1. Andy Liu, Josephine Chan, Serena Mani, and Max Lowenthal
MANAGEMENT COMMUNICATIONS CLIENT PROJECT, OLIN BUSINESS SCHOOL
CapGator Consultation Project
THE NEXT GENERATION OF GERM PROTECTION
2. 1
Table of Contents
Unique Position in Industry..................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Targeting Parents Ages 35 to 54............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Building an Online Presence ................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Firm Background.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Carl’s Background ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Product ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Industry Overview........................................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Competition ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
U-Glove................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Superior Glove ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Online Presence ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Website................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Advertisements....................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Social Media............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Potential Challenges..................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Brand Awareness .................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Marketability and Scale........................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Summary of Target Audience....................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Demographics ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Parenting Age ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Spending on Transportation (General).................................................................................................................................................. 11
Spending on Vehicle Purchases & Gas .................................................................................................................................................. 12
Spending on Personal Care ................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Conclusion - Demographics................................................................................................................................................................... 13
Psychographics........................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Personality Characteristics.................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Risk-Averse....................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Germ-Aware..................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Parental Instinct............................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Lifestyle................................................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Activities................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14
Motivators.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Safety and Security ............................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Power and Control ................................................................................................................................................................................ 15
Deterrents.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Difficult to Use ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
High Price.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 16
Perceived Lack of Online Security ......................................................................................................................................................... 16
4. 3
Executive Summary
This report analyzes the product CapGator, an automotive refueling hand protection device, and its
potential business-to-consumer opportunities for growth.
Unique Position in Industry
CapGator is one of the few products targeted towards protection from germs at gas stations and thus it
has the unique opportunity to establish itself within the industry. However, CapGator is relatively new
and needs a strong marketing strategy in order to attract a large customer base.
Targeting Parents Ages 35 to 54
Our target demographic consists of parents between the ages of 35 to 54 due to their high spending on
transportation and personal care-related products. Parents also have the key motivator of safety and
security, as they are concerned with both their own health and the health of their children.
Building an Online Presence
Three-pronged strategy:
Word-of-mouth blog reviews
Consumer relevant advertisements
New customer retention through Facebook
Our main goal is to increase traffic to CapGator’s website in order to both raise further awareness about
the product and generate online sales.
Vehicle Feasibility Cost Time of Upkeep Expected Results
AdWords High Flexible Low Increased web traffic
Blog Reviews High Minimal N/A
Increased brand
awareness
Facebook High None Medium
Increased customer
interaction
5. 4
Client Industry Report
Firm Background
CapGator was created by Carl Webster to provide a way to keep your hands clean from germs on the
handle of gas nozzles when re-fueling your car. CapGators are a synthetic rubber material which can
attach to the gas chamber cap and which can be used like a glove to grip a gas pump handle.
Carl’s Background
Carl, though not a self-proclaimed germaphobe, is wary of surfaces and items which can harbor
dangerous germs and bacteria. He has experience working in the automotive industry, but this is his first
venture as an entrepreneur.
He is creative in how he designed the CapGator, and the way
the product fits onto both the gas chamber cap and gas pump
handle shows that he is keen on the practicality and
convenience of the product for the customer. He wants a
simple solution to problems that consumers have when fueling
their car.
Additionally, Carl is a risk-taker and an innovator. There are few similar products on the market with the
purpose of protecting customers from germs on gas pumps. This shows that Carl is not afraid to take
chances and leaps of faith on an idea that he believes. His explanation of the patent-pending process,
creation of the website, and production of the CapGator product illustrates that Carl has the dedication
and perseverance to follow through on an idea.
Product
CapGator is a green, synthetic, rubber product shaped to
attach onto the gas cap and is form fitting so that it can be
used to grip a gas pump handle. It is similar in size to a gas
cap and there are four holes on the surface which fit the
fingers snugly. It fits well onto the gas cap, is simple and
easy to use, and it protects the hands from germs on the
gas pump handle.
The CapGator has a very tacky surface and provides great
grip strength. It has the potential to have alternative uses
as a tool to open jars and other objects which can be hard
for individuals to open.
Carl is a risk-taker and an
innovator. There are few other
similar products on the market
6. 5
Industry Overview
At the moment, due to the early positioning of CapGator, it is difficult to explain Carl’s position in the
industry since he is a trend-setter and an early adopter of the idea.
There are not many other products specifically aimed at selling a device which protect drivers from
germs on a gas pump handle except for the U-Glove. The U-Glove has the most similar purpose to the
CapGator.
However, there are various alternatives which drivers have used to protect themselves from germs on
gas pumps. These products include:
Paper Towels
Latex Gloves
Cloths
Hand Wipes
U-Glove-Disposable gloves provided at select gas stations
Superior Glove-Supplies a wide variety of work and industry grade gloves
Competition
U-Glove
The main competition for the CapGator is the U-Glove.
