Listed below are the three questions you have been assigned. Please compose your replies in a word processor or text editor, and then cut/paste your replies below. You are limited to 600 words reply for each question. When you are ready to submit your exam, you must submit your replies via this web page. Your exam is due by 11:59pm Monday 20 September 2004. Be sure to list all sources used!
Good luck as you take the exam!
DrG
First Name
Last Name
1. On Wednesday 15 Sept 2004, Martha Stewart came forth to the media, and announced that she wanted to start her jail term as soon as possible. She wants to put this behind her as quickly as possible, and get on with living her "good life" and doing her "good works." She thus begged to be able to begin her five-month prison term as soon as possible, so she can be back at work in March.
Clearly, Stewart has suffered a public relations nightmare through the 2.5 years of charges, trials, and sentencing. Your task is to analyze her situation and determine, by using Ries and Ries as your inspiration, how she can turn the PR ship around (if at all). Was her media event Wednesday a PR coup? An admission of defeat? You decide.
2. One of the students in this class forwarded an interesting article about the "passion" some brands elicit from their loyal customers. Read it for yourself here.
A related article explaining the phenomenon can be found here.
Your task is to try to explain why people develop such strong affinities for certain brands. How do these affinities occur? Is it because of superior product quality? Advertising? PR? Be sure to cite numerour brand name examples.
3. Technology has brought with it an increasing fear that our private lives will soon become public information. One site that stands opposed to the collection of personal shopping information is NoCards.org, which is against everything from supermarket clubs to RFID.
Your task is to spend some time at this site, read some articles, and then formulate your opinion on these issues. You will then compose a letter to the NoCards people either expressing your support or opposition to their campaign. Be sure to include discussion of the relevant ethical considerations, regardless of your position on the issues.
