Blog

By Paige Coite

Brand position plays a huge role in a brand’s lifecycle, no matter at what stage. If positioning is not done correctly, this could lead to confusion, a weak brand identity, a decrease of sales, and ineffective marketing. A fantastic representation of this being done successfully is Nike. This is a company I have been extremely loyal to for a number of reasons. The number one reason I stick with them is their strong brand identity that aligns perfectly with me. They utilize their “Just Do It” slogan in all campaigns, making this a household phrase. This slogan, along with their iconic logo, and brand design cultivate the perfect storm to differentiate themselves and become a dominator in their industry.

“Just Do It” was implemented during the early growth stage of the brand. Their competition at the time (1970’s-80’s) was Reebok, and they need something that would set them apart. While Reebok is a known running brand, this slogan helped Nike identify as a motivational lifestyle brand. This allowed for differentiation influencing a larger audience, increased sales, and overall expansion(Review & Review, 2018). While Reebok is well known for their style and training gear, they are seen by almost a different audience than Nike. While they have a major fitness aspect, they do not rely on the same motivational aspects of Nike. This is a key difference. Nike creates a community that promotes a lifestyle and motivates consumers to achieve their goals.

When acknowledging companies and brands to purchase from, the first thing consumers look at are the key differences. This is where PODs and POPs come into the picture. Nike’s brand identity relies on motivation and lifestyle, hence the “Just Do it” slogan. This identity would be classified as one of Nike’s POD’s. Making them unique to their competitors-like Reebok and Adidas. A few eaxmples of POP (Point of Parity) for Nike would include performace athletic footwear, innovation, athlete endorsements, etc. These are what make them appear more appealing to consumers against competitors. They are marketed to have higher quality and brand recognition. These similarities that are heightened are what reel the consumers in and keep them in as loyal customers.

References

Nike. (n.d.). nike. Nike.com. https://www.nike.com/

Reebok. (n.d.). About Reebok. https://www.reebok.com/pages/about-reebok

Review, C., & Review, C. (2018, November 15). 02: Nike (1987) – Just Do It. Creative Review. https://www.creativereview.co.uk/just-do-it-slogan/

Understanding the 4 P’s

The Marketing Matrix (including the 4 P’s) is something you will hear over and over when diving into the marketing industry. The 4 P’s are Produtc, Price, Place, and Promotion and come together to create the foundation for businesses to grow and create. Product is what the company is actually selling. This is th exact product/service that is being offered. The Price is the amount of money that you charge the customer for said product/service. Place discusses where the product is sold and exactly how it is delivered to the market. The final P is Promotion which naturally addresses advertising and public relations regarding the product/service.

Analysis of Brands at Different Stages

Rivian-Introduction Stage

This is an electric vehicle manufacturer that designs their own trucks. They focus on innovation and sustainability. Their product would be the cars/trucks that they manufacture. Due to the innovation, exlusivity, and quality, Rivian utilizes premium pricing. This product is sold to customers online and through showrooms- Rivian’s place. This EV manufacturer utilizes storytelling and partnerships to promote the EVs and build equity.

Nike– Growth Stage

Nike is highly focused on innovation and sustainability. Their product is not one specific thing, rather a few different athletic categories. These include footwear, apparell, and equipment. Nike pricing is value based and premium. As far as placing goes, the brand utilizes omnichannel distribution with websites, apps (SNKR), flagship stores, and retail partners. Nike focuses heavily on emotional storytelling and athlete endorsements when promoting their products-successfully increasing brand identity.

Coca-Cola– Maturity Stage

While Coca-Cola owns many different products, lets refer to the actual beverage and branding of the beverage. In that case the product is the bottles beverages and fountain beverages. Maintaining relevance, they feature different flavors and bottle/can designs. They use fairly competitive pricing, sometimes coming across as premium when looking less popuar brands of soda. Their placing is very broad, as they are available in supermarkets, restaurants, and vending machines (which could be located anywhere). When promoting their product, they utilize holiday campaign, emotional advertising (togetherness and happiness), and brand reinforcement. Their main goal is to maintian and increase a positive reputation rather than grow awareness of the product as they are already a globally known company.

