Video Cases

These questions are based on videos from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that accompany the textbook. In addition to whatever in-class use your instructor may have given them, they're available on this website for online viewing. If directed to do so by your instructor, you can answer the questions online and email the results.
     These videos are intended only for students using the 10th Canadian Edition of Basic Marketing. To view the video, you'll require a password. Refer to page 782 in your textbook and use the first word appearing in the main text column as both 'username' and 'password.' Use of the word is case-sensitive.
     The free RealPlayer plug-in is required in order to view the videos. If needed, the plug-in can be downloaded from Real.

Princes of Pitch
It's November 99 and three of Canada's most creative ad minds are coming together to launch their own business. RETHINK is about to become Vancouver's newest ad agency. Helmed by Chris Staples, Ian Grais and Tom Schapansky, the trio just bolted from Palmer Jarvis DDB an established Vancouver agency.
     The RETHINK vision is anything BUT established. No "dead white guys initials" grace the door. Offices are Spartan, with Astroturf carpeting, a ping-pong table that doubles as a boardroom table, and recycled retro office furniture. The walls are covered with blackboard paint so inspiration can be captured anytime, anywhere.
     RETHINK wants to become more than just a traditional agency. They want to be problem solvers, work on strategies; they even plan on manufacturing their own products. Their first RETHINK brand—is a beer. RETHINK Beer will become Canada's first herbal powered. Herbal additives like ginseng, gingko-garana and tribulis will be added to a local microbrewery beer. Tree Brewery of Kelowna BC agrees to brew a batch of suds, which RETHINK will launch for the upcoming summer beer-guzzling season. To really stand out, the RETHINK team invents a totally new way of packaging the brew. Gone is the traditional cardboard box, in its place a molded plastic beer holder that will double as a CD storage unit.
     On the advertising front, RETHINK begins to make its mark almost immediately. Their first campaign for Stockhouse.com garners high praise and tons of attention. It's a play on antique stock certificates, and lands RETHINK ads smack in the middle of financial papers across Canada. In addition, within three months RETHINK'S client list has grown to include huge national chains like Dominion, and A & W. Earls Restaurants joins up too, along with Playland- Vancouver's amusement park, which has followed Ian from his old agency.
     Though everything they touch turns to advertising gold, the beer business becomes a bitter experience. The BC liquor board allows the herbal additives, but what bogs down the RETHINK'S brew is the packaging. The funky new creative package doesn't get past the Liquor Board. RETHINK beer comes close to missing the lucrative summer beer-drinking season.
     Clients and staff flock to the agency over the summer months, there's explosive growth. So much growth the agency outgrows its dumpy digs- yet RETHINK beer is a no-show for the summer season. Team RETHINK perseveres –RETHINK beer finally appears in BC liquor stores by early October, capping one wildly successful year in Canadian advertising.

View The Princes of Pitch

1		Why do you think RETHINK is having such great success as an advertising agency?
2		Do you think their approach would work in all situations?
3		Will RETHINK succeed with RETHINK beer?