Syreeta Milbourne
Marketing 310
February 10, 2013
Written Assignment #1
Tide Pods
My written assignment will focus on Proctor and Gambles most recent success in the market Tide Pods. The Pods current market situation turns out to be better than P&G could have dreamed of. Considering the trials and tribulations it endured before ever making it to market.
In a recent online article written by Jack Neff, for adage.com it notes, “Pods came to market six months later than planned and without the originally scheduled retail promotions because of supply shortages.” (Neff, 2012). In addition, one of its competitors, Sun marketer of All Mighty Pacs, sued P&G for patent infringement. Perhaps most devastating, the Pods came under direct scrutiny from Senator Chuck Schumer, due to children accidentally eating them, which reportedly happened nearly 500 times according to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention. These things would likely be the death of a product, but P&G overcame adversity, persevered, and have since reaped the benefits.
The Pods are expected to gross $500 million in first year sales. P&G predicts Tide Pods will account for 30% of the laundry market in the next 10 years. I would say the number in sales and the product demand speak volumes to the Pods potential. Customer interest seems to be high. In a recent report from http://www.consumernews.com(para.3) Tide Pods were the only single use product that cleaned well enough to make their recommended list.
The “SWOT ANALYSIS” for my product I kind of touched basis on in the beginning of my paper. I think the biggest strength is the reputable brand it is a part of. Tide has been a proven and trusted brand for many years. Consumers can depend on the quality and dependability of the Tide brand. Second to that is market share. P&G has claimed 68% market share in the laundry pods category, a growing segment representing 7.3% of the $7 billion U.S. laundry