It is a disposable glove which can protect the hands from
germs on gas pumps, and it is provided to the consumer
for free at gas stations. This makes it a very cheap
substitute for the CapGator and it can potentially
cannibalize potential customers in area where it is
available.
Additionally, the website of the U-Glove is more appealing than CapGator due to the bright and
attractive visuals, interactive design, and interesting infographics. It has 540 likes on its Facebook page
and 105 followers on Twitter, so although it has a head-start on CapGator, it is still not a very large
company.
Finally, the U-Glove has the model of selling business-to-business, while CapGator has the potential to
do both business-to-business and business-to-consumers. This limits the potential of the U-Glove on
cannibalizing Cap Gator sales to consumers
7. 6
Superior Glove
Superior Glove is a company which produces work and industry gloves. They are targeted at individuals
who work hazardous jobs such as handling propane and chemicals. They are a relatively larger company
with a wide variety of gloves, and they have been in business for over 100 years. They have 3,737
followers on Twitter and 3,742 likes on Facebook.
They are an indirect competitor to CapGator because, unlike U-Gloves, they do not have the primary
purpose of protecting hands from germs on gas pump handles.
However, one market that Carl has capitalized on is truckers who often have to stop at gas stations
during their trips, and these gloves are targeted towards the oil and gas industry since truck drivers and
other similar professionals are in contact with fuel and gas so often.
Online Presence
Although Carl has not yet decided on his sales approach, one of his potential methods is to sell
CapGators directly to consumers. He already has a base infrastructure set-up for this approach, as his
website can sell products directly to consumers. However, CapGator will need to create distinct
methods of marketing and create a message for the product that establishes a brand and makes it
noticed.
Website
If CapGator sells directly to customers, it is important that the description of the product on the website
conveys information that the target audience is receptive to. At the moment, the main webpage is
composed almost exclusively of facts and blurbs about the potential germs and dangers associated with
gas pump handles.
It is pretty cluttered and not very visually appealing due to
the presence of dirty gas handles on the pages. For a
potential customer, there are a lot of words and numbers
to read. The website could be made more simple, clean,
and consumer friendly.
The factual statements and consumer reviews, though,
make the webpage seem believable and suggest a logical and rational reason for the purchase of the
product. However, they do not give a warm feeling to the product.
For me, the website seems very academic and structured to educate rather than to sell. I think that it is
not enough to just show the consumer why gas handles are bad, but to show why the CapGator is so
useful and why they should spend $10 on the product instead of something else.
A customer could use paper towels, a glove, or almost anything elastic and plastic to protect themselves
from germs at the pump. The CapGator should be presented in a way which makes it seem special so
that it can separate itself from other forms of protection and make the customer feel like it adds enough
value to buy it.
The website’s form of persuasion is
based in logos and ethos, logic and
authority, rather than pathos,
feeling and emotion.
8. 7
Advertisements
Additionally, on a similar note, the video advertisement was
another way to market the CapGator to the customer. In the
video, there were many innuendos and the presenter of the
information was an attractive female.
To me, this made it seem like the video intentionally or
unintentionally targeted a male audience. However,
according to a study by Oregon State, girls are more likely
than guys to care about cleanliness. This means that CapGator should definitely target itself towards
females (along with males) if it wants to generate the most revenue it can.
Social Media
CapGator has both a Facebook and Twitter page, but CapGator’s overall social media needs
improvement in order to benefit a business to consumer approach.
At the moment, the Twitter page has 45 followers and the Facebook page has a few hundred likes. Most
of the Tweets and Facebook posts concern the germs on gas pumps and how to use the product. This is
very good information since it will inform the audience of the product and its purpose. However, it does
appear that the Facebook page has been more successful at obtaining an audience compared to
CapGator’s Twitter.
Potential Challenges
CapGator is an extremely young start-up, and although Carl has a functioning product, there are many
challenges between now and CapGator becoming a successful company.
Brand Awareness
In order to generate sales, people need to know about the product. At the moment, CapGator has a
website and social media pages, but there are not many users buying or interacting with the company.
The company has very few sales and, in order for it to grow, it
will need to communicate the brand and product more
effectively to potential consumers.
The website can be changed so that it is cleaner, simpler, and
more consumer friendly. The social media pages can try to reach
out using hashtags and advertising the product on other
company pages. This can have a positive feedback loop which
will promote more awareness.
Additionally, CapGator can advertise itself at stores and
companies which interact with its target audience. These
companies could include auto-dealerships, gas companies, and
stores in gas stations.
