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Each paper has to be 5 pages of length including introduction and conclusion. Well cited, well written, answer all questions for each paper. 1 page of references (minimum 5). Without grammatical mistakes. It will be checked for plagiarism! Research paper 1 How Sephora Creates Beauty Across Brand Touchpoints · Sephora, a premium cosmetics retailer, has earned tremendous loyalty by extending their brand across what its customers value—all things beauty. The company understands that its customers want to enjoy and experience their passion for beauty in different ways, and it uses several brand touchpoints to enable this. · The first is by providing a sensory-filled in-store experience. As they shop, Sephora customers have the unique opportunity to physically interact and experiment with different lines of products. Such accessibility has resonated especially well among Millennials, who view beauty buying as a “hunt” for their right individual look. The company has introduced numerous customer-facing tools to further facilitate finding a personalized style. For example, InstaScent spritzes raw notes of a perfume to help customers determine which defining scent they identify with the most before exploring specific fragrances with a store consultant. Sephora offers the Color IQ handheld device to aid customers in understanding what products match their skin tones. · Sephora’s commitment to the experiential element of shopping for beauty products extends to its web presence. Sephora Virtual Artist allows customers to try on dozens of lipstick color variations in seconds, with add-on features like the ability to compare different shades simultaneously or randomize options to test out. For customers either seeking something specific or hoping to be inspired, the Sephora Beauty Board is a great resource. Along with the option to simply browse through the site, users can post pictures of products to gain feedback from others. Sephora TV provides yet another platform where customers can see “how-to” instructional videos on how to achieve a certain look. · Lastly, Sephora views its online community as valuable for connecting customers who share the same passion for beauty. The BeautyTalk forum provides an opportunity to converse with experts about makeup, skin care, fragrances, and more. · With 360 stores in North America and nearly 1,800 worldwide, Sephora’s footprint continues to grow. By offering programs that connect its brand to what customers value, Sephora has successfully strengthened customer–brand relationships and improved brand loyalty. Questions: 1. Analyze how Sephora connects its brand to emotional, self-expressive, and social benefits for the customer. Please clearly identify which of these 3 benefits (or combination of the 3) each connection targets. Do not lump all three together! 2. How can Sephora’s brand touchpoints be improved to reach non-Millennials? Please be specific here and include your original thoughts as well as outside sources. Research paper 2 Growing the Audience for Hamilton · Since its debut in 2015, Broadway’s hit musical Hamilton has received critical acclaim and realized unprecedented box office sales. Just a year after opening, shows were sold out through January 2017 and ticket prices had climbed to $500. Such widespread success inspired the play’s management to think about how they could extend Hamilton’s footprint beyond Broadway. · Hamilton’s digital team focused on attracting an even wider audience by establishing a presence on the Internet and in social media. They understood how these channels provided a unique opportunity for fans who had never seen the live show to experience the Hamilton brand. At the cornerstone of the team’s efforts were a series of online “Ham4Ham” videos. In these, the cast of Hamilton produced short and playful scenes—some were reenactments from the play; others were unrelated vignettes. In one, the cast recreated a popular scene from the West Wing of the White House right before they were set to perform for President Obama. In another, lead actor Lin Manuel-Miranda and Hamilton’s composer Alan Menken sang songs from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. The show also regularly publishes digital content across Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and YouTube, including user-generated postings. For example, the team manages an Instagram series called #HamArt, which depicts drawings and paintings of characters or scenes from the play created by its fans. · Hamilton’s ability to reach unexpected markets stems from the producer’s adeptness at managing both an entertainment brand and a Broadway musical. By understanding the strength of creative content creation and uncovering new distribution opportunities, Hamilton’s digital team has been instrumental in earning the franchise a larger online audience than any other Broadway show, including long-standing blockbusters such as Wicked and the Lion King. · Off Broadway, several factors have pointed to the play’s enduring success. In 2017, the cast and crew began a national tour across at many U.S. cities. Additionally, various pieces of merchandise—from sweatshirts to hats—and other collectible souvenirs from the show continue to be in high demand. Finally, Hamilton has connected with a youthful demographic who likely were uninterested in the theater previously but now have the potential to become habitual playgoers. Questions: 1. How can Broadway leverage its success with Hamilton to increase its conversion of the younger demographic into habitual playgoers? What challenges might be encountered? Please be specific in your answers to both of the questions. 2. Using the criteria to evaluate business leveraging options, what other growth options exist as revenue-generating for Hamilton? Please be specific in your recommendations here. Remember to format your citations and references using APA or MLA format. Research paper 3 Target Canada · In 2012, Target expanded its business into Canada. The proximity to the U.S., as well as Canadians’ familiarity with the brand, made expansion across the border seem like a natural step for the retail powerhouse. However, after only two years, Target faced $2 billion in losses and announced plans to close all of its Canadian stores. Here are some of the reasons the global expansion led to an exit decision: · Target was initially able to minimize its capital costs by purchasing obsolete stores from a former Canadian discount chain. While this gave Target quick and affordable access to a high number of locations, the stores were not designed for Target’s big-box format. Also, the association created by locating the new Targets in outdated spaces damaged its “Expect More, Pay Less” brand reputation. · Target compromised quality for speed to market. The company opened 124 stores in only two years, and essential parts of the business, such as inventory planning, could not keep up with that pace. As a result, empty shelves and stock-outs were an issue. This was especially disappointing for Canadian consumers, who were accustomed to seeing abundant merchandise in U.S. stores. · Target faced stiff competition from Walmart, which has been present in Canada since 1994. Historically, Target’s trendy and more fashionable merchandise had helped the brand distinguish itself. However, its Canadian assortment lacked these qualities, which put Target in the position of having to compete on price, which is Walmart’s sustainable competitive advantage. Walmart responded with a price war that they appear to have won. · Each of these factors put Target’s brand equity, one of its most precious assets, at risk, and ultimately it was left with little choice but to pull out of the market. While the opportunity may still exist in the future for Target to re-enter Canada, its failed first attempt is a good lesson for companies considering expanding operations into new global regions. Questions: 1) Evaluate the three criteria for divestment for Target Canada. Did Target Canada meet each criterion? Explain. 2) Imagine you were president of Target Canada at the time when Walmart started the price war. How would you respond to the war? Was there any way to win? Be sure to explain your answer here. Should they try to win? Explain why or why not. Please be specific in your answers.