YOU ARE DOWNLOADING DOCUMENT

Please tick the box to continue:

Transcript
Page 1: 26 Product Launch Strategies

26 LAUNCH STRATEGIES TO INSPIRE ANY BRAINSTORM

PRODUCT LAUNCH FLASH CARDS

Page 2: 26 Product Launch Strategies

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Print out this presentation double-sided.2. Use flashcards as stimulus for product launch brainstorms. 3. Mix and match flashcards to try different combinations.4. Challenge convention. Be different. Be brave. 5. Select your best ideas.6. Launch product.7. Sit back and watch sales come in.

Credits: Richard Pentin, Planning Director at TMW @ifonlyblog

insert client logo here

Page 3: 26 Product Launch Strategies

DRIPPING TAPA controlled reveal over time

Page 4: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• High interest category• Avid fan base• Complex product category

(eg automotive, gaming, IT, entertainment)• When full suite of launch assets are not yet

available

What’s so good about it?• Sustains buzz over time• Press journalists thrive on this approach as

they need brand stories to fill column inches

• Fuels insatiable appetite from avid fanbase

What’s not so good about it?• Conventional/traditional

The film industry are masters at drip feeding stories in the run up to the official premiere. Trailers, posters, behind the scenes footage, soundtracks, interviews with protagonists, advanced screenings and PR stunts – all designed to create positive buzz and generate box office success.

E X A M P L E SD R I P P I N G T A P

Page 5: 26 Product Launch Strategies

LOCKDOWN Enforce a strict embargo on

all outbound communications until launch

Page 6: 26 Product Launch Strategies

David Bowie launched latest album completely out the blue and to huge critical acclaim

When to use it?• In high interest categories• When you have a strong fan base• High confidence in new product/service• To gain competitor advantage• When you don’t have a lot to say!• Often used in conjunction with other

approaches (eg Fanfare, Stampede…)

What’s so good about it?• Speculation fuels rumours/buzz• Catches competition off guard• No cost

What’s not so good about it?• Hard to enforce – prone to unofficial leaks• Product may not meet the hype• No opportunity to unpack story over time

E X A M P L E SL O C K D O W N

Page 7: 26 Product Launch Strategies

RIPPLESEmpower key influencers

to tell your story

Page 8: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• High interest product / category• When product/campaign has social currency• Existing relationships with key influencers • High confidence in product/service

What’s so good about it?• More cost effective than talking to the

masses• More authentic/persuasive

What’s not so good about it?• Less control• Reach dependant on engaging right

influencers• Harder to control launch message

Google Glass seeded prototypes to about 4,000 "Glass Explorers" who won an online competition to try them out (#ifihadglass). Drawing from celebrities, the fashion industry to bridal couples about to get married – all will bring a unique and compelling perspective to help launch this innovative technology to a more mainstream audience.

E X A M P L E SR I P P L E S

Page 9: 26 Product Launch Strategies

GRASS ROOTSCreate groundswell from existing fans before opening up to broader market

Page 10: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• High interest product / category• Loyal/avid fanbase• High confidence in product/service• Lower budgets

What’s so good about it?• Rewards biggest advocates• Mobilises your unpaid sales army• Invariably costs less than talking to the

masses

What’s not so good about it?• Preaching to the converted• Potentially slow burn• Hard to get reach

E X A M P L E S

Wispa chocolate bar was discontinued by Cadbury’s but relaunched after passionate fans canvassed for its return on Facebook and various other platforms and events.

Cadbury’s bought 1,000 billboards in the UK and Ireland and invited fans to submit messages which would feature in their campaign.

