Brand Development

Growing Wacom’s Consumer Portfolio

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The Challenge

Wacom had been a brand associated with best-in-class performance in creative arts.  Think of all the animated movies, cars, clothes and shoes you LOVE, and I bet you they were designed on Wacom products.  In fact, I’ll almost guarantee it!

We owned the creative community with 95% market share, but in niche markets growth is hard to come by.  Wacom needed to expand into the broader consumer market, and fast.  That has been my directive at Wacom.  I jumped in headfirst and lead the US development of the Bamboo line of consumer products to grow the business…

 

The Approach | The Results
  • Led 5-member team in the management of the Wacom | Bamboo line of consumer products in the US marketplace
  • Reinvigorated art hobbyist portfolio by leveraging consumer insights and launching use-case positioning to grow mature digital pen tablet line by 25%
  • Drove Wacom’s category captain merchandising program to increase inventory turns +15%, which included online and in-store merchandising activities (e.g., Amazon, Best Buy, Apple, HSN)
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Market research showed that consumers struggled to find the right Bamboo pen tablet for their needs, so we redefined the Bamboo line of creative pen-tablets to focus on use-cases (above).  This transition helped to clearly differentiate the offerings and simplify the purchase process.  Sales jumped 25% and consumers traded up to more profitable SKUs.

 

 

  • Spearheaded Wacom’s strategic marketing programs for emergent new category – capacitive and smart stylus for mobile tablets – established 3rd party category leadership and deep integration with leading app makers to enhance performance
  • Bamboo has broken through the clutter to become the global leader in the premium segment of the stylus accessory market >$19-$79 USD

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Bamboo Stylus has come along way from the early days as an opportunistic product line extension into a full blown business unit delivering insight driven new product innovations, new product categories and revenue streams north of $35M USD.

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Flexing Product Architecture for Growth

 

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Objectives

Establish an architectural platform for Sonicare to:

  1. Achieve R&D / Operational process and cost efficiency
  2. Provide portfolio flexibility: 3-5 SKUs with clear differentiation
  3. Establish a brush head attachment format that achieves cost-efficiency / simplicity

 

Results
  • Simplified platform with total flexibility up/down line
  • Clear differentiation in featuring from low to high offerings
  • Excellent visualization of trade-up / premium featuring
  • Revised brush head design allows for single head across line and lower cost profile
  • Maintains Sonicare’s premium aesthetic with updated appeal / featuring

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Insights to Innovation with Sonicare FlexCare 

FlexCare leveraged the new architectural platform for design and cost efficiency, yet pushed the limits to deliver innovative features that were born from consumer insights:

  • Personalized oral care, which grew into the multi-modal care options: Clean, Sensitive, and Massage modes
  • Routine-based brushing options:
    • Go Care – 1min brushing mode for those times you just want to brush-n-go
    • MaxCare – 3min max cleaning in the evening
  • Clean, bacteria-free brush heads, which was the birth of the UV brush head sanitizer

 

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Philips x P&G: Innovation in Oral Care

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The Challenge(s)

Philips | Sonicare established a strategic alliance with P&G | Crest.  Now what?  We needed to build the team and focus on bringing to market the first-of-its-kind integrated power toothbrush that could replace flossing (well maybe).

This partnership with a leading FMCG organization was a first for Philips’ Oral Healthcare division, hence we had to develop new ways of working, refine our stakeholder alignment processes, co-branding standards, clinical development programs, etc.  A huge, yet enlightening undertaking…

The Result

Over the course of 18 months, I co-lead the alliance team with a counterpart at P&G to successfully bring the Sonicare | Crest Intelliclean System to the market to rave reviews from media, consumers and dental professionals.

We managed through many challenges in design, brand, clinical trials, production, and advertising, yet with focus on the customer and winning in market we persevered to deliver oral care innovation to the world.

My involvement crossed over many areas, most notably:

  • Successfully leading a 7 member cross-functional team (e.g., Market Research, Product Management, Marketing, Design, Engineering and Sales)
  • Strategic marketing development: value proposition, efficacy targets, co-branding standards, launch planning, advertising development, and front-end retailer pitching (e.g., Amazon, Costco, Walmart, Target, Walgreens)
  • Management of alliance’s $65M A&P budget
  • Development of Product Profile strategically used to engage regional marketing and sales offices on new products: productprofileintellicleansystem-final04-14-04
  • Creative development and media planning for “One step closer to flossing” ad

 

 

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PS – I you get a chance ask me about the Today Show and Anne Curry.  Classic!

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Launching New Motion @ Precor Fitness

 

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Problem Statement

As I arrived at Precor (Nov 2006) the engineering team was in late stage development of the Adaptive Motion Trainer (AMT). This was slated to be the biggest innovation within the Fitness industry in 10 years, since Precor introduced no-impact fitness with the EFX™ Elliptical.

In less than 4 months, my team was to launch AMT to the world at the industry’s biggest tradeshow (IHRSA 2007), yet there we’re NO launch plans in place nor support material underdevelopment to build broad-based awareness for this new-to-the-world exercise modality – a single machine let you step, walk, jog or run.

Building Fast-Track Solutions

Leading the Commercial Marketing team, I quickly rallied the team to:

  1. Develop a strategic go-to-market plan
  2. Refine the positioning and tagline for AMT, thus deliver a unified, consistent message across all communication material
  3. Proactively collaborate with Sales to provide interactive tools that engaged and excited customers about the next BIG offering from PRECOR
  4. Create a stable of launch support materials to effectively target customers, raise awareness, and drive sales of AMT
Positioning the AMT for the WIN

AMT provided for a totally adaptive fitness experience that was based solely on the user’s desired motion: run, walk, and/or step. Totally a user defined workout experience, so finally a machine doesn’t control the user, rather user controls the machine. Ultimate freedom of motion in a no-impact format.

We developed a unique selling proposition around: Freedom of Movement

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Launch Excellence – Building the BUZZ Among Gym Owners

Gaining trial of this new to the world equiment for use in leading fitness centers was mission-critical.  We leveraged the fitness industry’s global tradeshow, IHRSA, to make waves with AMT.

But that wasn’t it, we leveraged immersive trial at leading gyms to give owners a feel for the user’s excitement around this new way of moving.

We also enable the Enterprise selling teams with a AMT pitch kits and introductory kits for use with leading accounts.

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Results
  • Most notable new product launch in Fitness industry in 10 years
  • Viewed as Amer Sports / Precor gold standard for new product launches
  • Deliver immersive trial and impact at IHRSA
  • Achieved 120% of sales and 112% of ASP targets

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Building Awareness & Trial: Precor x Hilton

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Problem State

Precor Fitness had launched into a strategic alliance with Hilton Hotels worldwide, as their fitness outfitter of choice. With the immediate integration of Hilton | Fitness by Precor workout rooms across the leading franchise locations, we wanted to develop promotional material that could be leveraged across the Hilton online properties to highlight their new gym amenities.

Result 

Playing from consumer insights, we collaborated with Hydrogen Advertising (Seattle) to develop this video that detailed our commitment, along with Hilton, to the best workout experiences on the road:  inspired experiences, quality equipment, clean facilities, best in class technology, etc.  Plus, in collaboration with sales development, we catapulted Precor to the #1 fitness provider in the hospitality industry.

Hilton | Fitness by Precor 

The freedom to move your way when your far away from home. 

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