New and Exciting Positioning and Brand Loyalty
Brand Loyalty
No industry exemplifies brand loyalty better than the one exhibited in the sports products industry. Athletes, team owners, and the general public exhibit loyalty to specific sportswear brands, tools, equipment, and energy drinks, among other sports products. The loyalty is so intense that consumers are willing to pay anything to get their preferred brand. Companies that make these products apply promotional efforts to gain a competitive edge. These brands also create an identifiable image to stay at the top of the market. Sports products companies use product placement, psychological marketing, and celebrity endorsement to drive brand loyalty.
Nike Sneakers
Nike shoes are popular with athletes and non-sporting people. One of the reasons for the brand loyalty towards Nike shoes is their high quality. In this case, quality refers to the appearance and functional attributes that fulfill consumer needs. Nike sneakers are designed to offer maximum comfort while enabling athletes to go about their activities effectively (Pa et al., 2021). The spongy feel that is fitted on sneakers helps athletes go about their demanding sports; they cannot think of other brands.
Besides, promotional efforts employed by Nike have played a role in driving brand loyalty. Consumers feel valued when a brand incorporates their personal preferences into a product (Shank & Lyberger, 2022). Besides, the company runs a loyalty program that benefits frequent shoppers. For instance, frequent shoppers have exclusive access to Nike events and sporting events.
Nike also uses psychological promotions to drive sales. Such promotions usually target non-sporting individuals. The company drives the psychological philosophy-‘compete with yourself’. The marketing effort encourages sales to people who use Nike sneakers for workout purposes.
Redbull
Redbull is also a common energy drink used by most sports athletes. The drink owned by Red Bull GmbH has a strong, powerful brand image attributable to its efforts to market it.
Redbull’s success story is attributable primarily to its sponsorship initiatives. The brand also leverages celebrity endorsement to push its products into the market. The company has established a niche in sponsoring extreme sports such as Moto GP, Formula 1, air races, and diving. Extreme sports are energy-demanding; hence, the brand uses them to show that their drink provides the athletic energy needed for stellar performance (Tough, 2013). Also, Redbull sponsors sporting activities, which shows that the company cares for athletes, thus enhancing loyalty.
Adidas Sports Outfits
Adidas outfits are recognized in almost every part of the world due to the company’s strong brand image. The sports and fashion company has created a positive brand image and widespread awareness due to many marketing efforts (Shank & Lyberger, 2022). Consumers view Adidas products as high quality and fashionable; hence, they can pay anything to have them.
At the core of Adidas’s brand loyalty is utilizing technology to make products that align with consumer needs. The company heavily relies on big data analytics to understand the needs of its digitally-driven consumer base. Besides, the brand has sales apps that respond to trends quickly, enabling the company to stay at the top.
Recommendations
Most sports brands currently only focus on digital platforms to drive sales. However, there exists a window of opportunity in the world of mouth recommendations. The brands should adopt mechanisms that will make the propensity for verbal recommendations high. Verbal recommendations will help these sports product companies push their merchandise to the elderly demographics. Unlike young people who access marketing messages on social media platforms such as Facebook, the elderly can only hear through word of mouth.
References
Pa, W. A. M. W., Zainal, M. S., & Mahmud, M. S. (2021). Factor Of Brand Loyalty In Sportswear Among Student-Athletes. Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and Government Vol, 27(1).
Shank, M. D., & Lyberger, M. R. (2022). Sports marketing: a strategic perspective. Routledge.
Tough, H. (2013). Kentucky Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.
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Question
Identify at least three sports products to which consumers demonstrate high degrees of brand loyalty. Summarize these products and why you think loyalty is so high.
Search the internet for the websites of these products. Compare and contrast the products’ positioning on their websites. Discuss what you, as a manager, would do differently with these products regarding positioning.
1. Shank, M.D., Lyberger, M.R. (2014). Sports marketing: A strategic perspective (5th ed.). Retrieved from https://www.vitalsource.com/
Jordan, E., Upright, P., & Forsythe, S. (2017). Social media and relationship marketing in community sport. (Links to an external site.) KAHPERD Journal, 55(1), 8-19. Retrieved from https://www.ebsco.com/