How the 4 P’s promote brand equity

Through these different life stages, it is clear how the 4 P’s are applied differently accroding to the stages to promote brand equity. In the introduction stage, the 4 P’s are being utilized to make their product stand out against competition and promote a premiuim brand. In the growth stage, the 4 P’s are being used to emphasize sustainabilty and innovation as well as grow strong, emotional storytelling. In the maturity stage, the marketing foundation is used to strengthen loyalty and global reach. In each phase, the 4 P’s play a major -yet slightly different- role, increasing brand equity and promoting the brand in the neccessary manner.

References:

American Marketing Association. (2024, January 22). The four PS of marketing. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/the-four-ps-of-marketing/

The Coca-Cola company: Refresh the world. Make a difference. (n.d.). The Coca-Cola Company. https://www.coca-colacompany.com/

Nike. (n.d.). nike. Nike.com. https://www.nike.com/

Rivian: electric vehicles designed for adventure. (n.d.). https://rivian.com/

Have you ever seen an Instagram post where you liked the outfit the person was wearing? Have you ever then looked into the details, such as the cost and brand? Influencers play such a large role in marketing. Whether it’s through collaborations, brand deals, or simply wearing a brand they like, what they wear has an impact on their audience.

What have I noticed about this marketing?

Over the years, I have noticed this type of marketing boom. It went from obvious ads, to sponsorships and partnerships. Some of these sponsorships, especially in the last year , have become less and less obvious. Influencers now promote products simply by using it in their videos. An example of this is Bloom. Bloom is a nutrition powder that is meant to provide energy and support gut health. This product was very popular on social media, as so many influencers were seen using it. What was never mentioned was the partnership, they simply posted a video discussing anything they wanted to while making their bloom beverage. Now there is so much discrete marketing disquised as influencers genuinely using the product in their daily life.

What strategies are utilized?

Influencers are absolutely implementing their own strategies to get their viewers hooked on thier products. Often, they use authentic story telling about their experiences with said product. This plays into the trust the their fans have in them. If an influencer says that a skin care product gave them results in two weeks, viewers will trust this and purchase the product. They also use discount codes to encourage viewers to purcahse the product at a reduced price. This encourages people who may be hesistant to spend money on the product, this way they feel like they got it on sale. The most obvious strategy are the videos labeled as ads where the influencer is talking about the benefits of a certain product.

The role influencers play in marketing today?

Today, influencers play a huge role in marketing. I would argue a major part of marketing comes from social media, especially from influencers. They seem like relateable people to my generation, as they are of similar backgrounds and ages. Companies are using influencers to get their products in front a more niche audience. Along with their story telling and content posts of such a variety, influencers entirely changed the game of marketing. It no longer is about what the company advertises about themselves and is now centered around what other people have to say for them.

Impact of marketing perspective

Marketing perspective is based around whether a company prioritizes selling a product or satisfying the consumer needs. Selling a product is simple and the objective for every company, however it does not create a connection to the consumer. When the company refocuses on satisfying the consumer, it changes the tone from selling a product to listening to the needs of their customers. This creates an emotional connection. This way, the relationship feels less transactional and more relational.

Let’s talk about home appliances! While this may sound like a mundane topic, this is the exact reason it is worth talking about.

We are all familiar with the household name Whirlpool. Take a second to think how difficult it may be to connect with consumers, when the product is as simple as a home appliance. This is exactly what Whirlpool struggled with. After analyzing their problem, they found a way to build an emotional bond with their consumers-by sharing real life stories that portrayed chores as an act of love and something that could impact the world. With their #EveryDayCare, they were able to evolve conversations from product-based to people-based, creating the emotional connection they were previously lacking.

What was done successfully?

