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Your customers might genuinely need your product and still never think to buy it. Febreze faced exactly that problem. Its odor-removing spray worked, but many people had become so accustomed to household smells that they didn't recognize the need for it. Instead of simply explaining the product's benefits, researchers discovered something more powerful: the satisfaction peopl...

A great product can struggle to sell when customers cannot experience what makes it valuable. In the 1940s, inventor Earl Tupper introduced plastic food containers with an innovative airtight seal. But shoppers couldn't appreciate the technology simply by looking at bowls on a store shelf. Brownie Wise helped change that through Tupperware parties, where customers could watch...

Your business could be delivering the most valuable part of a product while customers barely know you exist. Intel faced this exact challenge. Its microprocessors powered computers, but shoppers recognized the computer manufacturer's name, not the technology inside. In 1991, Intel launched its iconic “Intel Inside” campaign, placing its brand directly on computers and turning...

Customers can understand your product perfectly and still have no compelling reason to buy it. In the early 1900s, Jell-O faced this exact challenge. The company was selling flavored gelatin powder, but simply explaining the product wasn't enough to create demand. In 1904, Jell-O began distributing free recipe books showing customers exactly what they could make with it. Sudd...

A record-breaking profit can make your business look stronger than ever, even when the numbers hide a dangerous financial reality. In its 2007–2008 financial year, Porsche reported approximately €6.4 billion in net profit. But much of that extraordinary performance came from financial transactions tied to Volkswagen shares, not its everyday car business. The following year, P...