BMW announced this week that they will be using the sub-brand “BMW i” for their electric and hybrid cars which will launch in 2013. While the sub-brand strategy is a departure from Mercedes approach of using the Smart brand, is the BMW i concept innovative? (more…)
Archive for the ‘Industry Profiles’ Category
Is the “BMW i” already past it’s prime?
Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011Should you invest in Re-Value Engineering?
Monday, October 25th, 2010Last week’s evolveNPD post mentioned a former Kraft executive’s prediction that companies will invest in what I’m calling Re-Value Engineering: focusing on taking out less important features and lowering the price, rather than just adding more features and cost into products. Do we see signs of this already? What does it mean for our industries? Here are a few examples from this week’s news… (more…)
Consumer choice: Is more, better?
Friday, October 1st, 2010Every trend has it’s doppelganger; the alter ego of that defies the trend and takes a new stand. The super-size food trend was reversed with 100-calorie packs. Super-size grocery stores were countered by neighborhood markets. So where are we now and where are we going? Should we be focused on choice or simplicity? (more…)
The Innovators unique growth challenge
Saturday, August 28th, 2010You know who you are. You come into work every day with a new idea, a new solution, or a new problem or challenge for the organization. You have a gift for solving problems. But according to Brad Farris, Principal at Anchor Advisors and author of The Business Owner’s Champion, you can also drive your colleagues a little crazy. And, if you happen to own or manage a business, you face some unique challenges that might prevent your organization from growing. (more…)
The Social Media Leap
Saturday, July 10th, 2010You’ve probably felt the pressure to engage in social media for your brand; be it to drive sales, improve CRM efforts, or build better products and services. According to Wendy Soucie, PDMA board member and social media guru, social media is not a panacea for product managers. (more…)
Radical innovation in golf
Monday, June 28th, 2010The game of golf has been around for over 500 years. Regulated by U.S. and international associations, golf equipment companies face the challenge of both a mature and constrained industry. In this environment, is there room for radical innovation? (more…)
Cowboys or Collaborators- Who wins in New Products?
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010Let’s assume you had a to select one of the people below to lead your new product team.
John: He has lots of energy and innovative ideas. Others describe him as a cowboy who will challenge the company to think bigger and try ideas that would lead the company into new territory.
Pete: He has strong business acumen and is a great motivator. Others describe him as a collaborator who will pull together a strong team and deliver on time and on budget.
Who would you choose? (more…)
Are you ready to go global?
Wednesday, May 12th, 2010While the global marketplace is as close as your web-browser, launching global products can be a daunting endeavor. Gary Les, President of the plastics technology company Dielectric Corp, has spent his career helping companies launch global businesses. He sees a strong link between the innovation capabilities of a company and their ability to succeed in the global marketplace. (more…)
Building a New Product Business Case
Friday, April 30th, 2010You have a new product idea that will be a huge success, once you get it to market. As a savvy entrepreneur, you think now may be just the time to invest in developing this product and disrupting the market. Especially since many competitors have downsized new product development groups, choosing instead to investing in short-term initiatives that manage stock prices and protect their current market position. But how do you break free in this economy? How do you get funding?
Dave Serdynski, President PDMA Wisconsin and project engineer at New Berlin Plastics says (more…)
Monika Wingate is the owner of Fountainhead Brand Consulting and V.P. of Membership for the Wisconsin Product Development and Manufacturing Association (PDMA). She has helped a variety of companies develop new products and growth strategies including CUNA Mutual, Hormel Foods, U.S. Bank, and Kohler.
