Team Soles

Natalie Crone, Krystal Hsu, Austin Jacobs and Ryan Weston

May 20th, 2015

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary 3

Introduction and Background 4

Finalized Research Question 5

In-depth Interview Summary 6

Methodology 11

Findings 12

Summary 21

Recommendations 22

References 24

Appendix 1: Final Survey Instrument 25

Appendix 2: SPSS Output 30

Appendix 3: In-depth Interview Guide and Notes 45

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Executive Summary

Vans has been a staple in the action sport and casual shoe industry since they

opened their doors in 1966. Since then, the footwear industry has changed dramatically,

and Vans no longer has a solid market share foothold. How can Vans increase their

market share? Increasing market share is fairly broad, so specifically how can Vans target

the growing Millennial demographic? These are pertinent questions because an increase

in market share would create more money for Vans to invest in their business to help

grow their brand globally, and this can be accomplished by targeting Millennials.

To come up with a solution, we first conducted 12 in-depth interviews to develop

an online survey of 29 questions that was administered to 62 people between the ages of

18 and 24 years old. These surveys were distributed through Facebook, email, and text

message to our target demographic. The survey asked participants about their perceptions

of Vans, shoe buying/wearing characteristics, and advertising effectiveness. The

questions in the survey were developed after holding several in-depth interviews.

We had three major findings in our survey, two of which we feel that Vans should

act upon to increase their market share. Through our analysis of our data, we found that if

Vans replaces the cardboard boxes that the shoes currently come in with a drawstring bag

consumers are more likely to purchase Vans shoes. This is something that the company

should act upon immediately. We also found that Vans should create an integrated

marketing campaign centered around either Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Watson, as this

will create an endorser for the company that Millennials can relate to. This should also

happen immediately. Our data suggests that Vans could create a new, comfortable every

day shoe to drive sales, but we do not think this is applicable for the company.

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Introduction and Background

The Vans story began in 1966 when Paul Van Doren and three partners founded

the Van Doren Rubber Company in California. Vans was the first company to

manufacture and sell shoes directly to the public. Vans is an American manufacturer of

shoes known for their classic line, along with a wide range of apparel and accessories.

Vans became extremely popular in Southern California during the 1970s with the

company’s introduction of the Vans #44 deck shoe, which is now known as “The

Authentic.” The company gained international recognition in the early 1980s when their

shoes were worn by Sean Penn in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (Vans, 2013). Vans is

now making itself even more well known by sponsoring various action sports athletes in

skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, and BMX. Additionally, opening up their own

skate park in Orange, California has brought further attention to the company, allowing

Vans to stand out amongst its top competitors--Converse, DC Shoes, and Etnies (Vans,

2013). Vans is known as a lifestyle brand that thrives on creativity, which is apparent

through its custom-made footwear. In 2004, VF Corporation, the world’s largest apparel

company announced its signed agreement to acquire Vans. In the fourth quarter of 2014,

Vans’ overall revenue rose 17%, specifically 20% in the Americas region and 50% in the

Asia Pacific region, making Vans a $2 billion brand. (VF Corporation, 2015).

The footwear market as a whole is on the rise. It has grown 15.7% from 2009-

2014 and will continue to increase 11.1% from 2014-2019 (Mintel Academic, 2014).

From a financial standpoint, the S&P Footwear Index was up 23.1% in 2014, beating the

S&P 1500 Index by 12% (Amobi, 2015). The companies that offer the newest fashion

and technical innovation, as well as geographic diversification have the greatest chance at

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gaining sales from the increase in the market (Amobi, 2015). Due to the recent trend of

people being conscious about their health and exercising more, athletic and outdoor

footwear purchases will continue to grow.

Vans’ competitors are Nike, Adidas, Converse, Etnies, and DC Shoes. Etnies is a

lifestyle/skateboard company like Vans. In 2013, Nike held the largest US market share

at 43.44% and Adidas was second at 33.37% (Mintel Academic, 2014). Both Nike and

Adidas are diversified in many different submarkets in the footwear market, like training,

baseball, and soccer for example. The market share giants also utilize the use of

celebrities and sports stars to endorse their products. Converse is another lifestyle brand

that rivals Vans. Converse, like Vans, prides itself on creativity and ability for their

customers to express themselves through Converse apparel (Converse, 2015). Etnies has

a loyal following as they named themselves after the lifestyle of skateboarders who travel

in packs and have their own subculture (Sole Technology Inc, 2009). DC Shoes is

another lifestyle/skateboard shoe company founded in California that is has a large

presence in action sports such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross (DC

Shoes, 2015).

Finalized Research Question

The company has many strengths, a major one being its established brand and

strong reputation in the footwear industry. However, as of 2013, Vans market share was

at 3.28% (Mintel Academic, 2014). Our management decision problem is: How can Vans

increase their market share? Increasing market share would generate more profit and total

recognition overall to the company. The increase in profit will give Vans the opportunity

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to expand into new markets and grow their brand globally. Our marketing research

problem is: How can Vans target the growing Millennial demographic? We are choosing

the Millennial demographic because they are the primary consumers of Vans shoes, as

well as the demographic most likely to experience something new. Millennials are also a

large demographic; they will account for 78 million people by 2019 (Mintel Academic,

2014).

In-Depth Interview Summary

Summary of Participants

Twelve interviews were conducted with men and women ranging in age from 18-

24. Of the 12 people interviewed, six of them were male and six of them were female.

The interviewees consisted of nine Caucasians, two Asians, and one Mexican.

Geographically, eight of the interviewees reside in Southern California, two in Northern

California, one in Maryland, and one in Florida.

Summary of Interview Questions

During this interview, a broad spectrum of questions were asked, ranging from the

interviewee’s overall taste in shoes to his or her specific view on the company. The

interview began with the respondent discussing what he or she looks for in shoes in order

to get a feel for his or her particular taste in footwear—whether the participant is looking

for comfort or making footwear purchases based on fashion. Then the interviews went

further into what their views are on the shoe industry, specifically looking at brand

loyalty and why. Following, questions dove into further shopping habits and what type of

marketing entices them to purchase a product (to see what marketing tactics are effective

for our target demographic). The interviews were closed by asking the participants

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questions on Vans shoes—how they feel about Vans, if they own a pair of the shoes, the

characteristics of the people who wear Vans, and any improvements the company could

make to increase their interest in the brand (such as introducing new product lines or

changing the brand image). The goal with these questions was to gain a full insight on the

participants’ taste in sneakers and shopping habits, and then taking that information into

consideration while diving further into their knowledge, likes, and dislikes about Vans.

