Backlash: How Early Adopters React When the Mass Market Embraces a New Brand

A well-established principle of product development holds that a small group of early adopters can spur mass-market acceptance of a new product. What is less well understood is how those early adopters react when that product or its brand is accepted by the mass market. As Wharton marketing professors David Reibstein and John Zhang explain in this video, the company could experience a backlash as early adopters move on to other new products. A case in point: Porsche saw a decline in sports car sales after it entered the SUV mass market. Research by Reibstein and Zhang discusses reasons for the backlash and suggests a strategy for dealing with it.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• brand appeal
• mass market
• diesel
• porsche

[susankuchinskas]

I admire Reibstein for taking his Diesel experience in the spirit of scientific discourse, instead of feeling totally pwnd.

[sunshine19406]

What a charming illustration. Loved watching the video and felt the energy of the speakers.

[Chick6517]

Yay! This video totally made me smile :)

I had a horrible morning and this made my day

Thanks! :)

[ga30062]

Cayenne strengthened the Porsche balance sheet to the point where is was in a position just 2.5 years post-launch to begin its takeover of VW/Audi group. The reason sports car sales declined after the Cayenne introduction was due to a weakness in that segment - post-September 11th and general lifecycle effects. The new sports car products however cam roaring back in 05-06.