The document provides an analysis of Columbia Sportswear's brand, with a focus on its golf line. Key findings from surveys and focus groups include that while most consumers are familiar with the Columbia brand, very few associate it with or are aware of its golf line. The golf line lacks strong brand image and awareness within the golf industry. Strategic recommendations are provided to help reposition the golf line and build stronger associations to reach new customers.

1. Brand Audit
Luc Carlin, Jasleen Gill, Kyle Leede, Lawton Manipon, Nathan Smith

2. Table of Contents
Executive Summary………………………………………………….…3
Brand Inventory - Brand Portfolio……………………………………..4
Brand Inventory - Additional Analysis………………………………...6
Brand Hierarchy…………..…………………………………………….7
Summary from Both Surveys………………………………………….8
Brand Prototypical Knowledge Structures…………………………...11
Analysis Findings………………………………………….……………13
Strategic Recommendation……………………………………………18
Appendix…………………………………………………………………21
2

3. Executive Summary
In the first segment of our audit for the Columbia brand, we cover brand inventory
as well as a short summary highlighting the insights, that of which we observed and
analyzed. Insights include where we believe the Columbia brand’s golf line is positioned
in the market currently, while also identifying the golf line’s core customer profiles. We
then address the brand hierarchy, mapping it out graphically. The map shows not only
the brand hierarchy but also the sub-structures within each brand. From the brand
hierarchy map we transition into a summary of both surveys we distributed. Our initial
survey was focus group based and gave us much more in depth insights on the
Columbia brand, while also serving as a foundation on which we created our qualitative
survey. On our qualitative survey utilizing Qualtrics, we received a sample size of 102
participants. We continue on to highlight our findings through a brand prototypical
knowledge structure to better define what our sample groups thought of Columbia, and
more specifically, Columbia’s golf line. We convey our brand prototypical knowledge
structure through a word cloud. We continue to expand on our brand prototypical
knowledge structure by showcasing another medium in that of a word bubble. From
there we go on to address our analysis of our findings which covers customer value,
brand awareness, brand image, brand favorability of association, brand relationship
analysis and the competitor analysis, while also touching on the relationship to
Columbia golf. Segueing from our analysis of finding into our strategic
recommendations, we highlight the different strategies to reposition the Columbia golf
line and reach a wider demographic of consumers, while still utilizing the core strengths
of the overall Columbia brand.
3

4. Brand Inventory - Brand Portfolio
When analyzing the different product category within the Columbia’s product line, we
felt all product categories have been well developed except Columbia’s golf line. For
this reason we believe this product line has the most potential for development and
growth within the product lines and will be solely focusing on the golf line.
Men’s Shirts Men’s Pants Men’s
Shorts
Men’s
Jackets
Women’s
Shirts
Product Polo/Pullover Golf pants Golf shorts Golf Jackets Polo
Price Average
$66.88
$77 Average
$63
Average
$88
$72
Distribution -Online
-Brick and
Mortar (store,
flagship,
outlets, big
box stores)
-Online
-Brick and
Mortar (store,
flagship,
outlets, big
box stores)
-Online
-Brick and
Mortar (store,
flagship,
outlets, big
box stores)
-Online
-Brick and
Mortar (store,
flagship,
outlets, big
box stores)
-Online
-Brick and
Mortar (store,
flagship,
outlets, big
box stores)
Promotion -Sponsored
tour players
-Print Media
-Television-O
nline
advertising
(including
social media)
-Sponsored
tour players
-Print Media
-Television
-Online
advertising
(including
social media)
-Sponsored
tour players
-Print Media
-Television
-Online
advertising
(including
social media)
-Sponsored
tour players
-Print Media
-Television
-Online
advertising
(including
social media)
-Print Media
-Television
-Online
advertising
(including
social media)
Other
4

