BUS5SMM: Marketing Analysis of Icebreaker Clothing Company Report

This report provides a comprehensive marketing analysis of the Icebreaker Clothing Company, examining its application of sustainability principles within its marketing mix. The analysis delves into the company's background, highlighting its commitment to using natural fibers like Merino wool and its transparent supply chain. The report dissects Icebreaker's marketing mix strategies, including product offerings (clothing, socks, and accessories), pricing models, promotional activities, and distribution channels. Furthermore, it explores the company's market positioning, competitive landscape, and assessment of its success in the industry. The report also provides recommendations for future strategies, such as avoiding plastic microfibers and implementing ethical labor practices. The conclusion emphasizes Icebreaker's strong brand reputation, sustainable marketing commitment, and transparency in its supply chain, along with a summary of its marketing mix strategies and competitive positioning.

Running Head: MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
Executive Summary
The primary purpose of the paper is to analyse the marketing strategy and sustainability
theory of the Icebreaker Clothing Company. The study is supported by doing a marketing and
competitive analysis of the company. It has been found that Icebreaker is a leading company
in terms of using natural fibres for making garments. The main products are clothing, socks,
and accessories. A transparent supply chain process has helped the company in expanding the
business.

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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussions.................................................................................................................................3
Company Background............................................................................................................3
Key Principles of sustainable marketing of Icebreaker..........................................................4
Marketing mix Strategies.......................................................................................................4
Market Positioning Analysis..................................................................................................5
Assessment of Company’s Success.......................................................................................6
Recommendations..................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8

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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
Introduction
Market Analysis will help to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative assessment of a
business in the global market. The first part of this paper has analysed the sustainability
marketing principle of the Icebreaker clothing company. The next section has discussed the
marketing mix strategies of the company. This includes the marketing strategy related to
product, place, price, and promotion. In the next part, marketing positioning analysis of the
company and assessment of a company's success is discussed. The intense of this paper is to
do a review on marketing mix strategies and sustainability theory of Icebreaker Clothing
Company.
Discussions
Company Background
 Icebreaker Clothing Company was started in the year 1995. The company has
developed thermal underwear made from pure Merino wool of New Zealand.
Icebreaker has initiated to sell its products in New Zealand and Australia. The
company used to sell its products through retail stores and websites. The first retailer
stores of Iceland was opened in Auckland of New Zealand. In the year 1997,
Icebreaker was the first company to form a long-term contract with the growers of
Merino wool. In the year 2018, the company had published its first transparency
report (www.icebreaker.com, 2019). The report was released as a result of sustainable
business in the New Zealand economy. Ice-breaker got an opportunity to partnership
with VF Corporation to access the new markets.
 Icebreaker is designed with a philosophy of sustainability, social, ethical
considerations, environmental and animal welfare, and natural fibres. The company's
mission is to develop highly functional sportswear from Merino wool and natural

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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
fibres and revolutionize the industry. Icebreaker’s vision is to live and connect with
nature and lead the industry by using natural fibres and aims to utilize all the synthetic
products in their business (Farrer and Fraser 2011). The strategic objective of
Icebreaker is to seek growth by successfully communicate with the participants and
encouraging them through proper business training in the work environment.
 The company has achieved a sales of NZD $227m in 4.8m global units in the FY
2018. The total revenue of the company is estimated at $215 M. The company has
identified top issues in the chemical used and product quality. Hence, the business
(Reason and Lindelof 2016). The product brand has created a new clothing category
of the merino wool fibre category. Icebreaker has a global brand image with extensive
styling and product quality.
Key Principles of sustainable marketing of Icebreaker
Icebreaker is a commitment to the moral and sustainable production of natural
clothing material as an alternative to the use of chemical synthesis. The company has built a
high supply chain network for business transparency. The company has focused on taking
responsibility in four key areas. This includes caring for the people, environment, business,
and animal welfare. Ice breaker aims to make a positive difference with their customers,
suppliers, and people (McLaren et al. 2015). The company has highlighted the issues related
to social, environmental, and governance that can affect the business. They have greater
conversations with their shareholders, partners, and customers to increase their business
(Peignot et al. 2018). The organization is also committed to regular public disclosure of all
the procedures, progress, and policies that could impact the communities, environment, and
animals.
Marketing mix Strategies
The marketing mix of Ice breaker can be divided into four groups:

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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
 Product: Clothing, socks, and accessories are the main products of an icebreaker. The
business is focused on providing natural fibre products with optimum quality
performance (Icebreaker.com, 2019). They offer a product that is stylish according to
the lifestyle of the people. Wool is the raw material that is used for production. The
various energy used in the production process is water, electricity, synthetic materials,
wind, and geothermal power.
 Price: To create a brand value, the company has developed a pricing model to
increase the financial security of growing suppliers (Petrosian and Ruben 2019). No
externalities cost are associated with the price of the product. Price is comparatively
cheaper than other competitors like Russell Athletic, L brands, and many more.
 Promotion: The brand communication objective is enhanced by continuous
improvements in the supply chain process. Currently, the target market of Icebreaker
is to expand its business in the European markets (Brower, A., 2018). Online sales,
direct sales do the promotion technique through e-mail. The maximum of the sales is
done through direct sales of the product to the customers. The company has
successfully promoted its brand in the United States economy. It has a media strategy
 Place: The product is manufactured in Auckland city of New Zealand. It is sold in
4,500 stores with the help of its official e-commerce platform in 23 countries. The
company has a total of 45 icebreaker stores all across the world (Foy et al. 2018). The
merino wool fibre is supplied from New Zealand and is shipped to China for further
process. The garment suppliers from Bangladesh transport the products to the
distribution centres of Germany, the USA, New Zealand, and Canada.
Market Positioning Analysis
Icebreaker is the leading company in the natural layering business system. Ibex
Outdoor Clothing, Smart Wool Corporation, Russell Athletics, L brands are the top

