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1- Describe Whirlpool’s global marketing strategy? Firstly, Whirlpool by acquiring Philips Electronics European appliance business for $1 billion, it’s become to known in global market. Whirlpool segment the market with duplicate the brand so I think they apply multibranding strategy such as Bauknecht,Ignis etc… They allways research and develop their products and they focus low-income country for achieving global market. 2- Summarize the role of market research in Whirlpool’s globalization strategy.
What different types of research methodologies does the company use? What are the advantages of each methodology described in the case? Market research and innovation are very important in Whirlpool’s globalization strategy. Because they allways act with researchers and focus group. For example, Whirlpool’s researchers convened focus group and visit to representative low-income households and they develop and innovate new technology for low-income consumers. Whirlpool use qualitative research and focus group methodologies.
Advantages ar efor example, Marcele Rodrigues is director of laundry technology “it wasn’t a matter of stripping down an existing model We had to innovate for the masses” so they worked for correct to wrong decision then develop new washer Ideale for consumers. 3- Do you believe developing products for low-income consumers in emerging markets is the right strategy? I think right strategy, because mainstream markets became mature and competitive became hard so emerging markets relatively untouched and sizable for growing market share. 1.
Describe Mattel’s global marketing strategy for Barbie and assess its success. Barbie has been successfully adopted to cultural differences in U. S. but international challenge will be more formidable, and John Amerman former CEO of Mattel, noted “There are twice as many children in Europe as in the U. S… three times as many in South America and fifteen times as many in Asia…the potential market for products like Barbie…” We know that from the case, Mattel entered to global market with their product which is Barbie, they have some problems in Middle East,Japan,Brazil.
Mattel had entered these markets without thoroughly understanding it. So I think their global strategies are partnership that adapt it product to local taste, economic condition. 2. Mattel has experience problems in entering the Japanese market. How could Mattel have achieved greater success in Japan? Mattel faced the complex distribution system and intense competition from Japanese brands. At first, consumers did not know much about Barbie so Mettel enlisted the service of Takara, a Japanese toy specialist.
Mattel learned that Barbie’s legs are too long and her chest is too large. They changed Barbie to look appearance and physical attributes and Japanese aesthetics. Barbie’s eyes were changed blue to brown… Mattel also noticed that Japanese girls preferred American Barbie which became top selling doll in Japan. Mattel achieved success by attempting to adapt Barbie to Japanese culture and made American Barbie get more market share.
And wee see the original American Barbie has high demand in this market so Mattel would have a strong advantage for market share. 3. What strategy should Mattel employ to combat the threat from the Susi Doll in Latin America? Susi doll advantages are lower price and their doll Susi has a realistic physical attributes of Brazillian touches but Barbie does not have and I think maybe Susi doll manufactured Estrela older than Barbie in Brazil market. So Mattel needed to change Barbie’s physical apperance to be like Latin America and also their dress.
We know that Susi dolls cheaper than Barbie so Mattel had to reduce the cost by finding materials or resources to produce Barbie maybe China because of cheap labor. Maybe open a factory in Latin America and use labor and raw materials or they distribute promotion for Barbie doll and more accessories. 4. How important is culture in the children’s toy preference? Will cultural differences result in failure for Mattel as the company faces new competitors in the Middle East?
People in the Middle East have a strict religion. Parents and religious leaders do not want their children to adapt the culture of the west such as wearing short skirts and clothes which do not fully cover the body. Cultural difference will not result in failure for Mattel. Mattel can adapt Barbie to suit with Middle Eastern culture and also have American Barbie. Barbie’s competitors have a Middle Eastern culture doll as babies, but Barbie’s American version which is an alternative for children is Middle Eastern