Chapter 5 – Marketing Case Examples

In the previous chapters, we have discussed all the aspects of marketing case studies. But as a student, you must have always felt a gap between the academic curriculum and the case study solutions. To bridge this gap between the academic world and real-life scenarios, I will be sharing some marketing case examples with you in this chapter.

My objective here is to give you an idea about what kind of case studies are typically asked and the areas you should focus on in each case study. Let us look at some marketing case examples that you must have already come across or are surely going to come across.

Marketing Case Examples

I have given a marketing case example for each category that the management students often face. These marketing case examples will help you understand how to respond to these categories of case studies.

New Product Launch

This case study usually assesses your ability to apply various marketing approaches to a product launch. These case studies will test your creative skills and strategic planning abilities.

Example of Starbuck’s Instant Coffee

Starbuck’s instant coffee, which debuted in February 2009, was made entirely of natural roast coffee. Unlike many other instant coffee alternatives, the VIA blend was of excellent quality and was free of preservatives. This was one of Starbucks’ most successful product introductions to date.

VIA was developed and perfected for approximately two decades by Starbucks. Starbucks went out on the street when they perfected the formula, conducting sample and feedback sessions with consumers. With a clever tagline like “not instant coffee, but coffee in an instant,” they set themselves apart from other instant coffee businesses. VIA was ultimately launched in a variety of supermarket shops.

Let us look at the factors that made this product of Starbucks so successful. The company has put a lot of effort into differentiating its development from the rest of its competitors by incorporating customer feedback and a successful brand positioning and on-point promotion. This example is a perfect blend of strategy and innovation for launching a new product successfully.

Source: ​Pivot International​​​

Launching a new campaign for an existing product

This type of case study is generally asked to assess your rebranding experience and gain insight into your outlook on difficult situations.

Example of Tupperware

Tupperware is most well-known for its long-lasting kitchenware. And for the home parties where they’re sold – a 1970s relic that the corporation couldn’t get rid of until a makeover. While the corporation continued to compete in the product category on a global scale. It had to re-emerge as relevant, not just to customers but also to those who sold the things.

The redesign was a success, with a new appearance and feel and new messaging: “Confidence Becomes You.” This campaign aimed to empower women across the countries and encourage women’s entrepreneurship in a new light. The campaign helps to position the brand not only as a utensil company but rather as a company that values women empowerment. The brand value in the market got tremendously boosted, and the brand’s huge social media support increased the brand visibility.

Source: simplilearn

Launching your product into an international market

This type of case study assesses your expertise with foreign marketing campaigns and your ability to recognise the risks and rewards of selling a product in a different country.

Example of Coca-Cola

Cocoa-Cola is the most well-known and well-known example of a worldwide marketing campaign that is both powerful and smart. Coca-Cola’s bottling facilities were one of the factors that helped it prosper in other markets. The beverage firm was able to brand its product to make it stand out. Anyone in the world may recognise it because of this.

Coca-Cola’s success in local markets was aided by the fact that the company allowed local distributors to tweak the flavour to suit their market’s cultural tastes. Advertisements, promotions, distributes, and prices were likewise tailored to each market. Coca-Cola emphasised universal values such as sharing and pleasure in advertising and marketing. They then customised their commercials by including celebrities and cultural references from the surrounding area. Small community projects and charitable endeavours were also emphasised by the brand.

Source: Inlea

Dealing with negative customer feedback

This type of case study tests your capacity to deal with bad publicity. When it comes to marketing, there’s always the risk that a buyer would post a poor review of your product, affecting other customers’ purchasing decisions.

Example of Cadbury – Worm Infestation Controversy

The Food and Drug Administration Commissioner received reports regarding infestation in two bars of Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury India’s flagship brand with over 70% market share, just a month before Diwali, in October 2003, just a month before Diwali. He called for an investigation and issued a statement to the media. Cadbury’s brand and reliability were under rigorous examination in India, where the firm is linked with chocolate. During the first ten weeks of the festival season, sales volumes plummeted; store supply and display fell short, and staff morale was disturbed, particularly among the sales team. The challenge was to re-establish trust with key stakeholders (consumers, trade, and workers, notably the sales team) and re-establish credibility for the corporate brand through the same channels that had questioned it.

Over the next six months, a targeted and intensive communications programme was developed to re-establish credibility and re-establish trust among key players.

•  The company broadcasted the message in the media was that infestation was a storage-related issue, not a manufacturing issue. Cadbury’s perspective on the subject was widely accepted by the audience.
• A new package was introduced to reduce the possibility of infestation. Eight weeks following the distribution of new packaging, sales volumes had nearly returned to pre-crisis levels, indicating that the corporation had taken substantial steps to reduce the risk of infestation. This demonstrated the brand’s and company’s consumer trust.

Gradually, the consumers’ assessments of factors such as the company’s image, responsiveness, and behavioural indicators such as the propensity to purchase Cadbury chocolates increased significantly.

Source: ​mbaknol​​​

The Final Summit

Now that you have understood all the aspects of marketing case studies, it is your turn to enrich your marketing knowledge and skills to become a successful marketing professional. It is essential to have an in-depth academical understanding and a practical sense to become a successful marketer.