The Growth Of Sandwich Brand Should Avoid The Flexible Operation Of Dogma.

after market The baptism of the economy, the competition and accumulation of a certain amount of time. industry Have grown into a leading market place. brand 。 But the happy days have not yet been time to savor carefully, suddenly discovered that the brand encountered the sandwich dilemma. On top of that is the suppression of international brands, and the growth of brands. How to shoulder or even surpass the international leading brands, how to widen their advantages and get rid of their pursuers as stage targets is the common confusion of local leading brands.

Before there are tigers, then there are wolves. Lining As an example, we should get rid of cloud and fog for the sandwich brand.

The Li Ning Co first opened the market quickly with the popularity of Lining. And maintain the leading position of China's sporting goods market for a long time. However, in 2003, Lining was first exceeded by Nike; in 2004, it was left behind by Adidas.

In the face of Nike and Adidas's pressing efforts, Li Ning Co avoided its edge. Nike and Adidas focused on the development of the first tier cities. Since 2005, Li Ning Co has made efforts to improve the distribution network of the two or three line market and extend its tentacles to the two or three line market. The development of these markets has contributed significantly to Li Ning Co's retail sales. By 2009, Lining had oversold Adidas with a total sales of 8 billion 387 million yuan, reclaiming the position of the "second child" in the domestic market and approaching the sales scale of Nike.

However, sales volume against brands is Lining's response to international leading brands. Now that the situation is reversed, Lining suddenly finds that his competitors are no longer just the transnational giants such as Nike and Adidas, the Jinjiang Gang represented by Anta, and the leisure sports clothing brand represented by the KP sold by itself at a low price, is rapidly becoming a powerful force. Anta and other brands coincide with Lining's strategy of catching up with Adidas, catching up with Lining at an alarming rate of growth in the two or three line market. Lining is caught in the attack of high-end leading brands and low-end brands. The brand influence is not equal to the top leaders in the industry, and sales are continuously eroded by low-end brands.

In the face of the disadvantage of this sandwich layer, at the end of June 2010, at the celebration of the 20 th birthday of Li Ning Co, the new Logo of "Lining cross action" was unveiled. At the same time, the new brand slogan "made the change (let change happen") replaced what consumers already know "anything is possible". The target is directed at the "post-90s".

The new strategy shows that Lining is trying to get rid of his earlier image as a cheap substitute for multinational brands, to transform to a more high-end brand and get a higher premium through brand promotion.

Lining wants to become a transnational brand like Nike and Adidas, but it is still a domestic brand in the eyes of the main consumers of "post-80s" and "post-90s", and the rise of Li Ning Co in the domestic market gradually fluctuate. The main market of Li Ning Co is the two or three line market in China, which is a market that pays great attention to cost performance. Li Ning Co's continuous price raising makes the price performance of the products more and more blurred, and the sales growth is decreasing gradually. In 2011, Lining's 4 billion 290 million yuan in the first half of the year was surpassed by Anta by 4 billion 450 million yuan, and the status of the local brand leader was temporarily lost.

On the other hand, international brand moves are much faster than expected. Soon after Li Ningxin's brand strategy was released, they lowered their value and began to sink to the two or three tier city. In August 2010, Nike launched 300 yuan low price shoes, which is 25% lower than the current price. According to the survey, the most affordable footwear in China's two or three tier cities is priced at 170 yuan ~250 yuan. As an international brand, Nike is priced at 300 yuan, which will still attract the "post-90s" generation pursuing the brand, which happens to be Lining's target consumer group.

The first tier market is already the world of Nike and Adidas. Anta brands and PEAK Jinjiang brands are more competitive in the two or three tier market. With the decline of the price of Nike and astas, the brand image of Jinjiang and PEAK, such as Anta and PEAK, is constantly improving. Lining is facing the impact of Nike and Adidas on the brand, and the rise and fall of brands such as Anta and Anta. In terms of the number of development channels, the speed of Anta and PEAK's sinks is much faster than that of Lining.

