About this Assignment:

Each time we finish a section we'll reflect on it with an assignment that incorporates some of the themes from the unit. In this case you'll investigate the strategies of a successful brand and then apply them to a failing brand.

You'll present your research in a narrated PowerPoint (or any other slide program.) You can record your narration in several ways: through Powerpoint itself (the newest version is much improved and easy to use!), or by using Screencastomatic, Jing, One Drive, or other similar software programs. Each has free versions. Although SPS highlights Screencastomatic, it can be cumbersome to use. Any method you choose to narrate your slide presentation is fine with me. If you do want to try out Screencastomatic, click on 'Screencasting' in the course menu for more info.

When you finish your presentation you can attach the Powerpoint file, or if using alternate methods, upload a video to youtube, vimeo, etc. (make sure it's public) or you can attach an .mp4 or .mov file. (If your file won't upload to Blackboard or you are confused, you can just email it to me.)

Submisson details:

Your Screencast should be between 3 and 4 minutes long and contain 4 or 5 slides.

Your slides should consist of mostly images, charts or graphs with only a few lines of text. Your narration is the "text." Please don't fill up every slide with text!

BE SURE TO RECORD IN A QUIET LOCATION. Listen to your recording before submitting to be sure your voice is clear and there is no background noise.

1. Pick one successful brand (You can think big like Coke - or smaller like Lyft) and then one that is failing or has failed recently like Sears, Payless or MoviePass. Be creative; have fun with it. A Google search will provide you with many failing/bankrupt companies. The companies you choose can be in the same industries or different industries.

2. Using a similar strategy to week #1, do a very brief overview both companies. Have they been recently acquired by another company? Do they own other brands? What is the story of their success/failure? Look for news articles that point out what is or has happened to the company.

3. What is each company's branding strategy? What audience are/were they targeting?

4. Diagnose the brands. Why do you think the strong brand is doing well? Why do you think the weak brand is failing or failed?

5. What lessons can the weaker brand learn from the stronger brand? If you were a public relations manager what kind of branding strategy would you suggest for the weaker company? How would you save them?

6. Is there a need for any type of government regulation in the brands you researched? (for example, Uber and Robinhood face regulatory questions)

Please cite sources you used in an additional final slide.