5. Polo/
Pullover
Golf Pants Golf Shorts Golf Jackets Women’s
Polo
Primary
Target
Market
Mid-level
players and
casuals
looking for
comfort and
performance.
Mid-level 1
players.
Comfort and
performance
focused
individuals.
Players in a
non-tour
setting/comfo
rt focus
Competitive
and mid-level
players that
play the sport
in unideal
conditions
(rain, wind,
snow, etc).
Mid-level and
casual
women
looking for
comfort and
performance.
Secondary
Target
Market
Any golf
player (golf
courses also
have dress
codes).
Budget
minded/introd
uctory.
Amateurs
competing for
professional/
Etiquette-foc
used players.
Budget
minded/introd
uctory.
Players that
prefer shorts
over pants,
more casual.
Budget
minded/introd
uctory.
Budget
minded/introd
uctory. Those
who can’t
escape less
than
desirable
conditions for
golf
Any golf
player that is
a woman.
Budget
minded/introd
uctory.
Usage/
Occasions
It is
uncommon to
see golfers
wearing
anything
other than a
polo, and
when you do,
it is
traditionally a
short-sleeved
casual shirt.
Pants are
part of a
classic golf
look. Pants
also adhere
to the culture
of golf
etiquette.
Shorts are
banned on
professional
tours.
Conditions or
environments
that are fair
weathered,
such as
Texan
players or
playing
during the
Summer
Lightweight
windbreak
that can also
retain warmth
when playing
the sport in
conditions
that aren’t
ideal.
It is
uncommon to
see golfers
wearing
anything
other than a
polo, and
when you do,
it is
traditionally a
short-sleeved
casual shirt.
5

6. Brand Inventory - Additional Analysis
Due to the lack of brand awareness and general marketing for the Columbia golf line, as well as
the small size of the line, we can see the Columbia entered the golf market not as a cost leader
or at as a premium brand. Columbia entered the middle of the market, aiming a bit lower to
encompass beginner and recreational golfers. The aim for lower to middle tier golf players is
further reinforced by offering goods that are not allowed on golf tours, due to regulations.
Columbia’s main competitors are Callaway, Nike, and Under Armour. In reference to quality, it is
on par with its competition. Its main source of differentiation is that it is a less expensive option,
and Columbia also does not advertise on the same scale as the other brands.
Competitive Positioning Matrix
Product
Brands
Columbia
(Golf)
Callaway Golf
Company
Nike Under Armour Inc.
Corporate
Brands
Columbia
Sportswear
Co.
Callaway Golf
Company
Nike Golf Under Armour Golf
POP (Points
of Parity)
Quality Quality Quality Quality
POD (Points
of Difference)
Cheaper
alternative,
Less
Advertising
Prestigious
positioning, Strong
brand image,
Large Staff Team,
Visibility
Strong brand
image, Cultural
positioning
including athlete
endorsers, Pay for
premium products,
Dry Tech, Visibility
Dry Tech,
Premium on
Quality products
Target Market Young Adult
Male -
Elderly Male
Elderly Wealthy,
Males & Females
Ages 40+
Young - Adult
Males Ages (18 -
40)
Young - Adult
Males (Ages 18 -
34)
6

7. Brand Hierarchy Map
Above is the company profile of Columbia Sportswear Co. The company sells active
outdoor and lifestyle products. It is the parent company of SOREL, Mountain Hardwear,
Columbia, and PrAna. Under the Columbia brand, they have Columbia Golf, Columbia
Skiing, Columbia Travel, and Columbia Fishing. Specifically within the golf line, they sell
men’s shorts, pants, shirts, jackets, and women’s shirts.
7

8. Summary of Both Surveys
Focus Group Survey
The goal of the focus group survey was to ask questions at a level that a general
online-survey wouldn’t be able to get to (without response fatigue). When a respondent
would answer a question in a certain way, we could follow-up with additional questions
to see the underlying reasoning behind having a specific response to a question.
For the focus group interview, for demographics we just asked for age and gender. The
interview questions were sectioned off into three subjects: golf, Columbia as a brand,
and Columbia’s golf line. With this order of subjects, there is less chance of past
answers influencing answers for future questions. For the question structure, all
questions very relatively open-ended, causing the respondent to generate their own
answer and providing us with more pure data.
For distribution and respondent selection, the convenience sampling technique was
utilized with the stipulation that one respondent would be similarly aged as the
interviewer and another must be in a different age range, thus creating a more diverse
portfolio of data.
A range of consumers, both male and female, ages 21 - 52 were interviewed.
The first half of the interview was about the aspects of golf, whether consumers on
average had an interest in golf or not, what associations they had with it, as well as their
preferences.
Throughout most of the interviews, most respondents associated Columbia with quality
goods, and the outdoors​—​primarily activities such as hiking, climbing, skiing, and other
winter activities. Surprisingly, consumers were on opposite ends with half saying they
associate Columbia with discounts and cheap prices, and the other half associated
Columbia with high prices and consumers that have money to spend. In the same vein
of opposite responses, half of respondents said that Columbia is a young brand, ranging
from toddlers to teens, while the other half of respondents said Columbia’s demographic
was at least 30 years of age, with an average leaning toward 40.
8

