Monthly Archives: January 2020

Target Launches New Athleisure Clothing Line

It’s a new year and a new time to set some resolutions, right? Target thinks so and has come up with a set of resolutions about the joy of movement, being inclusive and accessible. These resolutions are a lead-in to a new Target brand of athleisure apparel.

Athleisure apparel sales in the U.S. have grown 140% in the last decade and is expected to reach $83 billion. Athleisure is a crowded market however, with loyal followers of brands such as Lululemon and Athleta. What will Target need to do to create value for customers of its new “All in Motion” line of active wear and sporting goods?

The company did extensive research for the new line. Target gathered data from more than 15,000 men, women, and kids, from all areas of the country, to gain insights into what customers want from their sporting apparel. The result is a new brand of sports apparel that was developed for the entire family, at all stages of fitness, and in diverse sizes.

All in Motion also uses sustainably-sourced materials, and includes features such as water-resistant, UPF50+ sun protection. Designs include secure zippered pockets, thumbholes in sleeves, and is a broad range of sizes. But the best part is that prices will be mostly under $40.

Ready to move?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the components of a situation analysis: company, general industry, trends, key competitors, technology, legal, etc.
  2. Review Target’s new line of athleisure clothing: https://www.target.com/b/all-in-motion/-/N-4apdi?lnk=Madeforeverymov
  3. Ask students what data they would need in order to make a marketing decision to start this product line.
  4. Divide students into teams. Have each team do secondary research to answer the questions such as industry overview, size, growth, competitors, social trends, new technologies, environmental impact, etc.
  5. Debrief the exercise by compiling information on the white board. Does this give a good picture of how Target arrived at its decision?

Source:  Ad Week; Minneapolis Star Tribune; other news sources

Leave a comment

Filed under Classroom Activities

Interested in the Future? Check out CES.

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is one of the largest and most influential showcases in the United States for introducing innovative products from around the globe. At this year’s show in Las Vegas, CES included more than 20,000 new products from 4,400 companies. A diverse group of companies included manufacturing, transportation, entertainment, robotics, automotive, consumer goods, and more. (The show is produced by the Consumer Technology Association which represents the $401 billion U.S. consumer technology industry.)

CES was held in January and hosted 175 thousand attendees who viewed products from 4,400 different exhibitors in categories such as 3D printing, gaming, robotics, sports, drones, fitness, health and wellness, retailing, wearables, and a variety of other product groupings. CES regularly announces thousands of new products, including many that we all know and use today.

This year’s show provided looks at products in the marketplace as well as products-yet-to-be-launched in categories including:

  • Artificial intelligence
  • 5G and mobile connectivity
  • Food and CPG companies
  • Health care technology
  • Smart cities
  • Home sensors and technology
  • Travel and tourism
  • Transportation and vehicle technology
  • And lots of robots!

It’s hard to pick a favorite product from the show. What’s your favorite innovation from CES?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the purpose of CES show and how innovation fits into it.
  2. Also discuss the use of trade shows and exhibits as part of a marketing plan.
  3. Show a summary video about CES from the Wall Street Journal: https://graphics.wsj.com/image-grid/ces-2020/?mod=djem10point
  4. Additional summary videos can be found on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YvRP_Y1WDxw
  5. View the CES Web site: https://www.ces.tech/
  6. Divide students into teams. Have each team select a product featured at CES.
  7. Instruct students to research the products online, and define a target market for the product.
  8. Which ones do they think will be winners in the marketplace?

Source:  C/NET; TechRadar.com; Wall Street Journal; other news sources

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Classroom Activities

Top Ads Watched on YouTube in 2019

Advertising surrounds us. And while sometimes ads are annoying, believe it or not, people also search online to view some of the year’s most compelling ads. Starting a new year is a good time to examine the winning campaigns from last year. The most compelling advertisements and videos are ones that have a strong story, humor, inspiration, and excitement. They build a bond with the audience, and inspire thoughts and action. It’s not easy to create a short video that engages audiences and inspires them to share the video and view it more than once, so it is worth examining the top ad videos from 2019.

Here are the most viral brand videos posted to YouTube in 2019.

  1. Not Everything Makes the Cut – Amazon Super Bowl commercial
  2. The Elevator – Hyundai Super Bowl
  3. We Believe: The Best Men Can Be – Gillette
  4. Introducing iPhone 11 – Apple
  5. The Internet of Things Presents – #LikeABosch
  6. Chance the Rapper x Backstreet Boys – Doritos Super Bowl
  7. Science Fair – Audi
  8. Change Up the Usual – Stella Artois
  9. Dream Crazier – Nike
  10. The 100-Year Game – NFL super Bowl

Remember, these are the ads that people choose to watch – a marketer’s dream! In total, the top ads generated 230 million views and 275 million minutes in watch time! (Ads are determined by an algorithm that factors in organic and paid views, watch time, and audience retention.)

Which ads did you watch online?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss the importance of branding and brand management. How do the videos fit into branding?
  2. Divide students into teams. Have each team analyze one of the following videos with respect to target market, key message, type of appeal, etc.
  3. All ads are available at: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/advertising-channels/video/youtube-leaderboard-year-end-2019/
  4. When teams have completed this, have each team show the video and discuss their analysis with the rest of the class.
  5. What are the commonalities between the videos? What are the differences?
  6. What should other companies do to replicate the success?

Source:  Think with Google. YouTube ads leaderboard: Global year-end 2019.

Leave a comment

Filed under Classroom Activities