Brief Summary In the late 1990s, Amazon.com transformed online shopping by introducing a personalized recommendation engine that suggests products based on each customer’s behavior. This “Customers who bought X also bought Y” approach revolutionized eCommerce, making it easier for users to discover products and for Amazon to increase sales. Over the years, Amazon’s AI-driven recommendations became increasingly sophisticated, contributing up to 35% of the company’s revenue. This case study examines how Amazon’s recommendation strategy evolved through innovation and trial-and-error, the public’s reaction including a notable controversy, and the lessons modern marketers can learn about personalization, data, and trust. Company Involved

Brief Summary Volkswagen’s acclaimed “Clean Diesel” marketing campaign backfired disastrously when it was revealed in 2015 that the company had deliberately cheated on emissions tests. The German automaker had promoted its diesel cars as low-emission, eco-friendly vehicles only for regulators to discover a hidden software “defeat device” that made them appear clean in tests while they actually emitted up to 40 times the legal pollution on the road. The ensuing scandal (dubbed “Dieselgate”) led to a global outcry, billions in fines and recall costs, and a crisis of trust that tarnished Volkswagen’s reputation as an industry leader in innovation and

Brief Summary In 2008, Starbucks launched an online crowdsourcing platform called My Starbucks Idea to invite customers into a two-way dialogue. Facing slumping sales and waning customer sentiment, the coffee giant asked its fans to submit and vote on ideas to improve the Starbucks experience. This bold experiment quickly yielded popular innovations, from free in-store Wi-Fi to new menu items like cake pops that Starbucks actually implemented in stores. By actively listening and acting on customer feedback, Starbucks rebuilt trust and reinvigorated its brand loyalty. Marketers still hail this case as proof that empowering customers can transform a business. Company

Brief Summary In 2014, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge became a global viral social media sensation. Participants filmed themselves dumping ice water on their heads and nominated friends to do the same, all to raise awareness and donations for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Widely shared by celebrities and everyday people, the challenge engaged over 17 million participants worldwide and raised roughly $115 million ($220 internationally) for ALS research. It created a cultural moment and demonstrated the power of fun, user-driven marketing campaigns for social causes. Company Involved ALS Association: The American nonprofit organization dedicated to ALS research and patient care

Brief Summary Toys “R” Us signed a ten-year exclusive deal with Amazon in 2000, which redirected its online sales to Amazon and delayed its own eCommerce efforts. When Amazon breached the deal by expanding toy vendors, Toys “R” Us sued and ended the agreement—but it had already lost critical digital momentum. Company Involved Toys “R” Us, once the world’s largest dedicated toy retailer, focused on toys and baby products. Marketing Topic Public Reaction or Consequences Media and analysts viewed the exclusive Amazon deal as a strategic error that gave digital dominance away. The lawsuit restored control, but not runway. Concurrently

Brief Summary Apple’s “Get a Mac” advertising campaign from 2006 to 2009 personified Mac and PC in witty TV spots that highlighted ease of use, security, and simplicity. The work quickly boosted Apple’s image and Mac sales, with Apple reporting 1.3 million Macs sold in the July 2006 quarter and a 39 percent sales increase for the fiscal year. Microsoft later replied with the “I am a PC” effort, but Apple had already framed the narrative of Mac as the modern and friendly choice. Company Involved Apple created the campaign with TBWA Media Arts Lab. Justin Long portrayed Mac and