Walmart’s disabled greeters are being replaced by “customer hosts,” with growing responsibilities. Questions: 1. Why has this been such a PR disaster for the company? 2. How many days were the greeters given to find new jobs? 3. What is the new job of “customer hosts” meant to do? 4. What are your thoughts about… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Advertising Expenses
Time to get ready for the Holidays! You can’t start too early!
While it’s only September, holiday hiring is ramping up! With historically low unemployment rates plus projections of record-breaking holiday sales, retailers, from major chains to small businesses, are being forced to offer higher pay, catchier perks, and other discounts to attract temporary holiday workers. Questions: 1. What are some of the perks that retailers are… Read more »
A story that makes you smile
Despite looming tax deadlines, the accountant that is ready in a minute’s notice can save a needy NHL team. Questions: 1. What team did Scott Foster sub for? 2. What was his performance that evening? 3. How did Scott become eligible to be the backup goalie? 4. What was your favorite part of this Cinderella… Read more »
A World without Stores? Where will we hangout?
According to CNN, America’s long-standing love affair with shopping at malls and department stores may be nearing an end. Questions: 1. Compare the drop in jobs at shopping mall retail stores Between 2001 and 2016 and those jobs at coal mines. What does this say? 2. What are the demographics of workers at shopping mall… Read more »
YouTube in Hot Water!
According to the New York Times, there is an expanding advertising boycott of YouTube. This is due to big-spending companies’ doubt about Google’s ability to prevent marketing campaigns from appearing alongside repugnant videos. Questions: 1. Who are some of these companies and what type of content are they finding offensive? 2. Approximately how many hours… Read more »
Who is watching you and why?
A number of companies have entered living rooms in recent years, emerging with new, granular ways for marketers to understand how people are watching television and, in particular, commercials. Questions: 1. Why has the appeal of this information increased? 2. How do they do this? 3. How much do companies spend on TV ads in… Read more »
Denied Healthcare Coverage? Maybe you should check with your FitBit?
Healthcare companies have increasingly offered cash promotions and discounts to users who provide their Fitbit data. But could this be used by insurers rather than to improve customer health? Questions: 1. In what types of negative ways could this data be used, according to the article? 2. What issues in Congress could promote the negative… Read more »
Super Bowl Ads! Worth it?
The questions asked each year are whether Super Bowl advertising is worth it and what the network is charging. This year Fox charged $5 million for a 30-second spot, last year CBS charged about the same, and Comcast NBC charged about $4.5 million for a 30-second spot. Questions: 1. How much is the per second… Read more »
Sweet Dreams and Watch Out for those False Medical Claims!
If you have been up late watching TV, you might have seen the Infomercial for a Minnesota company that sells My Pillow, a patented open-cell, poly-foam design created by inventor Michael J. Lindell. This staple of late-night TV infomercials has sold about 18 million pillows since 2005. However, a recent lawsuit successfully argued My Pillow… Read more »
Be Afraid, be very afraid!
Unilever is paying $1 billion for Dollar Shave Club, a five-year-old start-up that sells razors and other personal products for men. Questions: 1. Why does the author of this article say that all companies should be very afraid of this deal? 2. After Michael Dubin’s YouTube ad premiered, what happened in terms of orders and… Read more »