Problem
A. The Cutco brand is affiliated with Cutco Corporation, Vedor Marketing Corporation, and Cutco Cutlery Corporation. It seems overly cumbersome for customers to understand that Vedor Marketing Corporation is selling Cutco knives! Meanwhile, Cutco is now the largest manufacturer of high-quality kitchen cutlery in Canada and the United States. How would you structure Cutco's branding if you entered a new international market?
B. Two things that have never changed at Cutco are their commitment to fine craftsmanship and the Forever Guarantee. Is this a viable international strategy when considering entry into the vastly diverse markets that exist globally?
C. Vedor Marketing Corporation is the exclusive marketer of Cutco products directly to consumers via sales representatives located throughout Canada and the United States. Cutco International Inc. is responsible for international marketing. Can the direct sales model work as a market entry strategy internationally? Where can it work, and where does it potentially not work?
D. Cutco's product line includes more than 100 choices under the Cutco name alone. Is it realistic to think that Cutco can enter global markets with all of its products for each market every time they consider a new market entry?