Monster Energy is a leading energy drink brand that has successfully used digital technology to build its brand and reach new customers. In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson shares insights on how CPG brands can use digital technology to win in the competitive marketplace.
Category Archives: Share of the Consumer Mind
An Intro to Customer Capture as a Competitive Advantage in Digital (Tech Strategy – Podcast 119)
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses how customer capture can be a competitive advantage in digital businesses. He explains the different levels of competition and provides a checklist for building a competitive advantage. Towson argues that customer capture is becoming increasingly important in the digital age, as businesses compete for attention and loyalty. He provides examples of companies that have successfully built competitive advantages through customer capture, such as Amazon and Netflix.
A Checklist for Demand-Side Competitive Advantages (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)
Traditionally, revenue and demand-side advantages are described as “customer captivity”. It shows up as a company that gets higher pricing and/or more repeat purchases from customers – compared to other products or services of comparable quality. Next time you are in an airport terminal waiting for a flight, check the prices of literally anything. Once you […]
Skillz vs. Electronic Arts: The Rise of Digital Sin Stocks. (Tech Strategy – Podcast 88)
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the rise of “digital sin stocks” such as Skillz and Electronic Arts. He explores the factors that have contributed to their success, such as the growth of mobile gaming and the increasing popularity of esports. He also discusses the risks that investors face when investing in these types of companies, such as the potential for regulation and the addictive nature of their products.
Shein Is Low-Priced DTC Apparel at the Speed of Algorithms. Is This a New Moat or Just Table Stakes? (Tech Strategy – Podcast 83)
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the rise of Shein, a Chinese fast fashion retailer that has become one of the most popular online apparel brands in the world. He argues that Shein’s success is due to its low prices, its use of algorithms to design and market its products, and its rapid shipping times. He concludes that Shein is a disruptive force in the fashion industry and that its success could have implications for other retailers.
Evil Moats: Tech-Created Habits and the Hijacking of Consumer Minds (Tech Strategy – Podcast 80)
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses how tech companies are creating “evil moats” by building habits and capturing the consumer mind. He argues that these moats are difficult to compete with and can lead to market concentration. He cites examples such as Facebook, Google, and TikTok, which have all created products that are highly addictive and difficult to switch away from.
Monster Energy (MNST) and How Share of the Consumer Mind Reinforces Scale Economies (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
Last week, I wrote about how mindless behavior, chemistry and habits can be demand-side competitive advantages, which I put under the catch-all title of “share of the consumer mind’. It’s a Warren Buffett term and one of the concepts in the Concept Library. I described demand-side (or revenue-side) competitive advantages this way: “…competitive advantages on […]
Habits, Chemistry and Mindless Behavior As Competitive Advantages (Asia Tech Strategy – Daily Update)
I have talked a lot about competitive advantages on the demand side (sometimes called revenue advantages). These are structural advantages that enable premium pricing, repeat purchases, higher ROIC and / or stable marketshare over longer periods of time. For example, I have spoken a lot on the podcast about switching costs. That is really my […]
The Difference Between Competitive Advantages and 7 Powers (Tech Strategy – Podcast 65)
This week’s podcast is my third on the well-known 7 Powers framework by Hamilton Helmer. I go through the last 4 of his 7 powers. You can listen to this podcast here or at iTunes, Google Podcasts and Himalaya. His fundamental equation of value is: Value = M0*g*s*m = market scale * power M0 is Market at time zero. […]
Can Xiaomi or Meitu Win as Platforms / Ecosystems? (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Podcast 44)
Xiaomi and Meitu are two Chinese companies that are trying to build platforms / ecosystems. Xiaomi has been more successful so far, but Meitu has a number of advantages that could help it catch up. It will be interesting to see who emerges as the winner in this race.