Week: 15 Madonna Case Study

MADONNA  LOUISE CICCONE

1) Why has this artist been so successful?  What are her key source of sustainable  competitive advantage?

Think about her unique resources and core competencies, think  about how  she has responded to changes in the external environment,  why is she so difficult to imitate? 

Madonna Louise Ciccone born on August 16,1958 is an american singer- song writer,  actress, author, director, entrepreneur  and philanthropist. Many of her songs peaked top record charts including  ''Like a Virgin'',  ''Into the groove'',   ''Papa  don't  preach'', ''Like a  Prayer'', ''Hung Up'', 4 minutes etc. The remarkable hyper  ambitious material girl who never  stop re-inventing herself, Madonna has sold over 300 million records and CD's to  adoring fans worldwide.  Her film  career  however is another story. The 1980 was Madonna's boom decade, and she dominated the music charts with a succession of multi-million selling albums, and her musical and fashion influence on young women was felt around the globe.

 She has been successful because of her  transformation in  her music and her fashion sense. The foundation of Madonna's business success has been her ability to sustain her reign  as the 'queen  of pop'. Like it has been mentioned in  the case example, Madonna's chameleon like ability to change persona, change her music genre with it and yet still achieve major  record sales has  been the hallmark of her success and  is seemingly not replicable  by  other male and female artists.  She has always been able to  shock and surprise her fans with her new  image and  new sense of style with her comeback, so people will  always be anticipating what will be her next move or her next style statement-  either that  be her sexuality, her music, or  be  her  sense of style. Madonna  pioneers as one of the most influential celebrity women in the planet.    She has always changed and adopted herself with the change in time and era. Music industry is full of one hit wonders and brief careers but Madonna was one celebrity that remained at the top for decades. Madonna will  do everything in her way- the only way. Madonna has been undoubtedly the most important  women in the history  of popular music  and a great business  women in herself creating fashion, breaking taboos  and provoking controversies. 

Her key  source of sustainable  competitive advantage is as follows

• She always have  a surprise ready  for her fans.
• She is always ahead of others  with her creative sense of style and music.
• She  is always focused in what she does.
• She  has her  strategy well planned  and  uses  it  correctly  and  timely.
• She has a huge number of fan following who  have been very supportive.
• She never misses to create something  new.

2) What  strategy directions could the artist pursue over the next ten years to continue  her commercial success?

Consider each of the four boxes from the Ansoff matrix. What new products or markets could  she enter? How might she diversify or continue to penetrate her  existing market? Try to  think logically  but also creatively and Innovatively.

Over the next ten years the artist can pursue following strategy directions to continue her commercial success:
The Ansoff matrix for Madonna to continue her commercial success:

Market Penetration

She being a brand in herself can easily join in new labels and sign deals.

She can continue and give more focus on working as a director.

New Products and services

She can endorse her own clothing line, makeup, accessories e.t.c.

She can sign up some television shows so as to keep impressing her fans.

Market Development

She should think of giving a concert tour in Asian countries as well so as to add up to her fan following numbers.

Diversification

She can write a book on herself and her success story.

She can establish a Music school.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_(entertainer)

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000187/bio

http://www.mtv.com/artists/madonna/