Article: The Chief of Yahoo Lifts Sales, and Spirits
Author: NICOLE PERLROTH
Date: 01/29/2013
Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/technology/yahoo-earnings-beat-forecasts.html?ref=global&_r=0

Summary
This article focuses on the impacts of Yahoo’s new CEO Marissa Mayer on the company only months into her new position. While Yahoo has recently been viewed as a dying company, it has recently emerged since her arrival. They recently announced increased revenue for the first time in the last four quarters. They exceeded Wall Street expectations by 30%. This has to do with recent changes to Yahoo Mail and a 25% increase in picture uploads on Yahoo’s Flickr. However, many are giving the credit to Marissa Mayer and the perceived value of the energy and knowledge she brought to the company. Marissa Mayer, just by being Marissa Mayer, is their hidden marketing secret. She surprised her employees with new iPhones and gave them all free food in the cafeteria which is far from the cost cutting that has driven the company over the past years. Life has been breathed in Yahoo.
Perceptions
I have never viewed marketing from the standpoint of an individual bringing “marketability” to a company. I always thought that a brand could only gain value through new products, better pricing, or an increase in advertising cost. I never consider that the company’s goodwill could increase by adding new leadership. If investors see life and potential brewing in a company, they are likely to take a risk with their money if they see potential gains. It’s just amazing the various ways companies can begin to turn things around. There is a world of opportunities and you just have to think outside of the box to tap into many valuable resources. It would be very interesting to see the perceived value added by the average CEO. I can’t imagine what a name like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates does to a company’s value.