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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
competitors of Icebreakers (Svahn, 2015). The target groups are youngsters, professionals,
and children. The company wants to expand its business in the European market. It targets
the sports group. The fabrics used in the products are cheaper and comfortable (Lynes 2015).
This feature makes the product different from other products. 84% of the product
composition is made from natural fibre, and the rest 16% is made from synthetic fibre.
Assessment of Company’s Success
The business has successfully explored the relationship between nature and people. It
has successfully made a strategic partnership with VF Corporation, which is an NYSE listed
company. This provides the business with a larger platform to access to new markets and new
consumers of the global economy (Lee, Seifert and Cherrier 2017). The transparency of
supply chain process has successfully enhanced the business to achieve a long-term business.
The clothing industry has faced various issues related to overconsumption of the
unsustainable materials. The business also caused emissions of toxic chemicals. One of the
most significant issues that the company is facing is plastic microfibers. Government and
social problems are also affecting the business.
Recommendations
 Ice break clothing must avoid the use of Plastic micro-fibres in the business process to
prevent the environmental crisis in the business.
 The company should also implement a good pricing strategy to merchandise the
relevant shoppers fully.
 The company must also consider corporate social responsibility before doing the
business.
 It must also use ethical labor practices in the business and ensures safety for the well-
being of the workers.

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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
 The company must also address the governance issue by implementing the best
policies and practices in their organization.
Conclusion
Therefore, it can be deferred that Icebreaker has built a strong brand in terms of
product quality and price. Their key sustainable marketing commitment is to take the
responsibility in four areas which includes, people, animal welfare and business. The main
ambition of this company is to meet the highest standard requirement to the customers.
Icebreaker is committed to full transparency in its supply chain system. The business has
maintained its transparency in developing long-term relationships with their supply chain
partners. The marketing mix strategy of this business is divided into four groups, which
include product, price, place, and promotion. The factory is located in Auckland of New
Zealand. Clothing, socks, and accessories are the main products of the company. Wool is the
raw material for the product. Their product differentiation includes that it is made from
natural fibres with optimum quality of raw materials. The brand communicated is enhanced
with direct selling and online selling with the consumers. Russell Athletics, L brands, smart
wool corporations are the top leading competitors of the business. The company has done a
strategic partnership with VF Corporation to expand its business and access to a new market.
The main issues of the business are related to environmental, social, and governance that
have a huge impact on the business. These are the main threats to the company.

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References
Brower, A., 2018. What Drives Environmental Decisions in a Contested, but Loved,
Landscape?. Case Studies in the Environment.
Farrer, J. and Fraser, K., 2011. Sustainable'v'unsustainable: articulating division in the
fashion textiles industry. Anti-po-des Design Research Journal, 1(4), pp.1-12.
Foy, K., del Prado Hill, P., Patti, A. and Davis, J., 2018. Esperanza e imaginación: PDS
Partners Working Together to Help Bilingual Middle School Students Build Hope and
Imagination for Their Futures. School-University Partnerships, 11(1), pp.60-63.
Icebreaker.com (2019). [online] Icebreaker.com. Available at:
https://www.icebreaker.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites/default/campaigns/transparency/
transparency_report_lowres_2018.pdf [Accessed 14 Dec. 2019].
Lee, M.S., Seifert, M. and Cherrier, H., 2017. Anti-consumption and governance in the global
fashion industry: Transparency is key. In Governing Corporate Social Responsibility in the
Apparel Industry after Rana Plaza (pp. 147-174). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.
Lynes, J., 2015. Strut Lightly. Alternatives Journal, 41(3), p.34.
McLaren, A., Oxborrow, L., Cooper, T., Hill, H. and Goworek, H., 2015. Clothing longevity
perspectives: exploring consumer expectations, consumption and use.
Peignot, Q., Frederich, B., Lepoint, G. and Michel, L., 2018. Influence of environmental
conditions on Antarctic Notothenioid trophic ecology in a context of global climate change.
Petrosian, A. and Ruben, W.M., Facebook Inc, 2019. People Matching for Social Activities
on an Online Social Network. US Patent Application 15/844,136.

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MARKETING ANALYSIS OF ICEBREAKER CLOTHING COMPANY
Reason, M. and Lindelof, A.M. eds., 2016. Experiencing liveness in contemporary
performance: interdisciplinary perspectives. Taylor & Francis.
Svahn, P., 2015. Through the Northern Sea Route by Stena Polaris: A logbook. In The
Northern Sea Route (pp. 69-88). Springer Gabler, Wiesbaden.
www.icebreaker.com (2019). History | icebreaker. [online] www.icebreaker.com. Available
at: https://www.icebreaker.com/en-au/our-story/history.html [Accessed 14 Dec. 2019].