Tocquigny

Just when the market was trumpeting Google’s loss of innovative aptitude, Google Mobile has begun to unveil what could be the future for mobile optimization.  And (with any luck) has sounded the bell for the end of app mania. Let’s face it, there are too many apps. From Fortune 100 corporations to garage-based ambitions, everyone has an app. But when you get right down to it, most of the apps that get released offer slightly more than mobile optimized data recall with functionality that could have been accomplished on a mobile browser. 

Now I’m not suggesting that apps don’t have a place in our smart phone world, but Google’s recent unveiling of its own mobile optimized site, and Google Docs for mobile, are welcome reminders of what can be done within the framework of a mobile browser.  Remember, before the internet, computers ran on apps. Then the Internet came about and the tech world opened up, connected, revolted and became a better place. Through app mania though we’ve taken our innovative focus away from our desire to push the limits of the open online platform and returned to building functionality for a closed-platform personal processing device. So thank you Google, for reawakening us to the browser’s offer of an open platform whereupon technology innovators can showcase their unbridled ambitions.

In Gatorade’s latest effort to reach narrowly defined audience segments with targeted product offerings, the G Series Fit may have taken it one step too far. G Series Fit joins the original G Series and G Series Pro in the suite of products offered by the sports drinks powerhouse.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with G Series, it’s essentially Gatorade’s repositioning initiative that took place in early 2010, expanding its core product line into three parts — Prime, Perform, and Recover, intended to be consumed before, during and after activity (see chart below).

So what’s the difference? Pretty much nothing at all. Especially when you consider that the product’s popularity is largely due to the fitness image that’s associated with it. Marketers realize how important it’s become in today’s society to convey this image of health and fitness consciousness, for both athletes and non-athletes alike. And by creating and promoting an entire product line focused on the serious athletes that make up a just a small percentage of the audience, Gatorade missed an opportunity to reach a broader segment who ultimately possess the larger buying power.

Meeting audience needs is a foundation of effective marketing. And in many cases, the casual-lifestyle drinkers that make up the majority of Gatorade’s customer base don’t need three products when one will do.

Overwhelmed by too many choices, consumers are just as likely to pass your brand by as they are to read and evaluate every benefit for your various products. This continued product proliferation will inevitably lead consumers to choice paralysis and confusion.

Sneak peek: Rock star front end developer David Dulak brings the new, bold, and beautiful Tocquigny.com to life. Stay tuned.