Adidas Footwear Consumer Behavior Analysis
Introduction
I purchased an Adidas Sneaker that I intended to use it for physical exercise practices such as jogging, playing football, badminton, and cricket in the neighborhood. Besides, I would wear the sneakers with my three pairs of jeans while making casual walks across the estate and city. The Adidas sneakers are flattened with multiple color designs. The most predominant colors are yellow, red, and green that form the three standard Adidas lines which make the shoes outstanding for any user. Ideally, the sneakers are made to suit different occasions and clothing. The two distinct characteristics were critical in my decision to buy the Adidas sneakers. The material used in making the sportswear makes the shoes unique and outstanding among other sportswear products in the market. Notably, the leather material that was used in making the shoes was important in my decision of buying the product. Furthermore, the sneakers have laces that make it durable and comfortable for a given occasion.
My decision to purchase the Adidas sneakers was influenced by personal desires and the environmental factors such as celebrities wearing the brand. Before purchasing the product, I conducted personal research to confirm my decision. I observed the predominant Adidas shoes in the market and then narrowed into the one that can suit my sports and fashion desires at the moment. Some of the important aspects that I considered first included color and make, before researching on other factors such as durability and authenticity. The latter characteristic was determined using online researchers and considering reviews from consumers. The most significant aspect at this point was the adidas website and online stores that sell sportswear products.
On the interview part, I identified a female and male respondent that were below the age of thirty years. Both of them were singled out from random Adidas footwear stores after they purchased shoes at different occasions. The stores were randomly picked to avoid any chances of biases, where the intention of buying the product was noted. The female respondent purchased a pair of Adidas shoes that is suitable for casual dressing only and was pure white in color. The other usability capability was playing basketball on soft grounds and was designed to meet both gender needs for a sport’s needs. On the other hand, the male respondent had purchased Adidas tracksuit and pair of shoes. The two products were white in color and were the latest Adidas brands in the market that were trending among the respondent’s age group.
Secondary Research on Adidas Shoes consumer behavior
Consumer Age Group
Though Adidas branded shoes do not have specific target age group, consumers are attracted to the product by durability and fashion appeal. Some customers have been loyal to Adidas footwear products for ages because of the identity it provides for them and the personal satisfactory they feel in pulling a pair of Adidas shoes. Despite the overall customer approval of its products, Adidas has a unique target market like other sportswear manufacturers. Given this, Adidas footwear is majorly made for persons under the age of thirty years and has a distinct fashion behavior. The target market is young adults and youths who follow trending fashion by keeping tabs on what music, fashion, and sports celebrities wear on both their official and casual duties. Overall, the consumer behavior for Adidas shoes is determined by the latest brand, and the amount of advertisement Adidas adopts in selling the product.
Consumer decision-making process for Adidas Footwear
Brand personality
The decision to purchase footwear is determined by gender, age, occupation, and lifestyle. On factors that affect the consumptions decision of youths, Tong and Chunxiao (pg. 492), cite product price, quality and brand image. Similarly, Yoldas pg. 28 cite factors such as social class, culture, salary level, family, and group relation as significant in the decision-making process for sportswear consumers. However, from a target market perspective, Adidas use consumer ethnocentrism and brand personality to achieve its sales goals. Concisely, brand personality is the personal desires that consumers perceive a brand possess. The trait has been a significant promotional tool in the sportswear industry, with Adidas adopting it as a primary competitive advantage strategy. Adidas footwear personification is a fashionable, modern young person that is energetic and loves trending fashion. In this regard, Adidas considers the social considerations of its consumers in developing its footwear and advance their innovation by strategic selection of its promoters. It selects personalities that carry the same traits that its products attempt meet in a consumer’s life.
In the footwear industry, Adidas segments itself as a symbolic fulfillment company rather than a utilitarian function fulfilling entity. Its customers can identify with the product especially through its continuous innovation and incorporation of a chain of top celebrities in its product promotion campaigns. Adidas uses this marketing tool to increases brand loyalty, confidence and comfort in the minds of its consumers. Fundamentally, this is what describes a typical energetic young person; where they want to fill comfortable in Adidas footwear, have the confidence to face their friends. The target consumer wants to command respect and recognition while in a social group. Since Adidas has structured its footwear to meet this perception, it commands a strong consumer loyalty. However, meeting this market desires can only be achieved with aggressive marketing that targets the consumer in a unique way.
Impact of advertisement on the consumer decision-making process of Adidas footwear
The trend in Adidas ads and other sportswear manufacturers has been based on including the most trending celebrities in adverts as much as possible. The strategy is to have a star that will make sure a huge number of potential consumers are aware of the latest brand. One instance is the 2015 Adidas advertising campaign that used Snoop Dog to create awareness of its product to the masses (Ad week, N.P). Adidas sponsored Snoop Dog to conduct a sports talk show, which was in line with his humorous talk-show that commands a huge fan base.
The use of celebrity to create brand awareness has been continuous in Adidas, which has been a primary competitive strategy pitting it against Nike. Since Adidas selling point is mainly based on footwear, it has based its branding image on sports personalities. Such people include soccer, tennis, and track athletes who have a huge fan base because of their exploits. Adidas endorses such people to promote the confidence aspect of its footwear because most sports champions are associated with bravery and the desire to win. Therefore, a fan watching a particular sports personality downing an Adidas product will be psychologically convinced to buy a similar product. Besides, using sports personalities, Adidas also influence consumer behavior through renowned societies, and sports club. Currently, Adidas has endorsements with global football, baseball, basketball, and rugby clubs, which can influence the consumers’ perception of the consumer. In a typical market, consumers tend to associate one brand to another, based on their royalties, durability, and personal alienation. For instance, the probability of a person buying a premium priced product to complement another premium priced one is high. In this regard, Adidas products tend to be associated with a consumer’s loyalty to another brand such as football and basketball club. The trait has been exploited in the sportswear industry, with the customers behaviors dictated by the allegiance they have to a sports club.
Ethnocentrism and COO impact Adidas footwear consumption
Ethnocentrism and Coo are key consumer behavior determinants in any industry. First, COO describes the country of origin of a particular product and the related consumer perception towards the product. Some of the critical COO attitudes in deciding on whether to buy a product include quality and the jurisdiction perception. Secondly, the ethnocentric aspects of a product are crucial in determining the consumer’s behavior towards a particular product in the sense of that culture and country of origin are important in whether one will use a particular product. An example is a cultural aspect that has dictated the penetration of new products in the Asian market. For instance, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Starbucks Asian market industry were influenced by cultural practices and religious beliefs in the countries. In Japan, for example, Coca-Cola had a challenge in winning the market competition because of an ingredient that was disliked by the locals. Similarly, Starbucks entry into the Indian market was met with strong resistance because of its choice of advertisement. Starbucks was accused of lacking racial diversity in its advertisements campaigns which are viewed by the Indian consumers as discriminatory practices. In one instance, consumer awareness campaigners pointed out on Starbucks use of white hands only in its ads. On the same note, the ethnocentric property has been observed in the social media application development market, with Asia a notable hostile market for America based products. Social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter have not been embraced in the continent, with locals opting for home-made applications from their social media interactions. An example is the WeChart social app in China that has outdone Facebook in one of the world’s biggest economy with a huge population (Custer). Similarly, the ethnocentric trend is critical in the sportswear industry which is a significant promotional factor in Adidas and Nike market share battle.
Adidas is a Germany-based brand, while Nike is an American brand, which affects the consumer perception towards the product. Ideally, Adidas has a better consumer approval in Europe, while Nike rules the American market. In this respect, Adidas wins approval in consumers in Europe, especially Germans who idolize the product. For instance, the Adidas footwear in Germany is associated with the successful in the sports realm, with football legends such as Franc Beckenbaucer a good example of the ethnocentric aspect of products. In fact, there is an Adidas footwear brand that is embedded with his name and is famous with most German and European Adidas product enthusiast.
Besides the sports aspect of the Franz Beckenbaucer, he is also associated with leadership and, elegant lifestyle, and dominance. Concisely, this is what the consumer wants from a footwear product since it fulfills their internal needs and desire as noted in the brand personality of a product. Likewise, Adidas popularity in Europe is due to its approval since its entry into the market and the alienation towards European-based products by consumers. However, in the sportswear industry, the ethnocentric aspect is not a major factor, with sportswear producers using the point to consolidate local markets and accelerate sales when launching new products.
Impacts of Gender on Sportswear consumption
According to Bae and John pg. 43, there is a significant difference gender difference in the Sports apparel shopping pattern. Given this, the researchers noted a difference in buying patterns of the two genders based on recreation, quality, confusion, impulse, fashion, price, impulse, and brand. On the recreation, impulse, and brand aspects of shopping behaviors of the consumers, it is noted that though all sportswear consumers perceive shopping as a leisure activity, female consumers tend to spend more time gathering and analyzing information on their intended target product.
In the same respect, a female consumer has a high chance of doing impulse shopping than male consumers. Moreover, female sportswear consumers tend to purchase premium-priced brands because they associate quality with price and brand royalty. However, the female consumers are confused by factors such as color, size, and texture because they spend a lot of time researching on the right combination. An interesting aspect in the buying trends between female and male consumers of sportswear is the lack of significant difference regarding price and fashion consciousness. Both men and women are interested in buying exciting, trending and stylish products in the industry. Nonetheless, there are emerging shopping difference based on gender that is influenced by economic situations, sex role, culture and the environment.
Sportswear and Fitness
There is a psychological relationship between fitness and consumption of sportswear especially footwear, where fitness enthusiast is continually inclining into trending and attractive sportswear while working out. Arguably, Adidas has some of the best footwear trainers that are common among persons working out at the gym or in open fields. According to Wiebe, certain training clothes and footwear have a psychological impact on fitness enthusiasts, with expensive clothing motivating persons to adhere to fitness regimes or join a particular exercise program. Likewise, the desire to be known as fitness enthusiast has contributed to the success of sportswear companies such as Adidas, Puma, and Nike. For instance, when people note an individual wearing a certain sportswear brand they will be associated with fitness, which creates a psychology satisfaction on the user.
Primary Research: Interviews
The main research incorporated two respondents: A female and male consumer who bought Adidas footwear and tracksuits. The first respondent, the female consumer highlighted several reasons for purchasing the pure white Adidas sneakers. Her motivation included quality, recreation, novelty, and habitual. Though the shoes commanded a premium price compared to other options in the sports store such as Nike, Puma, and Under Armor, the respondent did not mind the price tag as long as it offered her the quality she craved for while looking for a shoe that could suit her sporty and trending lifestyle. Besides purchasing the product without price restrictions, she was also inspired by her recreational consciousness where she came across the product on her usual online checking of the latest sports outfit coupled up with a desire to use innovative products. In this sense, the advertisement aspect of the product was crucial in her desire to own the footwear. On why she selected that particular store for her shopping, she believes the store offered the best discount and authentic products which she has used for several years. However, the respondent was not influenced by the origin of the Adidas footwear and had no idea on any ethical and cultural issues surrounding the Adidas Company.
The second respondent was a male consumer who bought a pair of Adidas sneakers and tracksuit who cited brand consciousness, choosing difficulties, and price and fashion knowledge as the influential factors in her decision. The respondent said he had done significant research on the Adidas shoe and tracksuit after noting a celebrity wearing the matching Adidas products. He confesses that it was hard to select the right tracksuit due to the plethora of tracksuit choices he had in the stores. Though he feels he did not get the best available bargain, the fact that one of his idols and role models posed it convinced him to buy the same color and quality he had on his random online research. Furthermore, his fashion sense was crucial in his decision to own the Adidas product because he has a habit of acquiring new cloth attires before they are outdated in the fashion realm.
Analysis
Based on the studied consumer behavior and decision-making process, my decision to purchase the Adidas footwear was influenced by several factors that include personal desires, advertisement and the psychological impacts of other consumers. First, the product attracted me because of its ability to fulfill my sporting and fashion lifestyle. The Adidas footwear defines me as a confident and comfort-loving person. Moreover, the celebrities used to advertise the product had a significant impact on my decision to purchase the Adidas footwear.
The Adidas footwear falls in the sports apparel category that also contains other products such as Puma, Nike, Umbro and Under Armor sportswear. On the competitive positioning, Adidas faces competition from Sketches USA and Under Armor. Though Nike is the leading sportswear brand, Adidas is gradually gaiani8ng market advantage in various markets across the globe. Adidas footwear is the core of the company’s business, with the women wear category providing a market opportunity for the company. Adidas has a strong market lead outside North America as compared to its closest rival Nike.
