The Passion of the Christ (A)

John A. Quelch; Anita  Elberse; Anna  Harrington

Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2004 (Revised February 2010)

The Passion of the Christ (A)

by John A. Quelch, Anita Elberse and Anna Harrington

Abstract

Bob Berney, president of Newmarket Films, must decide on a distribution and marketing strategy for Mel Gibson's controversial new movie, The Passion of the Christ. Fueled by Gibson's star power as well as an extensive prescreening campaign among Christian leaders and others representing likely target audiences in the summer of 2003, the religious movie had started to generate publicity in mainstream media. Five months prior to the film's scheduled opening on February 25, 2004, Berney has to choose whether to continue with the prescreening campaign to stimulate further word-of-mouth among core audiences or switch to a mainstream media advertising campaign more commonly used to promote new movies. He also has to determine the appropriate distribution strategy, in particular whether to opt for a wide or limited release and whether to change the timing of the release.

Keywords: Advertising Campaigns; Film Entertainment; Marketing Strategy; Product Launch; Product Positioning; Distribution Channels; Religion; Motion Pictures and Video Industry;

Format: Print

17 pages

Educators Purchase

Citation:

Quelch, John A., Anita Elberse, and Anna Harrington. "The Passion of the Christ (A)." Harvard Business School Case 505-025, September 2004. (Revised February 2010.)

“Our goal is to be the kind of start-up that would terrify Nike—if Nike didn’t already own us.” Ron Faris, general manager of S23NYC, a Manhattan-based digital studio owned by sports apparel giant Nike, is on the phone with Adam Sussman, Nike’s chief digital officer. It is June 1, 2018. Two years earlier, Sussman was behind Nike’s push to acquire Virgin Mega, a startup comprised of Faris and his small team, which has since morphed into a studio that plays a pivotal role in Nike’s digital strategy. With the studio’s mobile app, SNKRS (pronounced ‘sneakers’), specifically, Nike seeks to strengthen its connection with the most fanatical of its fans—the sneakerheads—and “bring back the fun and emotion of buying,” as Sussman put it. Is Nike on the right path with its digital strategy and, in particular, with how it seeks to change the sneakers game and compete with rivals such as Adidas and Puma? Does it make sense for the company to pursue the kinds of innovations featured in the SNKRS app? And what kind of campaigns and activations should it prioritize in the future?

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) develops and presents scripted hero-versus-villain storylines featuring its wrestlers at hundreds of live events, on several weekly television shows, on its own over-the-top streaming service, and on social media, to millions of fans around the globe. In January 2018, buoyed by the $800-million-dollar company’s strong prospects for further growth, WWE’s chief brand officer Stephanie McMahon and her husband, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, a WWE wrestler who also serves as the company’s executive vice president of talent, live events, and creative, are discussing whether to add Ronda Rousey, who has made a name for herself as a judoka at the Olympics and as a mixed martial artist in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), to WWE’s roster. Should WWE try to sign Rousey, and, if so, what kind of offer makes the most sense? And is WWE well positioned for further success in the world of entertainment?

Case | HBS Case Collection | November 2018

Cepuros Foods Malaysia: Finding the Secret Sauce for Growth (Brief Case)

John A. Quelch and Katherine B. Hartman

Shelby Diaz, country manager for Cepuros Foods International—Malaysia (CFI-M), must decide a growth strategy for the expansion of CFI-M's line of salsas, particularly regarding whom to target and how to allocate marketing investments. CFI-M could expand aggressively by mass marketing to the general population. A more conservative approach would use targeted communications and promotions. Diaz needs to build an argument for a specific growth strategy and recommend which marketing investments CFI-M should pursue. The case can be used to discuss strategy, positioning, and marketing communications, which are relevant to considering alternative strategies for growth. The possibilities for growth include market penetration, product development, and/or market development. The case touches on the potential benefits and risks of each option given the competitive landscape, customer perceptions, and demand determinants. Students should find the product and distribution easy to understand, but the international market context provides a unique opportunity to apply core marketing principles. The case is recommended for upper-level undergraduate students or first-year MBA students studying marketing strategy. It can also be used in a course on international marketing.

Keywords: Growth and Development Strategy; Marketing Strategy; Marketing Communications; Product Positioning;

Citation:

Quelch, John A., and Katherine B. Hartman. "Cepuros Foods Malaysia: Finding the Secret Sauce for Growth (Brief Case)." Harvard Business School Brief Case 919-513, November 2018. View Details

Cite View Details Educators Purchase

Faculty & Research

The Passion of the Christ (A)

Abstract

Citation:

About the Authors

More from these Authors