Summary of Interview Results

The interviewees as a whole look for shoes based on a want, not a need, and they

look for shoes that are comfortable and versatile. Men typically look for a shoe that they

can wear everywhere (from class to bars to the beach), while women tend to have a much

wider variety of styles of shoes for various occasions—meaning women most likely have

more than one pair of “every day shoes.” One of the overarching themes that we found

amongst the majority of the interviewees was the perception of the Vans’ brand as

younger, younger meaning junior high or high school. Most of the interviewees were fans

of Vans and wore them for extended periods of time, but no longer wear them because

they view Vans as having a brand image that correlates to being in high school. Another

consensus amongst the interviewees was that Vans, as a brand, has a skater image. The

words “skater” and “skinny jeans” came up during interviews, as well as the personality

traits of being concerned about social status, wanting to be trendy, and attempting to look

nonchalant. Vans was said to be a gender-neutral brand, showing that Vans is doing a

superb job positioning themselves for both men and women.

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Sophistication

The brand that was viewed as the biggest competitor to Vans during the

interviews was Converse. Converse was described by interviewees as being very similar

to Vans, but as a brand speaks to a wider audience and is more mature. Vans was

described as “clunky” in multiple interviews, meaning that the sole of the shoe is bulky.

In the event that Vans does design a new style of shoe for the millennial market,

participants stated they would like to see something less clunky and more dressy to entice

the older segment of this market into buying a pair. One respondent said, “I don’t think

that most 22-year-old males want a checkerboard canvas slip on shoe, so my suggestion

would be for them would be to make some models of shoes that are still casual, but

slightly more upscale and grown up.”

Hypothesis 1: Introducing a dressier style of shoe will increase the likelihood that

Millennials will purchase Vans shoes.

A New Twist

From our interviews, we have found that our target market values comfort and

fashion equally. Our respondents said that for fashion, comfort, and durability combined

into one shoe, that the price of a pair of Vans shoes is just right. This means that if Vans

was to keep the price point the same for its shoes, the comfort and durability can be the

same. However, our interviewees gave us their thoughts on what Vans can improve on is

to expand on their current shoe styles. It seems that millennials need a refresher or twist

on the classic Vans. The millennials love the shoes that Vans has already designed, but

are desiring a spin on the classic. The respondents talked about how Vans should

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experiment with different textures, colors, details, and materials to their different lines of

shoes.

Hypothesis 2: If Vans “refreshes” their current classic shoe line, it will increase

the likelihood that Millennials will purchase their shoes.

Comfort + Active

While the interviewees thought that Vans are fashionable, which is a positive trait,

they also thought that Vans are uncomfortable and not durable. If Vans wanted to break

out of the skateboard culture, the shoes would need to offer more comfort and durability.

To stay in the realm of every day shoes, participants of the interviews suggested that they

would enjoy trying out a new running shoe if Vans were to release one.

Hypothesis 3: If Vans developed a new comfortable everyday shoe, it would

increase the likelihood for customers to purchase shoes from Vans.

Brand Image

In today’s society, being viewed as a green or eco-friendly business has an

extremely positive undertone. Currently, Vans is not viewed as a green business. This is

due to the fact that currently Vans shoes come packaged in a cardboard box. After the

shoes are purchased, the box is normally thrown away instead of recycling, creating more

waste. One way to change this perception of Vans would be to create new packaging for

their shoes that allow customers to reuse the package. One interviewee suggested that

substituting the cardboard box into a reusable bag, such as a small drawstring bag. This

will help change consumers’ attitudes toward Vans to view the brand as eco-friendly,

which is a positive aspect for a business to have for today’s consumers.

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Hypothesis 4: Changing the product packaging to an eco-friendly box would

make customers purchase Vans shoes.

Advertising

Most of the interviewees are influenced by advertising to make a purchase

decision, to a certain extent. Social media and advertisements in magazines are the most

prevalent forms of advertising that are effective. As Millennials become more and more

engaged online while spending less time in front of the TV, the commercials that will be

aired on TV should also be placed on the company’s social media accounts so that the

message that is being portrayed still reaches Vans’ target audience without spending the

money on airtime. Interviewees brought up the fact that they have not seen any sort of

advertising for Vans in a long time. The idea discussed was having an endorser for Vans.

This will enable people to have someone recognizable when they think of Vans shoes.

This endorser would be the centerpiece for a possible integrated marketing campaign that

will help promote the Vans brand and try to shed the stigma that it is a “high school

brand.”

Hypothesis 5: Introducing a celebrity endorsement deal with someone who

appeals to college students will increase Millennials’ likelihood to buy Vans

shoes.

Hypothesis 6: If Vans create an integrated marketing campaign targeted to 18-24

year olds, then Millennials will have a greater likelihood to buy Vans shoes.

After interviewing our respondents, we were able to gather all of the insights and

draw conclusions that lead to the creation of the six hypotheses stated above. These

hypotheses will be tested in a survey.

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Methodology

The data was collected using an online survey. In the survey we asked questions

to test our specific hypotheses as well as general questions regarding respondents

opinions and uses of shoes. The survey was distributed through Facebook, email, and text

message. We utilized these methods because the people that we wanted taking the survey

(our target demographic of 18-24 year olds) consistently use Facebook, email, and text

message. A limitation to this is that people who are not friends with any of us would not

have access to take the survey, as well as those people who do not utilize Facebook,

email, or text message. A bias in how we got our survey results through Facebook and the

type of people we will be able to reach through this medium. The only people that are

going to be able to take the survey will be people who are “friends” with us and most of

our friends can be similar, especially in their taste in shoes. This does not give people

outside our friends list the chance to partake in the survey, and it also does not allow

people without Facebook accounts to take the survey.

