Dyson Marketing Plan for Air Multiplier

1. Marketing Planning

1.1 Business Mission and Objectives

At Dyson, we are about to unveil our next big innovation. The Dyson Air Multiplier^[1] is a ground-breaking new product. With this innovation, we can embrace what makes mankind so distinctive - our individualism. We can provide an opportunity for each individual to decide for him- or herself, what kind of temperature or climate space they want to reside in.

1.1.1 Mission Statement

With the Dyson Air Multiplier we will offer every individual the possibility to create his or her perfect environment, whether at home or at work, without needing to be either considerate of or dependent on the preferences of others.

At Dyson, we embrace the individuality of every man by endorsing the opportunity for individualism in a space that is so important to the well-being of everyone, but has been dominated by compromise among many.

With this novel innovation, we at Dyson want to:

- Offer an alternative to a product that has never been perfect for reducing the heat or creating the perfect temperature for you
- Provide people with the opportunity to make the dependence on open windows or air conditioning reluctant
- Establish a new offering that through its unique technical design will allow for the opportunity for individualism
- And embrace the individuality of mankind and create a new practice for private and professional environments

Due to the development of the unique cyclone technology and the patented technology, we are able to not only develop and serve a new market, whilst having a sustainable competitive advantage. The unique product design and the renowned Dyson cyclone technology will provide the Dyson Company with another opportunity to sustainably extend and grow their business worldwide.

THEORY BOX: Practice Theory

Shove and Pantzar highlight "how new practices emerge through and as a result of specific forms of consumer-producer interaction" ((Shove and Pantzar 2005) p. 45).I

1.2 Situational Analysis

In the situational analysis, we will illustrate the comparative strengths and weaknesses as well as the exposure towards opportunities and threats of Dyson with its Air Multiplier.

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The initial keywords as illustrated in the graphic on the right will be elaborated in detail in the below sections.

1.2.1 Strengths

Our strengths at Dyson refer to our positive internal attributes such as the strong, high quality brand identity as well as the personal involvement of our founder James Dyson. As the founder and inventor, he creates customer loyalty throughout his constant appearance and connection to the brand. Furthermore technical progress is directly associated with the whole range of products due to the work of its innovators. The developed patents also embody a strength of Dyson in general and the Air Multiplier in particular. In addition, the experience in high class, as well as innovative air technology products and our high quality philosophy increase the Air Multiplier's internal strengths. The Air Multiplier personifies a new era of innovation via its safe product design, easy usage, accompanied by the uncomplicated way of cleaning, which leads to an easy adoption by the consumer. Besides, the powerful tooling, as well as the quick and steady cooling or warming, create a blue ocean of a perfect individualized environment.

THEORY BOX: Blue Ocean Strategy

The Blue Ocean Strategy deals with industries, which satisfy an unknown market space and therefore do not already exist. In contrast, Red Oceans represent accepted and established industries. (Kim, W. Chan and Renee Mauborgne, 2004)

1.2.2 Weaknesses

The high costs of development and purchase, as well as potential general technological failures, for example insufficient air acclimatisation can be regarded as weaknesses. Our company's presence in the UK and even the product design can represent possible weaknesses, as being dropped behind. But the most severe weakness is illustrated by the unforeseeable risks of the Air Multiplier's blue ocean, whose invention is not exactly the company's core activity, as Dyson has been previously been attributed with innovative cyclone air technologies in both vacuum cleaners and hand-dryers. Our company however does not dispose over experience in the field of personal cooling or heating devices.

1.2.3 Opportunities

At Dyson, we reach a high degree of brand awareness as an external opportunity via the implementation of the Air Multiplier on the German market. Another big advantage might be the implementation of a blue ocean product, because it satisfies consumers' wants and includes innovative technological advantages in comparison to red ocean competitors. Wants like usability, functionality, and environmental friendliness are addressed especially. As consumers' consciousness towards energy saving products eminently increases, the importance of environmental friendliness is again highlighted. Besides we believe that the Air Multiplier resembles a lifestyle product, which belongs to a well-established brand in the UK. Furthermore, an opportunity is illustrated as the product's non linking to seasons or weather due to its various functions, which creates a new industry.

1.2.4 Threats

Threats are pointed out via external negative attributes, which, in the case of the Air Multiplier, include the possible customers non-acceptance. Concerning blue ocean products, companies like ours can never foresee if the served demand of individualized environment really exists, or if existing red ocean competitors of heaters and fans sufficiently serve the customers' demands. Especially concerning the implementation in the German market, the question of acceptation arises, as fans and heaters are rarely used. A potential saturation might already exist. In addition, the Air Multiplier only serves a niche in luxury electric market, due to expensive purchase costs in comparison to comparable red ocean products.

