A D I D A S R E S E A R C H & A N A LY S I S

T E A M O N E , FA L L 2 0 1 6

Dylan Adams, Jessica Feiner, Joe Ghazarian, Taylor

Malanik, Mariam Al Shahwarzi, Rachel Pastors

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents……………………………………………1-2

Overview of Research…………………………………………4

Situation Analysis……………………………………………..5

Introduction………………………………………………………6

Company/ Brand History and Evaluation…………………...6-7

Product Evaluation…………………………………………...7-11

Consumer Evaluation……………………………………… 11-14

Competitive Evaluation……………………………………. 14-17

Market Evaluation…………………………………………..17-21

SWOT Analysis…………………………………………….. 21-22

Research Questions………………………………………… 23-24

Research I (Qualitative) ……………………….................... 25

Overview of the Study………………………………………… 26

Objectives of the Study………………………………………... 26

Project Details…………………………………………………. 26

Analysis of the Results………………………………………… 26

Research II…………………………………………………... 27

Background Investigation……………………………………. 28

Research Objective…………………………………………... 28

Research Methodology……………………………………… 28

Survey Research Findings………………………………… 28-29

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Analysis of Research II Results…………………………………… 30

Overall Findings and Suggestions……………………… 31-32

References………………………………………………. 33-36

Appendices………………………………………………….. 38

Research I………………………………………………………40

Research II…………………………………………………….59

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Overview of Research

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Overview of Research Yee-kicks has studied the behavioral patterns of athletic apparel consumers throughout the

course of the semester. Understanding consumer profiles is vital for brand positioning and

ultimately effective advertising. Yee-kicks conducted multiple focus groups in order to

accumulate enough qualitative data to produce lifestyle patterns and draw conclusions on the

participant sample. Focus groups allow brands to collect primary data on consumer behavior

that is relevant to current brand strategies, which help brands like Adidas that exist in such a

cluttered marketplace. Yee-kicks also released a public survey to collect valuable quantitative

data which gives a raw, measurable representation of consumer attitudes, the procedure does

have pros and cons, for instance the anonymity of the survey can be both beneficial as

respondent’s cam be honest with their feedback and helps to eliminate bias. In conclusion, Yee-

Kicks has worked diligently throughout the semester to provide our client with valuable

qualitative and quantitative feedback in several different forms.

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Situation Analysis

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Introduction The following is a situation analysis and market development plan for Adidas footwear, an

athletic company devised to change the world of soccer, one cleat, one kick, one step at a

time. Adidas offers a wide variety of apparel and equipment options personalized for fans and

players of the FIFA World Cup as well as the average man taking a stroll through a park. This

analysis features secondary data research to support our proposal to help expand the Adidas

brand and logo further to gage the interest of a wider audience. Supported by both our primary

and secondary data analysis, this new development plan clearly explains our intent throughout

the remainder of this paper.

Consumer/Brand History & Evaluation

Company/Brand History Adidas started by Adi Dassler in August 18th, 1949 beginning with shoes with three stripes. The

three stripes served as the starting point to the widely recognizable and famous symbol for the

Adidas brand the world sees today. In order for Adidas to become a success, Adi Dassler had to

innovate and create new products. Dassler listened to what athletes had to say about the products,

what they liked and what needed improvement to fit the athletes specific needs.

At the 1970 FIFA World Cup, TELSTAR by Adidas was presented and became a phenomenon

for the brand. TELSTAR became the official ball for the FIFA World Cup. The ball was created

to increase visibility via television. Later in 1972, Germany was hosting the Olympics. Presenting an opportunity for Adidas to

create a new logo, which was called the Trefoil. The Trefoil logo is still used today for the street

collection.

On September 6th, 1978, Adidas founder Adi Dassler passed away at the age of 78. Adi

Dassler’s son took over Adidas and continued to successfully innovate new products (Adidas

Group, 2015).

Company/ Brand Evaluation

“Through sport, we have the power to change lives. We work every day to inspire and enable

people to harness the power of sport in their lives. We also translate our competence in sports

into streetwear and fashion because sport is an attitude and a lifestyle. Everything we do is

rooted in sports” (Adidas Group, 2015).

‘Creating the New’ is the title of Adidas’s strategic method plan for the next 5 years. Between

Adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade, Adidas is able to target different consumers with each brand.

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Adidas is targeted towards the athlete, Reebok is targeted towards people into fitness and

TaylorMade is targeted towards golfers.

Adidas has 3 main factors included in ‘Creating the New’: speed, cities and open source. Adidas

adopted a fast process of identifying and responding to consumer needs. Along with having fast,

internal decision making. Adidas has a global plan constructed and focusing on specific cities to

be part of the city culture, people and mind by opening market share and trend. One of Adidas’s other key factors is that they are the first athletic brand that invites athletes, partners, and

consumers to contribute and be part of the brand.

“‘Creating the New’ is an ambitious, yet realistic plan that provides the layout for our accelerated

growth, both on the top and on the bottom line between now and 2020.” (Adidas Group, 2015)

‘Creating the New’ will cause the Adidas brand to evolve, adapt and innovate.

Adidas is always finding opportunity to become a bigger and better brand in the marketplace.

The CEO of Adidas Group, Herbet Hainer, stated in the first half year report: “The first half of

2016 has clearly shown that our consumer-centric approach as part of ‘Creating the New’ is

paying off. The stellar financial performance in the second quarter is proof positive that we are

true growth company that is winning in the marketplace across all categories, countries and

channels.” (Hainer, 2016)

The Adidas brand is continuing to grow. There is a significant increase in net income and sales.

The average increase of net income for Adidas is 15% each year and their dividend payout will

increase between 30% and 50%. (Adidas Group, 2015)

Company/ Brand History & Evaluation Conclusion Adidas will continue to be a top brand for athletes and consumers. The company’s net income

and sales will increase at an all time high on a global level. ‘Creating the New’ will be the

strategic method that will keep Adidas at the top in the marketplace. “We truly believe that

acting as a responsible business – one which is fully committed to respecting human rights – will

contribute to lasting economic success.” (Adidas Group, 2015)

Product Evaluation The Adidas Group began 67 years ago and later formed its sisters company, Adidas North

America, Inc. Today, corporate locations and manufactures are stationed in Europe, America and

Asia. The corporation consists of 11 different sports brands under the major company. The most

commonly recognizable brands under Adidas AG include Adidas, TaylorMade, Reebok (Adidas

AG. MarketLine, 2015).

Throughout 2015, Adidas produced over 660 million different types of cutting-edge athletic

products to meet desires of various athletic performance and fashion demands (Hoovers, 2016).

The main focus of Adidas is athletic apparel and equipment for men and young boys especially

athletic shoes. (Hoovers, 2016) With the main focus on men, Adidas also produces women’s

athletic clothing and accessories. The Adidas Group is well known throughout the world selling

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products at a higher price range. Alongside multiple different sporting lines, the Adidas price

range is not excessively high. Specialized gear such as soccer cleats and snowboarding shoes are

examples of more expensive shoes than the standard athletic running sneakers.

When the Products Are Used Footwear comes in various design which define their specific usage. Some Footwear products

are casual use while other designs meant for sports related activities. Athletes tend to go for high

end shoe brands such as Adidas and Nike because they are known to be of high quality. Nike and

Adidas produce some of the best shoe design used by both men and women on field based on

being consecutive top two brands in shoe wear. Most of sales made by major footwear

companies are made from those who use them for sports related activities. Besides sports,

footwear is also used for casual wear purposes (Tianbai, 2014). On Adidas website there are

categories fit for lifestyle and walking which provides a recognition for consumers interested in

the products but not for athletic reasons.

Where Products are Purchased Most footwear companies operate through retail outlets to distribute their products to their

consumers. Through a network of retail operations, Adidas has been able to reach a wider market

distributed throughout the world. Today, Adidas is having plans of widening its market reach by

opening more of its own network of retail outlets store (Ellen & Sara, 2015). The aim of this

move is to ensure that consumers are given better service. Having more retail outlets allow shoe

companies to interact directly with their consumers and get relevant feedback that can then be

used to improve the quality of the products. Having a wider network of retail outlets allows

companies to have full control of their brand image in the retail setup rather than getting mixed

up with a variety of products in third party retailers. Adidas is among the shoe companies with a

wide network of retail outlets. By December 2014, Adidas retail outlets had increased from 2740

to 2,913.

Advances - “Creating the New” Corporate Advances Adidas Group is constantly evolving to create new and innovative products for its consumers and

athletic teams Adidas sponsors. The group have devised of a new 5 year business strategy in

2015 called, ‘Creating the New’ (Adidas group, 2015). As stated in the Company/ Brand history

and evaluation, “Creating the New,” pushes the corporation to continue creating unique and

prestigious products driving the consumers, partners, and athletes to an innovative, positive and

healthy lifestyle through its brand. The 5 year plan to encourages Adidas to make products that

differentiated from other brands. Examples of differentiated products can be seen in the

technological advances.

Source: (Adidas group, 2015)

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Technological Advance Products within the sports industry are constantly be researched, observed and innovated. What

was the best product 5 years ago is no longer considered the best today. Adidas recognized this

dilemma during the creation process of ‘Creating the New.’ At this current time, Adidas has

released 794 new products (Adidas, 2016).

An example of Adidas Groups successful technological advances includes Adidas BOOST™

created in 2013 (Proquest, 2013). The BOOST™ shoe was created to solve how quickly soles of

shoes wear down. When the shoes wore down this eventually caused the consumer pain. The

Adidas Group converted from the traditional EVA, ethylene- vinyl acetate, a rubbery feel from

the mid-sole into using. TPU. TPU, thermoplastic polyuretheme, provides support around the

heel not just the mid-sole like the tradition EVA. Adidas using the TPU technology calls this as a

“revolutionary cushioning technology” (Runners Roost, 2013). TPU is a stronger material with a

longer lasting durability and does not change and/or limit performance of an athlete or customer

under extreme weather conditions like the EVA had done (Adidas Group, 2013). The shoe being

created in 2013 has continued to adapt to yearly advances. The TPU technology is still

manufactured and sold in today’s market. To the right, the top image, figure 1 is an example of

the 2013 version Adidas BOOST™, while below in figure 2 is the Adidas Ultra BOOST™

Uncaged 2016 version. Adidas was the first to add the TPU technology to Adidas shoes. This

gave the company a unique and differentiated product in comparison to its competitors (ie: Nike,

Under Armour, Puma, and indirect competitors, etc.)

