Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has paid for full- page advertisements in The Wall Street Journal that did not discuss any Honda products, refer to year-end earnings, or announce a new stock issuance. Instead, the ads informed readers that “buying quality parts is important to this company.” The ads named Honda suppliers and identified their locations. Prepare a brief essay to answer the following questions:
a. Why would Honda want newspaper readers to know what suppliers it uses?
b. Do you think these advertisements would have any benefit for Honda itself? Discuss the rationale for your answer.