"Over 50 Years" Vans Becomes Wei Fu Performance Engine. How Does It Grow Its Business?

The sports brand Vans is 53 years old. Although it is over 50 years old, its label is still "young", "personality" and "minority". It is worth mentioning that in recent years, Vans has also become the performance engine of the parent company Wei Fu group. Like other sports brands, Vans is also optimistic about the development of the domestic market. However, compared with Nike and Adidas, Vans is still a niche brand. How can we seize more market share in the future? Industry experts believe that niche brands do not need to cater to consumers blindly. They should lead cultural trends and gradually enhance their popularity.

The target group in domestic market is more than skateboarding teenagers.

It is reported that Vans was bought by Wei Fu Group in 2004. In recent quarters, Vans has been very outstanding. In the first two quarters of fiscal year 2019, Vans brand sales revenue increased by 26% and 35% respectively, which were higher than the overall growth of the sports brand of Wei Fu Group, while the outdoor brand TheNorthFace and Timberland of the group were both single digit and negative.

At present, Vans's global sales volume has reached more than US $3 billion. Vans predicts that by 2023, global sales of brands will exceed US $5 billion.

Although Vans did not announce the performance of the Chinese market separately, according to Vans, brand has maintained two digit sales growth in almost every quarter of China.

Good performance in the Chinese market has increased Vans's input. From 2017 to last year, the Vans Park Series professional park skating (VPS) world finals was held in China for two consecutive times.

Vans China General Manager Cao Wei once told the media: "VPS professional park skateboarding is our most heavyweight competition. The finals have been put in China for second consecutive years, which is the best embodiment of the whole brand's attention to the Chinese market."

However, in China, the popularity of skateboarding is not high. Vans also admitted to the media that in China, the income of extreme sports products such as professional skateboards and surfing is only about 10% of the total brand income.

Based on the current situation, Vans will turn its attention to a wider range of young consumers who are easy to identify with the street culture of minority and personality.

Vans's strategy has indeed attracted some young consumer groups. These consumers think that Vans's products are easy to match with clothes, which will not be too dignified and not too casual. A 90 year old female consumer told reporters: "compared with Nike, Adidas and other brands, people wearing Vans are still very few. Because I wear fewer people, I feel very personality and very special. Everyone wears the same brand, how can they appear to be different?"

"I have collected a lot of classic styles, which are often out of stock and even need high prices to buy them." Another consumer said, "Vans often glue, but I don't think so. In my opinion, glue is also an expression of individuality.

Surprisingly, gel seems to be the "consensus" of Vans fans. On the question of knowing how to distinguish Vans from true and false, a "three month or so no degumming and opening line is false". It has to be said that even if there are such disadvantages as "easy to glue", it has become a feature in the eyes of Vans fans.

Although Vans has successfully acquired some fans with high tolerance, even so, Vans sales can not compare with Nike and Adidas. Compared with last year's Tmall sales of Vans, Nike, Adidas and other brands, the Chinese Commercial Daily reporter found that the flagship category of "Vans Shoes / casual shoes / canvas shoes" was the contrast object, and Vans ranked fifth only. The top four were Adidas, Nike, CONVERSE and CONVERSE.

Vans, of course, is not satisfied with the status quo. However, it is undeniable that Vans still lacks strength in marketing promotion compared with other brands.

Minority brand marketing cannot be played according to "routine".

It is reported that the main principle of Vans brand promotion is not to invite celebrities to endorse products. Experts from the China Association for cultural, educational, sports and sporting goods said that in the domestic market, without the power of stars, it would be enough to give up the huge purchasing power of fans and to communicate with potential consumers.

However, relevant staff of the Vans marketing department told reporters that if some traffic stars were asked to endorse, it would impact the minority characteristics of Vans. Although performance growth and visibility can be enhanced in the short term, it will affect the loyalty of the existing consumers in the long run, and some of the consumers who are attracted will not necessarily continue to buy our brand.

Then, how can we maintain minority characteristics and enhance brand awareness? Experts from China Advertising Association say that whether they are popular brands or niche brands, their business core is profitable. And if minority products want to keep on making profits, they will have to face the reality of becoming a popular commodity.

"If we do not sacrifice the characteristics of small products, we can increase the popularity of our products. I think more sub culture groups will increase their recognition of this product and let this recognition continue." She said, "if a brand can make more groups identify, it is improving visibility."

That is to say, if Vans wants to maintain its niche brand characteristics, it should attract more consumers into the circle of minority culture, and consumers will understand and identify the brand on the basis of understanding the culture.

The experts also said that if we cater to consumers, minority brands will lose their brand personality and lose their charm. In other words, small brands can't take the same route as the popular brand.

It is understood that at present, Vans regards the music festival as an important marketing tool. In 2001, it won the largest and longest running music festival Warped Tour in the United States.

It is generally believed that if Vans wants to get through the Chinese market, it needs to know more about China's young consumer groups, which requires Vans and Chinese consumers to have more in-depth communication and communication.