This case describes the meteoric rise of Brita in the US market, following the acquisition of local rights by The Clorox Company in 1989, until a sudden decline in 1999. The case details the various failed strategies attempted by the brand between 1999 and 2006 and poses the question as to what Brita should do to turn its fortunes around. The case presents the results of a recent segmentation study, which holds the key to developing the turnaround strategy.
The objective of this case is to have participants understand that proper strategy development requires the identification of the target segment and an understanding of what drives them vis-à-vis the category. Responding to competitive moves reactively simply alienates the firm from its customers and hands the initiative more and more to the competitor.
- Marketing
- Segmentation
- Brand positioning
- Customer focus
- Marketing mix
