Feature Functions with Ugly Innovations

Valentine’s Day is an occasion to recall that paraphrase of Plato, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” My paraphrase of that paraphrase for today’s posting is, “What’s really ugly from one perspective might be better looking from another perspective.”
     The point is you’ll need to point out that other perspective. To paraphrase from Matthew 5:15, “Don’t hide your light under a bushel basket.”
     Researchers at Boston University and University of Western Ontario considered the case of toning shoes—that innovation in footwear touted as improving lower body appearance, but looking mighty strange, if not downright ugly, with the large rounded sole.
     Reebok introduced the shoes to the marketplace in 2009 with an emphasis on experiential benefits, using phrases like “getting a nice booty” and “building better legs.” Skechers chose, instead, to talk of the functional, utilitarian benefits of strengthening back and leg muscles.
     As a general rule, benefits claims sell better to end consumers than do lists of features. Even commercial accounts will want to know the benefits along with whatever specifications they collect in order to convince others they’re making a wise purchase. Consumers are usually more interested in what the product or service can do for them than in the product or service specifications. So both Reebok and Skechers were wise to talk about benefits. But did it make a difference whether those benefits were more experiential or more functional?
     The Boston/Western Ontario researchers found that it did, and this was because the newly introduced product looked strange. When a product is positioned on functional dimensions, consumers evaluate aesthetic changes to product form more favorably than products which look similar to past versions. On the other hand, when a product is positioned using experiential dimensions, consumers evaluate aesthetic changes to product form less favorably than products which look similar to past versions.
     Here’s the explanation: If consumers see an improved product as looking odd, they hunger for information about what the use is of the change. With a statement of experiential benefits, the consumers are left to speculate about what utilitarian benefits will lead to the experiential benefits. They’re uncomfortable speculating, and they might get the answer wrong. These consumers prefer prose to poetry.
     As a retailer wanting to sell the innovative product, feed the hunger. Certainly talk about the good experiences the improved offering will provide. But keep the pitch utilitarian to start.

Click below for more:
Capabilities Before Technical Specifications
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Sell Benefits to Fit Shoppers' Values
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Drop Modesty Protections For Now