Target Market of Shoe Companies, Converse

In terms of style, the item that needs to be the most comfortable is shoes. While consumers pay particular attention to the look of the shoe at first glance, being excited about making a purchase requires much more. Belonging to a tricky industry,  shoe companies use different tactics to keep up. For instance, they make experiential marketing work for their brands such as promising consumers a prize in return after having completed a challenge. Secondly, a shoe brand needs to form the best marketing campaign possible. A campaign that will strike one’s eye. In today’s blog, we are going to focus on one shoe company, Converse.

Before doing so, let’s briefly talk about Shoe companies in general.

Footwear manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers are all parts of the Shoe Industry. The retail industry ranks from owners of big multinational chains to small local shops. The larger wholesalers in the U.S. market are owners of a brand name and generally receive their shoes from independent manufacturers. Multiple shoe companies run both the retail and wholesale platforms.

A great source of income for shoe retailers is comparable-store sales. That applies mostly to existing shops, rather than recently opened locations.

It is better to have healthy same-store earnings. The latter shows that the retailer is progressing into stocking profitable goods. Of course, that by itself is going to greatly affect future income representations.

Another major concern for shoe manufacturers is inventory levels. The mix of inventory growth and increased market presence guarantee positive outcomes.

Stockholders should concentrate on businesses with healthy growth and a lean cost formation.

Fashion trends tend to change pretty quickly and people get acquainted with them. It is essential that brands also stay consistent with emerging trends. Regardless of everything, shoemaker companies end up in a win-win situation if they consider a few things. For example, maintaining a stable supply chain management paired with a growing distribution channel is one of the smartest marketing approaches. 

Now, we are going to get to Converse. Let’s first discuss one of Converse’s campaigns that you can see below.

This video is a way for the company to honor women. For most of the video, we observe female enthusiasts. They undergo various challenges to achieve success. 

There is a lot more to the city of tea, signature red phone booths, and the iconic Big Ben than we realize. London is the home of many talents. This specific video credits five of them. Among them are Paria Farzaneh, and Feng Chen Wang, skilled designers. The next pair are singer-songwriters Ama Lou, and Raye. The last woman is a singer and a skater, Lava La Rue. 

The campaign is titled Spark Progress. It is such an iconic title if you ask me. We have learned to be independent and go forward in our success not only individually but also to give back to our communities. 

London is such a lively city always surrounded by the active lifestyle of people being out and about. It not only has great citizens, but it is a top tourist location. With all that present, the message of this campaign is not to push people. But the idea is to once again remind people of all the heights they can potentially claim. 

People try their best to keep up with society and the expectations that have been put upon them. It is great to come to the realization that as a large group, people have attained collaboration. However, for that to be guaranteed to go on for a long period of time, there needs to be distinctiveness. People need to understand what it is that they truly desire. And only after that consider the effect their uniqueness can bring to the wider range of the population. 

The video brings a focus to the different steps that people go through before getting to an ultimate destination. It is not always rainbows and butterflies. There will be days where the task will appear to be frustrating. Yet, once there, you are going to cherish those difficulties even more than the comfort. 

Paria Farzaneh has collaborated with Converse on multiple occasions. Thus, she is such a great addition to this campaign. We watch the process of her sewing together the pieces of her collection. She finishes off by placing a mark on a set of Converse sneakers. 

The other woman that has previously collaborated with Converse is Feng Chen Wang. She is a successful and beautiful model. We may not realize the hardship that goes into modeling. Though, I suggest you take a second to think about that. That will make you appreciate what they do even more. We see Wang stepping down a catwalk with a wide smile on her face. 

These people who are in the public eye make sure to come up with things that will make others happy. However, the people who observe, and use up talents for their enjoyment, do not even know the creators personally. It feels crazy to think about it that way. 

It could create a challenge for creators because on their way to forming their goods they may forget about themselves. They may forget about analyzing whether what they are preparing is actually something they aspire to do. 

As one person living in their bubble like the rest of us, they may not understand the power they hold. It is much bigger than they could potentially think. 

Losing oneself leads to emptiness. It is something people do not understand until the damage has been done. 

Somewhere along with the video, a song plays, and the lyrics go something like this “We did not go through all of this for nothing”. So, even if it seems too late, take a look back at what you have accomplished. Think of all the different small footprints you encountered. 

The experience of the feeling of one’s identity overpowers everything else. 

“While others are busy deciding our future, we’re busy making our own” is what we see on the screen at the end of the video. Those lines are incredibly powerful. Because while done unconsciously, the pressure of society is much more harmful than we think. 

This campaign is for people setting goals and aiming for them. For people that endeavor things they truly seek.

Converse mentioned that it will be continuing to encourage young talent and support their original projects. 

Moving on, we are going to discuss Converse’s communication strategy.

Let’s have a look at the company’s slogan. The last one is kind of iconic and stands out from the other slogans this company has had.

