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Discussion: Harvard prof: Gaga over Rihanna for class
Member Since: 8/23/2011
Posts: 11,596
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Harvard prof: Gaga over Rihanna for class
HBS Professor Brings Jay-Z, Lady Gaga to the Classroom
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The cast list of characters in professor Anita Elberse’s class at Harvard Business School reads like the credits of a surreal reality television show. Jay-Z, LeBron James, Lady Gaga, and Maria Sharapova are all featured at one time or another. Elberse writes case studies on the rise, fall, and critical decision-making associated with some of the biggest names in media and entertainment, and her class, “Strategic Marketing in Creative Industries,” is one of the highest-rated among Harvard MBA students.
Elberse’s in-class guests have included Lady Gaga’s manager, Troy Carter, Walt Disney (DIS) Chairman Alan Horn, and Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson. This summer she will start teaching a version of the course for executives visiting HBS’s campus, and by fall she expects to release a book that explores “why superstars are paid unimaginable sums” and why entertainment executives “spend outrageous amounts of money in search of the next blockbuster.”
Elberse spoke about her work with Bloomberg Businessweek’s Erin Zlomek. Below are edited excerpts of their conversation.
How do you choose a protagonist for a case study? For example, why focus on Lady Gaga and not Rihanna?
There isn’t a single way I choose. Sometimes I hear from a practitioner in entertainment. Or I may read in the news about a decision someone made that was puzzling, controversial, or heavily debated. These make for great cases. If someone has had extraordinary success, I look into it—same thing for someone who has had a big failure. The subject matter has to excite me in some way.
What drew me to LeBron James was learning about his decision not to go with an agent and establish his own firm to handle his business ventures and marketing. I had previously done a case on Maria Sharapova who had gone the more traditional route. With LeBron, I knew I’d be able to look at the advantages and disadvantages of each path.
With Lady Gaga, I was very impressed with how fast she came up. In late 2008 no one had heard of her, and by 2009 she was one of the biggest stars in the world. I wanted to know what decisions her manager made to contribute to her fast rise.
Your case study on Manchester United was one of HBS’s best-selling cases last year. Why do you think that resonated so widely?
It’s one of the biggest sports franchises in the world. Alex Ferguson, the head coach, has had more success than any other coach in the history of the sport. The case was about understanding what makes him an effective leader, and I think that premise is just really appealing. People want a look inside the kitchen. They want to understand why he’s been so successful and what drives him forward.
Your class is one of the most popular courses at HBS, yet only 3 percent of last year’s grads took jobs in entertainment or media fields. What’s the appeal?
I think many more of my students will go into creative industries over the course of their careers. For example, they might go into consulting or something else first.
Even if they’re not going into entertainment, it’s a very useful course to understand the world of marketing. I think many sectors are adopting some of the concepts we see in entertainment, and it’s a really good industry to study because things have changed so fast—think about the impact of digital technology and how much there is to learn from the music industry.
There is also a close link to brand management. At a consumer-goods company, you might see one or two product launches in your career. In media and entertainment, there are hundreds of product launches a year. These cases apply to consumer goods, advertising, fashion, and other areas.
Do you have a personal favorite case study you’ve written?
No. They’re all my babies, I can’t pick a favorite.
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Member Since: 6/10/2009
Posts: 10,622
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Yassss the King & Queen of my universe 
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Member Since: 8/1/2012
Posts: 7,895
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Academics know what's up.
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Member Since: 1/1/2012
Posts: 19,672
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Wow! The new Queen of Pop is so respected by academics 
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Member Since: 4/12/2008
Posts: 11,333
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"Harvard professor explains why to focus on Gaga instead of Rihanna" would attrack more views  .
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Member Since: 7/12/2009
Posts: 15,281
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Member Since: 3/22/2012
Posts: 9,573
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The impact 
The shade
This quote
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"Harvard professor explains why to focus on Gaga instead of Rihanna" would attrack more views
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Member Since: 1/15/2011
Posts: 12,295
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Even Harvard thinks
Gaga > Rihanna
Her impact  oh well she's lady gaga the biggest star of this millennium 
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Member Since: 8/23/2011
Posts: 11,596
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Quote:
Originally posted by Cannabis
Even Harvard thinks
Gaga > Rihanna
Her impact oh well she's lady gaga the biggest star of this millennium |
Good point!
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Member Since: 6/16/2011
Posts: 2,785
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I mean. 
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Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 25,228
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Quote:
Originally posted by Cannabis
lady gaga the biggest star of this millennium |
lol, the lies.
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Member Since: 9/4/2011
Posts: 22,946
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Such a queen 
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Member Since: 8/13/2012
Posts: 32,832
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misleading title.... he did not choose between them, he just chose Gaga and used Rihanna's name as the epitome of the popular pop star of the moment
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Member Since: 1/28/2012
Posts: 11,237
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nnnnot Harvard clocking the haters
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Member Since: 5/18/2011
Posts: 4,192
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Quote:
Originally posted by aloirt
I mean.
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Exactly.
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Member Since: 5/27/2010
Posts: 37,025
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Well she is the most interesting of the mainstream girls atm.
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Member Since: 2/18/2012
Posts: 25,853
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Quote:
Originally posted by MaRy
misleading title.... he did not choose between them, he just chose Gaga and used Rihanna's name as the epitome of the popular pop star of the moment
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Not really, he's saying Lady Gaga had a lot of star power at the time of her rise which made it easy for her to be shot up in the industry from a business point of view. Presumably using Rihanna as the opposing argument as her star power is the business behind her, which means her rise and success really had nothing to do with her, but the team behind her. Compared to Lady Gaga, who had the star power anyway.
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Member Since: 8/13/2012
Posts: 32,832
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Quote:
Originally posted by Jack!
Not really, he's saying Lady Gaga had a lot of star power at the time of her rise which made it easy for her to be shot up in the industry from a business point of view. Presumably using Rihanna as the opposing argument as her star power is the business behind her, which means her rise and success really had nothing to do with her, but the team behind her. Compared to Lady Gaga, who had the star power anyway.
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yes because Gaga started by herself? The Fame was completely manufactured and she came into her on with TFM and BTW... same with Rihanna with GGGB. It works the same for all the popstars girl 
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Member Since: 5/27/2010
Posts: 37,025
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Quote:
Originally posted by Jack!
Not really, he's saying Lady Gaga had a lot of star power at the time of her rise which made it easy for her to be shot up in the industry from a business point of view. Presumably using Rihanna as the opposing argument as her star power is the business behind her, which means her rise and success really had nothing to do with her, but the team behind her. Compared to Lady Gaga, who had the star power anyway.
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Gaga her meteoric rise! Even Kylie testified to it, so you know it's true.
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Member Since: 4/12/2008
Posts: 11,333
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Quote:
Originally posted by MaRy
yes because Gaga started by herself?
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All of the songs in The Fame were written by Gaga heself and she even co-produced some of them, so, yes.
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