Some general feedback on the brand projects

 Obstacles overcome: well done 

This course was about having you learn through experiences and exercises. It works best when we are all in the same room. We couldn't do that, but maybe next year.

Some things I saw you accomplish:

• Your research was very thorough and impressive, and the experience should serve you well in future courses. 
  
• You managed to do an in-depth assessment of a brand in four minutes, a significant challenge.
  
• You analyzed technical business documents, which should also serve you well in future courses.
  
• You coordinated work as teams across distances and time zones.
  
• You showed patience in dealing with the technical difficulties associated with Zoom classes, for which I thank you.
  

Suggestions for future presentations

• Practice your oral presentations. And then practice them again. And again. They become smoother and more conversational the more that you practice. You gain confidence. You don't trip over difficult words. Your message becomes more persuasive.
  
• Present with conviction and enthusiasm as though you have discovered something interesting (which you have) and are excited to share your discovery with others.
• Make sure that you understand every technical term you use, such as "negative net cash flow and negative net liquidity". Look them up so that you do understand them, and then use them with confidence.
• Start making a portfolio of your best work for future internship and job applications.  

Be an influencer 

Marketing is about knowing who your customers are, identifying their needs and wants, and satisfying those needs and wants. Be the kinds of marketers who influence people with creativity, humor, powerful language, compelling images, and, above all, honesty and integrity. In a world full of disinformation, people value credible, trustworthy brands. My hope for you all is that you will be those kinds of influencers.

Week 13, Nov. 23, 27: The Global financial Crisis of 2008

 Week 13, Nov. 23, 27, First readings of Global financial crisis of 2008

1. Three years after the crash, in 2011, there was still a worldwide financial crisis. This 11-minute video explains how it happened, The Credit Crisis. 

 1. 

2. The Giant Pool of Money, a one-hour radio report, with transcript available. This walks you through the step-by-step process of how lots of people fooled themselves, and others, in a greedy money grab that led to a global financial crisis. It shows how radio can cover a complex financial topic in an easily understandable way.

3. In preparation for Monday's class, I am sharing the slides for the class here


4. And here are four short clips of 30 seconds each that tell some of the story of how the crisis occurred.

Glen Pizzolorusso, the mortgage broker, making $60,000 a month 
Glen lived the high life, champagne at $1,000 a bottle
The chain or irresponsibility: everyone passed the problem to the next guy
The experts fooled themselves; they were using the wrong data
 
For Friday's class

The Crisis goes Hollywood in the movie "The Big Short" with Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Steve Carell, and a cameo of Margot Robbie. Here is an explanation of some of the technical aspects of the film clips from the movie. 

How four men saw the financial crisis coming
Christian Bale´s character outsmarts the Wall Street Banks, who think he is a fool
Ryan Gosling, The Jenga clip, he talks about credit default swaps
The Big Short ratings agencies, a conflict of interest

Even more clips from The Big Short:
Michael Burry (Christian Bale) discovers the housing market is propped up by bad loans, Margot Robbie helps  
Michael Burry closes out his investment fund with 489% return, 2.7 billion dollars 
As always, the big bankers and politicians say the crisis was the fault of poor people and immigrants

If you want to dive deeper,  two Wikipedia articles explain more background on how the crisis occurred.
How government policies contributed to the crisis.
Explanations for innacurate credit ratings agencies and the subprime crisis.

Grading standards, la rúbrica, for brand projects

 These are the main criteria I take into account when I grade projects. 

1. Quality of Research

• Depth of the inquiry
• Quality of sources consulted
• Innovation if sources are scarce or unavailable
• Initiative in finding solutions

2. Quality of Analysis

• Description of the issue is complete, accurate
• Analysis considers the "why" or the "how" of the issue
• Analysis proposes solutions to problems uncovered
• Innovation in approach to solutions
• Initiative in finding solutions

3. Quality of Communication

• Writing: Clear, precise language; correct spelling, grammar
• Writing: Eloquence in communication, skilled use of rhetoric
• Graphics, charts, images that eloquently help communicate
• Oral presentation engages audience
• Oral presentation makes effective use of visual elements

Week 11, Nov. 9, 13: Financial Markets (replaces labor markets) and preparation for Week 12, final project presentations

 For Monday, Nov. 9:

1. A CHANGE: Read Mandel Chapter 13 on Financial Markets, in ADI-Contents-Mandel Chapters  (I believe the Financial Markets chapter will be more useful to you on your final projects than Labor Markets).

 

Important concepts in Financial Markets:

• Why businesses borrow and lend money
• How businesses raise money--they issue bonds (debt) or sell shares 
• The stock market and the bond market (intermediaries)
• The risk-return principle
• Diversification of investments
  

Week 12: Final Project Presentations

The presentation order is listed below.   

Teams 11-20 will present on Monday Nov. 16

Teams 1-10 will present on Friday Nov. 20. 

1. Post the link to your slides, or the PDF of your slides, in ADI-Final project. They are due at 8am on the day of your presentation. Each oral presentation will be limited to 4 minutes. 

1a. For those who wish to prepare your oral presentation in advance in video format, that video is due at 8 am on the day of your presentation. Your video should be no longer than 4 minutes.

2. Post the text report of your final project in PDF format by 8 am. on the day of your presentation. 

I expect all students to attend both sessions (Exception: those in the Americas can watch later on Zoom). We will go straight through with no breaks.