No 5, 2009 PDF - Swedish Match

Focus
24 inside | may 2009
3 questions...
anna-Karin Karlsson
Marketing Manager, Swedish Match
North Europe Division
how do you keep the consumer in focus?
“by following our consumers through various
surveys, we analyze their requests and behavior.
we chart consumers in different markets, where
we can follow changes in behavior, selection and
preferences over a period of time. but we also
delve deeply into their attitudes by interviewing
them in small groups to gain a deeper understanding
of specific issues. with these results, we can
identify new product alternatives.”
how do you develop the right product?
“i wish it was as simple as just asking consumers
what they want. the challenge is to be one step
ahead. we want to fulfill needs that the consumer
has not yet experienced. to create an attractive
product, you have to take into account experiences
and interpret trends, both within the same
product category as well as other general market
trends. moreover, you have to understand the
driving forces behind the product choices that the
consumer makes. basically, it means understanding
what the consumer is expressing.”
What will the products of tomorrow be like?
“they will be influenced by the market today and
how consumers change their needs and attitudes.
other factors also affect us, such as additional
smoking bans, taxes, prices and the overall state
of the global economy. swedish match cannot
reach consumers through large-scale advertising,
and we therefore cannot influence them to any
great extent. the consumers just have to discover
our new products for themselves.” *
Photo: Peter Knutson