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Shoppers stop - targeting the young case study analysis & solution, harvard business case studies solutions - assignment help.

Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young is a Harvard Business (HBR) Case Study on Sales & Marketing , Fern Fort University provides HBR case study assignment help for just $11. Our case solution is based on Case Study Method expertise & our global insights.

Sales & Marketing Case Study | Authors :: Shanker Krishnan, Chandra Sekhar Ramasastry

Case study description.

The case deals with how Shoppers Stop, a home-grown Indian retailer of branded apparel and accessories closely identified with the adult segment of customers for a decade and a half since inception, looked at the growing segment of the youth population. Against the backdrop of an aging demographic, particularly among countries in North America and Europe, India had an advantage of a largely young population. Thirty-five per cent of Indian were under 15 years of age and 70 per cent under 35 years of age - a profile likely to remain so for the next two decades. Topics of discussion include: Is there a risk for an adult company in targeting the young? Is there a risk in not targeting the young? Is there a business opportunity in the youth segment? What should Shoppers Stop do if it were to seize the opportunity? What is the addressable segment? Is a change in strategy required now or will tweaking the current strategy do?

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[10 Steps] Case Study Analysis & Solution

Step 1 - reading up harvard business review fundamentals on the sales & marketing.

Even before you start reading a business case study just make sure that you have brushed up the Harvard Business Review (HBR) fundamentals on the Sales & Marketing. Brushing up HBR fundamentals will provide a strong base for investigative reading. Often readers scan through the business case study without having a clear map in mind. This leads to unstructured learning process resulting in missed details and at worse wrong conclusions. Reading up the HBR fundamentals helps in sketching out business case study analysis and solution roadmap even before you start reading the case study. It also provides starting ideas as fundamentals often provide insight into some of the aspects that may not be covered in the business case study itself.

Step 2 - Reading the Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young HBR Case Study

To write an emphatic case study analysis and provide pragmatic and actionable solutions, you must have a strong grasps of the facts and the central problem of the HBR case study. Begin slowly - underline the details and sketch out the business case study description map. In some cases you will able to find the central problem in the beginning itself while in others it may be in the end in form of questions. Business case study paragraph by paragraph mapping will help you in organizing the information correctly and provide a clear guide to go back to the case study if you need further information. My case study strategy involves -

• Marking out the protagonist and key players in the case study from the very start.
• Drawing a motivation chart of the key players and their priorities from the case study description.
• Refine the central problem the protagonist is facing in the case and how it relates to the HBR fundamentals on the topic.
• Evaluate each detail in the case study in light of the HBR case study analysis core ideas.

Step 3 - Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young Case Study Analysis

Once you are comfortable with the details and objective of the business case study proceed forward to put some details into the analysis template. You can do business case study analysis by following Fern Fort University step by step instructions -

• Company history is provided in the first half of the case. You can use this history to draw a growth path and illustrate vision, mission and strategic objectives of the organization. Often history is provided in the case not only to provide a background to the problem but also provide the scope of the solution that you can write for the case study.
• HBR case studies provide anecdotal instances from managers and employees in the organization to give a feel of real situation on the ground. Use these instances and opinions to mark out the organization's culture, its people priorities & inhibitions.
• Make a time line of the events and issues in the case study. Time line can provide the clue for the next step in organization's journey. Time line also provides an insight into the progressive challenges the company is facing in the case study.

Step 4 - SWOT Analysis of Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young

Once you finished the case analysis, time line of the events and other critical details. Focus on the following -

• Zero down on the central problem and two to five related problems in the case study.
• Do the SWOT analysis of the Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young . SWOT analysis is a strategic tool to map out the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats that a firm is facing.
• SWOT analysis and SWOT Matrix will help you to clearly mark out - Strengths Weakness Opportunities & Threats that the organization or manager is facing in the Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young
• SWOT analysis will also provide a priority list of problem to be solved.
• You can also do a weighted SWOT analysis of Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young HBR case study.

Step 5 - Porter 5 Forces / Strategic Analysis of Industry Analysis Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young

In our live classes we often come across business managers who pinpoint one problem in the case and build a case study analysis and solution around that singular point. Business environments are often complex and require holistic solutions. You should try to understand not only the organization but also the industry which the business operates in. Porter Five Forces is a strategic analysis tool that will help you in understanding the relative powers of the key players in the business case study and what sort of pragmatic and actionable case study solution is viable in the light of given facts.

Step 6 - PESTEL, PEST / STEP Analysis of Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young

Another way of understanding the external environment of the firm in Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young is to do a PESTEL - Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental & Legal analysis of the environment the firm operates in. You should make a list of factors that have significant impact on the organization and factors that drive growth in the industry. You can even identify the source of firm's competitive advantage based on PESTEL analysis and Organization's Core Competencies.

Step 7 - Organizing & Prioritizing the Analysis into Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young Case Study Solution

Once you have developed multipronged approach and work out various suggestions based on the strategic tools. The next step is organizing the solution based on the requirement of the case. You can use the following strategy to organize the findings and suggestions.

• Build a corporate level strategy - organizing your findings and recommendations in a way to answer the larger strategic objective of the firm. It include using the analysis to answer the company's vision, mission and key objectives , and how your suggestions will take the company to next level in achieving those goals.
• Business Unit Level Solution - The case study may put you in a position of a marketing manager of a small brand. So instead of providing recommendations for overall company you need to specify the marketing objectives of that particular brand. You have to recommend business unit level recommendations. The scope of the recommendations will be limited to the particular unit but you have to take care of the fact that your recommendations are don't directly contradict the company's overall strategy. For example you can recommend a low cost strategy but the company core competency is design differentiation.
• Case study solutions can also provide recommendation for the business manager or leader described in the business case study.

Step 8 -Implementation Framework

The goal of the business case study is not only to identify problems and recommend solutions but also to provide a framework to implement those case study solutions. Implementation framework differentiates good case study solutions from great case study solutions. If you able to provide a detailed implementation framework then you have successfully achieved the following objectives -

• Detailed understanding of the case,
• Clarity of HBR case study fundamentals,
• Analyzed case details based on those fundamentals and
• Developed an ability to prioritize recommendations based on probability of their successful implementation.

Implementation framework helps in weeding out non actionable recommendations, resulting in awesome Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young case study solution.

Step 9 - Take a Break

Once you finished the case study implementation framework. Take a small break, grab a cup of coffee or whatever you like, go for a walk or just shoot some hoops.

Step 10 - Critically Examine Shoppers Stop - Targeting the Young case study solution

After refreshing your mind, read your case study solution critically. When we are writing case study solution we often have details on our screen as well as in our head. This leads to either missing details or poor sentence structures. Once refreshed go through the case solution again - improve sentence structures and grammar, double check the numbers provided in your analysis and question your recommendations. Be very slow with this process as rushing through it leads to missing key details. Once done it is time to hit the attach button.

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Category: Case Study blogs Redesign

Date: December 15, 2023

Popular Rebranding Case Studies for Inspiration

Establishing a compelling brand is pivotal for any business, and comprehending the intricacies of branding can be complex. It’s essential not only to understand your brand identity but also how customers perceive your products and services. Exploring brand case studies provides valuable insights, uncovering potential growth avenues based on the triumphs of other businesses. Leveraging the expertise of a reputable digital marketing company can further amplify your brand’s impact through strategic digital marketing services .

Did You Know?

