CASE 1 SONY AIBO
What is the value proposition?
AIBO was not only a lovable toy but also an intelligent functional product that Sony programmed to respond with affection to creatures that ask for people’s nurturance. Sony made it have “brain” and motor skills by artificial intelligence software, made it have “emotion” and “personality” which made customers take it as real pet, or companion. People give care to it and get reaction as well. This kind of feedback loop is an area where people are really emotionally vulnerable. From these AIBOs people can get something touched their hearts and make things easier and more entertainment in life.
What is appeal to buyers in Japan and US?
The reasons why AIBO can succeed in Japan were because: First, many Japanese lived in small apartments so that they can’t keep real pets at home. AIBO was the perfect robotic pet, which possesses the fun of a living creature without making the messy inconvenience. Second, the number of elderly population was growing and AIBOs can give them as part of companions. And last, the culture of Japan from all the famous cartoons they grew up with was “Robots are heroes”. So they can accept and love AIBO easily in this environment.
But culture in the US is different. The robots appeared in their famous movies and books are often enemies, so older Americans aren’t very comfortable with robot pets since they think there’s something dangerous about technology. Besides the mainstream Americans don’t know what can AIBO really do, but the types of “functional” household robots are much more easier for mainstream Americans to understand. So if SONY wants to attract more customers in the US they should try to let more Americans understand what they are selling.
How should SONY react to competition?
SONY doesn’t have to worry too much about the popularity of cheap toys in the American market because some marketing reviewers held positive comments on AIBO. AIBO has generated the top technology and is much different from
AIBO was not only a lovable toy but also an intelligent functional product that Sony programmed to respond with affection to creatures that ask for people’s nurturance. Sony made it have “brain” and motor skills by artificial intelligence software, made it have “emotion” and “personality” which made customers take it as real pet, or companion. People give care to it and get reaction as well. This kind of feedback loop is an area where people are really emotionally vulnerable. From these AIBOs people can get something touched their hearts and make things easier and more entertainment in life.
What is appeal to buyers in Japan and US?
The reasons why AIBO can succeed in Japan were because: First, many Japanese lived in small apartments so that they can’t keep real pets at home. AIBO was the perfect robotic pet, which possesses the fun of a living creature without making the messy inconvenience. Second, the number of elderly population was growing and AIBOs can give them as part of companions. And last, the culture of Japan from all the famous cartoons they grew up with was “Robots are heroes”. So they can accept and love AIBO easily in this environment.
But culture in the US is different. The robots appeared in their famous movies and books are often enemies, so older Americans aren’t very comfortable with robot pets since they think there’s something dangerous about technology. Besides the mainstream Americans don’t know what can AIBO really do, but the types of “functional” household robots are much more easier for mainstream Americans to understand. So if SONY wants to attract more customers in the US they should try to let more Americans understand what they are selling.
How should SONY react to competition?
SONY doesn’t have to worry too much about the popularity of cheap toys in the American market because some marketing reviewers held positive comments on AIBO. AIBO has generated the top technology and is much different from