Slendertone Analysis

1. Describe the root causes of Slendertone¡¦s French sales revenue losses?

ANS:

All sales of slendertone were through distributors except of home-market. Since the investments being made in research and production, the company¡¦s marketing resources were very limited, they thought it could develop new market for Slendertone more cost-effectively and quickly. However, there were some poorly resourced and inexperienced distributors.

In France, the company was concerned about the growing dependence on one distributor.

There are 5main basis causes of Slendertone¡¦s French sales revenue losses listed below:

Ć Increasing competition continued to put pressure on price: from 1993 to the beginning of 1996: drop the retail price to compete the other EMS products.

ƒÜ Lack of seconday data for the EMS product class, and the distributor reluctant to share sales data with Slendertone.: It¡¦s hard to to determine what market share different companies had. Also, lack of data made it difficult to determine the size of the existing market for EMS products in each company.

Ć Lost the TV slot: the distributor had lost the television slot for the Gymbody8 to cheaper product.

ƒÜ Tacky advertisement: Some advertising featured topless models alongside sensational claims for the products¡¦ effectiveness.

ƒÜ Distributor: in 1996 Slendertone decided to develop the UK market directly, without any distributor. The decision was made on the basis of the failure to attract good distributor in the past. That ¡¥s very clear to know that the problem of distributor.

2. When O¡¦Donohue arrived at Slendertone, he thoroughly researched customers reasons for purchasing Slendertone, losing weight or improving appearance. Why did he choose improving appearance as the message for men and women age 20 to 60 years.

ANS:

Through Mr. O¡¦Donohue gathered data on consumer behaviors and motivations relating to those different markets, he built up a clearer picture of the markets for Slendertone and found out its brand positioning, product emphasis, market segmentation, target market.

Market Segmentation

Positioning Strategy for Each Target

Marketing Program for Each Target

Originally, Slendertone was defined as ¡§women betwee...

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...an deny that ¡§the value is equal to price and quality¡¨. Besides, Slendertone have large market share in a mature period,with slow growing with profitable products industry. He should maintain price leadership in the EMS market.

There are some main ideas will point out Slendertone¡¦s brand strategy listed below:

„Ï Differentiated image- slendertone as being at the top end of the market, based on its superior quality and powerful brand name. For the reason, Slendertone sould maintain their high quality and high price image to compete those low quality EMS company.

„Ï Build a strong brand identification- The profession market playing an important role in the development of slendertone. It needs to get away from the ¡§gadget¡¨ image and lead to profession market.

„Ï Control of message marketing information- to avoid a recurrence of what happened in the French market.

„Ï Innovation- To invent new product to prenuptials, postnatal and men but not only for women.

„Ï Maintaining international operations and Creating a class world brand