ETD: 717 SPECIAL REPORT: Creative tactics that give you an
advantage
E-Tailer's Digest
etd_post@gapent.com
Mon, 01 Sep 2003 19:21:46 -0400
E-Tailer's Digest --- Everything for the Retailer
Issue #0717 September 2, 2003
George Matyjewicz, Moderator mailto:georgem@gapent.com
Published by: GAP Enterprises, Ltd. http://www.etailersdigest.com
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CONTENTS
[1] Greetings
[2] SPECIAL REPORT: Creative tactics that give you an advantage
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[1] Greetings.
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Hi All:
I'll be in London Tuesday through Friday.
Today we have a special report from list members and marketing gurus Phil
Glowatz and Jacques Chevron. I've known these gentlemen for six years, and
have the honor of working with them on projects. They know their stuff.
As I said before, I have a number of trips coming up through the end of
September - two trips to London; four days in Nashville. So, I would
appreciate any and all special reports that anybody would like to share. My
guidelines are very simple - anything relative to retailing/etailing and
that doesn't blatantly sell your product/services. 1,500 - 2,500 words is
preferable. I will make it a Special Report, devoting an entire issue to
the article. And it will be published for posterity at our ETD resources
site http://etailersdigest.com/resources/Specials/
If you are flying at any time between September through December, don't
forget to listen to SkyRadio, especially the section on Sarbanes-Oxley and
the interview with list member Jim D'Arcangelo.
Now, let's get to everything for the retailer.
Sincerely
George Matyjewicz, PhD
Chief Global Strategist, GAP Enterprises, Ltd.
mailto:georgem@gapent.com
http://www.etailersdigest.com
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[2] SPECIAL REPORT: Creative tactics that give you an advantage.
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New Products Success
FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD: Creative tactics that give you an advantage.
By Phil Glowatz and Jacques Chevron
Until late in the 18th century, most travelers walked or rode on the left
side of roads. This came about because soldiers usually fought with their
swords in their right hand, and being on the left side of the road made it
easier to engage an enemy. The soldiers demanded all travelers follow suit.
Napoleon changed this practice. To give an edge to his armies, he ordered
soldiers and travelers to the right side of the roads. The resulting flow
of refugees fleeing on the "wrong" side of the road during conflicts had
the effect of slowing down his opponents' armies. And, when enemy patrols
were met on the road, there was confusion that Napoleon's men were
expecting and prepared for, giving them a tactical advantage.
With marketing, and particularly in new product development, doing things
differently can also pay big dividends. Yet, most of those in new products
use the same tactics-the same development and research tools-in very
similar ways. Ergo, they get similar results, and category after category
is filled with products that are not distinguished from one another and
lack competitive advantages.
To change this, new product developers should inject creativity into the
process, and use their methods and tools in different ways. For example:
BRAINSTORM ANONYMOUSLY. Traditional group brainstorming sessions actually
inhibit ideation. Human nature being what it is, some people are shy in a
group, while others are reluctant to voice what might be viewed as a "bad"
idea. (The mantra of "no bad ideas" is often subverted by the group's
non-verbal reactions; some ideas get built on immediately, while others
evoke silence.) So, consider brainstorming anonymously using an online
"ideation chat room" (each participant is identified only by a code
number). This allows all group members to open up and new product ideas to
flow freely. There are several software programs available for this.
ENCOURAGE CONSUMERS TO BRING THE PRODUCTS THEY USE TO FOCUS GROUPS. Show
and tell works. When consumers can point to the actual products they use as
they discuss them, a clearer understanding of attitudes can emerge. In
developing eyewear, for example, we had consumers bring in their
eyeglasses- most had several or more current pairs-and explain the usage
occasions for each one. This helped us understand more sharply the
potential (and limitations) for premium eyewear concepts. We've done the
same with a range of consumer products.
EXPLORE A BENEFIT THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT SHOULD WORK. Throwing an
outrageous concept into the mix can get consumers talking about your
category in different ways. For example, in developing a new deodorant, you
might explore a product idea that claims to let some of the body's natural
odor come through. For spaghetti sauce, create a concept that promises a
smooth texture with absolutely no herbs and spices. These "opposite"
concepts can stimulate a focus group discussion and lead to insights that
might not otherwise be uncovered.
OBSERVE THE PRODUCT BEING USED. Have the members of the new product team go
into homes and watch how consumers actually use a product. Some years ago,
we worked on a dishwashing liquid which, as most brands still do, claimed a
superior grease-cutting ability: "A few drops are enough!" Accordingly, R &
D was hard at work developing formulas where even fewer drops would be
needed. Yet, during in-home visits, we observed that even the most
dedicated product users weren't heeding the "few drops" message, and were
squeezing out far more liquid than they really needed. The recommendation
to R & D was to focus away from making a more concentrated product.
DO A QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE VERBATIMS. Regular focus groups,
properly moderated, are a powerful tool already. But, analyzing them with a
little creativity can lead to even more golden insights. One very effective
technique is a computerized method called verbatim mapping (VerMap), that
analyzes the transcripts of group discussions. Also known as
"Self-Organizing Artificial Neural Network Analysis," it evidences words
that are juxtaposed frequently, as well as those that show negative
associations (i.e., when a particular word appears, others never do). These
word/concept relationships can be subjected to sophisticated statistical
analyses-e.g., cluster analysis-to provide insights that might otherwise
remain hidden.
Of course, there are numerous other creative twists possible. The key lies
in searching for ways to customize your research tools-by looking at
possibilities on the "other side of the road"-to uncover the insights your
competitors will overlook with traditional methods. You may not conquer the
world, but you will surely increase your chances of developing a product
with a compelling customer benefit, and a tactical advantage in the
marketplace.
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Phil Glowatz (718.343.6535) is a qualitative researcher and creative
director, and Jacques Chevron (708.784.0730) is a consultant in marketing
and branding strategy. Phil and Jacques have created the JP Group to work
together on client assignments.
© 2002 Phil Glowatz and Jacques Chevron
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