Consumer analysis

Typical Vans consumers are teenagers and people who are skaters, young, hip and wanting something more than just a shoe but something more.People who does sports like snowboarding, surfing, bicycle motocross (BMX), and motocross Looks. People who look for quality, color, designs, and being unique.However, that doesn't mean these excellent quality sneakers and skateboard shoes should only be worn by a certain group of people. They usually spend their free time in the park skating,lislistening to music from their I pods and most of them are cool geeks. They play music’s, go to rock concerts and watch sports performances. That is why they like Vans stylish looking shoes.

With vans, they are satisfied as they can modify their own look and feel a personality within the shoes and themselves. Since most of these people are at the age of 17 – 35, they want to be perceived at their very best. Still looking for their inner self, and looks or appearance is important to this people.Thus everything has to be perfect. Skills, shoes, clothing’s, and even little enhancements like piercings and cool caps makes them feel coolerand stylish. It shows who they aand stylish. It shows who they are, their characters and the way they want to be perceived by other people. Many women's and men's Vans Shoes slip easily past that boundary and are equally as welcome on the feet of anyone who chooses to wear them!

Consumer analysis

Magazines they read:Clothings they wear: Ecko ,Fox, Quicksilver, Roxy, Amber Crombie, and many moreMusic they listen: Hip Hop, Rock, Rap, ElectronicMagazines they read : Rolling stone, Gadgets they use: I Pod/ I Phone, Bandanas.Thus using all of these means and media that they use is essential. As speaking As speaking to them using the things they connect means knowing and understanding the daily things they do. Imagine them reading a magazine they love, (sports magazines) with vans shoes in there. It meant cool, nice, and what their types wear means connecting to their friends.

Brand positioningVans is a company that birthed from a dream of one of its founders, Paul Van Doren.He had learned how to make sneakers in a factory on the East Coast.His dream seemed fairly simple--to manufacture shoes that could be sold directly to the public. Shoes that are entertaining yet good to wear. Paul decided to move west to Southern California along with his partners, Jim Van Doren, Gordy Lee, and Serge D'Elia. All of them had experience in the shoe manufacturing business, ut none of them knew anything about retail.

March 1966

The first Vans shoe store was opened on march at 704 East Broadway in Anaheim, California on March, 1966.When customers came into the Vans store that morning to purchase shoes. Since there weren't any shoes in stock, Paul and Gordy asked the customers to come back in the afternoon. They then rushed back into the factory to make up the selected shoes. This gave them a breakthrough of making what the customers wanted instead of having it before hand. Taken from tillys.com

When the customers returned in the afternoon to pick up their shoes,they needed change for their puthey needed change for their purchases. Paul and Gordy hadn't thought of this (remember, they didn't have any retail experience), so they didn't have any change available.They just gave them the shoes, asking that they come back the next day to pay for them.All 12 customers showed up the following day to pay for their shoes. Taken from tillys.com

Brand positioning

This is extraordinary.That means that the people who bought the shoes thought that it was worth it,a brand that is different and showed a personality of true characters. Vans showed that it is not only about shoes but customers.What they want? What they need? And that is a brand image. A brand image that other shoe brands don’t offer. A Quality that differs Vans from other brand.

Not only do they own quality, their shoes are great to wear and last long. They have a nice web site that includes the different countries they sell their shoes to.A blog that each of these countries can share personal experience with and entertainment forum with cool videos andmany other interests’ blogs. This is great as people from around the world have different cultures,we get to watch them and having different ways to skateboard or what each people from different countries interests.This connects people, and gives them the heart to learn more.PPromotions, contests, and having partners is just great especially for the younger generation targets.Having attuned to the new technologies these people used mean talking to them in their language.

Vans offer shoes for different types of people and not just skateboarders.\They offer a larger market and different types of designs is designed for different kinds of markets.Not only shoes, they sell clothing’s, watches and other accessories to match up with their shoes. \With quality taken into consideration, they have establish great brand image that if one person seesanother wearing Vans just means that the other person has a high taste of quality and is branded.