According to a study by
Oregon State, girls are more
likely than guys to care about
cleanliness
Make a cleaner,
simpler, more user
friendly website
Reach out to
potential
customers through
target audience
companies and
stores
9. 8
Marketability and Scale
Although CapGator is a very useful product, it has a relatively limited purpose and narrow target
audience. This means that if CapGator is able to capture a significant proportion of its target audience, it
will be difficult for the product to expand and scale due to its limited purpose.
Additionally, the customer group of drivers who want to keep their hands clean when using gas pumps is
hard to quantify.
There are 210 million licensed drivers in the United States, so that is the maximum potential market
capitalization. Almost all will need gas, but the specific number willing to purchase a CapGator is
unknown since the product is one of the first of its kind.
There are few successful companies to compare CapGator to since the market has not been established.
10. 9
Audience Profile
Summary of Target Audience
CapGator™ is designed to prevent drivers from contacting bacteria and other contaminants on the gas
handles. Therefore, it appeals to audiences who are:
Refueling cars regularly
Highly aware of personal hygiene and safety
Desirous of protecting loved ones from contaminants and potential sickness
Consequently, our audience is parents from ages 35 to 54 who have at least one car, a child under 18
years old, and are highly aware of personal hygiene.
Statistics demonstrate that parents within this age group are more likely to have a child and also spend
more on vehicle purchases, gas purchases, and personal hygiene. In terms of psychographics, our
audience is risk-averse, lives a stable lifestyle, and is family-oriented. This is further supported by the
fact that our audience is more anxious about germs and illness, and that they feel obligated to protect
their family.
Some factors that may deter our audience from purchasing CapGator are that CapGator is difficult to
use, its price may be relatively high to price conscious audiences, and that its current selling channel is
mostly online.
11. 10
Demographics
In general, CapGator aims to target parents (ages ~35-54) in the United States who have at least one
child below the age of 18, own a car, and are aware of personal hygiene. According to the following
statistics, people in this age range are most likely to have children. They also spend the most on vehicle
purchases, gas, and personal care compared to other age groups. Moreover, households with children
are more likely to spend more on transportation than households without children. Hence, the target
audience (age ~35-54) is mostly likely to purchase CapGator to protect themselves and their children
when refueling their vehicle.
Parenting Age
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. householders between the ages of
35 to 54 have the highest percentage of children under 18 years old in their
household.
Age Group Number of Households
with Children under 18
Percentage Share of All Households with
Children under 18 (%)
35-39 4,753,000 15.2 % of All Households with Children under 18
40-44 5,203,000 16.64 % of All Households with Children under 18
45-49 4,979,000 15.92 % of All Households with Children under 18
50-54 4,129,000 13.2 % of All Households with Children under 18
Parents are more likely to care about hygiene because they feel obligated to protect their children.
Since people between the ages of 35 to 54 are more likely to be parents, they are more willing to
purchase CapGator because they value keeping their children protected from germs. This is supported
by the high spending on transportation, vehicle purchases, gas, and personal care by the target age
group (ages~ 35-54).
550
1905
4081
4753
5203 4979
4129 4076
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-64
NUMBEROFHOUSEHOLDS(BY
THOUSANDS)
AGE OF HOUSEHOLDER (YEARS OLD)
Number of Households with Children
Under 18 by Age
Source:
U.S. Census (Family
Household by Type, Age of
Own Children, Age of Family
Members, and Age, Race
and Hispanic Origin 2014)
12. 11
17.3%
17%
15.9%
15%
16%
16%
17%
17%
18%
Married Couple with
Children
Single Parent with
Children
Single Person and
Other Consumer Units
ShareofAverageAnnual
Expenditureon
Transportation(%)
Composition of Consumer Unit
Share of Average Annual Expenditure on
Transportation By Composition of Consumer
Unit
4.50%
16%
20% 23%
19% 17.50%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
Under 25
YO
25-34 YO 35-44 YO 45-54 YO 55-64 YO 65+ YO
Percentageof
NetIncomeSpent(%)
Age (Years Old)
Percentage Share of Annual Aggregate
Expenditure on General Transportation in the
United States by Age
Spending on Transportation (General)
According to U.S. Department of Labor, married parents with children account for 17.3% of average
annual expenditure on transportation in the United States, while single parents with children account
for 17%. Single person and other consumer units only account for 15.9% of the average annual
transportation expenditure in the U.S.
Thus, parents spend more of their income on transportation. This coincides with the information
provided by the consumer expenditure report published by the U.S. Department of Labor in 2014.
According to the report, people between ages 35-54 are more likely to spend their income on
transportation, especially on vehicle purchases and gas purchases. This is also the same age group who
are most likely to be parents. Therefore, we can conclude that parents between ages 35-54 are most
likely to own a car and refuel their cars.
This graph shows that people between ages 35-44 and between ages 45-54 account for 20% and 23% of
total transportation expenditure in the U.S, respectively. Besides spending the most on transportation,
this age range also makes up the largest population of parents in the U.S. Moreover, they spend more
on vehicle purchases and gas purchases than any other age groups.