G R A S S R O O T S

Page 11: 26 Product Launch Strategies

FANFAREA big bang at launch

involving a concentrated burst of media investment across multiple channels

Page 12: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• Mainstream products• At key seasonal events (eg Christmas, holidays) • Usually used in conjunction with other strategies

(eg Lockdown, Dripping tap or Ripple)

What’s so good about it?• High profile • Confidence adds layer of reassurance • Integrated storytelling• Galvanises internal stakeholders

What’s not so good about it?• Expensive• Unsustainable• Conventional

E X A M P L E SF A N F A R E

Page 13: 26 Product Launch Strategies

SHOCKWAVECourt controversy in order to

generate headlines or mass hysteria. (Based on the assumption there’s no such thing as bad publicity)

Page 14: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• Challenger or provocative brands• Youth brands• Popular in fashion, music, gaming and

FMCG industries• Low interest categories

What’s so good about it?• Free publicity• Builds brand awareness quickly • Affirms brand’s challenger status

What’s not so good about it?• High risk• Polarising - potential negative

backlash Sony Playstation’s Portable Player Deutsch

Harvey Nichols Sale

E X A M P L E SS H O C K W A V E

Page 15: 26 Product Launch Strategies

KEYNOTELive event with key influencers to reveal product including live demonstration and live streaming.

Media investment focused around promoting event.

Page 16: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• High tech categories (eg IT,

automotive, gaming, consumer electronics)

• High profile brand ambassadors• Confidence in product

benefits/innovation

What’s so good about it?• Product is hero• Product benefits clearly

articulated

What’s not so good about it?• Relies on charismatic speakers

Apple’s Steve Jobs was the master of keynote launch presentations

Automotive brands frequently use keynote format to launch products at motorshows

E X A M P L E SK E Y N O T E

Page 17: 26 Product Launch Strategies

SAMPLINGEnable consumers to experience or trial product for free from

traditional product sampling to live multi-player demonstrations

Page 18: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• Anything from FMCG, beverage,

software, gaming to social startups• Complex products which need to be

experienced • To reward early adopters or advocates • When brand has confidence in product

benefits/innovation

What’s so good about it?• Puts product into consumers hands

from outset

What’s not so good about it?• Can be expensive

Call of Duty and other gaming brands use MMORPG to demonstrate new

game releases

E X A M P L E SS A M P L I N G

Page 19: 26 Product Launch Strategies

STAMPEDEBased on the scarcity principle.

Create the impression of excess demand by restricting supply.(eg restricted opening hours, retail outlets, stock levels, Limited Editions)

Page 20: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• One-off events• High season (eg Christmas, Summer)• High demand/avid fanbase• Limited retail footprint

What’s so good about it?• Gives impression of excessive demand• Creates visual evidence of fanaticism• Provides exclusivity to selected partners

What’s not so good about it?• Lost sales due to stock management issues• Consumer frustration• Upset children at Christmas!

When Rolling Stones announced an intimate gig at Brixton Academy in July 1995, the only way to get tickets was to tune into Virgin Radio on a specific day. Only then would the DJ announce where tickets would be on sale.

Resulted in national coverage of massive queues blocking up Oxford Street outside Virgin Megastores and a sell out tour.

E X A M P L E SS T A M P E D E

Page 21: 26 Product Launch Strategies

BETAMODEAdopt a more iterative approach to

product launches by giving early access to new product in order to gain feedback

which could enhance product development before general release

Page 22: 26 Product Launch Strategies

“betamode”Approach #10/

When to use it?• Categories where issues can be

rectified relatively quickly (eg IT, software, gaming, social platforms, apps)

What’s so good about it?• Fast to market - agile marketing• Empowers community• Transparent• Better product design through

crowdsourced feedback

What’s not so good about it?• Risky/exposes technical flaws• Potentially damaging to brand if

product is inferior

Flipboard launched Android app in beta so any teething

problems could be ironed out whilst driving positive buzz within Android community

Mojang's launched their popular game Scrolls in beta, following

the same iterative development cycle as Minecraft. The game is sold at a discounted rate during the beta period with the aim of making improvements based on

community feedback.

E X A M P L E SB E T A M O D E

Page 23: 26 Product Launch Strategies

RIDDLESCreate an elaborate and immersive experience

across a range of platforms where public have to solve clues to reveal product or win prize

Web 1.0 (websites, email), Web 2.0 (Google Maps, Interactive Media, Wiki, Blogs, Videos, Social

Networking), SEO, SEM, Viral, ARG, eDM, SMS, Print, Outdoor, 3rd Party Partnership, Experiential...

