Chapter 11 Assignment MAR 3023

Nanami is a new-product development engineer with siffron, a company specializing in display solutions for retail outlets. Nanami and her team have created a new product called ModoShelf. It has removable antimicrobial tiles that can be cleaned in a dishwasher. The product is now available to grocery retailers throughout the country for fresh produce displays such as lettuce that may be prone to bacteria formation. What stage in the new-product development process best describes this example?

Commercialization

Jalen is in his late thirties and has always enjoyed running. He is training for his first marathon and recently purchased a Garmin running watch to help him train and pace his workouts. He considered the pros and cons of the Garmin system, read many product reviews, and spoke with many friends who recommended the Garmin. Jalen is excited about his purchase but is wondering why he waited so long to get a running watch. He has now become a big advocate for Garmin and has been a vocal supporter of the brand. Which category of adoption best describes Jalen?

Early majority

BMW has announced changes to its 3-series models for the upcoming year. The changes include reduced weight, improved aerodynamics, and enhanced driving dynamics. In addition, consumers will have the option of purchasing the vehicle with or without all-wheel drive. How would you classify BMWs 3-series vehicles?

Improvements or revisions of existing products

Khushi recently downloaded a new app to her smartphone. She enjoys trying new things and is usually the first person in her social group to learn about new apps. She works in the technology industry and is an avid reader of scientific journals and technology-related magazines. Which category of adoption best describes Khushi?

Innovator

Charlotte enjoys trying new products and has a high need for variety. She visits Starbucks at least twice a week and rarely orders the same beverage twice. She recently noticed Starbucks's brand of coffee creamer at the grocery store and picked up the Cinnamon Dolce Latte flavor. Charlotte had never seen the item before but thinks it will be a great success. Based on this information, what stage of the product life cycle best describes the Starbucks creamers?

Introduction

Nike launched its wearable fitness tracker, the FuelBand, in 2012 after Fitbit's debut in 2007. The FuelBand tracked "Fuel Points," even though customers didn't really know what this metric meant or how it was calculated. Customers also complained that you could sit at your desk waving your hand to ramp up your score. In the four years of FuelBand's existence, Nike only captured about 10 percent of the wearable market, while its rival, Fitbit, became the category leader. Based on this description, what was the primary reason for the FuelBand's failure?

It did not offer a benefit compared to existing products.

The KFC food chain operates restaurant locations around the globe and is known for its "finger-lickin' good" chicken. In India, KFC locations offer Vegetable Strips and the Potato Krisper Burger to satisfy the needs of the vegetarian market. Locations in China have a Shrimp Burger, and in Thailand they have a Shrimp Donut. Which of the following statements about global issues in new-product development is true?

KFC has created new menu items that meet the unique needs of customers in each country.

Noroa is a working parent with three busy teenagers, but she tries to prepare a healthy meal every night for dinner. She has recently seen lots of Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook posts about using an Instapot or a Crock-Pot. She feels somewhat left out since she doesn't own either. However, she takes some time to review the products and decides to purchase a Crock-Pot, which is in the decline stage of the product life cycle. Which category of adopter best describes Noroa?

Laggard

Starbucks is now selling Cookie Straws in grocery stores across the United States. Starbucks describes the product as a toasted rolled wafer cookie filled with a luscious layer of rich, dark chocolatey sweetness. Cookie Straws are the first "cookie" product offered by Starbucks with placement in the cookie and cracker aisle. Which type of new product are the Cookie Straws?

New-product line

Rosa was enjoying a cheeseburger at McDonald's recently and noticed another customer eating fries topped with cheese and bacon. She was intrigued and learned that the restaurant had recently introduced Cheesy Bacon Fries. She thought they looked delicious and decided to try them on her next visit. Which characteristic most likely contributed to Rosa's decision to purchase the new meal option?

Observability

Laqueta is shopping at Dick's Sporting Goods and notices a display for Yeti beverage containers. She likes the various colors and prefers to use a reusable container to reduce her use of plastic. She has read about how the Yeti container keeps beverages hot or cold for several hours. Laqueta is impressed with the product and thinks it will be a real improvement over her current Tervis tumbler. She decides to buy the Yeti product. Which characteristic most likely contributed to Laqueta's decision to purchase the new option?

Relative advantage

Rowena has a Costco membership and enjoys the opportunity to try items at the store. On a recent visit, an associate was offering samples of a quick meal, "Brown Rice & Quinoa," that can be microwaved or boiled to heat and cooks in 90 seconds. After sampling the item, Rowena decided to purchase it. Which characteristic most likely contributed to Rowena's decision to purchase the new meal option?