It takes 5 to 7 impressions for people to remember a brand. And what if you were to rebrand the existing one?

Popular companies that were looking to rebrand often found it difficult because the old name was already established. The problem with this is when you are trying not only to establish your new brand but also live up the expectations of existing customers who have grown accustomed to buying from that particular business or industry category over time.

A lot goes down during this step: from researching companies’ history (both past successes/failures), coming up with new ideas about logo designs .

Here at ColorWhistle , we have curated a list of popular (non popular but useful ones too) rebranding case studies that you can refer to, when you are looking to rebrand your brand.

Inspirational Rebranding Case Studies

The rebranding process is a lot like an organism that evolves over time. The goal for any brand, whether they’re doing well or not so much in their market space, is to be able to find ways of improving on what’s already there and sometimes this means changing how you look from head-to toe!

As seen with many brands who’ve gone through major transformations such as Nike Inc., Redbull, Target etc.. Let’s have a look at some popular rebranding case studies to have a better vision of what worked and what was the thought process behind rebranding.

Animal Planet 

The new logo and tagline for Animal Planet is “Bringing people up close in every way,” which really tells the channel’s story. The graphic reflects this mission statement with an elephant, just representing the mood of the brand!

Case Study Link

Animal Planet has been a much-loved brand around the world for more than 20 years and the time has never been more right to engage with mass audiences across every platform who are as passionate about animals as we are.

– Susanna Dinnage, Animal Planet’s Global President

Rejuvenating a well-loved brand is no easy task. But it’s critical to ensure that the refreshed, revitalized product resonates with customers and speaks directly at their hearts in order for them not only stay loyal but increasingly come back again and recommend your business or organization to others.

Your products should reflect what you stand for as an organization so they can speak volumes about who are trying new things while still holding true on key values like quality, durability & affordability; also ensuring there’s room left over just because people want more than anything else truly meaningful when engaging digitally these days

Evernote’s brand rejuvenation is a clear example of well crafted rebranding strategy.

Throughout the process of evolving our brand, we have looked to our past for inspiration for our future. We started as a place to remember everything, and that will never go away. Our brand now reflects our broader purpose.

– Chris O’Neill, Evernote’s CEO

Mailchimp’s branding was a bit outdated and they needed a complete rebranding. They also wanted their website updated so customers could find them easily on different devices like tablets or smartphones instead of just desktop computers.

With this redesign, we set out to retain all the weird, lovable elements that endeared our earliest customers to Mailchimp, while creating space for the brand to grow and connect with even more small businesses. We didn’t want to lose our heritage in the process, so we focused on capturing the essence of what Mailchimp has always been.

– Mailchimp’s Blog

The Ruby Mills

Ruby Mills teamed with a digital agency to rebrand itself and showcase it as a part of the new trending modern digital space. The logo was refurbished to reaffirm the legacy of the brand in a contemporary manner, and yet keeping the visual language flexible enough for digital (online) & offline media and product representation. 

The brand name connoted preciousness and gave us a solid foundation to work with. The new identity was found completely aligned to the Ruby legacy and its progressive future.

– Elephant Design, Digital Agency

Slate’s Logo needed a revamp as their logo was outdated and needed a refresh to match the new industry standards. The logo was reimagined and cleaned up for a more distinct look. The “A” is being revealed, uncovering its true form in an elegant manner that hints at all those who have come before it.

Our approach was to visualize Slate’s story-making process with a language that feels like sifting through the news, looking for hidden clues and cracking the code that blows open the case. 

– Gretelny, Design Studio

Uber was famous for its inverted U in their logo and when they decided they needed a brand refresh, There were mixed responses and yet Uber’s logo refresh was a very significant one with more sophisticated typography and branding elements.

Molly Watson, the director of the verbal identity at Wolff Olins San Francisco, said the new logo was designed to represent Uber’s growth and security.

The name dunkin itself reminds us of their bright colors and their fresh look in branding. While rebranding they took a big decision of letting go their second word which is donuts and made a more crispier logo that’s even more recognizable and carried their legacy.

The new branding, developed in partnership with new creative and branding agencies Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR), BBDO New York and Arc Worldwide, is one part of Dunkin’s multi-faceted blueprint for growth, a plan designed to transform the company into the premier beverage-led, on-the-go brand.

– news.dunkindonuts.com

When you’re just starting out, it is enough to create a single image for your company. But as soon as growth starts happening at an impressive rate and new employees start calling in with questions about how things work or what their function might be within the organization, you need to be more aware of how the brand fits the industry. Dropbos decided on a revamp that didn’t change much but yet created an impact.

Our new illustration style picks up where our earliest style—loose, handmade, witty—left off,” write creative director Aaron Robbs and VP of Design Nicholas Jitkoff.

Slack always had an eye of detail in their logo. The hash in their logo was very popular for the kind of brand it was. Yet slack decided to rebrand and give a fresh look to their logo to adapt more into the trend and industry. The new logo looked fresh and more adaptable to the brand statement of Slack

It uses a simpler color palette and, we believe, is more refined, but still contains the spirit of the original. It’s an evolution, and one that can scale easily, and work better, in many more places. 

– Slack Team

Intel with the ring is what comes to mind when one thinks about the brand. Intel decided to give a brand refresh while continuing their brand vision and brand statement. They believed that this refresh will help them connect more to their customers and do something wonderful.

The new logo represents a dramatic simplification of the Intel brand identity. Crafted with an underlying geometry, the logo has a refined symmetry, balance, and proportion that is understated and iconic.

– Team Intel

PayPal is a digital payments company known for its bold and progressive innovations. With all the exciting changes in the industry, they considered creating an even more creative expression of PayPal—the original innovator that started it all!

“At PayPal, we always strive to lead as a revolutionary brand. With our rapidly changing environment, we must create based on the needs and changes in the marketplace,” said Christina Smedley, vice president, Global Brand and Communications, PayPal.

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​​The importance of branding/rebranding case studies to understand the process cannot be overstated. 

These case studies provide an excellent and detailed look at how different brands were able to successfully navigate their own unique challenges, which will ultimately translate into success for your business in various aspects ranging from digital marketing efforts through customer service interactions with clients or employees alike!

Looking for rebranding services? Contact Us

The rebranding process is a lot of work, but it’s worth the effort. Case studies show that when you take on this challenge and succeed in your goal to make an improved version of who we were before-only then will people see how great the new branding really does help to achieve better positioning within markets.

The benefits from case study research are clear: not just for yourself as a business owner or manager seeking knowledge about what works best with customers; also those looking into getting more knowledgeable staff members can rely upon them because now there’ll always be somebody willing & able.

-Sankar, CEO at ColorWhistle

In quest of the Perfect Website Redesign Solutions Buddy?

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• Oct 28, 2020

REBRANDING FOR SUCCESS + CASE STUDY

How to know when it’s time to rebrand.

Many new factors regarding your brand identity come to light, especially in the early years of your budding business. Let’s face it, the learning curve is steep, it seems overwhelming and you're flooded with information from every angle. After that initial startup period things seem to settle, however…, these following issues may now be apparent.

Your perceived target audience may have changed.

You have developed new aspirations for your business.

Your current logo/branding may not be working well across all social platforms or could be lacking online presence.

