The Case of the Test Market Paradise Food
The case of the test market toss-up
Bill Horton sat alone in the office late Friday afternoon anxiously leafing through computer printouts, even though he could recite their contents from memory. Horton was waiting for his boss; bob Murphy, to report back the decision on a subject the marketing committee had been debating for more than fur hours. The issue whether paradise food should authorize national rollout of a new product, sweet dreams, to complement its established frozen specialty desert, La Treat. Horton was product manager for sweet dreams and Murphy was the group manager responsible for all new products in paradise’s desert line.
“I’m glad you are sitting”, bob quipped uncomfortably as he entered bill’s office. “The news isn’t good. The committee decided not to go ahead.”
“I don’t believe it,” bill protested. I started to worry when the meeting dragged on, but I never thought they’d say no. damn. Eighteen months down the drain.”
“I know how you feel, but you have to understand where the committee was coming from. It was a real close call- as close as I can remember since I’ve had this job. But the more carefully they considered your test results, the more it looked like the returns just weren’t there.”
“Not there, all they had to look at was appendix B in my report- the data from mudland and Pittsfield. Sweet dreams got a 3% share after 26 weeks. A trial rate of 15%. A purchase rate of 45%. If national performance were anywhere close to that, we’d have our launch coasts back in 14months. Who can argue with that?”
“I’m on your side here, but I only have one vote,” bob said defensively. “We both knew what Barbara’s position would be- and you know how much weights she carries around here these days.” Barbara Mayer was the paradise group manager responsible for established desert products. She became a grouper in 1985, after two enormously successful years as La Treat’s first product manager.
“And to be honest, it was tough to take issues with her”,
Bill Horton sat alone in the office late Friday afternoon anxiously leafing through computer printouts, even though he could recite their contents from memory. Horton was waiting for his boss; bob Murphy, to report back the decision on a subject the marketing committee had been debating for more than fur hours. The issue whether paradise food should authorize national rollout of a new product, sweet dreams, to complement its established frozen specialty desert, La Treat. Horton was product manager for sweet dreams and Murphy was the group manager responsible for all new products in paradise’s desert line.
“I’m glad you are sitting”, bob quipped uncomfortably as he entered bill’s office. “The news isn’t good. The committee decided not to go ahead.”
“I don’t believe it,” bill protested. I started to worry when the meeting dragged on, but I never thought they’d say no. damn. Eighteen months down the drain.”
“I know how you feel, but you have to understand where the committee was coming from. It was a real close call- as close as I can remember since I’ve had this job. But the more carefully they considered your test results, the more it looked like the returns just weren’t there.”
“Not there, all they had to look at was appendix B in my report- the data from mudland and Pittsfield. Sweet dreams got a 3% share after 26 weeks. A trial rate of 15%. A purchase rate of 45%. If national performance were anywhere close to that, we’d have our launch coasts back in 14months. Who can argue with that?”
“I’m on your side here, but I only have one vote,” bob said defensively. “We both knew what Barbara’s position would be- and you know how much weights she carries around here these days.” Barbara Mayer was the paradise group manager responsible for established desert products. She became a grouper in 1985, after two enormously successful years as La Treat’s first product manager.
“And to be honest, it was tough to take issues with her”,