Emmaljunga

The Swedish baby carriage manufacturer Emmaljunga produces a premium product at a premium price-point.  Based on the difference in consumer problem definition, this could create issues for them in the US market. Emmaljunga’s top-of-the-line products are wildly successful in the Swedish market. This is based on the perception of a carriage not only as a family investment to pass down or use for multiple children, but also as a facilitator for time spent and adventures taken with the children. In the US, the baby carriage is seen more as a necessity that should not be too expensive because it is not expected to last for multiple kids or for use in all terrain environments. Furthermore, the US market tends to be more worried about maintaining a frenzied pace of life. This leads to the US market being largely price based rather than feature or quality based, both of which are Emmaljunga’s primary advantages.

The Swedish market’s focus is on the family time and the carriage almost as a member of the family, a caretaker of their child. The company presents itself this way in the shown advertisement, focusing on the handcrafted quality and the experience of having one in your family.

The product by design is imminently transferrable to the US market, however the price is prohibitive to the majority of the market as it currently stands. However, the US market possesses a large amount of disposable income, and the potential certainly exists to market a superior product like Emmaljunga’s. The US producers would likely struggle to catch up based on EM’s long-term experience in creating features and quality. This is what I would focus on in a marketing campaign. Targeting a large and fairly wealthy upper middle to upper class market, Emmaljunga’s quality features and handcrafted pro-family and child image could be used to promote it as a status symbol.