Sixty-two people complete our survey, and of these 62.9% were female. The

majority of our participants were Caucasian (79%) and 80.3% were between the ages of

18 and 21 (18 – 19.7%, 19 – 16.4%, 20 - 29.5%, 21 – 14.8%). There were some values

that were missing, but when the statistical tests were run to analyze the data those missed

values were kept out of the calculations to keep from tainting the data.

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Findings

Hypothesis 1: Introducing a dressier style of shoe will increase the likelihood that

Millennials will purchase Vans shoes.

In our survey we asked respondents several questions regarding their likeliness

and interest in purchasing Vans shoes, and what would affect their decision to purchase

Vans. More specifically, respondents were asked on a seven-point scale how likely they

are to purchase a pair of Vans today (1=Very Unlikely to 7=Very Likely). We conducted

a one-sample t-test with the comparison value of 4 and found with 95% confidence that

people are unlikely to purchase Vans shoes today (Mean=2.92, t-value=-5.069, p-

value=0.000). This shows that Vans has some work to do with getting people to purchase

shoes.

We later asked respondents on a five-point scale how their likeliness of

purchasing Vans shoes would change if they were to design a new style of shoes

(1=Much Lower Than Today to 5=Much Higher Than Today). We conducted a one-

sample t-test with the comparison level of 3 and found with 95% confidence that people’s

likeliness of purchasing Vans would be the same as today if they were to design a new

style of shoes (Mean=3.16, t-value=2.489, p-value=0.015). This shoe, that a new style of

shoe, would have neither a positive nor negative affect of people’s purchase likeliness.

Our hypothesis deals with a dressier style of shoe, so we asked respondents on a

seven-point scale how frequently they wear “dressy” shoes (1=Never to 7=Daily). We

conducted a several frequency tests and found that 3% of people never wear “dressy”

shoes; 20.9% wear them less than once a month; 7.5% wear them once a month; 26.9%

wear them two to three times a month; 26.9% wear them once a week; 11.9% wear them

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two to three times a week; and 3% wear them daily. Furthermore, we asked respondents

to rank from 1-5 (1=Most Important to 5=Least Important) what is most important to

them when deciding to purchase dress shoes. We conducted several frequency tests and

found that 33.3% of people ranked color as most important; only 9.1% of people ranked

brand as most important; 27.3% of people ranked comfort as most important; 18.2% of

people ranked price as most important; and 12.1% of people ranked frequency of use as

most important (see Table 1 below). These tests show that our target demographic wears

a dressier style of shoe occasionally, and when they wear these types of shoes they care

about color and comfort the most.

Respondents were also asked on a five-point scale (1=Very Unlikely to 5=Very

Likely) how likely they would be to purchase Vans if they were to design—dress shoes,

high heels, boots, and flats. We conducted a one-sample t-test with the comparison value

of 3 and found with 95% confidence that people are unlikely to purchase any of these

new styles, and most unlikely to purchase Vans high heels (Mean=1.57, t-value=-13.415,

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p-value=0.000). Respondents do not feel that Vans should create a new “dressier” style of

shoe, thus disproving our hypothesis.

From these tests, we can conclude that with a new design, people’s likeliness in

purchasing Vans will neither increase nor decrease; therefore, Vans should keep their

authentic design.

Hypothesis 2: If Vans “refreshes” their current classic shoe line, it will increase the

likelihood that Millennials will purchase their shoes.

In our survey we first asked the respondents how many pairs of Vans shoes they

currently own. We found that 49.3% of respondents don’t own any pairs of Vans and

38% of respondents own between one to two pairs of Vans through a frequency test. This

shows that there is market share to be captured as almost half of our respondents are not

current customers of Vans.

We then asked the participants if Vans made changes to certain factors (color,

texture, material) of their current shoe line, how likely they would be to purchase a pair

of Vans compared to today. Specifically, respondents were asked on a seven-point scale

(1=Very Unlikely to 7=Very Likely) to what extent these changed factors would alter or

not alter their purchase intention to buy Vans. We conducted a one-sample t-test with the

comparison value of 4 and found with 95% confidence that all of the following factors

are not significant to changing a buyer’s purchase decision of Vans if Vans were to make

these changes to their current shoe line [color (p-value= .401), texture (p-value= .477),

material (p-value= .689)].

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Moreover, we conducted a one-way ANOVA in order to determine if there is a

significant relationship between the pairs of Vans respondents own and how likely they

would be to purchase Vans if they changed either the color, texture or materials of their

current classic shoe line. The only significant relationship we found between the number

of pairs of Vans respondents own and how likely they would be in the future to purchase

is if Vans changed the texture of their current shoe line. With the p-value of .010, people

who own one to two pairs of Vans are more likely to purchase Vans if they were to

change the texture than people who own zero pairs of Vans. These results show that if

Vans were to change the texture on their shoes, the more number of pairs of Vans people

own, the more likely they are to buy Vans in the future with the texture change. We think

this is the case because people who own Vans like the shoe enough to buy more different

kinds and would like to own other pairs that look different.

Table 2

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Hypothesis 3: If Vans’ developed a new comfortable everyday shoe, it would increase the

likelihood for customers to purchase shoes from Vans.

We asked respondents how influential each factor (color, texture, material, and

comfort) is when making the decision of purchasing shoes. Specifically, respondents

were asked on a seven-point scale (1= Very Uninfluential to 7= Very Influential) as to

what extent these factors were influential when making a shoe purchase. We conducted a

one-sample t-test with the comparison value of 4 and found with 95% confidence that

people find all of the factors to be influential when purchasing a shoe (see Table 4

below). We wanted to look at specifically comfort, and this shows that comfort is a major

decision factor when buying new shoes.

Table 3

Table 4

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Hypothesis 4: Changing the product packaging to an eco-friendly box would make

customers purchase Vans shoes.

One of the questions that we asked respondents in our survey is how would

altering the packaging affect your decision to buy Vans, keeping everything else the

same. The question was asked on a five-point scale (1=Definitely Would Not to

5=Definitely Would). We conducted a one-sample t-test with the comparison value of 4

and found with a 95% confidence level that packaging would not change the customer’s

decision to purchase a Vans shoe (mean = 2.20, t-value = 2.489, p-value = .015). While at

first this does not support our hypothesis, we had a second question probing further into

how the packaging would change to see if the respondent’s viewpoint would change.

