P&G Considers Booting Some Brands†

Wall Street Journal, October 29, 2009 — Facing mounting pressure to boost sliding sales and recalibrate his company, P&G CEO Robert McDonald is stepping up the hunt for acquisition and divestiture candidates, people close to the company said.

A Painful Departure for G.M. Brands

General Motors’ expansive lineup was once its primary weapon, but it plans to cut four brands, including Saturn and the long-lived Pontiac division

New York Times, February 18, 2009 — The brand that was once hailed as an important part of the future of General Motors now will be part of its past.

G.M. said Tuesday that it would phase out its Saturn brand by 2012. It does not plan to develop any more new vehicles for Saturn, which began 19 years ago as an effort to attract owners of small Japanese cars.

G.M. also said it was considering its options for the Pontiac division. The Pontiac name, part of the car business since 1932, could remain on some models, but may no longer be a separate division. G.M. said Pontiac would be a “focused brand” with fewer models.

With Saturn, G.M. Failed a Makeover

New York Times, December 4, 2008 — General At least G.M. knows how difficult the challenge will be.

A quarter-century ago, G.M. started Project Saturn with the same goals. And it worked, for a time. Saturn owners, including many who traded in their Hondas and Toyotas to own the first models in 1990, became cheerleaders for the division’s customer-friendly approach, while the United Automobile Workers union gave up many of its traditional restrictions to help Saturn succeed.

Motors has promised Congress that it can recreate itself as a different kind of car company — smaller, with a more cooperative relationship with its union, and a lineup of fuel-efficient cars to compete with the best of the foreign brands

Pernod Puts Its Buying Spree on Ice†

Wall Street Journal, July 24, 2008 — Ahead of the release of its fiscal-year sales Thursday, drinks maker Pernod Ricard SA signaled a change in its growth strategy.

The French company, which has been on an acquisition binge, said it plans to sit tight for the next few years and nurture the labels it already owns.

"Organic growth is a must," Pernod Managing Director Pierre Pringuet said in an interview.

Hilton to Tap Starwood Luxury Team†

Hotel Chain Aims to Bolster Presence In High-End Arena

Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2008 — As part of an ambitious plan to nearly double its luxury properties in the next year and create an upscale boutique hotel brand, Hilton Hotels Corp. has hired two luxury gurus away from competitor Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc.

Hilton is expected to announce Monday the appointment of Ross Klein as global head of luxury and lifestyle brands for Hilton and Amar Lalvani as global head of luxury and lifestyle brand development. The moves are geared toward vaulting Hilton ahead in the luxury category, where it has trailed competitors.

Eight-Brand Pileup Dents GM's Turnaround Efforts†

Wall Street Journal, March 4, 2008 — Michael Maguire has mixed feelings about General Motors Corp.'s coming launch of the Chevrolet Traverse, a seven-passenger crossover wagon that promises to boost sales at his family's Chevy dealership along Route 206 in Bordentown, N.J. The trouble is, the Maguire Automotive Group also owns a Saturn store a mile up the road, and the Traverse will crimp demand for the Outlook, a nearly identical crossover GM's Saturn brand began selling about a year ago. The arrival of the Traverse will mean "the window has completely shut for Saturn," Mr. Maguire said.