Looking for sample case study interviews with answers? Look no further! In this article, we’re walking you through some of the best case study samples on the web. These case studies simulate the virtual case interview environment and represent cases from across different firm styles (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, and more), including both interviewer-led and interviewee-led (candidate-led) cases.
The video examples are live cases that demonstrate the nuances of the virtual case interview and include feedback from an MBB coach. The sessions feature consultants or consulting candidates. If you are currently preparing for case interviews, or simply want to watch some rockstars run through sample case study interviews, you’re in the right place. Grab a pen and paper (don’t forget your thinking hat!) and work alongside with us. You won’t find FREE case practice like this anywhere else!
These case study samples require each candidate to build a structure (or framework) for approaching the problem/business situation in the case study. Find a breakdown of the 4 basic frameworks at the end of this post, or by clicking here. Now, let’s dive into the case study samples.
Case Study Video Samples with Answers
1) Bain: Market Sizing Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Lamp Market in Mexico
- CASE TYPE: Market Sizing
- FIRM STYLE: Bain
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
This Bain case study sample features a large direct-to-consumer conglomerate that sells lamps and other small home furniture pieces in the United States. The company is looking to expand into the Mexican market, particularly with their lamp segment. The candidate’s job is to size the market for lamps sold each year in Mexico.
The candidate asks a few clarifying question before and after building out a structure for the case. It’s always smart to ask questions to clarify assumptions. The basic structure the candidate created looks like this: Population > Households X Lamps / Household > Spend / Lamp. One thing he missed was converting his market size into a per-year (or annualized) figure. In most cases, the per-year basis is standard. If you are unsure, ask a clarifying question!
Overall, it was a good performance, with a final score of 3/4.
2) McKinsey: Market Study Case Study Sample (Interviewer-Led)
- CASE NAME: Iced Coffee
- CASE TYPE: Market Study
- FIRM STYLE: McKinsey
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 4/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
The client in this case is a beverage producer in the U.S. that wants help in designing a product launch strategy. The candidate’s job is to analyze the factors surrounding the product launch and the company’s internal capabilities to support the launch.
The candidate brought strong level 2 insights that McKinsey is looking for in its future consultants. Also, take note of how the interview was structured, with the interviewer taking the lead in presenting the information and driving the case. This interviewer-led style is typical in McKinsey case interviews. In the conclusion, the candidate led with the recommendation first (“here is what I recommend you do”), and followed that up with supporting data. McKinsey loves this answer-first (or hypothesis-driven) style of communication, derived from the Pyramid Principle. The candidate gets a score of 4/4 in this case study sample.
3) BCG: Profitability Framework Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Furnazon
- CASE TYPE: Profitability
- FIRM STYLE: BCG
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 2/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
In this BCG case study sample, the client is a B2B and B2C housewares and home furnishings retailer. In order to combat a recent slowdown in growth, the company implemented aggressive price promotions. However, profitability has continued to decline. The candidate’s job is to analyze the promotional campaign and determine what can be done to increase its effectiveness.
The candidate in this case study sample had what we call the “game factor.” He was eager and excited to tackle any challenge, and that positive attitude is what interviewers are looking for, especially in the second round of case interviews. He also showed that he wasn’t afraid of the math portion of the case. What was missing from his performance was insights. Ultimately, consultants are hired because of the insights they provide – not to crunch numbers, or use frameworks, but to provide recommendations built on insights. Because of that, this performance gets a score of 2/4.
4) Deloitte: Market Study Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Chainsaw Pants
- CASE TYPE: Market Study
- FIRM STYLE: Deloitte
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 2/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
The client in this Deloitte case study is a uniform producer in Australia. The company is looking to expand with a new product. The candidate’s job is to look at the market for the product to determine if it is a good opportunity for growth.
The candidate nailed the likeability factor that is always important in Deloitte interviews. Where she fell short was in communication, both in verbalizing her structure, numbering the buckets in the structure, and doing the math out-loud. We can’t emphasize this enough: you must over-communicate in any virtual interview setting – there is no such thing as communicating too much!
5) Bain: Market Study – Market Growth – Case Study Sample (with Diagrams)
- CASE NAME: Candy Company
- CASE TYPE: Market Study
- FIRM STYLE: Bain
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 4/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
The client in the Bain case study sample is a candy company that is looking to double revenues – while maintaining margins – in 4 years. The candidate’s role is to help the company create a short-term strategy to accomplish the goals of the CEO.
