Yes, its not going to be a trivial task getting the consumers to understand the difference
between this :
and this :
Sadly, for some consumers it will be a choice between the Black and gold one and the red and silver one. And that Lancome product is just one example. There are dozens of wands and applicators out there... some with scientific claims and some not. So what can P&G do to stand above the rest?
Emphasize the science : They are already doing this with the detailed explanation of the 3 ways the magnetic wand improves penetration. Other companies will spout junk that may sound just as impressive to the layperson. Thats why the more science they throw into the discussion, the more convincing P&G will be. The consumer might not understand any of it, but they can usually tell the difference between "a whole lot of really sciencey sounding stuff" and some not very specific statements about "opening pores" and "calming effects". The others can't talk the science because in most cases, there is not science there.
Stress the trial results : The 3x improved penetration needs to be front and center (as it already is). Additionally this needs to be backed up with hard evidence, lest it be seen as just another example of marketing hyperbole ("9 out of 10 doctors agree"). It would be helpful if P&G published the trial result details online and referred to them frequently. Consumers may not bother to look, but journalists, bloggers, and others in the industry would and their opinions reach a wide audience. Competitors could not match this.
Tell where it came from : Where did this wand idea come from? Was it the marketing team sitting down with the product design team? "Oh wait.. SK-II says its from a company in Australia called OBJ Limited, and here is the top scientist from OBJ (aka "Doctor Magnetic" as one recent Google Translation surreptitiously named him) sitting right here explaining it us. Maybe I don't understand what he's saying, but i'm starting to believe that this wand actually does what they say". Have you ever seen another company do this? Actually highlight to the public the (currently) obscure source of their great technological advancement?
Advertise, advertise...: Lets hope we start to see some Korea type advertising action in all the other countries over the next few weeks and months. So far, efforts in other countries seem a bit uncoordinated (Although the in-store ads and displays are very good, and they are getting a lot of millage from those bloggers invited to the tw and hk presentations).
Before.. and After... : What better way to show this product works than decent before and after images. Its instantly convincing. Its sad that the only decent before/after image was provided by our own greenhouse on these pages. Not too many of the the target audience are going to find there way here are they? The bloggers have made their efforts, but they have been weak... typically, young ladies trying it for a day and taking lousy photos with differing lighting. These bloggers get dozens of samples each week. They are not going to commit to a proper month long trial. SK-II should take the lead on this and provide a means where proper before/after images can be made available. They could start with those images taken during their trials.
Linkage for the future... : Once SK-II has established the wand's efficacy in the mind of consumers, the terms "magnetic microarray" and "magnetic wand", and the name of the company "OBJ" can be used to give instant credibility to any future P&G product using similar terms. "oh.. insoles for foot odor with that magnetic microarray stuff.. that must work better."
OBJ Price at posting:
10.2¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
(20min delay)