How to Revitalize Mature Products - Jagdish Sheth

Overview

This course explores strategic approaches for breathing new life into aging or stagnant products. Professor Jagdish Sheth unpacks the reasons why mature products are often neglected—despite their continued relevance—and presents actionable methods for revitalizing them through repositioning, innovation, and re-segmentation. Learners will analyze frameworks like the Product Matrix, which maps cash flow and company growth to classify product stages, and examine how leading companies have reignited interest in mature categories by identifying new use cases, customer segments, and cultural moments. Topics include product life cycle, the role of intermediaries, consumer research, unintended usage, and the concept of the “heavy half” in targeting loyal users. Drawing on global case studies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s, this course equips learners with the tools to rethink maturity as an opportunity for profitable reinvention—not decline.

Syllabus

How to Revitalize Mature Products

This module explores strategic approaches for breathing new life into aging or stagnant products. Professor Jagdish Sheth unpacks the reasons why mature products are often neglected—despite their continued relevance—and presents actionable methods for revitalizing them through repositioning, innovation, and re-segmentation. Learners will analyze frameworks like the Product Matrix, which maps cash flow and company growth to classify product stages, and examine how leading companies have reignited interest in mature categories by identifying new use cases, customer segments, and cultural moments. Topics include product life cycle, the role of intermediaries, consumer research, unintended usage, and the concept of the “heavy half” in targeting loyal users. Drawing on global case studies such as Starbucks and McDonald’s, this course equips learners with the tools to rethink maturity as an opportunity for profitable reinvention—not decline.