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Department of Labor
(Consumer Expenditures -
2014)
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S.
Department of Labor
(Age of Reference Person:
Share of Annual Aggregate
Expenditure and Source of
Income, Consumer
Expenditure Survey, 2014)
13. 12
5.30%
17.40%
20.70%
23.20%
17.50%
15.90%
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
Under 25
YO
25-34 YO 35-44 YO 45-54 YO 55-64 YO 65+ YO
ShareofTotalExpenditureon
VehiclePurchase(%)
Age (Years Old)
Percentage Share of Annual Aggregate
Expenditure on Vehicle Purchase in the United
States by Age
4.50%
16.10%
20.70%
22.90%
19.40%
16.40%
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
Under 25
YO
25-34 YO 35-44 YO 45-54 YO 55-64 YO 65+ YO
Percentageof
NetIncomeSpent(%)
Age (Years Old)
Percentage Share of Annual Aggregate
Expenditure on Gasoline and Motor Oil in the
United States by Age
Spending on Vehicle Purchases & Gas
The U.S. Department of Labor’s 2014 Consumer Expenditure Survey shows that the population from
ages 35 to 54 spends the most on vehicle purchases, gasoline, and motor oil.
Since CapGator targets people who refuel their vehicles regularly and are consistently exposed to
contaminants, the population from ages 35 to 54 is our ideal target audience because they account for
43.9% of total vehicle purchase expenditure and 43.6% of total gasoline consumption in the U.S. The
fact this population (ages~ 35-54) spends the most on personal care also supports that they are our ideal
target audience.
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Department of Labor
(Age of Reference Person:
Share of Annual Aggregate
Expenditure and Source of
Income, Consumer
Expenditure Survey, 2014)
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
U.S. Department of Labor
(Age of Reference Person:
Share of Annual Aggregate
Expenditure and Source of
Income, Consumer
Expenditure Survey, 2014)
14. 13
Spending on Personal Care
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Department of Labor (Age of Reference Person: Share of
Annual Aggregate Expenditure and Source of Income, Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2014)
Our target population (ages~ 35-54) spends the most on personal care
compared to other age groups. People from ages 35 to 44 account for
19.6% of the annual aggregate expenditure on personal care, while
people from ages 45 to 54 account for 22.9%. The amount they spend on
personal care demonstrates that our target population is aware and
cares about personal hygiene.
3.20%
13.70%
19.60%
22.90%
19.30%
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
Under 25 YO 25-34 YO 35-44 YO 45-54 YO 55-64 YO
Percentageof
NetIncomeSpent(%)
Age (Years Old)
Percentage Share of Annual Aggregate
Expenditure on Personal Care in the United
States by Age
Personal Care
Definition
According to Personal
Care Products Council,
personal care products
are products dedicated to
health, sanitation, and
the beauty of the
consumers.
Personal Care Spending is
more relevant to
CapGator than Health
Care Spending because
according to U.S. Census
Bureau, Health Care
Spending relates to
prescribed medicine,
treatment of illness,
health insurance, and
purchases of medical
devices. In general, it is
more inclined towards
the field of medicine.
Conclusion - Demographics
Our target population is parents from 35 to 54 years old, because, according to statistics, this
population is:
Most likely to be parents of children under 18 years old and parents spend more on
transportation
Spending a lot on vehicle purchases and gas compared to other age groups, which means
they are more likely to contact gas nozzles than other age groups
Spending a lot on personal care, which means they are more likely to spend income to
improve personal hygiene
15. 14
Psychographics
Personality Characteristics
Our demographic of parents ages 35-54 fits specific personality characteristics due to their role as
protectors of their children:
Risk-averse
Germ-aware
Parental Instinct
Risk-Averse
First, the most important characteristic of our target audience is that they are careful. Overall, they
make cautious decisions and they are risk-averse. Their mindset is to be prudent and safe from potential
harm since they have settled down and have children to be responsible for.
Germ-Aware
Consequentially, our target audience is aware of or open to the idea of taking precautions to protect
themselves from germs that are present on everyday items, such as cellphones or doorknobs. They
understand the risks of touching certain items and are willing to proactively pay to guard themselves.
Parental Instinct
Our target audience has a parental instinct. This aspect of the audience is important because although
some people are relatively careful, they may not be willing to pay for a product that marginally improves
protection from everyday germs. However, they wish to protect their children from germs and sickness,
which means they are more willing to spend money on bacterial protection.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle of the target audience can be characterized as:
Safe & Risk-Averse
Stable & Routine
Since the target audience is careful, this means that they live a relatively safe lifestyle and are risk-
averse. As a result, since our target audience demographic has a family and is in their mid-thirties to
early fifties and, risk-aversion suggests that they want to live a comfortable middle-class life.
