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Founded in 2002, Hangzhou, China-based Beingmate was a major producer of infant formula and related products in the high-demand Chinese market. After an infamous 2008 food safety episode in China, in which toxic infant formula sickened thousands of babies and led to the collapse of several domestic infant formula brands, Beingmate-whose products tested clean-had risen to become a leader among China's many infant formula brands. But while Beingmate was not implicated in the 2008 scandal, the company could not escape the deep consumer distrust of domestic infant formula brands that still pervaded China in 2016. Foreign brands, priced at a substantial premium, were strongly preferred by consumers who could afford them. The field of domestic infant formula brands was crowded and extremely competitive, leading to price wars and intense margin pressure. This case allows students to discuss the keys to Beingmate's past successes and debate its existing strategy in the context of a very complicated market. One key question is how Beingmate might leverage its partnerships with Ireland-based Kerry Group and New Zealand's Fonterra to enhance its competitive position.

Supplement to case 517073.

These exercises complement the WDI Publishing Case "Pink Tax: Gender and other Price Discrimination Factors". Diana Kelly is the brand manager for a company that has a new cream that gives consumers brighter, shinier nails. It will be sold in major retail outlets like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. Kelly is given various segmentation schemes produced by consultancy teams to evaluate. Students are asked to evaluate the segmentation schemes and determine how the product should be versioned and priced.

Parsana Health Centre Private Limited, one of the pioneers of the organized fitness industry in the city, of Ahmedabad, had been actively engaged in inculcating, nurturing and promoting a healthy lifestyle to the general public through fitness regimes over the last two decades. The thirteen Parsana centres in the different parts of the city were reduced to eight centres facing stiff competition from the local players and the Parsana brothers had to set their priorities right, in order to discover the best strategy for growth. They thereby had to put together an appropriate promotional and positioning strategy in view of the long term objectives.

In early 2016, after the success of its first two smartphones, the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2, China-based startup smartphone maker OnePlus was deciding how to build on its early success and grow into a global contender in the highly competitive smartphone market. Technology enthusiasts and geeks had flocked to purchase the first two generations of its smartphones and expectations were high for the company's next product. The company's founders, Pete Lau and Carl Pei, faced the challenge of broadening the appeal of OnePlus to address the mainstream market without alienating its core customer base. "Crossing the chasm" from the early adopters to the mainstream market involved addressing three interrelated questions: First, what segments should OnePlus target as it sought to grow beyond its loyal fan base? Second, what value proposition and positioning strategy should it adopt to appeal to these target customers? Finally, what distribution and marketing communications strategy should it employ to make best use of its limited financial resources? A key consideration in formulating its strategy was to stay true to the company's culture and mission of "Never Settle" by charting its own course and not emulating the strategies of much larger competitors like Apple, Samsung, LG, and HTC.

This note introduces the concept of a marketing technology blueprint (MarTech Blueprint), instructs students how to create one, and gives real-world examples of how a MarTech Blueprint might be used.

Supplement to case 514119.

By 2014, the Walton Group, an electrical goods manufacturer based in Bangladesh, sold its products in over 20 different countries. A decision to utilize the advantages of low labour costs in the company’s home country was made in the early 2000s, which led to an increase in value and permitted rapid international expansion. To achieve Walton’s mission of “Walton at every home,” the company established various specialized support units both inside and outside of Bangladesh. Government tax incentives in Bangladesh had boosted Walton’s cost competitiveness, but how else could Walton compete with other international brands to achieve is goals and become a household name worldwide?

The senior director of marketing for Strength Pharma, an Indian sports nutrition company, was managing the November 2016 launch of the company's whey protein supplement, Muscle-RDX. This product would be the first protein supplement approved by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India for athletes who participated in high-endurance sports. Muscle-RDX would provide a domestic option for Indian athletes who competed in these sports and who wanted to purchase affordable supplements that delivered effective results. However, before the product launch, the senior director of marketing needed to develop demand forecasts, which would determine the most appropriate pricing strategy and package size for the new product.

Student spreadsheet for case W16794.

Nadir Godrej Chairman and B Yadav MD, Godrej Agrovet Ltd ( GAVL) grapple with the challenge of growing their cattle feed business - should they integrate vertically despite the challenges ofthe dairy industry, and risk the profitability of the current business ? The ban on cow slaughter in India adds to the dilemma.

The senior director of marketing for Strength Pharma, an Indian sports nutrition company, was managing the November 2016 launch of the company’s whey protein supplement, Muscle-RDX. This product would be the first protein supplement approved by the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India for athletes who participated in high-endurance sports. Muscle-RDX would provide a domestic option for Indian athletes who competed in these sports and who wanted to purchase affordable supplements that delivered effective results. However, before the product launch, the senior director of marketing needed to develop demand forecasts, which would determine the most appropriate pricing strategy and package size for the new product.

In March 2016, Eveready Industries India Limited (Eveready) announced its intention to venture into the consumer-appliance segment. Eveready was the market leader in the batteries segment in India, with a market share of more than 50 per cent. The company’s portfolio comprised dry-cell batteries, flashlights, packet tea, compact fluorescent lamps, and LEDs. Eveready was readying itself to take on the giants of home appliances in India. With India’s home-appliances industry still underpenetrated, was Eveready’s entry into this segment timely? If yes, what strategic capabilities could it leverage? How should it then differentiate itself at a time when the market was saturated with multilevel segmentation? What could be the possible obstacles to Eveready’s success in the consumer-appliance industry?

Instructor spreadsheet for product 9B16A062.

Spreadsheet to accompany product 9B16A062.

Magnus Wanberg is the creator of reMarkable, a breakthrough e-writer device set apart from similar products on the market by having solved the frustrating "slow ink" problem typically experienced on pen-based electronic devices, thus providing a "pen and paper" like experience. Moreover, the device allowed for the convenient and non-eye-straining reading of typical documents. Though enthusiastically received by several investors, there was still a long way to go before the prototype could reach a final commercial product. Wanberg and his team narrowed down the relevant market to three main segments: creative professionals, working professionals and students. However, these segments were seemingly at odds with each other in terms of which product attributes would most appeal to each. The young company therefore had to choose which group to target as this would dictate future product development efforts. With the planned launch date quickly approaching, the target market selected also impacted communication, channels, and pricing decisions. reMarkable had to resolve these matters while juggling limited time, effort and funds.