Marketing strategy
As TFT monitors are primarily aimed at corporate customers, the marketing strategy adopted by Samsung necessitates a completely different approach. Samsung has identified a potential market amongst business users, whose employees might spend long periods of time in front of a computer screen and need a larger display with better definition. The financial centers in the City have likewise proved an important market. A further group of customers are high street shops, in particular fashion outlets such as Jigsaw, who have installed Samsung TFTs at their point of sale terminals. As the customer steps up to the counter, the sales assistant records the sale, whilst images and details of complementary products are displayed on the screen.
To encourage business users to buy Samsung monitors, a radical marketing strategy has been developed. With support from Head Office in Korea, a number of initiatives have been introduced to raise brand awareness and instil good perceptions of the product. An open day and seminar for corporate customers, along with a high profile press launch were organ. Advertising was carefully targeted at business users, particularly in the City and in product specific magazines and papers. One-to-one marketing has also been used, mailing promotional material directly to the customer.
The cost of this technology means that TFT LCD monitors are still more expensive than conventional CRT monitors, although the price is falling steadily as manufacturing techniques improve and more competitors enter the market.