We then asked if the packaging were to change to a drawstring bag, how would

the likeliness of purchasing a pair of Vans change. The question was asked on a five-

point scale (1=Much Lower to 5=Much Higher). We conducted a one-sample t-test with

the comparison value of 4 and found with a 95% confidence level that consumers would

be more likely to purchase Vans if the packaging was a drawstring bag instead of a

cardboard box (mean=3.16, t-value=2.797, p-value=.007). This shows that changing the

packaging to a drawstring bag would induce more purchases, even though overall

packaging is not a major factor when it comes to buying Vans shoes.

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Hypothesis 5: Introducing a celebrity endorsement deal with someone who appeals to

college students will increase Millennials’ likelihood to buy Vans shoes.

Hypothesis 6: If Vans create an integrated marketing campaign targeted to 18-24 year

olds, then Millennials will have a greater likelihood to buy Vans shoes.

We asked participants how effective advertising (social media, television,

magazines/print, and email) is in making a shoe purchase on a seven-point scale (1=Very

Ineffective to 7=Very Effective). We conducted a one-sample t-test with the comparison

value of 4 and found with a 95% confidence level that social media is effective (p-

value=.038) and email is not effective (p-value=.015) in making participants want to

purchase shoes. Television (p-value=.939) and magazine/print (p-value=.118) were not

statistically significant (see Table 5 below). If Vans was to start an integrated marketing

campaign, they should utilize social media and not email.

After seeing which type of advertising is effective, we then asked participants

how likely they are to buy a product if a celebrity endorses the product on a seven-point

scale (1=Very Unlikely to 7=Very Likely). We conducted a one-sample t-test with the

comparison value of 4 and found with a 95% confidence level that the data was not

statistically significant (p-value=.414), so we fail to reject the null.

Table 5

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We followed this by asking what type of celebrity (professional athlete, action

sports athlete, musical artists, and actors/actresses) fits the Vans image on a seven-point

scale (1=Absolutely Does Not Fit to 7=Absolutely Fits). We conducted a one-sample t-

test with the comparison value of 4 and found with a 95% confidence level that musical

artists (p-value=.000) and actors/actresses (p-value=.030) fit the Vans brand image the

best. We are able to reject the null because both p-values are less than .05. Professional

athletes (p-value=.121) and action sports athletes (p-value=.073) were statistically

insignificant, so we fail to reject the null (see Table 6 below). This means that in Vans

next advertising campaign, they should utilize a musical artist or actor/actress as an

endorser.

We then looked at how likely our participants would be to purchase Vans if Katy

Perry, Adam Levine, Kelly Clarkson, or Kendrick Lamar were an endorser of Vans on a

seven-point scale (1=Very Unlikely to 7=Very Likely). We conducted a one-sample t-test

with the comparison value of 4 and found with a 95% confidence level that participants

would not purchase Vans if Kelly Clarkson was an endorser (p-value=.004). We are able

to reject the null because the p-value is less than .05. Katy Perry (p-value=.742), Adam

Levine (p-value=.064), and Kendrick Lamar (p-value=.624) are all statistically

insignificant, so we fail to reject the null (see Table 7 on the following page). This means

that in an upcoming advertising campaign should not utilize any of the musical artists

mentioned.

Table 6

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Looking at the other statistically significant endorser category (actor/actress), we

asked how likely our participants would purchase Vans if Channing Tatum, Jennifer

Lawrence, Dave Franco, or Emma Watson were an endorser of Vans on a seven-point

scale (1=Very Unlikely to 7=Very Likely). We conducted a one-sample t-test with the

comparison value of 4 and found with a 95% confidence level that participants would

purchase Vans if Jennifer Lawrence (p-value=.041) or Emma Watson (p-value=.020)

were endorsers. We are able to reject the null because the p-value is less than .05.

Channing Tatum (p-value=.807) and Dave Franco (p=value=.095) were statistically

insignificant, so we fail to reject the null (see Table 8 below). This means that in an

upcoming advertising campaign should utilize Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Watson.

Other Relevant Findings

In addition, we conducted a two-way chi-square to determine if there was a

relationship between the respondents ethnicities and their favorite style of Vans shoes.

The Pearson Chi-square value was 8.729 and the p-value was .891. Because the p-value

Table 7

Table 8

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is greater than 0.05, there is no relationship between ethnicity and their favorite style of

Vans shoes.

In our survey we asked respondents to allocate 100 points among five shoe brands

to see which brands were the favorites. Nike was the favorite, followed by Converse,

Vans, Keds, and Etnies (see Table 9 below). This means that Vans is in the middle of the

pack of brand favorability. Their main competitor, Converse, is more popular than they

are, so they need to do more to gain more market share.

Summary

Our management decision problem was: How can Vans increase market share?

We wanted to research different avenues that Vans could try out to find ways to increase

sales to increase their market share to begin to get to the likes of larger companies such as

Nike and Adidas. All of our hypotheses had the bottom line of increasing the likelihood

of Millennials to purchase Vans shoes. We looked at trying a dressier shoe, a “refreshed”

line of shoes, a new comfortable every day shoe, changing the packaging, introducing a

celebrity endorsement, and creating an integrated marketing campaign to drive sales.

After analyzing our data that we collected from our survey, we came to a

conclusion on what we should do regarding each avenue. Vans does not need to introduce

a dressier shoe into their current line as many consumers already have an entrenched

Table 9

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image of the type of shoes that Vans sells. These same consumers like the current line of

shoes, and the line does not need to be refreshed. Comfort is a key factor when our target

market buys new shoes, and our data shows that if Vans created a new, more comfortable

every day shoe then our target demographic would buy more Vans shoes. We found that

if Vans used drawstring bags for the packaging of shoes instead of cardboard boxes, then

consumers would be more likely to purchase the shoes. Finally, in regards to advertising,

we found that Vans should create an integrated marketing campaign relying heavily

around social media using either Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Watson as a main endorser

would drive sales up.

