various prospect groups on these characteristics and target the best prospect group.
The aim is to generate strong sales as soon as possible to motivate the sales force and
attract further prospects.
Many companies are surprised to learn who really buys their product and why.
Microwave ovens began to enjoy explosive growth only after microwave-oven pop-
corn was developed. Households dramatically increased their purchase of computers
when the CD-ROM multimedia feature was introduced.
How (Introductory Market Strategy)
The company must develop an action plan for introducing the new product into the
rollout markets. With its debut in 1998, the competitively priced iMac represented
Apple Computer’s reentry into the computer PC business after a hiatus of 14 years.
The company staged a massive marketing blitz to launch the new machine.
■ Apple Computer Inc. Apple’s launch of the iMac, the sleek, egg-shaped com-
puter with one-touch Internet access, was dramatic. For starters, the iMac was
a closely guarded secret until May 6, 1998, when Jobs literally unveiled the
machine to awestruck reporters. The buzz continued to mount, on-line and
off, until the machine went on sale in August. On the weekend of August 14,
computer retailers prepared Midnight Madness sales featuring 20-foot-high
inflatable iMacs flying above the stores. Radio stations across the country be-
gan an iMac countdown, topped off with iMac giveaways. Jobs personally
signed five “golden” tickets and placed them in the boxes of five iMacs, with
the winner receiving a free iMac each year for the next five years. Apple aug-
mented these efforts with a $100 million ad campaign, its biggest ever,
to promote iMac through TV, print, radio, and billboards. The campaign
chapter 11
Developing
New Market
Offerings^353