UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- A Penn State Smeal College of Business marketing class led by Carolyn Todd, instructor in marketing, got a real-world perspective on product development and marketing during a recent visit from Scott Diminick, a marketing manager for Tipton, Pa.-based company New Pig.
Diminick also charged the class with its semester-long project: developing a marketing plan for a recent New Pig product designed to absorb liquid waste on operating room floors as a result of arthroscopic surgery.
During his visit, Diminick talked about the product and its development process, giving students a first-hand look at the level of research and information a company must have as it works to move into a new market. He also talked about issues that are unique to business-to-business marketing, such as the challenges of distribution and learning about who makes the buying decisions in different kinds of markets.