System Established to Monitor Consumer Needs


A system has been put in place by Leggs management to monitor the constantly changing needs of the American hosiery consumer. This system of qualitative and quantitative market research is used to keep track of attitudes toward existing Leggs products and programs as well as to identify and test new products. Leggs has become one of the most sophisticated textile manufacturers in its use of packaged goods research techniques.

A good example of how Leggs uses market research to identify and satisfy consumer needs was the process that the company recently used to create anticellulite pantyhose. This is a product that visibly reduces the appearance of cellulite, something that most women find to be a concern. If they wear these unique pantyhose five days a week, eight hours a day, many users will notice results after just four weeks. Lasting effects require continued use of the product. The pantyhose contain microbeads that produce the results and remain effective through five washings. Even after the beads are no longer effective, however, the user still has a great pair of pantyhose.

The development of the anticellulite pantyhose product began with a series of brainstorming focus group sessions with consumers. A broad number of ideas emerged from these sessions. Respondents talked about aromatherapy capsules. They talked about perfumes. They suggested anti-varicose vein treatments . They even suggested pantyhose that would deliver a low dosage of drugs like aspirin or medications to help them stop smoking. One idea, however, reappeared in every session: anticellulite. This benefit was always number one, but respondents had a lot of trouble believing that a pantyhose could provide it.

During the next step, the Leggs marketing department developed a series-of concept statements about the anticellulite pantyhose idea to get the right language. Focus group respondents were so skeptical that Leggs was concerned about being able to create a description that would get consumers over the hurdle of believability. A lot more focus groups were conducted with these concept statements to determine what should be put on the package to get consumers to fully understand the benefit. The winning description of anticellulite pantyhose emerged from these additional focus groups.

Microencapsulation technology was available to Leggs from one of Leggss sister companies. Using this technology, Leggs created a prototype product with which to conduct two important tests. The first was a clinical trial, with clinical measurements, for twelve weeks to make sure that the anticellulite pantyhose actually worked. The second was in-home placements to measure consumer satisfaction after actually using the product. The prototype anticellulite pantyhose were placed in a total of 252 homes for three to four months. The results of both of these trials were very successful. Over 50 percent of the women who tried the product noticed a visible reduction in the appearance of cellulite. Based on these results, the new product was born.




Powerhouse Marketing Plans(c) 14 Outstanding Real-Life Plans and What You Can Learn from Them to Supercharge [... ]aigns
Powerhouse Marketing Plans(c) 14 Outstanding Real-Life Plans and What You Can Learn from Them to Supercharge [... ]aigns
ISBN: 735621675
EAN: N/A
Year: 2006
Pages: 172

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