brand wars nike vs under armour final - 20|20 researchthe fact that under armour is a threat to nike...
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BRANDWARS:NIKEvs.
UNDERARMOUR
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BRANDWARS Weloveagoodcompetition.Andwebelievethatakeyingredientinagoodcompetitionisaclearwinner,nomatterhowclosethebattle.Sowepinnedtwoindustryleaders– NikeandUnderArmour – againsteachotherinagoodoldfashionedheadtohead,andcollectedconsumerinteloneachbrandtounderstandwhoisthefanfavoriteandwhy.
Whichathleticbrandwillcomeoutontopin2015?Readontofindout.
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THREE QUESTIONS.TWOLEADERS.ONE WINNER.
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BEHINDTHECURTAIN
Wereachedoutto1,000consumerstoaskthreequestionsabouteachbrand.WeusedThoughtPath,ourcognitiveframework(rootedinthreetheoriesofpsychology),asourguidetocarefullycraftquestionsaimedatcultivatingthemostinsightregardingconsumers’perceptionsof,andrelationshipto,eachbrand.Oncewecollectedthefeedback,weimplementedMergetextanalyticstocullthroughthemassiveamountofdataquicklyandaccurately.Fromthere,ouranalyststeasedapartthenuanceintheverbatims togainadeepunderstandingofhowconsumersviewanddiscusseachbrand.
Letthegamesbegin.
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THEQUESTIONS
PERCEPTIONTHEORYHowwouldyoudescribe[Nike/UnderArmour]tosomeonewhohasneverheardofitbefore?Pleasegiveasmuchdetailaspossible.
IDENTITYTHEORYHowwouldyoudescribethetypeofpersonthatwears[Nike/UnderArmour]?Pleasegiveasmuchdetailaspossible.
EXPERIENCETHEORYHowdoes[Nike/UnderArmour]motivateyoutoliveanactivelife?Pleasegiveasmuchdetailaspossible.
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FIRSTGLANCE?TOSSUP
ConsumersseeUnderArmour andNikeinaverysimilarlight.They’rebothpricey,well-loved,athletically-mindedsportsbrands.Butwedidn’thavetoaskconsumerstoknowthat,sowecontinuedtodigbelowthesurface.Withalittleeffort,agreatdealofnuanceemergesfromconsumers’perceptionsoftwosimilarbrands,illuminatingcleardifferencesinthewaythatconsumersviewNikeandUnderArmour.
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EXPENSIVE
POPULAR
SPORTS-FOCUSED
HIGH-QUALITY
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[spoileralert]ATHLETICPEOPLE
WEARBOTHWhenweaskedwhattypeofpersonwearseachbrand,atasurfacelevel,theperceptionsofeachbrand’sloyalistsareverysimilar.Consumersusethesamebroadlanguagetodescribeboth.But,inunderstandingtherelationshipsbetweenwordsandflushingoutthecontextwithwhicheachwordisused,welearnedthatthesamewordcanmeanverydifferentthingstoconsumers– evenwhendiscussingtwoseeminglysimilarbrands.Evenwhenthetermsusedtodescribeeachbrandareidentical,thecontextinwhichthewordisusedisverydifferent.
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SPORTYDudes,sweaty,football, runner
ATHLETICTough,strong, attractive
ACTIVEAthlete,outdoorsy, serious
SPORTSAthleticallyminded,inclined, player
COMFORTABLEStrong,shape, clean
WHATTYPEOFPERSONWEARS[NIKE/UNDER ARMOUR]?
SPORTYEnergetic,healthy,fashionable,stylish
ATHLETICCool,stylish,conscious,fashionable
ACTIVEAthletic,very,runner
SPORTSHealthy,wealthy,fan,sneakers
FITSportycrowd,comfortable,athlete
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NIKE=ATHLETICSHOES
WhendescribingNikeasabrand,shoesaretopofmind.Boomers,moresothanmillennials,associatethebrandwithathleticshoes.ButNike’sathleticshoesaren’tyouraverageshoe– consumersspeaktothefactthatthecomfortofNikeshoesiswhatgetsthemoutofbedinthemorningandreadytohitthestreets.It’sthewaythebrandmotivatesthemmosttoliveanactivelife,morethaneventhefamedinspirationalcommercials.
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Oneofthebestsneakerbrands.Manystyles,colors,andtypesavailable.
– Female,25-34
Theirshoesarecomfortableenoughforyoutowanttogothatextramile.
– Female,45-54
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EVERYONENEEDSSNEAKERS ConsumersbelievethatNikeisabrandforeveryone– theymentallyleap
fromthesentimentthatNikeissynonymouswithathleticshoestothethoughtthateveryoneneedsathleticshoes,andthereforereasonthateveryonecouldwearNikes.
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Mysonwouldsaytheyhavealotofswag.Isaytheyhavesomethingforeveryone.
– Female,35-44
Everybody– athletes,students,professionals,moms,dads,grandparents,
etc.It’sashoeforeveryone!– Female,35-44
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NIKEWEARERSARELIKEME ConsumersspeaktoNike’smessagingandadvertisingasenforcersofthe
“Nikeisabrandforeveryone”sentiment.Adsfeatureindividualswhoconsumersrelatetoandthinklooksimilartothemselves.Furthermore,theadvertisements’compellingstoriesinspireandmotivate,regardlessofageorathleticability.
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JUSTDOITisthebestlineever.Iamover60andstilllivebyit.
– Female,65+
Nikeadsshowthatnomatterwhatyoulooklike,youcansucceedatyourgoals.
– Male,18-24
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TRIPLETHREAT BydiggingdeeplyintowhoconsumersviewasNike-wearers,wefoundthreemainpointsofentry,orthreereasonsthatconsumersturntoNike:practicality,performance,andfashion.Fromtherecreationalpark-walker,totheeliteathlete,tothegeekchicad-exec,Nikecoversamultitudeofbases.
