Brands & Branding and Private Labels Case Study

Sharp: Rejuvenating its TV Brand

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Abstract:
During 2000-06, Sharp Corporation’s (Sharp) market share in Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TV segment plummeted from 86% to 12%. Even the 13% recorded growth of the company was less than the Industry average. The ‘Sharp’ brand which once enjoyed leadership status in global LCD TV market had been suffering from low brand recall due to its weak brand equity. In 2006, 62% revenue and 89% profit of the company came from its home country, Japan. Analysts tried to prove that the company was more a Japanese company, than a global one. Under the leadership of Katsuhiko Machida, the company wanted to regain its leadership status in LCD TV segment. As a part of the restructuring exercise, the company launched a new and innovative marketing communication strategy, changed its corporate identity and punch line, strategic brand platform of the company. To leverage the full benefit from the innovative marketing communication strategy, the company introduced new brands and products. For example, the company launched 65 inches LCD TV, the largest in the world. As a part of the restructuring exercises, the company also equipped its existing facilities with the most advanced technologies. It also enhanced the existing capacity of the plant and diversified to other related area, like, mobile phones and so on.

This case gives in details about the problems the company encountered, strategies adopted by the company as a part of the restructuring exercises and how the company planned to leverage the full benefit from the restructuring exercises. It also gives an idea about global LCD TV market, recent trends and developments of the market, future trends of the market and how innovative technologies affect the growth of the market positively.

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To discuss the global LCD TV market
• To discuss the strategic initiatives of Sharp Corporation
• To analyse the challenges faced by Sharp
• To debate on Sharp’s restructuring exercise.

Keywords : Sharp Corporation, Liquid crystal display (LCD), Cathode ray tube (CRT), Samsung, Brands & Branding Case Study, Plasma display panel (PDP), Surface conduction display (SED), Plasma display technologies, Matshushita Electronic Corporation, iSuppli, Sony Corporation, Original equipment manufacturers, Organic light emitting diode, Brand identity, LG Electronics, Display Search