Intro and conslusion

Ryan Bartolome, Amanda Butler, John Coons, Jaimee Lorenzo-Fuentes, Cory Perreault

Karlene Swalley

Positioning Statement

Google is determined to put Google Contact Lens (GCL) as the leading optical eyewear as an alternative to Google Glasses. With more advanced technological applications, GCL will provide its users the benefits of using smartphones and computers in one product, plus the advantage of doing so in complete discretion and safety. With the development of Google Glasses, many people thought that it was the future of wearable tech (Bliss). With Google Contact Lens, it is the technological breakthrough of the future. Since its release date of May 15, 2014 (Bidasaria) Google Glasses has made an impression that it is a high-value product, which led a lot of people to want to own one, even if it means obtaining it illegally. As reported to NBC News Los Angeles, a man wearing Google Glass in Venice, Ca., was robbed by two men while sitting in his patio (Wagstaff). With Google Contact Lens, this scenario can be prevented thanks to GCL’s discreteness and concealed feature. Google can use its experience and the success of Google Glasses to further develop Google Contact Lens to be used in more challenging situations such as “underwater diving expeditions to study causes of tsunamis in Japan” and “undercover missions of U.S. forces in Afghanistan,” just to name a few, where the limitations of Google Glasses is obvious.

Target market profiles

While marketing Google Contact Lens, It is important to understand the target markets Google will focus on to distribute the newest invention created by the organization. The marketing plan must focus on the segmentation within the United States as well as the variety of groups in Japan. When determining who makes up the market segmentation, Google must focus their attention to the relationship of Google Contact Lens features and the segments associated to these styles and benefits. A popular key to driving consumers to buy is the belief that everyone is looking to be a part of something new and want the newest trending product. With today's technology social media is a highly used technique used by Google to market the GCL.

There is one major market segment that Google will focus on to market the GCL. "Generation Y (those born between 1977 and 1994) is now estimated to be the largest consumer group in US history" (Skalleberg, 2012). It is found that this generation involves upper-class income based business people to include both men and women. This segment also is found to be technologically capable and a high interest in current information and multiple applications. Google brands the services they provide, which has been the leading marketing technique used by the company. With the features attached to the GCL, it shows that the product would benefit multitasking individuals with the ability to use a hands free technology enhanced product. Having the ability to multitask hands free would be a decision motivator for the consumer. Another decision motivator is the opportunity to continue to wear prescription contact lens with the ability to have technology features that will benefit a businessman’s everyday activities without holding a tablet.

Determining buying behaviors, decision motivators, and organizational target markets in Japan are much of the same characteristics as in the United States. Japan used to be the country where purchasing goods could come at extreme discounts. The decisions made by consumers in Japan are changing their ways of purchasing product. Japan is "Celebrated for their willingness to pay for quality and convenience and usually uninterested in cheaper products" (Salsberg, 2010). With the high profile product, consumers in Japan are attracted to a luxury product with high-class intentions. The new change in consumer wants and needs with price as a non-determining factor; GCL will be an attraction for consumers in the country. Google will continue to focus on the age range of Generation Y, and continue to follow and also attract the characteristics of high incomes with business careers in Japan.

Product Life Cycle

At Google, we understand that our Google Contact Lens (GCL) will have a limited life in the marketplace. So it’s important to develop a strategic plan to anticipate what actions we need to take during the four product life cycles our product will go through: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline.

At the Introduction stage: The expectations will be that there is a high demand during introduction due to the public’s increase knowledge and awareness of GCL from the test markets and media publicity. In Japan, we are aware of the culture’s early adoptions of technology by both corporations and the general public, so we need to plan for a strong demand of our product (Owyang, 2008). Other actions include:

· GCL price will be at the premium price level for both Japan and U.S. with no discounts

· GCL will only come in one basic model and be sold only at Google stores

· Create social media sites to promote use, best bets and lifestyle uses of GCL

· Showcase early adopters (innovators/consumers) to create excitement and use of the GCL

· Have the Google’s business innovation division consultant to both Japanese and U.S. companies to adopt and develop use for GCL in their businesses

