IC3 Int Case Study Toy
IC3 Int Case Study Toy
IC3 Int Case Study Toy
TOY STORY
2
1 Business writer Watts Wacker famously said: ‘A brand is a promise’. What do you think he
meant? Think of some well-known brands. What ‘promises’ are they making?
2 There are many ways customers can lose confidence in a company. Which of the following
customer concerns about a product do you think could most seriously affect a business?
Discuss with a partner.
The product is found to be …
defective environmentally unfriendly overpriced
unethically produced unreliable
unsafe
3 Look at the homepage of the Thompson Toys corporate website. What kind of image is the
company presenting? What message is it trying to communicate about its brand and its values?
Search
5 Two days later, Simon Anderson, head of public relations, flies out from head office
in Philadelphia to join Fiona for a second meeting with the Chinese plant owner in
Hangzhou. Look at the cross-cultural comparison of North American and Chinese
behaviour in meetings. With a partner, try to predict some of the communication
problems they may face.
Prime objective: Business USA China Relationship
Directness: Direct USA China Indirect
Formality: Informal USA China Formal
Commitment: Contractual USA China Personal
6 CS4 Now listen to an extract from the meeting in Hangzhou. How would you
describe the atmosphere?
7 What is the probable cause of the problems? Whose fault do you think it is?
8 Do you agree with Fiona’s decision? Do you think relations will be damaged with
the Chinese?
9 Read the headlines that filled the international press in the weeks after Fiona Sheridan
ordered the product recall. How has the situation worsened?
Toxic scare: 1.5m toys Concerned parents boycott Thompson Toys Inquiry into
removed from shelves throughout USA safety standards
at Thompson’s
My Little Poisonous Puppy? Who’s to blame? Chinese factories
10 CS5 Listen to Fiona Sheridan phoning Thompson’s CEO, Daniel Cleveland, about
the last headline above. What’s the latest news? Take notes.
11 Work in small teams. You are Thompson’s PR department and have been instructed by your
boss, Simon Anderson, to write a one-minute personal statement from the CEO to be filmed
and posted on the customer service page of Thompson’s website. The CEO’s message should
sound apologetic, but confident, and reassure parents that the company has withdrawn all
unsafe products from sale and is thoroughly investigating the cause of the problems.
12 As the situation worsens, your PR team decides to hold an international press conference
in New York to reinforce its message that the company has everything under control and that
customers have no cause for alarm. Work together to predict the kind of questions you may be
asked by members of the press and how you will answer them.
13 CS6 Listen to the questions from the press one by one and decide which
Useful phrases
member of your team will deal with them. Don’t be too surprised if you get a few Welcome question
questions you weren’t expecting! The phrases on the right may help you to answer
I’m glad you raised that point.
confidently and diplomatically.
I’m happy to answer that one.
Defer answer
Can we get back to you on that?
I’m afraid we don’t have the
answer to that yet.
Decline to answer
We’re not in a position to
comment on that.
Sorry, I’m not prepared to
answer that at the moment.