In the News
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Dec 5, 2011Reconsidering The Value of Promotions, Deals
When same-store sales at Applebee’s turned negative in the third quarter after being positive for more than a year, officials at Glendale, Calif.-based parent DineEquity Inc. blamed a Stacked Stuffed & Topped limited-time offer that just didn’t resonate with guests. Earlier in the year, DineEquity also charged an all-you-can-eat pancake offer at sister brand IHOP with bringing down results. [pdf..]
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Nov 21, 2011
Burger chains battle to lead the pack
If you drove into a McDonald’s restaurant 10 or 15 years ago, you undoubtedly would have been greeted with a bright red-and-yellow sign boasting that the chain had served billions and billions of burgers around the globe. These days, however, those signs are not quite so ubiquitous, as McDonald’s menu focus has shifted away from being a burger-centric business to one featuring a broader, more quality-conscious array of products appealing to a wider audience. [pdf..]
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Nov 7, 2011Mad Men effect More women get a taste for whiskey
As a graduate student on a budget, Heather Greene found herself turning to whiskey — and not for the reasons you might think. Rather, it was a practical decision: a long-time wine drinker, she would often buy a bottle just to have a glass in the evening. But a few days later, she was left with a vintage gone stale — that is, if she hadn't drank the whole thing herself so as not to waste it. She figured out that a tumbler of Scotch at home only cost $4 — and she could just cork it for the next time. In the course of being frugal, she started to love Scotch. [pdf..]
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Oct 26, 2011McD, Taco Bell have different plans in 2012
Taco Bell has big ambitions for its menu next year, fueled in part by its plan to “reinvent the taco” and extend its breakfast platform to additional markets in the West. By contrast, McDonald’s is expected to take an incremental approach in 2012, bolstering its many platforms like McCafé beverages or Angus Third Pounders with new flavors while deploying limited-time offers. [pdf..]
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Jul 25, 201110 Things Candy Makers Won’t Tell You
With consumer confidence low and unemployment high, Americans aren't buying cars, houses and appliances. But they're not giving up their Snickers, Reese's or M&M's. This year through May, confectionery sales were up 4.3% compared to the same period last year, according to the National Confectioners Association. In fact, it's on pace to be the best year for the sweets industry in at least a decade and handily trouncing the soft drinks business, which has been declining over the last few years. [pdf..]
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Jun 16, 2011Kraft’s Tang Powdered Drink Crosses Billion by Dollar Mark
Kraft's Tang brand becomes its 12th billion-dollar brand. Tang sales have doubled in four years. [pdf..]
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Mar 1, 2011Singapore Free Listing GMS
Gary Stibel, Founder and CEO of the New England Consulting Group, and his team were kind enough to take the time from their busy schedules to answer a few questions about the New England Consulting Group, about their Global Singapore business Practice, and about the international management consulting industry. [pdf..]
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Feb 25, 2011Why Is T-Mobile Losing Customers – JJR Quoted
T-Mobile reported its earnings for the previous quarter early this morning, and the dump of information included one, somewhat troubling statistic: the cellphone carrier actually lost customers last fall—the only one of the four major providers to do so. Why are T-Mobile's customers seemingly in such a hurry to ditch the service? [pdf..]
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Feb 24, 2011
Global Business Practice – Interview
Gary Stibel, Founder and CEO of the New England Consulting Group, and his team were kind enough to take the time from their busy schedules to answer a few questions about the New England Consulting Group, about their Global Business Practice, and about the international management consulting industry. [pdf..]
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Feb 10, 2011Forbes Article Super Bowl ROI By Gary Stibel
This year's Super Bowl made for a great game, both on and off the field. On the field, two great teams went helmet-to-helmet in a battle of brawn. Both were winners. Off the field, hundreds of marketers went head-to-head in a battle of brains. Most were losers. [pdf..]
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Jan 7, 2011Spending Spree Buoys Outlook For Recovery
Consumers spent a lot over the holidays and should keep it up this year. Economists say that will embolden companies to expand and hire. [pdf..]
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Jan 6, 2011Gesture Control, 3D, Mobile Transforming Gaming Market
Looking back years from now, 2010 will be seen as a halcyon year in video gaming history thanks to three disparate developments: [pdf..]
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Jan 6, 2011Shoppers Won’t Lose Energy in 2011, Economists say
Shoppers' holiday-season splurge was likely a preview of what's to come in 2011, and economists say it should embolden companies to expand and hire. [pdf..]
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Jan 4, 2011The Great Fast-Food Pig-Out of 2011 Is Almost Upon Us
Many fast food restaurants are planning a pig-out for 2011, introducing indulgent, high-calorie menu items, like a six-cheese, double bacon pizza from Papa John's (PZZA) and an "ultimate breakfast platter" from Burger King, which has 1,300 calories and could feed an entire family. [pdf..]