According to the stats provided in the article discussing #EveryDayCare, this resulted in an increase in sales and unit growth, soemthing that was not seen in years. This illustrates clear success of the launch of “Every day, care”. While they started by initially paying for promotions and use of the hashtag, once they got the ball rolling, real people started to join the conversation with their real stories, reaching even more consumers. With this emotional connection to mundane tasks, like chores, the target audience’s wants and needs were addressed perfectly. Not only do they have reliable appliances, they also have a connection- making tasks full of love and impact.

The social and consumer experience was addressed very well, as this hashtag promotes the tasks that are accomplished with Whirlpool products. People share text, images, and videos sharing their videos and expanding the community from 17k advocates to significantly more.

Handling digital media followers

In order to get the ball rolling, Whirlpool had to build a community through Crowdtap. With Crowdtap they were able to find 17k advocates who were already passionate about sharing their stories. With Crowdtap and other social platforms, they accumulated over 44,000 pieces of content for their movement. As they grew, they created a website to locate all of this content- whirlpool.com/everydaycare. This is where consumers can view stories as well as contribute their own. All of this content was heavily promoted across all platforms, expanding the community furthermore.

Could this have been more efficient?

While done very successfully, there is absolutely room for further success. The sales could have been increased significantly higher than they were. How? Through cross platform posts. Their website with all the stories is unique, and resulted in increased enagement. However, directing consumers to a new site can be difficult. Why not utilize social platforms, where consumers are already located? Rather than trying to direct everyone to a new site, lets utilize X, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Far more people would be engaged and contribute to the conversation, resulting in higher increases in sales.

References

https://shortyawards.com/8th/everydaycare-whirlpool-digitaslbi-and-crowdtap-2

It is always interesting to hear what our peers daily habits are, specifically surrounding social media and technology. This information is not only intriguing, but extremely useful in the marketing industry. With that said- what sites and applications do I use most often?

My Most Common Apps and Sites

While I know it is not ideal (and I promise I’m working on it), the second I wake up I pick up my phone. The first few applications are all social media. For example, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Instagram and Facebook are very similar, as they are simply a digital photo album that you can share with others. Not only are photos posted, but so are videos, just as a way to update friends and family on your current life experiences. TikTok is similar, however it is mostly focused on watching videos posted by strangers, and sometimes friends.

Other than social media, I also go to Amazon. I like to click through and see what new products I might be interested, as well as the price of everything. Something else I use very frequently is the Oura app. This is an app that is synced to a ring that I wear. This ring collects data such as sleep, activity, heart rate, stress levels, etc. It lets me know what days I should prioritize rest, and what days I can push myself a little extra.

Emotional Reactions

I have found that social media comes with mixed emotions. Overall, I hve a negative reaction. While it does satisfy my brains dopamine thirst, it also leaves me feeling like I have wasted my time getting sucked into the lives of other people. TikTok especially has this feeling, as it is cluttered with ads, some even undisclosed. It leaves me feeling like there is nothing that can be trusted, which is a rather discouraging feeling.

On the other hand, I do often find funny content that makes me giggle, in those times I love sharing the posts with my friends. There is also a lot of good posts of remind me that there is good in the world, like seeing people support each other and connect with people they otherwise would never even know. I think social media has a lot of potential and can be a fantastic way to connect the world, however at this moment it is cluttered with false news and negative posts.

Digital Marketing

Social media has definitely taken over the world of digital marketing. Which makes sense because social media is where you can get the most attention. Digital media is used in many forms by companies-email, search engines, and of course social media. Social media is used by companies to promote new products, engage with their customers, as well as build a brand for themselves. Digital media is a fantastic tool, as I have come across so many small businesses that are run through soical media accounts. Without digital media, I would argue that we would not have nearly as many entreprenuers or small businesses.

