Publications

October 2000 (Revised November 2005)
Case

Hilton HHonors Worldwide: Loyalty Wars

By: John A. Deighton and Stowe Shoemaker

Hilton Hotels regards the frequent guest program as the industry's most important marketing tool, directing marketing efforts at the heavy user. What is Hilton to do then, when a competitor ups the ante? This case illustrates the economics of frequency marketing in... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Decision Choices and Conditions; Brands and Branding; Competitive Strategy; Accommodations Industry

April 3, 2016
Guest Column

The Power of C.E.O. Activism: How Politically Outspoken Executives Sway Public (and Consumer) Opinion

By: Aaron K. Chatterji and Michael W. Toffel

Some CEOs are making news by taking public stances on controversial social issues largely unrelated to their core business. This article summarizes the insights from our research paper that shows that such "CEO activism" can influence public opinion and consumer... View Details

Read Now

05 Feb 2009
Research & Ideas

In Praise of Marketing

the United States. The latest Interbrand listing of the most valuable global brands reveals seven American brands in the top ten and sixty in the top hundred, more than twice... View Details

Keywords: by John Quelch; Advertising

April 1978 (Revised January 1985)
Case

Searle Medical Instruments Group (Abridged)

By: Steven C. Wheelwright

SMIG, a division of G.D. Searle, was a fast growing high market-share company in the field of nuclear medical instruments. It manufactured two basically different product lines, one very successful and the other less so. Although marketing was separate for these... View Details

Keywords: Change; Brands and Branding; Market Participation; Production; Success; Performance Capacity; Expansion; Medical Devices and Supplies Industry

Keywords: Diversified

December 2003 (Revised April 2004)
Case

Dragon's Teeth Vineyards

By: Alan D. MacCormack, Marius Leibold, Sven Voelpel and Kerry Herman

Dragon's Teeth Vineyards (DTV) is a South African wine producer that is considering whether to use genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in its wine-making process. GMOs promise to lower the costs of wine production significantly through increased yields and reduced... View Details

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Growth and Development Strategy; Genetics; Transition; Brands and Branding; Product Development; Product Design; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Technology Adoption; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; South Africa

March 1991 (Revised June 1993)
Case

Chevron Corp.: Corporate Image Advertising

By: John A. Quelch

Describes a series of advertising research studies conducted by Chevron to monitor the effectiveness of its corporate advertising. Specific research approaches covered include the McCollum-Spielman and Communications Techniques. The Vals Typology developed by Stanford... View Details

Keywords: Surveys; Multinational Firms and Management; Research; Advertising; Brands and Branding; Energy Industry; United States

February 2025
Supplement

Moleskine: Daniela Riccardi Turns the Page

By: Ryan Raffaelli

Newly appointed CEO Daniela Riccardi needed to develop and present an action plan to the board of the company that owned Moleskine. Riccardi was hired because Moleskine had recently overextended its reach and needed more focus and discipline. Having previously served... View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Distribution Channels; Planning; Leading Change; Organizational Culture; Product Marketing; Retail Industry; Italy

January 2011
Supplement

BBC America Showreel, Fall 2007

By: John A. Quelch

HD-TV ad clips of Fall 2007 television show line up from BBC America. View Details

Keywords: Global Strategy; Television Entertainment; Brands and Branding; Media and Broadcasting Industry; United Kingdom; United States

Career Coach

Juan Leung Li

While it takes introspection, Juan believes in the meaningful differences (finding purpose!) these efforts have in career searches. While at HBS, Juan considered a diverse set of opportunities such as brand management, consulting, PE,... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Angel Investing; Financial Services (All); Corporate Finance; Financial Services (All); Investment Banking; Financial Services (All); Venture Capital; Financial Services (All); Startup - Founder; Entrepreneurship; Startup - Joiner; Entrepreneurship; Technology

December 1995
Teaching Note

Laura Ashley Series TN

By: Lynda M. Applegate

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Fashion Industry

01 Dec 2008
News

Designing Change

employment at Muzak since it raised all of the questions about ‘elevator music.’ Suddenly, the excitement of the new brand and the new story had become almost viral. We wanted everyone to know where we... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna

02 Dec 2014
Blog Post

Building a Consumer-Centric Strategy: Highlights from the Marketing & CPG Club’s Conference

thriving company relentlessly focused on their core consumer. His story taught us all of the importance of letting “your fans own your brand.” Mark Addicks of General Mills emphasized the importance of defining markets in human terms and... View Details

December 1991 (Revised March 1995)
Teaching Note

Private Label at Dayton Hudson Department Store Co., Teaching Note

By: Walter J. Salmon

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Retail Industry

17 Jun 2016
Op-Ed

Companies Need to Start Marketing Security to Customers

on financial controls, not on risks to consumers and brand reputations. That's not good enough" Even marketers who pay special attention to safety are reluctant to tout their superiority. You never see... View Details

Keywords: by John A. Quelch; Entertainment & Recreation

29 Jan 2013
Research & Ideas

Creating the Perfect Super Bowl Ad

sample of 82 ads for 30 brands in their homes or workplaces. The research relied on webcams that track visible changes on a person's face as they watch an ad, responding to funny, or amusing content. The software detects the slightest... View Details

Keywords: by Kim Girard; Advertising; Media & Broadcasting

November 1991
Case

Magic Johnson: Endorsements ""After""...?

By: Stephen A. Greyser

On Thursday, November 7, 1991, Los Angeles Lakers star Earvin "Magic" Johnson announced his retirement from basketball in the wake of having tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Magic Johnson was one of the most popular figures in sports, both... View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Value; Sports; Advertising; Alliances; Problems and Challenges; Decision Choices and Conditions; Brands and Branding; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry

August 2005 (Revised May 2006)
Case

Cherkizovsky Group, The (A) (Abridged)

By: Lynn S. Paine

Describes the transformation of a formerly state-owned meat processing plant in Russia into a privately owned and operated food processing conglomerate under Russia's economic reforms of the 1990s. Among the challenges the CEO, Igor Babaev, and his top management team... View Details

Keywords: History; Business Conglomerates; Privatization; Transformation; Management Teams; Sales; Brands and Branding; Business or Company Management; Marketing Strategy; Crisis Management; Food and Beverage Industry; Russia

Find at Harvard

June 2001 (Revised March 2002)
Case

Ducati

Focuses on the turnaround and strategic repositioning of Ducati, an Italian maker of high-end sport motorcycles, and describes the current concerns with the growth prospects of the company. Federico Minoli, the CEO and strategic mind behind the turnaround, knew that... View Details

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Competitive Strategy; Product Positioning; Management Teams; Brands and Branding; Motorcycle Industry