Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant - always yours

180 BRAND RELEVANCE
product or service. In doing so, the value proposition becomes
stronger and the ability of the competition to duplicate the offering
is reduced. The idea is to partner with customers to include
in the offering things like ordering, logistics, warehousing,
and so on. Federal Express (FedEx), for example, worked with
clients to provide a warehouse service that stores products
that are needed immediately and even handles returns. P & G
has worked with Walmart and other retailers to create effi -
ciencies in logistics, warehousing, and ordering that provide a
barrier to those that would compete with their low - price value
proposition.
Noncustomer Needs
Customers know the category or subcategory, have experience
with it, and are thus in a good position to identify unmet
needs. But noncustomers of the category or subcategory have
untapped potential. They represent virgin territory, a source of
new growth. Why are noncustomers not buying? What is holding
them back? What is the purchase barrier? Is it some missing
feature that they would need for their applications? Or is it that
the category is simply too complex, expensive, or advanced for
their needs? Why phone cards and not mobile phones? Why frozen
dinners and not a shelf staple like Hamburger Helper?
Shimano, the bike components manufacturer, was in the
enviable position of having the highest reputation and credibility
for supplying top - end bikers who were into upgrading
their equipment. The problem was that bike ownership was not
growing. To fi nd out why, Shimano talked to some of the 160
million Americans who did not ride. These people generally had
fond memories of childhood biking but believed the sport
had become too complicated, expensive, and even intimidating.
To respond, Shimano developed and defi ned the experience of
a “ coasting ” bike — wide seats, reachable ground, backward - kick
braking, upright handle bars, and no controls. The gear box,