You set up your business on a budget and are now feeling left in the dust by your competition, now losing confidence in your brands appeal.                                                                                                                                  

The last point is extremely common and should be addressed as soon as possible to maintain any forward momentum that you may have created. This is common when a company has fallen into the trap of using something like a logo generator, which leaves you with a design that is similar to many others in your market.

Some other reasons to rebrand could also be…

You are merging with an existing company! Congratulations, a great reason to create an exciting new brand!

You may have purchased an existing company, but their branding is the original 90s feel.

Something may have happened that has dented your brands reputation. 

Your brand was designed many years ago and the colour palette and fonts are no longer relevant. 

Your brand is not in line with your company culture. 

Your business has the opportunity to expand or target a new audience.

DO ANY OF THESE RESONATE WITH YOU?

If the answer is yes, then its time to seriously think about rebranding your business. Keep this in mind, your brand should reflect your desired placement in the market, for example, if you want to compete with Audi then there is no use looking like Mazda. (sorry Mazda). 

Identifying your target audience is a must, so that your branding can be tailored to appeal to that specific demographic, meaning less wasted energy and advertising. Your brand must also evolve just as your business does, and even if a logo remains the same, the way in which it is displayed can be updated to keep it fresh.

Be sure to portray what makes your product or service unique. 

Below is a case study of Milly’s Magic rebrand, who sort advice just two years after starting her business, it has now been one year since her rebrand.

How I helped a product based business profit grow over 100% in one year.

After discussing with Rebecca her current situation we found the below to be her key requirements:

Convey a professional brand

Higher quality and more efficient labelling

Grow online presence 

Start reaching out to retailers to expand her business

Our area of focus for Rebecca were:

Logo design

Creating a strong brand identity

Product label design

Print management for quality and consistency

Continued brand guidance

The outcome after 1 year:

Over 100% profit growth 

Increasing retail stockist sales

Significantly less labour requirement

Large scale retail interest

A few words from Rebecca,

"When I started my business I never anticipated it to grow like it has. My labels were home made (on Microsoft word with google images) and were individually printed and cut by myself. This became a very tedious and time consuming process. I wanted to reach out to shops and start expanding further but felt my labels lacked professionalism. So I began chatting to Leticia about what she could do to help me out.. and there was no looking back from there!” "I look at my labels and feel so proud at how professional they now look. Every time I make new product and sit down to label my stock I smile, just thinking about all the effort involved in the budget labels I use to use! My customers love the new look and have continuously commented on how nice they look!" "Since my rebrand last November and launching my website in January, sales have been increasing steadily, at least 100%, some months have been more! My customers love the new look and have continuously commented on how nice they look!”

For more information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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Rebranding Case Study: 17 Success Stories of Brands That Changed for the Better and You Can Too in 2024

Are you looking for a rebranding case study to follow?

During the last two years, companies were forced to rebrand in order to stay in business.

For instance, store owners that lost foot traffic switched to printing masks which were sorely in need.

You will find more than one creative rebranding case study success story here.

By the time you’re done reading this rebranding case study guide, you’ll be able to replicate the success stories. You’ll also be able to avoid the disappointments that this article also shares.

This post presents these success stories in hopes you can find at least one rebranding case study you can use as your action plan to follow.

I asked the experts at HARO (Help a Reporter Out) to provide rebranding case study examples in the form of success stories of businesses that made a change toward a more successful path.

This is what I asked the HARO experts:

“I am writing a post about companies that successfully rebranded. Please send three examples of rebranding success stories. What was the company like before the rebrand? What was the company like after the rebrand?”

Perhaps you’ll be inspired by these rebranding case study examples to make your own pivot that will lead toward greater business success.

By reading this guide, you can find a rebranding case study you can follow to boost your business’s success .

This post about how to conduct a rebranding case study will show you if it’s even worth your time to rebrand.

Which companies got it right? Let’s start looking at an example of a rebranding case study you can tweak for your business.

If you are only interested in the McDonalds rebranding case study and Target rebranding case study, watch this video.

What Does “Rebranding” Mean?

When a company rebrands, they intend to change the firm’s image.

Many brands change by becoming disruptors. In other words, they disrupt their industries. When they change, in order to keep up with the disruptor, the whole industry has to change.

For instance, their new way of operating might make the old way obsolete for everyone in their niche.

When they invent a product that makes their competitors’ products seem outdated, this is called a disruptive product.

This post shares 17 rebrands that resulted in greater success for the companies.

Read on to discover these companies’ success stories.

Rebranding Case Study: 17 Changes That Worked

Which rebranding case study is the most ingenious? Which will you use as an action plan?

Examples of a Successful Rebranding Case Study

What was the company like before the rebrand? What was the company like after the rebrand?

Rebranding Case Study #1: ANS

Ans:  Rebranding is a thoughtful process of changing the brand image of the entire organization. It is also a strategic technique or a way to give a new brand name, logo, values, mission change in the design and overall look and feet for the established brand.

There are countless numbers of traditional as well as modern businesses who, at some point, feel unsatisfied when they release some different product and for which they stand differently. The rebranding process starts in the picture, and rebranding is very good and necessary today, especially in the modern business where there is a lot of competition among the different brands.

Rebranding your company or your product is a strategic decision used to upgrade the company’s image and occupy the space in the minds of the people when they are rebranding to make the lifestyle better.

For example, people do not value the BMW automobiles for their features, color or design features. These elements change every year as per the new trend. So, people value the company name and its logo more than the cars. This is what we can call rebranding.

Lyle Florez,   http://easypeoplesearch.com/

Ans:  Rebranding can range from the feel and look of a company to the entire structure of the company’s identity. Good rebranding done at the right time can provide the business with many opportunities.

Rebranding Case Study #2 : Microsoft

Microsoft’s search engine was formerly known as Bing, but in 2020 Microsoft renamed it from Bing to Microsoft Bing. This name rebranding states it clearly that the search engine belongs to the Microsoft team. Also, the logo was adjusted to fit Microsoft’s corporate design.

It is clear that rebranding does not usually require a complete change of the external features.

Rebranding Case Study #3: Merck

In 2015, Merck’s chemical and pharmaceutical company decided to rebrand their identity from a classic chemical and pharmaceutical company to a global science and technology group. To achieve this, Merck removed outdated elements and replaced them with newer eye-catching ones to further represent their brand name.

Rebranding Case Study #4: McDonalds “Supersize Me”

McDonald’s, a leading company in the fast-food industry, did not have a good image. The company was widely seen as a lowbrow and unhealthy food option for lunch.

In 2004, McDonald released the popular documentary known as “Supersize Me,” and this played a great role in further proving why fast food was not good for people’s health. But in 2006, McDonald reviewed their menu and started providing healthier options that could easily appeal to people, and this gave them a new image.

Jason CordesPosition,   https://cocoloan.co.uk

Rebranding Case Study #5: Pepsi

Pepsi rebranded as “Pepsi Zero” in order to attract a more youthful audience.

When Pepsi announced their new Pepsi Zero line, they knew that they needed to target a younger audience. They created a completely new logo and packaging that was designed to look more like something you would see on social media or in a trendy bar. The goal was to create an image that was fun and youthful, while still being credible and respectable. After the rebranding, Pepsi saw a significant increase in sales among young adults.

Rebranding Case Study #6: Dell

Dell rebranded as “Dell Inspirion” to appeal to a more tech-savvy customer base.

Dell was a company that had been around for years, but its brand wasn’t very well-known or respected. They decided to rebrand and try to appeal to a more tech-savvy customer base. After the rebrand, Dell’s sales increased significantly and its image shifted from being a traditional computer company to one that was more in touch with the latest technological trends.

Rebranding Case Study #7: McDonalds McCafé

McDonald’s rebranded its McCafé coffee shops as “McDonald’s Coffee” to attract a more upscale clientele.

Prior to the rebrand, McDonald’s McCafé coffee shops were generally known for their lower quality coffee and lackluster customer service. After the rebrand, McDonald’s Coffee locations became more upscale, with a focus on providing high-quality coffee and attentive customer service. The results of the rebrand were positive; sales increased by 7% and Average Ticket Price (ATP) increased by 5%.

Asako Ito, Divine Lashes

Rebranding Case Study #8: Dunkin’ Donuts

Dunkin’ Donuts has changed its name and officially became Dunkin’ earlier this year. While this brand is identical to donuts, it no longer needs the word “donuts” to leave a mark on the customers.

This company is the best example of successful rebranding as it streamlines the experience for the customers while staying true to its heritage. Such rebranding executes from inside the store to the outside world, including store remodels, logo redesign, different brand messaging on the marketing channels, etc.

Rebranding Case Study #9 Dominos

This brand was at a loss in 2009 when it held only a 9% share of the entire pizza restaurant market. But this company transformed everything with a successful rebranding as it started focusing on fixing what customers didn’t like about its products. Therefore, as a result, by 2016, the company held a 15% share of the market and had become the higher customer fidelity among the pizza chains. 

Stella Cooper, PaydayLoansUK                                       

Rebranding Case Study? More like a new birth!

It is true that a brand’s success does not depend solely on its products or services. How the audience perceives the brand also plays a major role.

Here are a few brands that rebranded successfully:

Regarding Dominos, our expert added:

Domino’s: What comes to mind with this name? Most people would say Pizza and rightly so. But the brand was turning in huge losses towards 2010-11 and was almost on the verge of shutting down. But the strategy to rebrand and focus on customer feedback is what made them stand where they are today.

Rebranding Case Study #10: Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson: Once on the edge of bankruptcy, Harley-Davidson and its rebranding should be taught in B-Schools. Tough decisions of weeding out the unimpactful individuals from the management and not compromising on the high quality are what made Harley-Davidson’s rebranding a success.

Rebranding Case Study #11: Target

Target: There was a time when Target used to be another one of those discount supermarket chains that could not be distinguished from its counterparts. Until one day when they decided to join hands with renowned designers and launch their line of apparel which is how they successfully rebranded themselves.

Eliana Levine, https://findpeopleeasy.com   

I have seen various rebranded success stories in the past few years. I would share my best three here.

Here is my take on your query.

Before explaining, the three rebrand success stories include Dunkin’, Tupperware, and Domino’s.

Regarding Dunkin’ Donuts, our expert added,

In the early days of 2022, Dunkin’ Donuts officially became “Dunkin’.” Customers have become familiar with the brand even without using donuts in it, thanks to their tagline, “America runs on Dunkin”. The rebranding includes logo redesign , packaging design, store models, and marketing communication. It is a rebranding success.

Rebranding Case Study #12: Tupperware

Next, we have Tupperware, the brand best known for durable household products. While becoming less relevant due to cheaper alternatives and better competitor branding, Tupperware hits back after a proper rebranding ( tagline: Confidence Becomes You) and price optimization approach. The rebrand was a success, and we see a major part of the USA and Indian population using Tupperware for their households.

Editor’s Note: Regarding Domino’s, our expert added,

“Finally, we have Domino’s. It was a literal loss and failure in 2009, having 9% of the market share. The company altered this with rebranding. They focused on what customers disliked. As a result, they received a 15% market share and held the highest customer loyalty among pizza chains.”   Radhika Gupta, https://365solutions.com/  

A CHANGE OF NAME GOT THEM AFLOAT!

Here is a list of three distinct companies that rebranded down to a change of name and now they have established their new brand successfully.

Rebranding Case Study #13: Instagram

Burbn is a social media app made by founders Kevin Systron and Mike Kreiger; the media app did not receive a favorable welcome on the social media market because of its many undesirable features.

Until October 6th, 2010 when they reintroduced themselves to the market as Instagram, with new and better features, they have been able to stay relevant as one of the highest-grossing and most used social media apps.

Related Reading: Advantages and Disadvantages of Instagram

Rebranding Case Study #14: PayPal

Confinity was doomed to a downward plunge in the financial market as its financial exchange app did not receive much acceptance.

Merging with Elon Musk’s X.com granted them an opportunity for a name change and a rebrand becoming the very successful PayPal that we know today.

Rebranding Case Study #15: Google

It was earlier called Backrub, a search engine for the early 1990s but it was way less of a success because the pun of the name did not sit well with the crowd of that time. So in other to gain a place and social acceptance, the name was changed to Google in 1997 and it has remained relevant and successful as a rebranded company to date.

Ellie Walters, http://findpeoplefaster.com/

Rebranding Case Study #16: MeWe

MeWe, the social media platform, was formed in 2012 and underperformed as a contender in the social media space.

In 2016, MeWe rebranded as a Facebook competitor. Also known as a Facebook clone, MeWe was virtually like Facebook in every way except one. Unlike Facebook, MeWe guaranteed your privacy would be protected and your data would be safe.

MeWe experienced stratospheric success as a result and today offers social media users a Facebook alternative.

More information about MeWe can be found in these MeWe reviews .

Rebranding Case Study #17: Burger King

Did you know Burger King rebranded by changing its packaging?

In 2022, Burger King changed its branding by adopting a flat logo.

According to a source , the fast-food giant wanted a more nostalgic brand with colors that consumers associate with food.

A Rebranding Case Study That Didn’t Work

New kids on the block, nkotb.

New Kids on the Block was a boy band that was extremely successful in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. They sold more than 70 million records worldwide.

After experiencing unprecedented success, the group rebranded as NKOTB, an acronym for New Kids on the Block.

They immediately lost popularity. Despite trying to regain their success and go back to being known as “New Kids on the Block,” the group could never revive their superstardom.

Although New Kids on the Block is not a company, you get the idea that not all brands who try to change their images do so successfully.

Wrapping Up: Rebranding Case Study

In closing, this article presented 17 examples of a rebranding case study that worked for different brands.

Now that you’ve read them, you can also cut through the noise and stand out in your niche.

Did you notice that these companies all emerged as authorities in their industries after they rebranded?

Please share so entrepreneurs can follow a rebranding case study found here and become a success like these business owners.

I look forward to your views in the comments section. Did you find any rebranding case studies inspirational? Do you think you can follow a company’s example that made a successful pivot?

Janice Wald is the founder of MostlyBlogging.com and co-founder of the Mostly Blogging Academy. She is an ebook author, blogger, blogging coach, blogging judge, freelance writer, and speaker. She won the Best Internet Marketer Award and the Best Blogger Award at the 2021 Infinity Blog Awards. Wald was also nominated as 2019 Best Internet Marketer by the Infinity Blog Awards and in 2017 as the Most Informative Blogger by the London Bloggers Bash. She’s been featured on Small Business Trends, the Huffington Post, and Lifehack.

