While Mattel does a great job in PR to a younger audience there are other companies that are still behind the bell curve. Turn on the television sometime and see the marketing that these companies decide to put forward. Some of them are really thoughtful for the customer, and others (the majority I would say) are extremely annoying and in poor taste.
How Did We Get Here?
This long road to a inconsistent marketing message was not by accident. In fact many of the mistakes were made by following fads. Sure having the best baby or kids products out there is an important mission statement, but there needs to be a more centralized focus on providing relevant and just in time information that adds value to the audience and encourages them to come back for more. Look at how strollers for twins are designed. They have several different types depending on the kind of event you are looking to attend or function you prefer.The need to innovate should not preclude the opportunity to make an impact through revision of existing product lines. I learned this in my basic marketing course. If you have a cash cow that is making good money for the company, why wreak havoc by introducing a totally different and "new" version under the same name. The auto industry is famous for this. A gorgeous looking car is then changed radically in the new year and now it looks horrible.
By keeping the customer needs and desires first, we can design quality and efficiency into our PR campaigns. Without that forethought, things begin to become muddled.
