Harvard Business School Uses Celebs for Marketing Case Studies
In one of Harvard Business School's most popular courses, "Strategic Marketing in Creative Industries," students debate, discuss, and analyze LeBron James and his brand, as well as other big names like Lady Gaga, Tom Cruise, and the NFL. A Nov. 17 article for The Boston Globe illustrates how using James and other celebs as case studies teaches students valuable lessons about marketing in creative industries like sports and entertainment. Professor Anita Elberse, a former soccer player and a favorite among students at the business school, teaches the course.
"I'm trying to uncover the common concepts across different creative industries, synthesize the knowledge that exists for one area, and see how it applies to others," she told the Globe.
Students examine the brand-building decisions of their case study subjects, and try to determine when a celeb is better off "playing it safe" or taking risks in their careers.
"What intrigues me about the class is it's trying to take this black box of what is a creative industry… and make sense of it from a more rational business perspective," said Chris Satti, a student interviewed in the article.
The celebs being studied, including James and Gaga, were eager to participate in the project. James was "amazed" at the results, according to his business partner, Maverick Carter.
