Canadian Western Agribition: Beefing up the Growth Strategy

In early June 2014, the chief executive officer of Canadian Western Agribition, a not-for-profit organization, is reviewing the results of its 2013 agricultural show, a fair that takes place every November in Regina, Saskatchewan. The week-long event includes the largest livestock show in Canada, an extensive agribusiness tradeshow, a large marketplace of home products, a rodeo competition, and entertainment and educational programs that have a focus on First Nations. After bouncing back from major financial problems three years earlier, Agribition had generated almost $4 million in 2013. How can management ensure that it will continue to grow as a world-class event? Which customer segment — rural, urban or international — should be targeted? How can more visitors, ranchers and breeders be attracted to pay the admission, entry and commission fees that account for 90 per cent of the organization’s budget? How can corporate sponsorship and government grants be increased? To maintain its status as one of the best beef shows on the continent, management must implement a marketing and operations strategy that will meet the needs and interests of many groups, a key element for growth and profitability.

This case can be used in a variety of core marketing or marketing strategy courses, especially those that highlight special cases and models, as well as courses on internationalization, the product-market fit and barriers to trade. Its objectives are:<br><ul><li>To illustrate the managerial issues of organizing a large-scale entertainment event that targets both urban and rural visitors and participants.</li><li>To discuss the difficulties of selling intangible “experience” to the public and ways to overcome them through targeting, positioning, relationship building and appropriate offerings and communication mixes.</li><li>To create an appreciation for the role of agribusiness trade shows in Canada.</li><li>To discuss goal setting, measures of success and the importance of sustainability for a not-for-profit organization.</li><li>To evaluate the importance and growth prospects of several revenue generating offerings and the role of a loss leader unit.</li><li>To examine the importance of making strategic decisions first before making tactical decisions.</li><li>To evaluate strategic opportunities that stem from the needs of different stakeholder groups and to analyze those needs, identifying their convergence and synergies.</li><li>To evaluate the feasibility of and barriers to internationalization efforts.</li><ul>

• Interdependent service offering
• value propositions
• event management
• not-for-profit
• multiple segments
• First Nations
• Aboriginal Peoples
• Canada
• Indigenous Peoples