An example of Adidas Groups successful technological advances includes Adidas BOOST™

created in 2013 (Proquest, 2013). The BOOST™ shoe was created to solve how quickly soles of

shoes wear down. When the shoes wore down this eventually caused the consumer pain. The

Adidas Group converted from the traditional EVA, ethylene- vinyl acetate, a rubbery feel from

the mid-sole into using. TPU. TPU, thermoplastic polyuretheme, provides support around the

heel not just the mid-sole like the tradition EVA. Adidas using the TPU technology calls this as a

“revolutionary cushioning technology” (Runners Roost, 2013). TPU is a stronger material with a

longer lasting durability and does not change and/or limit performance of an athlete or customer

under extreme weather conditions like the EVA had done (Adidas Group, 2013). The shoe being

created in 2013 has continued to adapt to yearly advances. The TPU technology is still

manufactured and sold in today’s market. Below and to the right, in figure 1 is an example of the

2013 version Adidas BOOST™, while below and to the left in figure 2 is the Adidas Ultra

BOOST™ Uncaged 2016 version. Adidas was the first to add the TPU technology to Adidas

shoes. This gave the Adidas an advantage in the shoe market over its competitors.

Figure 1: BOOST™ 2013

Source: (Adidas Group, 2013)

Figure 2: Ultra BOOST Uncaged, 2016

Source: (Adidas, 2016)

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Other Advances: Porsche Design Sport by Adidas (Adidas News Stream, 2016)

Porsche Design Sport by Adidas a new athlete fashion forward brand focusing on the styles athletes wear

on and off the field, court, rink etc.

“Fall and Winter Present specific opportunities so we worked tirelessly to create

intelligent design solutions for more extreme conditions. Using innovative reflective materials,

placed strategically across apparel, footwear and accessories we have created a robust collection

of style-led precise looks.”

Gert Benz, Vice President of Style Collaborations, Adidas Group

Set Backs Weakness of the brand has caused various setbacks for the Adidas group. As seen in figure 3,

over the past several years, specifically 2006 to 2015, the corporation’s global revenue has

consistently fallen behind shortly behind Nike Inc. yet is towering over Puma. Though only

second, Adidas Group fights hard by gaining brand awareness. (Statista, 2016)

Technological Advances

Fall/ Winter 2015 & 2016

COREBRID™ B fabric Material allowing heat- generation

Continental™ Rubber

Outer sole rubber to improve traction

BOUNCE™ Energy capturing vessels within the shoe

returning energy back to the runner and/or

walker

Source: (Statista, 2016)

Figure 3: Global Revenue

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There is a stronger reliance on third party suppliers. According to recent company evaluations,

Adidas has concluded that 95.00% of its manufacturing is conducted by independent

manufactures. It is important to consider that the corporation is has establishments within

Europe, there no notable manufacturing being conducted with the European head quarter. Having

a reliance on third party manufactures sets back the company because it limits how fast and

effectively Adidas can distribute the products (London: Progressive Digital Media, 2014).

Product Failures Though there were not notable failures, Adidas has troubles committing with brands such as

Nike, Inc. Since Nike has a greater market share pushing equal products into the market is

challenging for Adidas since consumers recognize and buy Nike more in the United States. This

can be inferred from figure number 3 above covering Nike, Adidas, Puma sportwear revenue.

Product Evaluation Conclusion Overall Adidas internationally and within the Unites States has a level standing. Adidas is a

highly recognizable company beginning to take more risks to establish a higher market share

within the United States and worldwide. Adidas is constantly evolving to match the latest trends

in athletic fashion and performance and offers a wide range of athletic supplies, equipment,

accessories for on and off the field. Being that Adidas is pricey, the individuals feel prestigious

while being able perform to the best ability.

Adidas is such a large and successful company. The next move should be to manufacture within

the house rather than relying on other private manufactures. This would decrease expenses, and

help to get the products out faster.

Consumer Evaluation Launching a new product has always been a difficult task for marketers. Keeping a product high

in the market is, perhaps, even more difficult. However, with consumer research, both tasks can

be done with much ease (Tater, 2015). Marketers must try to keep their feet on the ground and

focus on the most the most important things such as consumer demographics, market trends and

the potential challenges that might affect the marketability of a certain product. Consumer research

always sound expensive and time consuming. However, when done by professionals, the process

can be efficient, cost-effective and easy to accomplish.

Consumer evaluation is important for companies that deal in highly competitive market.

Additionally, consumer evaluation should be done when the target market is so dynamic and keep

on changing with time (Tater, 2015). In this consumer evaluation, the focus will be on sports shoes,

specifically Adidas brands. The paper seeks to analyze the consumer profile in terms of their

demographic characteristics and their psychographic profiles.

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Importance of Consumer Evaluation

There are a number of benefits associated with consumer evaluation. These include establishing

viability for the products, identification and understanding of target market, and the opportunity

to rebrand a product to suite the market dynamic (Tater, 2015)

Establishing market viability

Business ideas, even the very best, can fail if proper market evaluation is not done. Marketers

must ensure that their target customers are ready for their products before they can launch them

into the market. At the same time, consumer evaluation will help consumers establish whether or

not there is a gap in the market. Through consumer evaluation, marketers can be able to assess

whether the target consumers would be ready to spend their money on the products being

offered. For companies launching a new product, it is important that they get consumer feedback

as early as possible before blindly committing their investment into a product.

Identification of Target Audience

Consumer research can help marketers identify the ideal market for their products. Identification

of target audience takes the form of demographic profiling of consumers as well as their

psychographic profiling (Tater, 2015). Through consumer profiling, marketers can be able to

assess what makes their products tick and how much the consumers are willing and able to spend

on the products. Most importantly, consumer evaluation helps marketers to tailor make their

products to suite their customers’ specific needs.

Rebranding of Products

Evaluation can give useful information about what consumers think about a particular product.

This information can then be used to rebrand and fine tune products according to the taste of the

existing consumers as well as those of prospective consumers (Tater, 2015). Marketers use

consumer evaluation to learn about what consumers love and what would sell among the target

consumers.

Sportswear Consumer Evaluation-A US. Case Study

Adidas is a German shoe dealing company that is based in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria. Adidas

remain one of the largest shoe manufacturing company in the whole of Europe and the entire

global market. However, competition is increasing from other companies dealing in men’s and

women’s footwear. The consumer evaluation is meant to assess the consumer's demographics

and other profile in relation to the products.

Customers for the Product: Demographic analysis

The footwear industry is highly dominated by women footwear because females are the majority

consumers in the American market (Phalguni, 2014). According to the 2016 American market

breakdown, women’s footwear makes up more than 60 percent of the total footwear market in

the United States. The female segment of the market has seen a steady rise from 2011 to 2016 at

the rate close to 10%. Further report indicate that men segment of footwear has also been

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growing faster, but at a much lower rate compared to women segment. Men, in general, tend to

buy fewer pairs of shoes compared to women (Ellen & Sara, 2015). Men who buy shoes do so

because they are replacing their older pairs of shoes. Men aged between 18 and 34 been

identified as the most active group when it comes to footwear buyers. This category of men also

participates in the purchase of athletic wear and have been behind the success Adidas in the

footwear industry (Tianbai, 2014). Unlike other categories of men, men aged between 18 and 34

years are likely to buy multiple pairs of athletic shoes, hence driving the industry forward.

Psychographic Analysis

Consumers who use Adidas footwear tend to have certain psychographic profile. For example,

most of the consumers tend to fancy stylish lifestyle and love quality products. There are those

who consider Adidas products to symbolize class and status (Phalguni, 2014).

Reasons for Using Adidas Products

Users of footwear buy shoes for different reason. Adidas shoes are known to be used for sports,

casual wear and as a show of status. Both men and women use footwear for sports related

activities. However, males tend to invest in shoes more than their female counterparts when it

comes it comes to footwear. According to research by Mintel, male can buy more than one pair

of shoes at once when its primary use is to be for sports (Tianbai, 2014). On the other hand, men

can only buy shoes as a replacement for the ones when it is not sportswear. This is different with

female customer who like shoe fashion and can buy multiple pairs of shoes.

Recent findings have indicated that athletic shoes are increasingly being used for purposes other

than sports. There are customers who only want to feel comfortable in their shoes and this can be

a motivating factor to purchase a pair of shoes (Tianbai, 2014). This explains why athletic shoes

have become the most widely purchased footwear, both by men and women. Athletic shoes are

known for their comfortable feel which is desired by athletes and non-athletes alike.

Modern designs of athletic shoes have customized styling, colors, and fabrics. Adidas has started

marketing their shoes designs as trendy and fashionable, hence attracting more people. For

instance, designer sneakers have been made and customized from sportswear in order to attract

other non-athletic users who find them comfortable, fancy and trendy. Such shoes come adorned

with jewels, embroidery and other decorations. Majority of the people who own sneakers have

confessed that their choice to buy was mainly influenced by the ornamentation and decoration

that appeared on the shoes (Ellen & Sara, 2015). Adidas has adopted a marketing strategy where

their products are associated with fashion, music and styles. At the same time, most shoe

companies are increasingly signing celebrities like famous musicians.

Unlike the non-athletes, professional athletes have to make concrete and practical considerations

before deciding on whether to purchase a pair of shoes or not. Technology has become a famous

consideration that athletes must take into account before deciding on which shoe design to buy.

With modern technology, shoes can be designed in such a way that athletes, especially runners

can have the best experience during their time on the truck (Tianbai, 2014). Professional athletes

must choose shoe designs that cannot cause injury to the athlete.

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Problems and Opportunities

Footwear industry is full of threats and opportunities. In terms of threats, competition is a force

that is threatening to take some companies out of business. Adidas is facing competition from

other rival companies like Nike which is equally a global brand. The companies are constantly

trying to outdoor each other in terms of which one is the best. The level of competition between

these companies was evident during the Rio-2016 Olympic. In Rio, as the gold-rush continued,

Adidas and Nike competed on the basis of strength, technology and comfort (Ellen & Sara,

2015). The companies used aggressive brand awareness campaigns to influence as many athletes

as possible about the excellent features of their products.