The target audience will have jobs they commute to five days a week and activities they share with
their children on the weekends. They also spend lots of time on the Internet and watching TV.
Activities
As mentioned in the Demographic section, the target audience has a family. This means that many of
the activities of the target audience will revolve around their family and children.
This could involve driving to take their children to soccer games, driving them to school, or going on
family vacations. In all of these scenarios, they could understand the appeal of having a CapGator to
protect themselves from germs when refueling.
16. 15
Motivators
It is crucial to note what motivates our target audience to purchase CapGator. These motivators are
based on objective opinions and cases that apply to CapGator’s target demographic.
Safety and Security
Parents may fear the potential dangers that germs and bacteria can inflict on themselves or their loved
ones. This is due to a deep need for safety and security for their families. Most adults are mature, and
due to life experience, they are prudent and consider their surroundings and the results of their actions
on a much deeper level than younger people.
However, this prudence and need for safety can lead to anxiety. Adults fear the potential outcomes of
their actions. This fact is undeniable, as Harvard Medical School notes that over 57 million adults have
been diagnosed with anxiety, with a large proportion of those individuals specifically having anxieties
related to germs and illness.
Once a consumer becomes aware of the high germ content found at gas stations, there is no doubt that
this developed anxiety and fear of sickness will affect their purchasing behaviors. Their motivation for
buying the product will stem from anxiety and drive them to act on feelings of fear and discomfort.
Thus, consumers will turn towards CapGator as a viable and valuable solution to their problem.
Power and Control
Our audience possesses a developed sense of awareness of the dangers in their surroundings, which
creates another unique motivator for these consumers - a need to take control of the germs in their
surroundings. They also have a need to control their health and the health of others. Parents are a
significant proportion of our audience, so they will focus highly on the impact germs can have on their
children, especially infants. It is this concern that will motivate them to act in order to prevent damage
to those around them. This additional motivator will compound on fear and anxiety, thereby increasing
purchases of CapGator.
17. 16
Deterrents
Difficult to Use
Our target audience of middle-aged adults may find CapGator to be difficult to use because of its unique
shape, and therefore, they may be deterred from buying it because they require efficiency in their busy
schedules. Currently, this group may need further clarification of how to use the product, specifically
where exactly fingers should be placed.
In addition to this confusion, CapGator relies on tension to stay close to the user’s hand. This is an
important factor which further requires the audience to understand how to properly use the product to
accomplish its purpose. Women or children with weaker finger and hand muscles may not be able to
effectively expand the CapGator to efficiently place it on and take it off of surfaces.
Noting these factors, CapGator has already begun taking steps to increase efficiency via improved finger
placement and increased clarity regarding product usage.
High Price
Since a majority of middle-aged consumers is price-conscious, they are searching for price-efficient
hygiene solutions. CapGator is currently priced at $9.95 including shipping, a price that could be a
deterrent due to its relatively high price compared to other substitutes such as gloves, or free options
such as U-Gloves.
Additionally, CapGator’s costs are 89 cents per unit and $1.50 with packaging. This means Carl has the
opportunity to lower the price on each CapGator and still have a high profit margin. The price elasticity
of CapGators could be relatively high, meaning that a small percent decrease in price will lead to a larger
percent increase in sales growth.
Perceived Lack of Online Security
Most individuals from our target audience are financially cautious and risk-averse due to their role as
parents. Thus, our target audience may be hesitant to enter credit card information into an unknown
and potentially unsecure site without further reassurances. Although PayPal, a safe payment option, is
used to purchase the product, it is not advertised anywhere on the site. Thus, it would be ideal if the
website were to include the PayPal logo on the initial “Store” section of the website in order to reassure
customers. This will make customers feel more secure and willing to purchase the product.
Conclusion
Since parents between ages 35 and 54 spend the most on vehicles, gas, and personal care, they would
be more willing to purchase CapGator. This is supported by our target audience’s tendency to be risk-
averse, germ-aware, and protective of their family. Since our audiences are family-oriented and aware
of hygiene, their anxiety towards germs and contaminants will become a key motivator.
In conclusion, CapGator’s marketing strategy needs to accommodate our target demographic: middle-
aged parents (ages~ 35-54) who spend heavily on both transportation and personal care due to their
awareness of germs, obligation to protect their families, and their frequent use of automobiles.
18. 17
Communication Strategy
Summary of Communication Strategy
The objective of our communication strategy is to drive traffic to CapGator’s official site in order to
increase CapGator’s sales among our target audience - 35 to 54 year-old parents.
Current Status
Currently, CapGator has a fairly solid offline communication strategy. According to Carl, CapGator will
advertise in The Great American Race - a nationwide car race series sponsored by Rolls Royce.
Moreover, CapGator will be partnering with a local children’s hospital during this race to raise
awareness of potential health issues related to the contaminants on gas handle and to promote its
product. The car in which Carl is racing will be wrapped in vinyl that will exhibit not only the CapGator
logo but also drawings by the children from the local hospital. Carl thus has strong, actionable plans with
respect to an offline communication strategy.
However, CapGator’s current online strategy is relatively less effective compared to its traditional
communication strategy. Despite the fact that CapGator is active on Facebook, Twitter, and Kickstarter,
it is not generating enough awareness online given that it only has a few hundred Facebook and few
dozen Twitter followers. In addition, it only has $1,034 out of its $22,000 goal pledged on Kickstarter.
Hence, our proposal will be focused exclusively on an online communication strategy.
Summary of Our Strategy
Since our target demographic constitutes 56.1% of all social network users (Monteiro) and 36% of all
online shoppers (eMarketer), the lack of powerful online communication strategy will significantly
hinder CapGator from reaching its target demographic.
Our communication strategy will be a three-
pronged growth strategy that funnels into a
single online hub.
3 Vehicles:
AdWords
Blog Reviews
Facebook page
These three vehicles will all lead to an increase
in traffic to CapGator’s official site, where all
transactions are made.
19. 18
Google AdWords
Vehicle Appeal
Google AdWords is a service provided by Google which allows companies to post advertisements which
are relevant to keywords and searches by the target audience such as “germ protection.” These
advertisements will direct users to CapGator’s website. AdWords also works with non-search sites such
as Gmail and Youtube. This can help CapGator open up more access to potential customers.
Our demographic is health-conscious, protective of loved ones, and risk-averse. The flexibility of
Google AdWords allow CapGator to customize specific keyword match type to fit these users. Moreover,
Google AdWords’ detailed traffic measurement report can also help CapGator determine each
keyword’s effectiveness in generating traffic.
Messaging Strategy
80% of search results now contain AdWords ad placements (Forbes) so CapGator needs to adopt this
strategy to build its presence online. Advertisements will only be displayed to online users who search
for things relevant to CapGator, so CapGator will be visible to the target audience. This will be an
effective way for CapGator to broadcast itself to relevant and potential consumers.
We have a non-exhaustive list of recommended keywords that CapGator might consider using:
Messaging Tone
Estimated Cost
Average cost per click is about $1 on Search Networks and under $1 Display Network.
Measurements:
Google AdWords makes growth visible. Google AdWords contains functions specifically designed to
measure traffic generated by AdWords to website:
Keyword Diagnosis - Google AdWords allows manager to see the amount of clicks (traffic) each
keyword generates. Manager can also run an AdWords keyword quality diagnosis to determine
key word quality score, which measures the effectiveness of the entire AdWords strategy.
Click-through Rate (CTR) – measures the amount of people who found your ad compelling
enough to click and visit your website.
Relevant Keywords – AdWords also provide reports that identify other relevant terms that are
driving traffic to your website
Germ Protection Child Health
Gas Handles/ Nozzles Contaminants Kimberly Clark
Germophobe Cancer Chemical
Sick Baby Illness Prevention
Health Conscious Authentic
Caring Family-Oriented
Friendly
20. 19
Desired Response
If successfully implemented, AdWords should significantly increase traffic to CapGator’s official site.
Moreover, AdWords would increase brand awareness. Since CapGator is a relatively unknown startup
that sells a unique product in a relatively untapped market, customers who care about personal hygiene
might not know about this product. Google AdWords can help increase brand awareness among our
target population by relating CapGator to certain keywords.
Feasibility
High
Signing up for Google AdWords is free. CapGator only pays when a user clicks on an advertisement to
visit the website. Additionally, CapGator can set its own budget so the costs are controllable.
Risks/Obstacles
Since Google AdWords are traditional advertisements, online users may not be receptive to visiting the
CapGator page if the advertisements do not stand out. Potential online consumers may gloss over the
advertisements if they are not eye-catching.
Visual Examples
Google AdWords
Advertisement
Google AdWords
Management Panel
21. 20
Blog Reviews
Vehicle Appeal
There are many blogs online which review products that are relevant to CapGator’s target audience of
35 to 54 year-old parents who are protective of their loved ones. Some of these blogs include
Productreviewmom.com, Circleofmoms.com, and Momadvice.com.
CapGator can send their product for free to these websites and have the blog writers create reviews of
the product to share with other users on the website.
Messaging Strategy
This will be an online word-of-mouth growth strategy since the marketing will not be done by CapGator,
but instead, by online reviewers and users.
According to Businessweek and Forbes, a word-of-mouth growth strategy is the most important aspect
of a company’s marketing plan. CapGator will be able to connect more genuinely with its target
audience since consumers will be more willing to buy a product from a blog reviewer they trust.