With the growth of the first tier cities in China and the fact that international and domestic brands have been sinking two or three line cities, Lining is facing the risk of being left behind.

Is to go up the high-end brand line, and compare with the international brand name, or continue to implement the middle and low end volume mode, and Anta and other sales volume slaughter? {page_break}

Brand growth avoids dogma and operates flexibly.

In the 2010-2011 years of competition in China's sporting goods market, I believe that Li Ning Co's strategy is too single and dogmatic. It ignores the combination of long-term strategy and short-term tactics, and is not ready for targeted brand competition strategy and tactics in the domestic market.

It should be said that if we have a profound understanding of China's sporting goods market, or have a deep understanding of China's very special market in the world, we should understand that in the Chinese market, there is no so-called truth strategy, so we must transform and launch strategies in response to market changes.

First of all, let's take a look at Lining's strategy: Li Ning Co's brand turn and value enhancement intention is very clear, that is, greatly enhance the brand value, become the international brand ranks, and take advantage of the post-90's new knowledge and new consumption characteristics to get the brand mental position directly, so as to avoid the vicious competition between Anta and other domestic second-line brands, and complete the gorgeous turn of their brands. However, this strategic intention obviously overlooks one point, that is, the implied value behind the brand is not entirely the value perception that the brand brings to the people. In fact, the brand itself also includes factors such as the product itself, price, channel operation, market promotion and so on. In this regard, it is obvious that Lining's dogma of strategy is that since the brand value is promoted, the price of products can not come down, so there are a series of strategies, such as product mix, promotion combination and sub brand combination, which have led to the failure to keep sales in the early stage of transformation, but bring a series of real problems. What must be explained is: at present, in any market in China, any industry brand should not forget the growth of enterprise's sales when making brand transformation. This is a hard truth and the core of enterprise's survival strategy. Everything should be centered around this core.

Why do we say this? We can understand this principle from the perspective of industry and market structure and brand.

First, China's sporting goods market and brand competition are uncertain. The market share debate still needs years.

The expansion of China's sporting goods market, changes in the consumption structure of the market, and the formation of the market share of the enterprise are not stereotyped. For any brand, it has its own niche market and space to achieve sales growth. Lining has been firmly in the high-end positioning for many years, but has never launched any combination strategy to occupy different positioning market space, which is a big mistake. For example, the strategy of Nike and Adidas is very clear, first occupy the first tier market, hold the high-end price, and then rely on product mix and price combination strategy to enter the second tier market. And Anta starts from the middle end, through the brand dissemination and brand shaping and other means to gradually expand the high-end products in the product line. Only Lining has been fighting for many years, lacking the tactical means of harassing his opponent. We must know that Lining can not compare with Nike and Adidas in terms of capital size, industrial chain advantage and brand accumulation. Therefore, Lining must first ensure that her sales and market share are improved, thus accumulating competitive capital for future and international brands. At this point, the Wahaha in the beverage industry is worth learning from Lining. Wahaha has never rigidly adhered to its form. Instead, it has been conducting strategic transformation at the core of sales volume, steadily and steadily, and has accumulated extraordinary strength. In such a competitive situation, sales are the core. The operation of brands must focus on sales and product mix around sales.

China's sporting goods market needs to be seen for at least 5 years in order to change its pattern and change.

Second: what is the core of Lining's current competition? Is it brand or sales?

As I mentioned before, in the current market, in fact, the competition of market share and the contention between channels are fundamental. The brand must be auxiliary to ensure the competition. This strategy, Anta and other domestic second-line brands are most incisive, while the Lining brand seems to be overcautious. Lining's real starting and core strengths were exactly the same, but these genes were lost in the past two years.

What is the advantage of Lining in sports products competition? The advantages of storefront, cost-effective products, excellent sales and shopping guide, flexible competition strategy. Now, Lining seems to want to adopt a strategy of self dominated. The result is that his competitor is very thorough in his research, and he is aiming at Lining. Lining is bound to be passive.

