Marketing Mistakes and Successes, 12th Edition

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

At this writing, Marketing Mistakes & Successes has passed its thirty-fifth anniversary. Who would have thought? The first edition, back in 1976, was 147 pages and included such long-forgotten cases as Korvette, W. T. Grant, Edsel, Corfam, Gilbert, and the Midi.

In this twelfth edition, two new cases are added with extensive modification to earlier cases. Other cases have been updated and in some instances reclassified. Some of the cases are as recent as today's headlines; several still have not come to complete resolution. A few older cases have been continued because of their relevant and enduring learning insights, even in today's changing environment.

The entire book is reorganized. We moved Marketing Wars to Part I and newly updated these cases with the latest competitive information. The Comebacks section is now Part II and the case of Chrysler's recovery after their disastrous merger with (turned acquisition of) Daimler has been moved to this section, joining the cases of McDonald's rebirth and Harley Davidson's enduring mystique. The Borders Bookstores case has been added to Part III, Marketing Mistakes. We think students will find this case particularly interesting and insightful. The Entrepreneurial Adventures Part IV, are updated with particular attention to Google's competition for consumers' digital time and Starbucks's setback and recovery. The exciting case of Toyota's accelerator problems is added to Part V, Ethical Mistakes. The cases close ...