Hbr: Can This Brand Be Saved? Case Study

Case Study One: Can This Brand Be Saved?

Abstract

The Harvard Business Review presented an interesting case study involving La Shampoo, a company that sells stylish, high-end hair conditioning products. The firm now faces quite a dilemma. La Shampoo has lost brand power. People are no longer buying into its message and product. Lastly, La Shampoo has witnessed its sales revenue decline sharply. To counter these situations, two La Shampoo employees, Beth Hanson, who is a representative for the advertising agency that works on La Shampoo’s product line, and Eric Woolf, who is a sales manager, have proposed vastly different solutions. Eric desired to lower prices permanently to save the La Shampoo in the short term and prepare a long term strategy later. On the other side, Beth advocated an aggressive brand marketing blitz. While all of this was going on, brand manager Caroline was requested by the new product director, Marni Shin, to meet with him for a preliminary conversation and create a new combo package for La Shampoo. Currently, the company’s outcome is unknown because the two gentlemen have not decided on a solution for the marketing of La Shampoo. Caroline also noted that the data presented by both parties were inconclusive, as well as, had the ability to be spun for either side. Furthermore, Shin has not made a decision regarding the direction of La Shampoo either. Despite all this, La Shampoo does have a chance to survive the ordeal.

Keywords: dilemma, solutions, unknown, chance

Case Study One: Can This Brand Be Saved?

The uncertain, ambiguous ending of “Can This Brand Be Saved?” gives a compelling argument for the failure of the La Shampoo. It gives an even better case for the probable turnaround for La Shampoo. The company’s brand can be saved. It needs to return the basic principles of marketing, as well as incorporate some of the value chain concept into the company. While neither Eric’s nor Beth’s proposals are perfect, Beth’s proposal is...