Gymshark Marketing Plan: Strategies, Segmentation, and Positioning

This report presents a comprehensive marketing plan for Gymshark, a sportswear fitness business. It begins with an executive summary and introduction, outlining the company's background and objectives. The core of the plan involves a detailed situation and competitor analysis, utilizing PESTEL and Porter's Five Forces frameworks to assess the external environment. A SWOT analysis is conducted to evaluate Gymshark's internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The report then defines specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely (SMART) marketing objectives, focusing on increasing market share and expanding product segments. Furthermore, it explores market segmentation, targeting, and positioning strategies, followed by a discussion of the marketing mix elements. The plan emphasizes the importance of direct customer interaction, expansion opportunities, and leveraging online platforms like social media. The analysis highlights the competitive landscape, particularly the challenges posed by established brands like Nike and Adidas. The plan aims to guide Gymshark in achieving its marketing goals and maintaining a competitive edge in the sportswear industry.

Running head: Marketing Plan 1
Marketing Plan
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Executive Summary
This document is a marketing plan of sportswear fitness business known as Gymshark.
This business started as an online business but finally has extended to the UK and USA market.
In the content of this marketing plan is build up with, the introduction of the company, situation
and competitor's analysis, SWOT analysis, marketing objectives, and strategies and how they are
going to implement. After all this, also the market segmentation, targeting, and position have
been discussed followed by the market mix together with its elements. All these factors are very
critical while planning for the market strategies to be achieved currently and in the future.
Business management and marketing experts are required to be involved in every step of the
planning process of the marketing plan.

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Introduction
Businesses in different industries are supposed to have a detailed and competitive
marketing plan for them to survive in the market place. What is the marketing plan? This is
described as the document which is initiated and developed by the organization manager and
other professionals who are marketing experts, therefore being used as a marketing tool. The
primary purpose of this document is to set out the marketing strategies and the steps to be
accounted in achieving the marketing goals and objectives, currently and in the future (Tomczak,
Reinecke and Kuss, 2018). This helps the organization to have a strong marketing relationship
between the business and the customers thus maintaining and increasing both market share and
the sales volume.
Is very important for Gymshark to develop a marketing plan since it will be the business
to grow more having the strategies to achieve at the end of the period. Due to stiff competition in
the market form Nike and Adidas, Gymshark as a small business will have a strength to compete
with them in the industry and win more shares in the market. This will be achieved by having a
good marketing strategy plan in the organization (Gymshark) (McCamley and Gilmore, 2018).
Situation and Competitor analysis
When developing out the marketing plan of a Company is good to know what is
surrounding the Company in the market. Studying and analyzing the market environment within
and outside the organization is called situation analysis. Situation analysis is understanding the
both market and organization environment thus having a clear direction on how to set out the
marketing strategies. Also, business environment is influenced by several factors which some of

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them are under control of the organization (internal factors) while others are uncontrollable by
the organization management (external factors). While studying the market or business
environment is also significant to carry out competitors analysis since no market can exist
without competitors within (Levi-Faur, 2018). Competitor's report will help the organization to
understand more about the existing competition in the market and how to face it.
Gymshark business is required to carry out a practical situation and competitor’s analysis
in the market of the fitness clothing industry for more success in the future. Competitor analysis
in the sportswear market will give a clear direction to the Gymshark business on how to
penetrate in the market despite the competitors’ challenges. Nike and Adidas are the business
which has dominated the market of sportswear; therefore using effective competitors’ analysis in
the market plan will be easy to take control of the market at a more significant percentage.
Several tools are used to carry out situational and competitors’ analysis in the market.
These tools includes PESTLE analysis (Politic factors, Economic factor, Social factors,
Technological factors, and Legal/Law factors), Porters Five Forces amongst other internal
factors within the organization (Moutinho and Phillips, 2018). In this document, PESTEL
analysis and other tools will be used to perform situational, and competitors’ analysis of
Gymshark business in the sportswear market.
PESTEL Analysis
PESTEL analysis is factors which involves most of the external forces which influences
the business with little or no control from organization management. These factors may favor the
organization operations thus contributing to the simultaneous growth in the market. On the other
side this may have side effects to the organization thus leading to the negative consequences in

