Running for Brooks

Brooks designs running shoes and apparel that provide the utmost comfort and support for runners. Their motto is "Run Happy!"

Brooks is an elite company for buying shoes and apparel. Especially when it comes to shoes, because they can cater to a niche market. Consumers who are near and dear to running will spend more money on a quality Brooks shoe, and for consumers who enjoy buying "green" products, Brooks appeals to them as well.

If you go on the brooks website, and are wanting to find out more information about their shoes and which one would be best for you, click on the "Brooks Running Shoe Advisor." This tool will ask you several questions about your foot, what you are using the shoes for, and what surfaces you will be using the shoe on. This quick test gives Brooks unique information on how to best supply you with an accurate shoe for you feet. I took the test and was recommended four different types of shoes: Glycerin 8, Defyance 4, Ghost 3, and Summon 2. After looking at all four options, the best shoe for me would probably be the Summon 2. This shoe is fairly affordable at $85.00 a pair and has built-in stability with smooth heel-to-toe transition. This light-weight shoe is a great choice for anyone! See below for a picture:

Summon 2 Running Shoe

After navigating the Brooks website, I was pleasantly surprised that they provide a large amount of information on their shoes, products, and running events/marathons. The Brooks website caters to their customers and gives them different interactive options when coming time to choose a shoe. This includes the "Brooks Running Shoe Advisor" that I mentioned earlier. Brooks is an overall amazing company and offers quality running shoes and apparel. Check out brooksrunning.com to learn more about the company and see what shoe is best for you!

Running, with a Local Flair

Here in the Seattle area is a company that is newer than many of the companies we have been writing on the last few weeks. Brooks is a company that exclusively focuses on running shoes, apparel, and accessories. They are based out of Bothell, Washington, a suburb that is about 20 minutes outside of Seattle. They have developed a reputation of having outstanding apparel for both men and women.






Brooks has slowly become a bigger and bigger threat to the "big boys" in the running industry. They have a staple of great shoes that are not only to compete with Nike and Adidas, but sometimes they have become more popular. As a high school kid around the running community, both Nike and Adidas were not viewed vary favorably. They were known as not having great shoes for runners. In fact, it almost appeared that running shoes were a bit of an after thought for those two companies.

Also, Brooks was very competitive with the likes of Asics, Mizuno, and Saucony. I have seen as many Brooks shoes as any of those other companies at meets and big runs, like the Seattle Marathon. There were countless runners taking the street who were wearing the Adrenaline or the Trance, two of the more popular shoes made by the company. That is a true testament to how far Brooks truly has come in the last five years.

Brooks has done a great job of creating shoes that have the customer in mind. As long as they continue to do this, Brooks will continue to make strides in the running community as a fantastic shoe to wear.

-John

Lululemon's Local Heros

As of right now, Lululemon approaches the use of athletes in a different way than all of the companies we have discussed thus far. They will not pay athletes to wear their clothes and support their company. They want people to wear their products because they truly like their products and would choose to wear them. According to their website, over 60 athletes have become what Lululemon calls "elite ambassadors".

They also encourage local athletes to be ambassadors as well. They ask people who embody the lifestyle and culture of the company to apply and you should be allowed to find these people on their website (but it looks like the link is broken right now). They hope to provide inspiration to new and future customers and attract them with their low-key status.

This company uses a "manifesto" that poses questions and uses phrases to draw people into the culture of Lululemon. The manifesto poster is pictured above and can be accessed on the firm's website as well. Keep in mind they are targeting people (mostly women) that participate in yoga and dance.

The marketing strategy used by Lululemon is definitely a different approach but it gives off the attitude that anybody can be an athlete and we should look up to the people in our own lives and neighborhoods that inspire us. How do you think this strategy compares to others in the industry like Nike, Under Armour, and New Balance?

The Wunder Under World of Lululemon

Lululemon is becoming quite the popular sports apparel store for yoga, running and other sports products that are desirable to consumers. As of a few months ago, I had never heard of Lululemon, until my sister was singing their praises and telling me how amazing they are. I was hesitant to go shopping with her to check out their products, because they are fairly expensive, and as a college student I don't always have tons of money to splurge on sports apparel. However, I went into the Lululemon store located in the University District by the University of Washington in Seattle. I walked in and tried on a pair of their "Wunder Under Legginings" and absolutely fell in love! Not only were they extremely comfortable, but they were trendy and made of quality materials. So, needless to say, I was instantly sold on their products and left the store with two pairs of pants: my amazing Wunder Under Leggings and a pair of cropped capri pants. The prices of the pants were a little expensive for me, but the quality was worth it! I ended up spending $78 on each and got a free hemming for my Wunder Under Leggings. They take your measurements for the hemming right in the store and have their alterations department alter the pants for you and when they are finished you can come back and pick them up or have them mailed to your home. Their quality customer service and attention to detail makes shopping in their store a positive experience.

Take a look below and check out the Lululemon Wunder Under Leggings and crop pants:

Wunder Under Legging Wunder Under Crop Pant

Lululemon specializes in yoga gear, including mats, sports bras, shorts, crops, pants, tops and much much more. They have products for yoga/pillates, hot yoga, running, and everyday sports activities. The nice thing about Lululemon products are that they are versatile and can be used in practically any sport. I wear my Lululemon pants to CrossFit and yoga, which are two sports that are completely different. However, they work great in both sporting arenas and are EXTREMELY comfortable. Their spandex material makes working out in them a great experience. And not to mention ladies, any pair of Lululemon pants makes your butt look amazing! =)

As a newly founded Lululemon customer, I would highly recommend their products. So the next time you have a day off, go in to your local Lululemon store and check out some of their new products!

It's Yoga Time

Lululemon is a company based out of Vancouver BC which features comfortable clothing for yoga. Founder Chip Wilson turned to yoga in the mid 90s to find a different activity to pursue outside of this typical activities, snowboarding and surfing. Wilson felt such "rush" after his first yoga session that he wanted to continue. So, Wilson decided to make a store to not only provide clothing, but also educate the community about the improving their life through yoga.

Lululemon is primarily knownfor its yoga pants, seen in the picture to the right. The material is the pants makes them comfortable, flexible and sweat proof. This combination provides a the perfect experience for a person performing yoga.

Although, Lululemon makes men's clothing too, it has not caught on as quickly as the women's. Yoga, for the most part, is an activity that is highly feminine. It consists of balance, flexibility, concentration and mediation. Yoga is becoming more popular for men, but it is still an activity that is primarily involved by women. Thus, Lululemon needs to try to involve men in yoga to increase its market share.

-John

Is Nike Above it All?

It's no secret...Nike is #1 and their list of sponsored athletes could go on and on and on. But instead of discussing how extensive the Nike brand is and how popular it is with consumers I would like to highlight just a couple of athletes.

• Michael Johnson
• Terrell Owens
• Mark McGwire
• Kobe Bryant
• Lebron James
• Tiger Woods

Yes, these are some big names but these are also the same athletes who have been in tabloids for their negative behavior. With controversy and scandel to their names, does it also reflect badly on Nike? Or is Nike above it all?

Here is an example of the backlash brought on Nike (not directly, but it still reflected upon them) after Lebron James left the Cavaliers. Fans were outraged at the way he left and he starred in a Nike commercial addressing this issue. Below is a spoof of this commercial made by upset fans. (original commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdtejCR413c)

What do you think? Is Nike too big for the negative brand association brought on by athletes like these?

Customize Your Own Nike

Nike is one of the most popular sports apparel and shoe industries known to many people. You can see their products everywhere; in commercials, basketball games, and other sporting events. Nike has products for men, women, and children that are involved in various sports. Nike also lets you customize the products you wish to purchase from them. How does this work you might ask? If you go to their website at www.nike.com you can customize the color combination of sneakers you want or you can create a t-shirt with your own graphic and text on it and you can pick the color you want the shirt to be. For customizing shoes, you can also choose if you want them narrow or wide to fit perfectly to your foot and ensure maximum comfort.

Nike also offers sports teams the opportunity to create team uniforms. There are a variety of options to choose from and they offer uniforms for all popular sports. You can choose tops, bottoms, shoes and accessories. This is a great way to get good quality products for your sporting team and a great way to personalize what you are going to wear!

Nike is constantly reinventing products to launch on the market and everyone seems to love them. Keep tuned in to Nike to see what they come up with next!

Nike: King of Them All

The swoosh is one of the most recognized symbols in the whole world. It does not have any words around the symbol, but most consumers can instantly identify it. This is simply amazing for a shoe company that started with just running shoes.

A brief history, Bill Bowerman and Geoff Hollister collaborated to make a company that made great running shoes. Bowerman was the cross country and track coach at the University of Oregon when Steve Prefontaine was running for UO. Bowerman literally used a waffle iron in order to create a shoe that was light weight and functional for track running events. And as they say, the rest is history.

Today, Nike is a sponsor to a host of athletes in various sports from basketball to track and field with everything in-between. The most recognizable faces of Nike at this point in time include: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Dwayne Wade, and still Michaels Jordan.

Nike is definitely the top dog in all the athletic clothing in the United States. They generate a huge amount of fan interest and consumer curiosity due to the stars they have under their name. And, still to this day, teens and young adults alike are still wowed by "the Jordan." There was even a joke about it in "Get Him to the Greek" when P. Diddy's character referenced the popluarity of Air Jordan's for his six children. In the foreseeable future, Nike will continue to dominate the American landscape

-John

Under Armour is Armed with Sponsorships

Under Armour orginally broke out into the sportswear industry with their compression shirts/shorts and for the longest time that is all I thought they did. In my mind they were a sports brand but just serving this one purpose to a small number of athletes. Now they have expanded their product line into different types of apparel and shoes and it is apparent the company has transitioned into being a top brand name. In working to target the serious athlete, they are centering campaigns and commercials around ideas that would most appeal to these people.

I think a large part of Under Armour's increased popularity is due to their sponsorship of specific athletes and athletic teams. Some of their biggest athletes are

• Tom Brady
• AJ Hawk
• Cam Newton
• Brandon Jennings
• Michael Phelps

However, it seems as though the focus is more on the sponsoring of college teams. The two teams considered as Under Armour's "flagship athletic programs" are the Auburn Tigers and Maryland Terrapins. They direct towards the hard-working athlete in effort to establish themselves as a serious player in the sports apparel and shoe industry.

Are Under Armour's campaigns and use of athletes enough to be considered a serious contender when it comes to Nike and Adidas? Or is the focus on college teams taking away from their full potential of exposure? Let us know what you think!

Let's Check out UA!

Under Armour offers a variety of clothing for men, women and children. They offer tops, bottoms, underwear, outerwear, footwear and accessories. Under Armour caters to all of the popular sports and carries products that appeal to their needs. The Under Armour products are made out of a spandex material that are extremely comfortable. Consumers love these form-fitting products for their workouts.

One of the men's products that are rather popular are the Under Armour Scout Knit Pants. These are a sweat-pant type bottom and are great for working out or lounging around. The price for the pants are $49.99 plus tax and come in black or white. See below for a picture of these great pants!

Although consumers love Under Armour clothes and accessories, let's not forget about their shoes! The Under Armour Assert shoe is great for running. The minimalistic structure of the shoe makes running in it pretty darn speedy. The bright colors of the shoes are sure to get you noticed. In fact this shoe comes in several different color combinations and is priced at $69.99. See below for a picture of the UA Assert shoes.

Men Wear Lingerie?!

Under Amour founder Kevin Plank invented lingerie for men....sort of. He was a former University of Maryland football player who wanted to keep players dry, light and quick during practice and competition. He was tired of having his practice clothes constantly stick to him after had practiced hard and was dripping in sweat. So he created something that would solve that....Under Amour.

It is a synthetic material, which is elastic and flexible in nature, much like lingerie for women. But it is not a ladies only product at all. Since its inception in 1996, Under Amour has been worn by many National Football League players to protect themselves from the cold or the heat. And, the football crowd remains the largest segment for Under Armour.

Many of their commercials have a very excited football player exclaiming the team must protect the home field from defeat. This was a very effective ad to portray exactly what Under Armour stands for and how they want to be received. They are trying to venture out into different sports, but it has not been received as well has their foot ball line has been received. We will have to wait to see what happens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnECY26PSHk&feature=related

Is Skechers Sketchy?

Skechers has not really been a big player in the athletic shoe industry. They have a sporting line but most all athletes pass it over for a different brand because of the lame image. In addition, they are not really the best product when it comes to sport shoes, they seem to copy what the others are doing instead of focusing on a good product of their own.

Skechers' partnerships and sponsorships are reflective of the lack of athletic support. I only came across two..

• Sponsored LA Sports Activities Awards ceremony in 2011
• Partnership with the Kardashians (reality TV family)

Neither of these relationships looks like they would put the Skechers brand into the public's mind or help to register themselves as a serious sporting shoe company. Recently, with the introduction of the Shape-Ups, Skechers appears to be trying to integrate themselves deeper into the sporting industry, but the Reebok Reetone has an advantage in the market because of brand image.

What do you think of Skechers and their brand image?

Sketchers..Fact or Fiction?

As we mentioned Monday, Sketchers has recently come out with a brand of shoes called Shape-ups. This is a controversial shoe because some believe that it is a scam and others think it is very beneficial to those who don't work out regularly. The Shape-ups are designed with a kinetic wedge insert and rolling bottom to stimulate walking on soft sand. This may result in stronger leg and buttock muscles. Sketchers says that Shape-ups are designed to help burn calories and turn everyday activities into a workout. They also claim that these shoes can: improve posture, strengthen your back, firm buttock, tone and firm thighs, firm calves, improve circulation, tighten abdominal muscles, and reduce joint stress. This seems like an awful lot to promise, but later we will look into what consumers think of the product.

As you might remember seeing on the Super Bowl, Sketchers had an ad for their Shape-ups. They used the sexy Kim Kardashian to advertise how wonderful these shoes were. If you missed out on the ad, take a look below to watch the commercial.

The Shape-up shoes are priced between $80-100. This is much more expensive than the other brands we have looked into over the last few weeks. The question is, are they worth it? To me, the price is somewhat deceiving because they advertising on their website that the shoes are affordable, and in my eyes, $100 for a pair of shoes is not affordable.

Consumer reviews were mixed on this issue. Some liked the shoes and others did not. It was mentioned in the reviews that consumers initially liked them, but after a year they were tired of them and ended up putting them in the "trash" pile. Although the shoes did live up to some of their expectation, they did not seize to conquer all. Some concerns about this product were that they could be seen as dangerous because the tall sole may cause people to topple over. One consumer said that there was no support for your foot inside of the shoe, and another consumer said although they are "fun" they may not be a great exercise shoe. Check out Mike Bomberger's blog on the product liability of Sketcher's Shape-ups: http://product liability.lawyers.com/blogs/archives/11866-Skechers-Shape-ups-Injury-Attorneys-Caution-Consumers-About-Dangers-of-Toning-Shoes.html

On a side note, I would like to make attention of the importance of blog marketing. Other blogs besides your own represent a new promotional channel for the success of your company or your own individual blog. By gaining the support of other influential bloggers, you will be able to better endorse your products or opinions about other products. This is important because consumers look at related blogs to gain insight on a product they are thinking about purchasing.

Jessica

The Exception to All the Rules

Sketchers is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to sports apparel. They are not typically the first company that comes to mind when thinking of a shoe to wear for exercising, but don't tell them. If fact, they created what might be the most controversial shoe ever: the Shapeups.

The Shapeups are not like any other shoe out there, and give an identity to Sketchers. It was quite brilliant of the management team to drastically change the image of what Sketchers stood for. The only people I had ever seen wearing Sketchers middle-aged women. Before the Shapeups, there were not many people in America that could relate to Sketchers. I am sure more people are aware of the brand now. They have become so popular that a radio show host on ESPN radio decided to give them a try.

Designed to make it easier to "workout" even during a busy day. There have been many converters and haters on this product. It is viewed as a fake as far as athletic wear goes. "They are just trying to attract those who don't workout," many have said. But that is exactly the point.

Adidas is going All In

For the last several years, Adidas has been operating under the “Impossible is Nothing” campaign. Using stories from athletic superstars overcoming adversity as a base for proving that what one person perceives as impossible is actually nothing. On the Impossible is Nothing website, you can view the stories, artwork, videos, and products from the athletes in addition to writing and posting your own story.

Recently, Adidas has come out with a new global campaign called “All In”. They have put all of their lines and sub-brands into one big campaign, trying to give the public the most diverse and all-inclusive image of the Adidas brand. Advertising in every mix from sports to music to fashion they are including stars such as B.o.B, Katy Perry, Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, Lionel Messi, and David Beckham.

In addition to these campaigns that actively work to reach a wide range of consumers and styles that appeal to everyone, Adidas also trys to compete in the industry by sponsoring big athletic events. They are the official sponsor of the World Cup and several worldwide marathons, as well as the official outfitter of the NBA All-Star game and MLS teams. Adidas also partners with the International Handball Federation, International Association of Athletics Federations, and the French Open.

Personally, I'm a big fan of Adidas and have been for years. I think their influence in the soccer world is unparalleled and the use of big name athletes like David Beckham and Lionel Messi and the sponsorship of the most watched tournaments on television certainly help.  I think Adidas is doing a great job by keeping focus on what they do best and making sure to advertise those points to the public.

-Kelsey

Spring into Style with Adidas

This week we will be taking a look at Adidas and the hot new products they have launched on the market!

The great thing about Adidas is that they have something for everyone. Not only do they have shoes and apparel but they focus their brand to appeal to specific sporting genres. This includes basketball, soccer, running, tennis, football, yoga, golf, volleyball, motor-sports, and even a select line for martial arts! Or if you just want to ride to school in fashion, they also have a line of stylish skate shoes. This really appeals to their consumers because it shows that Adidas is trying to reach their entire sporting audience and not to mention it's a one-stop-shop for them as well.

So, after looking into their current products, my pick of the week for Adidas shoes are the CLIMACOOL Ride Shoes. They look similar to the Reebok Reezig's but they are guaranteed to be much more comfortable. The CLIMACOOL Ride shoes are light, durable and made to keep your feet fresh when you run. They have a lightweight mesh upper, all over CLIMACOOL ventilation, and extra cushioning in the forefront of the foot and under the heel. The shoes come in over 13 different color combinations and are priced at $90, which is comparable to the prices of the other brands we have previously researched. Reviews have been amazing on this product, and consumers seem to love it! Learn more about the CLIMACOOL Rides Shoes on the Adidas website.

As far as apparel goes, my pick of the week will have to be the Lightweight Performance Jacket for the ladies. The comfortable CLIMAPROOF protection of the jacket keeps you dry when you train hard in wet weather. This training jacket features a Formation design that moves with you, never against you. The jacket has front and back zip pockets; full zip with a high drawcord collar; tie-cord waist; back and front vents; and a pack-away opportunity because of its slim fit and long length. The best part about this jacket is that you can train in style! It's a great quality jacket, but also very chic and modern. The jacket sells for $85.00 on the Adidas website. 

Cheers!

Jessica

The European Giant

Are you all in? Adidas is, and has been since Adolf (Adi) Dassler founded the company in 1949. However, Adi did not put his company on the map until 1954 when Germany competed against Hungary for the World Cup. The Germans had a distinct advantage over the Hungarians, Adi produced a special "boot" which contained removable studs for the players to wear.  This game is still talked about today, and is proudly referred to the "Miracle of Bern."

Due to the success of Adi's "football boot," Adidas quickly became known for its soccer equipment. Many of the current club football teams in Europe, such as Chelsea Football Club, and Liverpool FC, are wearing cleats, socks and jerseys made by Adidas. This has made Adidas a high profile company for the sport.

Today, Adidas is a multi-brand company which tries to appeal to both the mass athlete, as well as the niche. As the company has grown, Adidas has acquired other companies to bring customers from a wider area. They acquired companies in the 2000s like Taylor Made and Reebok. This has helped Adidas gain a stronger foothold in America, and compete globally as well.

Perfectly "Balanced" in Pink

For the last 21 years, New Balance has partnered with Susan G. Komen for the Cure in the fight against breast cancer.

• Sponsor of the 3-Day for the Cure for the 6th year in a row
• Series sponsor for Race for the Cure since 1991
• Created official shoes for each of the events
• Lace Up for the Cure Collection

Retrieved from http://www.newbalance.com/komen/#/breast-health-info

Through their partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, New Balance has been able to help bring attention to not only themselves but bring attention to their products as well. Their website describes the type of shoe needed for each event and displays the Lace Up for the Cure Collection which features shoes, accessories, and apparel. One of the sections provides consumers the opportunity to personalize a pair of shoes to show tribute to those fighting cancer.

In connection to their For the Cure partnership, New Balance has also partnered with Exercise TV to create "Pink Ribbon Workouts". Designed to help participants get into shape before their respective races as well as inform people about breast cancer.

This extensive and long-term partnership has provided New Balance to, in essence, kill two birds with one stone. They are putting their brand out their and generating additional profits, all the while creating a great deal of publicity.

-Kelsey

Lightweight and Innovative

New Balance has a variety of products for different sports. They carry shoes and apparel for running, walking and toning, outdoor, training, lifestyle, and kids. One of their most popular shoes for running is the New Balance 890 with REVlite.  The REVlite shoe has a midsole foam compound with the durability of foams that are 30% heavier, but nearly 1/3 less weight. This design allows you to run much faster, because of the lightness of the shoe. The design team's goal for the overall look of the shoe was to allow for an easy transition between running and everyday wear, a trainer that performs as well with jeans as it does on the track. To achieve this, they reduced the number of visible technical elements and surfaces to an absolute minimum, chose soft but durable synthetics and suede's, and reduced color palettes down to a few key colors. The price of the REVlite shoe is $99, comparable to Reebok, which we looked into last week. 

As a customer of New Balance products, do you wish your shoes and apparel fit perfectly? Or that you could have a say in how the products were designed or how they performed?  Well, there is good news for you! By participating in the Wear Test Program, you can help New Balance and their partner brands improve the fit, performance, and look of their current products. The requirements for the program include: wearing the prototype products; testing these products based on comfort, durability, performance, and looks; and improving their products by telling New Balance what you think. This is a great way for customers to get involved in the creation of a great New balance product. New Balance's respect and for its customers and desire to get them involved in the making of their products, will in turn create brand loyalty and great word of mouth advertising. If you are interested, check out New Balance's website for more information on the Wear Test Program. http://weartest.newbalance.com/Learn/Index.asp?Reference=5&~=


Cheers!
Jessica

The Company That Goes Unnoticed

When asked to provide a company that makes high quality apparel and shoes, New Balance is not usually the first mentioned. Founded in Boston, Massachusetts in the early 1900s as an arch support company.. New Balance has been providing quality shoes for athletes at all levels since the 1970s.

Although New Balance is not entirely popular in here in Washington, they are in the Northeast. They are worn by participants in large competitions, such as the Boston and New York Marathons. In fact, on the Boston Marathon website, there is a picture of a gentleman in wheelchair with New Balance hat.

     

In the past few years, New Balance has made a good number of sales with shoes like the ones above. They appear to be a retro design, but have a modern color scheme, which has made this style popular. Many students in high school and college have flocked to shoes like this design as a fashion statement. Not only have they been a good seller due to the design, but students are buying more than one pair. They buy a few different color schemes to go with several outfits.

New Balance is now launching a new ad campaign to promote its latest running shoe to come out: the NB 890. It is toted as the "lightest training shoe" out on the market. With that, New Balance has a host of elite runners in a commercial to show that the company is serious. A few of these athletes are quite prominite, including USA steeple chase record holder Jenny (Barringer) Simpson, and England's Andy Baddeley, who one the New York 5th Avenue mile race last summer.

Look out for the quiet company, they are making some noise.

Reebok Reejoices after Reedefining

Reebok, now under Adidas' wing, may not be one of the first names that comes to mind when buying athletic apparel or shoes, but with their marketing efforts over the past decade they are increasingly building their way up.

They have created multiple partnerships with many U.S. sport leagues; NFL, NHL, MLB, and NLL (National Lacrosse League). Along with this comes the sponsorship of many big name athletes. In doing so, the Reebok brand gets lots of exposure to the general public.

Similarly, in 2008 Reebok started the Your Move campaign. The videos featured amazing moves from sports starts and used the tagline "pick me, your move". It also encouraged consumers watching to get involved with Reebok a little more and post videos with their own moves. As of 2010, their new "Ree" marketing campaign redesigns the company and is the inspiration for the upcoming decade. With this new direction, Reebok seems to be trying to branch away from the hardcore athletes and focus on the everyday athlete who does it for the joy of playing.