Footwear industry also has lots of opportunities that can be exploited to improve the performance

of a company in the market. For instance, the industry could target a much younger generation of

teenagers. This can be done through the use of social media and having celebrity personalities

like Justin Bieber feature in shoes adverts. The rationale behind this idea is that most of the

American teenagers associate more with modern teenagers, the so called iTeenagers (Phalguni,

2014).

Consumer Evaluation Conclusion The footwear industry is one of the most crowded industries there is. However, companies like

Adidas still have stronger control of the total market share of the industry. In order to keep pace

with the dynamic footwear industry, companies must constantly carry out consumer evaluation

processes in order to get better information about the consumers they serve. Demographic and

psychographic analysis of can reveal vital information that can be useful in marketing products

to target consumers.

Competitive Evaluation As one of the largest athletic clothing and shoe brands in the world, Adidas faces staunch

opposition. It is a major player in the United States, Europe and Asian markets. Adidas has

strong ties in the soccer and basketball world as it currently manufactures apparel and jerseys for

the NBA, and is a kit provider for countless soccer teams around the globe, including FC Bayern

Munich, Manchester United, Chelsea FC and many others. Adidas also sponsors Lionel Messi,

who is widely considered one of the best soccer players that has ever lived. These relationships

have allowed Adidas to become a dominant force in global athletic apparel and manufacturing.

According to several sources such as The Gale Group, Marketline and Hoovers, Adidas’s main

competitors are Nike, Puma, Callaway, Under Armour and select indirect competitors.

Nike, Inc.

Nike Inc. is the one world's biggest manufacturer of athletic apparel and footwear. Located out

of Beaverton, Oregon and employing around 62,000 people. The company was founded in 1964

by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman originally as Blue Ribbon Sports, they would later change the

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company’s name to Nike, a Greek word for victory. Nike has cultivated a tremendous following

of loyal consumers. In figure number 4 below, we see at the end of the financial year of May

2015, they recorded revenues of $30,601 million and in 2016 accumulated $32,376 million.

(MarketLine, 2016). Nike also owns subsidiaries such as Converse, Chuck Taylor, Hurley,

Bauer Hockey, Cole Haan and many others (MarketLine, 2016). Nike also has a long line of very

popular women’s clothing. Adidas somewhat lacks in the department of women’s apparel. Nike

has also partnered with the NFL to supply their official apparel, as well as several soccer teams

around the world, ranging from Barcelona to Juventus and Inter Milan. Christiano Ronaldo, one

of the greatest soccer players in the world, along with Neymar are both sponsored by Nike. In the

soccer world there is a huge fan competition between those who support Christiano Ronaldo,

Nike sponsored, versus those who support Lionel Messi, Adidas’s huge soccer sponsor. Nike

also has a strong foothold in the hockey world with their acquisition of Bauer. There is no

mistake about it, Nike is the alpha dog when it comes to athletic apparel and footwear

manufacturing with Adidas being one of their largest and fiercest competitors.

Puma SE (Marketline, 2016)

Puma SE was founded in 1948 by Rudolf Dassler, brother of Adidas founder Adolf Dassler. The

company is headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany and employs approximately 10,803

Source: (Statista, 2016)

Figure 4: Nike World Revenues from 2015- 2016

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people according to MarketLine company profile. The company recorded revenues of $3,949.8

million at the end of the financial year in December 2014. Puma has worked with several

different groups including Arsenal, the Moroccan national team, the Jamaican Olympic

Federation, Porsche, 10 African nation football partners and many more. Puma also has

partnered with footballers like Sergio Aguero, Marco Reus, Gigi Buffon and others. In figure

number 5 below we see Puma’s revenues grey compared to Adidas in light blue and Nike in

black. Puma is a direct competitor though Puma’s revenues are significantly lower than Nike,

Inc. and Adidas AG.

Callaway Golf Company

Callaway is a golf equipment and clothing company based out of Carlsbad, California employing

around 1,700 people. Callaway golf mainly focuses on making golf clubs and accessories like

footwear, eyewear and apparel. At the end of the financial year, Dec. 2015 Callaway recorded

revenues of $843.8 million, down 4.9% from the previous year (MarketLine, 2016). Callaway is

one of Adidas’s lesser competitors as they only focus on golf wear, and golf equipment.

Under Armour

Under Armour poses a major threat to Adidas, specifically in North America. The up and

coming company originating from Baltimore, MD may not have a long history such that of

Source: (Statista, 2016)

Figure 5: Worldwide revenue of Adidas, Nike and Puma 2000 to 2015

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Adidas or Nike, but Under Armour is gaining market share and signing athletes such as Steph

Curry, Tom Brady, Jordan Spieth, Lindsey Vonn, and celebrities like Dwayne Johnson. Under

Armour has partnered with teams like Tottenham Hotspurs and with universities all over the US.

Under Armour reported sales of $3,963.3 million dollars in the fiscal year of 2015 (MarketLine,

2016). Though with Under Armour’s ever growing success, UA does have a glaring weakness in

its lack of awareness in European markets. For now, Under Armour only poses a threat to

Adidas in North America.

Indirect Competitors

Adidas does have a number of indirect competitors, such as, Russel Athletic and Champion for

apparel. While Wilson, and Spalding compete in sports equipment. Companies such as Speedo,

Billabong, and O'Neill compete in the swimwear filed.

Competitive Evaluation Conclusion

In conclusion, Adidas has fierce opposition from both Nike and Puma. While Callaway Golf

also takes away from their market share in the golf department. Callaway Golf cannot compete

with Adidas’s production and sales in footwear and apparel. On the other hand, both Nike and

Puma compete with Adidas on several different levels, in apparel and footwear but as well as

sponsorship deals with both individual athletes. sports teams, and sports leagues as a whole.

Adidas also has to recognize Under Armour’s potential. For Under Armour’s sales and

awareness continue to rise in the US, especially with college students.

Adidas does have a chance, however, of acquiring some market share when it comes to hockey

and women. Adidas recently announced that they will be taking over the production

responsibilities from their subsidiary Reebok to supply the NHL with uniforms and apparel and

recently being the manufacturer for all the World Cup of Hockey uniforms and apparel. And if

Adidas would launch a more substantial women’s line, they could give women another option as

opposed to Nike.

Market Environment

Current Market Trends

Partnerships Brand partnerships are mutually beneficial relationships that help each brand grow and prosper.

Brands must consider fit when deciding if a strategic partnership will work. Brands need to

complement each other and fit similar consumer profiles. (Samuelsen, 2015) Athletic brands and

professional sports leagues make for the ideal brand partnership. Adidas and FIFA have one of

the strongest and most influential of all athletic partnerships, largely due to soccer’s global

audience and popularity. This helps position Adidas as the world’s premier athletic apparel

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company. In figure number 6 below, we Projected global viewership of sporting events in 2014.

The graph, provided by Statista clearly shows that FIFA World Cup Final will have the most

viewership. Adidas is heavily partnered with FIFA. Seeing that back in 2014, the FIFA World

Cup Final would gain the most views solidifies Adidas partnership with FIFA is wise and strong.

Adidas and FIFA have coordinated as brand partners for over 45 years. Beginning in 1970, their

partnership ensures the Adidas brand will be represented at the worlds most watched sporting

events until 2030. (FIFA, 2013) Commercially, Adidas also has the rights to FIFA licensed

products and apparel that is available for purchase worldwide. Under the FIFA umbrella, Adidas

has also secured partnership rights to the FIFA women’s world cup and the FIFA u-20 world

cup. (FIFA, 2013)

Endorsements Celebrity endorsement increases consumer intrigue and likeliness to engage in certain brand. In

cluttered markets, brands can use celebrity endorsement as a selling point to gain consumer

awareness over competitor brands. (Hung, 2014) Athletic brands are branching out and

Source: (Statista, 2014)

Figure 6: Sporting Event

Viewership

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Source: Campless

beginning to sign endorsements with people other than athletes. This includes artists, musicians,

actors, and other cultural influencers. Most notably, Adidas has teamed up with artist Kanye

West to develop and enhance his line of ‘Yeezy’ apparel- one of Adidas’s most anticipated

product lines to date. In figure number 7, the chart depicts the top 20 overall grossing athletic

shoes of 2015.

The top 3 overall grossing shoes came from Kanye West’s and Adidas’s ‘Yeezy’ collaboration.

This is a clear indication of the power and influence that the new age of brand endorsement has.

Celebrities have so much influence and power over market trends and consumer values that a

single endorsement can change the course of a company.

Athleisure Athletic apparel has found new life in recent years thanks to the new clothing category

“Athleisure”. Athleisure is a more socially functional form of athletic apparel that can be worn

out, in the gym or anywhere in-between. Athleisure has had such great success thanks to athletic-

casual wear becoming increasingly popular and acceptable in different social situations.

Athleisure achieved sales of over $40 billion in 2015, a 16% increase from the year prior

Top 20 Grossing Athletic Shoes of 2015

Figure 7: Grossing Athletic Shoes

Source: (Campless, 2015).

20

(Marshall, 2014). Unfortunately, the rush to take advantage of this trend has left the market very

saturated. However, brands like Adidas are countering the saturation with unique endorsements

and brand collaborations.

Fashion Recent trends have caused fashion and athletic apparel to merge into a single category.

Athleisure has progressed from functional wear to fashion forward in a matter of years. For

Adidas, this sub-genre of trendy fashion is just the beginning for the move into the world of

fashion. They currently have a deal inked with fashion icon Rick Owens.

Economic Factors World Market Prices The apparel industry relies heavily on raw materials to use in the production of nearly every

product. Cotton is amongst the most important and volatile of these raw materials, the prices of

cotton as seen in figure number 8, will affect the overall manufacturing costs and then affecting

the overall prices that consumer will pay.

It is essential that athletic apparel companies study the world market of the materials. As seen in

the graphic, cotton prices are the lowest they have been since 2009. Companies need to take

advantage of low market prices because these commodities tend to fluctuate at rapid paces.

