Great headline and story in the Times Leader:
To differentiate themselves in the mass market, many smaller retailers are employing unconventional quick-hit techniques known as guerrilla marketing.The dominance of Wal-Mart is leading to an interesting new world of commerce... a very strong network of“The metaphor, of course, comes from guerrilla warfare: What do you do when you’re outnumbered and outrun?” said Orvel Ray Wilson, senior partner of the Guerrilla Group, a competitive-marketing consultation business in Boulder, Co.
For Adriana Molina and Maria C. Sarmiento, that means selling something that cannot be bought anywhere else: colorful custom “Kuma” bears. (Kuma is Japanese for bear.) The toy bears are positioned as art objects.
Molina and Sarmiento, both 35 and originally from Colombia, opened a small toy store called Kuma Central in Miami’s Design District in December.
“We want to create a specialty store that Wal-Mart doesn’t compete with — products you can only find in here,” said Molina, who manages the business. “Toys and art. It’s something you don’t see anywhere else in Florida. All Kuma products are sold at the store and online at www.kumacentral.com.
Posted by Kevin on January, 23 2005 at 11:05 AM
