Case Questions

Are Some Customers More Equal Than Others? (download file)

This case addresses an important pricing decision facing Paradise Parks.  The theme park is considering offering a "preferred guest card" to patrons willing to pay more to avoid long lines.  Does this opportunity offer a goldmine for the company striving to increase its revenues, or would it pose a threat by negatively impacting the theme park experience for its customers?

Launching the BMW Z3 Roadster

 In this case you are called to evaluate the performance of a nontraditional launch strategy for the Z3 roadster and consider how to most effectively translate the “buzz” and excitement generated into hard and fast product sales.

 Discussion Questions:

1. What factors underlie BMW’s desire to shift to a “non-traditional” marketing venue for the Z3 launch?

2. Do you agree with McDowell that the Z3 launch qualifies as a “paradigm shift in marketing for BMW”?  For marketers in general?

3.  McDowell claims that he will never go back to traditional marketing after getting a taste of the non-traditional venue.  Do you agree?

4. Was the Z3 launch successful?  How do you know?

5. Helmut Panke has engaged you as a consultant on design of the Phase II plan. What specific objective(s) would you set?  What budget and media plan would you use?  

 TiVo  (download file)

 “Watch what you want to watch when you want to watch it” is TiVo’s promise to the consumer.  The company is confronted with the difficulty of selling a new and complex electronics product that is intended to radically change consumer habits.  This case illustrates the importance of positioning in shaping the consumer mindset.  Moreover, the ambiguity surrounding the future impact of the technology on the television and advertising industries creates a challenge for the company as it tries to play a constructive role in the changing media landscape.

 Discussion Questions:

1. Analyze the situation from the consumer’s standpoint.  What is TiVo?  What factors facilitate its adoption?  What factors inhibit its adoption?  Who is TiVo best suited for?
2. Now adopt the standpoint of the networks, the advertisers, and the cable/satellite companies: what do they want TiVo to be?  Thinking about the competition: What are Microsoft’s potential strengths and weaknesses in this market?

3. How would you describe and characterize TiVo’s action plan as given at the end of the case?  How do you evaluate the planned communication campaign?  Does your situation analysis suggest an alternative plan?

 Enterprise: Selling the Dream  (download file)

Enterprise Rent-a-Car has successfully built its business by operating under the radar screen of its major competitors by servicing the "replacement and home-city market" rather than the airport market.  Its success has recently attracted competition and currently the company is trying to maintain it stronghold while striving to grow their business.  Two challenges addressed in the case include: (1) How can the company best attract and retain employees?  (2) As the company seeks to expand, which segment(s) of the market should they be targeting?

Discussion Questions:

1. How are the buyer decision processes different for someone renting a replacement car because of a wreck, for someone renting a car for leisure/vacation purposes, for a business renting a car?  What is the decision process for a college graduate looking for a job?
2. What are the bases for segmenting the rental car market?
3. What marketing recommendations would you make to Enterprise to help it improve its recruiting?
4. What marketing recommendations would you make to Enterprise to improve its marketing strategy?
5. Will Enterprise's strategy work in international markets? 

 

 

[last updated May 1, 2003]