Messaging Tone
Since this is a word-of-mouth strategy, we have little control over Bloggers’ messaging tone or opinion.
More will be addressed in the risk and obstacle section below.
Estimated Cost
Blog review strategy typically involves no cost, except for costs of delivering the item to the reviewer.
However, some reviewers require payment for product review. The cost of blog review is highly
dependent on individual reviewers. CapGator should reach out to as many parent blog reviewers as
possible, especially those who do not require payment.
Measurements
CapGator can measure the effectiveness of this communication strategy by calculating the total views of
blog reviews for the CapGator product. This will measure the exposure of the reviews to potential
customers.
Desired Response
If successfully implemented, blog reviews will significantly increase CapGator’s reputation and
authenticity in our target demographic – parents between 35 and 54. In general, this will increase the
sales of CapGator.
Feasibility
High
This is a low-cost marketing strategy for CapGator because they will not need to pay blog reviewers. The
only costs will be from the free distribution of inventory.
All of the product reviews’ websites have a contact page, and since CapGator is a product which is
relevant to the audience of these blogs, it is highly likely that the CapGator will be accepted for a review.
22. 21
Risks/Obstacles
There is a chance that certain product review blogs may not create content which CapGator agrees with
since the advertisements will be written by a third-party. Additionally, there is a risk that blog reviewers
will not want to create content for CapGator even though CapGator is relevant to their readers.
Visual Examples
Sample Blog Post From Satisfied Parents
23. 22
Facebook
Vehicle Appeal
Facebook is our focus because our target audience currently constitutes the largest population of
Facebook users - 31.1% (Neal). Since Facebook is designed primarily to connect with friends by sharing
personal information and life events, family-oriented middle-aged parents use Facebook to update
photos of their family and connect with other parents of similar demographics.
On the other hand, they constitute the third lowest user demographic on Twitter (16.4%) (eMarketer).
So revamping CapGator’s Facebook strategy is more critical to driving our target audience, parents from
35 to 54, to CapGator’s official site.
Facebook is convenient in that it provides a detailed report on clicks, shares, and likes of a Facebook
page and its posts. It allows Carl to keep track of the effectiveness of his posts, and adjust the content of
his future posts accordingly.
Messaging Strategy
In order to keep our audience engaged and develop a personal connection, we have a non-exhaustive
list of posts that CapGator should consider to update per week:
Post Type Post Ideas Reasons
Increase Traffic
To CapGator’s
Official Page
Link to
CapGator
Official Page
CapGator can post direct links to the official page if there is:
Product Update – new colors or new designs
Sales and Promotions
Customer
Retaining
Weekly Health
News
Reposting weekly health news from authentic sources demonstrates
CapGator as a caring and hygiene-aware figure. It shows our audiences
that CapGator truly cares about their well-being and helps develop a
trusting relationship between CapGator and customers.
Moreover, since these posts are relevant to our target populations’
interests in personal hygiene and family, it may also facilitate health-
related conversation between CapGator and the audiences via the
comment section. As customers comment, like, and share the posts,
CapGator will appear on their friends’ walls, which will help CapGator
generate more awareness and attention.
Seasonal
Holiday Posts
To build and retain personal connections with our customers, CapGator
should publish seasonal posts that are relevant to popular holidays,
especially holidays that emphasize family gathering, such as Christmas.
This makes CapGator appear to be a friend instead of a business.
Success Story One of the advantages of Facebook is that customers can submit their
customer experiences and stories to CapGator’s Facebook Page. Similar
to the blog review strategy, word-of-mouth strategy gives a more
objective view of CapGator. This builds authenticity and increases brand
loyalty.
Moreover, research shows that the most efficient way to update Facebook is to post 5 to 10 times per
week from 10:08am to 3:04pm (Lee).
24. 23
Messaging Tone
Estimated Cost
Minimum $1 per day for Facebook Ads – CapGator can adjust daily budget flexibly based on their needs.
However, if CapGator chooses not to use Facebook Ads, simply running a Facebook page would be
costless.
Measurement
Facebook allows page managers to track information such as:
Report of Overall Page Performance
o Users reached per week
o Net like increase per week
o Trend line of net like increase per week
Statistics per Post – Likes, Shares, and Reaches per Post
Inter-Post Comparison - Compares the statistics of each post to other posts
Visitor Analysis - It also allows the page manager to access the detailed demographics of
frequent visitors, such as gender, age, and occupation.
Organic & Non-Organic Reaches - Distinguishes organic reaches and advertisement reaches.
Therefore it is easy to evaluate the effectiveness of advertisements.
Desired Response
If successfully implemented, Facebook should become an online community where customers can
develop a more personal relationship with CapGator, which establishes their brand loyalty. Customers
can interact with CapGator directly by commenting and asking questions. CapGator can also tag
customers in posts to encourage sharing.