Market Environment Conclusion

Source: (Statista, 2016)

Figure 8: Global Average Price of Cotton

21

Rivalry amongst athletic apparel companies is very high with a saturated market making it

difficult for brands to differentiate themselves. Companies in the industry can only compete by

actively differentiating their products and building strong brand personalities. The increasing

popularity of major sports events offers incredible sales and brand building opportunities for all

companies in the industry. It allows them to reach out to customers all over the world at the same

time. Furthermore, such events provide a good platform to introduce new equipment and make

people familiar with new technologies. Current trends in athletic apparel are forcing companies

like Adidas to adapt while simultaneously allowing room for creative growth.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses

-Diverse product range Taylormade, golf equipment and

apparel Reebok- Footwear and apparel

and accessories -Strong heritage and brand history -Popular across the globe

-Dependent of third parties for

manufacturing. - Premium price range -Online customer service not helpful

Opportunities Threats

- Growing online merchant presence - Sponsorship opportunities for both

individual athletes and teams

- Increased competition from Nike,

Puma etc. - Counterfeit products

22

Strengths

Adidas’s brand history is a very strong selling point, they have been in business for 67 years. In

that time they have established a reputation of producing quality products. They have a thriving

online store and a call center to answer questions as well as a live chat option on their website for

real time answers to consumer’s questions. Adidas also offers a very diverse range of products,

from apparel, to footwear and accessories and sports equipment. They also own subsidiaries like

Taylormade, which manufactures golf equipment, apparel and accessories, and Reebok that

works closely with The Crossfit Games, and manufactures footwear and apparel as well as

manufactures jerseys and apparel for the NHL.

Weaknesses

Adidas relies on third parties for manufacturing, meaning it does not control its entire supply

chain, which is strange for a company of Adidas’s size, trying to establish vertical integration has

been a challenge. Adidas also charges a premium price for its products which means lower

income consumers cannot purchase some of their products. Adidas strives in customer service

by getting back to each customer concern in a timely fashion, however the quality of their

responses lacks. Although customers are privileged and seen as a priority, Adidas does not take

it a step further to solve the issues at hand. Adidas is also not as prominent in the US as it is in

Europe, Asia and South America. Many Americans still see it primarily as a European brand.

Opportunities

Adidas is constantly growing its online retail presence. Currently, on their very easy to use

online store, you can purchase a vast array of Adidas apparel, footwear and accessories as well as

categorize by sport like soccer, football and basketball and look for specific products. Adidas

also has a great opportunity to continue to sponsor athletes like Messi, Luis Suarez, Derrick Rose

and James Harden, as well as sponsor whole teams and leagues like the MLS. Currently one of

the biggest opportunities Adidas is moving into the hockey world with the production of NHL

jerseys and their work in the World Cup of Hockey this past summer. This provides a whole

new market for them to tap into, though they do take the risk of alienating some fans by

removing Reebok as the manufacturer as it is well known in the hockey community.

Threats

Adidas is constantly having to battle for market share and consumer’s dollars with companies

like Puma, Under Armour and Nike. All three companies have their own sponsored athletes and

teams and all three collaborate with designers. Adidas is constantly fighting for market share,

endorsements from individual players and to sponsor world famous sports teams. Counterfeit

products is also something that all major brands suffer from, but the more counterfeits there are,

the more devalued and watered down the brand becomes.

23

Research Questions

Research Question 1

Does the recognition Adidas get through its affiliation with the World Cup,

increase the likelihood of consumer purchase?

While Adidas is widely known for their recognition with FIFA, research shows that there was

an average of 3.2billion viewers during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil. This creates a huge

opportunity for Adidas market retail being that the World Cup would be the “…largest marketing

campaign in the history of Adidas soccer” (Jessop, 2014). Adidas, primarily known for their

shoes, also produces goods such as soccer jerseys/other sportswear and the ever so popular

Brazuca (official ball of the World Cup). In 2014 it was reported that the awareness of “things

like jersey sales, Brazuca sales and the presence of the federations and our players, like Messi, in

games lead to footwear sales. Players wearing the F50 scored 46 goals during the world cup to

argue that it was the highest scoring cleat in the tournament”, (Jessop, 2014). As Adidas hoped

for a 15% increase in sales, that number doubled during the time of the World Cup to over 30%

increase in footwear and other general Adidas sales.

Analysis: Adidas has seen these trends and promises to capitalize on them, suggesting to their

buyers that they will continue the same if not better level of satisfaction throughout the soccer

off-season of consumer purchases.

Research Question 2

Does the price of Adidas apparel compared to other competitor’s influence

consumer’s decision to buy premium over generic brands?

Adidas has a certain reputation that they choose to stand by suggesting that their prices in

comparison to their competitors (Nike, Puma, etc) are within reason. Focusing on their primary

target audience, men of ages 18-34, Adidas stated them as being the most active group when it

comes to footwear buyers. Recognizing that your typical Adidas consumer values a certain level

of social class, the overall price range of Adidas’ products factors in the deep-rooted passion

their audience has for sports.

Analysis: Adidas, while being reasonably prices, focuses on the meaning behind their products

and the individuality it suggests. “We’ve sold 60% more Colombia jersey sales than we did with

France in 2010…Adidas has seen sales growth of 45% for 2014 over 2013 for Mexico’s jerseys”,

(Jessop, 2014).

Research Question 3

Does their strong tie to the FIFA World Cup affect their market retail sales and consumer

outreach?

Being that Adidas is so strongly tied to soccer and the World Cup, they do put at jeopardy

their target audience outreach. However, because of products such as their cleats and jerseys that

24

are universal to the athletic world, they have been able to uphold their retail sales

expectations. “Adidas is now the third biggest footwear brand in the States…”, (Leach, 2015).

Analysis: Adidas is recognized as a fashionable, casual footwear option for everyday use as well

as for sports. They have “enjoyed a healthy resurgence thanks to its designer collaborations,

faithful reissues of timeless classics and the headline-grabbing YEEZY Season Project…”,

(Leach, 2015).

25

Research I

26

Research I

Overview of the Study For our first research study, we conducted a focus group instead of going with in-depth

interviews as we thought that this would give us a broader understanding of how individuals

view, not only Adidas but their competitors as well. We believed that by engaging a group of

like-minded people in an open-ended discussion we would be able to identify trends in their

attitudes towards Adidas and other sports apparel manufacturers and if there is any sense of

brand equity or loyalty.

Objectives of the Study The objectives we set out to accomplish when we conducted this of this study were to gauge the

interests of consumer’s attitudes toward Adidas and its products, as well as the spending habits

and preferred methods of purchase when it comes to athletic apparel and footwear, and to

identify whether or not price was a key factor in purchasing decisions made by the consumer.

Project Details In conducting the first focus group, we decided to recruit WVU students ages 18-22, who had a

background in sports or who simply enjoyed athletic apparel and footwear. Both focus groups

were conducted inside the Arnold Hall Learning Center, the location was chosen because of its

seclusion and ample room for both participants, moderator and other group members. The first

focus group took place on November 13th, 2016 at approximately 6:30pm, and the second focus

group took place on November 16th, at approximately 11:30 am. The first focus group was

made up of 4 men and 1 woman, while the second group consisted of 3 women and 2 men. The

sampling method we chose was volunteer based. The participants were not forced into

answering any of the questions and it was made clear that they could stop at any time. The

moderator also made sure that all participants knew that their voices were being recorded and

would be used only for academic purposes only. The second focus group questions were altered

in order to test if a different question model would elicit different responses.

Analysis of Research I Results In conclusion, both focus groups tended to view Adidas in a negative light. Both groups stated

that they viewed Nike or Under Armour as a superior brand and that they did not feel any kind of

brand equity or loyalty to Adidas. Most participants in the first group said that when it came to

price, they would just pick the cheaper option, no matter the brand. The second focus group was

more lenient on price, with their budgets being several hundred dollars. However, both focus

group 1 and 2 said that they saw a strength in Adidas pairing with fashion designers like Kanye

West and his Yeezy clothing and footwear line. Adidas needs to make headway with today’s

youth as it seems they are being drawn more and more to their competition.

27

Research II

28

Research II

Survey Research Plan Background Investigation This research was based on brand attitude. The target audience consisted of mainly college

students, ages 18 to 24. Yee-kicks started off having 30 questions relating to the topic and

narrowed it down to 22 questions that Yee-kicks thought were most relevant. In the questions,

Yee-kicks included ethnicity, gender and age. The online survey was sent out through email and

posted on various social media platforms, where Yee-kicks got 255 respondents by December 1st.

Some respondents had skipped questions so it was about narrowing down who answered the

survey completely.

Research Objective The theme of the focus groups was brand attitude, which is in relation to the online

survey questions. Yee-kicks evaluated consumers based off brand awareness, brand loyalty, lifestyle and

behavior.

Research Methodology The survey was conducted through Qualtrics Software. After coming up with the survey, it was

distributed throughout 5 group members whom forwarded the link to various email addresses

and social media platforms. Yee-kicks used this method because it is the fastest way to get a

large amount of respondents in a short amount of time.

Yee-kicks used “random sampling” throughout our own social media platforms by recruiting

participants to take the survey and then narrowed it down to relevant responses.

Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp and the Qualtrics URL links were the specific methods to get

participants to answer the survey.

The survey included variety of different questions from semantic differential scale, likert-type

scale and open-ended questions. Yee-kicks used an open-ended question to figure out a common

product that consumers would want to see Adidas add on to their line. Yee-kicks also included

close-ended questions, which consisted of how people react to athletic apparel, and what

motivates them to purchase a certain brand.

Overall, the survey questions included brand attitude, awareness, loyalty, lifestyle and behavior.

Survey Research Findings Yee-kicks chose to chart these four questions because these questions targeted the primary

purpose of our quantitative research. The percentages of the questions can be found in figure

number 9 and in figure number 10.

Figure number

29

Figure number 10:

Figure number 9:

30

Analysis of Research II Results Based off the survey findings, Nike was the number one athletic brand associated with fashion

and style with 53.14% followed by Adidas with 32.28%. W hen asked what factors influence

individuals to purchase a specific athletic brand; majority of respondents chose quality with

54.4% following price with 22.22%.

Yee-kicks used a semantic differential scale in the survey to determine if media, such as

advertisements, of Adidas attract people to buy any Adidas products. Participants somewhat

agreed that advertisements do influence them to make an Adidas purchase. Among the questions

in the survey, participants were asked to rate Adidas on a scale from 1 to 5 where 1 is the best

and 5 is the worst compared to its competitors. Majority rated Adidas 2 out of 5 compared to its

competitors.

31

Overall Findings and Suggestions

32

Overall Findings and Suggestions In summation Yee-kicks has investigated the Adidas Group and its competitors. Throughout the

primary and secondary research, Adidas is the second most popular athletic apparel and

equipment company and uses only 3rd party manufacturing. Adidas targets its market toward

young boys and adult men though provide minimal clothing and shoe lines for young girls and

women.

The athletic apparel market is constantly evolving, the market place is highly cluttered and

brands such as Adidas need to continue to develop innovative products such as the existing

products; BOOST™, Climaecool, miCoach, Continental™ Rubber, COREBRID™ B fabric and

many others.

In conducting two focus groups and survey, Yee- Kicks has inferred from our sample size, many

Americans would rather prefer Nike and Under Armour over Adidas.

Yee-Kicks recommends Adidas has more store stationed around the US. Many customers only

see the products at third party retailers such as sporting goods stores. Adidas should products

more young girls and women’s apparel, shoes, and equipment this would increase the market

share by bringing in more consumers. Recommends increasing broadcast advertising in the US,

since the advertising presence is so low.

33

References

34

References

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Adidas Group (2015). Retrieved from http://www.adidas-group.com/en/group/strategy-overview/

Adidas Group (2015). Retrieved from http://www.adidas-group.com/media/filer_public/8c/78/8c788a49-

ca4b-4a20-8e59-ab3c303d4c04/en_q2_2016.pdf

Adidas Group (2015). Retrieved from http://www.adidas-group.com/en/sustainability/managing-sustainability/general-approach/

Adidas, & Puma, & Nike. (n.d.). Global revenue of Adidas, Nike and Puma from 2006 to 2015

(in billion euros)*. In Statista - The Statistics Portal. Retrieved from

https://www.statista.com/statistics/269599/net-sales-of-adidas-and-puma-worldwide/.

Runners Roost. (2013, Oct. 22). Adidas boost provides the biggest technological advancement in

shoe construction in quite some time. Retrieved from

http://www.runnersroost.com/community/adidas-boost-provides-the-biggest-technological-

advancement-in-shoe-construction-in-quite-some-time/

Adidas group: Consumer products - company profile, SWOT & financial report.(2014). ().

London: Progressive Digital Media. Retrieved from

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Adidas (2016). New arrivals. Retrieved from http://www.adidas.com/us/new_arrivals

Adidas Group(2013, Feb. 13). BOOST™ Changes running forever. News Archives. Retrieved

from http://www.adidas-group.com/en/media/news-archive/press-releases/2013/boost-changes-

running-forever/

Company Profiles: adidas AG. (2015, Oct. 16). Retrieved from MarketLine.

35

Campless. (2015). [Graph illustration of top 20 grossing athletic shoe in 2015]. Top 20 Total

Dollars Spent. Retrieved from http://www.highsnobiety.com/2016/02/01/most-expensive-

sneakers-2015/

Company Profile: Puma SE. (27, August 2015) Retrieved from MarketLine

Company Profile Adidas AG (16, October 2015) Retrieved from MarketLine

Company Profile Nike, Inc. (7, June 2016) Retrieved from MarketLine

Company Profile Under Armour Inc (29, July 2016) Retrieved from MarketLine

Ellen, E. J. & Sara, G. (2015, March 22). How Adidas Aims to Get Its Cool Back. The Wall-street

Journal. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-adidas-aims-to-get-its-cool-back-

1427072066

FIFA and Adidas extend partnership until 2030. Retrieved from

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2013/m=11/news=fifa-and-adidas-extend-partnership-

until-2030-2227271.html

Futures Sport + Entertainment. (2014). [Graph illustration of projected global viewership for

sporting events]. Projected global viewership for major sporting events in 2014. Retrieved from

https://www-statista-com.www.libproxy.wvu.edu/statistics/266574/worldwide-tv-viewership-of-

selected-sporting-events/

Hung, K. (2014). Why Celebrity Sells: A Dual Entertainment Path Model of Brand

Endorsement. Journal Of Advertising, 43(2), 155-166. doi:10.1080/00913367.2013.838720

Hampton, Stuart. (2016). Description. Adidas AG. Retrieved from Hoovers

Jessop, A. (n.d.). Adidas Scores Big In Sales And Social Media Growth During The World Cup.

Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/aliciajessop/2014/07/15/adidas-

scores-big-in-sales-and-social-media-growth-during-the-world-cup/#46d8af0d5e4b

36

Leach, A. (2015). Nike vs. adidas: Who Owns the Market? Retrieved October 11, 2016, from

http://www.highsnobiety.com/2015/11/09/nike-adidas-market-shares/

Marshall, J. (2014, December 1). Consumer emphasis on activewear and accessories will likely

continue, but also evolve in 2015. Retrieved from

https://www.npd.com/wps/portal/npd/us/news/press-releases/2015/a-more-casual-active-

lifestyle-drives-fashion-sales-growth-in-2014/

Nike. (n.d.). Nike's revenue worldwide from 2005 to 2016 (in million U.S. dollars). Statista - The

Statistics Portal. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/241683/nikes-sales-

worldwide-since-2004/.

Phalguni, S. (2014, December 2). NIKE’s Target Market Today And Tomorrow. Market Realist.

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Adidas News Stream. (2016, June 27). Porsche Design Sport by Adidas presents innovative

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innovative-technologies-and-design-for-fall---winter-2016/s/010C2BC9-53D8-40EF-9F74-

38F568972E36

Samuelsen, B., Olsen, L., & Keller, K. (2015). The multiple roles of fit between brand alliance

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Adidas Group (2015). Strategy overview. Retrieved from. http://www.adidas-

group.com/en/group/strategy-overview/

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Statista – The statistics Portal. The adidas Group's net sales worldwide from 2000 to 2015 (in

million euros). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/268416/net-sales-of-the-

adidas-group-worldwide-since-2000/.

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a New Business. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneurshiplife.com/importance-consumer-

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International Journal of Business Management. Tianbai, D. (204). 4(3).“Just Done It”-Nike’s

New Advertising Plan Facing Global Economic Crisis. Retrieved from

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2016]. Price of cotton worldwide from 1990 to 2016. Retrieved from https://www-statista-

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uncaged-shoes/BB3898.html

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Appendices

39

Research Plan

Qualitative Does the price and the brand of Adidas products compared to other

competitor’s influence consumers to purchase Adidas products? To conduct this study, we will be coordinating two focus groups made up of 5-7 West Virginia

University students. Being able to have an open-ended discussion facilitated by a mediator is the

best way to gauge consumers interest about marketplace pricing, thoughts on the brand and if

they feel a strong bond with the brand or any sense of brand equity. Having the moderator will

allow for further comments and grant us and the participants the ability to ask further

questions. The focus group participants will be selected by random volunteers. The selector will

do their best to get various ranges in age, gender, major and whether or not they lead an active

lifestyle. The location of the focus group will try to be at the Reed College of Media Innovation

Center, located in the Evansdale Crossing, there is a lab specifically designed for focus groups

(permitting we get a reservation).

Quantitative Does the price and the brand of Adidas products compared to other

competitor’s influence consumers to purchase Adidas products? Our quantitative research study of Adidas will center around the price of the corporation versus

its competitors. We will keep the same question to help further out research. Using the online

survey program Qualtrics, we will collect our responses using a likert scale style. Our group is

filled with strong social media advocates who primarily use Facebook. With each member

having more than 500 plus friends on Facebook, this will be the primary way to send out the

survey by posting on feeds, personal messages during the week between the hours of 11am-4pm.

There are five people in our group, our goal is to have each person have 30 people take the

survey. The survey will be created Tues. Oct. 28, 2016 and will be published to the public Wed.

Oct. 31, 2016.

Timeline

Research plan turned in and distributed to members of Yee-kicks by 10/24

Qualtrics url and survey completed by and turned in 10/28 and will go live on 10/31

Social media promoting of the survey will be done by all group members between the

hours of 11am and 4pm

Focus groups will be created by, to be determined. There will be a mandatory group

meeting either 10/24 or 10/25

Focus groups one and two will be conducted by, to be determined. There will be a

mandatory group meeting either 10/24 or 10/25.

Final paper due as a group on 11/11

Review paper and edit one last time 11/16

Final survey, focus groups and paper are due in class, 11/28

Prepare for presentation

40

Research I

41

Focus Group I

Focus Group 1 Moderator Guide Introduction

1. Hello guys! My name is Jess and I am the moderator for today’s focus group session.

2. This focus group will be to openly and freely discuss brand awareness associated with

Adidas.

3. I am a moderator of an independent consultant, Yee-kicks. I am not affiliated with West

Virginia University nor am I affiliated with the Adidas Brand. I am conducting a mock

research plan for a strategic communications course.

Rules

1. Here are the consent forms. These consent forms give us permission to record and

document your responses.

2. The focus group session will last about 1 hour or so.

3. This session will be audio, I will not be taking notes but the observers in this group will

be writing down word for word everything that is said as well.

4. Everyone in the group must reply but does not have to reply to every single question

asked.

5. To ensure clear results, please speak up and speak clearly!

6. Please make sure all cell phones are on silent or off

7. Does anyone have any questions?

a. No questions

Focus Group Questions

M: How much would you pay for specific sports brand; in terms of shoes and sports

products?

M:. If you were to purchase an Adidas product, would you rather it be from a retail store,

or online?

M: Has anyone ever purchased an Adidas product online before?

M: In terms of pricing would you rather pay more for Adidas or another sports brand?

M. How much would you say you paid per year on sports products?

M. What would you like to see Adidas expand on when it comes to clothing or footwear

M: Based on the 2 advertisements, how did it appeal to you and why?

M: Based on two ads that you just saw, which age group do you think they would each

appeal too?

M: What influences you to buy a specific sports apparel?

M: How do you feel about the brand Adidas?

M: Adidas has had a lot of collaboration with different designers over the years

(examples given) so what would be your favorite collaboration and why?

M: Has anyone ever purchased an Adidas product online before?

M: Adidas has many competitors (Nike, Puma), in your opinion who is the biggest

competitor and why?

M: Do you think the quality of Nike is better than Adidas?

M: In terms of pricing would you rather pay more for Adidas or another sports brand?

M: What encourages you to go ahead and buy certain types of sports products?

42

M: Do you feel any loyalty to Adidas or any other sports brand, why?

M: What do you think Adidas's biggest weakness is?

M: Adidas has strong ties to the soccer world, do you see this as a strength or a weakness

in the US where soccer isn't as big?

M: Adidas has announced that it will be taking over manufacturing of NHL jerseys

and apparel for Reebok starting next year, do you see this “rebranding” as a smart

move?

M: Adidas has started getting into more and more “limited releases” with their clothing

and footwear especially, do you think this is because they’re leaning towards millennials

and the mindset that it is limited and therefore better than others?

M: Adidas has superstar partners like Messi, Harden and Dwight Howard, while Nike

has LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and others, do you feel that these kinds of celebrity

partners would influence your purchasing decisions?

Conclusion Thank you for participating in the Yee-Kicks mock primary research focus group. Again

we are not affiliated with West Virginia University nor the Adidas group. Have a great

day, and again thank you for coming!

43

Focus Group I Consent Forms

44

Focus Group I Scripts Introduction

1. Hello guys! My name is Jess and I am the moderator for today’s focus group session.

2. This focus group will be to openly and freely discuss brand awareness associated with

Adidas.

3. I am a moderator of an independent consultant, Yee-kicks. I am not affiliated with West

Virginia University nor am I affiliated with the Adidas Brand. I am conducting a mock

research plan for a strategic communications course.

Rules

1. Here are the consent forms. These consent forms give us permission to record and

document your responses.

2. The focus group session will last about 1 hour or so.

3. This session will be audio, I will not be taking notes but the observers in this group will

be writing down word for word everything that is said as well.

4. Everyone in the group must reply but does not have to reply to every single question

asked.

5. To ensure clear results, please speak up and speak clearly!

6. Please make sure all cell phones are on silent or off

7. Does anyone have any questions?

b. No questions

Key M: Moderator

P1 - Jakub Krasny

P2 - Nick McCarthy

P3 - Keegan Kelly

P4 - Tim Kowalski

P5 - Saba Al Khamis

Focus Group Questions and Answers M: How much would you pay for specific sports brand; in terms of shoes and sports

products?

o All participants: 50-100 max

M: If you were to purchase an Adidas product, would you rather it be from a retail store,

or online?

o P2: Store because sometimes they have sales going on or something to do with a

discount.

o P1: Definitely a store because you can try it on to see how it looks before

purchasing.

o P3: Store because if you purchase Adidas from footlocker, etc. They have a lot of

deals going on reducing the percentage on the product.

o P4; Store every time because I want to see how the products looks before I make a

purchase.

o P5: Store

M: Has anyone ever purchased an Adidas product online before?

o P1: No response

o P2: No response

45

o P3: No response

o P4: I have

M: How was customer service?

o P4: I did not really interact with them but I got my product on time and it was a

perfect fit

o Rest of participants said they never purchased products online before.

M: In terms of pricing would you rather pay more for Adidas or another sports brand?

o P1: I would go with the cheaper choice.

o P2: It depends on the product. If it was a pair of shorts I would go with the

cheaper choice, but if it was shoes or gloves I would go with the better brand.

o P3: It really comes down to quality and comfort.

o P4: The brand doesn’t really matter; it just comes down to quality for me.

o P5: It comes down to quality, doesn’t matter brand.

M: How much would you say you paid per year on sports products?

o P1: Probably around $400.

o P2: Thousands of dollars per year.

o P3: $100.

o P4: $100.

o P5: $80.

M. What would you like to see Adidas expand on when it comes to clothing or footwear?

o All participants: Color Scheme

M: Based on the 2 advertisements, how did it appeal to you and why?

o Show the 2 advertisements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CupTwyj3JrI;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDEh-FrfSfA

P1: No response

o P2: The second ad with James Harden appealed to me more because you see a big

professional athlete wearing it who’s pretty well known and at the top of his

game. So it makes me think that if someone like him can wear it, I can too.

o P3: No response

o P4: No response

o P5: No response

M: So you think that celebrity endorsements make a difference?

o P2: Yes

o P1: The first ad was kind of dark and mysterious. It had an appeal to me but the

second one attracted me more because of the celebrity endorsement. It made me

feel more driven.

o P4: I didn't know that it was an Adidas ad until the end when the logo popped

up. If we hadn’t talked about Adidas earlier, I would have never thought that it

would be an Adidas ad. The second ad was obvious from the beginning, and I

knew what I was getting into versus the second commercial in the first ad.

o P3: If I saw the first commercial I would label it as one that people just skip over

because it is boring and uninteresting. The second one has a well-known celebrity

that I recognized either from the news or highlights and it makes you want to

finish the commercial because of the way it was portrayed.

o P5: The first commercial attracted me more because everyone was wearing

Adidas, and because of the diverse audience, it would influence me more to

46

purchase an Adidas product. The second one would also appeal to me because he

is an athlete even though I have no idea who he was.

M: Based on the two ads that you just saw, which age group do you think they would

appeal too?

o P2: The second ad would attract any age group because there's a wide variety of

basketball fans so it doesn’t matter what age they are. The second one would be

for adults because they see young adults running around in the advertisement. So

I would say 18-22 year olds.

o P1: The first ad appeals to a younger demographic and the second one appealing

to a wide variety of demographic because it focuses more on anyone who loves

sports but in particular basketball.

o P3: The first ad appeals to millennials and or a younger generation because the ad

kind of gives off the message that you need to define your future and the second

just appeals to everyone interested in sports in general.

o P2: Both ads would attract millennials in general because I do not see anyone over

30 purchasing either of the products.

o P5: I could see anyone from 17-26 purchasing these products.

M: What influences you to buy a specific sports apparel?

o P1- Cost and durability.

o P2- Style.

o P5- Quality.

o P3- Price.

o P4- Price and comfort.

M: How do you feel about the brand Adidas?

o P2: I feel neutral, it's not my favorite but not my least favorite either.

o P1: I think it is definitely in the top 3 sportswear brands.

o P3: I’ve never had any experience wearing any of their products so I am

indifferent about them.

o P4: I like Adidas, particularly because of the way style their clothes and how it

fits me.

o P5: I like their shoes because they’re fashionable and comfortable and that is the

main reason I’m attracted to the brand.

M: Adidas has had a lot of collaboration with different designers over the years (Kanye

West) so what would be your favorite collaboration and why?

o P2: My favorite collaboration would probably be with Professional sports player

like James Harden because when I think of sports apparel I think of a

collaboration with someone in that field because I will probably be purchasing it

from the store for sports related purposes/working out. I would gravitate towards

that more than a designer or artist.

o P1: I don’t really associate sports with rappers. So I would probably pick a

collaboration with someone who is in the field of sports more than an artist.

o P3: I don’t really know much about the collaborations Adidas is involved with,

but if I had to choose it would be one with athletes.

o P4: I chose anyone who is active, over someone who is the music industry

because when I think of sports apparel I think of someone who wants to get fit

over someone who is into music.

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o P5: I agree with the majority of the participants but at the same time Kanye west

is a designer. I feels that his designs are creative, nice and comfortable so that is

something that I would want to wear. And I think they work with everything.

M: Has anyone ever purchased an Adidas product online before?

o P4: I have

o P1: No response

o P2: No response

o P3: No response

o P5: No response

M: How was customer service?

o P4: I did not really interact with them but I got my product on time and it was a

perfect fit

o The rest of the participants said they have never purchased Adidas products online

before.

M: Adidas has many competitors (Nike, Puma), in your opinion who is the biggest

competitor and why?

o P2: Nike because they are all over the place and they have been around forever

and have the top stores since the 1980’s and going back. People need to look at

the older people wearing Nikes and see that the brand is top notch because if it's

been around that long, they need to see how far it has come and look up to those

people as who to trust when influencing a purchase.

o P1: Probably Under Armour because they have worked a lot with college sports

and a lot of people watch college sports and they also do advertisements with pro

athletes.

o P3: No response

o P4: No response

o P5: No response

M: So because you are a college you feel more attracted to UA?

o P1: Yes

o P3: Probably Nike because you not only see the shoes but also the clothing, shirts

and shorts, and you see it everywhere and the only thing I ever see of Adidas is

shoes.

o P4: Nike because I see it a lot more than Adidas. Probably because Nike makes

their logo bigger on products and ads.

o P5: Nike because they have been here for a while and you see a lot of different

people, races, ethnicities and everyone around the world wearing it.

o P2: No response

M: Do you think the quality of Nike is better than Adidas?

o All participants agree that Adidas is better quality than Nike, but not with product

variety.

M: In terms of pricing would you rather pay more for Adidas or another sports brand?

o P1: I would go with the cheaper choice.

o P2: It depends on the product. If it was a pair of shorts I would go with the

cheaper choice, but if it was shoes or gloves I would go with the better brand.

o P3: It really comes down to quality and comfort.

o P4: The brand doesn’t really matter; it just comes down to quality for me.

48

o P5: It comes down to quality, the brand doesn't matter.

M: What encourages you to buy certain types of sports products?

o P1: If I were to purchase any sports products it would be for performance.

o P2: Definitely for performance or out of a recommendation, like if someone told

me a certain product was good I would go ahead and purchase it.

o P3: I would probably buy a product if I outgrow some of the things I have, if they

go out of style , etc.

o P4: I would only purchase if I outgrew something or if it went out of style.

o P5: Performance.

M: Do you feel any loyalty to Adidas or any other sports brand, if so why?

o P1: It depends on preference of product to me because I think I like certain shirts

from companies more than others.

o P2: No loyalty to any sports brand because for me it isn’t about the brand, it's

about the product.

o P3: It really depends on the cheapest option at the time and what is comfortable

and what is going to last the longest. I don't care about the brand.

o P4: No preference because I want to be able to buy whatever I want to at the time

o P5: I just want to buy whatever I want to at the time.

M: What do you think Adidas's biggest weakness is?

o P1: Adidas’s color choice in clothing.

o P2: Their Sports clothing.

o P3: Adidas advertisement is weak compared to their competitors.

o P4: Lack in marketing.

o P5: Lack in marketing.

M: Adidas has strong ties to the soccer world, do you see this as a strength or a weakness

in the US where soccer isn't as big?

o P1: Strength because the US is number one in the world and that would count as a

strength in terms of marketing.

o P2: Weakness because not a lot of people in the country are soccer fans compared

to the rest of the world.

o P3: Weakness because it expanded to different sports it would have been a

strength.

o P4: Strength because they are sticking to what they are good at.

o P5: A weakness because it's not the number one sports played in the US.

M: Adidas has announced that it will be taking over manufacturing of NHL jerseys

and apparel for Reebok starting next year, do you see this “rebranding” as a smart move?

o P1: It’s a very good idea because hockey is played in a lot of places throughout

the US and the world.

o P2: I think so; a lot of people are big hockey fans so it's a good idea for them to

expand.

o P3: I wouldn't call it a “rebrand” but more of an expansion with what they are

already doing. It's not hitting the biggest sport but rather another sport tht is

played in the US and Canada so that’s definitely helping their marketing strategy.

o P4: It doesn't really matter because I haven't heard anything negative about either

companies so it’s pretty much interchangeable.

o P5: If it's going to benefit them, it's not going to hurt them.

49

M: Adidas has started getting into more and more “limited releases” with their clothing

and footwear especially, do you think this is because they’re leaning towards millennials

and the mindset that it is limited and therefore better than others?

o P1: I think limited edition is cool cause its more unique.

o P2: Adidas nailed it with making some of their shoes limited edition.

o P3: I wouldn't necessarily target only millennials, because for example there

would be shoe collectors who would pay a lot for something new or limited

collection so I think anyone could appreciate that.

o P4: I think its smart and it keeps things fresh. I think anyone can appreciate when

something is new.

o P5: Some people like to be exclusive and not own something that everyone can

have.

M: Adidas has superstar partners like Messi, Harden and Dwight Howard, while Nike

has LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo and others, do you feel that these kinds of celebrity

partners would influence your purchasing decisions?

o P1: Yes, it does.

o P2: Definitely influences the people.

o P3: Celebrity endorsements do influence people.

o P4: No it doesn't.

o P5: Yes, it does because some people like to look up to certain athletes they

admire.

Conclusion Thank you for participating in the Yee-Kicks mock primary research focus group. Again

we are not affiliated with West Virginia University nor the Adidas group. Have a great

day, and again thank you for coming!

Focus Group 1, Moderators Reflection

The first focus group was conducted in the Learning Center of Arnold Hall. The participants

walked in the room, and took their seats. I started off the focus group with an ice breaker, and

asked about the participant’s majors, hobbies, and how their semester was going. As I began to

ask the participants questions, I sensed that some of them were a bit nervous, I think this was

because they knew they were being recorded, and they had largely never met the people in the

room, which may have contributed to focus group bias.

After the first 30 minutes into the proceedings, I decided to take a break so that the participants

could relax a bit, gather their thoughts, and used the restrooms or drink some water. We then

continued with the focus group, and I noticed that the participants began to open up more and

were more responsive to my questions. The overarching theme that I picked up on, was that

many of the participants were largely indifferent when it came to the athletic brands they

purchased, the main point they continued to bring up was that price was the biggest decision

factor when purchasing athletic apparel.

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Focus Group 2

Focus Group 2, Moderator Guide Introduction

1. Hello guys! My name is Jess and I am the moderator for today’s focus group session.

2. This focus group will be to openly and freely discuss brand awareness associated with

Adidas.

3. I am a moderator of an independent consultant, Yee-kicks. I am not affiliated with West

Virginia University nor am I affiliated with the Adidas Brand. I am conducting a mock

research plan for a strategic communications course.

Rules

1. Here are the consent forms. These consent forms give us permission to record and

document your responses.

2. The focus group session will last about 1 hour or so.

3. This session will be audio, I will not be taking notes but the observers in this group will

be writing down word for word everything that is said as well.

4. Everyone in the group must reply but does not have to reply to every single question

asked.

5. To ensure clear results, please speak up and speak clearly!

6. Please make sure all cell phones are on silent or off

7. Does anyone have any questions?

c. No questions

Focus Group Questions M: Hobbies interests?

M: What year are you in school? How many years have you been here/what are you classified as?

M: What are your majors, and where are you from?

M: Do you wear sports apparel and what brands are you most likely to wear for athletic events of

your choice?

M: Do you wear sports apparel/products outside of sporting events, and where and why?

M: Why/which brand is your favorite, and specify articles of clothing?

M: What encourages you to purchase athletic apparel, what key factors influence you to buy their

products? What makes you attracted to them?

M: When it comes to purchasing a certain sports brand, like shoes and products, how much would

you typically pay, what would be your price range for purchasing? (shoes)

M: If you could recall how much would you say you spent on athletic equipment and products

within the last year?

M: If you have any Adidas products what are they?

M: What sport do you associate Adidas with?

M: What sport do you associate Adidas with

M: Do you remember the last time you purchased anything Adidas

M: When you think of Adidas, what is the first idea or product that comes to mind?

M: If you could name a few of Adidas strengths what would they be?

M: What does Adidas need to work on?

51

M: If you could add any product to Adidas what would it be?

M: If you were to purchase Adidas products would you want to order it at a retail store or online?

M: Have you ever purchased an Adidas product online?

M: Adidas has a bunch of competitors, who do you feel is their biggest competitor and why?

M: Do you think the quality of other brands is better than Adidas or is the quality of Adidas

good?

M: When was the last time you saw and Adidas Ad?

(Show the participants the 3 Adidas Ads)

M: Based on the three ads that you saw, which age group do you think would be associated with

each one? And why?

M: What about the other two ads?

M: Which ad appealed to you personally the most?

M: Adidas has a bunch of collaborations with artists, you can be non partial to this, however,

what do you feel the best collaboration they have going on is?

M: Would you be more willing to purchase something from the Yeezy/Adidas Collaboration, or

just Adidas, or just Yeezy themselves?

M: Do you feel any loyalty to Adidas or any sports brand themselves

M: After seeing some of the ads that you did, were you influenced or encouraged to go out and

buy anything?

Conclusion

Thank you for participating in the Yee-Kicks mock primary research focus group. Again we

are not affiliated with West Virginia University nor the Adidas group. Have a great day, and

again thank you for coming!

52

Focus Group 2 Consent Forms

53

Focus Group 2 Script Introduction

1. Hello guys! My name is Jess and I am the moderator for today’s focus group session.

2. This focus group will be to openly and freely discuss brand awareness associated with

Adidas.

3. I am a moderator of an independent consultant, Yee-kicks. I am not affiliated with West

Virginia University nor am I affiliated with the Adidas Brand. I am conducting a mock

research plan for a strategic communications course.

Rules

1. Here are the consent forms. These consent forms give us permission to record and

document your responses.

2. The focus group session will last about 1 hour or so.

3. This session will be audio, I will not be taking notes but the observers in this group will

be writing down word for word everything that is said as well.

4. Everyone in the group must reply but does not have to reply to every single question

asked.

5. To ensure clear results, please speak up and speak clearly!

6. Please make sure all cell phones are on silent or off

7. Does anyone have any questions?

d. No questions

Key

M: Moderator

PI: Nia Marrow

P2: Andy Huber

P3: Evan Oddenino

P4: Laura Kellan

P5: Julianne Miel

Focus Group Question and Answers

M: hobbies interests?

o P1: I play lacrosse and hang out with friends

o P2: Lacrosse and basketball, fishing, mountain biking

o P3: All kinds of sports and outdoor activities

o P4: I use to swim, and now I play lacrosse

o P5: I enjoy hiking and listening to music. I play soccer and go to the gym

M: What year are you in school? How many years have you been here/what are you classified as?

o P1: I’ve been here for 3 and a half years so I am technically a junior

o P2: I am a senior and it is my 4th and a half year

o P3: I am the same as P2

o P4: I am a senior and I have been here for 3 ½ years

o P5: I am a sophomore and have been here for 2 years

M: What are your majors, and where are you from?

o P1: Sports Exercise Psych; Towson Maryland

54

o P2: Strat Com; Towson

o P3: Multidisciplinary Degree-Sports Ex, Sports Comm., Athletic Coaching;

o P4: Communication and PR major; Northern Virginia

o P5: I am a biology major

M: Do you wear sports apparel and what brands are you most likely to wear for athletic events of

your choice?

o P1: Nike; lacrosse and every day activities

o P2: Nike and under Armour

o P3: Nike, Adidas

o P4: mostly Nike I think

o P5: Nike and Under Armour

M: Do you wear sports apparel/products outside of sporting events, and where and why?

o P1: Yes, its comfy

o P2: Under armor and Nike socks

o P3: athletic clothes to class etc

o P4: I would prefer to wear it to class

o P5: Yeah I do because I find it fashionable, sports apparel is making a cool representation

in sports and fashion

M: Why/which brand is your favorite, and specify articles of clothing?

o P1: T-shirts and shorts are Nike, shoes and shoes--Nike

o P2: I prefer under armor socks, and Nike dri fit stuff and shirts

o P3: mostly Nike, I really like their golf shirts

o P4: Adidas socks, Nike shoes and shorts and dri fit stuff

o P5: Nike dri fit and Under Armour has the best socks, Adidas

M: What encourages you to purchase athletic apparel, what key factors influence you to buy their

products? What makes you attracted to them?

o P1: I’ve just always been wearing it. My older brother wore it so I did too

o P2: It’s a loyalty thing. When I first got Adidas socks they are the stretchy ones and they

had it before Nike

o P3: I’ve just always worn Nike because I’ve always played sports and that’s just what we

had

o P4: Same

o P5: I’ve always wore sports-wear. I always wore Nike and Under Armour.

