Great Devices are Invented in the Lab, Great Products in Marketing

A critical distinction in high technology is between a "device" and a "product." Confusing the two is a primary cause of marketing failures.

• A Device: The core technology or invention created by engineers in the laboratory. It is the physical hardware, the chip, the algorithm. It is often functionally brilliant but incomplete on its own.
• A Product: The complete solution that a customer actually buys. It is the device plus everything else required for the customer to have a successful experience.

The Role of Marketing is to Invent the Product

Marketing's job is to take the device and augment it with all the necessary components to make it a complete, desirable, and usable product. This includes:

• Software and Emulators
• Application Notes and Documentation
• Customer Training and Education
• Field Application Support and Service
• Brand Image and Public Relations
• The feeling of confidence and trust in the supplier

A device alone, no matter how technically superior, is an incomplete offering. It is like an unpainted car or a brilliant engine with no chassis. The "marketing invention" of the complete product is just as crucial as the technical invention of the device. This is a core responsibility outlined in The Strategic Principle of Marketing.