Feasibility
High
Low Cost – Facebook is a low-cost strategy because it costs nothing to create a Facebook Page.
Facebook advertisement is also very cost-effective, starting from $1 per day for advertisement.
Relatively Low Commitment - Facebook only requires 5 to 10 posts per week, whereas
CapGator’s other vehicle Twitter requires up to 30 Tweets per day (Lee) in order to be effective.
Good Way to Generate Traffic – Since our target audience makes up the largest Facebook-using
population, CapGator’s presence on Facebook can potentially reach our target audience and
lead them to the official site.
Caring Down-To-Earth
Personal Family-Oriented
Friendly Approachable
25. 24
Risk/Obstacles
Keeping the momentum of social media is a crucial task to make social media strategy efficient. A lack
of sufficient momentum may lead to declined visibility and awareness gained. 5 to 10 posts per week is
needed in order to keep CapGator’s Facebook page active.
Although 5 to 10 posts per week is already relatively achievable compared to other forms of social
media, this is still not an easy amount of posts to achieve since Carl is the only person running CapGator.
CapGator might need to hire someone else to maintain the Facebook page. To reduce labor costs, Carl
can also assign this task to his wife or other family members.
Examples/Visuals
Sample Facebook
Weekly Health
News Updates
28. 27
Conclusion
If CapGator is able to use the three communication vehicles described above in an effective and efficient
manner, we believe it will result in increases in both sales and overall customer base within the target
demographic. While the above strategies are effective in their own unique ways, we believe by
combining them into one cohesive unit as discussed above will yield CapGator the results and growth it
is looking for while simultaneously allowing for a dedicated client base for years to come.
Summary
This is a brief summary of our communication strategy:
Vehicle Feasibility Cost
Time of
Upkeep
Expected Results
AdWords High Flexible Low
Significant Increase in Traffic to
CapGator’s Official Site
Blog Reviews High Minimal N/A
Word-of-Mouth Strategy
Increases Brand Awareness
Among Target Population
Facebook High
None
($1 per Ad if
you choose
to implement
Facebook Ad)
Medium
Establish Brand Loyalty by
Developing Personal
Connection
Build a Community for the
Target Audiences – Parents
between 35 and 54
29. Bibliography
"Anxiety and Physical Illness." Harvard Health. Harvard Health Publications, 1 July 2008. Web. 09 Nov. 2015.
"Consumer Expenditures” (n.d.): n. pag. Bls.gov. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3 Sept. 2015. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/cesan.pdf and www.bls.gov/cex/2014/aggregate/age.pdf.
"Economic and Social Contributions of the U.S. Personal Care Products Industry." (n.d.): n. pag.
Personalcarecouncil.org. PriceWaterhouseCoopers, June 2010. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
eMarketer. "Age Distribution of U.S. Online Buyers in 2012." June 2012. Statista. 8 November 2015.
—. Distribution of Twitter users in the United States January 2015, by age group. January 2015. 8 November 2015.
Facebook. (n.d.). Set A Budget. Retrieved from Facebook Advertiser Help Center:
https://www.facebook.com/business/help/318171828273417
"Fuel Nozzle Hand Protection | Germ Prevention At Gas Pumps." CAPGATOR™Automotive Refueling Hand
Protection. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
Klampe, Michelle. "News & Research Communications." Gender and Hygiene: Could Cleanliness Be Hurting Girls?
Oregon State University, n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
Lee, Kevin. "The Social Media Frequency Guide: How Often to Post to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and More." 7
April 2014. buffersocial. 8 November 2015.
Monteiro, Carlos. "Infographic: Who's Really Using Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram in 2015." 12
January 2015. Adweek. 8 November 2015. <http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/new-
social-stratosphere-who-using-facebook-twitter-pinterest-tumblr-and-instagram-2015-and-beyond-
1622>.
"National Health Expenditure Accounts: Methodology Paper, 2013." (n.d.): 2-43. Cms.gov. Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services, 2013. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
"Safe Fueling at the Gas Station Using Free Disposable Gloves." U-GLOVE. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
"Statistics and Facts about Car Drivers." Www.statista.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
"Superior Glove." Work Gloves Wholesale Distributor, Safety Manufacturer & Industrial Supplier. N.p., n.d.
Web. 30 Sept. 2015.
"Where the Germs Are: New Study Finds Office Kitchens and Break Rooms Are Crawling with Bacteria." Kimberly-
Clark. Kimberly-Clark, 23 May 2012. Web. 09 Nov. 2015.
WordStream. (n.d.). How Much Does Google AdWords Cost? Retrieved from WordStream - Online Advertising
Made Easy: http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/05/21/how-much-does-adwords-cost
"U.S. Online Buyer Age Distribution 2016 | Statistic." Statista. EMarketer, 2015. Web. 09 Nov. 2015.