Unfortunately, I have also seen a LOT of undisclosed ads. These frustrate me a lot as not only are they illegal, but they also destroy the trust of consumers. Personally, if I am seeing content from someone promoting a product in a discrete manner that feels natural, I assume that it is simply someone telling their honest opinion. When I look further into it, I feel lied to and tricked. The most positive reactions I have seen are to honesty and transparency.

It is important to understand both traditional rivalry strategies and praising competitors. Traditional rivalry strategies typically include direct comparisons, competitive pricing, as well as competitive advertising. This can lock in loyal customers, having them purchase solely from that brand. At the same time, however, it might make customers feel attacked if they like both brands.

Praising competitors is usually quite the opposite of this, often acknowledging strengths of rival brands. This can form a different bond with the consumer, where they feel an emotional and trustworthy connection. Rather than tearing down other brands, acknowledging their strengths builds brand credibility. It shows the brand as confident and mature.

There have been several studies conducted, testing consumer response to praising competitors. Surprisingly, it was found that brand-to-brand praise had positive results for the praiser. The praise made the brand seem “warmer” and led to higher sales and increased customer engagement (Zhou et al., 2024).

Thin-slicing is also an important concept to be aware of in marketing and advertising. Thin-slicing refers to the ability to make an accurate judgement based on limited information and in limited time (minutes or seconds)(Mcleod, 2024). For example, if a consumer sees a brand complimenting a competitor, they will very quickly associate that brand with maturity, humility, and emotional intelligence. This quick inference leads a customer to the assumption that they can trust the brand that is giving the praise.

While praising competitors is typically a great way to connect to consumers and create a trustworthy relationship, this is not always the case. There are times in which praising competitors may actually cause harm to the brand. An example of this is in a very competitive industry. Consumers may experience confusion if a brand is complimenting and praising a competing brand, coming off as ingenuine. Additionally, if the praising outshines their own product, it may backfire and lead to more sales for the competitor. It is a fine line that brands must master in order to create friendly competition, and form positive relationships with consumers and rivalry brands.

Works cited:

Mcleod, S. (2024). Thin-Slicing judgments in Psychology. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/thin-slicing-psychology.html

Zhou, L., Du, K. M., & Cutright, K. M. (2024, July 10). How Brand-to-Brand praise influences consumer perceptions and choices. American Marketing Association. https://www.ama.org/2021/11/17/befriending-the-enemy-the-effects-of-observing-brand-to-brand-praise-on-consumer-evaluations-and-choices/

A company I purchased from recently (and rather frequently) was Nike. As someone who lives an active lifestyle, I am a very loyal customer to Nike. Lets take a look at their market segmentations.

What market segments were identified, and what segmentation strategies were implemented by the company you purchased from?

There are many market segments that Nike relies on, layering demographics, psychographics, geographics, as well as behaviors. Nike’s market segments include athletes, women, children, and environmentally conscious consumers. This company has a diverse amount of products, catering to a wide range of consumers.

Specifically, Nike targets young and middle aged folks who live an active lifestyle and value comfort. This can be parents, as well as children, professional athletes, or simply active people.

What do you believe are four to five key points to remember when implementing segmentation strategies?

1. Be sure to conduct proper research and collect proper data. Doing the proper market research is crucial to understand behaviors and preferences.
2. Adjust the marketing mix to the different segments. This could be most acknowledged for the promotion portion of the marketing mix. For Nike, they want to create ads for their kids line that connect with kids, or parents. They also want to create ads that cater to women, with women athletes etc.
3. Ensure that the segments remain dynamic. The market is always evolving, as well as the consumers and habits. It is crucial when implementing segmentation strategies that companies do not remain static. They must be able to adapt to behaviors and changes.
4. Avoid over-segmentation. Having a few different market segments is good, however too many can become complex, inefficient, and costly. It is better to focus on a few, manageable segments in order to properly address and cater to them.

Identify a new market segment that you have noticed recently (during your own shopping experience online, in a commercial ad, or in a secondary resource such as a magazine) that you believe would be a great market to explore. How might you create a segmentation strategy to reach this new market segment?

