Week 13: Development and Managing Products

         It is evident that new products are crucial to obtain profits and replace outdated items.Converse took note of customers idea and made revisions to there Chuck Taylor All Star sneakers making it a "new product".Converse where created Originally converse came in two colors black or white in the high top cut.It took Converse  50 years to extend their market line and product mix by producing more colored sneakers and creating more cuts of the Chucks.In 1962 Converse released a low-cut version of the popular All Star called the Converse All Star Oxford(now referred to as the low tops).In 1966 Converse added seven new colors to the All Star line to coordinate with team uniforms.1985 Converse developed bio mechanic insoles one year after sponsoring the Olympics, creating the first high-tech cushioning systems in the shoe industry.2005 Converse gave customers the option to be in the driver seat designing and creating their own shoe via their site http://www.converse.com/.   Fuse was hired by Converse to create a website for the launch of the company's line of skateboarding shoes.



       Converse has deep roots in skating going back to the 80's. After a long absence, the re-entry of this iconic brand into the skate world was a highly anticipated event.In late 2008, Converseskateboarding.com launched with four styles of CONS skate shoes, five team members, a blog, and an interactive skate spot and dealer map of the United States.

Converse Skateboarding logo

Because this was a new product line from a longstanding company,showcasing a different side of Converse was crucial. The     minimal design forced users to see the brand in a new light by putting the focus on the personality of the skaters and the quality of the shoes.

Week 11: Intergrated Marketing Commnication(continued)

       Just in time for the holidays season Converse releases  their Dr.Seuss collection.Smart timing the movie airs every holiday making the characters on the sneakers easily to recognize Max the Dog, Cindy Lou Who and the several other images co-opted from the film.The line consist of 8 pairs of Chuck Taylor's.

        Converse created their new site Converseskateboarding.com to reinforce their presents to the skating world.They created the site to give their consumers a new way of looking at their company and to remind them of their close relationship to the culture.The minimal design forced users to see the brand in a new light by putting the focus on the personality of the skaters and the quality of the shoes.Upon its launch, the website and the CONS product were greeted warmly by eager skaters and shoe enthusiasts. Within just ten hours of being live, the site had served over 55,000 page views,making it by far the most heavily trafficked action sports site on that day. Defiantly the site reached its intended market of the youth and skating boarders.

Week 3 - Ethics and Socail Responsibilities(Continued)

        

Converse has joined forces with (RED). (RED) is a organization that partnered up with  up with several large retailers such as American Express,Apple,Dell, Emporio Armani,Gap, Hallmark, Nike, Penguin, Starbucks. When consumers purchase special produced red product from these companies 50% profits goes to their global fund to invest in HIV and AIDS program in Africa that focuses on women and children The Global Fund, the recipient of (RED) funds, is the world's leading financer of programs to fight AIDS, TB and malaria. Created in 2002, the Global Fund has committed $19.3 billion to lifesaving programs in 144 countries.The Global Fund invests 100% of (RED) dollars in HIV/AIDS programs in Africa, including interventions targeting women and children. Global Fund (RED) HIV/AIDS grants are selected based on a track record of consistently good performance. Today, programs supported by the Global Fund have averted more than 5.7 million deaths by providing AIDS treatment for 2.8 million people, TB treatment for 7 million people, and by the distribution of 122 million insecticide-treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria worldwide. 

           Converse announced plans to open a “community-based recording studio” called Rubber Tracks in Williamsburg ,Brooklyn.It's scheduled to open later this yea, select up-and-coming artists will be allowed to record their music for free. Musicians can fill out an application, and those accepted by Converse will receive not only studio time in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility but also rehearsal and post-production accommodations.

Converse  created their Converse Open Gym.The gym is designed for children between the ages of 12-18 years of age.The sessions are free every month.Children are given the opportunity to make new friends develop new skill and improve current skills and win a new pair of basketball shoes .           

Week 12: Costumer Relationship Management

 

           Converse is one of the leading shoe company in the shoe industry maintaining great market share and you know what they didn't get there over night.They've listened to there costumers and contributed the ideas they received through feed back, Customer Relationship Management is a great way for a Converse to learn more about their customers.Customer information is used for marketing and promotional purposes.Based on the information retrieved Converse work to improve their customers shopping experience.They do this by collecting information and using  it to help respond to customer inquiries, send emails about sales, events, and surveys, contact contest winners, and/or ship and bill orders. The information collected  help Converse determine what products appeal to customers,so they can better merchandise their site to appeal  to their target audience.

         Customer information is delicate and most people or reluctant to share in  fear their information will be shared.Converse do not  sell customer information to any outside company or third party.They maintain strict policies and security controls to assure that customer information in their computer systems and files is protected. Their employees and affiliates are permitted access only to customer information that they may need to perform their jobs and to provide service to you. All employees and affiliates are required to respect customer privacy.

Week 11: Intergrated Marketing Commnication

           
           I feel that Converse have greatly communicated their messages of being unique from other sneakers through mass media over the years.Converse continue to flex their competitive advantages such as their company longevity (they have been in business for over 100 years),and for their coexistence and influence on  NBA and Rock "n" Roll,and being apart of a few cultures.Recently the internet has impacted its marketing communication.My blog is an example of a non-corporate blog.

Week 10: Product Concept

         

Brand logo for Chuck Taylor All Stars

         When Converse first began in 1908 they were a rubber shoe company.In 1918 Converse teamed up with Chuck Taylor the famous Basketball player producing Chuck Taylor's All Star basketball sneakers at the time they also created tires.Throughout World War II  Converse created many products destined for troops overseas.The troops needs became the main focus of Converse manufacturing. They made a variety of product that included footwear, apparel, boots for pilots and army servicemen, parkas, and rubber protective suits and ponchos.At this point they increased their product items list ,product line and product mix.Consumers started to demand more variety in choices for selecting their shoes,originally the shoes only came in  black and white. This lead to product modification and  more colors and styles became available. Low-top or oxford ,high-top, and later knee-high, versions were produced. More materials were offered for the construction, including leather,suede,vinyl,denim,and hemp. Some versions of the shoe were offered without laces, held up instead by elastic.Converse packaging is used to protect their sneakers and to promoting their product with their logo.

Chuck Taylor packaging