Page 24: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• Any brands where the prize is considered

big enough• Avid, passionate fanbase who are prepared

to invest the time

What’s so good about it?• Can create significant buzz • Extends product launch cycle• Immersive experiences, plays to digital

strengths

What’s not so good about it?• Potentially expensive and labour intensive• Can be guilty of preaching to the converted• Requires a lot of effort from consumers

which may deflate response

E X A M P L E S

To launch Lynx Attract, Lynx provided a range of clues which the target audience had to decipher in order to

win the ultimate prize – a holiday to Chaos Island

R I D D L E S

Page 25: 26 Product Launch Strategies

Start small and watch it build momentum of its own.

Often involves seeding something which goes viral.snowball

Page 26: 26 Product Launch Strategies

“snowball”Approach #12/

How does it work?• Start small and watch it build momentum

of its own. • Often involves seeding something which

goes viral

When to use it?• When you have a strong, contagious idea

What’s so good about it?• Cost effective way to gain reach

What’s not so good about it?• Invariably requires investment to kickstart• Viral success is not guaranteed• Untargeted

TNT TV channel in Belgium created an entertaining ad which they seeded in social. After some initial promotion the video built momentum of its own and went viral.

44.8 million views and counting(as at 18.4.13)

E X A M P L E SS N O W B A L L

Page 27: 26 Product Launch Strategies

COAT TAILSExploit the power of positive association and ride on

the coat tails of someone famous

Page 28: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• When product or brand is not well known

and needs additional endorsement/support

• When brand or celebrity share similar values

What’s so good about it?• Quick way to raise awareness

What’s not so good about it?• Can be expensive• Celebrity can overshadow product/brand• Risk of ‘Tiger Woods’ syndrome where

celebrity’s reckless behaviour contradicts brand values

E X A M P L E S

HTC have hired Robert Downey Junior as their

official Brand Ambassador to

headline their brand repositioning launch

‘HTC - Here’s To Change’

Samsung bought 1 million copies of Jay-Z’s upcoming album at $5 a piece and gave away copies 72 hours before

its official release to Samsung Galaxy S4

owners.

C O A T T A I L S

Page 29: 26 Product Launch Strategies

PLAYMATEA collaborative partnership with another brand with

similar passions, shared values or customers

Page 30: 26 Product Launch Strategies

“playmate”Approach #14/

When to use it?• When there is a mutual benefit between both

parties eg• To reach a specific audience• To combine investments• To share intellectual property,

technology, insights, data

What’s so good about it?• Shared investment• Shared brand equity• Broaden audience reach

What’s not so good about it?• One brand can overshadow the other

E X A M P L E SInfiniti &

Red Bull Racing

Infiniti Essence & Louis Vitton

To help establish itself in Europe, Infiniti has a

technical partnership with Red Bull Racing which has

resulted in numerous collaborations including the development of the

exclusive Infiniti FX Vettel

Infiniti Europe also collaborated with Louis

Vitton to create bespoke luggage for its luxurious concept car, the Infiniti

Essence.

P L A Y M A T E

Page 31: 26 Product Launch Strategies

ALIENATIONBreak industry paradigms by launching in an alien environment

Page 32: 26 Product Launch Strategies

alienation/

When to use it?• Over saturated market• Challenger brand wanting to get noticed• Where product extends category

What’s so good about it?• Creates cut through/standout• Reaffirms a brand’s challenger status• Unconventional

What’s not so good about it?• Risks targeting wrong audience

E X A M P L E S

Instead of launching Ford’s SYNC technology - their latest in-car connectivity system - at an international motor show like any other automotive brand would do, they chose to promote it at the Consumer Electronics Show 2010 instead.

A L I E N A T I O N

Page 33: 26 Product Launch Strategies

DOMINATIONAppear more omnipresent than you really are

by dominating a specific channel, publication, media network, time of year, locality or event.