A new market segment that I have recently noticed is eco-conscious shoppers. These consumers are focused on the environment and purchasing sustainable products from companies that operate with the environment in mind. Nike already values and works towards zero emissions, however they could work on marketing towards eco-conscious consumers. A way to reach this market segment is to create ads and commercials that highlight the sustainability of their products.

What type of consumer am I?

Simply looking at my lifestyle, myself and the people around me would agree, that I live an active and outdoorsy lifestyle. When I am not working or doing school work, I can most likely be found outside swimming, walking, running, or at the gym. I would also consider my lifestyle to be healthy, as I focus on eating healthy, whole foods (however I do still enjoy a nightly sweet treat). I can definitely relate myself to the hedonistic and autonomous lifestyles mentioned in chapter 6.3 of Consumer Behavior by Babin and Harris. These lifestyles are used to represent consumers who enjoy nightlife, travel, cities, and rural vacations.

What influences my buying decisions and how?

My buying decisions are very heavily influenced by current trends, as well as price. If I see a certain product is popular, and it seems realistic to my life, I am inclined to purchase it. A huge example of this is clothes and shoes. I am always looking for new styles that I feel allow me to express myself. When I see a popular article of clothing or pair of sneakers, I tend to be quick to add it to my list of wants.

With that said, I do not purchase items right away. I find it difficult to spend a lot of money on a product, therefore price matters when I and making a purchase. I must feel that the price aligns with the satisfaction I will get with the product. Usually, I feel items are priced too high, therefore I do not purchase them. Because of this, I am always on the lookout for a deal or sale.

What stage actually leads to my purchasing decisions?

The stage that leads to my purchasing decisions is the final decision-making stage. Once I have analyzed the price of the product, compared it to other options, and acknowledged my income and budget, I then decide whether or not to make the purchase.

When making a buying decision, how are you influenced by marketing research and marketing design?

Marketing design has a huge impact on my buying decisions. I am drawn towards sleek, modern designs with simple colors. I subconsciously associate this with high quality. If a product is advertised with chunky and dated marketing designs, I feel overwhelmed and out of touch with current technologies.

Market research is highly impactful when I am making a purchase. Every time I purchase a product, I look into the reviews. This is where I know people will be fairly honest and I can gauge any flaws that I may run into. I also do research on the company and the product itself. If there is a lack of information found, I am deterred from the product. If there is helpful and user-friendly information found, then I am more drawn towards the company and their products.

In producing a new product, I have chosen to work with Nike due to their goals and objectives. Nike works efficiently and eco-consciously. Their goal is to reduce their emissions by 70% as well as use 100% reusable electricity and divert 100% of their waste from landfills (Nike – Protecting the Planet — NIKE, Inc., n.d.). This aligns perfectly with my product design. My product is a pair of affordable sneakers made from recycled materials. Not only does Nike value eliminating waste, they also cater to active lifestyles, creating products meant for durability and comfort. This aligns perfectly with the goal and vision of my new product. Market data shows that consumers are increasingly aware of environmentally conscious products. According to a study, 78% of consumers value a sustainable lifestyle. In another study, 60% of respondents said they would pay more for sustainable packaging (Am et al., 2023b). This shows that consumers do value sustainability and recycled materials.

Some industry trends that have arose through my research include sustainable manufacturing and increased consumer demand for transparency. Most competitors of Nike are also moving towards increasingly more efficient processes and goals. They too are aiming for the least amount of waste and emissions. Many are also using environmentally friendly materials, similar to the recycled materials used for my product. Additionally, consumers are becoming more demanding of transparency from organizations. In recent times, companies have taken political stances, gotten involved in controversies, etc. It is now more important that ever that organizations work with the consumers, keeping them informed along the way. If Nike does not maintain transparency and sustainable manufacturing processes using eco-friendly materials, they will fall short to their competitors (Adidas or Under Armour). They will also receive backlash from consumers and lose customers. Continuing to keep up with these trends will imply continued success for the organization.