Some of the sociological, cultural, and psychological factors that influenced my purchases included the desire to keep my sporty lifestyle, be fit, and live a healthy lifestyle. On the same note, my passion of playing and watching soccer and basketball influenced my decision. Moreover, there was a significant peer influence in this decision, with most of my immediate friends embracing the sporting culture. In this aspect, sports personalities that I grew idolizing such as David Beckham influenced my Adidas footwear decision. On the fashion aspect, peer reviews on the novelty and quality associated with Adidas product coupled up with my less formal fashion lifestyle. Notably, sneakers have been a predominant fashion possession during my life, where I embrace the jeans and sneakers dressing code.
Besides the cultural and psychological factors that affected my decision, social network interactions were significant in choosing the Adidas footwear. According to my online research, I noted that most of the reviews on Adidas were on the particular footwear that I purchased. Based on my decision and the conducted primary research, there were similarities and differences between my consumer product process and the two respondents I interviewed. On the similarity, side, we all cared about the quality aspect of the Adidas footwear, with little interest on the cost. Similarly, we possessed a mere novelty and fashion conscious attribute, where we loved doing perennial shopping and had an inclination towards Adidas sportswear product. Moreover, the desire to have the trending fashion look was a motivating factor in acquiring our respective products. Overall, our decision was motivated by the psychological satisfaction that Adidas offers in the long term. On the contrary, we conducted varying product research process, with me, in particular, relying on peer reviews. The first responded used her fashion experience to come up with her decision. The second responded was influenced by his healthy living desires and celebrities who used the Adidas brand.
Despite the premium market price and customer loyalty that Adidas footwear command there is marketing weakness regarding product segmentation and positioning. First, Adidas should consider creating footwear that serves the entire population divide because most of its products are made for the young male adults. Adidas should consider that Generation X, and Baby Boomers were raised in a generation with aggressive sports culture development. Likewise, a majority of these generations are trying to practice healthy living and are concerned with their sense of fashion. Further, Adidas should widen its footwear market segment to incorporate more feminine products. On the promotion aspect, Adidas should increase its outlet for consumers to know authentic sellers of its products. The Online Adidas platform should be made aware to potential consumers for them to get the latest brands and trends in the sportswear industry. On the promotion realm, Adidas should offer perennial discounts on its footwear. On the same note, the pricing strategy should be competitive and offer value for money, without scaring away potential clients. The company should enhance its marketing of non-sportswear such as Adidas Jumpers and Hoodies that are not synonymous with most consumers and sportswear enthusiasts.
One of the emerging issues in the marketing is the use of qualitative market research, which is used to ascertain the psychographic, social and cultural needs of the potential market. Concerning Adidas footwear products, the company should consider aggressive qualitative market research to know what the consumers need in terms of comfort and product customization. Notably, product customization is the latest segment in the fashion realm where consumers are given the chance to design their own products. Qualitative research will help product developers know the best material and models to offer in the market. The recommended qualitative techniques for Adidas include focus group interview through random questionnaires and observation. Adidas can do focus group interviews by interviewing consumers visiting its stores or sending emailing to potential consumers. On the other hand, observations can be done through observing consumer trends on sportswear products through online observations and consumer orders of Adidas brands.
Works Cited
Adweek. “Adidas Gives Snoop Dogg His Own Football Talk Show as a Prelude To Super Bowl 50.” AdWeek. N.P. 2015. Web. 5 June 2016.
Bae, Sungwon and John Miller. “Consumer Decision-Making Styles for Sports Apparel: Gender Comparisons between College Consumers.” Journal of Research 4.1 40-43. Print.
Custer, Charlie. “Why China’s Biggest App Has Sputtered Everywhere Else.” Fast Company. N.P. 2016. Web. 5 June 2016.
Tong, Xiao, and Chunxiao Li. “Impact of Brand Personality and Consumer Ethnocentrism in China’s Sportswear Market.” Asia-Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics 25.3 (2013): 491-509. ProQuest. Web. 5 June 2016.
Wiebe, Jamie. “Psychology Of Lululemon: How Fashion Affects Fitness.” The Atlantic 2013: N.P. Web. 4 June 2016.
Yoldas, Seda. “A Research about Buying Behaviors of Online Customers Comparison of Turkey with the UK”. University. University of Roehampton, 2011. Print.
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