Publications

May 2011
Article

Underdog Branding: Why Underdogs Win in Recessions

By: Neeru Paharia, Anat Keinan and Jill Avery

Underdog stories about overcoming great odds through passion and determination are particularly resonant during difficult times as they inspire us and give us hope when the outlook we face is bleak. They promise that success is still possible, a much needed message in... View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Brand Building; Brand Management; Brand Positioning; Competitive Positioning; Brands and Branding; Economics; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Advertising Campaigns; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

Read Now

25 Apr 2017
First Look

First Look at New Research, April 25

ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America Globalizing Latin American Beauty By: Jones, G. Abstract—This article discusses the growth over time of the beauty industry in Latin America View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

October 1997
Case

L'Oreal of Paris: Bringing 'Class to Mass' with Plenitude

By: Robert J. Dolan

L'Oreal's strategy is to "trickle down" technology over time from high-end outlets like department stores to mass-markets, such as drugstores. The mass market brand Plenitude has become the market leader in France, but even eight years after introduction in the United... View Details

Keywords: Problems and Challenges; Marketing Strategy; Brands and Branding; Globalization; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; France; United States

October 1982 (Revised August 1999)
Case

Johnson Wax: Enhance (A)

Johnson Wax has produced a new hair conditioner for problem hair. Before committing themselves to test market, they analyze the new product using a field based, pretest-market procedure called ASSESSOR. The testing reveals product positioning, advertising, and... View Details

Keywords: Product Positioning; Analysis; Marketing Communications; Advertising; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry

24 Sep 2024
Research & Ideas

Why Small Businesses Deserve More Credit

studied reflect the makeup of 80 percent of US and 90 percent of worldwide companies. The most important “implication is that the precautionary motive to preserve the buffer was inhibiting sales before,”... View Details

Keywords: by Rachel Layne; Financial Services; Banking

June 2022
Case

Zalando: Becoming the Starting Point for Fashion

By: Antonio Moreno, Leela Nageswaran, Emilie Billaud and Federica Gabrieli

Born in 2008 as a small startup selling flip flops, by mid-2021 Zalando had turned into an online fashion company with an assortment of more than 4,500 international brands, 45 million active customers, and a presence in 23 European markets. An essential component in... View Details

Keywords: Transition; Customer Value and Value Chain; Digital Platforms; Distribution; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Infrastructure; Logistics; Service Operations; Strategy; Business Strategy; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Europe

02 May 2018
News

Naa-Sakle Akuete Says her Best Business Lessons Came from Her Worst Mistakes

29 Oct 2013
First Look

First Look: October 29

body and can potentially be harnessed by organizations and governments. Publisher's link: https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/download.aspx?name=dunn%20aknin%20norton%20CD.pdf August 2013 Globalizing Beauty:... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

28 Sep 2023
Blog Post

HBS Latino Student Association Spotlight: Jeffrey Arango (MBA 2025)

beautiful campus, and those same starkly contrasting images come to my mind. They constantly remind me of my purpose here, driven by my family, faith, and friends: to create a... View Details

17 Aug 2021
Blog Post

New Associate Director: Courtney Fairbrother

on a beautiful beach right in our neighborhood. I’m also very passionate about animals and I look forward to learning about the local animal rescue organizations in Rhode Island View Details

August 2020 (Revised January 2021)
Supplement

Facelift at Olay (B)

By: Sunil Gupta, Rajiv Lal and Olivia Hull

This supplement to Facelift at Olay (A) explains the major steps Procter & Gamble’s skincare brand Olay took to reverse several years of declining sales. View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Advertising Campaigns; Demographics; Age; Brands and Branding; Marketing Channels; Competitive Strategy; Competitive Advantage; Digital Marketing; Transformation; Marketing Strategy; Social Marketing; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; United States; Ohio

18 Jul 2016
Research & Ideas

Is Greed Ruining Private Equity Firms?

leave, the smaller the next fund is. That’s because limited partners often take the time to look at the partnership makeup at private equity firms when deciding which ones to invest in. Limited partners “have a lot of private... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman; Banking; Financial Services

January 2005 (Revised July 2005)
Case

Gretta Enterprises

Describes Gretchen ("Gretta") Monahan's founding and management of Gretta Enterprises, which has grown to five outlets--salons, day spas, and fashion boutiques--and $10 million in annual revenue in 10 years. Monahan's role as a television host on TLC's A Makeover Story... View Details

Keywords: Growth Management; Entrepreneurship; Leadership Style; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry