Fashion Marketing: By: Anwesha Nath, Nancy Das and Santa Jocita Minj
Fashion Marketing: By: Anwesha Nath, Nancy Das and Santa Jocita Minj
EXERCISE 5
James:
As you all know, I’ve been a keen cyclist for many years. And I think that there’s a real
opportunity for innovative state-of-the-art bikes. There’s always someone out there who
wants the latest gadget. We’ve all seen that in the entertainment market (with PlayStation
and iPod for instance). So I think that we can easily pick up on that trend in the bike market.
Julie:
Sure, that’s an option, but you’re talking about a pretty small market. I think that we should
go mass market. These days some kids own two or three bikes, or get a new one every year.
Success in that large market is simply price. If we make the bikes efficiently and sell them at
a low price – then the bikes will roll off the shelves as fast as we can make them.
John:
Yeah – maybe that will work. But today’s world is celebrity and brand crazy. For many kids
today, it’s all about image and status. So I think that we should get a high-profile celebrity to
endorse our product, and then get out there and really build a strong brand. This is a real
opportunity – I mean, you can list a dozen brands of cereal, but how many brands of bicycles
do you know?
Jane:
But do people really choose a bike based on the brand? Or do they choose a bike that really
suits them and has a good range of features. You know what I think – I think we should run
some focus groups with kids, teenagers, and young adults and find out what they really want
in a bike. Meeting customer needs is the key to success.
Jenny:
Well, of course, we should meet customer needs! But wouldn’t it be great if we could make a
difference to the environment as well. You know, encourage people to cycle (not drive)
whenever they can. And we could also generate a lot of free publicity by using this approach.
Based on an excerpt of a discussion provided to you from a manager’s meeting for a newly
formed firm that is setting up
as a manufacturer of bicycles. Essentially, they are discussing which marketing
orientation/philosophy they should adopt. Your task is to determine which
orientation/philosophy that you think would be the most appropriate approach for
this firm. Answer the following questions
QUESTIONS
1. Which marketing orientation/philosophy is each person essentially referring to? (Choose
from the list provided.)
2. Based on the information you have, which particular orientation do you think that the
firm should follow? Why?
I believe the firm should follow the Societal marketing concept as this particular
orientation is catering to the current need of bikes and focusing on the whole climate
control idea. The emphasis should be on social responsibility and to sustain in long term
success. This can happen when the company is providing value to the customers by
maintaining and improving both consumers and society’s well being. This would also help
the firm being better than its competitors in the long run.