Product details

This is the first of a two-case series (IMD-3-0702 and IMD-3-0703). Despite having been the first on the market with an electric toothbrush in the 1970s, for 20 years Philips Personal Care has run its dental care category rather opportunistically. In the early 1990s, the company awakens to the spectacular growth of the dental care market through the success of Braun - Oral B''s ''Plaque Control'' electric toothbrush, and its clinical ''dental-tool'' positioning. The response of Philips to Braun''s product challenge - ''Dental Logic'' - is a mediocre success, due to an unclear positioning and quality problems. The head of the Personal Care business group brings a new manager to lead Philips into the battle against Braun, and challenges him to come up with a competitive concept. The case describes the history of Philips in dental care and highlights some of the reasons for its problems. It ends with the product strategy, positioning and design options considered by the new manager and his team to meet their boss'' challenge and confront Braun successfully.