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Date:

By: Matthew SonnenfeldtBUS 360 001

+Table of ContentsCOMPANY OFFERING PRODUCT/SERVICE 0-Company Description0-Company Location(s) and Facilities 0-Other Products/Services Offered 0-Market Areas Sells To0

PRODUCT/SERVICE BEING MARKETED 0-Description of Product/Service 0-Product/Service Features and Capabilities 0-Product/Service Selling Cycle 0

MARKET OF PRODUCT/SERVICE 0-Customers for Product/Service 0-Why Product/Service Needed 0-How Product/Service Used 0-When Product/Service Bought 0

PRODUCT/SERVICE POSITION 0-Competitors Offering Products/Services

0-Competing Products/Services Features/Capabilities 0-How Product/Service Better or Worse than Competitors

0-Products/Services Market Share for Each

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PRODUCT/SERVICE MARKETING CHANNELS 0-Current Product/Service Marketing Channels 0-Competitor(s) Marketing Channels 0-Advantages/disadvantages of Current Channels 0-Possible Alternative Channels 0

PRODUCT/SERVICE MARKETING PROGRAM 0-Overall Marketing Program 0-Product/Service Promotion Program

0-Product/Service Advertising Program

0-Product/Service Branding Program

0-Product/Service Branding Program

0-Product/Service Online Marketing Program -Improvements Might Make to Program

INFORMATION SOURCES 0IndividualsWeb SitesOther

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COMPANY OFFERING PRODUCT/SERVICE

 

Company Description Reebok is a sports apparel and footwear company headquartered in Massachusetts. Though it originates in the United States, it is a global brand that creates and markets sports and lifestyle products built upon a core competency in sports, fitness and women’s categories. Reebok is committed to designing products and marketing programs that reflect creativity and the desire to constantly challenge the norms of the sports industry. Company Location(s) Reebok has two main locations in the world:Reebok World Head Quarters - 1895 J.W. Foster BoulevardCanton, Massachusetts Reebok Canada – 3400 Raymond-LasnierSt. Laurent (Quebec) Other Products/Services Offered Other than running shoes, Reebok sells all sorts of other shoes from basketball to casual shoes. Reebok also sells a good amount of exercise apparel and equipment in order to maximize the output that its customers obtain in their exercising. Reebok has had long term relationships with the National Football League, National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League, which allows them to market all of the apparel associated with the different professional sports teams. Recently their contract ended with the NFL and now Nike has taken over the sales in that sect of the market. Market Areas Sells To According to Patrick Joyce, Senior Manager Global Sports Marketing at Reebok International,Reebok currently sells to customers who are the overall fitness minded consumers. This is a person that would do a variety of fitness activities during the week no matter what those activities may be.

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Product/Service Being Marketed

Description of Product

 

Reebok running shoes consist of several different types of models. The models include: EasyTones, ZigTech, RealFlex, and different Stability, Neutral, and Minimalist models. The EasyTones are a shoe that has two points on the bottom of the shoe that are rounded to promote toning and definition in your legs and thighs. ZigTech has multi directional cushioning which delivers spring as you step and providing energy return. The shoe also has natural flexibility to add to comfort and efficiency. The RealFlex line that Reebok developed promotes minimalist characteristics that lean towards more naturalist running. The RealFlex has lightweight materials and minimalized material used to also add to the minimalist approach to the running shoe. The Crossfit marketing plan revolves around the benefits of wearing the Reebok RealFlex. The Stability shoes are meant for those people who need more support than normal, the Neutral shoe is meant for those that have a neutral and balanced foot, and the minimalist shoes are meant for those going towards a naturalist running strategy.

 

Features and Capabilities

 

The features and capabilities of the Reebok EasyTones include balance pods on both the heel and ball of your foot. These balance pods transfer air along the shoes creating micro-instability, which causes the muscles in your legs and glutes to work harder and gain strength. The features and capabilities of the ZigTech are lightweight components and a high-tech zig-zag styled bottom to the shoe. The specialty associated with the Zig bottoms of the shoes is they transfer energy both up and down and side to side on the shoe. This gives users more energy transfer and helps the user reach a new athletic performance. The Zig also allows for a more natural flexibility through the many movable surfaces on the bottom part of the shoe. The capabilities of the RealFlex are the lightest materials, ultimate flexibility, and natural movement. These capabilities are achieved through the implementation of independent flex nodes all over the bottom of the RealFlex shoes. These nodes allow the shoe to move in any direction and motion that the foot is able to move. Through adding to these nodes on both the forefoot and the heel Reebok has managed to offer natural motion and minimalist ideas without losing foot protection, support, and stability.

 

Product/Service Life Cycle

 

The life cycle of running shoes has been debated over the years and there is no specified time period one should have a pair of shoes for. The best approximation that I have found is that running shoes should be replaced every 300 to 400 miles of wear. The time that it takes to complete these miles is completely irrelevant, but after 300 to 400 miles the shoe will begin to break down and cause the body harm and trouble.

 

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 Competitors Offering Products/Services The competitors that offer similar products as Reebok are other athletic shoe companies. The companies which are Reebok’s main competitors are Nike, New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, Puma, Brooks, Sketchers, and Vibrams. Another competitor that is not included in the list is Adidas because Adidas AG actually owns Adidas and Reebok, so the profit of both brands ends up going to the same corporation. Competing Products/Services Features/Capabilities The competitor’s alternatives to Reebok shoes vary according to the different companies that offer them. Nike is known for its innovation in its shoes and products. Nike running spikes were the first to incorporate their superlight material called Flywire. Through the introduction of the Flywire Nike has dominated the running industry. Nike also introduced their Nike Frees that incorporate a new light weight free motion design that led the shoe movement towards this new minimalist shoe era that dominates the market today. Nike also has dominating fashionable basketball shoes. New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, and Brooks also offer a similar type of product; their running shoes are all competition to Reebok’s running shoes and offer high quality alternatives to them. Vibrams are a super minimalist shoe that offers a minimalist alternative to the Reebok RealFlex. How Competing Products/Services Different The competing products on the market are different from the shoes that Reebok offers, varying from extreme to minute differences. The Nike Flywire is a fabric patented by Nike that is super lightweight compared with Reebok spikes. New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, and Brooks offer very similar products to Reebok’s shoes. The Vibrams differ in being a completely different shoe. The Vibrams have a sock like shape and are the most minimalist shoes on the market. Competing Products/Services Evaluations Reebok’s shoes are some of the leading shoes seen on the market today. The main shoes that Reebok has introduced that dominate the others are its Zigtech line as well as the Reebok Easytones. The main competition to the EasyTones is the Sketchers ToneUps, which are a similar shoe that is supposed to help sculpt your legs just as the EasyTones do. The Nike Frees is a more successful minimalist shoe when compared to the Reebok RealFlex. The Nike Frees was the first of the minimalist shoes and thus captured most of the market from the beginning encapsulating most of the buyers. Vibrams offer the extremist, purist type minimalists the ultimate natural running experience, which no other shoe brands have tried fully to encapsulate. The market is a lot smaller, so it seems that the other companies do not find it to be worth exploiting.

COMPANY OFFERING PRODUCT/SERVICE

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Market of the Product/Service

 Customers for Product/Service The customers of the Reebok running shoes at the most basic level are people that run. Furthermore, people who exercise and participate in different levels of physical activity also are customers for Reebok running shoes. The customers consist of all different ages and range from small to large amounts of running and physical activities. The customers are fitness minded individuals who on a whole participate in exercise several times a week. Why Product/Service Needed The customers need and want Reebok running shoes for several different reasons. When looking for running shoes people are looking for comfort and style, both which Reebok running shoes have. One aspect that is overlooked when analyzing customer behavior is the customers’ expectations of the running shoes. When they see someone on television in a great state of fitness and looking great, they are seeing an image of what they can possibly become. If they get the Reebok running shoes, then they will be able to look like that, be muscular and in shape. Reebok running shoes become the customers’ transportation to a better, fit self. How Product/Service Used The customers use Reebok running shoes to wear when running, exercising, or participating in any type of physical activity. They are laced up right on the feet and are ready to be run around in. The customers then use the shoes when they are exercising and trying to gain fitness or workout. When Product/Service Bought There are several different circumstances and times when Reebok running shoes are bought. When the Reebok EasyTones were released sales went ballistic with women buying these shoes in order to get a better looking figure. Therefore, releases of new products marks a heavy buying period for Reebok’s customers. Another time when people buy Reebok running shoes would be at the beginning of different sports seasons. When people begin playing a sport they need to get new shoes to wear and practice in. Seasonally, the time of year when most people buy running shoes is in the spring. Most people see the great weather begin to come out and know that beach season is right around the corner, so they begin to exercise to enjoy the fresh air and to get their bodies into shape for the beach. Another time of the year when Reebok running shoes are bought is around Christmas and New Years. Many shoes are purchased before Christmas as gifts for family members and friends. Most people buy new running shoes right after New Year’s because they make their New Year’s resolution to get in shape this year. Hence, those people go out and buy new Reebok running shoes in order to be able to fulfill their resolution.