Brand positioning

Having a brand image is important but maintaining them is even more important.Great designs can come with good qualityand that means quality from within the brand and the brand itself.Overall they have looked over on how to talk their target marketsand understanding what they do.Thus speaking to these targets using the same language is essential.These brands stand out not just by designs,These brands stand out not just by designs,but the care and concerns of one’s affairs.Like having competitions in a skate board park which is sponsored by Vans,makes it more personal to connect.And that means getting closer to their target audience which will enhancethe word of mouth system of a productFrom one skateboarders to even just their friends which goes on and on.

Vans competitors

Converse is one competitor that Vans has.Demand is driven by fashion and demographics.The profitability of individual companies depends on their ability to design and market attractive shoe models.Big companies have economies of scale in distribution and marketing.Small companies can compete successfully through superior design or marketing.However Converse stepped in and using their targets language managed to connect to them.They build a cool They build a cool web site where everyone could share their feelings about prom which definitely for people that just finish high school.People could also customize their shoes in the web site like “making my shoe red”. Being bold is a brand image too.And there is the NICE page where There is a full of fun and information with a few links to cool people doing cool stuff, which they are adding to all the time. Web site links to free music, free magazines and reviews. These things engage people which make the one of Vans competitors.

Their shoes priced range are – $25- $115

Vans competitors

Next is DC shoes.DC is one of the biggest competitors to Vans shoes as they have quite a similarmarketing strategy and approach to handling their business.After it was founded, the shoe company went straight right up to the top of the list.They sell a similar variety of shoes that Vans sells.With this vast variety they have different target groups too with the same age range.They haThey have build a brand image as well by using some of the best teams for sorts likesnowboarding and surfing which keeps their target markets interested and engaged to the company.Using MTV is a smart way as many cool, interesting and R&B youngsters watch these shows,and by putting a brand in the shows they like means connecting the brand to the same image as MTV.If you are an MTV’ian you have town DC.They have a young hip and great communicating skills target markets which are people who are interested in music, magazines and sports.

Their shoes price range are $ 20- $125

Vans competitors

Last but not least is etnies. I would say this is the biggest competitors Vans has to face.Etnies was established in 1986, Etnies is the first skateboarder-owned and operated global action sports footwear and apparel company.Their company makes a breakthrough in the skate boarding world.They created the first pro model skate shoe, which changed the face of skateboard footwear forever.Their web sites too have a blog for each category. Whether it’s for skate boarding, snowboarding, BMX , surfing and many others.They shaThey share things and events that have happened and before it happened with interesting photos to show.Their company sells not just shoes either. They have accessories, T shirts, pants and many other things.Of course you can customize these shoes as well. Their web site game just makes it even better. They also sponsors a world class team of skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, motor x and BMX ridersand continues its dedication by giving back to each of these communities which makes them the biggest competition.

Their Price range $20- $125

Promotion

After taking a look at our big competitors, how did Vans still managed to stay on the top of the list and still be successful in their company?

There are a lot of things they must have done to keep it simple yet engaging.They have discount coupons and shoes could be made your own style. Games in the I phone are awesome. Vans are making a game for the I-phone to promote their shoes,by using the I phone's technology for advertising and promotion meansunderstanding in how their target market grows toward the future.EEven just a simple rusty looking billboard that matches the taste of skate boarders or bikers can target them.After researching, their workers too have to be innovative and experienced at least 4 years in the retailThat means a consistent service just like star bucks.

Promotion

Vans also held events with other company in the BMX just like the ones they hold a few years back.They provide video channel that provides quality content all year long from events such as theX-Games, T-Mobile Extreme Playgrounds, the BMX Masters, Braun Cruzer tour but also clips from Props, the UCI Supercross BMX series,Levi's BMX team footage, Lotek, Vans, Kink, Retrospect and more people have found the Freecaster channel to show their clips. Which is one way of advertising apart from the prints , billboards and games. Being active in events and sponsoring many skate parks just showed that they don’t really stand just for a pair of shoebut also but also to show that they care and wanted to be part of it.It shows that they understand their consumers and want to help them achieve in their dreams.

