|
INTERNET EXERCISES
Chapter 10: Marketing
the Total Product: Brand, Image, Warranty, and Packaging
Exercise 1 – Increasing the Attractiveness of Products
Exercise 2 – Product Development on a Smaller Scale Exercise 1 – Increasing the Attractiveness of Products
Vignette: Ford is planning to continue the recent trend of reviving
old brands by reintroducing the Mercury Marauder, a “muscle car” from
the 1960s. This trend is based on car manufacturers’ recognition
that, to car buyers, cars are more than the metal and other physical
components they are made of.
Old Images Have Value
Recently, automakers have been looking back in time for inspiration.
Ford plans to reintroduce the Mercury Marauder, a “muscle car” from
the 1960s, following its success in 2002 with the revival of the Thunderbird.
Other manufacturers are launching revivals as well. General Motors
successfully introduced the new Impala, and Mercedes-Benz will soon
be relaunching the Maybach. All of these brand names still have strong
images, even though they were discontinued years ago. Car marketers
recognize that these brand names and the images that go with them are
valuable aspects of a total product because total products are more
than just their physical parts.
Activity
-
Tour the featured Web sites for Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and General
Motors. Update your understanding of the current situation with regard
to “revival” cars. Also note the companies’ upcoming
launch plans and, where available, the work they are doing on concept
cars for launch sometime in the future.
-
Using Table 10.1 in the text as a guide, determine all of the
components that each of these automakers markets as a product feature
(e.g. services,
warranties, financing plans). In other words, when they sell a car,
what is the total product that they are offering to customers?
-
Look over all of the automotive brand names. Are there any that
do not have the basic characteristics of a good brand name, i.e.
are there
any that are not easy to pronounce, recognize, and remember?
-
Cars are generally considered to be shopping goods because they
are major purchases that people often make after an extensive comparison
of the differences in price, style, quality, service support, etc.
between
competing products. Nevertheless, cars may be viewed as convenience
products, or preference products, or specialty products by some consumers.
Think
of examples when this might be so. If you were an automaker, how
would you like consumers to view your product: as a convenience product,
a
preference product, a shopping product, or a specialty product?
Resources Other major automakers:
DaimlerChrysler: the parent company of
Mercedes-Benz
It is interesting to note the prominence that Mercedes-Benz has on this
site.
Toyota: the worldwide Web site
Mitsubishi Motors: the
worldwide Web site
Product development companies and associations:
Product Development and Management Association: includes
this not-for-profit organization’s annual selection of the outstanding
corporate innovators in the world (click on the “OCI AWARD” tab)
IDEO: a company that “helps companies innovate.
We design products, services, environments, and digital experiences.” This
site shows examples of IDEO’s work.
Space Product Development: a
division of NASA that helps companies “bring the benefits of space down to Earth
and enrich the everyday lives of all Americans.”
Exercise 2 – Product Development on a Smaller Scale
Featured URL: www.kitz4u.com
Making Your Idea a Reality
Beverly Morgan started her home-based business, Kitz 4-U Inc., in Hamilton,
Ontario, by selling First Aid Kits to fundraising organizations. Over
the past five years, she has developed two other affordable “Everything
You Need in a Pinch” kits, the Bowling Kit and the Golf Kit.
She will soon be releasing a Travel Kit. She now markets her products
as affordable fundraising products and as "corporate" giveaways.
However, one of the biggest challenges she faced starting Kitz 4-U
Inc. was product development. What should she put in each kit? What
should the packaging look like? Where would she purchase the products
she needed? Who will do the graphic design? Who will make the packaging?
To answer these questions, she conducted market surveys and spent a
great deal of time looking for and getting advice.
Activity
-
Tour the featured Web site for Kitz 4-U Inc. Look at Beverly Morgan’s
current offerings, and then using Table 10.1 as a guide, break them down
in terms of the “total product concept.” Are these products
missing any components that would make them more complete and therefore
more attractive to her customers?
-
The Kitz 4-U products are primarily targeted to B2B markets. What
kind of B2B products are they: installations, accessory equipment,
component parts and materials, raw materials, or supplies?
Back
to Internet Exercises
|
|
