If you are of a certain age, you probably remember Tupperware parties — the highly successful distribution system for what has become the generic name for plastic serving containers. Until recently, Tupperware was only available via distributors who sold the products to groups gathered in homes for demonstrations of the signature sealing “burp” or via those who sold the goods at vendor fairs as a licensed representative. Tupperware parties were almost synonymous with the product.
But no more. Today, you can buy the Tupperware brand at your local Target mixed in with all the other domestic products that are distributed to the masses in the same way. Whether due to the changing (mostly female) workforce, a belief that its quality will distinguish it from lower-cost plastic containers, or the declining interest/time for home events, the company has abandoned its pioneering exclusivity.
Is it a good move that allows Tupperware to acknowledge realities and evolve with the times or is it a serious error that compromises a core element of its long-standing brand? How you reach your customers is a key element of your organizational strategy. Don’t leave the party too early.
