Case 4: Product, Service and Branding Strategy
1. Products and Services Fall into two broad classifications: consumer and industrial. They are
classified further by how customers go about buying them. Go to the five Web sites listed
below and identify each product or service as either consumer or industrial and then by
subtype.
www.electroluxusa.com/ - Consumer goods, durable goods (electrical appliances)
http://looneytunes.warnerbros.com/web/homepage/homepage.jsp - Consumer
services
www.leoburnett.com - Consumer goods
www.army.mil/- service industry
www.google.com/- service industry
2. Using the six desirable qualities that a good brand name should possess, create a brand name
for a personal care product that has the following positioning statement:
“intended for X-games sports participants and enthusiasts, Gentle & Soft is a deodorant that
combines effective odor protection with an enduring and seductive fragrance that will
enhance your romantic fortunes”.
3. Assume you are the marketing director for a snowboard manufacturer that holds a 45 percent
share of the men’s 18-29 year old segment. The company is thinking about extending the
brand by developing a snowboard and related sports apparel line to be targeted toward women
ages 18 to 29. Argue for or against such an extension.
The current target market for snowboard are men of ages 18-29 yet the company is expanding
its business by developing sports apparel for women ages 18-29. They must focus first of men’s
athletic apparel since they are the existing consumers. The company can also extend sports
apparel line and snowboard for men and women since snowboarding is also applicable for the
two.
FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY:
According to Web site, “e-Bay’s mission is to provide a global trading platform where practically
anyone can trade practically anything.” Since it was founded in 1995, eBay has created the most
visited internet site in the world. On any given day, you can find millions of members reviewing,
bidding on and buying the hundreds of thousands of items listed on eBay. Members can purchase an
item in an auction or at a fixed price. eBay focuses on a community of members, both buyers and
sellers. It provides many features that enhance the trading experience. One of the more important
ones is the eBay Feedback feature. This feature captures, in few words and symbols, “the reputation”
of the members. Additional online services include convenient payment features and an assortment of
tools for buyers, sellers and developers. Go to www.eBay.com, take a tour of the site, and then
respond to the following questions:
1. What is the service that eBay provides its members?
eBay provides an online platform for people to sell and buy goods in over 30 countries
worldwide.
2. How has eBay differentiated itself from competitors?
EBay differentiated itself from its competitors by focusing on both buyers and sellers. It provides
features such as eBay Feedback Feature, convenient payment features and eBay Money Back
Guaranteed program. eBay gives a platform for easy selling and buying with best price that the
seller could get and buyer could bid for.
3. Is the power of the eBay Feedback feature more fact or fiction?
