A product life cycle is a model that graphs the four stages that a product or service goes through during the "life" of its marketability: $(1)$ introduction, $(2)$ growth, $(3)$ maturity, and $(4)$ decline. Throughout these different stages, marketers have to work extremely hard to innovate and change their marketing strategies.

Once a product has been developed and tested, it goes to market. There it may pass through a product life cycle of four stages: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. This cycle is a theoretical model of what happens to sales and profits for a product class over time. However, not all individual products follow the life cycle, and particular brands may act differently. Nonetheless, the product life cycle may provide some basis for anticipating future market developments and for planning marketing strategies. Different stages in the product life cycle call for different marketing strategies.

Match each brand and description to the stage in the product life cycle and the element of the marketing mix illustrated by the description.

Crest: Crest White Strips had a significant level of dissatisfaction with its product because consumers didn$$t know how to use such a new product. Crest decided to clearly demonstrate how to apply the strips in its television ads. Airwalk: When Airwalk first introduced its line of skateboards, it chose to sell it in only a few selective skateboard stores. Merck: Merck Pharmaceuticals typically lowers the price of its drugs when the patent gets close to expiring in order to defend the company$$s market share against the generic drug makers. Domino$$s: Domino$$s Pizza runs ads primarily designed to remind customers about its brand. Rusk: Rusk Shampoo has maximized its sales beyond just specialty salons to include mass merchants like Target Stores. Sony: When Sony comes out with a new generation of cameras, it likes to charge a high price before competitors can match Sony$$s features. Gatorade: Gatorade now has dozens of flavors after starting out with just orange for many years. Listerine: Listerine initially sold only its original antiseptic mouthwash flavor.

Match each of the options above to the items below.

Introduction stage; Place $($distribution$)$ strategy

No answer

Introduction stage; Promotion strategy

No answer

Maturity stage; Promotion strategy

No answer

Maturity stage; Product strategy

No answer

Introduction state; Product strategy

No answer

Maturity stage; Price strategy

No answer

Maturity stage; Place $($distribution$)$ strategy

No answer

Introduction stage; Price strategy