Positioning in the market place

Not only you get to choose your own designs, Vans manages to promise in giving the best.The best insights, the best color, the best designs (you can choose from) and of course the best quality.Their shoes last long. From my research, people have been using their shoes in an average of 17 years and they still loved it.The online system that they have to customize your shoes is just great, as it shows the exact color and designs you want your shoes customized. Not only that, it can be bought easily through the web which can be access throughout the world and delivered straight to your door.Vans are sold in many places too. Snowboarding shops, surfing shops , Amazon, Ebay and many other spoand many other sporting stores that can be found anywhere around United States.

Their company has done well in promoting their shoes by many means. And that is putting up billboards, prints,engaging people using their webs, blogs and many other sports magazines, consistent service and contributing to the community. This can be viewed by some people as a social act. Being involved in events that their consumer goes too is just amazing.It means connecting the things they do with the goods they wear.This creates the biggest form of advertising which is the word of mouth to another. Not only that, according to the cooperation, Vans made their vegan shoes. Vegan Shoes are exactly what they say they are - vvegan friendly vans shoes. That's without animal products in the manufacture for all those of you what don't know what that's about. So the vegan van shoes range is surprisingly extensive you know with some great names such like "Old Skool" and "Rise Against Old Skool"which I think is pretty cool, especially if you still at school and all!

With their very special limited edition Vans Shoes all being a part in the very special vegan range that are turning to be ultra-popular.Then I be going into much more details about the many different ranges of Vans Shoesthat you can be wearing on your feet and what their strengths and weaknesses are, cause I like the sound of that.

The future for Vans

There are a lot of other emerging competitors or even their competitors now.How could we still make Vans be the top of their consumers list?

Vans is a brand that has strong personality and a maintained great brand image.They have used the world’s greatest means of technology to sell their things “websites”. It’s easy, simple and satisfactory.By putting their brand in parks and sponsoring events or skate parks is a great way to connect with their audiences.Having graffiti bill boards and movies shown for the different target mix , BMX , surfers and skate boarders are really effective.OOver all they did really well in communicating with their target audiences.

Opportunities

Apart from what they have done, they can still explorewhat is out there especially in this growing technology. As they have put up a great web for blogging and creating games in I phones,They could explore more.

An example of that is creating widgets on I phones on where is the next big event is,or other special things they do. Creating a video just based on their products and shows it to the world how great they are.Or even putting themselves as an alliance to other great products like the things they did with the Simpson movies. Not only they make opportunities they create opportunities for their workers to be part of Vans family.Which they will be involved in games functions and be there to help people.TheThere are still threats out there; however customers loyalty is what Vans is targeting towards.The events the hold, the things they do, the parks they donate and other thingsthey have done in the past have created a trust within their brands and the customers and that creates customers loyalty.To keep that Van has to maintain all of their great efforts to be in this industry.Huge competitors are emerging and thus Vans has to be kept updated in what their consumers used. Like the technologies they usethe magazines they read and the songs they listen. Doing surveys are a great way to start to be kept updated.

OOverall, I trust that Vans would make it further and achieved greater things in the near future ifthey have this attitude for long. Not only are they innovative, they care about their consumer needs.They know what their consumer wants and that’s the most important.Trusting Vans and having loyal customers is more important than just owning the brand itself.

Brand analysis

Vans understand everything from who they are connecting with and how they connect.Their shoes are made of high quality and are comfortable.However it’s not all about shoes. Vans have managed to sell a brand image that everyone loves to wear. To target this age ranged, TV and prints are not the best way to market their brands.A great PR with great outing events that are held in different continents might give it a hitch.Different experiences can be share across the globe, showing video footage of games thatvvans sponsored and creating a trusted brand that people can believe in is the greatest way of advertising.Like I said before, he spread of word of mouth. The hip, the young, skate boarders, surfers, the innovative, the creative and those who want to be different is what matters.As they are the ones that are going to spread this words.Thus using the technologies they use, putting ads in the magazines they read,placing songs they like in the websites or even games they like to just invite them in to the web siteand to create small little widgets in their i-Phones to get them to be engaged is the way to maintain this companies future.