu in the number of TV shows and films it offers, but in recent months all the momentum appeared to be with Google’s video site. That was until Thursday, when Hulu announced a partnership with Disney that at least one industry analyst believes has smashed YouTube’s chances of becoming an online hub for top TV shows and feature films

Source: CNET.com

Date: 5/01/2009

Keys: Marketing, distribution channels, strategic alliances,

Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10231195-93.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Do you think this alliance is good for everyone or better for some players and not very good for others? Explain your thinking?
  • Do you think television shows will eventually be distributed wherever they can be sold?
  • What other distribution deals make sense to you today, given the way viewing habits are changing?

Goodbye Trans AM

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?