HBS Colgate Max Fresh
The following questions are based on the HBS Colgate Max Fresh (CMF) case.
a. Based on your assessment, identify the central problem facing CP.
b. What is your analysis of the CMF launch in the US?
c. What are the costs and benefits of adopting to the Chinese and Mexican market?
d. Evaluate the market launch plans and give your own assessment of the following (2 pages):
1. What target market do you suggest that CP should pursue for CMF in China/ Japan?
2. What product strategy do you suggest that CP should use for CMF in China/ Japan?
3. What promotion strategy do you suggest that CP should use for CMF in China/ Japan?
4. What pricing strategy do you suggest that CP should use for CMF in China/ Japan?
5. What distribution strategy do you suggest that CP should use for CMF in China/ Japan?
Reminder: When analyzing HBS cases, please do not conduct additional research either on the Internet or in the library nor introduce additional information from external sources. Introducing additional external information will only contaminate the case. Base your answers on the information contained in the case. That is the information the case author(s) have provided you, as managers or consultants, to make your decisions and recommendations. Besides conducting external research on the HBS cases will circumvent your learning as well as attenuate the development of your judgment and decision making skills (That is also plagiarism!)
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Introduction
CMF is a Colgate brand that had emerged from other Colgate brands after the company Colgate-Palmolive’s (CP) market value in the United States rose to a share value of 34.5% making it the leading company that year which was ahead of companies like Procter & Gamble whose share value was at 31.6 %. CMF was then in August 2004 launched in the US. After the launch, CMF did so well that it cannibalized the other Colgate Brands. In six months time after its launch, it was the leading brand just before Colgate Total. CMF was a brand that promised the consumers that they would receive freshness of the breath and the whitening of the teeth by only using the mini breath strips that would dissolve in the mouth upon use creating the desired results.
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