As a benchmarking enterprise in the industry, Lining must lay down a deep study of competitive enterprises, especially continue to give full play to the advantages of the past in the sales system and enhance the capacity of single store operation, so as to realize the real brand turn.

From the above point of view, my personal strategy for Lining's future is partly conceived as a discussion and reference.

The first is to establish a strategy based on the promotion of sales and market share, and formulate corresponding strategies around this strategy.

The promotion of brand power is long-term behavior rather than short-term behavior. In this respect, Lining has done very well, but it should be appropriately cut down on expenses. At the same time, it is not necessary to dogmatism to formulate the death penalty between brands and product prices. For example, why can't Lining break out a sub brand to harass Anta, occupy Anta's market and crack down on Anta's share? This part of the product can take price war tactics. In fact, this strategy will not affect the brand at all. From the 1, 3, 5 and 7 departments of BMW, BMW saw that the better the BMW, the better the brand.

Personally, I think the current stage is not about what style and brand is paramount, but a whole series of matching around sales and profits.

Second: formulate strategies for dealing with brands such as Adidas, Nike and Anta, and make full preparations.

The two or three line market must launch a series of activities and sales promotion measures to crack down on the sales offensive of the first-line brand, and crack down on Anta's strategy.

These include: the introduction of competitive products, the combination of tactics for front-line sales promotion, investment in store coverage and so on. Short term competition for long-term advantage is what Lining wants to do now.

Third: give full play to Lining's past channels and terminal operation advantages, continue to consolidate the foundation and realize the stability of competitiveness.

It is very difficult for Lining to change the terminal sales force relying on the change of brand and communication intention. In fact, the real core competitiveness of Lining in the past is precisely reflected in the management and sales force building of the monopoly system. For this reason, the beverage giant ha has never given up the cultivation of this competitiveness for many years. Lining's hesitant strategy in recent two years has led to a decline in morale of the whole team in this regard and urgent need for rapid improvement.

In the final analysis, I believe that Lining can not stick to the form, to enhance the brand realization and keep pace with Nike and Adidas is a strategy of 5 years or even 10 years, and this strategy is actually based on its own channel strength, product mix strategy and terminal business strength in the Chinese market.

I hope Lining brand will continue to move forward and take the lead in the national brand and move towards the international market. {page_break}

The four step is that "sandwich" is not subject to splint.

Sandwich brand is also high.

The so-called sandwich brand is not the worst in the first place. It has the foundation of development and the step ahead of the strong ancestors. The rest is to see how to transcend the former and how to block the pursuers. In fact, for PEAK, Lining wants to catch up or surpass Lining, which is no less difficult than Lining's pursuit of Adidas.

Sandwich brands break through, not on the left or right.

In the actual marketing execution, the formulation of strategy is based on the market positioning. Lining's Sandwich brand is the high position and the high position, or the middle line and the pursuer win the market. This is a false proposition in itself, because in Lining's actual market strategy, it must be a compound strategy, but it has different market oriented tendency choices in different markets.

Based on the above two points of view, the author puts forward four steps to integrate the industry interpretation and experience, so that "sandwich" can not be caught in a trap.

The first step is to turn the brand into Lining and "race" to enter the world.

The consumers of sporting goods are mainly young people, and Lining, who carries the brand association, is old. What do I do? I believe that if we can't get rid of Lining's association with Lining brand, why don't we lock the "quasi Lining" age group as the target brand of the core brand? The age of quasi Lining is the dominant group in the social economy. After years of experience, the wise and well trained group is the leading group to taste the consumption. Why should we bother with the young and low-end market and struggle with young people?

Some people will say: this market has already gathered many high-end brands, Lining how to break the top? To solve this problem is Lining's localization advantage. In sports and related government affairs, Lining has other similar brands and foreign high-end brands which do not have geopolitical, business ties or even blood ties. This is the natural heritage of Lining. The influence of ethnic things after 60 and 70 is far greater than their choice of brands.

From the brand itself, one is one or two is two, the real show, first do a good job of this foundation, rather than compete with foreign brands, one is not to match, two is not necessary, the market is infinite, we still have a lot of basic skills to cultivate.

The second step: product diversification, category segregation

Not only sporting goods, but also other products: a product must lock in a certain group of people, followed by second people and third people. We will have the "consumption" needs of the crowd to be arranged: 1, 60 to 85 after the economic owner; 2, 86 to 00 after the economic reliant; 3, 60 after the former economic shift, the three group of people with more spending power is first group, second group of the rich generation, free occupation group, special industry crowd (such as: mountaineering, sports enthusiasts, etc.), and the middle and high-end crowd in the crowd, these are quite consumption power crowd. So, Lining can use product camps to lock the crowd, such as the Lining years series, with the filial piety card driver to lock the 60 high-end crowd; Lining only series, with the personality card locking after 86 to 00 crowd, at the same time, each pair of shoes is the only one in the country, the whole world only has you as the request; Lining Wisdom Series, the supplies quality card locks 60-85, the crowd stresses the elegant life, shares with you.

From the crowd to the crowd, intensive lock up and hierarchical promotion, there is still a huge product space in the market to operate, rather than simply based on crowd accounting + simple consumption forecast to compete with the brand behind the price and fight the sea battle.

The third step: market concentration and competitive advantage.

After talking about the brand and products, we turn our attention to the market. No matter what terminal form of Lining products exist, in short, he has to directly face consumers in a certain market area, store or shop. Although the channel is also very important, the sale of goods to the market will include two aspects: 1, let others not sell well; 2, sell more. Let others not sell well, one is to occupy the minds of consumers through the brand to win their first choice, to occupy the pockets and feet of consumers through direct channels and store competition. Then the rich can not change shoes for three times every day, change clothes for four, or wear four shoes on two feet. How can we do that? We classify the market as a bridgehead of core products according to the market, which is no one can shake our share of the grain ration field, even if we invest a lot. The main varieties of the B market are core elements and can not be shaken; the C market is a paradise for varieties. Simply speaking, in different markets, the main product is to push the sales of strong products, to disrupt opponents with different products, so as to protect the core product status and frustrate the opponents. Lining is also a commodity. The national people do not represent mercy. The strategy is decided. In a regional market, no matter who you are, if you run into the red line of Lining, we must hit the bayonet.

The fourth step: domestic momentum, foreign quantity, brand and sales volume.

Although our domestic market as long as the strategy is in place, the location is accurate and has enough market share, Lining can not extend the product line without restriction, so that competitors will continue to pour. Although Lining will have a tight market system and strong transmission channels, there is still a certain demand for market demand. So we need to internationalize the Asian market which has great demand for Southeast Asia, Japan and Korea and India. Although the author did not take the earth as a village, the development and extension of the neighboring market is what Lining can do at present.

Through the brand clearness, product segmentation and competitive advantage, we have formed a three-dimensional offensive. At the same time, targeted communication has helped boost brand promotion. Foreign countries have achieved the advantage of partial market through market development, constantly relying on halo effect, increasing sales volume and increasing percentage. Don't forget that the Chinese market is also a world market. Its actual impact on the world is not ignored by us.

You are the PK of choice and transcendence, or you choose to pursue your life with the pursuers. In fact, you can not see that gold is everywhere around you. Why bother to Barak for the little pieces of silver that have been sewn into his underwear?

As a product of the precipitation market for many years, apart from Lining's personal charisma, and the precipitation of channel merchants and terminal precipitation, these precipitations will be activated in the four step method, together with effort! Absolutely not a selective game that cuts the head and stabs the leader, or cast a ton to kill the pursuers, but a three force aggregation of brand power, product strength and marketing power, because marketing itself is a composite system work, and Lining is no exception. {page_break}

Only when we advance in difficulties can we make changes happen.

