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In June 2023, SundaySky CEO Jim Dicso considers growth strategies. The software-as-a-service company provided software to create advertising videos, customer service videos, and other videos, like employee training modules, and had begun to pilot a new generative artificial intelligence (AI) assistant.

Hosam Arab (MBA 2009), cofounder and CEO of Tabby, a Saudi-based fintech startup, raised its Series D funding round in October 2023, four years after its inception, valuing it as a regional unicorn. Tabby's core product, a buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) service, allowed consumers to split payments into four equal installments without fees. The company earned revenue by charging commissions to partnered merchants, ensuring low customer acquisition costs-a key element of Tabby's model that facilitated rapid and cost-effective scaling. However, Tabby encountered a significant challenge in Saudi Arabia, its main market, where key retailers demanded adopting a competitor's pricing model that involved charging end consumers for BNPL services instead of merchant fees. This situation forced Tabby to consider whether to adhere to its consumer-friendly approach that spurred its growth or to adjust its strategy due to competitive pressures. The dilemma raised questions about the future standard for charging end consumers and whether Tabby should conform or maintain its original model. The case details Tabby's journey from its founding to October 2023, highlighting its business model focused on indirect consumer acquisition and risk management. It also outlines how Tabby gained a competitive edge, selected and partnered with merchants, and leveraged BNPL as a tool for expansion into related products, thereby diversifying consumer monetization strategies.

In March 2021, the newly appointed senior vice-president of the Alfa Romeo brand in North America, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, was facing the main task of rebuilding the brand to increase sales. Since its inception, the company had seen inconsistent sales in its efforts to capture the high-end exotic auto market. The brand's origins in the high-performance and competitive world of auto racing emphasized its true essence of excitement, spirit, performance, seductive design, technical advancements, and seamless interface between driver and machine. Contributing to the company's sales volatility were numerous factors, including macroeconomic forces, consequential effects of past brand managerial decisions rooted in infidelity to the brand's origins, and a notable lack of consistent brand management or leadership that had witnessed the appointment of four brand managers over the previous decade. Alfa Romeo's brand building success was inextricably tied to effective marketing communication. The senior vice-president had to find a way to communicate and instill the brand's desired exotic and exciting mystique in the minds of consumers.

In late 2022, McDonald's, one of America's oldest and most iconic fast food companies, introduced a mostly automated store in Fort Worth, Texas. The only human employees at this store were in the kitchen and did not interact with consumers during the ordering or pick up of food. While some consumers liked this concept, it also received very negative reviews on social media, with some responses addressing the ethics of replacing human labour with robotics. The chief executive officer of McDonald's had a choice to make: Should he listen to consumer complaints and make changes to the mostly automated store, or should he continue to move the company fully automated stores?

Allbirds, Inc., the sustainable footwear company whose sneakers were rocked by public figures from Barack Obama to Leonardo DiCaprio, was a promising startup in 2016. But by end of 2022, its stock price had plummeted to ~4% of its previous high. Born out of co-founder Tim Brown's frustration for the lack of comfortable, minimalist sneakers on the market, Allbirds aimed to address both ease of wear and sustainability as a "purpose-native company built upon a system that leverages nature in a responsible way." It was met with an almost immediate cult following in Silicon Valley, perceived as both luxurious and responsible. However, the company struggled to realize its anticipated growth, and now, CEO Joey Zwillinger must explore how to turnaround the brand.

Zakir Khan, a celebrated Indian comedian, commanded an impressive and vast fan base. Khan's unreserved exhibition of his authentic nature had earned him acclaim not only from his fans but also from fellow artists and the media. It had also allowed him to build a personal brand, leading to widespread appeal that had, in turn, unlocked diverse creative avenues for him that typically remained beyond the reach of conventional comedians. What else had contributed to Khan's personal brand, and what would enhance and sustain that brand identity?