Recommendations

Our findings that would impact the company in a positive way are: creating a

new, comfortable every day shoe, changing the packaging from a cardboard box to a

reusable drawstring bag, and creating an integrated marketing campaign using Jennifer

Lawrence or Emma Watson as a centerpiece. The other findings that we have would not

help solve our management decision problem of increasing market share.

Creating a new, comfortable every day shoe is probably the toughest to pull off

out of all of our findings. This would require intense research and development to create

a shoe that meets consumers’ wants and needs. After the shoe is created, the next step

would be to implement distribution channels for the shoes. Hopefully these new shoes

could follow the same distribution patterns as the other shoes, but the current patterns

may already be completely full and a new method would have to be created. We would

recommend not going after this finding to increase market share.

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Changing the packaging to a reusable drawstring bag is something that is

definitely feasible and would not cost much to act on. Vans already sells drawstring bags

separately, so now they would have to put the shoes in the bags. This is a plus for the

consumer because now they get two items (shoes and a bag) for the price of one. With the

growing concern for the environment, this change would benefit the environment in a

positive way, as less cardboard needs to be created and less waste would come from the

packaging of the shoes. We suggest that Vans sell their shoes in drawstring bags.

Being that Vans has not had an advertisement or an endorser in a long time, we

feel that this is the quickest way to gain market share out of all of our findings. Our target

demographic (18-24 year olds) spend fair amount of time on social media, so we suggest

centering an integrated marketing campaign around social media with either movie star

Jennifer Lawrence or Emma Watson. Both of them scored highly as to if our survey

participants would be likely to purchase Vans if either actress was an endorser of Vans.

Whichever actress can be signed for a lesser amount of money is what we recommend for

Vans.

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Converse. (2015). About. Retrieved February 8, 2015, fromhttps://www.converse.com/about/about-us.html

DC Shoes. (2015). About us. Retrieved February 8, 2015, fromhttp://www.dcshoes.com/customer-service-corporate-information-about-us.html

Men’s and Women’s Footwear – US – 2014. (2014). Mintel Academic. RetrievedFebruary 5, 2015, from http://0-academic.mintel.com.sally.sandiego.edu/display/714738

Sole Technology Inc. (2009). Etnies. Retrieved February 8, 2015, fromhttp://www.soletechnology.com/brands/#etnies

Vans. (2013). History. Retrieved February 7, 2015, fromhttp://vans.net.au/wawcs0130206/History.html

VF Corporation - Press Releases. (2015, February 13). Retrieved March 8, 2015, fromhttp://www.vfc.com/news/press-releases?nws_id=0EF80514-889E-6030-E053A740E3EA6030

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Appendix 3: In-depth Interview Guide and NotesNatalie Crone’s In-depth Interview Questionnaire1. What do you look for in an everyday shoe?

Respondent 1: I look for comfort in an everyday shoe. Comfort is the most important quality. I like to wear shoes that I can easily slip on and off. I like shoes that tend to go well with most clothing options. I like casual shoes.Respondent 2: For an everyday shoe, the most important thing is comfort. I don’t want to have to lace up my shoes every time I put them on or take them off, so I prefer shoes that I can slip on and off. Also, it is important to be styled decently neutral so they will match with most of my clothes. Something I can wear to class, the bars, or the beach.Respondent 3: I look for comfort in an everyday shoe. Being at UCLA you have to walk everywhere. Up hills carrying your heavy backpack and to and from class, you definitely need something that is supportive, sturdy and most importantly comfortable. I want the shoes to fit right, not give me blisters and not be too tight or too loose.

2. What type of shoes do you wear most often?Respondent 1: I wear Rainbows most often. I have been wearing the same rainbows for 5 years and they are heavily destroyed and molded to my feet. They are comfy and I can easily take them on and off as I please.Respondent 2: Sperry’s or flip flopsRespondent 3: In general I either wear my Birkenstocks or my Brooks running shoes. As previously mentioned UCLA is walking campus and I probably average at least four miles a day walking to and from class and to and from the dining halls. I also work with the UCLA Track and Field team so for my job I really can’t wear anything but running shoes. But on my days off I choose to wear shoes that are comfortable and that give my feet a break from being in tennis shoes all day every day, like my Birkenstocks. I am currently also training for a half marathon and running five to six days a week so tennis shoes are just generally always the smart choice.

3. What are your current favorite shoe brands and why?Respondent 1: I like Rainbows, Converse, Jeffrey Campbell for high heelsRespondent 2: For my last 3-4 pairs of “every day” shoes I have worn Sperry’s. I like them because they are easy to slip on and off, they can be worn casual or more dressy, and they are very comfortable once you break them in. For athletic shoes, I only use Nike. I have used Nike cleats and training shoes since high school. I know that Nike uses quality materials and the shoes don’t come apart as quickly as other brands. I know what to expect and what I am getting when I get a pair of Nike’s.Respondent 3: I really like Steve Madden. I have the hardest time finding shoes because my feet are a size 5. Because my feet are so small I can’t ever

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find shoes that fit me. I don’t own very many heels or dress shoes just because of the mere fact that none of them come in my size. If I am lucky, Steve Madden will make a shoe that I really like and they either make it in a size 5 or I am able to fit into a 5.5 or 6 because the brand typically runs small. I obviously also love my Birkenstocks, they are perfect for everyday wear, walking around campus, going shopping, going to dinner, they are very versatile and that’s what I love about them. Apparently they are also super trendy in LA right now, even though I got mine way before anyone else did

4. How often do you wear sneakers?Respondent 1: I wear sneakers probably once or twice a day. It is usually hot here so I don’t like to wear closed toe shoes that often.Respondent 2: NeverRespondent 3: I pretty much wear running shoes every single day. Because of my job and my intense training schedule I wear sneakers every day around school just because of convenience. However, it is also hard to find tennis shoes in Women’s that are a size 5 so I have also had great difficulty trying to find ones that work for me.

