Tissues
“Don’t put a cold in your pocket.”
—Kleenex advertisement
During World War I, the Kimberly-Clark company developed a super-absorbent material that could be used as a surgical dressing as well as a gas-mask filter. After the war, the same material was used in Kleenex brand tissues, which were originally intended to be used as a cold-cream remover. For years the product was promoted only for its ability to help remove cold cream. However, marketers kept receiving letters from customers that asked, “Why don’t you say it’s good for blowing your nose?” At first, no one paid much attention to the suggestion, but the letters came in so frequently that the marketing department decided the concept was worth some research.
To test the new idea, a novel advertising campaign was devised. Half of the newspapers in Peoria, Illinois, carried an ad urging people to use Kleenex for removing cold cream plus a coupon good for a free box of the tissues. Ads in the remaining newspapers also included a coupon but touted Kleenex as a handkerchief substitute. The handkerchief version drew the most response, accounting for 61 percent of the coupons redeemed. The experiment showed that Kleenex could be more popular if used as a disposable handkerchief rather than for the purpose it was originally intended. With that evidence, a new ad campaign was devised to promote both uses of Kleenex, with its role as a handkerchief getting most of the coverage. Eventually, Kimberly-Clark comprised a list of forty-eight “typical” uses for Kleenex.
CONSIDER THIS: Be alert for new or different uses of a product or service. This can be a natural avenue for expansion.
What would the Mad Men say? Any clues?
Your guesses, your thoughts are welcome?
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