Alex Woodruff Biz Buzz

Fake fires for modern cave men
If you’ve never seen this product before, allow me to introduce you to the flatscreen open fire. Slap it on the wall, switch it on and you immediately have all the pre-historic atmosphere of a cave fire in the comfort of a 21st century home.
Only it’s not real…
Who buys [...]

Thanks to a current MBA student for a fascinating example of a company doing its best to contradict itself: VOLVO.
In 2004 the company worked out that women also drive cars (pioneering stuff!) and they should therefore also be involved in the design process (Business Week report, USA Today). What clever market segmentation.
The only problem [...]

I discovered this little gem at the weekend. Not a dead parrot, not a live one either, but a talking, laughing interactive toy parrot.

Also not a cheap parrot - costs a good €80 (though much less in the States, what a surprise).
Now take a gander at those functions! Acts, speaks with more than 45 [...]

The classic approach to segmentation in consumer markets used to be demographics. I remember clearly as a brand manager at Unilever presenting my target group as C1C2D, women, over 35. Not surprisingly, this was a traditional hairspray brand. But in the 80s, marketing people got wise to the fact that people may be in [...]

The UK has gone totally PC (politically correct). Any hint of having a go at minorities, women, people of different race, creed, ability, and you’ll attract the wrath of the public screaming “leave them alone”. It’s engraved in law, sensibly, and is there for a reason. But it’s meant companies have had to clean up [...]

A call to retailers: give your customers more hassle-free shopping! No I haven’t been drinking coffee. No I’ve not got anything against old people. Just today, as a working man, it finally dawned on me.
I traipse off to the supermarket to do the shopping and there’s nothing but glue-kneed geriatrics plodding around. One of whom, [...]