Please note that is the answers should be your own words.

Participation 1– Class Discussion Questions WSJ Article:

WSJ Article:Apple Plans to Bring Feature-Length Films to Theaters

• Why is Apple planning a movie releases this way?
• Compare and contrast Apple’s strategy with that of Amazon and Netflix.
• What are the advantages and what are the disadvantages of Apple’s strategy?
• How does releasing a film in theaters potentially impact how a film and its producer are perceived?
• What are the financial tradeoffs between movies distributed via theaters vs. streaming?

Participation 2– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article: Elon Musk and the Dying Art of the Big Bet

• According to this article, on what basis does Elon Musk make new product decisions?
• What is Elon Musk’s approach to market research?
• What it the market value of Tesla? (according to the article)
• What is the author’s assessment of Elon Musk’s approach?
• According to the author of this article, what approach and methods should today’s marketers use to inform their decisions? Why?
• What is your own opinion on this matter? If you had to choose between using ‘gut instinct’ to inform business decisions vs. big data and marketing research, what do you favor? Why?
• Do you think Tesla’s cybertruck will be successful or not? Why?

Participation 3– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article:It’s Not You. Clothing Sizes Are Broken

• What are the problems relating to clothing sizes. (mention at least three)
• Are customers happy with sizing? Provide examples
• What are the consumer-related factors that contribute to the challenges of clothing sizes?
• How are other companies trying to solve this problem?
• Briefly describe and critically evaluate some of the strategies that various companies are using to help consumers find clothing that fits them well.
• Describe some of the implications of the fact that so many consumers think it is difficult to find clothes that fit.

Participation 4– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article: Lululemon Leans Into Men’s Apparel as Segment Expands

• What are the revenues of Lululemon?
• What has been Lululemon’s traditional market?
• To what degree has Lululemon been successful to-date in marketing its products to men?
• What percentage is coming from men? How much is it expected to increase?
• What specific strategies do you suggest that Lululemon should use to target men? Describe at least two ideas.
• In what ways might you expect men to be different from women in terms of their preferences and purchase habits of Lululemon products?
• What marketing research strategies might you recommend to Lululemon to better understand men and their preference and purchase habits relating to Lululemon-related products?

Participation 5 – Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article: Barbie at 60? Trivial Pursuit at 40? Toymakers Navigate Midlife

• What are some of the most well-known older ‘veteran’ toy brands?
• What are the challenges for each brand discussed in the article?
• What advantages do older ‘veteran’ toy brands have vs. new toy brands?
• What disadvantages do older ‘veteran’ toy brands have vs. new toy brands?
• What strategies do experts recommend that older ‘veteran’ toy brands should use, especially on key anniversaries?

Participation 6– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article:Beyond Meat Books First Profit as Competition Mounts

• What, exactly, is a meatless burger? What companies are in the lead right now in selling them?
• What are the selling points of the meatless burger?
• What are the characteristics of the meat alternative industry? (e.g. growth rate, size, type)
• What are the various stages of the product life cycle (PLC)?
• In which stage of the PLC do you think the meatless burger industry is at this time? Why?
• Given your answer to the previous question, what are the most appropriate marketing strategies that the leading companies should be deploying at this time?

Participation 7– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article:The Great Streaming Battle Is Here. No One Is Safe

• Why are so many companies launching video streaming services at this time?
• What are the biggest assets and the biggest risks of each service?
• Which companies desperately need their streaming service to be profitable, and which companies are not under the same pressure, at least in the short term? What difference does that make?
• How do you think consumers will navigate all of these choices, and how will consumer behavior play out over the long term with respect to their subscriptions to these services?

Participation 8– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article:Cashierless Stores Make Inroads in U.S.

• In your own words, explain what ‘cashierless technology’ is.
• What are the benefits of the AVA Retail Inc.’s system?
• What is the cost building cost, maintenance cost, and the error rate of the AVA Retail Inc.’s system?
• How will the consumer shopping experience be different with cashierless technology? In what ways might it be better, and in what ways might it be worse?
• To what extent might cashierless technology impact different segments of consumers differently? Think, for example, of elderly or low-income or disabled consumers.
• What are the employment and career implications of the emergence of cashierless technology?

Participation 9– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article: Amazon Has Ceded Control of Its Site.

• What is the main reason of the problem?
• What role do third-party sellers play in Amazon’s overall success (e.g. percentage of sales)?
• What are the examples of hazardous products sold on Amazon?
• What actions has Amazon already put in place to try to reduce the number of products on its site that have been declared unsafe by federal agencies, are deceptively labeled or are banned by federal regulators?
• What additional actions do you recommend that Amazon take to prevent the problems noted in #3?
• If consumers become more aware of the problems noted in #2, what impact might that have on Amazon’s brand and overall success?

Participation 10– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article:Peloton Backlash: Controversy Over Ads Often Is Short-Lived

• Why did the Peloton commercial that has generated so much controversy?
• What are the specific criticisms and concerns that have been raised about the commercial?
• What message was Peloton trying to convey through the commercial?
• What could Peloton have done differently to avoid creating the backlash it has experienced from the ad?
• To what degree has Peloton’s controversial ad impacted it financially?
• How much did Peloton spend on ads this year?
• What were the other ad examples that affected the firms’ stock market value?

Participation 11– Discussion Paper/In Class Discussion Questions

WSJ Article:Instagram’s Content Factories Are Huge—And That’s a Problem for Facebook

• What is distinctive about Instagram vs. other popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter?
• Why is Instagram important for Facebook? (e.g. market value, number of users, total ad revenue etc.)
• How does Instagram make money? In other words, describe Instagram’s business model.
• Describe the unintended consequences of Instagram’s popularity. How do these threaten the platform and its brand, overall?
• What’s one suggestion you would make to Instagram’s leadership team that you believe would help the platform maintain its originality and authenticity?