Enrique Aboitiz Mendieta
06 2020
The following are EMA’s personal notes on the article “Targeting Nonconsumption: Who Are The Best Customers For Our Products?” published by the Harvard Business Review. We recommend reading the full case study, which is available here, to get the most out of this featured content.
Go after what is not being consumed.
The traditional player will not be affected in the beginning.
Vacuum Tubes Stilettoed By Transistors
Sony’s transistor radio went after the teenagers who wanted a small, portable device that enabled them to listen to rock and roll out of earshot of their parents even if the quality was inferior to the home tube radio. Sony thanks helicopter parents for their success.
Sony’s 12-inch B&W portable made TVs affordable to people who could not afford the expensive and large RCA TVs. To start, they had smaller apartments.

The stodgies, RCA et al., were led by mental midgets. Sorry, too late to adapt.
Angioplasty Versus Open Heart
Not marketed as a sustaining technology like cardiac bypass surgery; it was for less ill patients to start and then…Bingo! Then came stents.
Electric Cars Versus Gasoline Powered Vehicles
Tesla, BYD—read the story of why Tesla entered the high end of the market.
Some points of interest.
Disruptive to nothing at all is the comparison.
A whole new value network is created.
THREAT RIGIDITY—cease to be flexible and become “command and control” oriented

Disruptive Channels Needed As Well
Discount retailers like Kmart did not have after-sales services; they came out at the same time as Sony transistors.
Traditional Harley dealers would not sell cheap Hondas.
Customers as channels—IBM and Dell are a channel for Intel to reach important markets.
Get it & Get It Done
Attention & Engagement 24x60x60 — 777
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