Global health and wellness industries worldwide have been changing rapidly. In China, traditional Chinese supplements brand Guanzhan was founded in 2014 with the aim to provide younger consumers with new types of supplements that would satisfy their changing needs. The company employed a "New Retail" model to best serve the targeted consumer groups, who, compared to their older counterparts, knew little about traditional medicine and had higher taste and convenience requirements for supplement products. As of when the case was written, Guanzhan's ready-to-eat fish maw products had become one of the leading supplement product categories in the Chinese market. Looking into the future, the company sought to expand their footprint offline and develop new products that would satisfy the offline markets.

Steven Erickson, cofounder of the hedge fund Anbec Partners, is trying to determine whether the all-cash offer D.R. Horton has just made for Vidler Water Resources, Inc. (Vidler) is a fair value for Vidler. Vidler's most valuable project is the Fish Springs Ranch pipeline, which was developed to supply water to fast-growing Reno, Nevada. Reno is in Washoe County, which shares water from the Honey Lake aquifer with Lassen County, California. This case presents a history of Reno's water projects, an overview of water regulation and the prior appropriation system in the western United States, and the development of Vidler. There is significant opposition to the Fish Springs Ranch pipeline from California and the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. The case delves into the legal battles and the financial risks and rewards of Vidler's investments, and ultimately is a discussion of the challenges of investing in water. At the Darden School of Business, this case is taught in the second-year elective, "Global Economics of Water." It fits in the policy module that deals with pricing water, which is a necessary condition for addressing the current water scarcity challenges, at least in water-scarce industrialized countries. The discussion of Reno follows a session on water markets in Australia, and how these have been installed in response to the ongoing droughts there. Needless to say, the case can be taught on its own; it is especially suitable for classes about the water rights system of the western United States, and more broadly, for those about investing in water.

Spreadsheet for Case UV8897.

The bindi brand Pearl Eyeflax was marketed by micro organization Payal Novelty Private Limited (PNPL), based in Bhubaneshwar, India. A bindi had rich traditional importance and was historically a critical part of the attire worn by women in India. However, over time the bindi had evolved to become more of a fashion accessory. With the rise of fusion fashion and growing international popularity of the bindi as a fashion accessory, the director of PNPL had to consider how best to showcase the bindi and devise possible branding and segmentation strategies to help the company reach an ambitious sales target of ₹25 million by 2023. What new segments and positioning strategies could PNPL focus on? What kind of branding strategies would spur growth? And should PNPL position the bindi as a cultural product or a fashion accessory?

This case follows the situation arising from the unprecedented circumstances of COVID-19, which forced the Eastern Mindfulness company to transition the business from physical to virtual interactions. Mr. Alok Taunk had successfully started Eastern Mindfulness, which offered interactive and engaging seminars, online courses, and mobile applications (MindFeed) that addressed holistic wellness, performance, and self-development. However, because of the unprecedented circumstances of COVID-19, Mr. Taunk had to cancel all his bookings and return to the clients any advances.

Makoye Safaris, a jungle safari tour company based in Tanzania founded by Vicent Makoye, offered fully guided, safe, and environmentally friendly tours largely to international tourists. The tours were private, custom designed, and flexible and included airport pick-up and drop-off, accommodation, transportation, and three meals daily. Makoye wanted the company to grow and acquire a larger market share. However, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide, and Tanzania’s tourism sector went into a downturn. Although the number of tourists started to increase in 2021, Makoye Safaris needed a good marketing plan to achieve its target of doubling the number of international tourists it served by 2025.

29Blinco, a Perth, Australia-based marketing consultancy, found early success by specializing in the energy transition sector, supporting resource and engineering companies working toward de-carbonizing industrial practices and enabling a clean energy future. Two years after its inception, annual revenues had grown fast, but 29Blinco had also become a victim of its own success: the business model and principles that differentiated its brand promise seemed to be holding it back from meeting growing demand for its services. The founders and directors at 29Blinco faced critical decisions about whether to compromise on their business model and principles. Could they service more clients and work without undermining what they had built and what they stood for?

