Best Buy Confronts Newer Nemesis†

With Circuit City Gone, Electronics Retailer Arms Its 'Blue Shirt' Sales Force to Take On Wal-Mart

Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2009 — Finally victorious over longtime archrival Circuit City Stores Inc., Best Buy Co. is now gearing up to fight an even more powerful foe: Wal-Mart.

Leading the challenge will be Brian Dunn, the company's chief operating officer, who takes over for retiring Chief Executive Brad Anderson in June. His new strategy is to head off Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s brutal price competition by giving consumers something the discounter cannot: more interactive stores, where customers can step into the world of a new videogame or see their faces captured by a high-definition video camera, instead of trolling aisles stacked with merchandise.

Stay-at-Home Trend Feathers Samsung Nest†

Fewer Families Going Out Means More Sales of HDTV, Sound Systems

Advertising Age, November 3, 2008 — Steven Cook came to Samsung Electronics America a little over a year ago, after 13 years at Coca-Cola and another 13 years before that at Procter & Gamble. Mr. Cook said Samsung now sits at No. l or No. 2 in most of its product categories, similar to successful classic consumer-package-goods makers. With the commoditization of electronics — much like package goods — his job is to continue to differentiate Samsung as a premium brand.