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the market (Chan, Shen and Cai, 2018). The following are the PESTEL factors as discussed
below:
Political factor. These are factors which influences the business form the government
side. Political instability always affects the business with adverse effects since it creates
unpeaceful conditions in the market like war and tribalism. Therefore, if this happens in the
sportswear market, the Gymshark should be aware of the measures on how to handle them.
Another condition is when the government through political conditions stabilizes and creates a
conducive environment in the market. This always encourages growth of the organization.
Economic factors. These are factors which influence the income level of the customers
in the economy. These factors are like tax rate, interest rate, inflation rate among others. All
these factors affects the purchasing power of the customers. If the inflation rate and interest rate
are high in the economy, they discourage customers to have little demand towards the product
thus reducing the supply in the market. When the income is high always favors the economic
factors.
Social factors. This factor is considered in the direction of religious, culture and opinions
of the customers in the market. For example, if sportswear is discriminating positive culture or
beliefs, this means the market influence will be limited thus lowering the sales volume. If there is
no discrimination from any side of religion and culture in the market, this means the business is
favorable to the customers and will grow faster compared to the discriminated companies.
Technological factors. These are ideas and knowledge which are employed in business
through scientific means in the operations of the organization. The company which recognizes
and appreciates the new technology as the modern way of doing things always advances. This

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outdoes the business which uses old and outdated techniques in both production and marketing
sector. Gymshark business will improve at a high rate in the market if the management accepts
and utilize well the new technology in the industry.
Legal factors. These are law factors. Each sector in the business world has the principles,
laws and ethical codes to follow. If the business like Gymshark obeys all the requirements in the
industry of sportswear like paying taxes according, it will work conductively with legal issues
with the government. On another side, if the sector enforces strict and unfavorable laws in the
market, this will affect the organization activities negatively thus reducing the supply and ends
up closing down if not controlled well.
Porters Five Forces
These are factors which are considered while performing competition and situation
analysis in the market. These factors mostly concentrate on the competitive position of the
organization in the market thus identifying the strength of the business. Porter’s five forces are
used to monitor the profitability of the organization through understanding the cycle of the new
products in the market (Meyer and Cohen, 2018). These forces includes the following:
Supplier power. This involves the control of the suppliers which contributes toward the price of
the product. This is determined by the population of suppliers of different inputs, type of their
services, size and strength of the supplier within the market.
Buyer’s power. This is consumer purchasing power which determines the demand of the
product thus influencing the price. If the buyer’s power is high compared to the supply in the
market means that the profit will also be high and vice versa when the buyer's power is low.

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Competitive challenge. The number of competitors determines this in the marketplace. Many
competitors in the market affect the price of the product since there is undifferentiated of the
products thus minimizing the market attractiveness compared to when competitors are minimum.
The threat of substitution. This affects the price of the product if the leading product in the
market has its substitute available. If the cost of the main product raises in the market, then
customer’s shifts to the alternative which has lower prices thus affecting the supplier's power.
The threat of new entry. If the product attracts high profit in the market, it attracts more
business to enter in the market thus eroding the advantage. To control and maintain high gain the
industry should have substantial barriers which are challenging to accomplish while coming in
the new market.
Internal issues
These are issues from organization management. These are considered as internal factors
which the management has control over them. These include customer and employee
relationship, decision-making process and product and organization branding in the market
(Pererva, Nagy and Maslak, 2018).
SWOT Analysis
This is a tool which is used to analyze the internal factors within the market environment
where the business can operate. This tool helps to study the Strength, Weakness, Opportunity,
and Threat of the company in the marketplace. Strength is used to enhance competition in the
market while considering the Weakness encourages the organization to identify areas which
require improvement. On the other hand, Opportunities are many in the market; therefore
requiring keen assessment in utilizing them. Threats always are enemies of the business since

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they are working towards minimizing business opportunities and strength. If risks in the market
are not well control can put the company in danger zone (Taghavifard, Amoozad, Alibakhshi,
Zavadskas and Bausys, 2018). The following are the factors of Gymshark business as analyzed
by the SWOT analysis.
Strength
- Affordable products. Gymshark business is known for its cheap supply of gym clothes
for both men and women. This means the product is technically available in the market
through retail price which is very attractive to the customers thus increasing the sales
volume.
- Direct interaction with the customers. Gymshark business does not use intermediaries
in its business like wholesalers thus enhancing direct communication with the customers.
This helps the company to have a tough decision in the market since it collects customer
complaints and acts to the feedback accordingly without delay.
Weakness
- Lack of many outlets. Failure to have many outlets like wholesalers and not to open
bricks and mortar stores limits the business product to the customers thus reducing the
sales.
Opportunities
- Expansion opportunities. The business has a significant opportunity to expand through
using social media influencers to attract more gym fans. These individuals will act as a
brand - ambassadors in local and global markets.