Trialability

Subway, a chain known for its fresh, made-to-order sandwiches, has launched the Green Goddess Tuna Melt in more than 3,000 U.S. restaurants. The sandwich features flaked tuna blended with mayo, topped with shredded mozzarella cheese, and toasted on nine-grain bread. It is then layered with fresh spinach, tomatoes, onions, and green goddess dressing. Subway is the first national quick-service restaurant chain to use green goddess dressing on a sandwich. Subway's offering of the Green Goddess Tuna Melt is an example of a(n) _______ type of new product.

addition to existing product line

Alberto works for PepsiCo and is on the marketing team for Gatorade. The company has been concerned about Gatorade sales. Sales are still increasing, but at a slower rate. Gatorade has reduced prices but still maintains a dominant position in the market. Based on this description, Gatorade is in the _______ stage of the product life cycle.

maturity

Fitness trackers were first introduced as simple pedometers, but with the advent of smartphones and apps, more advanced products have been developed. Fitbit was an early entrant into this market, followed by the Nike FuelBand. The Apple iPhone incorporated activity tracking, and several companies such as Garmin joined the market as well. After only four years, Nike FuelBand exited the market. Today, Fitbit, Apple, and Garmin are all vying for market share as competition is intense. Each company utilizes aggressive advertising campaigns to persuade consumers to buy their brand. Which stage of the product life cycle best describes fitness trackers?

Growth

Lay's potato chips hold a contest called "Do Us a Flavor," in which customers pitch new flavor combinations of the popular Lay's potato chip for the chance to win $1 million. Contestants submit flavor ideas on the "Do Us a Flavor" website. They choose a catchy title, select up to three ingredients, create a quick pitch, and design the bag. What stage of the new-product development process is described by this stage of the Lay's contest?

Idea generation

Catarina recently downloaded Snapchat. She is a mom to two daughters, who are 11 and 13. The girls recently began using Snapchat and love playing with the filters to take selfies, and they encouraged their mom to get Snapchat too so they can share fun photos with each other. Catarina feels like she is the last one in her friend group to use Snapchat, as most of her friends have been using it for several years. Catarina has very few apps on her smartphone, because she is skeptical of companies and concerned about privacy issues. Which category of adoption best describes Catarina?

Laggard

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is guided remotely, and farmers across the world are now utilizing drones, which are revolutionizing the farming industry. Although drones are not new, their use in agriculture is significantly impacting the industry and creating an entirely new market. Which type of new product is a drone in the context of agriculture?

New-to-the-world product

Hormel has extended its reach into the snack food market and recently unveiled a new product line. Hormel's Natural Choice snacks come in four varieties, each in 2-ounce packs containing ham, turkey, or chicken paired with white cheddar cheese and either pretzels, almonds, or blueberries covered in chocolate. Their retail price is $1.50 to $2.00 each. Which of the following is the most appropriate marketing activity for Hormel to utilize to gain acceptance of the new products?

Offer samples of the new products in retail grocery stores

Aarav lives in Houston, Texas, and is excited to try McDonald's new jalapeño salsa breakfast sandwiches. These sandwiches come in either biscuit or muffin varieties, with bacon or sausage as the meat options. The sandwiches are topped with a slice of white cheddar cheese, eggs, and a jalapeño salsa concoction. Aarav asks a store employee about the item and learns that the product is only available in Houston at select McDonald's locations. Which stage in the new-product development process best describes this example?

Test marketing

Nintendo launched the Wii U console in 2012 but stopped production in 2016 prior to the debut of the Nintendo Switch. The Wii U was considered a relatively complicated system. The tablet controller only worked about 15 feet away from the home base console and was not portable. In addition, there were very few new games supported by the system. During this time, both Sony and Microsoft's Xbox systems outperformed and outsold Nintendo. Based on this description, what was the primary reason for the Wii U console's failure?

Wii U offered a poor match between product features and customer desires for portability.

Kemi is a brand manager for Post Cereal and is working with his team to plan marketing strategies and tactics for Grape-Nuts. The cereal has been in production since 1897 and has a loyal following of customers. However, the sales have seen a downward trend, and there are many competing products offering similar benefits. Based on this information, Grape-Nuts is likely in the _______ stage of the product life cycle, and any new customers would be classified as _______, according to the diffusion of innovation stages.

decline; laggards

Anay is an account representative for Kind Bars, a snack bar made with natural ingredients. The snack bar segment faces intense competition from several brands such as NutriGrain, Clif Bar, and Lara Bar to name a few. Unfortunately, new products continue to enter the market, especially in the "health food" category. Anay meets frequently with store managers to discuss product placement and secure shelf space. Sales of Kind Bars are still increasing, thanks to an aggressive consumer promotion campaign. Based on this information, Kind Bars are in the _______ stage of the product life cycle.

growth