1. Seize the sports resources and promote the brand image.

Since its birth, Lining brand has a clear starting synergy advantage. After years of painstaking efforts, plus the Olympic Games opening ceremony, it has made the best use of the right place. The only drawback is that the professional image is not as sharp as that of the international competitors. At present, Anta and Hongxing Erke have also cultivated professional images in the preemption of sports resources. Faced with the dilemma, Lining needs to further build his own "international brand from the East" market image in order to get rid of the brutal competition with Anta and other domestic brands, and truly become an international brand with strong pursuers and even challengers. On the other hand, we need to create brand advantage in the field of specialization based on product segmentation. Like Nike in basketball, addidas brand management in football professional.

2, ensure the domestic market and promote the international market.

The domestic market is the foundation of Lining's brand. Although in international brand competition, sales revenue in China is close. And a fact that can not be ignored is that although the Chinese market is an important market for Nike and other brands, it occupies nearly 10% of the global sales revenue, but Nike and Adidas still have 90% of the sales revenue from outside China, and the image endorsement market is not in China. And Lining brand 95% of the market comes from China. In this sense, the brand of Lining is only a regional brand facing international competition. Truly becoming an international brand, it must form a truly international reputation on the basis of the accumulated international reputation.

3, upgrade brand strength and accumulate brand connotation.

Nike/addidas has the ability to dominate the market. Apart from its excellent brand management capability, R & D design capability is one of its distinctive brand characteristics. Every year, huge cost is invested in R & D, and the product line is constantly innovating. As a leader in the domestic sports brand, Lining has accumulated a certain strength and should invest more money in the innovation of the fabric, the development of product functions and even the service of the high-end customers, and use new products with high technology and high profit margins to form a new product representative, thus driving the sales of the whole class products. In short, in order to support the transformation of brand positioning, we must build the core competitiveness, which is the internal guarantee for the transformation and upgrading of brand positioning.

Don't forget this. Without the Chinese market, there will be no future.

The pain of Lining's brand lies in the difference between the expectations of the enterprise team and the cognition of the brand consumers. Specifically, Lining's management team has a complex heart that Lining should not only be the leader of Chinese brands, but also a world-class sports brand. Lining is not an adult brand, but a youth brand. In contrast, Lining is always a Chinese brand in the minds of consumers, and many 40 to 50 year old people are consumers of Lining brand. So Lining invited the professional team of the world famous company and invited an international first-class consulting company. The aim is to force everyone to accept its brand positioning. However, strong twisting melon is not sweet after all. When Lining seeks to break through, he must not forget his own essence.

Recommendation 1: fast selling industry is a non profiteering industry. Although the profit of the brand is larger than that of the channel providers and suppliers, every cent is spent on the knife edge. The difference between Lining's new label and old label does not change as much as expected, but to a certain extent, it affects Lining's investment in advertising and other media sponsorship. Lining seems to have noticed this, returning to the right path. The central five advertising investment, the sponsorship of the CCTV sports events and the naming of sports events are still indispensable resources competition. After all, the sporting goods consumers in the Chinese market often rely on the central five to broadcast key events, and the accuracy of dissemination is very good.

Recommendation two: alleviate the present situation of overburdened channels, and devote more resources to the Lining brand's market intensive farming. Lining's Lotto brand is currently in the market investment period, although the use of the original channel can quickly make sales performance, also can quickly expand the terminal, but single shop profit is still the key to open shop. The two line is war, and dealers' capital, personnel and energy occupy more seriously.

Recommendation three: international big brands can not fully occupy the various line markets. Although Lining believes that the advantage of Nike and Adidas lies in the support of China's market with global profits, and Lining must go out to compete with it. However, the author believes that if China's sporting goods industry wants to have an international brand, it is not impossible for enterprises in the industry to make efforts unilaterally, and the improvement of the status of the country can be the fundamental guarantee for the improvement of the image of the national fast moving products. Therefore, the pace of Lining's internationalization and high-end should not be haste, instead, it leads to the loss of the base camp. Although the international brand is threatening, there are still many value oriented consumers in China. If Lining can rebuild the image of the national brand leader, he believes that the return of the local market is enough to bring it back to the forefront of the market.