Problem: The world of
technology continues to advance further to greater heights of brilliance every day.
What was once thought impossible is now an everyday event. Often, the convenience of new technology also
brings with it new dilemmas. In this case, that dilemma is our cell phone’s battery
life. Today, almost everyone in the world is using a cell phone. Over the
course of nearly three decades, the device has evolved into a modern staple of
our world. Each new feature and addition has allowed us to stay in contact and
perform the unthinkable. However, all of that fades as soon the battery is
drained. Suddenly, we are right back to thirty or more years ago. A spare
battery or charger helps, but it still feels like we haven’t gotten any further
than we started once the glow of our phone’s screen goes dark. This product
could potentially allow us to finally take a step ahead and never look back,
once and for all.
Solution: The solution to this problem is actually very simple.
What we have relied on in the past is energy stored in a container that had a
limited amount of use before it was drained and needed to be refilled. What if
we could use our phones all day and never worry about needing to charge them
ever again? What if, instead of relying on recharging our phones, they
recharged themselves while being used? What if you never had to bring extra
cables with you or never needed to plug your phone into a wall, car charger, or
computer ever again? What if your phone ran off of a renewable form of energy
that was available every day, seven days a week? What if I told you that energy
source has been there all along? It’s that big ball of gas in the sky that we call
the sun. The product that will utilize this natural resource is called “Nova,”
a solar-powered battery that charges while a phone is in use.
Development Journal: Solar
energy is nothing new today. Many people have made great use of it from generating
energy from solar panels on top of their homes. Small calculators, solar
powered vehicles, and satellites in space use them. While the sun won’t
technically be around forever, it will be around longer than when the human
race will mostly likely survive. Therefore, it is an ideal energy source for us
to take advantage without worry of any environmental or physical repercussions.
The name “Nova” actually refers to a cataclysmic nuclear explosion in a white
dwarf, which causes a sudden brightening of the star. A nova is caused
by the accretion of hydrogen on to the surface of the star, which ignites and
starts nuclear fusion. This is where the
clever play on words comes from because when people think of the word “Nova”
they will automatically think of the sun and therefore think of energy and
light. This also allows for a general direction to follow when marketing the
brand and constructing a logo.
Idea Generation: A battery
that is compatible with a targeted range of devices such as smart phones that
is capable of charging through solar panels on the back of the device it
is attached to.
Idea Screening: Understanding what the best possible way to
implement the product onto other products is the key. Since this product is
strictly a compliment to already existing products, it must be desirable to
consumers with said products, in this case smart phone users. Luckily, the
smart phone market is bigger than ever so it won’t be difficult to find an
audience and target popular smart phone options. Android phones are
specifically the most popular smart phones in use right now and are very easy
to customize. All of the latest versions can easily have their batteries taken
out and replaced with the “NOVA: solar powered energy cell” and have a custom
back created to house it as well.
Concept Development & Testing: In order to design this
product, a substantial amount of statistical data on smart phones will be necessary.
Data on current popular models and even unreleased models will need to be
documented and updated so that a compatible product will always be available.
Not only that but in order to create this product, we will also need expert
knowledge on developing solar panels and grafting them onto the batteries. Simply
put, a solar panel works by allowing photons, or particles of light (taken from
the sun), to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity.
A customer back for the phone would then be used with a transparent plexiglass
top that would allow the light to be absorbed by the panels on the battery and
charge the phone. Several months would be required to ensure that the magnetic
field from generating solar energy is contained and does not damage the phone
or the components inside. Field testing for lucky volunteers would be a
fantastic way to test this and spread the word before the official product
launch.
Marketing Strategy Development: Our target market is everyone
currently using a Smartphone and tired of the inconvenience of batteries dying
on them when they really want to be able to use their phone all day. Thankfully,
this is nearly every middle- and upper-class human being in the world right
now. This is without a doubt mass marketing at its finest. Volunteers for beta
testing will most likely consist of tech enthusiasts, who will likely show more
genuine interest during just the planning stages. In the beginning, buzzwords
will be needed to sell the product; however, because of its overall usefulness
to any smart phone user, the product may soon enough sell itself, especially if
competitors begin to create copies. Not only that, but smart phones may not be
the only devices capable of using the product. Other electronics such as cameras,
laptops, music/video players, and even portable gaming systems can all benefit
from the convenience of solar energy!
Business Analysis: Costs
would include materials, warehouse management, factory overhead, hired professionals,
employees, licensing, patent, advertising, and many other variables that could affect
production. This is not a product that can be developed in a few weeks or even
a year, but it could also be a game changer and leave its mark on the world
forever. Return on investment will be extremely important. However, a simple
prototype could theoretically be put together in a few months.
Product Development: The
expected development time is generally unknown, but could range anywhere from
3-5 years depending on the funding and testing of the product.
Test Marketing: Small test groups will be selected to try out the
Nova batteries and see how well they fare in everyday use. They will be asked
to keep track of how often the battery charged and the rate of sunlight it was
exposed to, in addition to the wattage of non solar lights it was underneath.
Later on, more common test groups will be selected from a larger pool of
volunteers until customer satisfaction is compliant with our required standards
before the official launch. This will ensure that a good deal of the public is
already aware of the product and is excited for the launch!
Commercialization: Like all
good products, marketing should begin as soon as possible. Teaser websites and
ads will be used to incite curiosity asking the same series of “what if?”
questions previously mentioned in this blog, ending with a flash of the trademark
logo. We want consumers to be pondering about “NOVA” from the very beginning and
follow the development process the whole way right up until the official
launch. This will build a brand and create customer loyalty before the product
is even publicly available. Once the product is available, it will be offered
by every major electronics, phone carrier, and general store around such as
Best Buy, H. H. Gregg, Walmart, Target, Verizon, AT&T, etc.
Roger John Morelli Zeller
Marketing Spring 2014
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