9. Qualtrics Survey
Our survey was built upon the structure and data provided by the focus group
interviews. By analyzing data from the few that were interviewed in-person, we had a
baseline understanding of how consumers see golf, Columbia as a brand, and the
Columbia golf line.
With the type of survey we constructed with Qualtrics, and the nature of how it is
conducted, we were allowed more freedom for question structure and survey length.
With question structure, there was a balance of closed-end questions and open-end
questions. Displays of questions were varied to reduce survey fatigue. The survey in
total has 63 questions, with several logic gates to safeguard the purity of the data
collected. For example, respondents were asked: “Are you familiar with Columbia
sportswear?” And if they chose “No” as the answer, then they were not displayed the
following 12 questions that pertained to Columbia as a brand. Similarly, when asked if
the respondents had heard of brands such as Titleist or Callaway, answers of “No”
skipped over the questions pertaining to those brands. Regarding the golf section, if a
respondent answered “No” to the question “Do you play golf?” then questions pertaining
to golf and other opinions about the field were not displayed. This enabled us to get
opinions about golf and Columbia golf from those who have both heard of Columbia
sportswear and are golf players. Demographics questions were shown to all
respondents, regardless of how many questions were skipped.
For distribution of the survey, all members conducted several social media blasts to
maximize reach and diversity.
Overall, the survey was successful with 104 survey completions. There was predictable
distribution in age, employment status, education level, racial identity, and income. The
distribution among gender was relatively balanced with 62% of respondents being
female. The results of the qualtrics survey were also in line with the responses from the
focus group interviews. With data from 104 other respondents supporting the in-depth
answers of 10, we can assume that the brand associations made with Columbia are
fairly strong and representative of the brand.
In general, consumers are very aware of the brand Columbia with 97% of respondents
saying they have heard of the brand, with 68% of of those saying they own Columbia
products. Of that 68%, a majority (64%) say they own 2 - 5 Columbia brand products.
Further down the line, of the 30% of respondents that were interested in golf, 85% did
not know about the Columbia golf line, or were unfamiliar with the line.
9

10. From 15 responses to the question, “What brands do you associate with golf?”, 51
descriptives were entered into the survey, and none of them were Columbia. This
shows a disconnect in the association of Columbia with golf. Furthermore, when
respondents were asked to rank seven brands on how strongly they associate that
brand with golf (the brands being Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Titleist, Callaway, and
Columbia), Columbia was the “loss leader” in that it was the least strong brand for the
bottom two rankings, sixth and seventh place. For fifth place, Columbia nearly tied with
Nike and Adidas, who tied with each other. This further reinforces the lack of consumer
awareness, as previously mentioned.
What’s interesting is that with the results showing that a majority of consumers were
relatively unaware of the golf line, and add weak brand associations with that, the
results for “​Do you think Columbia should offer golfing apparel?” were split evenly, half
of the respondents saying “Yes”, Columbia should offer golfing apparel and the other
half voting No, they should not.
10

11. Brand Prototypical Knowledge Structure - Word
Cloud
The words responders most associated with consumers of the Columbia brand, in the
order, are: outdoor, active, sporty, old, and sporty. The data shows when people think of
Columbia, they make the strongest connection to outdoorys individuals.
Demographically, in terms of age, they link it with the elderly. It is primarily seen as a
brand for an older target segment.
11

12. Brand Prototypical Knowledge Structure - Word
Bubble
The closer the bubble is to Columbia, the stronger the responders associated it with the
brand. The outdoors, excellent customers service, and hiking hold the strongest
associations. ​Blue​ came from the results based on general questions related to the
Columbia brand. ​Yellow​ relates to their staff. ​Purple​ has to the do with product. And
green​ represents the sports most closely connected with Columbia.
12

