27/2/2012 Dealing with budgets and surviving the summer | Marketing |

ALÉXANDROS | Innovation Plan |

Inhoudsopgave The product 3 Current situation 4 New Target groups 5 New advertisement forms 6 Social media 6 Video advertisement 6 Affiliated advertising 6 Projected results 7

The product

Alexandros produces conductive pins that provide a practical solution for touchscreen device users to comfortably answer calls, send text messages, take photos, get directions, play games or scroll through music on their phones while wearing gloves. The pins work with all capacitive touch screen devices including the iPhone, Blackberry, Samsung, HTC, LG and most other touchscreen devices available.
The main advantages the conductive pins offer in comparison with the conductive gloves are as follows. The pins are used in combination with a glove of choice. It enables the consumer to use their touch screen device while wearing a glove that meets their requirements concerning design, ability to keep hands warm and are easily removed and reattached to a different glove if the glove is ruined, washed or simply no longer wanted. Especially consumers in their teens and early twenties are brand aware and could combine the pins with any brand of glove. It also enables the user to wear different gloves every day and still make use of the product without spending any extra money.

Feature Highlights:
- Works with all capacitive touch screen devices
- Made of high quality sustainable silicone
- Designed to fit all
- Provides comfort while using touch screen device during the winter
- Durable fabric and construction

Current situation
Currently the following segments have been targeted: A. The professional: Aged between 25 and 45 years old, primarily male with a midlevel or higher income, working in corporate business. This segment uses their mobile device as an extension of the office and uses the device constantly for undertaking business such as email, research etc. besides calling. The buying motive would be to improve the efficient use of the mobile device when enduring cold weather, as cold hands are less effective when working a touchscreen device rendering them ahead of the majority. The decision to buy a product will be based on performance. B. The Young adult and (high school)Students: These two differ only in occupation and possibly age when considering high school students. They are aged between 15 and 29 years old and the division of male and female is close to equal. The lifestyle revolves around being connected to friends through social media, being mobile and up to date which is strongly correlated with being fashionable, not only in clothing but in the use of gadgets primarily a Smartphone. The mobile devices are used continuously for, some would say, meaningless to very important actions through applications, mail, ping and videogames. The main buying motive would be for comfortable use at all times. These groups are very susceptible to marketing and open to new technology yet primarily select products based on brands and fashionability.
And the main form of advertisement the company had started to apply already was Word of mouth. The members of Alexandros were going to sell and promote the product in schools of the Hogeschool van Amsterdam by standing at the entrance of the school, so that they can easily communicate directly to the target group and inform them about the product and give them the company’s contact information so that if they are interested they can easily contact the company. Every department would contribute by standing at different locations. Also the personal network of each member could be used to spread the word.
Because of the small budget available for the marketing department certain adjustments had to be made to the advertisement campaign and new innovative ways of advertising and creating awareness for the product had to be developed. Secondly the nearing end of the winter period almost ensures that the demand for the product, as it is being marketed now, will dramatically decrease. To optimize the continuation of selling the product, it is necessary to devise new ways or situations in which the product can be used.

New Target groups
In order to maintain a steady flow of sales during the warmer months of the year which will be starting fairly soon. In the interim report the marketing department reported that, the conductive pins can be used while snowboarding or skiing. The marketing department explored new opportunities and areas of use for the conductive pins. Everyone wearing gloves while practicing recreational sports, performing outside work activities, motorcyclists or anyone who is wearing gloves for any other reason than to protect themselves from cold weather and makes frequent use of a touch screen device is a potential customer. These consumers would actually have less alternative methods of gaining the desired effect of the conductive pins through other means as the gloves sold by competitors are not compatible with the activity being performed. For instance a motorcyclist cannot use primark gloves for protection however he can buy normal motorcyclist gloves and use the conductive pins to make them touch screen friendly. The same principal applies to the other before mentioned situations.

New advertisement forms
Social media
By using social media to build awareness amongst our targeted groups the company markets effectively without making any costs. Secondly because of the smart phone’s social media applications the consumer probably receives the information while using the smart phone and can immediately picture themselves using the product. Possible ways of doing this are, broadcast messaging on BBM or WhatsApp, Tweeting and calling upon followers to retweet to their followers creating a stream of advertisement through the twitter network or posting messages on Facebook walls, which may be the most effective way due to the ability for people to ‘like’ a post and automatically share it with all of his or her facebook friends. The message would include a short catchy line for instance: Are your fingers freezing right now? Contact information and a link to an instructional or commercial video.
Video advertisement
Creating a commercial or instructional video and upload it on a free video sharing site like Youtube or Vimeo would also aid greatly to creating a need and informing potential customers about the ease of use of the product. Either the already existing video by quirky can be used or a new video can be created internally for free or by an external company for prices ranging from €50,00 to €150,00.
Affiliated advertising
One of the other student companies involved in the yen project have been and still are selling wool gloves. Aléxandros will contact them and attempt to have this company advice customers to use the conductive pins to optimize the satisfaction gained from using of their product. If possible they could even take a certain number of the pins with them and sell them directly through up-selling after each pair of gloves sold.

Projected results * By expanding our targeted segments sales should not drop as the winter comes to an end, the sales department should actually see a small increase in sales made. * Using social media networks intensively for advertising purposes will increase product awareness amongst young adults and teens. * Video advertising will improve the knowledge that our potential customers have about the product and decrease reluctance to buying the product. * Affiliated marketing should increase sales as the last people still purchasing gloves will immediately be introduced to the conductive pins.