There is a group of consumers that has more influence on your brand message than you might realize. Find out who these consumers are and what it takes to win them over.
Rapid advances in personal and home electronics and the evolution of Web 2.0 are accelerating the emergence and influence of prosumers. Loosely defined as both "professional-consumers" (a hobbyist in a particular field, but who is knowledgeable enough to require and desire equipment that has professional features) and "producer-consumers" (a person who influences the design of products, and increasingly a producer of content using new channels and technology), these two groups are increasingly becoming one in the same.
Nowhere is their growing influence greater than in the consumer electronics industry. In fact, comScore recently reported that personal technology sales are driving ecommerce in the United States. The research firm says that the $200 billion consumers will spend online in 2007 will be driven by consumer electronic purchases, especially video gaming products.
The availability of advanced personal technologies, and the rise and proliferation of channels for producing and delivering content, are stirring the passions and helping to give voice to prosumers. Given their sophisticated use of new technologies and influence, "supersumers" may be a better term for this group. New tools for content creation and distribution, channels and technologies are converging and empowering prosumers looking for professional-quality products and intent on influencing their design, development and marketing.
In this new environment, marketers and brand managers of consumer products, especially electronics, need to understand and work together with prosumers.
Take a look at the recent heightened market anticipation and early adoption of the iPhone. Not only did technology enthusiast blogs (such as Tech Crunch and Engadget) engage in heated debate over the impending launch and what it would mean, but well before the final design and functionality were determined, prosumers were in discussion over what would work best and why, and how their expectations could be met in the final product design and applications. In the weeks leading up to its availability, it is estimated that nearly one million blog entries discussed the iPhone, with additional dialogue appearing on social networking sites.
New converged technologies, channels and devices are unleashing a dynamic market opportunity enabling and expanding the reach and influence of prosumers. With prosumers serving as powerful advocates and detractors, as well as early adopters and buyers of new products and services, their stake in how products and technologies are designed, developed and marketed is growing exponentially.
What is driving this influence? What does it mean for marketers? To answer these questions, we need to first look at the tools and channels prosumers use and their motivation.
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