Market Strategy and SWOT Analysis of Converse

Converse is a footwear brand headquartered in Massachusetts, USA, and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nike. In addition to basketball shoes, the company sells sportswear and gear. Converse is also a running and sports shoe specialist, recognizable by the star emblem on all its clothes. The firm has a global distribution network and sells through its stores, leading merchants, websites, and online retail outlets. This blog will examine their marketing approach to solve the enigma of success.

Mission and Vision Statements of Converse

The Mission Statement of Converse is: “Converse is empowering today’s daring spirit of youth by celebrating freedom of expression through individuals and their movement(s). Today, youth demand more. We constantly evolve to think and behave in new ways to ensure we continue to stand for creativity, rebellion, and daring spirit for the next 100 years.”

This statement emphasizes the brand’s commitment to inspiring the younger generation by honoring their individuality and movement(s).

It also underlines that today’s youngsters have high expectations, and Converse fulfills them. This illustrates that Converse is mindful of its target audience’s shifting demands and is committed to remaining relevant in a fast-changing environment.

Converse is devoted to supporting and encouraging its clients to express themselves in distinctive and unorthodox ways, as seen by the references to innovation, revolt, and adventurous spirit. This is consistent with the brand’s history and image as a symbol of rebellion and individualism.

The Vision Statement of Converse is: “The consumer decides.”

Converse’s vision is a pledge to remain faithful to its ideals and legacy while being relevant and inventive in a fast-changing world. The brand’s emphasis on young empowerment and free expression and its iconic items lay the groundwork for its future development and success.

What strategy does Converse use for branding?

Let us have a look at the social media post first.

…skating and music have always seemed to go hand in hand since they share so much DNA.

Music has always been a part of the skateboarding scene since its inception. Today, skateboarding is intimately associated with various distinct genres. The music usually associated with the activity has a quick tempo to pump your adrenaline while skating.

Because skating arose from surfing culture in the 1950s and 1960s, it stands to reason that the music and culture of skateboarding were initially highly similar to those of surfing. However, skating quickly became more counter-culture than surfing, with a rebellious attitude manifested via clothes and music. This punk impact may still be seen in skating culture today.

So, the Death Match is not just a party organized by Converse. Death Match is a multi-day event that promotes the uniqueness of skateboarding and music. The whole Converse Skate Team attended the event, which Thrasher Magazine co-hosted. It ripped the ramps alongside locals, with prizes offered to those who demonstrated their talents with unique tricks on the “daily obstacle” of the day. Louie Lopez and the bands Blackwater Holylight and Paris Texas were among the visitors.

“What influences me in skateboarding outside of skateboarding that you bring into skateboarding?” skateboarder Jason Dill once asked. Everything. I’m falling in love with everything I listen to…Life! Everything in Life may have an impact on your skating.” Dill is sitting next to a glass window that he has fastened to the wall with a sticker, a piece of paper that says “Cat Power” as he says this. If it doesn’t demonstrate the impact of music on skateboarding, I don’t know what does.

The connection between music and skateboarding is more complex than meets the eye. Many non-skaters and skaters are merely aware of the different dichotomies in skateboarding. Still, as Jenkem Magazine points out, there are intricacies in the genre that significantly impact how skaters interact with the world. One of these genres is jazz:

“Jazz music is a massive component of skateboarding culture. It does not fit into the categories we have grown accustomed to. The main strategy for creating the music is improvisation. The finest jazz musicians, like the best skateboarders, blend exact technical proficiency with an element of surprise and their unique flair. Still, when used appropriately, it has generated some of the most sublime moments on film. (From Jenkem Magazine).”

These criteria lead us to the conclusion that Converse belongs to the Everyman archetype.

The archetype is obsessed with interpersonal relationships.

The archetype tries to fit in and connect with people.

To fit in, the archetype creates universal, meaningful ideals that are unique to them.

The message levels of the Everyman archetype are as follows: 

The archetype drives you to act when you feel separated.

Because Everyman feels alienated and alone, the archetype depicts individuals desiring association.

These businesses remind us that we must improve our social skills, find a place to belong, and seek support and companionship.

These businesses also serve as a reminder to treat everyone with dignity, regardless of their talents or circumstances.

The Everyman archetype is perfect for establishing your brand identity.

People may feel as if they belong or belong because of the service offered.

The price ranges from moderate to low.

A corporation with a conventional management culture created or encouraged it.

It tries to set itself apart from more expensive competitors.

One thing to take into consideration before we move on! 

We recommend reading “8 Steps to Complete Archetypal Branding” to discover how it may help boost your messaging.

After reading the book, You will find solutions to the following branding questions.

First, you will learn how to understand your product’s and brand’s mood to send your audience a distinct and clear message. What is the essence of the message you want to express?

Create all of your brand elements using archetypes. What do I mean exactly? The archetypes’ flowing story inspired the tagline, logo, packaging, and store designs.

We must do this in the digital age by putting everything into action. How should I interact with my customers? How to use the 12 archetypes to achieve business goals and enhance revenues.

SWOT analysis of Converse

Strengths 

Converse Shoes are well-known for their characteristics that make them fashionable and comfy. Vulcanized soles, rounded tips, and wrap-up strips are examples of such traits. Converse also has a large selection of weightless sneakers.

We can look at Converse as an economical brand compared to its closest competitors, except New Balance. In the economic sector, prices range from USD 55 to USD 130, making them affordable to all clients. However, they also provide numerous expensive things that may not be affordable to everyone.

The Strong Three: The fundamental strength of any Nike footwear is the strong three of individuals that support every design they develop, which includes Tokyo’s seasoned tastemaker Hiroshi Fujiwara, footwear design titan Tinker Hatfield, and Nike, Inc. CEO Mark Parker. Converse’s greatest strength remains its versatility.

Converse stands out from the rest in terms of color and appearance, which is incredibly trendy and current. Furthermore, the buyer praises the comfort of a Converse Shoe, which is one feature that makes it famous among sportsmen and runners.

Weaknesses

Lack of Distinction: While Converse has distinct names for different shoe categories, they have many goods on one line with minute variances that are difficult to discern. Customers are frequently confused as a result of this lack of difference.

The Nike Effect: Converse will always be known as a Nike product, and the Nike brand will cannibalize it. This influences the total impact on Converse’s brand equity.

Opportunities

Specific Need: Initially, having one pair of shoes for all your sporting demands was sufficient. However, this is no longer the case. Today, each necessity has a unique answer, and each solution generates a desire for a new type of footwear. This opens up a slew of new options for the footwear business.

Disposable Income: Globally, per capita income is increasing due to the number of working professionals and dual-income households. This has increased the proclivity to spend, and more people are engaging in impulse purchases. 

Growth in online shopping: As more people prefer to purchase online, it has become more common due to convenience. As a result, businesses focus more on their websites, which also helps them decrease delivery expenses.

Threats 

Nike, Puma, New Balance, Adidas, and Reebok have long posed a severe challenge to the corporation.

Counterfeiting: Various brands are counterfeit replicas of the originals and are offered at half the price of the originals, posing a severe problem in the sales and distribution of the original brands.

Segmentation Strategy of Converse 

Let’s watch one of their commercials first. 

Devin Booker, one of the finest players in the NBA, is also one of the most fashionable sportsmen. The Phoenix Suns player enjoys wearing the Converse Chuck Taylor 70, a classic and flexible sneaker, and he has now teamed with Converse to make his version of the Chuck 70. 

The model’s “clean, classic, and timeless” design has been effectively accomplished, with a neutral cream canvas top, metallic silver embellishments on the eye stays, and the two divots on the midfoot. Tonal cream stitching accentuates the All-Star emblem at the collar, while tonal stitching accents, the lace, and the tongue keep everything consistent in design and presentation.

The inner part of the sneaker is similarly a single color. However, you can see a red vintage Chuck Taylor tag on the rear of the tongue of the right sneaker. 

It is only now that it is evident that Converse has decided to target Hedonists.

What details do we know about this segment?

Values and lifestyle:

Nobody realizes how short Life is. Hence, people need to fill their everyday lives with joy. Hedonists are known to perform foolish things for the sake of pleasure. Consider going to a concert with a Hedonist.

They might perform strange acts on stage to spice up the experience. This section is quite inviting. Their user interface does change. One minute, you might see them at a shopping mall; the next, you might see them in a tavern.

Hedonists will occasionally invite a handful of their pals over. They must once again become involved in some way. As a result, they may watch a football game and drink a beer or two with crispy chips to commemorate the event.

Hedonists don’t mind challenges. They will make impulsive judgments if they are even somewhat bored. Among these are school changes, careers, companions, and love relationships. As a result, connections in this segment are usually transient. 

They could have a restricted budget, but you might need help assessing this. Hedonists are preoccupied with their appearance. It is one of the most critical aspects of their lives. 

They must stay current with fashion trends to have a distinct, one-of-a-kind, and eye-catching appearance. Looking good might be a sign of happiness, which Hedonists appreciate. Hedonists who slim down to lose weight do it for their beauty rather than their health.

This section embodies the stereotypical ‘macho’ mindset. “If you’re going to drink, you should get drunk.” “If you’re a lady, you should stay at home.” “If you’re a man, you shouldn’t cry.” 

In this frantic way of Life, the family is at the bottom of the Hedonists’ needs list. In any case, Hedonists may dine with family on occasion.

From the standpoint of shopping:

Hedonists, overall, prefer well-known brands. Traditional brands, they believe, improve a person’s image. Hedonists will occasionally buy authentic goods. They do it, however, to gloat once again. 

They must demonstrate their enthusiasm for various things to stand out from the herd. Choosing quantity above quality is not a forbidden purchasing habit for Hedonists.

Hedonists are high-risk customers. They aren’t the sort to organize their shopping outings. Hedonists will use well-known brands on occasion. 

In any case, that is true only when such things are popular. This group appreciates exploring tiny businesses and will take their time selecting the most essential products.

In this blog, we examined some of the reasons for this company’s success in this competitive industry. This article concentrated on Converse marketing methods, SWOT analysis, and target market. I hope it helps you find answers to your questions on this topic. Visit our home page to learn more about the continued expansion of other well-known firms.