Clorox Case

Case Assignment

The Clorox Company: Leveraging Green for Growth

MKTG S 30 Marketing Management

Prof. Ian Fenwick

Gregor Schmalz (EMBA 2012, S 550 005)

Your task is to advise Beth Springer, EVP – International & Natural Personal Care on the position she should take in the executive committee meetings. The following questions are in her mind, and need to be addressed in your recommendations:

* Should Clorox focus on costs and profitability, or accelerated growth?

* Is sustainability really a mainstream trend that can be expected to continue to drive consumer choice?

* Where should Clorox focus: emerging market or core businesses?

* Is there still a “green for growth” opportunity?

* You might find it useful to compare the situation of the three sustainable brands, and their prospects for 2011.

Dear Beth,

Please find below recommendations to the questions you have asked me. I put emphasize on the facts given in the case and came up with ideas, conclusions and recommendations. In exhibit 1 you will find financial data, in exhibit 2 stock development in exhibit 3 a comparison of the three brands (BRITA, BB and Green Works), and in exhibit 4 brief Q & A’s for your meeting.

I hope that my analysis of the situation is not too far from your ideas, in line with the Centennial Strategy, and somewhat in accordance with the opinions of the other committee members. Further, I anticipated your notification to leave Clorox (see exhibit 5) and hope that the development of the 3 brands and notably GREEN WORKS and its questionable future are not the reasons for your departure of the company.

I enjoyed working the past 21 years with you and for you.

In case of any questions you might have, please contact me

Very best regards and good luck for the meeting

Gregor

EXECUTIVE SUMMMARY:

Sustainability was and still is a mega-trend. Our company was and still is inspired by the development of the 3 brands. We could deliver tangible and...