If I were to make a list of exciting market segments that beckon innovators, the home cleaning supplies segment would probably be at the bottom of the list. For most of the late 20th century, this segment was a yawn-generating, environmentally tone-deaf, behemoth-dominated doldrums. Enter the intrepid folks at Method Home – who decided that this market was ripe for disruption. Thanks to them I have a sparkling home and an awesome buy, use, love story to tell.
Method products stare back at me in all our bathrooms and our kitchen. They’re easy on the eyes so we leave them out in plain sight instead of hiding them in cupboards. There’s even a Method tote bag lying around that’s a conspicuous reminder that my wife and I are in plastic bag rehab. It’s safe to say that Method products have taken over the households of many people we know.
To me, Method is a great example of a company built on an opportunity that could not have been quantified or justified before the fact. During the early days of Method, the simplest SWOT analysis would have made it clear that taking on Clorox, P&G and SC Johnson is nothing short of suicidal. Surely, I thought, there are some great Product Management lessons lurking in this story…. here’s what I learned.
Fortune favors the differentiated
Method disrupted a well-consolidated market segment and stirred up some really powerful giants. This, predictably, provoked a response like the GreenWorks product line and litigation threats from Clorox. In this hyper-competitive environment, Method survives and thrives because they differentiate along many independent axes with superior fragrances, earth-friendly formulations and chic bottle designs. As Product Managers, we’re always seeking a defensible competitive position. The Method example reiterates the need to strive for multiple differentiators that independently make the products more appealing to the target customers. Individual differentiators might be easy to replicate (setting a new normal in the market) but it’s the combination of independent differentiators that buys the disruptor enough time to establish a foothold.
You don’t have to do it all
Method’s large competitors employ scores more people than Method and own the entire value chain from the research labs to the bottling plants and distribution. However, Method manages to stay ahead of these competitors because of it’s ability to stay nimble by subcontracting work to many different vendors. This gives them the chance to iterate often and react quickly when a product fails to generate demand. Many Product Managers juggle build or partner options all the time and Method’s example points to the benefits of delegating some effort to trusted partners. Of course, this needs to be done carefully making sure that the competencies that create perceptible value to the customers are kept in-house and that partners have shared principles.
Balance innovation with practicality
The aesthetic and functional genius behind Method’s product packaging is a major draw for their customers. However, they’ve been more than willing to roll back design innovations to improve customer experience. For example, they discontinued an ingenious yet unloved self-dosing cap for laundry detergent because customers preferred to control how much detergent they used with every load (the detergent itself was a big hit). Creating the right balance of functional and cool is an unending challenge for all Product Managers. It doesn’t hurt to pay close attention to customer behavior and to adapt without regret when new information presents itself.
Method’s belief that everyday people would pay a premium for high-quality, earth-friendly products in eye-catching packaging is an important reminder about taking risks and learning quickly. We can’t control the vagaries of luck but, hopefully, we can hold our nerve long enough to make educated bets.
Buy, Use, Love 