This kind of arbitrary constraint often rules out many of the best and brightest new products. For example, the Mexican salsa category, pioneered by Pace Picante Sauce, was a tiny, small volume category for a number of years, but now the salsa category is bigger than the ketchup category. Very often, these stagnant or dying categories represent fertile new product opportunities, partly because no one is paying any attention to them. Once a client told us that his company was not interested in a particular canned meat category, because the category was declining. We were able to show the client that the category was declining because all of the brands in the category were of poor quality, and that the category represented a great opportunity for a new high quality brand.
New products can start with a concept, start with a product, or start anywhere in-between.
Find A Need And Fill It. For example, the need for a high quality car was largely unrecognized by the American public until the Japanese set a new standard. Very often one cannot measure a need until a new product and its marketing have defined that need. Too Many Cooks. Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth.