Adidas' Marketing Research: Strategies, Limitations, and Mix

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Adidas' marketing strategies, focusing on how the company utilizes marketing research to develop its marketing plan. It explores Adidas' emphasis on digital marketing, its marketing objectives (increasing market share, launching new products, improving brand image, and market development), and its direct communication methods to understand customer needs. The report highlights Adidas' use of open-source innovation and collaborations with celebrities for product promotion. It also discusses the limitations of marketing research, such as cost effectiveness and the validity of collected data. Furthermore, the report examines Adidas' marketing mix, including its product range (footwear, sportswear, apparel), pricing strategies (competitive and skimming), distribution channels (retail outlets, online delivery), and promotional activities. The effectiveness of various marketing techniques, including the Ansoff strategy (product development, diversification, market penetration, and market development), is also evaluated. The report concludes by referencing key sources that support the analysis.

Unit 3

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
P3 How Adidas uses marketing research to contribute to development of marketing plan........1
M2 Limitations of marketing research........................................................................................2
M3 Development of marketing mix that is targeted at defined group of customers...................2
D1 Effectiveness of use of techniques in marketing products.....................................................3

MAIN BODY
P3 How Adidas uses marketing research to contribute to development of marketing plan
Marketing is one of the main functions used by every organization in order to promote
their products and making people aware about features of products and services. It is one of the
main key of the success of many organizations (Taylor, 2019). In the context of Adidas and its
way of using marketing research it is stated that it mainly focuses on digital marketing. It is the
2nd largest sportswear industry. It has some marketing objectives on which it want to work which
include:
 To increase market share and sales as well.
 To launch as well develop new product.
 To improve image of the company.
 Market development
In this type of marketing it promotes its products by uploading images of products and services
and as per the total likes and shares of products it identifies needs of customers. For marketing
research it performs several activities which include:
Direct communication: It is stated that Adidas communicate with its customers directly and
create personalized experiences. It also takes every touch point into consideration such as:
mobile, retail, social via which customers interact with this company and share their views and
needs of products.
Open source innovation: It is stated that Adidas opens its doors and calls all the time and
creative which includes: consumers, athletes and other in order to create and shape future sport
culture. It also collaborates with celebrities in order to promote products.
There are some factors on which this company focuses the mot which includes:
interactive experience, convenience, availability as well as size of products offerings. It believes
that by focusing on all these factors it can make its marketing activity successful. It can also
make it distribution strategy successful.
Brand equity: In the context of ways of market research it can also be said that its sport centric
activities revolve around social media and programs related to market development has made it
able to become the biggest player in sportswear. By making an effective use of technology it
1

makes aware to people about features of products and changes in it made by the company via
social media platforms. Each brand of this company is responsible for bringing out its separate
identity as well as positioning to life.
M2 Limitations of marketing research
Cost effectiveness: Cost is one of the main limitation and barrier which it can create in market
development and research. Investment in marketing function can increase overall cost of the
company and it can be the main barrier (Crasto and et.al., 2020).
Validity of collected data: Data which are being collected by the company for developing
market can be inaccurate. Identifying data as whether it is accurate and reliable or not can be
other main problem and limitations.
M3 Development of marketing mix that is targeted at defined group of customers
There are main 4 P’s of Adidas which gives all informations to its customers and customers can
compare its all elements of marketing mix with other brand. It allows them to make the final
buying decision. It is also beneficial for this company as it can compare with other brand and can
make changes accordingly.
Products: It has main subsidiaries and its products range it includes: footwear, sportswear,
apparel which includes: T-shirts, jackets, shorts, sweatshirts etc. One of the main aim of this
company is providing qualitative products specially footwear’s which has combination of
technology and design.
Pricing: It uses competitive as well as skimming prices. As per the range and type of products
and current situations of the market, it uses pricing strategy. Due to brand equity, it uses these
pricing strategies.
Place: It sells products via retail outlets. It has its own physical exclusive store from which
customers buy products as per their convenience. Multiband showrooms, online delivery are
some ways of delivering products (Weerawardena and et.al., 2019).
Promotion: Through ads and making use of websites and social media platforms it promote its
products.
2

D1 Effectiveness of use of techniques in marketing products
There are several techniques which allow companies to measure effectiveness of
performance and marketing its products. One of the main strategy which is being used by this
company in order to market products include: survival strategies, Ansoff, relationship marketing
etc. This company makes am effective use of Ansoff strategy in order to market its products.
This strategy is also being sub divided into other strategies like products development,
diversification, market penetration and market development (Dawes, 2018). Among all these
strategies it mainly focuses on product development and diversification in order to attract
customers and making itself differs than others. It also allows it to being in the competition and
becoming the market leader as well.
3

REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Taylor, M., 2019. Evidence Based Marketing: Using Principles from the Profit Impact of Market
Strategies (PIMS) Project by Benchmarking UK Firms and Global Sportswear
Manufacturers (GSMs) Marketing Expenditure (Nike, adidas, VF Corp, Under Armour,
Puma, Anta and BasicNet SpA). www. thecasecentre. org, (CASE-).
Crasto, S.G. and et.al., 2020. Product innovation by Adidas Group through
Sustainability. Journal of the community development in Asia. 3(1). pp.1-7.
Weerawardena, J. and et.al., 2019. The learning subsystem interplay in service innovation in
born global service firm internationalization. Industrial Marketing Management.
Dawes, J., 2018. The Ansoff Matrix: A Legendary Tool, But with Two Logical Problems. But
with Two Logical Problems (February 27, 2018).
4