“Every day, over 2.4 billion people — more than one third of the world’s population — burn solid biomass fuel (wood, charcoal, dung and cola) for cooking and heating.  These fuels are usually burned indoors in open pits or traditional cook stoves.  About two-thirds of the people using this fuel have no electricity, so the open fires often burn into the night to provide light….  It is estimated that htis source of pollution contributes each year to the death of 1 million children under the age of 5, and it is a leading cause of miscarriage and women’s health problems.”  (quote from the case Bright Light Innovations:  The Starlight Stove, Essentials of Marketing and Basic Marketing — our text books).

The case was written a few years ago and focuses on Nepal, but this NPR story provides an update from India.  It describes how Envirofit (the company we base our case on) has designed a successful marketing mix that is now making inroads in India.  A great listen (or read – the text of the story is on the same page) – “Smoke Clears On Safer Cookstoves For World’s Poor” (National Public Radio, September 21, 2010).

The story is of great personal interest.  The Envirofit Cookstove was a project that came out of the Engine’s and Energy Conversion Lab at Colorado State University.  I (Joe) have watched the lab develop creative energy solutions that benefit mankind.  I wrote the Bright Light Innovations case in our text book and still enjoy teaching it in class.

Not so fast.  The program has drawn criticism from many corners — showing the power of a few prominent voices on the internet to influence public opinion.  This article in the Atlantic “Nestle Barge to Ply the Amazon, Bringing Ice Cream and Rage,” (June 21, 2010).  The debate raises interesting ethical and social responsibility questions.  It also raises questions about Nestle’s strategy and implementation of this project.

This issue might be discussed one one of the first few days of school around issues of micro- and macro-marketing (we cover these in chapter one of our books — along with social responsibility).  It also provides a nice ethical debate to have in the segmentation and targeting chapter.

I am becoming more and more a believer in the power of stories.  I think they help in marketing and for teaching marketing.  If you are interested in learning more about stories, you might read Daniel Pink’s book “A Whole New Mind:  Why Right Brainers Will Rule the Future” (this morning I listened to the “Story” chapter on my way in to work) or the Heath brothers “Made to Stick.“  I know we all use stories (extended examples) to supplement our teaching, but what I am reading has me thinking about how I can develop better stories.