My proposed marketing strategy aligns with legal, ethical, and industry standards. The strategy complies with full transparency, being truthful about materials used and the waste management. It also complies with legal standards, such as the FTC Green Guides, which refer to the use of environmental marketing claims, ensuring there is not confusion on what part of the sneakers are sustainably made, as well as what is recyclable (Green Guides, 2021).

Naturally, I have encountered limitations when creating this product marketing proposal. There has been limited data available regarding pricing. Because we are using recycled materials, gathering the actual cost of the process is difficult. This, in turn, makes it difficult to create a general price for the product. There are also few competitors of this specific product, with the same vision and goals, making it more difficult to find a reasonable price. There is also consumer skepticism regarding the durability of the shoes. When shopping, seeing a lower price tag usually implies cheaper quality, which deters a lot of customers. Because these shoes are marketed as both affordable and durable, consumers may raise an eyebrow and question how durable they actually are. These limitations can be explained by market research gaps as luxury and affordability do not typically overlap in the market.

For the marketing course, I have selected Nike to develop research on. I have chosen Nike due to their positive reputation and environmental consciousness. Nike supports community, having hashtags in which people share their goals and progress. This community lifts each other up and pushes each other to their best potential. Nike’s tagline is “Just Do It”, encouraging consumers to push themselves to achieve their goals. They sell athletic wear and shoes for all ages. They also are sustainable and environmentally conscious, using recycled materials for a portion of their products.

The public expects high quality products and frequent innovation, as well as environmentally conscious actions. This is what is expected of most companies by the public, however the public tends to accept less. Customers of Nike accept innovation and environmentally conscious steps, even if this progress is slow and imperfect.

The new product concept is a fully upcycled running sneaker that would be more affordable. Nike is known to have higher prices for their clothing and shoes, however this does not appeal to everyone. Everyone desires and needs good quality shoes, however not everyone has the financial resources to get that. This sneaker would be catered to those who want to maintain an active life style but may not have the resources for expensive shoes.

The design of this shoe would be created with multiple components of the other shoes manufactured by Nike. Naturally, there is waste during the manufacturing process. These shoes would be designed using the scraps and leftover materials from other shoes. Because they are made from waste or leftover scraps, these shoes would be inexpensive to manufacture. This would allow Nike to sell the shoes at a lower price.

It is important to learn as much as possible about my target audience when creating a new product concept. I want to learn the age range and specific needs of my target audience. Would it be more beneficial to create an everyday sneaker that can be worn for a variety of activities as opposed to just running shoes? What income level are they at and what is a reasonable price point? I would also like to know the growth rate of this population and their selection process. This will help me design a shoe that is affordable and meets the needs of my audience.

For the competition, it is important that I learn what they are offering. I must understand their price points and the quality. Many competitors may be able to offer a lower price, however this comes with less quality. It may be a cheaper option, but are they sustainable and will the product last? I will also need to deep dive into what is drawing customers to them. What exactly are the features of their shoes that lead consumers to purchase their product over another? Looking at the numbers will also be crucial, as the numbers do not lie. These numbers include units sold, revenue, and investors. It is also important to do research on the reputation of the company. Are there any controversies? It is important to understand the social standing of any competitors, as this will show me where I stand in comparison to them.

Some external factors that impact this new product concept would be the growing demand. As demand for these affordable shoes grows, the supply of leftover scraps and materials could limit production. Also, the idea of recycled shoes may be viewed as lower quality by society, pushing away customers rather than drawing them in. Tariffs and trade policies may also affect the costs of the shoes. With that said, technological factors and advancements in recycling could lower the costs of production of the shoes.

I would use primary resources to research and gather information for this product. I would gather primary resources regarding the current state of the market, as well as the direct websites of competitors. I would also engage in reviews and other posts by consumers and understand what they are looking for. I would find quantitative and qualitative data from reliable sources that are relevant and up to date.