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- Online trading. Gymshark is required to use the internet through YouTube, Bloggers
and Instagram media to advertise and promote their products more. If this opportunity is
well utilized, it will increase the awareness of the product to both existing and potential
customers.
Threat
- Stiff Competition. Gymshark is experiencing stiff competition in the market from well-
established companies like Nike, Adidas, and H&M which is now producing non-
specialist cloth in the market.
Marketing objectives
These are marketing strategies which the business (Gymshark) is planning to achieve
currently and in the future. These strategies are targeting to increase and improve the market
share in the industry of sportswear. While setting marketing for business should be “Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely” according to the market (Aslam, 2018). The
following are the marketing objectives of the Gymshark business.
- To increase the market share of sportswear in the UK by 8% to $2.5 billion by the end of
this year. This will increase the sales of the business which will raise the profitability
level.
- To expand the clothes segment through having retailers with a wide variety of gym
sportswear in the market, thus facing stiff competition in the market.
- To have maximum use of social media influencers like YouTubers and bloggers to
increase the awareness of products in the market.

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Market Segment, targeting, and positioning
Gymshark business has a large segment in the market since its goals are to win
sportswear which deals with fitness clothes in the market. The selected section in the market was
to fulfill the demand of clothing to the active customers of the gym (Camilleri, 2018). Finally,
the business is targeting both groups of genders in the market in which the company is aiming to
win potential customers in the market. In this market of sportswear, Gymshark is aiming to win
both genders in the market. Also, the business is targeting to gain customers from different
geographical areas like USA, UK and the rest of the world through online trading (Kaul, 2019).
Gymshark business has positioned its product in a good position in the market. The
product is penetrating in the market at high rate since have been supplied at affordable cost thus
motivating the customers. The business has created middle outlets, therefore, is using retailing
outlets which enhances direct interaction between the organization and the customers. These
factors have been selected to attract the targeting customers in the market thus proving enough
supply in the market (Dolnicar, Grün and Leisch, 2018).
Marketing mix
The marketing mix is the element which the business uses as a tool to win the selected
targeting customers in the market. These are tactics which help the organization like Gymshark
to respond and act according to the market demand. Marketing mix also is used to provide
smooth planning and execution of marketing goals which are viable according to the business.
The elements of market mix includes product, price, and place and, promotion. The following is

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the explanation on how Gymshark can use the compelling marketing mix (4P's) to achieve the
marketing goals like increasing sales volume and market share.
Product. For Gymshark Company to trend more in the market is required to design
excellent and acceptable wear which is comfortable by all genders in the market. The
model of the product will attract more customers if it’s good suitable in all condition
(Leke and Anthony, 2018). Therefore is encourageable for the Gymshark to put the
design, branding, and quality of clothes under more consideration.
Price. This is the cost which the customers is required to pay to own the product. As the
Gymshark has implemented to produce sportswear of affordable price will attract more
customers compared to the businesses (Nam, Kim and Kim, 2018). Other factors the
company is required to consider is about the allowances, discount, and payment system
of the clothes. All these factors like payment mechanism should encourage the customer
to perform the buying process safely.
Place. This is the way of making products available to the market from the leading
suppliers. Gymshark is responsible for building a suitable, reliable and convenient
location where customers can access goods without challenges (Heckman, Vestergaard
and Sole, 2018). Gymshark is required to create more outlets and intermediaries in the
market thus winning more customers since the area coverage has been increased.
Promotion. This is a technique of creating awareness of the product in the market.
Promotion is recognized as a means of advertisement which provides communication
tools between the customers and the organization (Sarti, Darnall & Testa, 2018).
Gymshark is required to employ the following techniques like personal selling, sales
promotion, digital marketing and advertisement in creating awareness of the product into

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the market. If these tools are utilized well, they provide high and improved sales and
market share thus encouraging the growth of Gymshark business.
Conclusion
In summary, this is a marketing plan of Gymshark business which is dealing with
sportswear clothes in the market. This plan has revealed the marketing objectives the
company is aiming to achieve and the techniques to employ in attain them. If all these
ideas and knowledge is implemented and executed accordingly in the market, then
Gymshark business will grow simultaneously locally and internationally thus increasing
its profitability.