Social Media Marketing Project
Patagonia vs. Columbia Sportswear
James Erickson, Roman DiPasquale, Lena Drinkard, Harrison Newman, Kevin Zoellner
Mission Statements
Patagonia’s Mission Statement:
“Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”
Columbia’s Mission Statement:
“To design and deliver authentic, outdoor, high-value products for active consumers of all ages.”
Patagonia SWOT Analysis
Strengths: High quality product; strong customer loyalty; “Kings of free press”; focused on more than just sales; large social media presence; ability to influence other companies
Weaknesses: Expensive products
Opportunities: Growth of their “Worn Wear” program; people becoming more environmentally aware
Threats: Many other outdoor brands; much cheaper options
Columbia SWOT Analysis
Strengths: One of the largest outdoor apparel companies in the world; products are less expensive however still high quality
Weaknesses: Not as engaged on social media, when compared to competitors
Opportunities: Become more engaged on social media; create an additional purpose other than just sales, to make customers feel better about buying
Threats: With the emergence of environmental awareness people are buying brands that focus heavily on environmental causes
Four Ps Patagonia v. Columbia
Patagonia
Price: $20-$500
Product: Jackets, hats, sleeping bags, wetsuits, sweatshirts, boots, backpacks
Place: Online shopping, small/large outing good stores
Promotion: Limited conventional ads, high use of social media, “kings of free press”
Columbia
Price: $10-$175
Products: Jackets, hats, sleeping bags, sweatshirts, boots and shoes, backpacks
Place: Online shopping, small/large outing good stores
Promotions: Conventional ads, “Tested Tough” campaign endorsement by Macklemore
Marketing Objectives: Patagonia
Marketing Objectives: Columbia
Social Media Platforms
Social Media Presence: Instagram
Patagonia: 2.5 million followers
Columbia: 157k followers
Social Media Presence: Facebook
Patagonia: 895k likes
Columbia: 1.3 million likes
Social Media Presence, Cont’d
Patagonia: 341k followers
Columbia: 110k followers
Youtube
Patagonia: 80k subscribers, 1.5k videos
Columbia: 39k subscribers, 449 videos
Tumblr
Patagonia: Environmental pictures
Columbia: N/A
Patagonia: 50k followers
Columbia: 9k followers
Reaching out to Patagonia
Chipper’s Insights
Reaching out to Columbia Sportswear
vs.
Winner: Patagonia
Recommendation
Risks
References
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/09/columbia-sportswear-sets-aggressive-growth-target.html
https://sgbonline.com/columbia-sportswear-delivers-upbeat-forecast-for-2017/
http://www.businessinsider.com/how-important-is-sustainability-to-millennials-2015-10
https://isys6621.com/2015/11/04/social-media-brand-personality-and-successful-engagement/
http://www.postcontrolmarketing.com/453/2016/06/10/patagonia/
http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/advertising-dead-priority-patagonia/245712/
https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/JacquelineCella2/patagonia-social-media-ppt
http://digiday.com/marketing/inside-patagonias-content-machine/
“So as a marketing team, the task is very simple, and that’s to make it easy for people to discover what the company is all about, and make sure it’s not hidden and tough to access. Because once they do know, they’re in. They’re with us."
-Joy Howard, Vice President of Global Marketing for Patagonia