Growth Stage: The growth stage presents our biggest challenge. Due to the popularity of the current Google glasses, GCL’s growth could be exponential. Having adequate supplies both in Japan and U.S. and a coordinated supply chain will be must in both markets. Other actions include:

· Sustainable growth through product improvement; new models with new features (colored contact lens) or software upgrades (enhanced features)

· Establish GCL models for only the Japanese markets and then the same for U.S. markets

· Build awareness and interest in the mass market by advertising Japanese and U.S. celebrities using GCLs

· Adopt marketing strategies based on the information collected about changes in the Japanese and U.S. lifestyles using the GCL

· Introduce new markets segments by licensing retail stores to improve the distribution coverage and these actions will strengthen our market dominance and sustain growth (Kotler & Keller, 2012)

Maturity cycle: It may be two to three years later when this happens. The key actions in the Maturity cycle we could do are:

· Look at ways to maximize profit while maintaining our GCL market share in Japan and U.S.

· Market the GCL features and upgrades specific to Japanese and U.S. consumer’s sectors

· Price the GCL to be competitive against imitators and competitors’ products

· Build brand loyalty through social media and get users to make suggestions on features lacking in the iPads or tablets for improvements

Decline Stage: In the Decline stage of the GCL product life cycle, our product could be declining in popularity because of technological advances; shift in consumer’s needs or taste, and increase competition of both domestic and foreign competitor’s (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Key actions to handle the product during this decline are:

· Monitor and reduce production, so there isn’t excessive inventory

· Remaining GCL product could market has introductory product with a reduce price

· The older GCL model could still offer consumer value in its final model with no future investments in upgrades or designs

Expanding Product Offering

Google is already a frontline company that offers a great variety of products for the web, mobile devices, businesses, media, geo, specialized search, home and office products, social media, and innovation products (Google Products, 2014).

The first product Google Glass is marketed for those who move, particularly athletes. Google Contact Lenses (GCL) could take that market as well as others with new and improved features and benefits. GCL would continue to be a complete smart-phone hands free voice programmed device that consumers could use to communicate while they are doing practically anything else simultaneously. Google Contact Lenses would have same capabilities of products offered for its software and search engine lines as well as a camera with a zooming LED display; such as the current Google Glass offers (Google Products, 2014). However, it will not be visible offering both discretion and a less obtrusive way to utilize the product.

Branding and marketing would be focused on emphasizing that GCL is the ultimate product not just for the athlete, but for the multi-tasking businessman, physician, professional, or even those with paralysis and handicaps. Parents would also be able to request daycare providers wear the lenses so that they can monitor the care they are providing, law enforcement agents could be monitored for ethical conduct. The marketing potential is endless and there are no other similar products on the market to offer a significant amount of competition. However, Google has to be quick to brand the market and make its name the leader in the industry. They already have a strong and loyal customer basis, which is a strength, Google will maximize. Other ways to overtake the market and set Google apart from potential future competitors like Yahoo and Bing is to carefully approach pricing based on per product retail price, distribution by allowing test products to ensure the technology is adequate, then use retailers, by several different methods of advertising and promotion and by continuing to strive to lead the best and highest quality of customer service (Kotler & Keller, 2012).

Continuing the highest quality of customer service will be served in part by fair and reasonable warranties and guarantees. Once the product is released to the general public a warranty should be guaranteed for product or part defects and an additional warranty should be offered at a marginal cost for lost, stolen, or broken lenses. This will help satisfy the consumer that they are taking a smaller risk in trying a product that may have a slightly higher cost than the average product.

Conclusion

Page Break

Bidasaria, G. (2014). Google Glass goes public - No invitation needed. Retrieved from TakeAClick: http://www.takeaclick.com/google-glass-publicly-available/

Bliss, R. (n.d.). The Future of Wearable Tech Isn't Geeky - Google Glass. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/netapp/2014/03/26/future-of-wearable-tech/

Kotler, P., & Keller, K. L. (2012). Marketing Management (14th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education.