The paint applicator industry is made up of a relatively small number of companies, and it changes only slightly from year to year. This is partly because painters tend to be very steadfast in terms of the type of paint applicators they use. TheWooster Brush Company is one of the larger factors in this industry [...]
Monthly Archive for May, 2009
Many successful marketing plans are based on solutions to consumer problems. In evaluating the marketing plans for your product or service, it can be helpful to find out whether your offering solves perceived problems for potential customers. If potential customers really see your product or service as the solution to their problems, this is a [...]
One of the lessons to be learned from the success of EZ Change is to listen to your consumers and carefully observe their actions. Look for negatives that they may be experiencing in your category, as these might be the keys to identifying an innovation that could substantially improve your position in the market. As [...]
One of the initial responses of Energizers’ competitors in the hearing aid battery market to the introduction of EZ Change was aggressive promotion and price cutting. These actions have not been effective. Consumers have demonstrated that they want the EZ Change solution no matter how much competitors promote the alternatives. The sales of EZ Change [...]
As predicted by BASES, Energizer has almost doubled its sales of hearing aid batteries in the Nielsen-measured marketplace since the launch of EZ Change. Through advertising, point-of-purchase impact, and repeat purchase, it has created a demand for EZ Change, so that consumers are now looking for it and buying it over and over again. Many [...]
The development of EZ Change began in March 2000. After completing the consumer research, developing the product, completing the marketing plan, and testing the overall venture, the company launched the product in September 2001. The emotions within the company shifted at various times during this period. In the beginning there was the excitement of a [...]
Energizer had three primary objectives in launching EZ Change. First, it wanted to become the number one brand of hearing aid batteries. Prior to EZ Change, Energizer was number three in a three-way race, and it wanted to completely change that positioning. Second, it wanted to separate itself from the competition by providing a solution [...]
Energizer management assumed that EZ Change would result in a significant increase in the company’s sales of hearing aid batteries. The results of the BASES model indicated that, with the advertising planned for the product, EZ Change would double Energizer’s sales of hearing aid batteries. Management assumed that customers would like this solution because they [...]
One of the tests done to make sure that EZ Change was really practical from a user standpoint was a series of in-home usage trials. Energizer felt that it was important to see how consumers reacted to the new product when they were really using it in their homes. The members of a panel of [...]
To visualize the opportunity for a new breakthrough hearing aid product, it is necessary to understand this consumer segment. Hearing aid batteries are sold to consumers through three different types of retail distribution channels. One is the professional channel, where consumers buy their hearing aid batteries from audiologists. The second is through major retail stores, [...]
The EZ Change marketing plan provided a clear link from the manufacturer to the consumer to ensure complete customer satisfaction. There was to be an 800 number on the package that would link to a customer hot line where EZ Change representatives would help customers with any problems that they might be having with the [...]
It was decided that corrugated off-shelf displays would be used to facilitate rapid distribution of EZ Change during the initial launch of the product. There would be several versions of these displays, including a counter display and a wing rack. These displays would also help the company communicate with consumers by highlighting the new hearing [...]
A key objective of the media plan was to visually show the product and give the hearing aid user the motivation to buy this new solution. This is a very visual product, and it was decided to use videos to show its benefits. Television was selected as the primary advertising medium for EZ Change. The [...]
A number of alternatives were evaluated as potential advertising slogans for EZ Change. The research showed that seniors don’t want to hear about negatives like dropping batteries or fumbling. They resist this because they are sensitive about the insinuation that they have a problem. ‘‘Precise placement every time’’ tested out to be the best message [...]
For the developers of EZ Change, one of the advantages of being part of a large battery company was that the product could be sold through the regular Energizer retail distribution system. The new product would be introduced to the larger retailers by the Energizer sales force, and in some cases could receive attention at [...]
The pricing sensitivity studies conducted as part of the EZ Change market research clearly indicated that this new product had to be priced within a narrow range if it was to be successful. Because hearing aid batteries are bought continuously, consumers—especially the current user base of elderly consumers—are sensitive to price. When the baby boomers [...]
All Energizer hearing aid batteries have traditionally been made in Bennington, Vermont, and the company is proud to continue this tradition with EZ Change. Although a few parts for the dispenser are made by an Energizer plant in China, the company has kept hearing aid battery production in the United States. The idea is to [...]
One of the important findings of the consumer market research was that consumers knew very little about the hearing aid batteries they were using on a regular basis. They also could not read the material on the package because the card size was so small. All the information on the traditional cards was in very [...]
A total of only four products were included in the EZ Change product line. In the hearing aid battery market, there are four battery sizes that account for 100 percent of the sales. EZ Change included one product, or stockkeeping unit (SKU), for each of these sizes. For each of the three smaller hearing aid [...]
Coming up with an appropriate name for the new hearing aid battery was one of the most difficult parts of the project. The venture team came up with hundreds of names. Some of these names came from internal marketing people and other people within Energizer. Other names came from the advertising agency. The list of [...]