Columbia Sports Gear Social Media Monitoring Critique and Analysis

Columbia Sportswear Company is a leading actor in the footwear, apparel and equipment industry. The company designs, manufacture and distributes outdoor products under different brands including Columbia, Sorel, Mountain Hardwear, and Prana. Columbia Sportswear adopts a rich heritage of craftsmanship and functionality on its products. Outdoor wear industry has been growing steadily in sales, and there is stiff competition in the sector. Some of the competitors in the sector include Nike, Adidas, and Umbro. E-commerce growth has created an opportunity for a direct-to-consumer business model that has enabled corporations to reduce their expenses and also reach more customers. Companies in the outdoor apparel sector have adopted the direct-to-consumer model as it allows firms to have a more authentic relationship with the customers (Chen, 2018). Social media is integral in the direct-to-consumer marketing era. Companies using social media are able to reach more customers and further bypass advertising agencies. Moreover, social media is a convenient platform for the organization and the customers (Sihi, & Lawson, 2018). Marketing through social media has been employed by fashion brands to engage customers and increase sales. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow firms to display their products and show pricing. Besides, the customer can interact with the firm personnel. Feedback and complaints are through social media platforms, and this improves the performance of the company regarding sales.

Thesis Statement: This report will present an analysis and critique of Columbia Sportswear company use of social media as a marketing platform for its different outdoor apparel and footwear products. 

Summary of Social Media Use by Columbia Sportswear Company

The company has a presence in all major social media platforms. Columbia Sportswear has a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest, and Youtube. The firm has elaborate social media presence as it appreciates the significance of the platform. Corporations in the fashion brands sector use social media platforms as a two-way conversation channel with their customers. Unfortunately, most of these organizations use auto-response tools to communicate with the clients. In most cases, messages are sent, and the response that comes back is derived from auto-response platforms. One area that the company has excelled in is the ability to update the available clothing in the social media platforms continuously. Different designs of apparel and footwear form part of the catalog of items that the company advertises through its various social media pages. Customers are able to view the different items together with the pricing and even make purchase orders. The YouTube channel for Columbia contains videos that highlight experiences of using the products of the firm. One of the best advertisements on YouTube for the company is the ‘Tested Tough Series.’ The video depicts the adventure one has while using the company products in different destinations around the world.

Youthful individuals make up the most significant percentage of consumers using social media to access the products of different products (Sihi, & Lawson, 2018). Such a demographic of individuals is information driven in terms of purchase decisions. Subsequently, the interactive capacity of social media is an added advantage to companies such as Columbia Sportswear that targets young and outgoing population. Columbia social media pages allow consumers to provide feedback on their experiences after purchasing their products. Feedback allows the company to improve its process and become better in terms of quality of service. Social media use by Columbia Sportswear has allowed for creativity to be explored through videos that engage the consumers. Moreover, promotions through contests have ensured that people continue discussing the different products of the firm.

Results and Analysis

A summary of Columbia Sportswear historical and current use of social media as a marketing tool will be provided in this section. 

Organizational use of Social Media: Use of each Tool

Columbia Sportswear uses YouTube to showcase videos of the adventurous experiences its customers enjoy. One marketing campaign available through Youtube is the ‘Tested Tough series.’ It is a captivating marketing campaign that can make one watch keenly and even plan for a trip. The biggest drawback in the Columbia sportswear Youtube tool is the poor customer feedback provided. Interaction with the company is non-existent and appears computer generated due to the automatic responses provided. 

The company has a Facebook presence where different products including outdoor apparel and footwear are advertised. Customers view the different products and ‘like’ the ones they are attracted to in the catalog. One is also able to communicate with the organization and make inquiries on pricing and availability of the product in particular regions. Feedback through Facebook is much better than on Youtube. On the other hand, the Instagram platform has been used by the company to advertise its products. In both Facebook and Instagram, Columbia Sportswear posts pictures of different products and their prices. Once posted customers can view the different designs and cost of each, furthermore, one can make orders and pay using their credit cards. The process is seamless as deliveries are made based on the location of the buyer. It is possible for one to make specific orders of products as the different designs are showcased on social media. The biggest challenge with online purchases is the fact that sometimes deliveries of wrong designs are made. In some of the platforms such as Facebook, one could see the comments by previous customers indicating that their orders were different from what was delivered. Wrong deliveries are bad publicity for the company. 

Competitive Position of Columbia Sportswear with Respect to the use of Social Media

Columbia Sportswear has been able to market its line of products through social media over the years. The company has achieved this fete by having an active social media presence. Products of the firm are regularly posted and updated for the followers. Moreover, promotions are conducted through social media, and this serves as a way of engaging the customers. Social media has given Columbia Sportswear more coverage globally as most of its followers are distributed around the globe. The company has headquarters in the USA, but its production line is in other countries where there is cheap labor. Different companies in the apparels and footwear leverage on social media as the main marketing platform (Coker, Flight, & Baima, 2017). Subsequently, it has leveraged on social media to market its products and grow market share.

Columbia Sportswear has been able to reach more customers globally through social media marketing. More individuals are able to purchase the different products offered by Columbia Sportswear from different regions. The brand awareness has improved thereby ensuring that the marketing campaigns are successful. Some of the best practices for social media marketing for fashion brands include always to update the different designs posted on social media. Most followers on social media are young people who get bored quite quickly. Therefore, captivating new models tend to attract them closer to a particular brand. Columbia Sportswear has been able to achieve this aspect through social media presence. 

SWOT/ Competitive Analysis based on Social Media Conversations

Assessment and Recommendations

There is a need for Columbia Sportswear to increase investments in social media marketing. Sales representatives need to be hired in order to respond quickly to customer queries. The response rate for queries posted by customers’ needs to be reduced to ensure that customer interaction and service provision are achieved. Sihi and Lawson (2018) assert that using social media for marketing helps blend boundaries between individuals and organizations. Followers on social media become online representatives when corporations advertise their products. Subsequently, any negative feedback can become a challenge for the company if it is not addressed. On the other hand, Columbia Sportswear should employ video storytelling campaigns through YouTube. Storytelling videos when used as marketing campaigns improve the attitude of customers towards the brand and promotes viewing rather than skipping (Coker et al., 2017). Columbia should, therefore, use such video advertisements more on its different social media platforms as a way of capturing the attention of consumers. The company stands a better chance of growing its market share by introducing different promotion campaigns over social media platforms. Promotion campaigns will quickly spread on the different social media websites, and this will heighten brand awareness in a new market

References

Chen, C. (2018). Retail Maybe Sinking, but Outdoor Apparel is Killing it. TheStreet. Retrieved from https://www.thestreet.com/story/14463219/1/retail-may-be-sinking-but-outdoor-apparel-is-killing-it.html

Coker, K. K., Flight, R. L., & Baima, D. M. (2017). Skip It or View It: The Role of Video Storytelling in Social Media Marketing.  Marketing Management Journal, 27 (2), 75–87. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=128190010&site=ehost-live

Sihi, D., & Lawson, K. (2018). Marketing Leaders and Social Media: Blending Personal and Professional Identities.  Journal of Marketing Theory & Practice, 26 (1/2), 38–54. https://doi.org/10.1080/10696679.2017.1389240