Bloomberg Hyperdrive, a newsletter on the ideas that are reshaping the automotive industry, interviewed the CEO of Harley-Davidson, Jochen Zeitz. The subject of the interview was the spinning-off of Harley’s electric bike division – LiveWire.
“The Future is ‘Plastics’” was uttered 55 years ago in1967’s groundbreaking movie “The Graduate”. The “plastics” industry then boomed for decades but “Plastic” also meant fake, or artificial, unnatural. The statement “The future is plastics” was also code for all things that needed to be changed.
Evidence shows that over eight out of ten new product and service introductions fail in the marketplace. According to one study, 50% of U.S. startup companies fail within the first four years and 14% are due to poor marketing tactics.
The pressure of inflation on name brands is starting to show. Prices slashed. Pack sizes reduced. Budgets cut. Innovation postponed. Advertising on hold. All of which ignores the one sure and proven way to win during downturns. Don’t cheapen the brand.
Beyond Meat, the plant protein, traditional meat alternative brand, has a value equation problem.