The candidate – who already landed an offer at Bain – absolutely crushed this case. Take note! From his opening statement (“this looks like a sweet case!”) to his final recommendation (42:25), he conveyed a sense of confidence in himself. This is crucial in case interviews. The case provides an example of how to interpret math diagrams – skip to 20:47 for that. We’re giving this one an overall rating of 4/4.
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6) BCG: Profitability Case Study Sample (with ex-Bridgespan Consultant)
- CASE NAME: Needle Needer
- CASE TYPE: Profitability
- FIRM STYLE: BCG
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
In this case study, the candidate’s job is to help a medical device manufacturer maintain profits despite new regulations causing a negative shift in demand.
The candidate does well in opening the case and asking clarifying questions to simplify the problem. Where he fell flat was in the structure – both in the communication of the framework, and in the actual strength of the structure that he created. Especially for BCG cases, the firm is looking for your structure to be robust because you’re going to have to follow it more, so make sure to allow yourself enough time to build a strong structure. We’re giving this case study sample a score of 3/4.
7) McKinsey: Mergers and Acquisitions Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Margaritaville
- CASE TYPE: Mergers & Acquisitions
- FIRM STYLE: McKinsey
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 2/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
In this back-of-the-envelope Mergers & Acquisitions case study sample, the business situation in the case involves a restaurant chain (Margaritaville). The candidate is being asked to analyze the chain as a potential investment to a PE firm. Is the restaurant chain worth acquiring?
The case is a good reminder to stay on track when it comes to timing. The ideal time in a case interview is 2 minutes to create a structure, and 2 minutes to present it. The candidate took 5.5 minutes to present! Not only did this eat into her time, it also make it hard to get into a comfortable rhythm as she continued into the rest of the case. The biggest weakness for our candidate was the creative question. Jenny Rae (the interviewer) recommended that she make that the focal point in her practice for future cases. There’s a lot of really good learnings in the feedback, so make sure you watch this one to the end. The candidate gets an overall score of 2/4.
8) BCG: Market Study – Market Entry – Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Pakistani Car Market
- CASE TYPE: Market Study
- FIRM STYLE: BCG
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
The client in this case study sample is a German luxury car maker that is looking to enter the Pakistani market. There is 1 luxury car competitor in the country. The client wants to break even in 2 years if it enters the market. The candidate’s job is to gather the data needed to inform her go/no-go recommendation to the client.
Right off the bat, the candidate did not gain the confidence of the interviewer when she commented, “I’m not a car person.” In case study interviews, that’s a no-no. Even if you don’t know anything about the subject matter in the case, refrain from negative statements like that. Firms are asking, “can I see this person interacting with a Fortune 500 CEO on a consulting engagement?” In addition, the candidate used the issue tree in her structure, which created confusion en masse. Issue trees are effective in an in-person interview, but in a virtual environment, irrelevant at best, and confusing at worst. In virtual interviews, the interviewer relies heavily on you over-communicating your structure, and that includes numbering. Every bucket/category in your structure needs a number that is clearly communicated. Overall, this case gets a score of 3/4.
9) McKinsey: Market Sizing Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Disposable Diapers
- CASE TYPE: Market Sizing
- FIRM STYLE: McKinsey
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 4/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
In this McKinsey Market Sizing case study sample, the candidate is being asked to size the market for disposable diapers in China.
Overall, this was a fantastic performance by the candidate. Given that she is ex-McKinsey, that shouldn’t be too surprising! She did a great job giving the interviewer confidence that she’d be able to crush the case. Her structure was clear and linear. One ‘good to great’ pointer: she could have simplified her math by rounding at several different points. Overall, this gets a 4/4.
10) McKinsey: Revenue Growth Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Mango Maker
- CASE TYPE: Market Study
- FIRM STYLE: McKinsey
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
Breaking Down the Candidate’s Performance
The client in this case is an agricultural chemicals producer in North America that is looking to grow revenues through the introduction of a new product in Mexico.
The candidate’s performance was good enough to pass a first round at McKinsey, but there were different areas with room for growth to go from a “B” performance to an “A.”