Initially, Converse’s slogan was “Converse for comfort”. Nothing can get more straightforward than that. Comfortable footwear is an essential addition to one’s closet. Being out and about and physically active is a common lifestyle for most. While that is a reality, it makes sense to make sure that a simple walk is not too effortful. 

 “Shoes keep it clean. Sneakers get dirty”. The intention is that shoes seem to be more of a formal addition to clothing. Something one would wear at a social event, or to a job.

While doing day-to-day random activities, such as running errands, going out with friends, even physical activities, such as hiking. That’s why sneakers don’t require special attention. They are comfortable and easy to throw on. 

Over time, Converse developed its slogan, leading to “Shoes are boring. Wear sneakers”. At first, one may believe that with the first part of the slogan, Converse is bashing out other companies that make varying shoes.

However, from the company’s perspective, that part of the slogan is a way of distinguishing itself from other categories of footwear. 

To add up, it is also a smart statement to claim sneakers as a signature company item. It can be advantageous in many ways. For example, subconsciously, it can create a tendency in one’s mind to get back to this company whenever sneakers are a necessity. 

The last topic that we are going to take a look at, is the segment that Converse has chosen to target.

Before doing so, I suggest watching this short advertisement.  

This video is very similar to the campaign that we discussed. The campaign was all about the realization of outgrowing society’s expectations. This ad is something else. It almost feels like a continuation of that campaign. It is about young people that have overcome that barrier. People who grasp what it is that they fancy and that they wish to do it all for themselves.

We hear several people talk about their dreams regarding the future. They dream of pursuing their goals and getting rewards in return. 

Everybody is passionate about something different among the variety of professions or hobbies that are available out there. Some People deeply love modeling, while others care for singing, dancing, and so on. 

Some people may even have deeper thoughts about the world. Their intentions are much bigger than themselves. Something like changing the world. 

It is always scary and nerve-racking to recognize the power that each and every one of us holds. It is easy to sit there and do nothing. However, once the power is detected, it becomes less frightening to move ahead. 

Among the stars included in the video are actresses Millie Bobby Brown, Maisie Williams, model Winnie Harlow, and others. 

“I wanna be rich” is something we hear towards the beginning of the video. Making a good amount of money is always a reminder that you are doing just fine. This is the biggest hint that we get from the video. 

The focus of finding personal satisfaction is another major clue that the ad gives away. It is pretty much the whole idea. It is great to change the globe and all, but the urge has to come from within. 

But during some of the videos, we witness people collaborating. Meaning that giving other people a chance and exchanging ideas is also a principal concept.

These points that we just mentioned make it obvious that the segment that Converse has chosen to target is Breakouts.  

What do we know about them?

Lifestyle and values.

Money and recognition are a major focus of this segment’s life. Those kinds of acts are reminders that Breakouts are succeeding. They will not hesitate to make sacrifices along the way. For instance, even if it means spending considerably less time with family members, Breakouts are ready to face it.  

As they continuously come up with many creative ideas, they like to be in control of their work environment. That, however, does not take away from being great team players always ready to exchange thoughts.  

Sometimes it may seem like Breakouts work purely for earning money rather than personal growth. As money plays such a crucial role in their lives, they are also quick at spending it. Breakouts are impulsive when it comes to purchasing items.  

That also feeds their wish to be the center of attention. They go out of their way to purchase luxurious clothing to look different and eye-catching. Their appearance is also a way of hiding information about themselves. For instance, if a member of this segment dropped out of college, or chose to not attend it at all, you would never know. Because the way they put themselves out there, is something else.  

Breakouts are the most deserving of their own attention. Any activity they embrace is for personal happiness and enjoyment. Yet, that approach does not take from their enthusiasm about the future and the importance of it.   

The men in this segment hold a stereotypical mindset. For instance, they don’t believe that men should cry or drink alcoholic beverages that are not strong.  

Breakouts do not typically follow a healthy lifestyle. They eat whatever they feel like eating without double-checking the ingredients. Exercising is also out of the picture. To add more to it, Breakouts do not use sustainable products.  

Brand usage.

It is common knowledge that after losing the hype, products become less expensive. Breakouts tend to wait for their favorite items to become more affordable before making a purchase.  

Smaller and less meaningful items are things this segment may buy just because they felt like it.  

The only thing Breakouts don’t save their money on is clothing. As it is an inseparable part of looking great which, as already discussed, is another feature of this segment. Breakouts usually get their clothing from mainstream brands. However, they also like exploring their options. This is why they try out new brands to potentially find new things they like. 

Other interesting facts:  

Breakouts are the segment of personal amusement, doing things for themselves. Whether it is hanging out with friends at home or a pub, watching movies, following the media, and so on. What they are not fond of is cultural events, sports, technology, etc.  

This blog was centered around Converse, a footwear company known for its sneakers. We discussed different aspects of its marketing. Firstly, we brought up a campaign to see its advertising preferences. Then, we looked at a few of its slogans to see how they want to be perceived by consumers. We finished off the blog by watching a Converse ad to uncover the segment that it has chosen to target. If you want more blogs like this, make sure to check out our main website where we constantly come up with new content.