Entertainment - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

[VIDEO] How PlayStation Saved Sony

November 19, 2020

Sony’s PlayStation 5 launched earlier this month and is expected to be one of the blockbuster products of the holiday season. This video looks at the evolution of the console throughout the years and how it became a central focus of Sony’s business.

Questions:

How did the PlayStation help Sony transition from a consumer electronics manufacturer into a gaming company?
Why did Sony decide to focus closely on the gamer market for future generations of the PlayStation, and how did they accomplish this task?

Global, Entertainment, Manufacturing, Product Distribution, Video Games, Sony, Marketing, Operations Management, Product Development

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media, Videos

[VIDEO] The Unexpected Death of the Ad Jingle

October 29, 2020

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Jingles were once a regular feature of television and radio advertising, but these catchy tunes are no longer as popular with admakers as they used to be. This video looks at the history of jingles in commercials and why they have slowly disappeared in the age of digital advertising.

Questions:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using jingles in modern advertising?
How did the use of music in commercials evolve over the course of the 20th century?

Promotions, Entertainment, Television, Advertising, Marketing, Music, Product Distribution, Commercials, Product Development

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Videos

[VIDEO] How Robots Made This Food Commercial Look Effortless

October 16, 2020

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On the surface, food advertisements don’t seem to be overly complicated. As this detailed video shows, though, filming the average food commercial often requires scientific precision as well as robotic assistance.

Questions:

Why is it important for ad makers to stick closely to what their clients want to see in a commercial?
Do you think it is worth the expense for companies to use robots and other complicated and expensive filming techniques in their ads? Why or why not?

Marketing, Automation, Robotics, Food & Drink, Branding, Promotions, Entertainment, Advertising

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Videos

McDonald’s Boosts Sales Through Marketing Partnerships

October 15, 2020

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Despite being one of the largest restaurant chains in the world, McDonald’s experienced a drastic drop in sales at the beginning of the pandemic just like many other businesses. Once the chain recovered from the shock of closing tens of thousands of dining rooms, though, it refocused on streamlining its drive-thru business and menu. McDonald’s also struck a marketing partnership with the rapper Travis Scott for a branded meal that became a bestseller for the month that it was available Continue reading →

Product Development, Promotions, Entertainment, McDonald’s, Product Distribution, Marketing, Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

Popcorn Farmers Look for New Markets as Theater Business Dwindles

September 24, 2020

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With audiences largely reluctant to return to the movies, it’s not just theater chains that are struggling to adapt to life during the pandemic. Farmers who supply theaters with popcorn have seen orders for their product almost disappear as retail suppliers have seen sales surge. While Orville Redenbacher, Jolly Time, and Pop Secret have benefited from consumers staying home, the Preferred Popcorn company in Nebraska has millions of tons of unsold kernels on hand.

Preferred Popcorn primarily supplies snack distributors Continue reading →

Entertainment, Supply chains, Packaging, Product Distribution, Movies, Operations Management, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

Movie Studios Hold Back Major Releases as Theaters Stay Empty

September 22, 2020

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On August 27th, Warner Bros. began gradually releasing the movie Tenet in theaters that had been closed for months due to the pandemic. After more than two weeks on American screens, though, the $200 million film has only earned $29.5 million domestically. As a result, Hollywood studios may hold back on releasing major titles until audiences are ready to return. “You can’t do it. The economics won’t allow you to do it,” said one studio executive. “We can’t give [theaters] Continue reading →

Good Humor Changes Ice Cream Truck Jingle

August 31, 2020

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For decades, ice cream trucks carrying Good Humor products have traveled through American neighborhoods with the folk song “Turkey in the Straw” playing at full blast. Unfortunately, though, this more than two-century old tune has a sinister history outside of its long association with frozen treats. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, “Turkey in the Straw” was a standard number in minstrel shows that relied heavily on racist caricatures.

“While these associations of ‘Turkey in the Straw’ are Continue reading →

Product Development, Promotions, Entertainment, Marketing, Music, Ethics, Product Distribution, Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

AMC Theatres Plans for August 20th Reopening with 15 Cent Admission

August 17, 2020

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With hundreds of American movie theaters closed since March, the film exhibition industry has made several attempts to return to business only to reverse course soon after. AMC Theatres, for instance, announced plans to reopen on July 15th but scrapped that idea as coronavirus cases spiked across the U.S. Despite these setbacks, though, the nation’s largest theater chain has now set August 20th as its return date. What’s more, AMC plans to charge just 15 cents per admission on the Continue reading →

Managers Start Scheduling Meetings in Video Game Worlds

August 11, 2020

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For many Americans who have been working from home for six months, each day can seem like the same procession of Zoom meetings and email exchanges. As a result, some professionals have had trouble scheduling meetings with new clients who don’t want to add another video chat to their already packed calendars. For example, a Brooklyn-based ad executive named Lewis Smithingham tried for weeks to set up a meeting with an investment analyst only to receive a string of postponements Continue reading →

Entertainment, Video Games, Telecommuting, Management, Coronavirus, Entrepreneurship, Networking, Organizational Culture

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 7: Management & Leadership, Chapter 8: Organizational Culture and Structure, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

[VIDEO] How Coronavirus Is Ushering in a New Era of Concerts

July 23, 2020

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Since thousands of concert venues around the world remain closed due to coronavirus, many artists have taken to social media to stream live performances. These innovative concerts draw in huge online audiences but are no replacement for the revenue generated by live shows. This video looks at how the music industry is hoping to earn cash from unorthodox venues, such as drive-in concerts and video game tie-ins.

Questions:

Do you think virtual events in video games like Fortnite could Continue reading →