In early January 2019, Gillette, one of the world’s leading razor brands, ignited controversy with a specific advertisement—the “We Believe” video. This short film tackled toxic masculinity and encouraged men to be #TheBestMenCanBe. While Gillette historically focused on portraying men as athletes or as career-oriented individuals, the brand's promotions since the late 2010s had turned to a more diverse conceptualization of manhood. When launched on YouTube, the "We Believe" video proved to be extremely polarizing: both consumers and the general public were strongly divided on it. How could Gillette support social change while remaining competitive in light of the changing industry and broader social awareness? Though sales did not change following the release of the ad, questions still remained about Gillette’s new direction and whether this approach ultimately helped or hindered its brand. What should Gillette do next?
The Kanaka Bar Indian Band, a First Nations community in British Columbia, Canada, had realized impressive economic development in the decades since the 1970s. This progress included development of a profitable hydroelectric system backed by strong community governance and the introduction of a five-year community economic development plan. In 2017, the community was executing the plan with some successes and some challenges. As the band council and community members looked to the coming years of the plan and beyond, they wished to continue making progress towards their community vision of self-sufficiency, vibrancy, and sustainability. As they reflected on their successes, took stock of the community’s resources, and assessed its challenges, they asked themselves whether the plan needed to evolve. Which of the community’s resources could it use to achieve its vision in a way that addressed the challenges at the time and remained consistent with the traditional community values?
In 2017, the next generation of consumers that were poised to become engaged to be married—millennials—showed different preferences and consumption patterns than previous generations had shown. In response, the De Beers Group of Companies (De Beers), a leading company within the global diamond industry, was making moves to capture this important market. In partnership with the world’s six other leading diamond companies, known collectively as the Diamond Producers Association, De Beers launched a campaign titled “Real is Rare” with the goal of persuading millennials into believing that diamonds were an important symbol of romantic commitment, even in 2017. Would these marketing endeavours be successful in changing the millennial mindset, or would the campaign fall flat? Would diamond engagement rings continue to be the ultimate symbol of commitment? What could De Beers do to encourage sales of diamonds in a changing world?
In March 2013, the chief executive development officer of the Heiltsuk Economic Development Corporation (HEDC) was preparing a report on the findings and recommendations of the organization’s seven-year history. The HEDC, the economic development arm of the Heiltsuk Nation, was not meeting its goals. The HEDC structure was based on the theory that economic development success in Aboriginal communities required a separation of business from political influence. Unfortunately, the HEDC had yielded little economic success to date. Further, it was not clear whether it had effectively brought about the desired separation of economics from politics. Similar concerns were expressed by the chief councilor of the Heiltsuk Tribal Council, the political governance structure responsible for administering, governing, and setting policy for the Heiltsuk Nation. There was hope that the report would bring clarity to what had gone wrong in the development process under the HEDC. Was the governance structure appropriate for the task the HEDC was supposed to fulfill, or were the roles and responsibilities not clearly defined? What was causing the myriad of communication issues? What should be done?
In 2015, almost 60 years after being introduced to the market, the Barbie doll was one of the world’s most iconic toys. However, both the industry landscape and consumer preferences were changing, and Barbie was yet again in the spotlight as consumers criticized the toy for providing a narrow and unrealistic vision of how women should look, how they should dress, and the careers they should pursue. Sales and public perception of the doll were both on the downswing. Was there a place for the Barbie doll in 2015, or was this the end of the line for the iconic doll? What could Mattel, the company behind Barbie, do to turn things around?
Paul Frank Industries (PFI), a privately held company based in the United States, finds itself in hot water after social media criticizes a Hollywood marketing event hosted by PFI in which Native American stereotypes were prominently featured. When photos of the event are released on Facebook, two bloggers bring attention to the event through their social media channels, and the reaction quickly spreads throughout the Native American community and beyond. In the wake of this public relations nightmare, students are asked to reflect on the actions taken by Paul Frank Industries prior to, during and after the marketing event.
Lululemon, a successful yoga and athletic apparel company, faced a number of controversies notably those surrounding comments made by the founder and regarding employee and public relations. Many of these controversies seem out of line with Lululemon's Manifesto, a one-page collection of sayings that guide the company's actions. These issues culminate with issues regarding one of their most popular products, resulting in a product recall in 2013. As Lululemon enters 2014, facing drops in their share price and a revenue growth below expectations, Lululemon's new CEO has to make some decisions about the best way forward for the company.
Walmart has decided to expand into Africa through the acquisition of the South African consumer goods retailer Massmart. In doing so, the world’s largest retailer faces significant backlash from South Africa’s largest union. The company must also contend with price-sensitive consumers and a lack of supplier relationships on the African continent. Will Walmart appeal to South African consumers and achieve the volume of sales needed to make its first African presence a success.