BlackBerry’s recent release of the new Z10 touchscreen smartphone has been more than disappointing for the company. The hope was that the new phone would appeal to more than just the corporate section of the market, as well as the aim to further compete with Apple who has been leading the touchscreen phone market for so long. Unfortunately, this was not the case. There was reported to be a $965 million fiscal second-quarter loss1 because there are so many Z10 phones that are sitting on shelves, unsold.
This is an issue that relates to the subject of brand positioning. Al Ries and Jack Trout highlight in their work that being first in the mind of the consumer is a huge advantage that can compensate for other possible deficits.2 BlackBerry was the first in the smartphone industry, and yet Apple has surpassed them and is driving the company into the ground in the market that they had created. This would suggest, according to Ries and Trout that BlackBerry needs to readdress their brand positioning and focus on how to get back in the minds of consumers as being the leader in the smartphone market and a truecompetitor of Apple.
1: Silcoff, Sean, Jacquie Mcnish, and Steve Ladurantaye. “Inside the Fall of BlackBerry: How the Smartphone Inventor Failed to Adapt.” The Globe and Mail. N.p., 27 Sept. 2013. Web. 06 Oct. 2013. <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/the-inside-story-of-why-blackberry-is-failing/article14563602/>.
2: Riez, Al, and Jack Trout. “Product Positioning.” Product Positioning. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013. <http://www.quickmba.com/marketing/ries-trout/positioning/>.
Figure 1: http://rimblogs.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/lseries_black_eng_front_4glte1.jpg?w=600&h=480
