In June 2013 Ooredoo was awarded one of two telecommunication licenses to operate in Myanmar-where cellphone penetration was less than 10%. Less than 18 months later, Ooredoo launched voice and data services. This case includes information on the global telecom industry, focusing on services unique to developing countries, and asks students to consider how and when Ooredoo should launch mobile financial services in the country.
In 2002 Ziqitza Healthcare, a for-profit company based in Mumbai, was launched with the goal of providing accessible, high-quality emergency medical care. Though the initiative, which became known as Dial 1298, expanded rapidly, it needed a sharper marketing strategy, and in particular, a way of increasing its usage rate among the poorest residents of Mumbai. This case illustrates how marketing principles apply to consumers in emerging markets. The main teaching objectives of the case are to have students learn: 1) Marketing communications strategy-to evaluate the options an organization has in targeting different customer audiences; to weigh different strategies available for reaching each audience 2) Consumer behavior-to assess research findings from primary and secondary sources to identify different audiences, understand their varying needs, and select the best message and media for each target group 3) Message and media planning-to craft compelling messages that convey a brand's essence to existing and new customers; to select appropriate media to reach different audiences; to consider the impact of BPL factors on communications planning, e.g., low literacy rates, a complex physical environment, diverse paths to purchase, and various cultural dynamics 4) Segmentation-to explore the many different ways that consumer audiences can be segmented, using demographic, psychographic, behavioral, and influencer-oriented variables 5) Targeting-to prioritize target audiences and assess the risks, opportunities, and obstacles that arise when a brand is communicating with several different groups simultaneously 6) Social enterprise-to evaluate the similarities and differences that arise in marketing decision making for organizations that operate with a dual bottom line, versus the processes used in traditional corporate and non-profit structures.
When a crisis strikes, brands can avert backlash from consumers -- and even strengthen the brand -- with well-considered and thoughtfully deployed communication. Based on scientific research on persuasion, the authors present a comprehensive crisis communication framework to help restore consumer trust, illustrating these recommendations using cases of both successful and unsuccessful recovery from brand crises. The authors draw heavily on Toyota's recent experience in responding to the unintended acceleration of some of its vehicles. Toyota's responses provide examples both of what to do, and what not to do, when a company is accused of wrongdoing. The authors contend that there is no one best communications path to follow when a company is in crisis. Rather, they say, the best approach will depend on the answers to three central questions: Is the accusation prompting the crisis true? Is the crisis severe? Has the company established its brand as something that customers closely identify with? Taking these factors into account, a company might best be served by some combination of seven communications strategies. These strategies range from admitting error and apologizing on the one extreme to defiantly denying and wrongdoing and even attacking the accuser on the other. In addition to describing these seven communications strategies, the authors also lay out four lessons on corporate crisis communications that emerge from the Toyota debacle. One, in the Internet age, speed of response is imperative. Second (and a corollary to the need for speed), companies need to be ready for a crisis at all times, and have at hand a step-by-step protocol to follow when bad things happen. Third, it is essential that in a time of crisis, the CEO him or herself -- not lower level management--needs to step forward and publicly articulate the company's responses. And fourth, companies must not delude themselves that they can skate by while ignoring a crisis. Response is essential.
In 2008, the Byrraju Foundation, an organization that provides self-sustaining services in Indian villages, was operating more than 50 water purification plants in the rural Andhra Pradesh region. However, almost five years after the launch of the foundation's SWEET Water Project, less than half of the residents of its targeted villages were drinking Byrraju water on a regular basis. The need for purified water was clear: studies showed that 80 percent of the illnesses in Andhra Pradesh were caused by contaminated water. In this case, students develop a marketing strategy to raise the profile of the SWEET initiative, and increase its penetration rates among villagers.
In 2007, JetBlue faced enormous criticism from its customers and the media after a Valentine's Day storm led to delays and cancellations. How did the airliner navigate the crisis? In this case students study communication strategies developed from scientific research on the process of persuasion that can help brands recover from adverse publicity and regain their customers' trust. Six examples illustrate a range of actions - such as the "come clean" response and "polish the halo" response - and teach students how to apply various communication frameworks.