Managing a product in the mature stage is very difficult. Most products are mature so how much do you invest in marketing and what activities do you undertake? The simplest way to generate discussion is to identify some mature companies that are in some trouble. Some good examples might be General Motors or Ford, McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Levi-Strauss & Company (Levis jeans). These are successful companies that are floundering. Can the students identify the external trends that are affecting their business? What would the students recommend to turn things around?

and Extending a brand name by adding line extensions or giving a new product an existing brand name is often a safe strategy to follow. Ask the students for some examples of brand names that have been extended into other product categories. Does it always make sense? For example, Dove is a popular soap brand but Unilever has extended the name into other personal care categories. How far can a brand name be extended?

and Have students do some online research to track down information about a major product relaunch (not a typical strategy for a mature product). It may not be the norm but periodically, a company will try and reinvent the wheel by placing a lot of marketing support behind a New Look. What did they do? What are the results? Was it a worthwhile venture? This assignment should be planned in advance so the students are ready to discuss in class. It is a good example when discussing the product life cycle or the new product development process.