PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Sat-nav specialist TomTom wants to revive the declining category for dedicated satellite navigation systems.
The vendor kicked off an above-the-line ad campaign late last year – the ‘first improv comedy show on wheels’ – running on UK radio stations and social media networks, in a bid to boost sales and compete with phone apps and built-in sat-nav systems.
“We still believe there’s been a decline in dedicated sat-navs over the last couple of years and as the market leader we want to do something about it,” TomTom’s global head of marketing Gary Raucher told PCR.
“In 2013 the decline was less steep than it has been in the past, but we want to stop the decline and return to growth.
“We have a record high marketshare but we’re not satisfied with having a bigger slice of a smaller pie – we want the pie to increase and we want to do that together with our retailers.
“For the first time we’re investing in the category, and because the category is now being spoken about in a very different way, we’re hoping that will stimulate people to go back and purchase another new device.”
It is also planning more activity in 2014, when it will also be launching new fitness products.
“We’ve already launched a whole range of GPS fitness watches – both the TomTom Run and the TomTom Multisport – and next year we are going to significantly increase the amount of products in our fitness portfolio. Watch this space,” added Raucher.
TomTom products are distributed by Widget, Ingram Micro and Maxim in the UK.