11) Deloitte: Public Sector Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Texas Unemployment Bump
- CASE TYPE: Public Sector
- FIRM STYLE: Deloitte
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 2/4
12) Deloitte: Human Capital Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Corporate Training Decision
- CASE TYPE: Human Capital Case Study
- FIRM STYLE: Deloitte
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
13) PwC: Profitability Market Share Case Study Sample
- CASE NAME: Bubble Bottles
- CASE TYPE: Profitability Case Study
- FIRM STYLE: PwC
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
14) Capital One Case Interview Example
- CASE NAME: Credit Card Master
- CASE TYPE: Profitability
- FIRM STYLE: Capital One
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
15) BCG Finance Case Interview
- CASE NAME: SimpleSwipe
- CASE TYPE: Market Study
- FIRM STYLE: BCG
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 2/4
16) BCG Profitability Case: Revolutionary Internet
- CASE NAME: Revolutionary Internet
- CASE TYPE: Profitability
- FIRM STYLE: BCG
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 2/4
17) McKinsey Case Interview: College Football Program
- CASE NAME: College Football Program
- CASE TYPE: Profitability
- FIRM STYLE: McKinsey
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
18) BCG Technology Case Study: Electronics Retailers
- CASE NAME: Electronics Retailers
- CASE TYPE: Market Study
- FIRM STYLE: BCG
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 3/4
19) McKinsey Case Study: Hospital Chain Revenue
- CASE NAME: K Grace Hospital Chain
- CASE TYPE: Profitability
- FIRM STYLE: McKinsey
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 4/4
20) Bain M&A Case: HardHead Helmets
- CASE NAME: HardHead Helmets
- CASE TYPE: M&A
- FIRM STYLE: Bain
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 2/4
21) McKinsey Market Entry Case: EnergyPop
- CASE NAME: EnergyPop
- CASE TYPE: Market Entry
- FIRM STYLE: McKinsey
- CANDIDATE PERFORMANCE: 4/4
Case Interview Frameworks: Explained
Market Sizing Framework
Market sizing case studies allow a business to know if a particular market would be appropriate to expand into. The capital expenditure required to expand into a new market is high, and exposes the company to a lot of risk. Therefore, extensive work by consultants to determine those risks and opportunities is an important step for companies to take. From a firm perspective, they want to know if you understand how to build a framework for this type of business problem, and appropriately defend your assumptions used to build your market sizing framework. If you’re able to do that, then you stand a good chance to do well in your case interview.
Market Study Framework
The Market Study framework is the most versatile of the basic frameworks. There are three types of Market Study framework questions.
- Market share (“How can the client grow market share?”).
- Market growth (“How can the client increase revenues?”).
- Market entry (“Will it be profitable for the client to enter the market?”). The framework looks at the external factors first – market, competitors, and customers. After looking at the external, it works its way to the internal factors – the company and the product/service.
It’s important to focus on the financial impact when using the Market Study framework!
Profitability Framework
The Profitability Framework is the most important of the basic frameworks. Why? Without profits, businesses can’t survive for long. There are 4 business situations in case study samples where the Profitability framework should be utilized.
- Growth Strategy: the client wants to grow significantly in a short period of time, meaning revenues, market share, profits, or a combination of the 3. How can you factor in any increased costs to grow both revenue and profits?
- Declining Profits: in this scenario, the client wants to not only stop the profit decline, but reverse it and get the business going in the right direction. Your job is to get to the root of the decline, and create a plan to reverse it.
- Creative Cost Benefit: in this business situation, the goal is often increased revenues or decreased costs. These types of case studies are often used for non-profits, because a non-profit’s success is not determined by profitability.
- Weighing Scenarios: the client is deciding between several options and needs your analytical skills and insight to guide them to a decision.
When using the Profitability Framework, it will serve you well to keep the ultimate goal in mind: profitability!
M&A Framework
The M&A Framework is the most complex of the frameworks, and also the most uncommon. It generally includes elements of the other basic frameworks, including Market Sizing, Profitability, and Market Study, with a fair amount of case math thrown in. The M&A Framework involves either a scenario where Company A wants to merge with Company B, or Company Y wants to acquire Company Z. There are 2 types of M&A buyers:
- financial
- strategic
Understanding the differences will allow you to determine how to approach the case. And don’t forget: the goal in any M&A case is always increased profitability.
Summary
We hope these case study samples prove to be useful in your interview prep! If you need expert guidance in your case preparation, book an hour with an ex-MBB coach today. Need practice case studies like the ones you saw in the video samples? Check out the Case Library – a bank of 500+ practice case studies, with 25+ firm styles represented (McKinsey, Bain, BCG, Deloitte, Accenture, and many more!). Good luck in your case prep. Reach out to our team with any questions or comments!
Additional Reading:
- Case Interview Frameworks: Ultimate Guide
- Case Interview Examples: Master List
- Virtual Case Interview
- Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide
- No Case Interview Experience? Start Here
- 6 Types of Case Interviews: Why You Need to Know Each One