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5 Rebranding Case Studies And What We Can Learn From Them

by Anabelle Pang

Jul 17, 2023 • 5 min read

What you'll learn:

There comes a time in many a company's lives when they need to make a change. Here are 5 successful and unsuccessful rebranding case studies.

Are you considering rebranding your business? Or maybe you’re just interested in the impact a new brand can have on a company. Either way, looking at past case studies, both good and bad, is fascinating. 

In our divisive world fuelled by social media and cancel culture, getting your message across correctly is essential. In the age of visual content, brand identity plays a huge role in conveying your mission to the right audience. 

But what if it goes wrong? Or what if people lose interest ? This is when companies begin to consider a rebranding strategy . This can involve a new logo, a redesign, a name change, and even new typography. Anything that can help reboot their visual identity. We’re going to be exploring 5 case studies and deciding whether they were a rebranding success or a damaging flop.

5 Rebranding case studies

We’ve chosen the following case studies for various reasons . Some rebranded with the goal of staying up-to-date; others tried to cover up past mistakes. And a few made a concerted effort to claw back into the industry. 

Let’s have a look at where things went right or where they went terribly wrong.

In 2003, Lego was $800 million in debt and facing bankruptcy. Hard to believe, right? They seem like such an iconic toy – a quintessential part of the majority of our childhoods. 

Despite having maintained a strong brand identity since 1932, things started to slip in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The turn of the 21st century saw a rise in electronics, and it seemed as though people would potentially turn away from regular, physical toys in favor of their shinier, more interactive counterparts. 

For a time, Lego managed to mitigate this issue by licensing intellectual property – a genius marketing move that started in 1999 in collaboration with Star Wars in preparation for The Phantom Menace . However, their expansion into physical theme parks across the world, overproduction of bricks, and general mismanagement of marketing strategies served to dilute their lovable branding to a nearly irredeemable degree. 

So, what changed? 

Lego was in the unfortunate position where they had to walk a fine line between staying true to their older, authentic selves and modernizing for a new age. Deals with blockbuster films that led to the release of new brick sets and games (Lego Star Wars in 2005) certainly helped keep things afloat for a while, but more had to be done at the core of the company. 

The CEO at that time, Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, began dramatic changes. This included:

• Cutting jobs
• Reducing expenditures
• Moving production to developing countries
• Selling Legoland theme parks
• Paying closer attention to older Lego fans, as well as conducting research into the likes and dislikes of a new generation of children
• Bringing focus back to what made Lego unique and iconic in the first place

And it worked. Within only a few years, Lego was starting to see a major increase in profits, brand deals, and overall consumer satisfaction. Now, with a plethora of games, films (including four theatrical releases), and a current market share of 7.6% , they are the largest toy brand in the world.

Our verdict? Yes, a very successful rebranding, indeed.

This is an incredibly controversial rebranding case study due to the devastating events surrounding it.

In 2001, following widespread public criticism of their safety standards, BP spent over $200 million on a rebrand, which not only included a new logo, but also a new name. British Petroleum became Beyond Petroleum. 

The premise was clear. BP seemed to be heading in a direction away from fossil fuels and towards greener, more sustainable energy. But it was a promise they were never able to fully keep. 

In 2006, 200,000 gallons of oil spilt from a BP pipeline in Alaska. 

In 2009, they sold their wind farms in India. 

Then, in April 2010, the oil rig Deepwater Horizon, drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, suffered a devastating blowout. This explosion claimed the lives of 11 crew members and caused the largest marine oil spill in history. 

The rig, although owned by Transocean, was operated by BP. Due to the extreme negligence and lack of safety compliance, BP were made to pay a total of $65 billion towards the Clean Water Act (CWA), in fines and penalties, and in compensation towards the families of those who lost their lives.

Facing severe financial pressure, BP even sold their solar panels in 2011. 

Now they are undergoing another rebranding, hoping to develop a new identity that sets them apart from their past. By 2030, they aim to have invested up to $60 billion in renewable energy, and have already increased their production of renewable energy sources such as offshore wind farms and biofuels.  

Ultimately, only time will tell if they can actually turn things around and make good on their word. For now, our verdict is that this was a majorly unsuccessful branding case study.

Oatly’s story is significantly more positive. Their revamp shows that even small brands can make it big with the right ingenuity. 

Oatly is a Swedish company owned by Rickard and Bjorn Oeste, who made the first ever oat milk in the early 1990s. Due to the size of the company and limited availability of budget, it took some creative thinking to start gathering more attention. 

In the early 2010s, under the guidance of their new CEO, Toni Petersson, Oatly changed their packaging design to something bold, instantly recognizable, and far more in keeping with their brand values. They adopted a more informal, chatty tone and incorporated this wittiness into their products. Every side of the milk cartons had something engaging or interesting to read about and used accessible jargon to make sure everyone was included. Even their name on the packaging, ‘Oatly!’, seemed exuberant and full of energy.

This coincided with efforts to push for greater sustainability, which led to a huge increase in brand awareness, giving them global recognition.

So, is it a successful rebranding? We’d definitely say so.

PayPal is an example of an already successful brand looking to redesign themselves for a modern audience. They partnered with the design studio Gretel to achieve these results. 

The rebranding process started with an update to the old logo. The simple two-tone ‘P’ was simplified even further, becoming just a silhouette. The shades of blue were separated more, shadowing one another more clearly. A splash of vibrant gold was added to many of the backgrounds as a nice contrast and to build a sense of ‘delight’ , as Gretel puts it. 

Then the marketing campaigns and updated advertisements added a greater sense of diversity – something which PayPal has begun to strive for a lot more with their “people first” approach. This article notes that PayPal’s logo now even adheres to the standards set by the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible design, which could potentially open their branding up for even more customers. 

However, despite their best efforts, PayPal’s stock price has continued to steadily drop. Despite doing exceptionally well during the Covid-19 pandemic, this growth just hasn’t continued since. 

Now they’re pushing for greater integration of renewable energy, striving to go completely green in terms of powering their data centers by the end of 2023. 

Were they successful in their rebrand? We’d give it a solid ‘meh’. The designs are nice, visually appealing, and more inclusive, but it didn’t promote any real revenue growth or actionable change. 

Better luck next time?

5. Mailchimp

Mailchimp started out within the niche of email marketing. However, after multiple customer surveys , they realized they could break out of this pigeonhole and offer more to their clients. To do this, they needed a rebrand. 

Another one of Mailchimp’s issues was the irregularity between their logo and their mascot. They knew they needed to refresh the brand identity, so they decided to kill two birds with one stone in a complete revamp. 

However, they didn’t part with their fun and quirky brand personality. Instead, they leaned into it more. This is because the business developed a great relationship with its customers over the years, so to remain loyal and accessible to them, they kept the heart of the brand. Including the mascot, Freddie. This was also clear in their new typeface of Cooper Light and their color palette of bright yellow. Everything about the rebrand screamed fun, excitable, and accessible. 

The new logo, whilst remaining true to the mascot, felt more authoritative and professional. The simplicity of the design and the jet black against the yellow, along with the bold typeface, meant it was also attractive to new customers. 

Ultimately, this revamp allowed Mailchimp to offer more products, solutions, and services. It saw them break through the constraints of email communication and access the wider industry of general marketing. 

We give two thumbs up. A successful branding campaign all around!

