CUTCO Corporation Case Study

CUTCO Corporation Case Study

INSTRUCTIONS:   Read the case study below and then answer the questions included in the Writing Prompt which follows.

CUTCO Corporation, the largest manufacturer and marketer of high-quality kitchen cutlery and accessories in the United States and Canada, celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2009. Over 100 kitchen cutlery products are sold under the CUTCO name as well as a variety of kitchen gadgets, utensils, and flatware. The company also carries a line of cookware, sporting/pocket knives, and garden tools.

Boasting over 15 million satisfied customers and annual sales of over $200 million, CUTCO’s commitment to quality and innovation is evident throughout the manufacture and marketing of company products. CUTCO stands behind each and every product with a FOREVER satisfaction guarantee. The guarantee has four components:

1.   FOREVER Performance Guarantee
2.   FOREVER Sharpness Guarantee
3.   FOREVER Replace Service Agreement for Misuse or Abuse
4.   15-Day Unconditional Money Back Guarantee

The company’s FOREVER guarantee ensures that CUTCO cutlery stays in the family for generations to come. Given this backdrop of the company’s high-quality product offering in difficult economic times, the company initiated a “going green” effort in 2008.

Everyone, from individual consumers to corporate decision makers, is talking about sustainability, going green, and reducing the carbon footprint. However, some companies’ efforts are more “greenwashing” than truly intended for the well-being of the environment. Greenwashing is what companies do (e.g., promotional efforts) to make themselves look more environmentally friendly than they really are.

For the CUTCO Corporation, however, the plan is not for a “go-green project” or to engage in “greenwashing.” Rather, the company is instilling “going green” initiatives that, like the product’s FOREVER guarantee, stay with the company forever. In 2008, CUTCO Corporation’s marketing……………………

CUTCO Corporation Case Study

CUTCO Corporation Case Study