Pet Peeves and Market Research
Posted on Tue, Oct 12, 2010 @ 08:29 AM
I have a lot of pet peeves. Poor grammar and misspellings (especially in news articles and school notes); drawers and cupboard doors left open; people who “make” a parking space because they’re too lazy to walk 50 feet; rudeness of any kind, but especially people who think their phones give them the right to snub, disturb and generally ignore the people and real life in front of them!
Microsoft’s campaign for its new Windows Phone will connect with people who feel the same way I do about that last one. It shows people using their phones in inappropriate situations, then delivers the message that their new product is designed so you can spend less time with the phone and more time getting back to real life. (This article from Ad Age explains more about the strategy.) Although I’ll be enjoying the ads and nodding my head, I’m not sure it’s the right way to go in positioning their new product against the competition. It seems to me the people they want to attract are the ones they’re slamming in their ads – the people who are really into technology… those who are addicted to their phones (and yes, often ignore common courtesy to get their fix).
When it comes to developing marketing strategies to differentiate your product, not only should it be different but highly valued by your target audience. How do you find out? Ask them. Which also leads to the question, who are they? Reliable market research is pretty darn important for defining your audience and identifying the right message.
Is spending less time with the phone important to Microsoft’s target audience? Could be. Maybe Microsoft did their research. Have you done yours?
- Donna Petersen