According to Procter & Gamble officials, a “consumer
focus. . .is at the heart of everything we do. The consumer
is boss, and the consumer demands the best value every
day.” Part of offering better value is through unique,
new-to-the-world products like Crest Whitestrips. In order
to deliver this value to the customer, Crest conducts
extensive consumer behavior studies and draws upon
everything it knows about consumers when developing
and marketing new products. The company has invested
millions in consumer research in the United States and
other countries, and even has several dedicated research
facilities that watch, record, interview, and measure
consumers in the laboratory. Recently, Procter & Gamble has focused its consumer behavior research efforts out
in the field, going into consumers’ homes and studying
consumers in “real life.” Procter & Gambles’s dedication
to understanding consumers’ needs and staying focused
on the consumer appears to be well-founded. According
to a research study examining products that consumers
reported they were willing to buy, innovative products,
such as Crest Whitestrips, that improve physical health or
sense of well-being topped the list.