The Simpsons: Mr. Plow

Questions

1. In the beginning, what strategies does Homer use to develop a unique selling position?
2. Was Homer successful in servicing a niche market?
3. Homer had a monopoly in Springfield with his plow business; until Barney started the Plow King. Describe the strategies Homer used in order to try to increase his competitive advantage over Barney.
4. What strategies did Barney use to market his service?
5. For the residents of Springfield, what were the benefits of Homer an Barney competing in the same industry?
6. In the end, Homer saved Barney, do you think Homer did the right thing?

Answers

1. Homer hands out flyers, advertises in a church, and puts an ad on the TV in order to gain customers for his plowing business.
2. He was successful in servicing a niche market because he was the only one in his field of business in Springfield.
3. He gets a new advertisement and he convinces Barney that people are meeting at certain area. Barney then goes to that area instead of plowing people's driveways, which leads him getting trapped due to an avalanche.
4. Barney hired a celebrity that everybody knew to be on his advertisement in order to get customers for his plow service.
5. The benefit was that there was more supply than demand to meet the people's needs.
6. Homer did the right thing to save Barney because a person's life is worth more than a feud ultimately about money.