Mobile Manufacturing, Inc.
"This new product has to be right. If we can't gain back a significant share of the mobile phone market with this product, MM is not going to be here next year."
With Mobile Manufacturing's back to the wall, so to speak, the company needs a bold marketing plan that will capture every bit of value that is possible in the market. This includes not only the traditional value, but also the perceived consumer value that is associated with their new product. However, to launch a marketing plan for the target market, the realization needs to be made that there are several different market segments that could potentially be targets for the company. Therefore, to really get the most impact out of the product launch, each different segment will need to be considered independently and a comprehensive plan must be designed to hit each individual target that is identified.
The first segment has already been identified as the early adopters, or those who "were happy to try out the latest and greatest products" as the case describes them, and they will be the most eager to purchase any new technology product that has some cutting-edge features. Some models have broken down the technology market into five different segments of adoption...
Innovators are willing to take
risks, youngest in age, have the highest social class, have great financial lucidity, very social and have closest contact to scientific sources and interaction with other innovators. Risk tolerance has them adopting technologies which may ultimately fail. Financial resources help absorb these failures. (Rogers 1962 5th ed, p. 282)"
The first two, or possibly three, categories of technology adopters will be MM's targets given their market stance and the strategy of using
innovation to capture market share. However, these three segments can be marketed to separately and at different price points. For example, a limited round of phones can be released at the highest market price possible to the innovators, then a discounted "market rate" can be utilized for the early adopters, and finally and even more substantial reduction in price can be offered to the early majority.
To properly segment these targets the distribution channels are also entirely relevant. In some cases, the distribution strategy will…
