The goal of the project was to develop strategic marketing concepts for a complex product that requires explanation in new target segments, including nursing homes, fire departments, and emergency medical services. The challenge for students in the “Advanced Management” and “Advanced Sales Management and Intelligence” master’s programmes lay particularly in limited client budgets, a multitude of competitive alternatives, and the low market penetration of innovative cooling textiles to date.
Development of Targeted Solutions
The students’ findings paint a clear picture: While there is significant market potential for cooling textiles, it has not yet been fully tapped. In many application areas, there is still a lack of awareness and targeted marketing. At the same time, pricing emerged as a key barrier across all target groups.
The concepts developed address precisely these issues. They combine regulatory developments—such as heat protection plans and climate adaptation measures—with sound economic analyses and innovative business models. B2B subscription solutions were identified as a promising approach to facilitate market access and lower investment barriers.
The students impressed with methodologically sound and strategically compelling arguments. One group, for example, combined qualitative and quantitative research approaches, including over 60 expert interviews and a standardized survey with approximately 250 participants. These were supplemented by structured market analyses such as PESTEL, market potential models (TAM/SAM/SOM), and a Van Westendorp price sensitivity analysis.
High practical relevance and immediate applicability
“World-class—we can put this into practice right away!” summarized Gabriele Renner, CEO of PERVORMANCE International GmbH. She particularly praised the practical relevance and high level of maturity of the results.
The project aligns perfectly with the focus of the Sales and Sustainable Business Institute (SSBI) at HNU. The focus is on developing realistic go-to-market strategies for sustainable products under real market conditions, in close collaboration with companies and based on sound data analysis. The design seminars are led by Prof. Dr. Sascha Fabian and Prof. Dr. Alexander Kracklauer.
