Product launches come in all shapes and sizes, from small pushes to giant campaigns - each with their own nuances. This session will help you understand the many cycles of a product launch, as well as how you can target your media spend towards key markets and consumers.

1. Session 2:
The Lifecycle of a Product/ Campaign Launch

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Presenter
INSIGHTS DIRECTOR, INTELLIGENCE
CARA BUSCAGLIA

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This session will cover…
Defining the Project Goals1
Pre-launch: Communications Insight2
Post-launch: Evaluating & Optimizing3

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Defining Project Goals

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50% of product
launches fail.
Studies show that nearly
Source: McKinsey study, R. G. Cooper

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Example 1
Fixing a non-existent problem.
Why Launches Fail
The problem:
The product required the consumer to remove it from the
packaging and into a mug before putting it in the microwave…
which proved no different than pouring a cup of fresh coffee
from the coffeemaker.
In 1990 Maxwell House launched Ready to Drink Coffee which
was marketed as a new, convenient way to enjoy coffee
instantly, without having to make a pot of coffee at home.

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Example 2
Poor execution.
Why Launches Fail
The problem:
Windows Vista encountered backlash when it
came out on the market due to the power it
required to run the system, causing crashes, as
well as internet connectivity problems. Microsoft
tried to prove itself but ultimately, had to move
up the release of its replacement, Windows 7.
Bad design, poor user experience, sloppy
implementation, and lack of quality control all
contribute to product failure.

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Defining the Project Goals
Key KPIs to Measure
Sales/Revenue
Performance Metrics
Brand Awareness

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Governance
Assembling a cross-functional team across marketing, operations, product
development, leadership, etc. is imperative to a successful product launch.
Marketing – strategize and execute marketing plan
Operations – develop & manage operational processes
Leadership – define KPIs, ensure stakeholder support
Product development – identify possible weaknesses/ threats, act on product feedback

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Pre-launch:
Communications Insight

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Pre-launch: Communications Insight
Understanding the Market
Competitive Analysis –
Measuring Paid, Earned, and Owned Media
Consumer Feedback & Testing

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Understanding the Market
It is important to understand the market and all of the intricacies involved in a
product launch.
Where are similar products
communicating – what are they
saying and what effect is this
having on consumer conversation?
How is my brand positioned in the
marketplace vs. its rivals? How has
this changed over time and
geographically?
Who is really standing out in my
sector, or beyond, and what can I
learn from them?
What cultural norms, events,
preferences, etc. should we know
about?
What advertising channels are
available in the market?
Is there a movement or other
societal issue affecting the market
right now?

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Example: Fight on Food Additives
Societal pressure forces major brands to listen as consumers demand products
meet the needs of the market.
Del Monte removes GMOs
and non-BPA free
packaging
Subway removes chemical
from bread.
Kelloggs agrees to properly
label engineered
ingredients
Kraft removes
carcinogenic additive from
Mac & Cheese

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Real Results from Public Sentiment
Influencers, such as blogger
Food Babe, can cause
major public backlash that
forces companies to
respond.

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Competitive Analysis: Paid
Staying on top of your competitors’ paid activity across markets is important as you
look to launch into new markets or optimize in current ones.
Uber Expedia Dial 7 Car &
Limousine
Service Inc
Lyft Inc Curbside Inc Gett
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
TOTAL DOLS (000)
New York LA Chicago Baltimore Austin Boston Detroit San Francisco
Example: UBER
New York leads local
advertising spent
across competitors on
traditional media
channels (TV, Magazines,
Newspapers, Radio)

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Competitive Analysis: Paid
As the client
prepared to
launch a new
credit card, they
sought to
understand
competitive
advertising as
they refined their
creative strategy.
Included in commsPartially addressed in commsMissing in comms
Colombia
Argentina
India
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Taiwan
Thailand
*Time sensitive offers were included

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Competitive Analysis: Earned
Brands should seek to better understand their social audiences, the competitor
marketplace, and target influencers to develop key messages that resonate and
establish a robust communications plan.
25%
25%
13%
7%
13%
8%
7%
2%
Uber Austin
New York
San Francisco
Baltimore
LA
Chicago
Boston
Detroit
33%
13%
12%
15%
11%
13%
2% 1%
Lyft
Uber Lyft
15%
39%
46%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Positive Negative Neutral
16%
38%
46%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
LYFT
SENTIMENT LYFT
SHARE OF
VOICE
UBER
SENTIMENT
UBER

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Competitive Analysis: Owned
Understanding competitors’ owned campaign activity on channels can help direct
and influence your own campaign strategy.
April Engagement
Total Site Visits 49.90 M
Time on Site 00:03:26
Page Views 3.35
38.73%
15.98%
30.20%
5.55%
9.25%
0.03%
Direct Referals Search Social Mail Display
Site Traffic
Facebook
Activity
Owner
Activity
Audience
Activity
Daily
Engagement
Competitor 1 372 1042 .04%
Competitor 2 56 442 .021%
Competitor 3 7 302 .03%
Competitor 4 22 76 .007%
Competitor 5 26 37 .007%
Campaign activity that is owned by the brand, on channels operated by the brand e.g. brands’ own
campaigns on their website or Facebook / YouTube / Twitter / Instagram pages.
Traffic Sources Competitor Activity

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Consumer Feedback & Testing
Connect with local consumers or your loyal customers that have already engaged
with your brand for product innovation or even what is driving them to purchase
similar products.
Focus groups
Concept testing
Online Surveys
Social media listening
Social Media channel persona assessment

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Consumer Feedback & Testing:
Adapting your Product
The information isn’t enough, once you have credible feedback, you need to take
action on implementing changes to fit the market audience.
Colgate takes local market tastes into account and
does an excellent job of adapting flavors into their
toothpaste brand to help drive sales.
For example, in Asia – Colgate offers a toothpaste
with ginseng, a popular local ingredient.

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USPS OIG: Understanding Consumer Challenges &
Preferences to Develop Products
Problem
• The USPS Office of Inspector General (USPS
OIG) wanted to better understand its customers’
pain points, preferences, and identify any
challenges using the USPS services.
Solution
• A social media channel assessment was
conducted to provide insight into how USPS
might be able to augment its product offering
and enhance its customer interaction.
Outcome
• The research & recommendations provided
helped develop a strategy for a mobile
application to make customer experience more
convenient, allowing them to better track
shipments & provide a new communications
channel.

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Post-launch:
Evaluating & Optimizing

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Full Campaign Analysis
At minimum, 2-4 weeks after the campaign launch, start the analysis by examining communication
activity across all channels (paid, earned, and owned) to prove a 360 degree view of brand
communications. Observing the following:
Messages
Awareness generated
Consumer response
Reputational impact

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Goal Completion Review
Did you achieve your goals that you set at the beginning of the project?
Has there been a lift in:
Sales/revenue
Website traffic
Customer engagement
Brand reputation