The NEW “classic” Two is better than one.

The situation
For over forty years, millions of students turned to this best-selling handbook to help them write compositions. Then, in the early 90s, sales plummeted, and the publisher was struggling with how or whether to revamp this classic. Was this handbook destined to be the Model T of publishing?

The process
O’Donnell & Associates provided the tools and techniques to investigate this problem. First, we targeted hundreds of schools that teach composition, including current adopters, schools that had dropped the handbook, and schools that were using more “modern” products. We conducted focus groups and interviews with dozens of faculty and students. And, we capped it off with a comprehensive phone survey of over 400 instructors. This activity sent a loud message to the market: the publisher cares about this product. It also provided comprehensive and reliable information about how to revise the handbook.

The results
O’Donnell & Associates’ research uncovered the key to reviving this product: roll out two versions, an updated version of the classic and a newer, more modern sister book that played upon the brand and strengths of the original but competed solidly against the modern end of the market. The publisher communicated the strategy to the hundreds of research participants. And, by the time the new products were launched, the market was waiting. Immediately, the publisher regained the lost market share and re-established the product as a best-seller.