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Product/Service Position  Competitors Offering Products/Services The competitors that offer similar products as Reebok are other athletic shoe companies. The companies which are Reebok’s main competitors are Nike, New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, Puma, Brooks, Sketchers, and Vibrams. Another competitor that is not included in the list is Adidas because Adidas AG actually owns Adidas and Reebok, so the profit of both brands ends up going to the same corporation. Competing Products/Services Features/Capabilities The competitor’s alternatives to Reebok shoes vary according to the different companies that offer them. Nike is known for its innovation in its shoes and products. Nike running spikes were the first to incorporate their superlight material called Flywire. Through the introduction of the Flywire Nike has dominated the running industry. Nike also introduced their Nike Frees that incorporate a new light weight free motion design that led the shoe movement towards this new minimalist shoe era that dominates the market today. Nike also has dominating fashionable basketball shoes. New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, and Brooks also offer a similar type of product; their running shoes are all competition to Reebok’s running shoes and offer high quality alternatives to them. Vibrams are a super minimalist shoe that offers a minimalist alternative to the Reebok RealFlex. How Competing Products/Services Different The competing products on the market are different from the shoes that Reebok offers, varying from extreme to minute differences. The Nike Flywire is a fabric patented by Nike that is super lightweight compared with Reebok spikes. New Balance, Saucony, Mizuno, and Brooks offer very similar products to Reebok’s shoes. The Vibrams differ in being a completely different shoe. The Vibrams have a sock like shape and are the most minimalist shoes on the market. Competing Products/Services Evaluations Reebok’s shoes are some of the leading shoes seen on the market today. The main shoes that Reebok has introduced that dominate the others are its Zigtech line as well as the Reebok Easytones. The main competition to the EasyTones is the Sketchers ToneUps, which are a similar shoe that is supposed to help sculpt your legs just as the EasyTones do. The Nike Frees is a more successful minimalist shoe when compared to the Reebok RealFlex. The Nike Frees was the first of the minimalist shoes and thus captured most of the market from the beginning encapsulating most of the buyers. Vibrams offer the extremist, purist type minimalists the ultimate natural running experience, which no other shoe brands have tried fully to encapsulate. The market is a lot smaller, so it seems that the other companies do not find it to be worth exploiting.

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Product/Service Position Cont..

 All of the products that the market shares are:

Reebook EasyTonesRealFlexZigTechUltimateVibeYourFlexSolarVibePremierClassic

Nike:Free Run (Frees)ShoxLunarsVictory MatumboZoom

New BalanceStabilityMotion ControlCushioningMinimus RoadMizunoWave SeriesMusha 4

SauconyHurricanes, MirageStabil, CohesionGuide CrossfireCortanaTriumph, RideOmniIgnition,

BrooksPureTrailbladeGhostGreen SilenceAdrenaline 

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Product/Service Marketing Channels

 Current Product Marketing Channels Reebok’s marketing Channels are print, digital media, and television. Reebok uses magazines, banners, running websites, the internet in general, and television plugs and commercials as their marketing channels. On the internet Reebok exploits exercising websites and running forums to be able to reach their running shoe customers. Their marketing channels are where their target audience will be reached. Competitor(s) Marketing Channels Reebok’s competition’s marketing channels are generally the same as Reebok’s. They all use magazines and other print to market their running shoes. They also use the internet to market their products using various exercising websites, blogs, and other digital media. Lastly, just like Reebok there are plenty of commercials on television with Nike, Adidas, Sketchers, and other companies marketing their products. 

