The Product Life Cycle

The PLC is one of the most simplest marketing concepts devised by the gurus. Its so easy to figure out, The 4 stages of Introduction, Growth, maturity and decline. Yet, it has so many myriad applications right from engineering to brand management. It can so easily be applied to several different aspects of product management. Brand managers would find it essential to understand which particular position of the life cycle their particular product is in , in order to undertake the appropriate decision in order to jig the brand. The wrong marketing activity applied inappropriately could result in losses running into millions and gazzillions of currency. Thats where MR comes in , of course. ;)

However thats not the point of the post. PLC could also be applied to varies stages of life. After all, the life cycle concept was probably borrowed from a human life perspective in the first place. We grow through so many stages of life. Arguably, the entire student stage of a (wo)man's life can be assigned to a growth stage of a PLC. Maybe initial time spent in each role of a job applies in growth stage too. The returns once you start achieving speed in your job would probably be your maturity stage. and when ur burned out and fed up of the job or in case the industry is facing a closedown than that arguably would be decline.

Human relationships arguably also go through a life cycle. the initial phase of getting to know some body. Thats a most exciting phase as a lot of things are novel in a relationship and its interesting to discover new and better things about your partner/new found friend. Since its a trial phase, you could also discover that the thought process is not really the same and the 2 don't really gel. Only those that cut it make it to the next stage. Then as you get familiarised with habits, a certain amount of trust and bonds begin to develop which help mature your relationship, where you can better judge a person and take a call about character and stuff.

The best relationships never die down. They can always be re-jigged up. A few marketing activies like meeting up for coffee, night-outs, drinking parties and of course phone and chatting communications are essential for maintaining the spirit.

While a few relationships may go sour and not last the distance, there's always the excitement of meeting up new people. And where one door closes , another one opens up. Where college and school life ends and the opputunities to meet up with old friends lessen, work life brings new potential friends and oppurtunities to catch up wid a diff set of yuppies including a few prodigy researchers, several diff cultures of ppl, and some with different family occupations as well like owning a traditional restaurant or a chain of stores across Mumbai.. :)