Page 34: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• When you want to appear to have deeper

pockets than you really have• When you want to saturate a specific audience

(

What’s so good about it?• Implied ubiquity – makes brand look more

dominant than it really is• Gives brand stature and cut through in more

targeted way

What’s not so good about it?• Invariably have to make sacrifices in other

areas eg investment in other platforms, times of year, other events…

Call of Duty chose to dominate a day

BT Infinity chose to dominate a locality as part of their media

launch strategy when fibre-optic broadband was available

E X A M P L E S

Unicef focus on World Food Day

D O M I N A T I O N

Page 35: 26 Product Launch Strategies

STAR PRIZEOffer a once-in-a-lifetime experience

which is too good to resist

Page 36: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• When you want a more participatory

experience to the launch campaign

What’s so good about it?• Gets people talking about campaign• Ability to create content around promotion

What’s not so good about it?• Attracts tyre kickers• Potentially expensive• Promotion can detract from product

message and benefits

E X A M P L E S

For the launch of Lynx Apollo, guys have the chance to become a hero and be sent into space.

S T A R P R I Z E

Page 37: 26 Product Launch Strategies

ZEITGEISTCapture the mood of the nation

Page 38: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• When you can identify a zeitgeist or

meme which connects with the brand or product values

What’s so good about it?• Cultural relevance• Generates cut through• Builds brand affinity

What’s not so good about it?• Easier said than done!

During the Olympics, British Airways urged Britons to stay in the country and support their home team rather than fly with them. At a time of incredible ‘advertising clutter’ around the Olympics (between October 2011 and August 2012), BA’s Olympic sponsorship awareness rose by 19 percentage points to 54% (according to Millward Brown data), placing it above all other sponsors such as Adidas and Visa.

E X A M P L E SZ E I T G E I S T

Page 39: 26 Product Launch Strategies

STUNTA publicity stunt which generates headlines and spreads virally

Page 40: 26 Product Launch Strategies

“stunt”Approach #23/

When to use it?• To generate cut through, gain free

publicity• As a precursor to other launch campaign

activity

What’s so good about it?• Opportunity to be innovative• News journalists love to report on a

good PR stunt• Can create social currency

What’s not so good about it?• Virality is not guaranteed

E X A M P L E S

HTC dropped a photography student and a model out of a plane in a unique shoot to demonstrate the photographic capabilities of the new HTC One.

Queensland’s Tourist Board generated global headlines when it advertised the best job in the world.

To help launch the ‘Anything Is Possible’ season, Harrods sent a gift wrapped helicopter to one of their customers as a gift to take his partner on a trip of a lifetime.

S T U N T

Page 41: 26 Product Launch Strategies

SURVEYAsk them what they want and then give it to them

Page 42: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• To tailor rollout/targeting strategy• Potentially to build database of prospects

What’s so good about it?• Strong source of insights• Consumer centric• Inclusive• Builds an engaged prospect pool

What’s not so good about it?• Requires significant investment to generate the

response

BT Race to InfinityBT launched a nationwide survey asking communities to tell them if they want fibre-optic broadband, promising in return to provide high-speed internet to the five top-scoring areas by 2012. The online survey is designed to help BT identify hot-spots of demand and inform its plans to rollout fibre-optic broadband to two-thirds of the UK population by 2015.

E X A M P L E SS U R V E Y

Page 43: 26 Product Launch Strategies

Blur the lines between advertising and entertainment. Integrate product into existing storylines or create dedicated entertainment

where the product is integral to the plot

Page 44: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• When traditional approaches are losing cut

through• To overcome trend of skipping ads with

PVRs• Can be used across a range of

entertainment vehicles, including TV and movies, radio shows, songs and music videos, video games, plays and even novels

What’s so good about it?• Holds attention for longer• More immersive• More entertaining

What’s not so good about it?• Can be expensive

Jaguar launched the new F-TYPE by collaborating with The Brooklyn Brothers and Ridley Scott Associates to create this short film called Desire – a story of adventure, betrayal, retribution and greed. The Jaguar F-TYPE takes centre stage alongside a headline cast including Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis.