Time for a makeover

The success of your rebrand has a lot to do with the digital marketing campaign that goes alongside it. Even Oatly made use of this to a certain degree, with their wacky, left-right scrolling on their website rather than the conventional up-down we’re all used to. It definitely serves to set them apart!

If you want your product to stick in your consumers’ minds, you need to find clever ways to be unique, especially if you’re a small startup company. It’s okay to change your brand strategy over time – in fact, it’s very much encouraged! You can’t expect one thing to work forever, as nice as that would be. Even Lego had to change it up eventually.

But don’t worry, there’s always going to be someone there to help. Whether you take on the challenge yourself with a dedicated team or decide to enlist the help of a branding agency to put you back on the right track, a rebrand will help freshen up stagnant areas and brush off the dust.

Branding & Design

Written by Anabelle Pang

Creative Director & Partner at Literal Humans

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Shoppers Stop Limited: Developing Sense-and-Respond Capabilities (A)

By: Pragya Arya, Sanjay Kumar, Narain Gupta

In January 2013, the chief executive officer and the department heads of Shoppers Stop Limited, India's largest department store chain, met to discuss the Indian government's imminent clearance of…

• Length: 9 page(s)
• Publication Date: Sep 11, 2020
• Discipline: Operations Management
• Product #: W20752-PDF-ENG

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In January 2013, the chief executive officer and the department heads of Shoppers Stop Limited, India's largest department store chain, met to discuss the Indian government's imminent clearance of direct foreign investment applications by major global retailers. To prepare for the upcoming challenges from international competition, the head of the non-apparel department was asked to prepare a strategy. After discussions with the other department heads, he decided to recommend a sense-and-respond business model. However, he was unable to complete his plan because the head of distribution and logistics was unavailable until the following week. In part B of this case, the head of the non-apparel department met with the head of distribution and logistics to assess the advantages and disadvantages of centralized and decentralized distribution and logistics structures. The head of the non-apparel department was considering an expansion to an online business, and knew that a dedicated, efficient, and cost-effective distribution and logistics system would ensure its success. He had a preliminary plan for a sense-and respond strategy but had some lingering questions. Which key elements of this strategy did the organization already possess? How could Shoppers enhance these capabilities in the future? Would the company need a major distribution and logistics restructuring to improve its sense-and-respond capability?

Pragya Arya is affiliated with Management Development Institute. Sanjay Kumar is affiliated with . Narain Gupta is affiliated with Management Development Institute.

Learning Objectives

This two-part case is suitable for graduate and MBA courses in retail, supply chain, and service operations management, as well as in information technology. The case can also be used as an introduction to managing a department store retail chain. After completion of part A of this case, students will be able to understand the retail operations of a large departmental store chain; understand the need to capture fast-changing customer preferences; appreciate the ability of the sense-and-respond business model to influence the future of a retailer and enhance its competitive advantage; describe the role of various technologies in making the sense-and-respond business model an effective strategy for an organization; and analyze the decisions involved in improving the purchase and supply processes of a retail departmental store chain.

Sep 11, 2020

Discipline:

Operations Management

Geographies:

Industries:

Retail and consumer goods, Retail trade

Ivey Publishing

W20752-PDF-ENG

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• Full IELTS Practice Tests
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IMPLEMENTING THE CYCLE OF SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY

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Solution for: IMPLEMENTING THE CYCLE OF SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY

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Within Australia, Australian Hotels Inc (AHI) operates nine hotels and employs over 2000 permanent full-time staff, 300 permanent part-time employees and 100 casual staff. One of its latest ventures, the Sydney Airport hotel (SAH), opened in March 1995. The hotel is the closest to Sydney Airport and is designed to provide the best available accommodation, food and beverage and meeting facilities in Sydney's southern suburbs. Similar to many international hotel chains, however, AHI has experienced difficulties in Australia in providing long-term profits for hotel owners, as a result of the country's high labour-cost structure . In order to develop an economically viable hotel organisation model, AHI decided to implement some new policies and practices at SAH.

The first of the initiatives was an organisational structure with only three levels of management - compared to the traditional seven. Partly as a result of this change, there are 25 per cent fewer management positions , enabling a significant saving. This change also has other implications. Communication, both up and down the organisation, has greatly improved. Decision-making has been forced down in many cases to front-line employees. As a result, guest requests are usually met without reference to a supervisor, improving both customer and employee satisfaction.

The hotel also recognised that it would need a different approach to selecting employees who would fit in with its new policies. In its advertisements, the hotel stated a preference for people with some 'service' experience in order to minimise traditional work practices being introduced into the hotel. Over 7000 applicants filled in application forms for the 120 jobs initially offered at SAH. The balance of the positions at the hotel (30 management and 40 shift leader positions) were predominantly filled by transfers from other AHI properties.

A series of tests and interviews were conducted with potential employees, which eventually left 280 applicants competing for the 120 advertised positions. After the final interview, potential recruits were divided into three categories. Category A was for applicants exhibiting strong leadership qualities, Category C was for applicants perceived to be followers, and Category B was for applicants with both leader and follower qualities. Department heads and shift leaders then composed prospective teams using a combination of people from all three categories . Once suitable teams were formed, offers of employment were made to team members.

Another major initiative by SAH was to adopt a totally multi-skilled workforce. Although there may be some limitations with highly technical jobs such as cooking or maintenance, wherever possible, employees at SAH are able to work in a wide variety of positions. A multi-skilled workforce provides far greater management flexibility during peak and quiet times to transfer employees to needed positions. For example, when office staff are away on holidays during quiet periods of the year, employees in either food or beverage or housekeeping departments can temporarily.

The most crucial way, however, of improving the labour cost structure at SAH was to find better, more productive ways of providing customer service. SAH management concluded this would first require a process of ' benchmarking '. The prime objective of the benchmarking process was to compare a range of service delivery processes across a range of criteria using teams made up of employees from different departments within the hotel which interacted with each other. This process resulted in performance measures that greatly enhanced SAH's ability to improve productivity and quality.

The front office team discovered through this project that a high proportion of AHI Club member reservations were incomplete. As a result, the service provided to these guests was below the standard promised to them as part of their membership agreement. Reducing the number of incomplete reservations greatly improved guest perceptions of service.

In addition, a program modelled on an earlier project called ' Take Charge ' was implemented. Essentially, Take Charge provides an effective feedback loop horn both customers and employees. Customer comments, both positive and negative, are recorded by staff. These are collated regularly to identify opportunities for improvement. Just as importantly, employees are requested to note down their own suggestions for improvement. (AHI has set an expectation that employees will submit at least three suggestions for every one they receive from a customer.)

Employee feedback is reviewed daily and suggestions are implemented within 48 hours, if possible, or a valid reason is given for non-implementation. If suggestions require analysis or data collection, the Take Charge team has 30 days in which to address the issue and come up with recommendations.

Although quantitative evidence of AHI's initiatives at SAH are limited at present, anecdotal evidence clearly suggests that these practices are working. Indeed AHI is progressively rolling out these initiatives in other hotels in Australia, whilst numerous overseas visitors have come to see how the program works.

This article has been adapted and condensed fem the article by R Carter (19%), 'Implementing the cycle of success: A case study of the Sheraten Pacific Division', Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources, 34(3): 111-23. Names and other details have been changed and report findings may have been given a different emphasis from the original. W eare grateful to Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources for allowing us to use, file material in this way.

Questions 1-5

Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.

1    The high costs of running AHI's hotels are related to their ...

A management.

