Marketing →
- 30 Nov 2021
- Cold Call Podcast
TikTok: Super App or Supernova?
TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was launched in 2012 around the simple idea of helping users entertain themselves on their smartphones while on the Beijing Subway. By May 2020, TikTok operated in 155 countries and had roughly 1 billion monthly active users, placing it in the top ranks of digital platforms globally. But the app had drawn the attention of competitors, regulators, and politicians, especially in the US, where commercial success was critical to its long-term enterprise value. Would TikTok become the first “Super App” with a global footprint, or did it run the risk of becoming a supernova that shone brightly only for a passing moment? Harvard Business School senior lecturer Jeffrey Rayport discusses these strategic challenges in his case, “TikTok in 2020: Super App or Supernova?” Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 Sep 2021
- Research & Ideas
For Entrepreneurs, Blown Deadlines Can Crush Big Ideas
After a successful launch, entrepreneurs struggle to anticipate the complexities of product upgrades, says research by Andy Wu and Aticus Peterson. They offer three tips to help startups avoid disastrous delays. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 13 Jul 2021
- Research & Ideas
Outrage Spreads Faster on Twitter: Evidence from 44 News Outlets
When it comes to social sharing, doom-and-gloom tweets beat sunshine and rainbows, says research by Amit Goldenberg. Is it time to send in the positivity police? Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 04 Jan 2021
- Working Paper Summaries
The Twofold Effect of Customer Retention in Freemium Settings
Many digital products offer “freemiums”: that is, part of the product for free, often with advertising, and an enhanced customer experience for payment. This research, in a mobile game context, shows the importance of recognizing the short- and long-term effects on customer retention when managing the tradeoffs between free and paid aspects of freemium products.
- 22 Dec 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Dove: Maintaining a Brand with Purpose
Unilever’s Dove soap became a brand with purpose when it launched the “Campaign for Real Beauty” to combat media-driven stereotypes of female beauty. Can Dove maintain both its market position and social impact in the future? Senior Lecturer, Mark Kramer discusses his case, “Dove and Real Beauty: Building a Brand with Purpose.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 24 Nov 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Accounting for Product Impact in the Consumer Finance Industry
A framework and method for measuring and monetizing product impact across industries, applying it to two competitors in the consumer finance space.
- 10 Nov 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
The Challenges of Commercializing Fertility
Entrepreneur Christy Jones wants to create a venture to help women preserve their eggs and postpone motherhood. But what would an egg-freezing service sell—and to whom? Debora Spar discusses the challenges of commercializing fertility in a new case study. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 29 Oct 2020
- Research & Ideas
The COVID Gender Gap: Why Fewer Women Are Dying
To promote the greatest safety, public health officials should target their pandemic messaging to men differently than to women. Research by Vincent Pons and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Sep 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
How to Launch a New Biosciences Product: Start Small or Dive in?
C16 Biosciences wants to replace palm oil, a major contributor to deforestation, with a lab-grown substitute. But CEO Shara Ticku faces a tough decision in bringing the product to market. Jeff Bussgang discusses his case study. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 04 Aug 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Glossier Built a Cult-Brand and a Digital Community, but What’s Next?
Glossier, the digital-first, direct-to-consumer beauty brand considers shifting its strategy toward influencer marketing and paid media. Professor Jill Avery discusses her case study. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 Aug 2020
- What Do You Think?
Is the 'Experimentation Organization' Becoming the Competitive Gold Standard?
SUMMING UP: Digital experimentation is gaining momentum as an everyday habit in many organizations, especially those in high tech, say James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 07 Jul 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
SmileDirect Looks Beyond Direct-to-Consumer Marketing
PODCAST: Teledentistry company SmileDirectClub is butting up against the limits of direct-to-consumer marketing. Len Schlesinger discusses his recent case study with Matt Higgins. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 23 Jun 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Is it Time for Big Apple Circus to Fold the Tent?
David Fubini discusses his case study about the future of Big Apple Circus. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 16 Jun 2020
- Research & Ideas
Your Customers Have Changed. Here's How to Engage Them Again.
The coronavirus makes your customers less able and less willing to spend than before. How should you re-engage with them? Advice from Rohit Deshpandé and colleagues. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 07 Apr 2020
- Research & Ideas
What Customers Need to Hear from You During the COVID Crisis
Many brands have turned off their marketing efforts during the pandemic, but Jill Avery and Richard Edelman argue that now is the time when customers need to hear from you most. But what do you say? Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 09 Mar 2020
- Research & Ideas
Warring Algorithms Could Be Driving Up Consumer Prices
Companies increasingly use software to conduct rapid price changes. Alexander MacKay explains why firms might benefit but consumers should be worried. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 02 Mar 2020
- What Do You Think?
Are Candor, Humility, and Trust Making a Comeback?
SUMMING UP: Have core leadership values been declining in recent years? If so, how do we get them back? James Heskett's readers provide answers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 25 Feb 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores
Independent booksellers in the United States have proven resilient in the face of multiple technological and business model shifts in the bookselling industry. By tapping into a larger social movement that promotes the value of shopping local and a desire to cultivate community, successful booksellers are differentiating themselves from online and big box competitors.
- 30 Jan 2020
- Research & Ideas
The Upside of Highlighting a Product's Downsides
Companies want to show their offerings in the best light. Ryan W. Buell and MoonSoo Choi find out what happens when they also embrace transparency, accentuating the positive—and the negative. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
Peloton Changed the Exercise Game. Can the Company Push Through the Pain?
When COVID-19 closed gyms, seemingly everyone rushed to order a Peloton bike and claim a spot on the company's signature leader board. And then things quickly went downhill. A case study by Robert Dolan looks at the tough road the exercise equipment maker faces.