Product Differentiation: Uniroyal
Lois admits that most competing products or services in any product category are very similar in terms of quality (Berger, 2001, p.32). Advertising, then, plays a big role in creating a perceptual difference in how consumers see a product. If used correctly, advertising can be a powerful tool in brand building, and in pushing a product to consumers. Lois' work for Uniroyal is a classic example of positioning-- how to set a product apart from the competition.
Uniroyal first created the Naughyde, a leathery vinyl fabric, as an excellent leather substitute for chairs (Lois and Pitts, 1991, p.33). Many imitators followed Uniroyal's lead and soon retailers were flooded with fake leather substitutes. This caused much confusion among consumers as they couldn't tell the difference between the Naugahyde and its inferior imitations.
The Marketing Problem: Devise a strategy that would allow consumers to correctly perceive the Naugahyde as the most leathery vinyl on the market.
The Big Idea: Lois' solution was the creation of a mythical beast called the Nauga, a species that sheds its hide once a year "for the good of mankind" (Lois and Pitts, 2001, 179). The Nauga was very ugly and tall, too. It would show up at Uniroyal's sales meetings where he would attract furniture retailers (Lois and Pitts, 1991, p.34). Hangtags and small dolls for kids were also made of the Nauga (Lois and Pitts, 1991, p.34). This creature was a creative surprise to Uniroyal's marketing problem. It was a powerful blending of memorable visual and verbal imagery (Lois and Pitts, 1991, p.34). Shown here are some of the advertisements from this campaign. Despite concerns that Uniroyal would have been charged with deceptive advertising, the Nauga was a success (Lois and Pitts, 1977, p.179). Lois himself observes: "Kids were collecting (the Nauga) and were steering their parents to Nauga- covered furniture‹while the parents, despite their clear understanding that the Nauga was an imaginary character, wanted to be certain this vinyl-covered product came from the hide of a Nauga" (Lois and Pitts, 1991, p.34). The use of powerful imagery to position a product has also been used effectively for other clients, including Pirelli tires.
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