Strategic Marketing Managment - Essay Example

Reebok began as an athletic shoe brand for the women’s aerobics segment because it had substantive consumer insights about the women segment. However, Reebok then changed its positioning strategy and it is now positioned as a lifestyle shoe demanded by several youth markets. The most important reason behind this change in positioning strategy was the marketing research that enabled Reebok to identify and analyse the scope of targeting new groups. Reebok managers had understood that a strong gap exists in the market of teenagers and young adults (youths), where there has been a never-ending demand of lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories.

For instance, Reebok marketers were also aware of the fact that their customers have inclination towards fitness and training, which could be met if they are offered premium quality fitness shoe brands and other supporting products. In this way, Reebok initiated a business expansion plan and launched its new positioning campaign to create awareness about company’s expanded product portfolio among Reebok‘s women, men and classics segments. In this way, Reebok enhanced its growth in the United States, North American and Europe markets.

Distribution channel members (especially retailers) also played their vital role in positioning of Reebok’s products in the minds of end-users. . In other words, a market could be divided into segments comprising customers with differences in ages, lifestyle, attitudes, behaviours, norms, standards, desires, income, education, marital status, religion, language, customs and traditions etc. Segmentation is an inevitable part of marketing strategy because it directly impacts marketing mix planning.

Reebok has divided its market into 3 core segments that include Reebok men’s, women’s and classics. The sub-segments include Young adults (age 14 – 24 years), adults (age 25 – 40 years), middle-aged (age 40 – 55 years) and seniors (age 56 years and above). In addition, the customers are also divided into middle – middle, upper – middle and elite social classes to increase market reach and sales revenue. Indeed, the shoe-maker which has now become a part of Adidas group targets initially targeted women by coming up with a comprehensive idea of ‘women’s fitness with fun’ to enhance its credibility among women customers.

The group reinforced its ideas regarding women’s fitness during 2009 and 2010 when it launched EasyTone, RunTone and TrainTone collections followed by launch of new women’s programmes and partnerships. The second core segment is known as Reebok’s men and the marketers target male customers. The company has established cordial ties with “ world’s top athletes, professional leagues and teams“ because these are opinion leaders and they facilitates in brand positioning and building consumer mindsets.

This segment has immense potential because of natural inclination of a large majority of males in outdoor sports, athletic ventures, sporting and fitness activities. ReeZig and