The Best Way to Name Your Product 2.0

Marco  Bertini; John  Gourville; E.  Ofek

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Article | Harvard Business Review | May 2011

The Best Way to Name Your Product 2.0

by Marco Bertini, John Gourville and E. Ofek

Abstract

Although there's ample research to guide marketers in naming new products, little of it has addressed follow-on offerings, even though these make up the bulk of new products in many industries. Companies have two basic strategies to choose from. They can stick with a name, often adding a sequential indicator (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3), or they can come up with an entirely new name (Nintendo's Wii). Three questions managers should consider when deciding whether brand-name continuation or brand-name change is the best way to go for their next-generation product.

Keywords: Research; Product Development; Managerial Roles; Brands and Branding;

Format: Print

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Citation:

Bertini, Marco, John Gourville, and E. Ofek. "The Best Way to Name Your Product 2.0." Harvard Business Review 89, no. 5 (May 2011).

About the Authors

John T. Gourville

Albert J. Weatherhead, Jr. Professor of Business Administration

Marketing

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Elie Ofek

T.J. Dermot Dunphy Professor of Business Administration
Co-Unit Head, Marketing

Marketing

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Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2019

Apex Ski Boots

Kate Barasz and John T. Gourville

Apex Ski Boots has introduced a new ski boot that, due to its radical design, is meeting resistance in the marketplace from many retailers, ski experts, and consumers. The company must decide how best to drive sales in the face of this resistance.

Keywords: Go-to-market strategy; strategic change; Marketing Strategy; Distribution Channels; Sales; Change Management; Sports Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry;

Citation:
Barasz, Kate, and John T. Gourville. "Apex Ski Boots." Harvard Business School Case 520-013, August 2019. View Details

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Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | August 2019

Autonomous Vehicles: Smooth or Bumpy Ride Ahead?

Elie Ofek

Teaching Note for HBS No. 520-008.

Citation:
Ofek, Elie. "Autonomous Vehicles: Smooth or Bumpy Ride Ahead?" Harvard Business School Teaching Note 520-027, August 2019. View Details

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Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2019

Huawei and the U.S.-China Trade War

E. Ofek and John Masko

In 2019, Chinese smartphone maker and telecommunications empire Huawei was preparing to launch its new flagship smartphone series, the Mate 30. After years of explosive growth, the previous 18 months had been a challenge for the company. In early 2018, Huawei’s planned smartphone launch in the U.S. had failed due to pressure from regulators who cited concerns about the company facilitating Chinese spying. Over the following months, a trade war between the U.S. and China had broken out, with Huawei at its epicenter. By mid-2019, after months of U.S. pressure and restrictions, Huawei found its supply chain for computer parts and software under siege and several governments around the world threatened to ban its 5G network equipment from their countries. In this unpredictable climate, Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei and his management team had to figure out not only how to successfully launch Mate 30 phones in the upcoming fall, but how to ensure the company’s long term viability.

Keywords: Trade; Global Strategy; International Relations; National Security; Mobile Technology; Hardware; Volatility; Adaptation; Telecommunications Industry; China; United States; European Union;

Citation:
Ofek, E., and John Masko. "Huawei and the U.S.-China Trade War." Harvard Business School Case 520-017, August 2019. View Details

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The Best Way to Name Your Product 2.0

Abstract

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About the Authors

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