Business Case Studies & Business Publications

Motorcowboy: Getting a Foot in the Door ...

Farris, Paul W., M...

Case

Motorcowboy: Getting a Foot in the Door (A)

Farris, Paul W.; Maddux, Robert; Harr, Timothy; Gray, Martha; Kanaparthi, Gautam; Shrivastava, Prateek; Weiss, Matthew; Pfeifer, Phillip E.

M-0814 | Published August 9, 2011 | 10 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

Product Details

As part of the Google Online Marketing Challenge, a team of Darden students devises an AdWords campaign for Motorcowboy, an online source of custom footwear that caters to segments as varied as motorcycle police, cross-dressers, movie buffs, equestrians, and plus-size individuals. When an initial keyword list yields low traffic, the team must adapt its approach. This three-part case illustrates the segmentation process and the relative merits of paid search over traditional mass media outlets. It also serves to underscore the importance of monitoring and adapting any advertising plan.

Illustrate the process of segmenting a market based on customer type and developing an advertising program that targets each segment. Appreciate the mechanics of developing and maintaining a Google AdWords campaign. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of traditional mass media as compared to more targeted advertising such as paid search. Understand the process of developing an advertising plan, closely monitoring results, and adapting the plan in order to generate better results.