13. Analysis of Findings
Upon analysis of Columbia Sportswear as a brand and more specifically its golf line with
consideration to the entirety of the marketing process, there are many important
components to detail in order to define any and all problems this firm faces currently.
Generally speaking, as the survey and focus groups suggests, there are inherent issues
with the brand knowledge and meaning associated with its product line pertaining to its
golf segment. In order to understand the full extent of its overall scope, the following
topics must be discussed and analyzed in order to make consultative efforts to correct
these problems.
Customer Value:
In an effort to build stronger emotional and cognitive purposes for the brand,
Columbia has been successful in creating functional, experiential and symbolic value for
its main categorical product line which includes predominately hiking, camping &
outdoor apparel. Due to a long line of traditional and semi - non-traditional marketing
strategy campaigns over the course of its existence, Columbia as a parent company
has been overall successful in creating brand equity and eventual value to both
consumers and stakeholders in the outdoor category. This is to say however, that the
direct impacts in part effort to its overall brand strategy has not yet provided value in the
overarching industry of sports with special interest to its golf segment. As of now, the
golf segment remains relatively low in all categories of brand knowledge and as such
reflects in its inability to generate a larger consumer base. This is seen in its overall
market share of the golf industry in its entirety, to which Columbia ranks at the bottom
tier of all major competitors. These aspects will be discussed later in this section.
Brand Awareness:
With respect to awareness roughly 96% of all individuals accounted for in all
primary research efforts were familiar with the Columbia brand in general. (refer to
Exhibit 1a) Despite this, 75% of these consumers stated that Columbia was not part of
their immediate consideration set when purchasing apparel within this industry category
and that they are unlikely to purchase these products. (refer to Exhibit 1b) Transitioning
specifically to the golf segment solely, roughly 85% of these same individuals were
completely unaware of Columbia’s golf lines existence despite their apparent knowledge
of Columbia as a brand. (refer to Exhibit 1c) This is more than likely a direct result of the
inefficiencies and or lack of resource allocation towards the Columbia Golf lines
marketing strategy. To this point, 90% of individuals claimed that they have never even
seen advertisements of any kind, be it social media, tv ads, online direct emailing in
13

14. promoting its golf line. (refer to Exhibit 1d) It is apparent that there is an obvious
disconnect with overall awareness between consumers and Columbia golf.
Brand Image:
According to the survey results, Columbia has a strong association with a few
different subsects. The top being an association of Outdoors. Roughly 50% of survey
respondents believed Columbia to have a very strong association particularly to the
outdoor category as a company at whole. (refer to Exhibit 2a) In this distinction it should
be noted that while this is a positively strong connection it is not a particularly
differentiated position from other retailers that compete on this node. Other companies
such as Patagonia, REI, VIF all have similar connotations and equity in this space. This
is however different in that, particularly in the golf sect, typical brands do not share the
same sentiment of association that Columbia does. Major competitors compete and
have different associations altogether regarding their brands, for example, Nike and
Under Armour. This will be further analyzed in the competitive analysis portion. The
other different nodes of associations for Columbia include Athletic / Sporty, Family
orientation 35%, Conservative 35%, Value 35% and Old roughly 10% all of which have
strong associations. These numbers are in reference to overall responses compared to
other brands meaning these are Columbia’s strongest associations.(refer to Exhibit 2b)
Brand Favorability of Associations:
Upon analysis for consumer favorability of their product needs, first a baseline
understanding for purchase triggering motivations must be established. With respect to
primary motivations in the golf category, the majority of purchase decisions based on
our sample size were made as a direct result of Style (Roughly 25%) and Comfort
(Roughly 25%). (refer to Exhibit 3a) Interestingly enough this offers insight into
Columbia’s overall play into serving consumer needs. While Columbia’s primary
associations pales in comparison to the higher style differentiated market leaders “Nike”
& “Callaway” (see competitor analysis) Columbia was in fact associated with roughly
82% of individuals as ranking good or outstanding in Quality and Comfort comparatively
to its competitors, Callaway 33%, Nike 42% (refer to Exhibit 3b and 3c). This is the
largest differentiator for Columbia in the golf category. Considering that consumer
needs value comfort as the other highest ranking for purchase favorability, this suggests
Columbia Golf has inherent brand value that could and should be leveraged in
addressing the needs of this niche consumer segment.
Brand Relationship Analysis:
Due to a lack of overall Brand Knowledge it is obvious that Columbia Golf has no
real brand relationship and therefore no brand loyalty. Following the purchase funnel
14