I think this is a great campaign that consumers are more likely to get behind because of the fun attitude Reebok is bringing to the table. Their partnerships and sponsorships have helped bring awareness to the company and now it's all about what they do with that attention.

-Kelsey

Now Leading Off Reeeebokkk!

Hello this is my blog post ever, so pleas be patient. The goal of my posts are to inform you how each company is viewed in the mind of the customer. I will briefly dive into the history of the company, then I will talk about what they are doing now. I will tell you if the company is truly portraying a message that matches the perception of the customer.

Interestingly enough, Reebok started as strictly a running shoe company at its founding. Reebok had been a bit of a forgotten brand in the middle part of the decade. Earlier in the 2000s, Reebok had its poster boy, Alan Iverson to tout its shows, and they were successful. But as Iverson, or AI, began to lose popularity, Reebok took a hit, at least in the mind of the customer.

However, Reebok still had a strong relationship with the National Football League, NFL, which helped immensely.  After AI, Reebok remained strong in its football apparel sales. Many NFL players wear Reebok cleats, and gear. The NFL's official clothing provider is Reebok also. Since the NFL has completely exploded over the past ten years, Reebok has benefited.

In the past year and a half, Reebok has gone with a new product, the rezig, which has helped reestablish the firm as more than just football cleats. Now, Reebok has endorsement deals with athletes in several different sports. Some examples are Indianapolis Colts star Payton Manning, Washington Wizards rookie John Wall and Pittsburgh Penguins star Sydney Crosby. Reebok has launched itself forward for the next several years with its rezig. And there has definitely has been some innovators accepting this new product. Students around PLU have taken to this shoe, especially football players.

 Posted by John

What does Reebok have to offer?

Reebok currently has two new products that have hit the market. The Reezig, ZigSonic shoe for men and the EasyTone Reenew for woman. Both products have celebrities promoting their products. The ZigSonic shoe is endorsed by Payton Manning in Reebok advertisements and Eva Mendez shows her support of the EasyTone Reenew shoes. The support of these celebs is sure to raise the sales for Reebok.

The Reezig, ZigSonic shoe has a unique bottom unit that features a special lightweight foam that is engineered into an innovative, geometric, zig-zag shape. The shoe cushions your landing with materials that are designed to help reduce muscle fatigue on your shins and leaves your legs feeling fresher. Consumer reviews have been very successful. Customers are eager to tell friends about the comfort and support their feet are getting in these shoes. The Reezig shoe is priced at $99.00 and comes in a variety of colors. So, whether it's the unique design, great comfort, or affordable price, the Reezig shoe from Reebok is sure to be a hit!

The second shoe that Reebok is advertising is the EasyTone Reenew. The EasyTone Reenew features Moving Air Technology, which are built in balance pods that transfer air in response to your stride and create micro-instability with every step. These shoes are perfect for walking and everyday activities. They are specially designed for optimal fit and function for a woman's foot and include a SmoothFit seamless design that helps minimize rub and irritation. The shoes are priced that same as the men's Reezig shoe at $99.00 and come in 8 different color combinations. Consumer reviews have been very successful as well. Woman say that they are very comfortable, especially if you have a job where you are on your feet all day. One review stated that they felt like they were getting a work-out while wearing the shoes and noticed a difference in their legs, butt, and thighs after walking long distance in them. If you are a woman looking for a comfortable, everyday type shoe, the EasyTone Reenew may just be your perfect match!

Thanks for reading and tune back Friday for a look inside Reebok's brand reputation!

Cheers!
Jessica

Away we go!

Welcome! As part of an e-Marketing class at Pacific Lutheran University, we have created a blog
 to examine the major companies in the sporting apparel and shoes industry. Over the next couple months we will be taking a deeper look at firms such as Nike, Brooks, Lulu Lemon, and more!

We are going to be focusing on three different areas; partnerships, products, and brand reputation. Kelsey will be covering partnerships which includes sponsorships and PR events. Jessica will blog about new or innovative sporting products. John will discuss each brand's reputation, including image, loyalty, and marketing efforts.

Please continue to keep up with our blog as research different sporting companies!