A case study focusing on a crisis related to brand and reputation management at the world's largest toy manufacturer, Mattel®, earned a University of Southern California-Annenberg School for Communication student the Grand Prize in the Arthur W. Page Society's 2006 Case Study Competition sponsored by the Page Society and the Institute for Public Relations.

In The Barbie® Case, Liesbeth De Smedt, a candidate who is studying for her M.A. in Strategic Public Relations, laid out a challenging set of problems for students to consider, debate and respond to regarding anti-Barbie® campaigns launched against Mattel®, manufacturer of Barbie® by other companies, toy manufacturers and artists.

De Smedt will receive her $5,000 cash prize at the Arthur W. Page Society's Spring Seminar, which will be held on April 6-7 at the Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park in New York City. De Smedt's advisor, Dr. Craig Carroll, will also be honored at the April 6 gala dinner.

In addition to the Grand Prize winner, students from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri School of Journalism; Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth; and University of Notre Dame-Mendoza School of Business will be awarded cash prizes in the two categories of submissions - business schools and communication/journalism schools.

Now in its fifth year, the Case Study Competition is designed to increase awareness among students at accredited schools of business, communication and journalism about the value of pubic relations as a critical function of corporate management. The objective is to help future business leaders understand various communications and reputation management issues that will confront them in their careers - and to encourage research that contributes to the profession's knowledge base.

Frank Ovaitt, President and CEO, Institute for Public Relations said "There is still too little public relations in business education, and too little business in public relatiÿons education. These extraordinary case studies offer opportunities to bridge that gap."

Case Study Competition Judge Stephen A. Greyser, DBA, Richard P. Chapman Professor, Marketing and Communications, Harvard University, said "Both business school and communication school winners reflected excellent depth and breadth. They also incorporated meaningful consideration of the Page Principles much better than in previous years."

The entries in the competition were evaluated on the basis of the case study's relevance and timeliness, the significance of the business problem addressed and how effectively it used the seven Page Principles, which the Page Society considers to be the core principles that define public relations.

This year's panel of judges included:
Amy Binder, CEO, RF Binder Partners, Inc.;
Lou Capozzi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Manning, Selvage & Lee;
Sandra Chrystal, Associate Professor Clinical, Center for Management Communication, Marshall School of Business;
Bob DeFillippo, Chief Communication Officer - Global Communications, Prudential Financial, Inc.;
Gloria Dittus, President & CEO, Dittus Communications;
Stephen Greyser, DBA, Richard P. Chapman Professor Marketing and Communications, Harvard University - Graduate School of Business Administration;
Steven Harris, President, Steven J. Harris Communications, L.L.C.;
Frederick Wells Hill, former Executive Vice President, JPMorganChase;
Sandra Macleod, Chief Executive, Echo Research Ltd.;
Ken Makovsky, President, Makovsky & Company;
John Manfredi, Senior Vice President - Corporate Affairs, Gillette Company;
Carl Maugeri, Associate Director, Wharton School Communication Program;
Frank Ovaitt, President & CEO, Institute for Public Relations;
Doug Pinkham, President, Public Affairs Council;
James Rubin, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Darden School of Business;
John Spelich, Vice President - Corporate Communications, Gateway, Inc.;
Don Stacks, Ph.D., Professor and Director - Program in Advertising and Public Relations School of Communications, University of Miami; Don Wright, Professor of Communication - Department of Communication, University of South Alabama;
Patricia Wright, Vice President - External Affairs, BP America, Inc.

The Winning Entries

Grand Prize

Liesbeth De Smedt, student; Craig Carroll faculty advisor, University of Southern California-Annenberg School for Communication

Title: The Barbie Case

Abstract:
The Barbie® Case offers an opportunity to look inside a crisis for the world's largest toy manufacturer. When Neil B. Friedman became the President of the Mattel® Brands Division in October 2005, Barbie® faced decreasing sales, anti-Barbie® campaigns, competitors, and parodies. This study will show how Mattel® interpreted these changes as 'threats', rather than utilizing them as 'opportunities' to create a pro-Barbie® climate worldwide to restore the doll's image and brand.

Prize: $5,000, student; $1,500 faculty advisor

The Barbie® Case can be downloaded by clicking here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
A teaching note is available upon request from the Arthur W. Page Society.

First Prize, Business School

Daniel J. Pozen, student; Paul Argenti, faculty advisor, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

Title: Managing a Crisis in Financial Services: Putnam Investments 2003-2004

Abstract:
On October 23, 2003, amidst pressure from the SEC and the state of Massachusetts, Putnam Investments fired two senior portfolio managers for market timing their own mutual funds. Although market timing was not technically illegal and questions remained over its ethicality, institutional clients pulled $4 billion from Putnam funds within one weekÿ of learning about the market timing. On November 3, 2004, Ed Haldeman was named CEO, replacing Putnam's high profile chief of eighteen years, Lawrence Lasser. Haldeman's immediate response had to mitigate the outflow of institutional assets before the New Year. More broadly, the communications and strategic initiatives he put into place would largely determine whether Putnam could restore the health of its business over the next two to three years.

