​Product testing ensures that a product meets quality standards and customer expectations before launch. The process also reveals problems or opportunities unseen during development before members of the public use it. The information gathered from users and methods of data collection will differ depending on a firm’s goals.

Even before users receive a prototype, making a clear test plan will expedite the process. The plan should standardize the test, to avoid getting a potentially distorted picture of the data. It will include details like the recruitment methods for the desired user demographics, the testing method, and data collection and analysis tools. Surveys can determine customers’ needs and expectations, while focus groups allow small users to discuss a product with their peers. In-home testing simulates a product’s real world applications when customers use it at home.

Quantitative and qualitative data analysis can identify the most prevalent trends, while feedback from stakeholders can supplement it with insights that the public can’t give. Acting on the data involves making changes to the product and further testing sessions.

​An experienced senior executive with a focus on marketing, Carene Kunkler has served leadership positions with industry leaders such as Procter & Gamble. While working for Procter & Gamble during the 1980s, Carene Kunkler oversaw branding for Pert Plus.

At that time, Pert Plus was a revolutionary force in the haircare market as a pioneering two-in-one shampoo and conditioner product. While this type of product is relatively common today, it was quite noteworthily upon Pert Plus’ release in 1980.

The key to Pert Plus’ success was a silicone agent that combined with oils and other insoluble active ingredients to remain in hair after the formula rinses away. Earlier attempts at two-in-one shampoo and conditioner products had trouble getting these active ingredients to remain embedded within hair fibers to promote lasting moisturization and detangling. The positive electromagnetic charge of the conditioning agent also reacts with negatively charged hair to result in easier combing while wet.

​Involved in the marketing of products ranging from eyewear to personal hygiene items over the course of her career, Carene Kunkler worked at LensCrafters and served as the brand manager for Pert Shampoo at Procter & Gamble. By updating the P&G marketing strategy, Carene Kunkler and her team created consumer demand for a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner.

The most effective marketing strategy for a given company will depend on whether it is advertising a physical product or service. Customers can learn about new physical products via the company’s bundling samples of upcoming releases with pre-established ones, or offering free shipping on new offerings. Trade-ins, whereby customers can exchange an older version of the product for the new one (when appropriate), can act as a strong incentive. Service providers can implement similar tactics for attracting customers by offering a new treatment at a spa or a new class at a fitness facility, as examples.

A well-developed social media infrastructure will also determine the effectiveness of a firm's marketing efforts. Not only should a company promote its products across different platforms to reach as wide an audience as possible, but it should also lead users to more long-form content, like blog posts, on its website.

Alternatively, running contests or giveaways through social media can inform customers about a product via positive reviews, which can increase engagement and provide more credible information about a product or service. Sending samples of a product to a prominent social media influencer who is already loyal to the brand can attract customers by demonstrating that person using the new product.

​An award-winning Cincinnati executive, Carene Kunkler has developed impact-driven brand strategies across a number of beauty, cosmetics, and optical verticals over the decades. In the 1980s, Carene Kunkler was part of a team that developed transformative strategies for the hair care brands of P&G. In the book What Really Matters: Service, Leadership, People, and Values, John Pepper featured her efforts as part of a case study.

As Pepper describes it, the mid-1980s delivered a solution to an industry challenge that had existed for many years. With traditional shampoos stripping excessive oil from the user’s hair, conditioners left a residue that was was also excessive. There was thus an unmet market need for a “total experience” that was more convenient and left hair in an optimal condition.

Four years in the R&D pipeline, P&G’s new two-in-one (shampoo and conditioner) product still needed refinement. In a pioneering approach, technicians created a special showering facility that recorded people’s voices and provided insight into the product’s in-use experience. While this led to qualitative formulation improvements, the new version of the product still had many internal doubters on the quantitative, market-focused side. Previous two-in-one products had failed dismally, leaving companies paying heavily for advertising and production that did not deliver in revenue.

Pert had been in production since 1980 as a simple shampoo, but was losing market share. As Pert brand manager, Ms. Kunkler was a strong proponent of the viability of 2-in-1 product launch as a way of reviving the flagging brand. Her hunch proved correct, with Pert’s decline reversing “almost overnight” and the shampoo/conditioner formulation driving a threefold increase in Pert market share. Moreover, the underlying technology went on to become standard across many hair care brands, including the global market leader Pantene.

​Carene Kunkler is a Cincinnati-based executive who has delivered a host of marketing and brand management solutions across the optical and cosmetics and beauty industries. As a member of the Sight Resource Corp. executive team in 2003, Carene Kunkler was recognized as one of Vision Monday’s “Most Influential Women in Optical.”

Among her peers were female business leaders on the retail side of the optical industry, representing industry-leading companies such as LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, and Bard Optical. In addition, awards went to opticians and dispensing managers affiliated with broader health care organizations such as Kaiser Permanente and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.

The Vision Monday award extended to optometrists associated with entities such as the Illinois College of Optometry and the Special Olympics Opening Eyes Program. Other categories of recipient included those involved in laboratory work, field sales, supplier networks, media, and consulting.