D policies. Answer: C      Locate

2    SAH's new organisational structure requires ...

A 75% of the old management positions.

B 25% of the old management positions.

C 25% more management positions.

D 5% fewer management positions. Answer: A      Locate

3    The SAH's approach to organisational structure required changing practices in ..

A industrial relations.

B firing staff.

C hiring staff.

D marketing. Answer: C      Locate

4    The total number of jobs advertised at the SAH was ...

D 280. Answer: B      Locate

5    Categories A, B and C were used to select...

A front office staff.

B new teams.

C  department heads.

D new managers. Answer: B      Locate

Questions 6-13

Complete the following summary of the last four paragraphs of Reading Passage 1 using ONE OR TWO words from the Reading Passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 6-13 on your answer sheet.

WHAT THEY DID AT SAH

Teams of employees were selected from different hotel departments to participate in a 6 exercise.

The information collected was used to compare 7  processes which, in turn, led to the development of 8  that would be used to increase the hotel's capacity to improve 9  as well as quality.

Also, an older program known as ' 10 ' was introduced at SAH. In this program,  11 is sought from customers and staff. Wherever possible 12  suggestions are implemented within 48 hours. Other suggestions are investigated for their feasibility for a period of up to  13

6. Answer: benchmarking      Locate 7. Answer: service delivery      Locate 8. Answer: (performance) measures      Locate 9. Answer: productivity      Locate 10. Answer: (') Take Charge (')      Locate 11. Answer: feedback      Locate 12. Answer: employee(s') // staff      Locate 13. Answer: 30 days      Locate

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IELTS Academic Reading: Cambridge 2 Test 2 Reading passage 1; IMPLEMENTING THE CYCLE OF SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY; with best solutions and best explanations

This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to  IELTS Cambridge 2 Reading Test 2 Reading Passage 1 titled ‘ IMPLEMENTING THE CYCLE OF SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY’ . This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 2 Test 2: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The headline of the passage: IMPLEMENTING THE CYCLE OF SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY

Questions 1-5: Multiple choice questions

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options using the knowledge you gained from the passage. Generally, this question is set found as the last question set in most passages so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers for previous questions gives you a good idea about these questions.]

Question no. 1: The high costs of running AHI’s hotels are related to their ______.

Keywords for the question: high costs, running, AHI’s hotels, related to,

The answer is in the first paragraph. First, look at the first few lines, “Within Australia, Australian Hotels Inc (AHI) operates nine hotels and employs over 2000 permanent full-time staff , 300 permanent part-time employees and 100 casual staff . .. .. .”

Then, in lines 11-16 of the same paragraph, the writer says, “ . . . . Similar to many international hotel chains, however, AHI has experienced difficulties in Australia in providing long-term profits for hotel owners, as a result of the country’s high labour-cost structure . .. .. .”

Here, high labour-cost structure = high cost of staff,  

So, the answer is: C (staff)

Question no. 2: SAH’s new organisational structure requires _______.

Keywords for the question: SAH’s new organisational structure, requires,  

The answer can be traced from the final lines of paragraph no. 1 and the first few lines of paragraph no. 2. Let’s have a look.

In the final lines of the first paragraph, the writer says, “ .. . … In order to develop an economically viable hotel organisation model, AHI decided to implement some new policies and practices at SAH .”

Here, some new policies and practices at SAH = SAH’s new organisational structure,

Then, at the beginning of the second paragraph, the writer says, “ The first of the initiatives was an organisational structure with only three levels of management – compared to the traditional seven. Partly as a result of this change, there are 25 per cent fewer management positions , enabling a significant saving. .. … ..”

Here, there are 25 per cent fewer management positions = 75% of the old management positions,

So, the answer is: A (75% of the old management positions.)

Question no. 3: The SAH’s approach to organisational structure required changing practices in _________. 

Keywords for the question: SAH’s approach, organisational stricture, changing practices,  

In the third paragraph, the writer says in the beginning, “ The hotel also recognised that it would need a different approach to selecting employees who would fit in with its new policies. . .. .”

Here, The hotel = the SAH, a different approach = changing practices, selecting employees = hiring staff,

So, the answer is: C (hiring staff.)

Question no. 4: The total number of jobs advertised at the SAH was ______.

Keywords for the question: total number, jobs advertised, SAH,   

The answer can be found in lines 8-10 of paragraph no. 3, where the writer says, “ . … .. Over 7000 applicants filled in application forms for the 120 jobs initially offered at SAH . .. … .”

Here, 120 jobs initially offered at SAH = 120 jobs advertised at the SAH,

So, the answer is: B (120.)

Question no. 5: Categories A, B and C were used to select ______.

Keywords for the question: Categories A, B, and C, used to select,  

The answer can be found in paragraph no. 4, “A series of tests and interviews were conducted with potential employees, which eventually left 280 applicants competing for the 120 advertised positions. After the final interview, potential recruits were divided into three categories. Category A was for applicants exhibiting strong leadership qualities, Category C was for applicants perceived to be followers, and Category B was for applicants with both leader and follower qualities. Department heads and shift leaders then composed prospective teams using a combination of people from all three categories. Once suitable teams were formed, offers of employment were made to team members. ”

So, the answer is: B (new teams.)

Questions 6-13: Summary completion

[In this kind of questions candidates are given a summary for one, two or three paragraphs with some fill in the blanks questions. Candidates need to find out the related paragraphs by correctly studying the keywords from the questions. Then, they should follow the steps of finding answers for fill in the gaps.]

Title of the summary: WHAT THEY DID AT SAH

Question no. 6: Teams of employees were selected from different hotel departments to participate in a _________ exercise.

Keywords for the question: teams of employees, selected, different hotel departments, participate, exercise,  

At the end of paragraph no. 5, the writer mentions the selection of employees from different hotel departments, “ . . .. . For example, when office staff are away on holidays during quiet periods of the year, employees in either food or beverage or housekeeping departments can temporarily fill in.”

Here, food or beverage or housekeeping departments = different hotel departments,

Then, take a look at these lines of paragraph no. 6, “ . .. .. SAH management concluded this would first require a process of ‘ benchmarking ’ . .. .. . ..”

So, the answer is: benchmarking

Questions no. 7, 8 & 9: The information collected was used to compare 7. ________  processes which, in turn, led to the development of 8. ________  that would be used to increase the hotel’s capacity to improve 9. _________  as well as quality.

Keywords for the questions: information collected, used to compare, processes, led to, development, used to increase, hotel’s capacity, improve, as well as quality,  

Take a look at the these lines of paragraph no. 6, “ .. . . The prime objective of the benchmarking process was to compare a range of service delivery processes across a range of criteria using teams made up of employees from different departments within the hotel which interacted with each other. This process resulted in performance measures that greatly enhanced SAH’s ability to improve productivity and quality .”

Here, resulted = led to, greatly enhanced SAH’s ability to improve = increase the hotel’s capacity to improve, and quality = as well as quality,

So, the answers are:

• (a range of) service delivery
• (performance) measures
• productivity

Question no. 10: Also, an older program known as _______ was introduced at SAH.

Keywords for the question: older program, known as, introduced at SAH,

In paragraph no. 8 of the text, the writer says in the beginning, “ In addition , a program modelled on an earlier project called ‘ Take Charge ’ was implemented .

