Case Analysis - Charlotte Beers at Ogilvy and Mather Worldwide

Upon review of the information provided, it is clear that a vision set forth by Upper management, President and CEO Edgar Bronfman, Jr. had not been implemented and there is much work that needs to be completed to fulfill his legacy. Bronfman’s statement was clear and concise with a vision to be sought after no matter the cost. His vision, according to Jick & Peiperl, 2011 is for Seagram’s to be the “best managed beverage company” (p. 255). Bronfman had an idea/image of how he wanted Seagram’s to be viewed by the world and its employees. His vision offered a baseline for all employees to follow which in turn offers a one company initiative. Offering this baseline for the corporation leaves no chance for deviation from the cause. This company with deep roots in diversity and was losing ground due to changes in the new ideas of sobriety, increases in taxes on liquor, the 1990s recession, increased government regulation and social criticism (Jick & Peiperl, 2011). To define this project is to give direction and purpose to Bronfman’s word by backing them with actual progress towards his vision. This vision for Seagram’s is to not be confused with the need of the newly acquired MCA Corporation. This company should have its own visions and values.

Charlotte Beers and her team should spend 1994 focused on achieving wholesale corporate buy-in and resolving tensions between the local managers and her global client teams. She should press ahead indoctrinating the firm in Brand Stewardship with a few adjustments.

This letter sheds light on one of the biggest problems people face in the workplace today. I believe you will find based on my research, that there is a need for awareness of this problem and we need to show individuals there is a way to resolve it.

1. Describe the main challenges faced by brand managers Marcilie Smith Boyle and Allison Warren. Of what relevant trends should they be aware?

Lund University, Sweden Berlin School of Economics and Law, Marketing Division, HWR Berlin, Germany Department of Marketing, Griffith Business School, Gold Coast Campus Queensland 4222, Australia

The 8 concepts I will discuss in this paper will stem from the courses: Leadership I & II, Critical Thinking I & II, Measurements I & II, Satisfying Customers II, and Satisfying Shareholders. While the information acquired from these courses provided the initial thought process for our organization, it was how we collectively decided to apply those principles in a creative and unique manner, in my opinion, is what gave us our competitive advantage. For example, imagine being told you could build your own car. You know the things the car must have to make it operational, such as the engine, the body, tires, etc. But it’s when you customize your car, it begins to take on your identity or brand, and this is what we did with our decision making processes in which I feel led to our organization’s ultimate success.

The vision was very customer focused. The customers loved the vision and what it would entail for their business. They bought into the vision readily and were very enthusiastic about it. Charlotte had taken over the responsibility of communicating with clients while the other managers handled internal communication. Since the original vision of brand stewardship was Charlotte’s, I believe she did a better job of it than the other managers.

From small businesses to large corporations, updating your company brand is a big project. Whether you've actively controlled your brand message or it has developed organically – virtually or through consistent consumer interpretation – predicting how your update will be received, and impact sales, can be more mysticism than science. Even companies with the deepest pockets have learned this the hard way. Remember "New Coke"?

“People learnt to trust the brand.” The early stages of setting up the franchise weren’t easy, skills had to be learnt that were previously not needed.

Therefore, Bronfman and his team looked the basic concepts of organizational change addressing strategic changes for reducing costs, looking at best practices of other organizations, and to increase business by researching customers wants and needs. He also implored the second concept of change by using the organization as a” mechanism that turn strategy into output” (Jick & Peiperl, 2011 p 240). This was accomplished through the spirit of teamwork and collaboration using the “top-down and bottom -up” approach to draft and create the Seagram Values that was reviewed and sanctioned by 300 diverse employees across the Seagram’s organization. Subsequently, the collaboration between management and the employees yielded the “Seagram Values” of: 1) Consumer and customer focus: 2) Respect: 3) Integrity: 4) Teamwork: 5) Innovation: and 6) Quality. Therefore, this collaborative environment between the leadership and the workforce drove culture change based on the involvement of leadership’s participation in creating the values, participating in the 360-degree feedback surveys, the communication cascade and the values training programs was a far departure from the hierarchal authoritative environment that once existed at Seagram. Furthermore, Bronfman’s measuring stick of evaluating the success of this new

The changes in vision allowed for the survival of the business in the market but skewed the initial objectives of the company which were to build something that people will buy. As a result, the changes weakened the company’s vision by veering the focus from the core values and goals of the organization. In time, getting back to the initial roots of the company and creating a new vision led the organization full circle and established a vision that re-emphasized why they are in

These companies were able to connect with their customers, whether it was the type of consumer product, product and service attributes, or building a strong band. Whatever these 10 companies focused more on or focused equally on, out of the 2,500 brands being surveyed these 10 hit it right on the mark. The case mentions all strong brands – whether it’s Facebook or Reese’s – are built around an ideal of improving consumers’ lives in some relevant

A corporate brand is like a good soup; when properly prepared it is far more than the sum of its parts. A magnificent soup starts with wholesome ingredients, but in time those ingredients harmonize and create a cacophony of flavors. With a successful brand, a similar process occurs. A company starts off with some guidelines and a few product ideas. Then, some magical happens; the company discovers it has opinions and stands for something – it has a set of values. These values enable the company to create an avatar of beliefs; a brand. Through this brand, customers are able to learn what values they share with that company. Customers that believe in the brand integrate it into their lifestyle and let it become part of

The ultimate goal of any company regardless of what industry or size is to maximize profit and expansion. In order for this to be achieved a good company must project a favorable image, personality and atmosphere.

Consulting Paper #1: The challenge of maintaining and improving brand management for Procter & Gamble