With Sight Resource Corp., Ms. Kunkler helped guide one of the nation’s largest 15 US primary eye care providers. The company managed 130 eye care centers, as well as three distribution centers and a pair of regional optical laboratories. It manufactured, distributed, and sold eyewear products and offered related services. In total, more than 200 global optical sector leaders were recognized by Vision Monday with the award she received from 2003 to 2007.

​Carene Kunkler served as the vice president of product supply at LensCrafters in Cincinnati, Ohio, for nearly a decade. In 2003, Carene Kunkler was named a Pleiades Honoree by the Optical Women's Association (OWA). The award is named after the daughters of Atlas, after whom the brightest star cluster in the Taurus constellation is also named.

Established in 1997, OWA is a nonprofit that advances the professional development of women in the optical industry. Every year, the OWA honors a person who has gone above and beyond to support women in optical industry leadership roles through the Pleiades Award, which began in 2000.

According to the OWA website, the award was named after the Greek myth of the Seven Sisters, daughters of the titan Atlas. According to the myth, Zeus turned the sisters into stars, which now form the brightest cluster in the constellation Taurus. OWA leadership agreed "Pleiades" was the perfect name for a program celebrating not just women but a collective that shines brightest when its members are working toward a shared goal.

A complete list of past Pleiades honorees is available at the OWA website, opticalwomen.com.

​Carene Kenkler, a resident of Cincinnati, Ohio, is an experienced executive in marketing. She has practical leadership abilities and a track record of delivering outcomes and fostering profitability. She worked at Lens Crafters as the vice president of product supply from 1991 to 2000. Additionally, Carene Kenkler and her team employed strategies to ensure store success by surpassing annual targets for cost reduction, gross margin improvement, and inventory investment while enhancing product quality.

The success of Lenscrafters, a well-known eyewear retailer, can be attributed to the strategic initiatives undertaken by its purchasing team. This group plays a vital role in procuring and sourcing the wide range of products that adorn the company's stores, ultimately guaranteeing customer satisfaction and driving sustained growth.

One key strategy the purchasing team employs is fostering solid relationships with suppliers. By collaborating closely with these partners, the team can negotiate favorable prices and guarantee timely product deliveries. This approach benefits the company's bottom line and ensures a consistent supply of high-quality eyewear for customers.

Staying abreast of the latest trends in eyewear is another crucial strategy for the purchasing team. By identifying popular styles and innovative designs, they can stock stores with products that resonate with customers and drive sales.

Data analysis also plays a significant role in the team's decision-making process. By examining sales data and customer feedback, they can pinpoint which products are performing well and which need replacing. This data-driven approach allows the purchasing team to make informed decisions and optimize the product selection in each store.

​Experienced marketing executive Carene Kunkler served as the vice president of product supply at Lens Crafters in Cincinnati, Ohio, for nearly 10 years. In recognition of her leadership and management, Carene Kunkler was named one of the Most Influential Women in Optical by Vision Monday in 2003. Vision Monday is an online magazine dedicated to the optical industry.

Vision Monday started the Most Influential Women in Optical award in 2003 as a special report that recognized the industry leaders during that time. In the award’s first 5 years, over 200 women who had helped grow and influence the optical industry worldwide were recognized. This year, Vision Monday celebrates the 20th year of recognizing women leaders who continue to shape the optical industry.

Every year, Vision Monday readers nominate the candidates for the Most Influential Women in Optical award. Each reader can nominate two names for each of the award’s five different categories. The Executive Suite category is for women who hold executive positions (president, CEO, CFO, etc.). The Mentors category recognizes those who, through their example and education, have helped build teams and develop talents. The Rising Stars category is for up-and-coming industry leaders, while the Innovators category is for leaders who led innovations, started special programs, and initiated new product developments. Finally, the Above and Beyond category is for candidates who gave back to the industry, the community, and their patients.

​A marketing professional experienced in consumer products and retailing, Carene Kunkler spent nearly a decade of her career as the vice president of product supply at LensCrafters, an innovative eyeglass retailer in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was responsible for buying, merchandising, and products for 600 LensCrafters stores in the US and Canada. In 2003, Carene Kunkler received the Pleiades Award from the Optical Women’s Association (OWA).

The OWA is a non-profit organization established in 1997 that seeks to enhance and promote the leadership roles of women in the optical industry. Every year, the OWA recognizes professionals who have demonstrated a passion for promoting women's leadership in the industry. During the annual Champagne Breakfast and Star Awards Ceremony in New York City, awardees in three different categories receive recognition. One of these awards is the Pleiades Award.

The OWA’s Pleiades Award is given to professionals who support the advancement of women’s leadership in the optical industry. The award derives its name from a cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus called The Pleiades. Another name for The Pleiades is “The Seven Sisters,” which alludes to the seven brightest stars in the cluster. Like The Pleiades, the women who receive the OWA’s Pleiades Award have helped create an organization that is bigger and brighter than all their individual efforts combined.