Here, In addition = Also, a program modelled on an earlier project = an older program, called = known as, was implemented = was introduced,  

So, the answer is: ‘Take Charge’ / Take Charge

Question no. 11: In this program, __________ is sought from customers and staff.

Keywords for the question: sought from customers and staff,

Take a look at lines 3-5 of paragraph no. 8 where the writer says, “ . ..  Essentially, Take Charge provides an effective feedback loop from both customers and employees . . . . .”

Here, Take Charge = this program, loop from both customers and employees = sought from customers and staff,

So, the answer is: feedback

Question no. 12: Wherever possible _________ suggestions are implemented within 48 hours.

Keywords for the question: wherever possible, suggestions, implemented, within 48 hours,   

Again, take a look at lines 5-18 of paragraph no. 8 where the writer says, “ . .. Customer comments, both positive and negative, are recorded by staff . These are collated regularly to identify opportunities for improvement. Just as importantly, employees are requested to note down their own suggestions for improvement. (AHI has set an expectation that employees will submit at least three suggestions for every one they receive from a customer.) Employee feedback is reviewed daily and suggestions are implemented within 48 hours , if possible, or a valid reason is given for non-implementation. .. .. . .”

So, the answer is: employees / employees’ / staff

Question no. 13:  Other suggestions are investigated for their feasibility for a period of up to _________.

Keywords for the question: other suggestions, investigated, feasibility, for a period, up to,   

In paragraph no. 8, the final few lines say, “. . . . … If suggestions require analysis or data collection , the Take Charge team has 30 days in which to address the issue and come up with recommendations.”

Here, suggestions require analysis or data collection = other suggestions are investigated,

So, the answer is: 30 days

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 2 Test 2 Reading Passage 2

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13. Business

Reading passage:, answers are at the bottom of the page, the digital shift: the challenge facing traditional retailers.

The emergence of the internet has redefined our daily routines, and one of the most noticeable changes has been in the way we shop. With just a few clicks, consumers can now access a vast array of products and services online. This transformation, from traditional brick-and-mortar retail to online shopping, is having profound effects on the retail industry.

One of the primary factors propelling the shift to online shopping is technological advancement. The internet has become faster and more accessible, with secure payment systems making online transactions safer than ever before. This has drastically improved the online shopping experience, making it an attractive option for consumers. Furthermore, the convenience and accessibility of online shopping, offering the opportunity to shop at any time, from anywhere, is a major draw for consumers with busy lifestyles. According to Forrester research, this accessibility factor has been a significant driver behind the surge in online sales.

Online retailers also enjoy distinct cost advantages over their traditional counterparts. The cost efficiency of operating an online store, without the overheads associated with physical storefronts, allows for competitive pricing and potentially higher profit margins. Additionally, the global reach of e-commerce platforms transcends geographical boundaries, providing much simpler access to an international market. This not only benefits retailers, but consumers too, who now have a choice of a wider range of goods than ever before.

Online shopping has grown hand in hand with customer reviews and feedback. Shoppers can quickly check the reputation of an online store by looking at customer reviews and comments. Meanwhile, thanks to endorsements from previous customers, online shops can demonstrate that they are reliable and safe to use to their potential customers. This system of reviews and feedback means that shoppers have good reason to feel secure about their online purchase and has really helped drive the trend towards online shopping.

Personalisation of the shopping experience has become of paramount importance. Online retailers can use algorithms and data analytics which enable them to easily track consumer behaviour, preferences, and purchase history, allowing for tailored recommendations and targeted advertising. This level of personalisation enhances the overall shopping experience, providing consumers with a customised selection of products that align with their tastes and interests. As a result, consumers feel more valued and understood, fostering a stronger connection between them and the online shop.

However, the transition to online retailing is not without its challenges. The online marketplace is fiercely competitive, with numerous retailers vying for consumer attention. Traditional businesses must employ effective marketing and branding strategies to remain competitive. Many of these businesses could not do this successfully, and have since gone bankrupt. In addition, many large online retailers are very well funded and, with relatively low overheads, can make it very difficult for local brick-and-mortar shops to operate profitably. In some cases, online retail giants have even been accused of predatory pricing, appearing to deliberately undercut competitors at the expense of profits. This is doubtless a factor in the disappearance of so many retailers from local high streets. These shops can’t offer the same deals as are found online, and have lost a lot of business as a consequence.

In response to this digital shift, traditional retailers are evolving their strategies. Many are adopting hybrid models, integrating online and physical storefronts to offer customers a seamless shopping experience. Verhoef et al, in their 2015 study, emphasised that this approach capitalises on the strengths of both platforms. Moreover, physical stores are focusing on creating memorable in-store experiences to attract and retain customers. These experiences include interactive displays, in-store events, and personalised services.

While traditional retailers have faced many challenges as a result of the online shopping phenomenon, it’s safe to say that consumers have largely benefitted. Shoppers have enjoyed lower prices, and a plethora of special offers and discounts on many of their favourite products. In addition, delivery services have improved massively over the years, to the point where it’s now often possible to have your purchase delivered on the same day it’s ordered, which of course, is very convenient.

With the success of online players, the competition in the marketplace has become even more fierce. This has driven efficiency gains and innovation, as businesses face-off against one another in the competition for consumers’ money, further driving down prices and improving products and services. Furthermore, thanks to online retail, consumers are able to source and purchase products abroad much more easily. The combination of online stores and quick and efficient worldwide shipping means that shoppers can purchase products from countries ranging from Thailand to Norway, at the touch of a button.

In fact, the only real downside for shoppers is the demise of the local high street. Town and village shopping areas have really lost out to online retailers and consequently the selection of goods and services available on high streets is much poorer than in the past. This is especially the case in smaller towns and villages where it’s almost impossible for a small retail business to operate profitably. As a result, the typical British village high street has now been largely reduced to coffee shops, restaurants and charity shops.

The trend towards online shopping is reshaping the retail landscape. Traditional businesses must adapt to changing consumer preferences and technological advancements to remain competitive. By leveraging the strengths of both online and physical platforms, retailers can thrive in this digital era. Meanwhile, consumers have reaped many benefits from the increased competition and innovation in the online space, enjoying access to a wider range of goods than ever, and at reasonable prices.

Questions 1-6

The Reading Passage has eight sections, A-H .

Which section contains the following information?

1. a reference to how easy it is to buy products from foreign countries

2. an explanation of some of the difficulties facing traditional retailers

3. a reference to the importance of safe payment mechanisms for shoppers

4. a reference to how traditional shopping areas are less popular than in the past

5. an explanation of how traditional retailers are changing

6. an explanation of why online shops make more money from a sale than traditional shops

Questions 7-10

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Shopping online is increasing in popularity. Shoppers have been encouraged to shop online thanks to faster and safer payments, as well as lower prices on goods and services. They  like online shopping because they can read customer reviews to quickly understand the 7 ____________ of the shop.

Online retailers have lower 8 ____________ because they don’t pay for a physical store. This means they can make larger profits or offer lower prices. However, this is making it hard for regular shops to compete. Some traditional retailers are trying new things like mixing online and physical stores. However, some have not been successful and have gone 9 ____________. Local retailers are now really struggling, and as a result many high street shops have closed.

Reading Answer Key:

1.F, 2.D, 3.A, 4.G, 5.E, 6.B, 7. overheads, 8. reputation, 9. bankrupt