As our Dyson Air Multiplier will create a Blue Ocean, there is a great potential threat that can arise from imitators, which will enter the market once we have demonstrated success and market potential in this field.

2. Marketing Strategy

Based on the situational analysis as conducted in the previous section, we will now seek to identify and analyse potential chances for growth and expansions based on the three steps of segmentation, targeting and positioning. This allows for a good understanding of the market, as well as for a structured approach of entry.

2.1 Segmentation

In order to be able to select the perfect target group of potential customers, we will first segment the market by a few consumer groups. As we will focus on the German market with our endeavours, the segmentation will also be focussed on the German region.

Among the main consumers that currently spend money on fans and other personal cooling/heating devices, we estimate that approx. 10% of customers are willing to purchase premium products. These users can be split up into 4 consumer groups:

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A. Technology Aficionados

This target group consists of people that will choose a product for the sake of its technological abilities. Choice of supplier is usually based on a trade-off between functionality as well as price. Technology Aficionados are often fan- or other cooling systems-users, once it is needed to the environmental factors, such as temporary heat phases in summer and no sufficient availability of other sources, such as air conditioning.

B. Individualists

Individualists tend to prefer the ability to control their surroundings directly without needing to rely on compromise of a larger group. This target group seeks technologies to reduce the dependence on others at to their own comfort.

C. Lifestyle Users

Lifestyle users adopt technology due to its benefits combined with its representative status and acceptance among peers. People of this target group would seek a product due to its function combined with its status and design.

D. Health-Consciousness

People of this target group pay close attention to their individual health. Being able to not rely on general air conditioning and closed heating system provides a clear benefit.

2.2 Targeting

At Dyson, we believe in products that we tailor perfectly to the needs and wants of our consumers. Our newest innovation, the Dyson Air Multiplier, is made to offer consumers the opportunity for the individually adjusted and comfortable environment.

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Starting with the first steps of developing the demand of perfect air acclimatization, our Air Multiplier meets customers' requirements till the great age. With one single product, we can provide a great added value for 3 of the previously described consumer groups (B, C, D), namely Individualists, Lifestyle Users, and Health Conscious people. The single product offering fits with the three target segments, as it addresses different needs of each group.

B. Individualists

First, it represents the perfect tool for individualism and comfort at work. Highlighting the product's opportunities of self-made decisions in open-plan offices, one can clearly recognize the Air Multiplier's advantages of being independent from open windows or air condition. Via a perfectly air acclimatized environment, working conditions are improved and even stimulated.

C. Lifestyle Users

Second, the Air Multiplier also creates the desired environment at home, which leads to excellent conditions for relaxing, domestic work and even restful sleep. Due to its portability, one can gain profit of an individualized temperature space all over the house, at any time. And as the Air Multiplier not only allows for a cooling or wind option with three different intensities, but for selecting the perfect temperature for an individual's well-being, the product goes beyond the general fan-abilities and offers rather a choice for individualism. Additionally, the Air Multiplier embodies a stylish accessorize and therefore is a status symbol.

D. Health-Consciousness

Third, the field of health conscious people presents a huge market due to the ability of the Dyson Air Multiplier to provide an environment suitable to the individual, therefore aiding to a more balanced and healthy environment. Due to the widespread usage of air conditioning and the resulting temperature imbalances between outside and inside environments, the Air Multiplier is able to negatively affected people a choice for independence and freedom, therewith contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

Overall, the Air Multiplier is tailored to ecology-minded consumers, as it is a low- energy product, which causes the fact that consumers do not have to air condition whole rooms for the individually shaped environment anymore. Those characteristics combine many existing product streams to a totally new one. We address people, who appreciate stylish, innovation and highly beneficial products of a higher price range. We at Dyson sell a new luxury product for the everyday life.

Technology Aficionados however do not fit the target audience of the Dyson Air Multiplier. Due to their heavy focus on price in comparison to functionality on the one hand, as well as pure technology feature orientation, the product design, ease of use and potential does not present a true added value for the technology aficionados. Hence we have chosen to not pursue this target group further.

2.3 Positioning

Traditionally, the available devices for personal heating and cooling devices have been produced for their single purpose (cooling or heating). Differentiating factors between products have been price on the one hand and technological abilities, such as fan speed or noise level on the premium side.

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^[1] Contrary to the common approach of a marketing plan, where both mission and SWOT analysis are based on the company, we are focussing the approach on the product itself, as Dyson offers both B2B and B2C products and a wide approach would miss the intent of this marketing plan. - the authors