What were some of the key characteristics of Vans' earliest customers in the 1960s and 1970s ?
Portions of the key attributes of Van’s clients in 1960s and 1970s were young people who required solid and tough footwear for their unpleasant games like skateboarding. In addition, those individuals who required modified shoes sizes because of different width and lengths of their feet. There are also those individuals who needed a shoe redid to their style and liking, and schools that required shoes that could coordinate the school shades. For the general population, it essentially implied youthful, fun, Southern California, shorelines, skateboarding and surfing.
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What was the public perception of skateboarding during this era?
Skateboarding caught on as a style because of Z-kid skating strategy. It was seen as a moneymaking prevailing fashion by enormous business in the 1970s. In the 1970s and '80s, urban communities established laws forbidding skateboarding, skate parks were filled in, and individuals who had experienced passionate feelings for the game of skateboarding were left with just their skateboards and the control in the nearby market-parking garage, just until the point that the supervisor shooed them off his private property. That is when skaters began to make their own way of life, systems, and business starting from the earliest stage.
What was Vans' competitive advantage during its early days (1960s and 70s)?
What was its value proposition to customers?
Its initial incentive to clients was to make the most long-lasting and inexpensive casual deck shoe in the market. Nonetheless, with extraordinary and solid rivalry from enormous players, it has now changed its offer to make an exclusive marking stage that would expand on their remarkable legacy and give them a long haul authority positions by concentrating on focusing on furthering their image and association with connection to the lifestyle associated with sports.
How has the company's competitive position and value proposition changed over time?
The organization's aggressive position has turned out to be more focused after some time, particularly in the 1980's, making it declare bankruptcy . It was battling with real contenders like Nike and Reebok. It went from simply offering tennis shoes, which it was popular for, to offering athletic footwear. Persons used to purchase from Van's because of its strength and reasonableness and additionally solid brand, however after some time other footwear organizations rose in the market with better plans and same or lower cost because of lower overseas manufacturing cost . Individuals are given more decision and with decision, organizations are compelled to change either their methodologies or concentrate on specific portions. Van's has now moved from an direct manufacturing company by shutting down its production line, to concentrate more on unpredictable, fashion-conscious kids , so as to stay aggressive among the huge players like Nike and Reebok.
In recent years, Vans has expanded in a number of directions. For example, the company has:
a) increased the number of sports it is affiliated with;
b) Diversified its product portfolio;
c) Expanded its distribution; and
d) Broadened its promotional mix
7. How have each of these decisions impacted:
a) Vans' customer base
Through a diversified range of products, customers have a variety to choose. More customers can now be reached and they do not require traveling far distance or waiting for days before their orders are delivers since the brand has expanded its distribution. The brand has also gained maximum knowledge about the culture, taste, climate, of its consumer needs, by broadening its promotional mix.
b) Vans' brand image:
Through diversification of products, whatever a customer requires is found in their shops, thus, there is no need to search for alternatives. By expanding its distribution, vans brand image is recognized worldwide. The right choice of the promotional mix helps the brand to communicate the benefits of its products and services to the consumers.
c) The overall alternative sports category.
Diversified its product has managed to capture all sports such that player can lack the best shoe for his or her game. By expanding its distribution, all sectors of sports worldwide now are at equal level since any play can access the right shoes at the right place.
For the brand to penetrate within the market, it has mastered the art of maximizing knowledge to design a correct set of promotional mix for marketing its marketing campaign.
8. The biggest question facing Schoenfeld now is "how to drive that next stage of growth" (case, p.2). One option is to focus on the shoe category. The challenge here is to fix the Women's Collection and decide what to do about the Outdoor Collection. The second option is to focus on growing within the "entertainment" category despite the fact that the company admits it has little expertise in this area. The challenge is to figure out which projects to focus on. It could be movies ("we don't know the first thing about the movie business"), music ("we don't really know how to make and sell music"), and videogames ("I can't say for sure how this will play out").
Van’s is best known for retailing footwear and attire to skateboarders, surfers, and other elective games competitors. Of late, Gary Schoenfeld, the CEO, is confronting various difficulties. As for footwear, he should choose what to do around two product lines that are fighting - the open-air line of hiking shoes and the women’s collection. Even more extensively, Vans is as of now embarking on various new pursuits, some of which the organization has little involvement. For instance, Vans is advancing a full-length movie, making its own record name, and working with computer game engineers to create amusements in light of its sporting events. As of late, the CEO seems to have restored the brand; nevertheless, it is indistinct whether the organization is in peril of losing its no-nonsense client base as it ventures into the customer standard.
Do you believe Vans should be focusing on shoes, entertainment, or both? 6) Do you think Vans should attempt to become a $1 billion brand? Why or why not?
I agree on both. Vans cannot live without its way of life and history has demonstrated that. In the meantime, diversion into the entertainment industry can likewise be and stimuli to new clients. The market is developing, and it is an ideal opportunity to extending with the assistance of diversion. Other than that, the decision of diversion would be precisely chosen and created step by step. That is another approach to beat its rivals, for example, Nike for the most part spend huge amounts on adverts.