5. Who do you think is the top brand for sneakers? And why do you think they are the top brand?

Respondent 1: I think Converse is the top sneaker brand. They are an iconic brand and have consistently had great advertisements throughout the years. They are worn by all kinds of people and look cool with all different kinds of outfits. The Converse brand have also marketed themselves as slightly rebellious which has proven to be a lucrative strategy.Respondent 2: Nike. I think that a lot of people like to buy Nike workout shoes and treat them as everyday sneakers because they are comfortable and people like the brand. Converse would be another top brand. I have never owned a pair of Converse, but I see them a lot so I know that they are a popular sneaker as well.Respondent 3: I don’t really think there is a top brand necessarily for tennis shoes because it depends on what you are doing in them and the kind of foot you have. In my case I have had a lot of previous injuries and I need a very stable and supportive shoe for the kind of running I do. However, some people don’t need that kind of support and they prefer more loose fitting, breathable tennis shoes. In my personal opinion I think Nike is just a fad. Yes, their tennis shoes are cool looking but in reality they are not shoes you should be wearing if you are training or running. Especially the Nike Free Runs they offer no arch support and in my opinion from personal experience do much more harm than good to your feet. In the past I have used Brooks, Adidas and Mizuno for my running shoes. Again because my feet are so small it gives me a limited number of options and these are the brands I have found that work for me.

6. Are you familiar with the Vans shoes?

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a. If yes, do you own a pair?i. If yes, why did you buy them?ii. If no, what would incline you to buy a pair?

b. If no, describe the brand.i. What would incline you to buy a pair?

Respondent 1: Yes, one pair of black Vans. I bought them because they are comfy and plain shoes that match with a lot of things.Respondent 2: I don’t currently own a pair of Vans, but I have in the past. In junior high and first two years of high school I wore Vans as my “every day” shoe. I liked that they were comfortable, slip-on, and a lot of my friends were also wearing them at the time. I would usually buy the 2-eye slip ons.Respondent 3: Yes, I am familiar with Vans shoes. I bought a pair in middle school but I haven’t owned any since. I bought them when they were considered “in” but I never wore them much. I didn’t find them very comfortable and they aren’t very versatile, I had a hard time finding outfits to match them. To me they are more of a skater shoe and I personally don’t really have that kind of look. At this point in my life I would not be inclined to buy a pair, I do not have any need or use for them.

7. What are a few things that come to mind when you think of Vans shoes?Respondent 1: Middle schoolers, wannabe punks, younger consumersRespondent 2: I think of skateboarding culture. They were popular when I was 12-14 years old. They make me think of action sports and the X games.Respondent 3: I think of boys messing around at a skate park. I think of them wearing their hats backwards and wearing t-shirts you can buy at the Vans store with pants that sag below their waist. I also think of the commercials that I used to see advertising the brand when I was younger. One in particular I think that I recall is boys and girls hanging out at a boardwalk, messing around, eating food and riding rides.

8. Who do you think wears Vans shoes most?Respondent 1: Pre-teens and teensRespondent 2: Kids in the skateboarding scene. Junior high – high school kids.Respondent 3: I think teenage boys typically wear Vans shoes the most. I feel like during that point in time, during middle school and the early years in high school, that’s when Vans are a big thing for kids.

9. What do you think would make more people in your age group buy and wear Vans?a. Do you think Vans shoes are reasonably priced?b. Do you think our advertising is effective?Respondent 1: Better marketing strategies targeted at millennial demographic. Yes, it is reasonably priced, but no the advertising is not effectiveRespondent 2: They are reasonably priced. I don’t think that most 22 year old males want a checkered board canvas slip on shoe, so my suggestion would be for

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them to make some models of shoes that are still casual, but slightly more upscale/grown up. If Vans were to make a dressier shoe that was reasonably priced, I think I would give it consideration. But for my everyday shoe, I want something that is still casual but dressier than some Vans slip ons.Respondent 3: I think Vans are just not really geared towards college students at least at the moment. I think it is a brand that has kind of gone downhill and people haven’t heard much about them lately. I think maybe if they were advertised more, on TV, with signs and billboards they would come back into style at least for some of the boys. I do not think Vans shoes are reasonably priced, the one thing I do remember is that my mom was very hesitant about buying me my first pair because of how expensive they were. I think for the terrible quality of the shoe they are way overpriced. I think because in all honesty I had completely forgotten about Vans shoes until now the advertising is a little lacking. I think maybe some more advertising with a new type of shoe a new design or something would be more effective.

10. If Vans were to design a new shoe, what new styles would you be interested in seeing?

Respondent 1: Something less clunky. My vans feel very clunky and largeRespondent 2: Something dressierRespondent 3: I was never really a part of the Vans fad and only bought one pair and then never really wore them. I don’t really have any need for Vans type shoes so I don’t really know any styles in particular that I would be interested in seeing. Maybe if they were to make them more comfortable and a little less stiff and clunky that would be more appealing to me.

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Krystal Hsu’s In-depth Interview Questionnaire1. What shoes are you wearing this instant?

Respondent 1: Nike Pegasus 31Respondent 2: Converse All star.Respondent 3: NikeA. What do you like about them? Respondent 1: It's light weight and supportive. It supports not only the bottom ofmy foot but I feel it does a good job with the cushion surrounding the other partsof my feet. It's also very comfortable pertaining to the arch of my foot.Respondent 2: They look nice and are comfortable.Respondent 3: They are great athletic shoes and very comfortable.

2. What other brand shoes do you wear? Respondent 1: Converse, vans, Jordan's, doc martens (other boots from like..Nordstrom? Idk brands. Steve Madden?)Respondent 2: Vans, Adidas, and timberland.Respondent 3: Vans, Nike and Broken Homme

3. On average, how much do you spend on a pair of shoes? Respondent 1: Anywhere from 50-100 Respondent 2: $55Respondent 3: $150

4. How many pairs of shoes do you buy a year? Respondent 1: 5-6?Respondent 2: 3Respondent 3: 7

5. Where do you buy the shoes? Respondent 1: Nike, champs, footlocker, journeys, vans, NordstromRespondent 2: Online or retail store.Respondent 3: Online or in store.  Blends, Kith NYC, American Rag, Vans

6. What style of shoe do you prefer to wear? Respondent 1: Sneakers- Nike.Respondent 2: BootsRespondent 3: Boot or high topA. Why? Respondent 1: It's more comfortable than boots or other shoes.Respondent 2: ComfortRespondent 3: Style and comfort

7. What style of shoe do you wear more frequently? Respondent 1: Sneakers because it's comfortable and I can wear it with lots of my outfits hahaRespondent 2: Boots because of comfortRespondent 3: Boot because of style and comfort

8. What do you look for in an everyday shoe? For example, do you value comfort over fashion or fashion over comfort?

Respondent 1: Comfort over fashion! (Not fashionable hahahah)

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Respondent 2: I look for a shoe that is comfortable and nice looking. Respondent 3: Fashion and comfort equal.  A well designed shoe will

incorporate bothwithout sacrifice.

9. Have you heard of the brand Vans? Respondent 1: Yes I wear a pair!Respondent 2: YesRespondent 3: YesA. What have you heard about them?Respondent 2: They are durable and look nice.Respondent 3: They are a classic brand with contemporary styling.  They hitstreet fashion, mainstream buyers, price aware buyers, children and toddlers, andmany more.

10. What is your overall opinion about Vans company as a whole? Respondent 1: They're cool! It's more skater culture but still cool.Respondent 2: A company that makes shoes that cater to the current youth.Respondent 3: Great brand.  Classic product with contemporary designs.  Youcan be a 50 year old dad and rock them or a 25 year old fashion student and rock them.  They hit a wide range of consumers without diluting their brand.

11. What is your perception of a person who wears Vans?Respondent 1: Skater!Respondent 2:  A person in their teens or twenties.Respondent 3: That there are so many different people that wear vans it makes ithard to picture one or have a perception of one person.  They can range from 13 year old skater boys to punk rock girls to street fashion guys and even to 45 year old dads.  I think its cool that they appeal to so many people and within the brand they have subcultures.  For example a guy that would wear a Cali Edition Vans shoe probably wouldn't wear a Surfedition Vans shoe or a skate shoe.   

12. Do you wear Vans shoes? Respondent 1: One pair because it was floral and looked nice. Respondent 2: YesRespondent 3: Yes

A. If yes, why do you wear Vans? Respondent 1: I like how they look.Respondent 2: They look cool and are comfortable.Respondent 3: Classic look.  Simple styling.  Timeless.  Many options.  Goodprice point.  

B. If no, why don't you wear Vans? C. What do you like/not like about their shoes?

i. What can Vans do to get you to purchase their shoes over other brands? Respondent 1: Make more different color shoes or change up the materialRespondent 2: Make more boot style models.Respondent 3: I love that they have kept the same silhouette since 1966 and have been able to apple new patterns and materials every year to stay relevant and timeless. They could create some higher end shoes with better material options.

ii. Do you think the price of Vans shoes are reasonable for what they are?

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Respondent 1: The price is very reasonable! Respondent 2: Yes they are relatively cheap for durable shoes.Respondent 3: Yes.  Great prices because they are such a big brand and create so many shoes they can keep the prices at a good price point.

iii. Do you think Vans should expand into a different style of shoes?Respondent 1: I think they shouldn't change because the classic look sells and is well loved by many. Respondent 2: I think they have built an effective brand that people love.Respondent 3: No. They have a few other categories like 66 and OTW that are struggling to find their niche in the market and find a home within the classic Vans style.  Everyone would be confused if In N Out started selling bagels and chicken wraps just as if Vans were to start selling athletic shoes or flats.  It is important to have innovation to push the brand forward but you can’t rely on it for revenue in sales.  

Closing comments: Is there anything you would like to add? Respondent 3: Vans is growing larger and larger every year.  I think their biggestchallenge lies with keeping up with that growth and becoming and eco friendly brand in the future.  A pair of Vans shoes is 100% non recyclable.  They need to find a way to approach this problem.  Most footwear brands struggle with this due to the rubber, plastic, glues and chemicals that are incorporated in to a shoe. Something as small as post consumer recycled laces could be a great start.  PS Taka Hayashi is the coolest dude at Vans creating their best material.

Austin Jacobs’ In-depth Interview Questionnaire1.  What do you look for in a shoe when you are purchasing new casual/everyday shoes?

Respondent 1:  Something that is comfortable. White, black, or brown so he canuse it with different outfitsRespondent 2:  Something that you can skate inRespondent 3: Comfort and if they are versatile, what will they go with

2.  Are you loyal to any brand of shoes? If so, what about that brand draws you to their products?

Respondent 1:  Favorite is Cole Haan and Nike. Nike reaches a broad spectrum of athletes cross trainers and skate shoes/casual shoes – a shoe for everythingRespondent 2: Converse because she has a lot of Converse. She can skate with them and that’s about it. They tie. They stay on her feet. They are nice to herRespondent 3: Fry boots because they last forever

3.  What motivates you to purchase a particular shoe? Is it based on a more of a need, or more of a want?

Respondent 1: More of a want – doesn’t need for anything. Advertisements drive it – goes to mall for specific purpose – celebrity or person who he knows wearing itRespondent 2: If they are really cute shoes then it’s a want, if there’s a hole in her shoe, then she needs one.  Only buy boots or Converse – those are cute

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Respondent 3: Definitely a want4.  Where do you look to for your sense of fashion? Who are the major influencers in fashion?

Respondent 1: David BeckhamRespondent 2: Lady Gaga and BeyonceRespondent 3: No one – just myself, and how I want people to perceive myself –identity is shown through how I want to be viewed

5.  What type of marketing induces you to purchase a product (i.e. social media ads, TV commercials, magazine ads, email blasts, sales, coupons, or celebrities endorsing the product)?

