After breaking into China's smartphone market, where it becomes a leading brand, Xiaomi sees sales stagnate and then decline as the disruption strategy that empowered its rise loses momentum. As competitors counter every move, targeting its core consumer segment, the company urgently needs to reignite growth and develop a sustainable competitive advantage. The case describes the changing market landscape, Xiaomi's product portfolio, distribution systems, partnerships, brand management, promotion and pricing. The question is whether to remain focused on smartphones-on which Xiaomi's reputation has been built-or transform into an IoT 'ecosystem' encompassing a wider range of product categories. The challenge is to understand the respective pros and cons and formulate a detailed implementation plan for the chosen strategy.
Megan Huddleston, head of marketing for Tyson's Hillshire Farm brand, seeks new growth with a brand extension. But which product line and brand envelope would most effectively leverage Americans' shifting eating habits? This case allows students to explore the key tradeoffs in brand extension with the overarching goals of gaining revenue growth while protecting brand equity.
After reading and analyzing the case, students will be able to leverage product and brand opportunities to drive growth against multiple audience segments; understand the relationship between managing and maintaining strong brands, sustaining brand image clarity, and pursuing revenue growth; understand the key sources of customer value and develop a sustainable value proposition.
In this case, students step into the shoes of a brand manager at UK-based online peer-to-peer lending company Zopa as she decides whether or not to recommend that the company undertake a brand redesign. Students are provided a brand design worksheet to help them understand the component parts of brand strategy and brand design and to help structure their assessment of Zopa's current brand. They are then challenged to consider if, to what extent, and how Zopa's brand design should change as a function of the company's brand strategy. Finally, they will learn a set of best practices, or guidelines, for approaching brand redesigns.
New research shows that comparative ads and "Ours is the best!" product positioning can backfire, because they activate something known as the maximizing mind-set, which leads people to regard anything that's less than perfect as a waste of time.
On April 4, 2013, a video game website reported that the next-generation Xbox console - due to be released by Microsoft the following month - would require an always-on Internet connection in order to operate. The new version of the SimCity game that had been released earlier that year with an always-on requirement had been a disaster. Hardcore gamers reacted negatively to the news. When the Xbox One console was officially revealed on May 21, Microsoft effectively confirmed that it would require an always-on connection for validating digital rights. Predictably, gamers reacted negatively, a response that was exacerbated when Microsoft's president of the interactive entertainment business, Don Mattrick, made dismissive statements about their concerns.