26 product launch strategies
DESCRIPTION
26 topline marketing strategies to launch a new brand, product or service. Includes a 1 page summary outlining the pros and cons of each approach as well as best in class examples. Designed as flashcards so that it can be printed out to help stimulate brainstorm sessions.TRANSCRIPT
26 LAUNCH STRATEGIES TO INSPIRE ANY BRAINSTORM
PRODUCT LAUNCH FLASH CARDS
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
DRIPPING TAPA controlled reveal over time
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
LOCKDOWN Enforce a strict embargo on
all outbound communications until launch
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
RIPPLESEmpower key influencers
to tell your story
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
GRASS ROOTSCreate groundswell from existing fans before opening up to broader market
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
FANFAREA big bang at launch
involving a concentrated burst of media investment across multiple channels
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
SHOCKWAVECourt controversy in order to
generate headlines or mass hysteria. (Based on the assumption there’s no such thing as bad publicity)
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
KEYNOTELive event with key influencers to reveal product including live demonstration and live streaming.
Media investment focused around promoting event.
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
SAMPLINGEnable consumers to experience or trial product for free from
traditional product sampling to live multi-player demonstrations
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
STAMPEDEBased on the scarcity principle.
Create the impression of excess demand by restricting supply.(eg restricted opening hours, retail outlets, stock levels, Limited Editions)
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
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
“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
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...
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
Start small and watch it build momentum of its own.
Often involves seeding something which goes viral.snowball
“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
COAT TAILSExploit the power of positive association and ride on
the coat tails of someone famous
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
PLAYMATEA collaborative partnership with another brand with
similar passions, shared values or customers
“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
ALIENATIONBreak industry paradigms by launching in an alien environment
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
DOMINATIONAppear more omnipresent than you really are
by dominating a specific channel, publication, media network, time of year, locality or event.
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
STAR PRIZEOffer a once-in-a-lifetime experience
which is too good to resist
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
ZEITGEISTCapture the mood of the nation
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
STUNTA publicity stunt which generates headlines and spreads virally
“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
SURVEYAsk them what they want and then give it to them
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
Blur the lines between advertising and entertainment. Integrate product into existing storylines or create dedicated entertainment
where the product is integral to the plot
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
MOVEMENTCreate a clarion call
which people can genuinely rally behind
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
BONFIRESStart lots of small fires
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
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.
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
SABOTAGEWhen all else fails, go on the attack
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
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
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