Marketing concepts and strategies

Marketing

The lawsuit will have little if any effect on the Rescue Heroes product line. Furthermore, Fisher Price managed to keep the lawsuit out of the public eye, which will reduce its potential impact on product sales. Although Fisher Price can rely on its size to leverage clout with suppliers, their relationships with business partners can be threatened by unethical action. In addition to losing the supplier in question, the toy company also risks diminished credibility with other suppliers in the chain. The lawsuit over the hologram may not have had any immediate impact on the Fisher Price's reputation but the firm's questionable ethics may hurt future partnerships with suppliers in similar industries. Its channel power could be gradually diminished if competitors are granted contracts with suppliers who have grown suspect of doing business with Fisher Price.

The Rescue Heroes line uses clever catch phrases that appeal both to parents and children, such as "Cool guys who are good guys!" Described as "non-violent action figures," the Rescue Heroes appeal to a broad consumer base because they are at once "cool' and tough. However, Fisher Price's deliberate elimination of female figures in the Rescue Heroes product line is disturbing and will turn off socially-conscious parents who are aware of and concerned about promoting egalitarian gender roles. The decision was undoubtedly due to market research but Fisher Price would do well to include female figures in the collection as market research is not infallible. Fisher Price could offer a male and female model of each existing Rescue Hero and simply produce fewer of the female figures to avoid losses. It is highly likely they are neglecting to woo a valuable market segment.

Part II

The theme of the Rescue Heroes collection is teamwork: which has been a core catchphrase of the modern corporate culture and in fact of the whole society. Ten years ago when the Rescue Heroes line was launched the teamwork concept had just started taking root and remains viable even in a society as individualistic as ours. Five years ago the term teamwork remained an effective marketing tool. Moreover, the types of occupations symbolized by the Rescue Heroes are team-oriented and do impart positive social values. Therefore, Fisher Price has successfully leveraged a key social value and used it to sell their products.

I would not change the Fisher Price approach. However, Fisher Price could expand the product line to include modular play stations. These play stations would allow for children to truly amass a team of Rescue Heroes and play with their friends. The Rescue Heroes should ideally include non-white and female models. Currently, all models are white males. Blatant gender and ethnic stereotyping hurts the product line and goes against the concept of teamwork the company is trying to convey.