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PRACTICALITY
PERFORMANCE
FASHION
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ANDNEITHERSNOW,NORRAIN… WhenwelookathowconsumersdescribeUnderArmour,theyarequickto
pointoutallofthetechnicalaspectsthatmakeUnderArmour functionalinthemostchallengingofconditions.Asidefromminimalmentionsofpriceandoverallquality,consumersuselanguagesuchas“wicking,”“skin-tight,”“insulating,”and“breathable”todescribethebrand.Toconsumers,UnderArmour’s keydifferentiatorsarewovenintothefabricoftheirapparel(whichisfitting,asthebrand’soriginalproductwasamoisture-wickingshirt).
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PERFORMANCE
CLOTHINGISALLABOUTPERFORMANCE.
base layer elastic
light wicking
thermal
nylonbreathable
skin-tight
insulating
protects
Anactiveindividualwhoisseriousaboutwhattheydo,andpushestheirbodytothelimitsbutwantsandneedsthebest
activegearavailable today.–Male, 18-24
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NOEXCUSES AthletesfindthatUnderArmour’s mostmotivatingqualityistheperformanceofthegear– iftheycan’tusetheirfaultyapparelorequipmentasacrutchinbadweather,theyhavenoexcusebuttobravetheelements.Withtherightequipment,there’snosuchthingasbadweather,andthismakesthemfeelunstoppable.
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JusthavingtheUSsymbolonmyshirtmotivatesme.Idon’twanttobeseeneatingaburgerandfries.Iwanttobe
seengoingthroughagruelingworkoutorToughMudder event!
– Male,35-44
HavingequipmentwithstandunfavorableweathermotivatesyoutostayactiveevenwhenMotherNaturedoesn’t.
– Male,25-34
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UNIVERSALAPPEALISLACKING Butnoteveryoneisaneliteathlete– orwouldevenconsiderloggingafew
milesinthesnow.WhileUnderArmour’s focusonperformancepleasesathletes,italienatesalargesectorofthepopulationthateitherdoesn’tcareabouteliteathleticsorcannotrelatetothisdegreeofathleticism.WhenweaskedwhowearsUnderArmour,wefoundthatUnderArmour wearersarenotyouraverageathleteinbothathleticismandattitude– consumersusedwordslike“cocky,”“trendy,”and“wealthy.”Thesuper-humanathleticismcanbeoff-putting,leadingsomeconsumerstobeuninspiredbytheperceivedunattainablefitnesslevel.
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IntenseathletesthatareprobablyintoAmericanfootball.– Male,25-34
Athletic,trendy,butunrelatable.– Male,18-24
Athletic,activeandprobablyattractive.– Female,65+
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NIKEHASABIGGERFOOTPRINT So,bytappingintoconsumersperceptionsofthebrandsoverall,their
perceptionsofwhowearseachbrand,andtheirpersonalexperienceswitheachbrand,we’reabletounderstandthattherearethreedistinct,yetbroadreaching,pointsofentryforNike,andonlyoneforUnderArmour.
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PRACTICALITY
PERFORMANCE
FASHION
WHYBUYNIKEVS.UA?
PERFORMANCE
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NIKEWINSOUT Simplyput,morepeoplerelateto,andcanseethemselvesin,Nike.
Thebrand’srichsneakerheritagecontributestothebroadappeal,asdoestheirrelevantandinspiringmessaging.WhilesneakersaremoretopofmindforBoomers,itsclearthateveryone,regardlessofgeneration,isawareofNikeandcanimaginethemselvesdonningtheswoosh– andtheyoftendo.
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OURWINNER?
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THE(FEROCIOUS)UNDERDOG
ThefactthatUnderArmour isathreattoNikeisimpressiveinitself–justnineteenyearsago,thebrandwasapipedreaminCEOKevinPlank’sgrandmother’sbasement.WhileUnderArmour comesinbehindNike,thebrandhasagreatdealofmomentumandopportunity.Millennialsinparticularofferhopeofclosingthegap:theyraveaboutUnderArmour’scomfort,anddon’tsaythesameforNike.Millennialsandeliteathletesaside,therearemanymarketsthatUnderArmour cantaptocontinuetogrowmarketshare.Thebrandhasalreadysuccessfullykickedoffthisoutreach;theyexecutedawildlysuccessfulandaward-winning“IWillWhatIWant”campaigntargetingwomenin2014,andrecentlyspentmorethan$600millionpurchasingtwofitnessapps,MyFitnessPalandEndomondo,allowingthemtohelpadiversegroupachievetheirexercisegoals,regardlessoffitnesslevel.
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THERUNNER
UP
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OURMETHODOLOGY
…toderivethecontextand storybehindconsumer commentary.
Cutting-edgetext analytics…
…withhuman analysis…
MERGEAsolutionthatcombines:
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OURMETHODOLOGY
WecompletedthisresearchusingMergeAnalytics,asolutionthatleveragesacutting-edgetextanalyticssoftware,backedby20|20’sexpertanalysts,tohelpcompanieseasilyandefficientlyunderstandwhatisgoingonwiththeirconsumers.Withthisapproach,we’reabletolookatconsumercommentaryfrommultiplesources,includingsocialfeeds,productreviews,surveyverbatims,andcallcentertranscripts,anddistillitdownintoactionablefindings.
Thisresearchwasconductedbyaskingthreeopen-endedquestionsforeachbrandofN=1,000consumers.Questionswerecraftedusingourcognitiveframework,ThoughtPath.
ThiscontentwasadaptedfromapresentationgivenattheQuirksEventinBrooklyn,NYinFebruary2015.