Respondent 1: Social media – instagram. Not really TV. Magazines are big. Celebrity endorsements place a big roleRespondent 2: Go Pro – what they do makes me want to buy them. If they have a cool ad on tv. Cool pictures in magazines. Cool – it depends – cool setting, backgrounds, oh, that’s coolRespondent 3: Good deals – price to quality ratio. Image that the brand portrays overall is a factor

6.  Have you heard of the brand Vans? *If they haven’t heard of the brand, tell them something about it*

Respondent 1: YesRespondent 2: YesRespondent 3: Yes

7.  Do you wear Vans shoes? Why or why not?Respondent 1: Don’t anymore – used to in high school. Trend has moved awayfrom them – weren’t that comfortable.Respondent 2: Did in high school. Fell apart really easily – converse is more durableRespondent 3: Used to. More of a high school thing. Thinks they are quality and comfort.  Associate Vans with high school – makes them look like they have baby feet

8. What are three words that come to mind when you think of Vans shoes?Respondent 1: Trendy, skater, casualRespondent 2: Socks that show – always see the sock when you wear vansRespondent 3: Skaters, comfort, and durable, skinny jeans, boys wearing supertight pants. Don’t see girls wearing vans with a dress

9.  Fill in the blank: Someone who wears Vans is _________Respondent 1: In their teensRespondent 2: Cool – in junior high (because that’s when she wore them)someone who’s young – wants to skate with them but they fell apart too easilyRespondent 3: Young

10.  Describe the type of person who you think wears Vans:Respondent 1: Laid back, concerned about social status, younger, different colors to match different outfitsRespondent 2: Junior high, younger, tweens, stoners, people who hang out at skate parks in the middle of trailer parks where sketchy kids hang outRespondent 3: Skater, high school, look like they aren’t trying

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11.  Do you view Vans as a masculine or feminine brand? Why? Respondent 1: Gender neutral – both of them can wear Vans – doesn’t identify with either genderRespondent 2: Neutral.  Wore the guys shoes – didn’t buy any of the women shoes – only wore the guys shoes. Step up their game in the girl department – girly designs. But sees other girls wearing these shoesRespondent 3: Gender neutral - goes both ways

12.  Who is do you think Vans’ biggest competitor? If you had to choose between the brands mentioned, whom would you choose? Why?

Respondent 1: Toms or Nike – Toms because more comfortable – like the fact that they give to children who are less fortunateRespondent 2: Converse – because converse won her overRespondent 3: Converse – because they have a different look – look older than Vans do – more mature

13.  If you could change (or add) something about Vans, what would it be and why?Respondent 1: Make them more athletic. All vans are really flat on the bottom – need more supportRespondent 2: Rubber stuff around the sides comes off easily – it fell off as a kid. Doesn’t like her socks to show – wants a different type of design to not show the sockRespondent 3: Change their ads – have never seen their ads before

Ryan Weston’s In-depth Interview Questionnaire1. At what point do you decide that it is time to buy a new pair of shoes?

Respondent 1: When they are getting holeRespondent 2: When I am tired of the old ones.Respondent 3: When I need a shoe I do not have. Or old ones are of no use

anymore.2. What features or characteristics do you look for when you are going to buy a new shoe?

Respondent 1: Comfort and designRespondent 2: Look at the quality and appearance.Respondent 3: Function and comfort.

3. The shoe type you wear the most often, why do you find that brand to draw your attention?

Respondent 1: Always used them (nikes)Respondent 2: They have many different types of shoes.Respondent 3: It is a well known brand that a lof of my friends use.

4. What are some bad experiences you have had with purchasing some of your past shoes?

Respondent 1: Fallen apart quicklyRespondent 2: Cost a lot and were not very comfortable.Respondent 3: Get scuffed up easily.

5. What brand of shoe do you typically purchase? Respondent 1: NikeRespondent 2: Uggs, Vans, and Converse.

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Respondent 3: Do not have one. 6. Does it vary based on occasion (e.g., running vs. dress) Why? Are you brand loyal?

Respondent 1: Buy brand per occasion because always do it.Respondent 2: I am not really loyal. Buy a shoe of any kind that I like.Respondent 3: I buy sneakers of any brand that I find to be comfortable and

cheap.7. Have you heard of the brand Vans? Do you own any of their shoes? Why/why not?

Respondent 1: Yes I bought some in high school.Respondent 2: Yes I like some of their styles.Respondent 3: Yes I own some that I really like.

8. What can Van’s do in order for you to buy a pair of their shoes?Respondent 1: Cheaper...Respondent 2: They can have more sales and I would shop there more often.Respondent 3: Develop a reusable bag such as a draw string or small duffle bag where the image would seem more eco-friendly and people would get more for their money.

9. What is your image of Vans as a company and does this view affect whether or not you would wear a pair of their shoes?

Respondent 1: Skater shoe and not really.Respondent 2: I like how Vans is kind of a hipster skating shoe. Respondent 3: Skater shoe and not really.

10. Did you know that Vans is positioned as a skateboard shoe company? How does the fact that our company sells a “skateboard” shoe affect your perception of the brand? And does this change your view on buying a Van’s shoe?

Respondent 1: Yea I am not much of a skater so I do not buy them.Respondent 2: Yes and I like its image.Respondent 3: Yea I am not much of a skater so I do not buy them

11. What are some faults you find in our product that you would want us to change?Respondent 1: More comfortable.Respondent 2: More comfortable.Respondent 3: They hurt your feet after a while.

12. What kind of changes in our brand image would make you become more comfortable with our company?

Respondent 1: More styles of shoes.Respondent 2: IdkRespondent 3: More designs.

13. What are some new shoe types that you would be willing to try if Vans developed a new product?

Respondent 1: Sneakers.Respondent 2: Summer wearRespondent 3: Running or boots.

14. Did you know Vans has an online presence? Have you been to their website/social media, etc? And what were your first thoughts about these pages?

Respondent 1: I have never been to their site.Respondent 2: Have seen them on Twitter and stuff

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Respondent 3: Their site is a little hard to navigate. 15. How would your view on our product change if our online presence were stronger? Do you have specific recommendations for outlets where Vans should have a presence?

Respondent 1: I would look more at their styles and designs.Respondent 2: I feel more people would talk about them and want to learn

more.Respondent 3: Van’s should have a more user friendly site and people would shop there more often if they had more locations and were closer.

16. What recommendations do you have for Vans to alter their brand image into making it a more customer friendly brand?

Respondent 1: Make the shoe more comfortable.Respondent 2:Do something like Tom’s and help charity or people.Respondent 3: Develop a reusable bag such as a draw string or small duffle bag where the image would seem more eco-friendly and people would get more for their money.

17. What are some big differences that would have you pick a Vans shoe or a shoe from a competitor such as Converse, Nike, or Adidas?

Respondent 1: Vans is more of like a high school brand.Respondent 2:Vans has some different colors where converse is a bit limited in their design.Respondent 3: Vans has less to offer because other brands are sometimes cheaper or have more comfortable shoes.

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