Note on Defensive Marketing Strategy

There are many interesting aspects of the case on the Brita Products Company. Two of these issues are highlighted at the end of the case. First, Brita learns that a retailer, Target Stores, has installed a display which compares alternative filtration products on their ability to remove contaminants from water. Brita does poorly on this comparison relative to PUR. Second, Brita learns that Procter & Gamble has just purchased a controlling share of PUR water filters , with the implication that PUR will now be marketed by a firm that is known for its marketing expertise and resources. Responding to such threats, whether they be new competitive products, suddenly viable competitive products, or repositioned competitive products, is called defensive marketing strategy. Each year, over a thousand new products are launched in the consumer sector alone, and many times that number in the