Analytical Memo Report: How to Make Honey Bear More Appealing
Your company intends to launch a product line of children's bedding and clothing. Folks in the Graphic Design Department submitted a design for a cartoon-like character called "Honey Bear" that would be imprinted on packaging materials. The graphics design people love Honey Bear, but the marketing staff wants to test the concept. A marketing survey team conducted interviews outside Babies R Us (with the manager's permission). The team set up a display table near the entrance featuring a banner inviting expectant mothers to inquire about a gift. Each prospective mother who agreed to be interviewed received a free Honey Bear crib sheet.
Over the course of a week, 76 expectant mothers were interviewed. Of this group 20 were expecting a first child. We interviewed 42 mothers who were expecting a second child, and 14 who were expecting a child beyond the second.
The first thing the team did was ask each shopper to describe Honey Bear using the first word that came to mind. The team discovered that 57 respondents used words such as "gloomy," "sleepy," "depressed," "inactive," "uninteresting," or "boring." Only 8 shoppers described Honey Bear as "cute," "lovable," or "appealing."
When the team asked the shoppers how to make Honey Bear more attractive, 71 percent of the respondents suggested showing the bear in more active poses. Another 42 percent thought he would look better if the colors were brighter. Another significant group (62 percent) suggested that Honey Bear be rounder and more cuddly. The totals equal more than 100 percent because some interviewees made more than one suggestion.
Your Task. As part of the Marketing Department survey team, prepare a brief (one page) memo report describing and analyzing your findings. The primary audience for your report is Rachel Monroe, Vice President, Marketing Department. The secondary audience will be the Graphic Design Department. From the findings described here, draw conclusions and make recommendations for modifying Honey Bear.