Classic Failures in Product Marketing

Written especially for current and aspiring marketing managers and executives, this book discusses the avoidable marketing failure. Hendon argues that many so-called product failures could have been avoided and that certain error patterns continually recur in many marketing situations. He exposes these patterns through the use of numerous case study examples so that the reader can learn from the mistakes of others rather than from personal experience with an avoidable product failure. Hendon shares a wealth of information from his experiences as a teacher and consultant in this very interesting and useful work. Organizing his presentation around factors of the marketing setting and marketing-decision variables, he describes the potential problem areas and possible mistakes that can be made in product marketing. In essence, the book is about how to avoid marketing failures and how to minimize damage once a mistake is recognized. Reader interest level is kept high by the use of more than 500 examples of marketing failures from all over the world. The book is comprehensive in that virtually all areas of marketing decision making are covered. Highly recommended. Choice

Written especially for current and aspiring marketing managers and executives, this book discusses the avoidable marketing failure. Hendon, a professional marketer, consultant, and teacher, argues that many so-called product failures could have been avoided and that certain error patterns continually recur in many marketing situations. His aim is to expose these patterns through the use of numerous case study examples so that readers will learn from the mistakes of others rather than from personal experience with an avoidable product failure. Hendon covers more than 60 categories of marketing mistakes and includes numerous examples, making this a comprehensive, practical, and eminently useful handbook for both students and practicing marketers.

In addition to documenting examples of marketing failures from around the world, Hendon discusses preventive measures that could have been taken to rectify the various situations under study. He also addresses planning procedures that should be used in both domestic and foreign marketing--such as fully researching alternative meanings for product names in foreign languages--to avoid the disastrous results amply illustrated throughout the volume. Among the specific types of marketing mistakes examined in-depth are those involving the marketing setting--customers, competitors, the marketing environment, disasters and safety, and those involving marketing tools. Here, common mistakes made in product launches, pricing, the choice of distribution channels, advertising, and personal sales are each treated in turn.

DR. DONALD W. HENDON is President of Business Consultants International and Professor of Marketing and Director of the International Business Program at Northern State University, Aberdeen, South Dakota.