Prize: $2,500, student; $650 faculty advisor

Managing a Crisis in Financial Services can be downloaded by clicking here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
A teaching note is available upon request from the Arthur W. Page Society.

Second Prize, Business School

Quinn Bailey, Benjamin Gilfillan, students; James O'Rourke, faculty advisor, University of Notre Dame-Mendoza College of Business

Title: Choice Point: Personal Data and a Loss of Privacy

Abstract:
On September 27, 2004, ChoicePoint, a company that stores and sells critical personal information, discovered possible fraudulent activity within their network of databases. On further investigation, ChoicePoint security officials realized that they may have allowed identity thieves in Los Angeles, who acted as legitimate business clients, to access more than 110,000 people's personal information. CEO Derek Smith and Communications Chief James Lee are faced with explaining the loss to clients, the press, the public, and those who may have been compromised. They also face the daunting task of restoring confidence in the company.

Prize: $1,500 students; $350 faculty advisor

Choice Point can be downloaded by clicking here.
A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
A teaching note is available upon request from the Arthur W. Page Society.

Third Prize, Business School

David Lee, Julie Ratliff, students; James O'Rourke, faculty advisor, University of Notre Dame-Mendoza College of Business

Title: Citigroup: Restoring Ethics and Image Before Growth

Abstract:
The new CEO of Citigroup, Charles Prince, proposes a Five Point Ethics Plan in an attempt to change the ethics, culture and operations of the company. The plan is a response to significant regulatory scrutiny, paying out massive legal settlements and a Federal Reserve announcement requiring the company to refrain from mergers and acquisitions until they have cleaned up the internal controls. His plan includes expanded training, enhanced focus on talent, balanced performance appraisals, improved communications, and strengthened compliance controls. As current key executives leave the company and experts in ethics are skeptical, many wonder if Citigroup will be able to successfully communicate this program while they hold back on growth to implement this new culture.

Prize: $800 students; $200 faculty advisor

Citigroup: Restoring Ethics and Image Before Growth can be downloaded by clicking here.

A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.

A teaching note is available upon request from the Arthur W. Page Society.

First Prize, Communication/Journalism School

Yuliya Melnyk, Moushumi Anand, students; Maria Len-Rios, faculty advisor, University of Missouri-Columbia-Mendoza College of Business

Title: How the Russian Company Pallet Trucks Used Public Relations Strategies to Protect its Business and the German Brand Pfaff-silberblau in Russia in 2001

Abstract:

The case showsÿ how crises can occur in a global economy. It demonstrates how two companies, a German manufacturer and a Russian retailer, partnered to combat a crisis when competitors started selling copies of the manufacturer's "brand" equipment.

Prize: $2,500, students; $650 faculty advisor

A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
A teaching note is available upon request from the Arthur W. Page Society.

Second Prize, Communication/Journalism School

Anna Strahs, student; Dr. Yan Jin, faculty advisor, Virginia Commonwealth University-School of Mass Communications

Title: Court of Public Opinion Points Finger at Wendy's

Abstract:

When part of a human finger was planted in a Wendy's chili early this year, both internal and external publics (media, Wendy's consumers) reacted in different ways. The company faced a challenge: How should Wendy's best utilize its resources and internal publics to work together to pull out of a crisis of public opinion? This case study allows for the understanding and analysis of how the case was handled from a crisis point of view. It also allows a look into how Wendy's, as a brand, defended their product and what can be learned from how the crisis was handled.

Prize: $1,500, student; $350 faculty advisor.

Court of Public Opinion Points Fingers at Wendy's can be downloaded by clicking here.
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A slide presentation can be downloaded by clicking here.
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A teaching note is available upon request from the Arthur W. Page Society.

About the Arthur W. Page Society

The Arthur W. Page Society is a professional association composed primarily of the chief communications officers (CCOs) of the world's top multinational corporations, and the CEOs of the world's largest public relations agencies. The organization's members also include academics from the leading business and communications schools.

The Page Society is dedicated to strengthening the management policy role of chief communications officers. The Page Society is upheld by management concepts, known as the Page Principles, which have been tested for more than half a century and have earned the support and respect of chief executive officers throughout the country. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Arthur W. Page Society.

About the Institute for Public Relations

The Institute for Public Relations is an independent foundation dedicated to the science beneath the art of public relations. It exists to build and document research-based knowledge in the field of public relations, and to mainstream this knowledge by making it available and useful to practitioners, educators, researchers and the clients they serve. For more information, click here.

Contact Information:
Karen Arnold
212-400-7959, ext 102
comms@awpagesociety.com