Over the last decade we've seen a dramatic change in the media to reach consumers, says Linda Glassel, vice president of sports marketing and brand image of Prince Sports, Inc. PRINCE SPORTS IN TODAY'S CHANGING WORLD
Todayparticularly in reaching younger consumerswe're now focusing so much more on social marketing and social networks, be it Facebook, Twitter, or internationally with Hi5, Bebo, and Orkut, she adds. Linda Glassel's comments are a snapshot look at what Prince Sports faces in the changing world of tennis in the 21st century. Prince Sports is a racquet sports company whose portfolio of brands includes Prince (tennis, squash, and badminton), Ektelon (racquetball), and Viking (platform/ paddle tennis). Its complete line of tennis products alone is astounding: more than 150 racquet models; more than 50 tennis strings; over 50 footwear models; and countless types of bags, apparel, and other accessories.
Questions:
1. In the 21st century what trends in the environmental forces (social, economic, technological, competitive, and regulatory)
(a) Work for
(b) Work against success for Prince Sports in the tennis industry?
2. Because sales of Prince Sports in tennis-related products depend heavily on growth of the tennis industry, what marketing activities might it use in the United States to promote tennis playing?
3. What promotional activities might Prince use to reach
(a) Recreational players
(b) Junior players?
4. What might Prince do to help it gain distribution and sales in
(a) Mass merchandisers like Target and Walmart
(b) Specialty tennis shops?
5. In reaching global markets outside the United States
(a) What are some criteria that Prince should use to select countries in which to market aggressively,
(b) What three or four countries meet these criteria best
(c) What are some marketing actions Prince might use to reach these markets?