M: When it comes to purchasing a certain sports brand, like shoes and products, how much would

you typically pay, what would be your price range for purchasing? (shoes)

o P1: $150 is the max I would spend

o P2: $150 for shoes, $40 on apparel

o P3:

o P4: Apparel $60max, shoes $150-200

o P5: $100 give or take, but that is on the occasion

M: If you could recall how much would you say you spent on athletic equipment and products

within the last year?

o P1: definitely in the thousands

o P2: No clue

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o P3: Same as P1

o P4: same

o P5: I don’t know

M: If you have any Adidas products what are they?

o P1: when I played soccer, I had Adidas stuff

o P2: one pair of socks I still wear

o P3: I have one pair of red Adidas shorts

o P4: I have a bunch of stuff because my sister’s college is sponsored by Adidas and she

plays D1 lacrosse

o P5: I have a water bottle and a rain jacket

M: What sport do you associate the Adidas brand with?

o Everyone agreed they affiliate Adidas with soccer

M: Do you remember the last time you purchased anything Adidas?

o Everyone: no

M: When you think of Adidas, what is the first idea or product that comes to mind?

o P1: soccer

o P2: jumpsuits

o P3: the 3 stripes

o P4: shoes with stripes (white fashionable shoes)

o P5: Kanye west

M: If you could name a few of Adidas strengths what would they be?

o Everyone collectively: They have a lot more celebrity endorsements, they kind of died off

a little and now they’re coming back with Yeezus and Asap

M: What does Adidas need to work on?

o P1: All of the sudden their shoes are so expensive when before they were only $40

o P2: No response

o P3: No response

o P4: normal advertising

o P5: More stores

M: If you could add any product to Adidas what would it be?

o P1: they don’t really have anything lacrosse

o P2: No response

o P3: No response

o P4: women’s shorts outside of soccer shorts

o P5: No response

M: If you were to purchase Adidas products would you want to order it at a retail store or online?

o P1: store so you can try it on

o P2: depends on what it is, shoes I want to try them on, but socks and other things I could

purchase online

o P3: No response

o P4: I don’t really remember the last time I saw an adidas store

o P5: Online because Adidas hardly has Adidas stores. They have like shoes in Dick’s

Sporting goods but I don’t go there enough.

M: Have you ever purchased an Adidas product online?

56

o P1: No

o P2: No

o P3: No

o P4: No

o P5: No

M: Adidas has a bunch of competitors, who do you feel is their biggest competitor and why?

o P1: Nike is the number 1

o P2: I feel like Nike because of their leading sales

o P3: Nike because they have the most sponsorships and teams

o P4: They’re the most known

o P5: Nike for sure!

M: Do you think the quality of other brands is better than Adidas or is the quality of Adidas

good?

o P1: Nike, then under armor, then Adidas. I don’t think they have bad quality though

o P2: I don’t think there’s much of a difference in quality, I think other competitors are just

more of an overall brand

o P3: Style

o P4: agreed with P1

o P5: I like Adidas, but I’m biased toward Nike.

M: When was the last time you saw an Adidas ad?

o P1: I don’t recall

o P2: Probably like last week

o P3: I’m sure I’ve seen a soccer ad

o P4: Couldn’t tell you

o P5: Never

(SHOWED THEM ALL THREE ADS)

M: Based on the three ads that you saw, which age group do you think would be associated with

each one? And why?

o P1: first ad was 18-24

o P2: No response

o P3: first ad was trying to reach out to adolescents, get them to follow the norms of society

o P4: The first ad was an older audience, college students, just because I feel like it was

more geared to fashion not sports

o P5: Well the 1st two were for older views because its risqué.

M: What about the other two ads?

o P1: No response

o P2: The last one was for a younger audience because it was calling for them

o P3: Agreed with p4

o P4: last ad was almost asking them to show up, so younger audience, age range was 12-

20

o P5: No response

M: Which Ad appealed to you personally the most?

o P1: Not the first, I had no idea what it was about until the last couple of seconds

o P2: Second one. First and last had a global appeal, the second was more “Americanized”

57

o P3: The first one was weird

o P4: Second one, the first one I was so confused until the end

o P5: I like the first one it was wild looking.\

M: Adidas has a bunch of collaborations with artists, you can be non partial to this, however,

what do you feel the best collaboration they have going on is?

o P1: Kanye because he’s this big sensation right now, everyone wants to know what hes

getting into right now. Everyone wants to wear and be him

o P2: No Response

o P3: No response

o P4: Kanye, but I feel that they’re so expensive

o P5: Kanye!

M: Would you be more willing to purchase something from the Yeezy/Adidas Collaboration, or

just Adidas, or just Yeezy themselves?

o P1: I would get yeezys, from Adidas

o P2: I would go towards adidas itself because I just do not want Yeezys

o P3: Depends on the price. If it get it off the website than its going to cost more

o P4: Impartial

o P5: No way too expensive

M: Do you feel any loyalty to Adidas or any sports brand themselves

o P1: Nike because I’ve always worn them so I just feel as though I am and will stay loyal

to them

o P2: I don’t feel loyal to any of them, but somewhat under armor because my hometown is

where they originated from

o P3:

o P4: Agreed with P1, just because I grew up with it and changing it now would be weird

o P5: Nike

M: After seeing some of the ads that you did, were you influenced or encouraged to go out and

buy anything?

o P1: no

o P2: maybe some basketball shoes, Adidas definitely because of James Harden

o P3: I might go get Yeezys, the third commercial they snuck it in there

o P4: No response

o P5: No I am a college kid and I am broke

Conclusion

M: Thank you for participating in the Yee-Kicks mock primary research focus group.

Again we are not affiliated with West Virginia University nor the Adidas group. Have a

great day, and again thank you for coming!

Focus Group 2, Moderator Reflection Focus group took place in a comfortable room, the Arnold Learning Center. I observed that most

of the participants were wearing athletic apparel and footwear and the girls participating in the

focus group were drinking iced coffees.

58

Throughout the second focus group, I used ice breakers to make the participants feel more

comfortable and more open during the discussion. There were 5 participants, 3 women and two

men, which made it more diverse than the first one which only had 1 woman. I noticed that the

participants had different attitudes and behaviors towards the athletic brands we talked

about. The participants seemed a bit uneasy and skittish at the beginning of the focus group, but

gradually became more relaxed as we went on. In conclusion I believe the second focus group

was a useful source for the qualitative research findings.

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Research II

60

Research II Introduction Hello and welcome to our Strategic Communications 421 survey. Below you will find questions

about preferences and attitudes toward the brand Adidas and its competitors. You must be 18 or

older to participate in the survey and all answers are kept confidential. Thank you for your time,

if you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to get into contact with us, please

email us at jaghazarian@mix.wvu.edu

Thank you for your participation

Q.1 Do you wear athletic apparel outside of exercise and/or sports?

Definitely yes

Probably yes

Might or might not

Probably not

Definitely not

Q.2 Which athletic brand would you associate with fashion and style?

Nike

Adidas

Puma

Under Armor

Champion

Q.3 What factors influence you to purchase a specific sports brand?

Quality

Durability

Price

Variety

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Any other (Electronics, Comfort, Accessibility, etc.)

Q.4 Where do you purchase Adidas products?

Adidas online store

Adidas retail location

Third party retail stores (Dick's, Footlocker, Macy's, DSW etc.)

Third party online stores (Amazon.com, Ebay.com, Zappos.com)

I do not purchase Adidas

Q.5 When was the last time you purchased Adidas apparel?

1-3 weeks ago

4-6 weeks ago

7-9 weeks ago

10 or more weeks ago

I don't recall

Q.6 Do you agree that media such as advertisements of Adidas attract you to buy any of Adidas's

products?

Strongly agree

Agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Q.7 Do you agree that endorsements attract you to buy Adidas products?

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Definitely yes

Probably yes

Might or might not

Probably not

Definitely not

Q.8 Do you believe Adidas manufactures higher quality products compared to Nike?

Definitely yes

Probably yes

Might or might not

Probably not

Definitely not

Q.9 How much do you believe you have spent on athletic apparel in the last 3 months?

$50

$100

$150

$200

More than $200

Q.10 How much are willing to spend on a pair of athletic shoes?

$20-50

$100-150

$151-200

$201-250

More than $250

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Q.11 Rate the following on a scale from 1-5. Who you think is the top athletic brand?

Number 1 = Best

Number 5 = Worst

Click and drag to order

1Nike

2Puma

3Adidas

4Champion

5Under Armor

Q.12 How many people do you know who own any type of Adidas product?

None

1-3

4-6

7-9

10 or more

Q.13 Do you perceive Adidas's price as too expensive?

Yes

No

Q.14 When you think of Adidas brand, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

Soccer

Adidas collaborations (Ex: Kanye West)

Athletic clothing

Athletic shoes

Fashion

Other (accessories, athletic equipment etc.)

64

Q.15 Would you say Adidas holds the highest quality athletic clothing?

Strongly Agree

Agree

Somewhat agree

Neither agree nor disagree

Somewhat disagree

Disagree

Strongly disagree

Q.16 What aspect of Adidas' needs improvement?

Post-purchase services

Customer service outreach

Staff manner

Convenience of location

No improvement is needed

Q.17 Please rate your satisfaction regarding Adidas.

Very unsatisfied

Unsatisfied

Neither satisfied nor unsatisfied

Satisfied

Very satisfied

Q.18 If you could add an item for Adidas to sell, what would it be and why.

Q.19 What is your sex?

65

Male

Female

Q.20 Do you see more Adidas advertisements compared to Nike?

Definitely yes

Probably yes

Might or might not

Probably not

Definitely not

Q.21 Do you think Adidas manufactures better quality merchandise compared to Puma?

Definitely yes

Probably yes

Might or might not

Probably not

Definitely not

Q.22 How old are you?

18 - 24

25 - 34

35 - 44

45 - 54

55 - 64

65 - 74

75 - older

66

Q.23 Choose one or more races that you consider yourself to be:

White

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

American Indian or Alaska Native

Other

Thank you again for your time, we appreciate your honesty and have a nice day!