Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Looking at the 4Ps of marketing (Product, Price, Place, and promotion), it sounds like you have product set (the new bra) and hopefully you have thought through a pricing strategy to come up with a reasonable price (note - this does not have to be the cheapest price, but one which people will pay). Promotion is something you are doing some of (video, some advertising, web site, etc.), but maybe not effectively.

But I suspect the Place part is being totally left out. Place is how people buy your product. Are you looking to do just online sales (so place would be a web site which handles e-commerce - which it looks like your site does)? Or do you want to sell through stores? Or how? You want your choice of how to sell to match with how people want to buy bras.

You may want to step back and write up a business plan for this. The plan is great for forcing a person to think through all the aspects of the business and seeing what you know and what you need to find out/decide on before the business has a goo chance of succeeding.

A minor comment - you mention a youtube video, but don't link to that on your web site.

As a former VP Marketing at Playtex, I was eager to see what you'd come up with for a new concept in bras. Peter's suggestion is far more important than you probably realize.

You need to think in some detail about the marketing and business plans for the business. You have a difficult challenge ahead of you if you want this to be a success, and you'll need a significant marketing war chest to get the retail distribution and/or generate awareness to get people to your website.

Then, once people find your site, you need to find a way to get the concept (of the bra's uniqueness) across without a page full of words. If people can't get it quickly, they'll be gone. It's not clear what the benefit is; the benefit is implicit (in the name), and there's nothing to explain or support your claim.

I know it's not easy to explain, but that's the category you're in. And you have the added problem that there's no good way for someone to try/experience the bra before they buy, and there's no money-back guarantee.

Finally, I suspect (though I don't know) you may have a naming problem too. Because you're using a slang approximation, women may assume this is a novelty product, not a serious undergarment. Of course, this is researchable ... and probably ought to be included in your business/marketing planning process.

Net: You've done the easy part -- inventing a new kind of bra. Now you have to get to the harder part -- developing a marketing plan that makes good business sense and can achieve the business objectives you set out for your product.

I hope you can figure this out. The biggest mistake you can make is to invest a lot of money in inventory, branding graphics, market research (for both the product and the brand name), and a great new website, and then not have enough to create the consumer awareness that will be required to drive the right traffic to the site and convert them into customers ... and/or to get the retail distribution where most bras are sold.

Well, this isn't exactly the first "backless, strapless" bra in the world. You have two major obstacles:

1) You're about the fourth or fifth entrant into the market (some of the earlier entrants are big guys!)
2) Your market is limited to women on the occasions when they wear tops/dresses that have an open back and no shoulders AND require/desire a bra AND require/desire a measure of pushup.

You come up very high on the web if one searches for "tiddy bra." But searching for backless strapless bra - you appear high. However, if I search "backless strapless bra" - you're not among the top 100 (ten pages) with Google.

From a cursory look, you're a unknown, late entrant with a single product against big, solid competitors in a market segment that is small. And on the internet, you really don't have a presence. That's a VERY tough place to be.

If I look at Macy's for tops and dresses - I found 20 of 459 dresses or tops that would require strapless, none requiring backless and none requiring backless/strapless. I used Macy's to represent the "average woman." I conclude from this that the NEED is small indeed.

Another problem you have is the name. Your mother pronounces the "i" as a "long i" - whereas customary and acceptable spelling/grammar/pronunciation rules would suggest an "i" preceding two consonants (two d's) is a "short i" as in "it." From a sample of "one" - my 25 yr old daughter, the name, Tiddy Pushup with a short "i" is offensive. Even with a "long 'i'" as your mom pronounces it, it's not a welcoming name.

There are patents on this kind of product - search on "backless strapless bra patent." You'll see what's available.

If you were my client, I'd tell you that given the competitive patents, and the stiff competition and limited market, I'd advise you not to invest in this market. But, if you insist, then then I'd say marketing/advertising will have limited effect. Best bet is to partner with retailers of formal wear in particularly and online as well. Building your business from this point of view is the best shot. Success will be a low probability, but this is the best shot.

I hope this helps.

Wayde

wnelson has some very VERY good points and arguments and you should seriously consider them; but what you asked for is how to gain attention for your product; suggest getting info to (and hopefully an invite from) every national "early show" on TV; get releases out also to The View, late nite show hosts, Oprah, Ellen and every talk show you can think of--link your website and youtube to the release, too.

Press releases (w/links mentioned above) to every fashion and women's magazine on the market;

Likewise, informational packet to all leading women's retailers.

Something is bound to pop!
jag
MarketBase