International Law

Cold Stone Idiocy

Image by RichieC via Flickr

I have never been a fan of the Cold Stone Creamery business model - too much labour for too little net profit, and dubious accounting tricks. So what are the clever lads at Cold Stone up to these days.

"Usually around this time of year, ice cream franchiser Cold Stone Creamery calls its franchisees to Las Vegas for a meeting.

But this year, amid sour economic times, the company's executives are touring the country, visiting franchisees on their own turf. The rock band-style tour bus will hit 16 cities by January.

The Cold Stone executives, who were in Kansas City last month, are holding pep rallies, answering franchisees' questions and unveiling a strategy for braving the recession.

"People want to know that the team leading the brand cares and is passionate about its success," said Dan Beem, Cold Stone's president. "The second thing they want to know is that we have a plan."

Actually boys, the franchisees don't want a plan, they want evidence that any previous plan has worked.

Full post as published by Misleading Advertising Law on December 03, 2008 (boomark / email).