Major blunder: 34 latest marketing failure case analyses

Author: Liao Han
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Lessons from failure are more valuable than experiences from success. "Major Blunders" analyzes the unsuccessful cases of over 30 companies in new product launches, holiday promotions, marketing, corporate recruitment, and channel development. It pinpointedly identifies the mistakes in corporate market operations, serving as a strong warning for businesses. Among all powerful nations, it is not Qin or Chu, but rather a combination of both. When aligned horizontally, Qin becomes the emperor; when aligned vertically, Chu becomes the king. In the late Warring States period, marked by rising conflicts and the struggle for dominance among the seven major states, strategic thinking emerged, represented by Su Qin and Zhang Yi, advocating for the vertical and horizontal alliances. These strategies adjusted the relationships between weaker states and between weaker and stronger states, achieving a certain level of power balance. Looking at today's Chinese business warfare, it is akin to a fierce battle for the Central Plains among numerous contenders. Initially, multinational companies like Procter & Gamble and Unilever entered the Chinese market, launching mergers and acquisitions, forming a vertical alliance with the acquisition of well-known brands like L'Oréal's Little Nurse. Subsequently, China's automotive industry began large-scale integration. The reorganization of the automotive group and Tianjin Automotive Group saw the First Automotive Holding Company acquire the excellent assets of the Chery Shares Company and later the Sichuan Tourist Vehicle Factory. Dongfeng signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Nissan, while SAIC, General Motors, and Liuzhou Wuling invested together to establish SAIC General Motors Wuling Motor Co., Ltd. After a thrilling wave of restructuring battles, a new landscape in China's automotive industry has preliminarily achieved a horizontal alliance strategy. Banks such as the Bank of Communications, China CITIC Bank, Everbright Bank, and Industrial Bank have all submitted IPO applications. They are also investing in acquiring and merging smaller financial institutions to accelerate low-cost expansion, with the goal of achieving a horizontal strategy to resist the aggressive entry of foreign banks. Qin conquered the six states with its ambition to dominate the world and its invincible cavalry and arrows, much like the rain of arrows in the movie Hero, which swept through every territory, unstoppable and victorious. But in today's business warfare, what can match Qin's cavalry and arrows in expanding territory and dominating the market?—Marketing.