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• Case | HBS Case Collection | December 2019

  JUUL and the Vaping Revolution

  Michael W. Toffel, John Masko and Sarah Mehta

  In late 2019, San Francisco-based electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) maker JUUL Labs (pronounced “jewel”) faced intense pressure. Sales of JUUL products exceeded $1 billion in 2018, dominating the e-cigarette category. While JUUL Labs’ stated goal was to help current smokers switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes, the company’s products had become popular with high school and even middle school students, among whom “vaping”—the use of e-cigarettes—was rapidly spreading. Some advocacy groups and policymakers speculated that JUUL Labs had purposefully marketed its products to minors, an allegation the company strongly denied. The debate over JUUL Labs’ marketing and products had made 2019 a difficult year for the company, with a number of states and municipalities imposing bans on the sale of flavored e-liquids, and in some cases, on all e-cigarette products. Given that the company was ostensibly founded to reduce the harm of smoking, what more could JUUL Labs do to prevent misuse of its products, restore its reputation, and grow its business more successfully?

  Keywords: electronic cigarettes; E-Cigarettes; vaping; Nicotine Replacement; JUUL; Juuling; Advertising; Online Advertising; Customers; Innovation and Invention; Marketing; Ethics; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Product Marketing; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Social Issues; Technology; Technology Industry;

  Citation:

  Toffel, Michael W., John Masko, and Sarah Mehta. "JUUL and the Vaping Revolution." Harvard Business School Case 620-069, December 2019.  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2019 (Revised December 2019)

  Swizz Beatz

  Boris Groysberg, Annelena Lobb and Sarah Mehta

  This case explores the life and career of rapper and music producer Swizz Beatz. Set in 2019, it covers the evolution of Swizz’s musical career and his new venture into the commercial art market.

  Keywords: Entertainment; Music Entertainment; Television Entertainment; Entrepreneurship; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Fine Arts Industry; Music Industry; United States;

  Citation:

  Groysberg, Boris, Annelena Lobb, and Sarah Mehta. "Swizz Beatz." Harvard Business School Case 420-034, October 2019. (Revised December 2019.)  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | October 2019 (Revised December 2019)

  Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys: A Power Couple

  Boris Groysberg, Annelena Lobb and Sarah Mehta

  Set in 2018, this case follows married couple and music industry titans Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys as they consider how best to use their platforms to achieve their goals. Since achieving professional success in the music industry early in their lives, Swizz and Keys had explored many different personal and professional pursuits. Swizz was particularly interested in the arts and had launched an initiative aimed at supporting emerging visual artists of color. Keys had taken on acting roles, written a children’s book, and had become an increasingly vocal advocate for social justice causes. Anchoring their professional work, Swizz and Keys had built a loving family rooted in communication and mutual respect. As one of the music industry’s most recognizable power couples, Swizz and Keys now considered how they might use their joint platform to continue to drive positive change for artists and creators of all stripes.

  Keywords: Entertainment; Music Entertainment; Personal Development and Career; Entrepreneurship; Goals and Objectives; Power and Influence; Music Industry; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Fine Arts Industry;

  Citation:

  Groysberg, Boris, Annelena Lobb, and Sarah Mehta. "Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys: A Power Couple." Harvard Business School Case 420-035, October 2019. (Revised December 2019.)  View Details

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