Taking the Walkman to Market - or the One Man Focus Group
1+714.673.8578. www.mixnerstrategy.com
Akio Morita was one of the founders of SONY after the war. He ended up building the world-wide marketing effort that made SONY what it is today. Read his book and you end up thinking "this was a guy who was able to let others make up their own minds, and act themselves." That was all true except for one product - the SONY Walkman.
When the Walkman was initially designed, no one at SONY thought the unit had any prospects - except Akio Morita. He became their one man focus group. Luckily he was high enough up in the company that he got his way on the Walkman and was able to bring it to market (Morita, 80-82).
He dictated most of the specs: lightweight, reliable (of course), miniature headphones, two output jacks so a couple could share the experience (that one didn't really sell Walkman's but it seemed like a good idea at the time), but not the name. Morita was traveling while other people on his team dreamed up the name and then went ahead and created all marketing materials. As he was objecting, it was too late - the materials were already printed and ready to go (Morita, 81).
Of course, many dominant CEOs get their way with new products. The one in more recent times, however, is Steven Jobs. He really is the one person focus group (Kahney, 53). He seems to do it a little bit differently than Morita. Jobs' method uses multiple iterations until the product is ready to ship. He'll look at the look, the feel, the utility, the quietness (no fans in the early Macintosh, even if the thing almost burnt up inside), the software - everything.
On introduction, the Apple new product usually isn't much customizable by outside suppliers. The iPod basically isn't, although there are lots of cases and such-like available. Finally, Jobs has lightened up, clearly, in that Apple allows third party software folks to create software, especially for the i Phone, and sell it, once approved, on the Apple site.
I bring up SONY and Apple for another reason. Early on, Morita got his way. Jobs did, too, then he left. After they gave up control, things started to flounder. SONY is floundering, as did Apple until Jobs returned in the late nineties.
So what's the solution? Not clear.
What is clear is that, sometimes, one person focus groups are best. The Walkman, the iPod, and the iPhone prove it.
The hard part is competing with a one man focus group.
Reference
Kahney, Leander. Inside Steve's Brain. Portfolio. 2008.
Morita, Akio, Edwin M. Reingold and Mitsuko Shimomura. Made in Japan. Akio Morita and SONY. E. P. Dutton. 1986.