Having a broad spectrum of marketing information available is crucial for companies to achieve a prosperous product launch or development in the market.
Extensive market research and understanding the target consumer are crucial for a successful product launch, as demonstrated by Beiersdorf's development of Pearl ; Beauty. Beiersdorf has a strong track record in conducting market research with over 600 employees at its R;D headquarters in the US.
Beiersdorf values market research and has a dedicated team at its headquarters, as well as market research managers in its foreign subsidiaries in France, the United Kingdom, China, and Italy (Beiersdorf, 2008). The multinational nature of the research department is noted in EastNorthWestSouth's 2005 article, which stresses that professionals from diverse cultures are necessary for effective multinational marketing. The team conducted market research prior to the launch of Pearl and Beauty, using a
...methodology that aligns with the American Productivity & Quality Center's book "Marketing Research for New Product Development" (2005). The team first collected information from consumers on their deodorant preferences to better understand the market and identify gaps between available products and consumer needs, ultimately seeking to gain consumer insight.
Previous market research studies provided information on usage and perspectives regarding deodorant usage. However, markets are constantly changing and there is a need to obtain relevant and recent information to avoid using outdated data. Beiersdorf conducted interviews with small groups of women to understand their desires, expectations, and motivations. This study showed that women have a desire for beautiful underarms all year round, and are achieving this through shaving. Jack Gordon et al suggest that these insights should be turned into concepts that allow for multiple execution methods,
providing maneuvering space for the company. These concepts should not only help consumers understand the product idea but also allow them to express their desires.
The company conducted a brainstorming session to generate multiple product ideas to meet the new consumer desire. Following this, the company consulted its market research team to assess which of the concepts was most appealing to consumers. The research team used a structured questionnaire to gather data on the key aspects of a deodorant, such as wetness, dryness, and fragrance, as well as the unique selling point of the new Nivea product, i.e., neat underarms, and its relevance to the target market. The questionnaire was distributed to the target audience, and the concept with the highest popularity was chosen for further development, including naming and package design.
According to Reinertsen (2006), it is crucial for the design to convey the product's essence as its purpose is to facilitate sales. In this case, due to targeting young to middle aged women, the design had to radiate femininity and sophistication. Pink colouring was employed for packaging to enhance the product's femininity. Various designs were assessed using market research methods to gauge optimal selling price, expected sales volumes and switching levels during launch. As per Jack Gordon (2005), identified concepts must be developed into products that meet the promises made to the consumer through their views. Otherwise, the entire project will fail. To ensure that the product fulfils its promises and has a higher chance of success, it was tested on real customers.
After de-branding, the research team provided a sample of the target market with the product. By placing the product in a black
container, the users couldn't tell which company had manufactured it. This was done to prevent bias and ensure accurate information. The sample members used the product for a week and provided feedback on its performance, their willingness to purchase it, and whether they would switch from their current deodorant to the new product when it's released.
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