Description: Airlines say they are doing what they can as the COVID-19 pandemic hurts business Source: CBC.ca Date: Mar 27, 2020 Link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/passengers-grounded-covid-19-air-canada-westjet-sunwing-1.5510105 Questions for discussion: Do you think the airlines are handling customer claims for refunds properly? What damage is likely to their brands and customer-relations images as a result of this publicity? Can… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Product Brands and Branding
Why Tech Companies Can Regain Consumer Trust as Coronavirus Crisis Continues
Description: As the government continues to wrestle with the COVID-19 epidemic, US consumers and news organizations have rediscovered one of the things that made social media so valuable: Democratizing information about a fast-moving global story brings to light important narratives that official sources may miss, ignore or suppress. Source: e-Marketer.com Date: Mar 17, 2020 Link:… Read more »
Facebook Creates $100 Million Program to Help Small Businesses Hurt by Coronavirus
Description: The help would be in the form of grants and ad credits, and up to 30,000 businesses will be eligible. Source: TheStreet.com Date: Mar 17, 2020 Link: https://www.thestreet.com/latest-news/facebook-100-million-dollar-program-to-help-small-businesses Questions for discussion: What are the program benefits to FB and its small business customers? Do you think their small business clients will take advantage of… Read more »
‘We will not raise a single price,’ Loblaw CEO vows amid coronavirus pandemic
Description: While “it won’t be business as usual,” Loblaw chief executive Galen Weston urged Canadians not to worry about food shortages, price hikes or store closures amid the coronavirus outbreak. Source: YahooFinance.com Date: Mar 16, 2020 Link: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/we-will-not-raise-a-single-price-loblaw-ceo-vows-amid-coronavirus-pandemic-120932146.html Questions for discussion: How is the firm’s response a good example of socially responsible and ethical behavior?… Read more »
Regeneron Surges After Identifying Coronavirus Antibodies
Description: Regeneron said it could produce ‘hundreds of thousands’ of does per month by the end of the summer if trials of its cocktail coronavirus treatment prove successful. Source: TheStreet.com Date: Mar 17, 2020 Link: https://www.thestreet.com/investing/regeneron-surges-after-identifying-coronavirus-antibodies Questions for discussion: What does the report say about the pharmaceutical effort to stop the spread of the Coronavirus?… Read more »
Stitch Fix shares are tanking as Wall Street fears core business could be reaching ‘saturation point’
Description: Stitch Fix shares are cratering as Wall Street questions the longevity of a business that ships customers clothes on a fixed basis, using data science to curate outfits they might like. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Mar 10, 2020 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/10/stitch-fix-shares-are-tanking-biz-could-be-near-saturation-point.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.apple.UIKit.activity.Mail Questions for discussion: Why is the firm in trouble? Is the business model… Read more »
There’s plenty of toilet paper in the US – so why are people hoarding it?
Description: The other day I went into Costco to buy some toilet paper. It came as a small shock when I couldn’t find a single roll. Source: Yahoo.Finance.com Date: Mar 11, 2020 Link: https://www.yahoo.com/news/theres-plenty-toilet-paper-us-122309255.html Questions for discussion: What does the report say about human behavior and consumer products? How should business people deal with this understanding?
Counterfeit goods from China are crushing American small businesses – and they’re calling on Trump to fight back
Description: In January, the Department of Homeland Security issued a report detailing the rise of counterfeiting on e-commerce platforms and vowed to crackdown. Source: CNBC.com – video report Date: Feb 29, 2020 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/28/small-businesses-are-pushing-trump-to-fight-chinese-counterfeits.html Questions for discussion: What does the report say about problem of counterfeit imports and what is being done? How do counterfeits affect brands… Read more »
Should Robots Have a Face?
Description: As automation comes to retail industries, companies are giving machines more humanlike features in order to make them liked, not feared. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Feb 26, 2020 Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/business/robots-retail-jobs.html Questions for discussion: How is automation changing retail environments and the customer experience? What do you think retailers should do to facilitate the intrusion of… Read more »
How the ‘boring’ Toyota Camry became the bestselling passenger car in America
Description: The Toyota Camry has a reputation, even within Toyota itself, for being a humdrum car. But gosh does it ever sell. The Camry was the top-selling passenger car in the United States in 2019, and is one of the bestselling vehicles of all time. Source: CNBC.com video report Date: March 8, 2019 Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/06/how-the-boring-toyota-camry-became-hugely-popular.html Questions for… Read more »
Applied Marketing, 2e
Canadian Edition
