Marketing of the Sunroof Option: From Product Inception to Final Sale

The technical design and development of a new product is only one step in the long chain of events between the time that an unfulfilled customer need has been identified and a product to fulfill that need is finally sold and serviced. This paper attempts to provide the automotive engineer with an overview of the total procedure for marketing a new product-from product inception to final sale. Specifically, this paper analyzes the evolution of the sunroof option at Chrysler Corp. from the earliest recognition of the need for a product to replace declining convertible sales through to the selection of the advertising theme used to promote the sunroof.