NEW PRODUCT CAMPAIGN
JUSTIN COLMAN
JRN 353
OCT. 2011
Target Audience:
* Mothers ages 25-45
The mothers are the most important audience in this campaign. Whether they work
or are stay-at-home mothers, they are the primary caregivers to children. As such,
they know what their child’s likes and dislikes are. Because of this, there will be at
least one mother who either has a friend whose child suffers from sensory-related
issues, or has a child of her own who suffers from sensory-related issues. The age
range is set to hit all mothers because of the idea that there could be a mother
having her first child at 42 years of age, or if a mother at that age sees another
mother’s child going through the same sensory issues her child went through.
* Medical Practitioners
Medical Practitioners are important to this campaign because of their contact with
families who have a member with sensory issues. Allowing them to test the product
before it is released has its advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage would
be that if the product gets a negative reception, the practitioners will not
recommend, or even discourage families to use the product. The advantage,
however, is if they like the product and see that it is helpful in treating sensory
issues.
Objectives:
* Promote a toy that helps treat sensory-related issues.
Key Messages:
“Best Buds™ is a toy that children will have fun with, and parents will notice a
positive change in mood.”
Strategies:
Increase publicity of product:
TACTICS:
* Schedule press conference to introduce product, announce release date..
* Pitch product preview/review stories to local press.
Promote toy in the community:
TACTICS:
* Offer/give toys to autism centers
* Offer/give sample toys to toy stores prior to the product release.
* Offer/give toys to children’s health offices.
Evaluation:
* Track sales accounts from toy stores.
* Open a customer feedback page on product website to track satisfaction levels.
* Create a focus group/product testing event for parents & their children w/ sensory
awareness, medical practitioners.
(((NEWS RELEASE)))
Missing Piece Partners With Sensory Company, To Distribute SensoryFriendly Toys In U.S., U.K.
LONDON – Missing Piece and Sensory Company announce the availability of Best
Buds™ Sensory Toys in the United States and the United Kingdom. Best Buds™ will
be made available to the public February 19, 2012. Parents will find that with each
toy being made of a different material, children with sensory issues will have the
option to buy a toy that fits their sensory needs, ultimately elevating their mood.
“Best Buds™ is a toy that communicates well with parents and children,” said Xavier
Brooks, Missing Piece marketing director. “The animals project the friendliness and
simplicity of the product to children, and for the parents, the mood-elevating
functionality is something that makes it a smart purchase.”
Best Buds™ use different materials to manufacture the product, including rubber,
plastic, fabric, cloth, and wood. With each different material, children can feel the
product in a different way. Choosing the right material is important for a child’s
happiness, as well as work ethic in classes.
“Parents that purchase a Best Buds™ toy, will realize that their child will have a
better day,” said Charles Logan, director of Missing Piece product Research and
Development. “The touch from a toy is important to children with sensory issues
because it can have a positive or negative influence on their mood.”
Consumers can visit Missingpiece.com to find a Best Buds™ product near their area
or for more information.
ABOUT MISSING PIECE:
Missing Piece is an autism advocacy, profit organization that looks to improve the
lives of families impacted by autism. Through research, advocacy, and daily
conversations with families impacted by autism, Missing Piece looks for the best
treatment options available, for families impacted by autism. Missing Piece offers
products that help make the day better for families, provide family services and
consultation, and discovering new treatments. Missing Piece is committed to making
a positive impact on lives that have been impacted by autism.
DESCRIPTION OF BEST BUDS™
Appearance/Characteristics: The Best Buds toys resemble animals that you would
see at the zoo, such as a giraffe or a kangaroo. The appearance of the product is
important so that the child can relate to it.
Features: Best Buds’ features vary by the feel of the product. The entire point of the
product is to help give children with sensory issues an opportunity to have fun with
their toy. With wood, fabric, cloth, plastic, rubber and more, the variety of the toy’s
feel can help the child alleviate stress and increase productivity, as was mentioned
in the press release.
Benefits: The benefit, as mentioned, is that the product can help a child alleviate
stress and hopefully, lead the child to be more productive in class. With different
materials, the parents have options to select which toy best suits their child.
Drawbacks: The two drawbacks that I can think about are that the toys are not a
sure guarantee that the productivity in class will improve and that some of the
products could be hazardous and potentially be an allergenic hazard.