Marketing strategy for the adidas adizero f50 micoach 2012

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

List of Figures

List of Abbreviations

1 Introduction

2 Marketing Mix
2.1 Product
2.1.1 Product Life Cycle
2.2 Price
2.2.1 E-Commerce
2.2.2 Competitors
2.3 Place
2.3.1 Multichannel Marketing
2.3.2 Multichannel Marketing - adidas
2.4 Promotion
2.4.1 Sponsoring
2.4.2 Testimonials

3 Conclusion

Bibliography

Executive Summary

Based on the findings of the first marketing assignment, this paper analyses the marketing strategy used by adidas to bring the adidas f50 micoach 2012 into the market. The marketing strategy is analysed according to the concept of the marketing mix and its “4 Ps”: Product, Price, Place and Promotion.

Head of the marketing campaign for the f50 was the currently most famous and best football player in the world Lionel Messi. He was the first player wearing the boot during a match three weeks before the official sale started. In addition, adidas used different testimonials to promote the boot via different online and offline mediums e.g. facebook to reach a wide range of customers.

Adidas uses a multichannel marketing strategy to distribute the adidas f50. Therefore, they use direct and indirect sales and distribution via different channels like the adidas online store, Flagship stores in big cities, traditional sellers or the factory store.

In comparison to the direct competitors Nike and Puma, adidas is the coast leader regarding the price-quality diagram and the f50 is the only football boot on the market with an integrated transponder.

List of Figures

Figure 1: Overview adizero f50

Figure 2: Generic product Life Cycle

Figure 3: Price overview direct competitors

Figure 4: Multichannel marketing by adidas

Figure 5: Testimonial Lionel Messi

Figure 6: Testimonial Lukas Podolski

Figure 7: Adidas campaign making history

List of Abbreviations

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1 Introduction

In the first assignment the definition and analysis of the football boot market was undertaken. The second assignment will give detailed information regarding the marketing strategy by adidas to introduce the adidas adizero f50 micoach 2012 (f50) to the market. This will be done by analysing the marketing mix.

Kotler and Armstrong state that: “Marketing is a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging value with others” (Meffert et al. 2008, p. 12).

In this context the following subchapters analyse the adidas marketing strategy in detail, following the marketing concept and its so-called “4 P´s”, product (chapter 2.1), price (chapter 2.2), place (chapter 2.3) and promotion (chapter 2.4). The results are summarized in the conclusion in chapter three.

2 Marketing Mix

The marketing mix refers to a combination of marketing instruments by a company at any given time. Each vendor faces the problem which marketing instruments to use in which combination, for how long and in which particular market. The marketing mix has both a qualitative and quantitative component, which should thereby be optimal (Weis 2010, p. 87). In research and practice a four-division of marketing instruments has been confirmed in consistency (Kuß 2006). With the help of the marketing mix, the marketing strategy will be realized. Therefore, product, price, place and promotion get considered (Meffert et al. 2008, p. 22). The planning of the marketing mix begins to formulate an offer that is equivalent to the needs and desires of the target group (Kotler and Bliemel 2008, p. 419). In the following chapter the so-called 4P´s get described theoretically and in regards to the adidas f50.

2.1 Product

The term product includes measures that are closely associated with the product packaging, service and warranty service. Ultimately, this includes measures in the area of merchandising as well as the decision on the type and number of products that are offered (Kuß 2006, p. 174). Kotler states that: “A product is what can be offered to a market to have a look at it, to observer, acquire, use or consume and thus to fulfil a wish or a desire (Kotler and Bliemel 2008, p. 509).

The f50 is available in two different colours and two different versions. The two versions differ with regards to the bottom plate. The following figure gives an overview of the different versions of the f50. There are also other versions like running boots or kid’s version available.

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Figure 1: Overview adizero f50 (Source: own figure)

2.1.1 Product Life Cycle

The product life cycle features the recognizable sales and sales development of products over time (Weis 2008, p. 128). The model of the life cycle tries to portray the “life cycle” of a product, measured in revenues, changes and profit or loss. An attempt is made to distinguish between the live expectancy of a product in a variety of characteristic phases (Weis 2008, p. 247). This may be due to exhaustion of the potential demand, changes in consumer demand, technological progress and many more. That means that products have a limited lifetime and pass through several phases. The product life cycle starts with the product´s development, followed by the introduction to the market. In the growth phase, sales increase until reaching the maximum at the maturity phase. After that, sales decline and finally the product leaves the market (Meffert et al. 2008, p. 822 ff.).

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Figure 2: Generic Product Life Cycle (Source: http://mgt2413.blogspot.de/2011/03/ five-stages-of-product-life-cycle.html)

If it is possible to determine at what stage the product finds itself at the moment the marketing instruments can be used more efficiently (Weis 2008, p. 247). During the lifetime of a product the marketing strategy is changed several times (Kotler and Bliemel 2008, p. 571). In the football boot market, the typical life cycle has a duration of approximately six months.

As mentioned in the first assignment, the first version of the f50 was introduced in June 2012, the second version in December 2012.

2.2 Price

From the perspective of the buyer the price is the number of available financial units that must be used for a product and then aren´t available anymore for other purposes. The price is also the extent to which the buyer must pay by purchasing a product not spending it on other possible uses of their funds (Kuß 2006, p. 263). The price is a very important element with a large influence on the market share and profits of a company (Kotler and Bliemel 2008, p. 812). The respective marketing tools are used to adjust prices and bring them into line with the customer’s willingness to pay (Kotler et al. 2010, p. 76).

2.2.1 E-Commerce

There are two different concepts of pricing. The individual price and the uniform price. The individual price will be negotiated between buyer and seller. The uniform price, however, is determined for each customer and is not customizable (Kotler et al. 2010, p. 119). As described in the first assignment in chapter 3.1.2 the booming E-Commerce sector is a threat for the official adidas online store where the f50 is also sold. Formally, the price of the football boot is a uniformed price, which is the same for all customers. But because of the E-Commerce stores, the price differs from store to store and becomes an individual price. E-Commerce stores enable a comparison of prices that´s why the prices for some products with formally uniform prices differ from one another (Kotler and Bliemel 2008, p. 811).

2.2.2 Competitors

As already mentioned in chapter 3.1.3 of the first assignment, the direct competitors of adidas are Nike, Puma, Mizuno, Diadora and Lotto. Regarding the quality-price diagram, the strongest competitors are the Nike Mercurial Vapor VIII FG and the Puma evoSPEED 1FG. For this group adidas is the cost leader (see figure 3).

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