While continuing to develop new ELM products, Sharp conducted extensive consumer surveys, and in April 1976 launched a new product development initiative: the "new lifestyle" product strategy.
Products Offering a New Vision
As consumers became more affluent, their priorities began to change. They now wanted broader choices -- products in new shapes and colors, and with innovative, convenient features. Sharp anticipated these new consumer trends by developing products consumers found fun and exciting.
Targeting the Baby-Boom Generation
The so-called "baby boomers," people born after World War Ⅱ, had become the main consumer force in Japan. The interests and desires of this generation differed from those of their parents. Baby boomers were less likely to be swayed by the latest trends, preferring instead to seek out products that appealed to them personally. They placed greater emphasis on finding products with a distinctive design or appearance, and Sharp was among the first to respond to the "new lifestyle" of these consumers.
Products that Anticipate Consumer Needs
Targeting the "baby boomer market," Sharp forged ahead with its efforts to ascertain the diverse desires of consumers and to create products that would anticipate and satisfy those desires. The result was a string of innovative new products that offered unique convenience and style, such as three-door refrigerators with a special vegetable compartment, compact 16-inch color TV sets, and sleek, stylish vacuum cleaners. These products were fun to use and had real individuality, and consumers eagerly made them part of their "new lifestyles."
New Force in the Marketplace
The "new lifestyle" product strategy was based on the concept of " total marketing." It aimed to see things from the customer's perspective and to create the kind of products consumers really wanted. The key was differentiating Sharp's products from those of the competition. The idea behind this strategy was to offer new products that added a little something to what was already available, to tailor products to the lifestyle of the new generation, and to design products for diversified consumer demands and expectations. This approach was a powerful new force in the marketplace.
Special Project Team
In 1977, the "Special Project Team," a product development system unique to Sharp, made its debut. The idea was to integrate technology from throughout the company. Key people were taken from different divisions and laboratories to form a flexible team reporting directly to the company president. In this way, technologies from different divisions were fused by the collective will of individuals, expanding the company's potential for innovative products.
Innovations devised by Sharp Special Project Teams include the front-loading VCR (now a standard feature), a stereo system that could play both sides of a record automatically, and a word processor capable of processing voice input. Recent hit products include the electronic organizer, the LCD video projector and the dual-swing door refrigerator.
New Card Calculator Ends the "Age of the Button"
In 1977, the company introduced the world's first card-sized, sensor-touch electronic calculator. Only 5 mm thick, it was promoted with a campaign stating, "The age of the button is over."
EL Television
The same year saw the development of a TV a mere 3 cm thick, employing an EL panel. Dubbed the "glowing wall," this thin TV attracted a great deal of attention at electronics shows and raised hopes that EL technology would make its way into consumer products.
World's First "Picture-in-Picture" TV Sets
Sharp carved out new markets for itself in 1978 with a TV that allowed viewers to watch two channels at once on a single picture tube and the industry's first stereo radio-cassette player.
World's First Automated Production Line for Electronic Calculators
In the same year, Sharp entered the controller market in earnest with a "sequence controller," and succeeded in building the world's first automated production line for electronic calculators.
Office Equipment Marketing Split Between Eastern and Western Japan
Also in 1978, Sharp consolidated its nine Japanese office equipment marketing companies into two large units, one responsible for eastern Japan and the other for the western part of the country. Separate divisions were also created for different markets and product lines -- calculators, copiers, cash registers, etc., and the company's dealer system was improved.