In 2021, the Irish whiskey segment was the fastest growing whiskey segment in the United States. US-based Brown-Forman Corporation had acquired the Slane brand in 2015 after purchasing all shares in the Slane Castle Irish Whiskey company and agreeing to invest in building a new Irish whiskey distillery and visitor centre on the historic Slane Castle Estate. Slane Distillery filled its first barrel of Irish whiskey in 2018, and the company then quickly began targeting key markets in Europe and North America.<br><br>The challenge now for Brown-Forman in the United States was building the Slane brand from scratch. The company's brand marketing team had to first identify overarching strategies that would accelerate awareness and trial for the Slane Irish Whiskey brand in the United States. Key goals included determining a point of differentiation for the Slane Irish Whiskey brand among the alternatives, and fostering a connection between the Slane Irish Whiskey brand and the North American consumer.

Choosing to deliberately lose a customer might violate prevailing wisdom, but not all customers are good for your business. The authors suggest that business leaders should focus on customer needs, behavior, and value when deciding which customers to cull in order to improve profitability and better serve other customers. They also describe the pros and cons of different approaches to ending customer relationships.

29Blinco, a Perth, Australia-based marketing consultancy, found early success by specializing in the energy transition sector, supporting resource and engineering companies working toward de-carbonizing industrial practices and enabling a clean energy future. Two years after its inception, annual revenues had grown fast, but 29Blinco had also become a victim of its own success: the business model and principles that differentiated its brand promise seemed to be holding it back from meeting growing demand for its services. The founders and directors at 29Blinco faced critical decisions about whether to compromise on their business model and principles. Could they service more clients and work without undermining what they had built and what they stood for?

Between 2016 and 2019, Jijihong Catering Management Co. Ltd. (Jijihong)—a well-established company in Jiangxi Province, China—encountered a plateau in its development as the number of its chain stores consistently stagnated at around 80 and never surpassed 100. To address this growth challenge, in January 2019, the general manager of Jijihong led her team to proactively adjust the company’s strategy. They decided to discontinue various company sub-brands, focusing instead on a single brand (Jijihong) and a single business (spicy hot pot) within a single market (Jiangxi). Before the new strategy could produce significant results, however, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 completely altered the competitive landscape of and set new development trends in the hot pot industry, disrupting Jijihong’s development plans.

In 2023, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) faced a pivotal choice: whether or not to enter India's expanding shampoo hair colour market, which was valued at US$82.72 million and projected annual growth exceeding 17 per cent until fiscal year 2026. HUL's assistant brand manager, Sabhayata Singh, grappled with the absence of a hair colour offering in HUL's portfolio. The dynamic market landscape, coupled with the absence of this product, intensified the decision-making process. HUL faced the strategic dilemma of extending existing brands or creating a new one to meet consumer demands. Pricing strategies became crucial in a market where most products were priced under half a dollar. The decision not only influenced HUL's local market position but also carried implications for potential international expansion.

<p align="justify">In 2020, the Indian film industry witnessed a significant rift between producers and exhibitors (cinema owners and multiplex chains) when the producers of the highly anticipated film <i>Gulabo Sitabo</i> opted for a direct digital premiere of the film on Amazon Prime Video, thereby bypassing a theatrical release. The decision angered exhibitors, who viewed over-the-top (OTT) platforms as threats to traditional cinema distribution. Concerns arose that other studios would soon follow suit, jeopardizing their businesses. Although the producers cited COVID-19-related challenges and the increased popularity of streaming services as reasons for their decision, exhibitors accused them of being selfish. Exhibitors emphasized their investments in world-class screens and urged co-operation, threatening retaliatory measures. The rising tension brought up a number of questions: How much of a threat were OTT platforms to traditional film distribution? How could disagreements between producers and traditional distributors be resolved? Might OTT platforms and traditional distribution methods coexist, and if so, how?

In early 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown periods, the marketing director of Anand Milk Union Limited (Amul) was in a virtual meeting with his marketing manager. The two men were discussing plans for a marketing campaign for the hotel, restaurant, and cafes (HoReCa) market segment to be run during the pandemic. The campaign was expected to target and engage the key stakeholders (or influencers) of the HoReCa segment—the chefs in the food service industry. Before the pandemic, Amul engaged with chefs mainly through personal relationships, based on individual in-person meetings. However, in context of the adversity caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person meetings were no longer feasible. The challenge for Amul was to build a scalable and executable marketing campaign that would engage chefs, the market’s key influencers.