Description:
Harry Rawlinson is managing director of Aqualisa, a major U.K. manufacturer of showers. He has just launched the most significant shower innovation in recent history: the Quartz shower. The shower provides significant improvements in terms of quality, cost, and ease of installation. In product testing, the Quartz shower received rave reviews from both consumers and plumbers alike. However, early sales of the Quartz have been disappointing. Rawlinson is now faced with some key decisions about whether to change his channel strategy, promotional strategy, and the overall positioning of the product in the context of his existing product line.
Learning Objective:
Designed to illustrate the challenges associated with bringing a new product to market. Allows for a rich discussion of customer behavior (including end consumers and installers). In addition, allows for a in-depth discussion of the positioning of a new product within the context of an existing product line and the use of multiple brands to manage products across their lifecycle.
Subjects Covered:
Consumer behavior, Consumer marketing, Distribution channels, Market entry, Market positioning, Marketing strategy, Product development, Product introduction, Product positioning.
1. what is the quartz value proposition to plumbers? customers?
2. why is the quartz shower not selling?
3. aqualisa spent 3 years and 5.8m developing the quartz. was the product worth the investment? is quartz a niche product or a mainstream product?
4. aqualisa currently has 3 brands: aqualisa, gainsborough, and showermax. what is the rationale behind this multiple brand strategy? does it make sense?
5. what should rawlinson do to genee ...