1.
1
Developing A Brand New Product Idea / Category
In Household Cleaning Tools
“The Buster” Family Of Cleaning Tools
Dustbuster, Scumbuster, Floorbuster

2.
2
 Black & Decker invented the Dustbuster franchise in 1979.
 Dustbusters had eroded from $100M to only $35MM by 1996.
 Handheld vac competition – (Royal, Hoover, Eureka, China imports) was mainly
responsible.
 Moreover, there had not been any real innovation in handheld vacs for years. i.e.
corded or cordless , amps and accessories.
 Strategic Imperatives:
 Re-vitalize Dustbusters
 Expand into new “non-served” adjacent product categories exploiting “need gaps”.
Cleaning Tools Business Situation

3.
3
Consumer lifestyle shifts were driving changes in traditional
household cleaning behaviors.
Key Consumer Trends:Key Consumer Trends:
Help consumers clean faster & better with less time & effort
Speed Bumps
Speed Bumps
Cleaning Business Actions
 Working parents & single parent householdsWorking parents & single parent households
 Time constraintsTime constraints
 Casual living attitudes & priorities - “I can live with some dirtCasual living attitudes & priorities - “I can live with some dirt””

4.
4
Consumer Household Cleaning Tasks/Markets
VacuumVacuum Manual Wet MopsManual Wet Mops
Sweep/Dry MopSweep/Dry Mop
DustingDusting
Wet CleanWet Clean
 Upholstered furniture
 Wall-to-wall carpeting
 Area rugs
 Major/small kitchen appliances
 Heater, radiator
 Window coverings
 Woodwork
 Electronic equipment
 Light fixtures/ceiling fans
 Hardwood floors
 Tile floors
 Linoleum
 Entry way/ mud room
 Major/small kitchen appliances
 Sink, toilet, tub& tile walls
 Windows
 Kitchen countertops
 Glass/wood tops
 Shower doors
 Sliding glass doors
 Fireplace/hearth
 Hardwood floors
 Tile floors
 Cement floors
OutdoorOutdoor
 Deck and patio
 Outdoor furniture
 BBQ
 Siding
 Gutters
 Fences
 Driveways/sidewalks
Source: 1994 B&D Cleaning A&U Study
Cleaning Business Actions
These tasks were already being
addressed by current products
Opportunities existed to “Invent
& Market” In Adjacent Categories
Traditional Served Cleaning Markets Unserved, Adjacent Markets

5.
5
Cleaning Category Consumer Segmentation
 Consumer attitudinal segmentation showed both an emotional and rational need for new
cleaning solutions beyond handheld vacs.
 Convenient hard surface floor and wet cleaning needs were not being addressed.
Source: 1994 Cleaning A&U Study
Sweeping/
Dry Mop
Sweeping/
Dry Mop
Corded/Cordless
Handheld Vacs
Corded/Cordless
Handheld Vacs
Wet Cleaning
Tools
Wet Cleaning
Tools
Dirt/Messes are important to clean up - emotional
Thecleaningtaskitselfisannoying-rational
Low
High
High
Anti-CleanersAnti-Cleaners
CleaningCleaning
FanaticsFanatics
TolerantTolerant
CleanersCleaners
DiligentDiligent
CleanersCleaners
Cleaning Business Actions

6.
6
 Scumbuster invented the “wet cleaning” category –
$60MM business – single largest $ SKU in Black &
Decker’s 100 year history.
 Unique product design/manufacturing process
resulted in a waterproof product up to 3 feet in water –
competition couldn’t duplicate it. First to market.
 Scumbuster was the first Black & Decker
product on QVC – result $1MM of sales in one day
 Floorbuster was the first cordless stick vac using
the patented versapack rechargeable battery technology
and new bagless technologies before Dyson vacs.
- $5MM business
 Achieved highest profitability return in history
of the business - $100MM with >20% ROS.
Cleaning Business Results

7.
6
 Scumbuster invented the “wet cleaning” category –
$60MM business – single largest $ SKU in Black &
Decker’s 100 year history.
 Unique product design/manufacturing process
resulted in a waterproof product up to 3 feet in water –
competition couldn’t duplicate it. First to market.
 Scumbuster was the first Black & Decker
product on QVC – result $1MM of sales in one day
 Floorbuster was the first cordless stick vac using
the patented versapack rechargeable battery technology
and new bagless technologies before Dyson vacs.
- $5MM business
 Achieved highest profitability return in history
of the business - $100MM with >20% ROS.
Cleaning Business Results