sperry TOP-SIDER A PASSION FOR THE SEA Consumer s Perceptions

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1 Consumer s Perceptions I started my analysis by writing down the first things that came to my mind when thinking about the Sperry brand: Nautical Sailing Comfortable shoes Stylish & Fashionable College Students & Adults Every-day Wear Dogs Energetic Then I began analyzing their website, magazine ads, packaging, and store design. I recognized similar themes as to what I saw. This suggests they have a brand identity and they can effectively communicate their brand to their customers.

2 Guiding Principles Hand Crafted (hand sewn Maine collection) Passion for the Sea (lifestyle motto) High Performance (nautical gear) Authentic (boat shoes) && Prep-Chic Style I came up with these five guiding principles by analyzing articles found on sperrytopsider.com. These principles were recurring themes as to how Sperry views their products to represent their brand. Having guidelines helps marketers have a general idea of what needs to be included in advertisements. Core values are also beneficial for viewers to increase consumer awareness and to send reminders about Sperry products. Clear communication of a brand needs to be a key focus for the firm so that their customers know what to expect when they purchase the Sperry Top-Sider brand. I think that what the company says verbally reflects what they are saying visually in their advertisements. High Performance Hand Crafted Authentic

3 Research analysis Sperry s CEO and Founder, Paul Sperry, is a very motivated and success-driven individual. He takes many things from his own personal life into account when creating new and improved ideas for his brand s image. Throughout my research process I found this excerpt taken directly from Mr. Sperry: I watched my cocker spaniel, Prince, run across the ice on a winter s day in Connecticut, when I noticed his amazing ability to maintain traction on the slippery surface. Turning over Prince s paw, I observed hundreds of tiny cracks and cuts going in all directions. These wave-like grooves became the inspiration for my latest patent, called Razor- SipingTM, and were instrumental in maximizing the traction and performance of the Authentic Original Sperry Top-Sider first introduced in Since inventing the first boat shoe, our brand continues to share our Passion for the Sea with those who enjoy the good life in, on and around the ocean. This is just one of the many patents that Paul Sperry has taken on, but every major inspiration has come from his personal life experiences. This takes a look into the heart of the Sperry Corporation and the importance of their brand image. This builds on my guiding principles of Sperry having a lifestyle focusing on Passion for the Sea, lifestyle while being a high-performance, high quality, authentic product for their prep-chic target market. Sperry is a very successful and competitive brand, thus it has a great foundation for it s brand image.

4 Brand Stability Sperry Top-Sider is one of the most successful shoe brands in the nautical market. Therefore, I think that they are doing a good job of creatively communicating their brand message. It would be a stretch to recommend any suggestions at this time because Sperry has a sustainable core foundation that goes along with what they believe in most. Conclusion This strategy project made me focus on how the company integrates all of their communication messages. I had to analyze verbal and visual cues to make sure that Sperry was strategically being consistent with their ideas. This minimizes confusion for customers and builds on their advocacy. Sperry s ability to connect their brand image with their customers is shown through the following: Store layout is clean, vibrant, and organized. Ads emphasize their main product (shoes) The advertisements are placed by water (nautical) The people are satisfied Dogs are included in advertisements (inspiration) The authentic type of Sperry is very recognizable Advertisements express fashionable everyday wear All of these themes work together to create A Passion for the Sea.

5 sources sperry?icid=footer-aboutsperry sperry?icid=footer-aboutsperry My Pictures: 1. Black Lab holding Sperry next to the Golden Retriever 2. Black Sperry s with blue rocks in background