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Product/Service Marketing Channels Cont Advantages/Disadvantages of Current Channels The advantages of the current marketing channels:The marketing channels are already developedThe marketing channels have heavy traffic (internet, television)The marketing is placed in the channels that most of their customers useIt is simple and easy to locate their customers through profiling where their potential customers would be on the internet, television, and what magazines they will be looking atThe internet is still on the rise in the technology era making it a prime channel to be exploitingDigital media is growing at a rapid rate causing the user rate to rise, and the more people who see the product, the betterThe disadvantages of the current marketing channels:Television, though a prominent marketing channel today, is slowly fading with the new implementation of Hulu, Netflix, and other screening companiesPrint media is a marketing channel that is dying rapidly and will not exist in the future due to technologyThere are other marketing possibilities not being exploitedThe target customers are supposed to be active individuals who would not be looking at many of these marketing channels that frequently Possible Alternative Channels Different social media: facebook, twitter, and instagramMarketing through other products such as sports equipmentSince there is a similarity in their audience being exercise prominent, marketing at gyms and sporting events is pertinentCreate apps on mobile devices to promote Reebok shoes as well as convince customers to buy themMarket through the sustainability revolution by promoting a healthy body with a healthy earth

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Product/Service Marketing Program

Overall Marketing Program Overall Marketing Program at Reebok, according to Patrick Joyce, consists of positioning Reebok as a premier company in the footwear and apparel sports industry with a focus on Fitness. Program Changes Made There were a few sectors of marketing that I felt were not being exploited by Reebok, so my marketing plan consisted of taking advantage of those nodes of the market. My first idea for the marketing program was to start a GoGreen campaign to follow the green/sustainability revolution and lead the shoe industry there with it. The campaign would consist of advertising promoting Reebok’s new GoGreen running shoes created with recycled material and perfected to the best quality. It would also have to have a high-performance athlete to endorse the campaign and be the label that people staple on the campaign. I personally would attempt to sign somebody young and on the rise to relate to the young and fresh idea, and actually be a physical representation of the idea in itself. In the campaign description it would be great to give an overview of how Reebok is going with the green revolution towards sustainability, while being able to keep their high standards of quality. A partnership opportunity would also be a great way to start the campaign and get reassurance from another company who can back Reebok up and provide the foot in the door of the sustainability market. The partnership can even extend to non-profit, in order to attract new customers who love supporting charities. The GoGreen campaign would not only be a great step for Reebok, it would be innovative and capture the audience before the other companies turning Reebok’s positioning in the market to be stronger than it ever has been.The next idea that should be implemented in the marketing program of Reebok is a “Be who you want to be” campaign. The campaign promotes individualism and lets the customer know that Reebok believes that you can be whoever you want to be. The plan would be to create a shoe that has many different ways to customize it, so that each customer has their own individual shoe. Because of the specialty of the product, the cost would be a little more than an average running shoe. However, it is not an average day running shoe; it is your specific shoe that was designed by you personally, for you. The running shoes would focus on being able to let people become whoever they want to be through the fitness the shoe that it will bring you. The print and image advertising would have a silhouette of a shoe; underneath the silhouette it would read “YOU DECIDE.” Not only does this invoke extreme curiosity, it makes the customer feel like they have a say in what they want, and everyone likes to have a little control. The product captures the market that says “this shoe is great, but I wish I could just change the color here on the side.” With ReebokYou, you are able to do this. 

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Product/Service Marketing Program Cont.

 Product Advertising Program According to Patrick Joyce, Reebok’s product advertising consists of advertising through print, digital, and television ads. The print advertising is seen through magazine advertisements in health and fitness magazines. The digital advertising is seen through video advertising on Youtube to image advertising on different health websites. The television ads consist of commercial with people like Chad Ochocinco, Peyton Manning, and John Wall promoting ZigTech and other running shoes. Product Branding The brand Reebok has been around for over a century, so its brand has grown and changed over the years. The first competitive running shoe that incorporated spikes was first created by the ancestor company of Reebok. Reebok changed from this ancestor company and became Reebok named for an African Gazelle. At Reebok’s core running shoes are dominant, so as a brand this is reflected with brand recognition. Reebok now brands its running shoes with athletes like Chad Ochocinco, Peyton Manning, and John Wall. Through this advertising Reebok has built its brand to be one associated with high athletic fitness and performance. Product Marketing Success Through talking with Patrick Joyce, the Senior Manager Global Sports Marketing at Reebok International, I learned that Reebok is doing well and staying competitive with other products through the strength of their marketing strategy. This is not just a Reebok marketing manager saying that his company is doing well; it is actually backed up by evidence seen by people every day. When one turns on the television there have been lots of commercials on ESPN and other fitness channel promoting the Reebok ZigTech, through the endorsement of big time athletes like Chad Ochocinco. There have also been a good amount of commercials for CrossFit and the Reebok RealFlex on television. On the internet they have been successful through advertisement placement before watching sports videos on Youtube. Their marketing also has endorsed entertainers like Mike Posner and Tyga, who are two big names in the hip hop industry.