E X A M P L E SA D V E R T A I N M E N T

Page 45: 26 Product Launch Strategies

MOVEMENTCreate a clarion call

which people can genuinely rally behind

Page 46: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• When there is a consumer need not currently

being met• Can have altruistic or charitable links but not

essential

What’s so good about it?• Provides a more emotive connection to

brand/product• Spreadable – consumers like to show support

if they identify with cause

What’s not so good about it?• Not easy to do

Doritos’ rallying cry to Bring Slow Dancing Back

E X A M P L E SM O V E M E N T

Page 47: 26 Product Launch Strategies

BONFIRESStart lots of small fires

Page 48: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• When you have a lot to say• When you don’t want to put all your eggs in

one basket• When you want to unpack brand stories• To support transmedia planning strategies

What’s so good about it?• Focuses resources on content generation• Some bonfires can spread unexpectedly• Generates reach and depth• SEO advantages

What’s not so good about it?• Maintaining brand consistency and premium

quality can be a challenge• Audiences will have mixed exposure to

content

E X A M P L E S

"We don't do advertising any more. We just do cool stuff.

It sounds a bit wanky, but that's just the way it is. Advertising is all about

achieving awareness, and we no longer need awareness. We need to

become part of people's lives and digital allows us to do that.“

Simon Pestridge UK Marketing Director

Nike

B O N F I R E S

Page 49: 26 Product Launch Strategies

CROWDFUNDINGSource private equity from the general public looking for a return on their investment and gain publicity at

the same time. Involves signing up with crowdfunding platform such as Kickstarter,

Indiegogo, Crowdfunder.

Page 50: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• Good for start-ups, artists, disaster appeals,

motion picture funding, software development, inventions, research

What’s so good about it?• Provides capital for launch• Gains publicity, particularly if idea catches

people’s imagination

What’s not so good about it?• Have to pay out!

Who Gives A Crap is a new brand of toilet paper that uses 50% of its profits to build toilets and improve sanitation in the developing world. They give 50% of their profits to WaterAid to help the world's poorest people access clean water, sanitation and hygiene education.

They used indiegogo, a crowdfunding platform, to secure the initial orders to launch the product and get production off the ground.

E X A M P L E SC R O W D F U N D I N G

Page 51: 26 Product Launch Strategies

SABOTAGEWhen all else fails, go on the attack

Page 52: 26 Product Launch Strategies

When to use it?• Challenger brands• Confident in product superiority

What’s so good about it?• Usually appears confident• Good for upsetting the status quo

What’s not so good about it?• High chance it can backfire• Negative advertising • Danger of positioning brand/product as what

you don’t stand for rather than what you stand for

Samsung mocks iPhone’s genius technology and lack of features to promote Galaxy SIII

E X A M P L E SS A B O T A G E

Page 53: 26 Product Launch Strategies

insert client logo here

26stamped

ebetamode riddle

snowballcoat tailsplaymate star prize survey

zeitgeist movement

keynote

alienation

sampling

domination

WINNING STRATEGIES ripples grass roots

fanfare

crowdfund

advertain stunt sabotagebonfires

shockwave

lockdown dripping tap

Page 54: 26 Product Launch Strategies

Founded in 1987 by Paul Tullo, Richard Marshall and Chris Warren, TMW has evolved into the Intelligent Influence Agency. TMW guides organisations through the complexities of today’s consumer and business environments by identifying the key influences that affect how people feel, behave, spend and think. This approach recognises and builds on the opportunity to create greater engagement by encouraging audience participation with organisations.

The agency offers a wide range of services from data planning and analytics, CRM & eCRM, to content creation, community management and shopper marketing. Campaigns are executed across a breadth of channels including email, digital, social media, mobile and video. TMW works with some of the world’s most respected companies and organisations including Unilever, Diageo, Nissan, Sony, Brother International and Sainsbury’s.

In 2006, TMW joined Creston plc, the FTSE-listed insight and communications group, comprised of eleven agencies divided into three divisions: Insight, Communications and Health. For more information visit www.tmw.co.uk


Related Documents