15. approach, relevancy in the minds of consumers awareness, place Columbia golf either
as non existent or in limbo. Upon further analysis roughly 70% of consumers felt that
either Columbia golf had no relevance in their lives or were completely unsure due to a
lack of information. Finding the purpose is what is key in generating any form of
relationship for consumers and Columbia Golf. (refer to Exhibit 4a) As a direction as
described above in Columbia’s top level brand meaning, purpose that would most
readily make sense is that of Stimulation & Companionship. Similar connotations of
having fun, being adventurous and spontaneous as well as family orientation to which
35% of individuals valued in the columbia brand can be leveraged within the Columbia
Golf brand. Important distinctions on how this is possible can be better illustrated by the
overall perception and relationship consumers have with the sport itself of golf. 80% of
all individual participants in regards to primary research stated that the primary
demographic for golf was middle - old aged white males. To that point 93% of
respondents also included that the socioeconomic classification of perceived golfers
was upper middle - upper class. (refer to Exhibit 4b) To understand the weight of these
effects a closer look at the golf environment in general may offer more insight for
Columbia Golf specifically.
The Golf Environment:
​Golf participation has dropped drastically. From its original 30 million annual
players in 2005 roughly 7 million individuals no longer participate in the sport and this
trend is only trending downwards. This number could be chalked up for an aging
population as our results suggests but more off it is the the overall industry itself that is
failing to attract new consumers. New players aging from 18 - 34 has seen a drop by
30% in playership and by 2025 the millennial younger generation will make up 75% of
the workforce as compared to the Baby Boomers and up. Drawing conclusions from1
this and the fact that 70% of this population is willing to spend more on brands that
support causes that impact their lives, it is hard to see how an astounding lean on older
generational values in the sport of golf make it with current associations surrounding the
activity. (refer to Further Secondary Resources) So, what is the relevance of this to2 3
Columbia Golf? 70% of our sample suggested that they have no interest in golf,
indicating that as the environment suggests, there is a narrow interest in the sport in
general. (refer to Exhibit 5a) More niche market strategies are needed to address the
ongoing needs of consumers for the concentrated segments that currently exist within
the red ocean mature markets. Columbia cannot hope to compete for brand equity in
1
​https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/3kvymv/millennials-arent-killing-golf-golf-is-killing-golf
2
https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-room/2015/consumer-goods-brands-that-demonstrate-commitment-to-sustainability-outperfor
m.html
3
https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/73-percent-of-millennials-are-willing-to-spend-more-money-on-this-1-type-of-product.html
15

16. these spaces competing on the same dimensions that the dominant competitors
compete on such as Nike and Callaway. However there is opportunity in looking forward
as a brand to play into its advantages of its current associations to meet the needs of
the underserved markets who have ever changing needs.
Competitor Analysis:
Now that a general understanding of the industry and overall consumer
perceptions / associations / purchasing motivations have been established, the points of
differentiation in which the competitive landscape competes on must be analyzed.
Current Market Shares: According to IBISWorld, currently the two major players in the
golf industry are Callaway Golf Company and Nike. Callaway Golf currently commands
a generous 6% market share on the entire sports apparel industry as a whole to show
the overall scalability in reference to Columbia Golf. Nike has a respectable 5.1% while
all other major competitors in the golf sector garner a less than 1% market share for
analysis purposes we will look at these two major companies and compare them to
Columbia Golf. (refer to Exhibit 6a)4
Callaway Golf:
Despite a lower level of brand knowledge for this particular brand accounting for
only 51% of brand recognition, Callaway is significantly excelling at serving golf
consumer needs. Those that identified as recognizing Callaway described their number
one association with the brand as golf accounting for roughly 53% of survey
respondents. (refer to Exhibit 7a) Responses also included that product quality had
strong associations of around 68% of respondents and expensive 73%. This is reflected
in its brand meaning as almost 50% of respondents believed Callaway to have wealthy
connotations to it as a brand and professional with 33% strong associations. It should
be noted however that only 27% of respondents associated Callaway with outdoors 4%
with family values and 3% for value shopping. It seems that considering the overall
nature of the golf industry Callaway is serving the pragmatists and enthusiasts
segmented into an older, wealthier generation. (refer to Exhibit 7b and 2b)
Nike Golf:
Given Nike’s background for high levels of marketing penetration all respondents
knew of Nike’s presence as a brand. Roughly 80% of survey respondents identified both
Nike and Callaway as the most immediate brands associated with the sport of golf.
(refer to Exhibit 8a) Digging deeper the brand associations regarding around Nike were
of similar caliber. Nike had high associations almost 40% for style and 35% for
4
​https://clients1.ibisworld.com/reports/us/industry/majorcompanies.aspx?entid=895
16

17. competition. It scored low on value shopping at 11.54% and family orientation at 26%
comparatively. Nike it seems is competing on different dimensions which include style,
trends and competitiveness within its target segment which aligns with its core mission
statement. (refer to Exhibit 8a & 8b)
Relation to Columbia Golf:
Columbia golf as mentioned above must be able to serve the needs of its
consumers but compete on potential dimensions that would lead to its success given its
strengths. According to survey data Columbia was the worst ranking out of all brands
associated in terms of preference for golf 35%. With Callaway taking the number 1 spot
35% of respondents and Nike at number 2 with 20%. This is reflective of current market
share values as well. Columbia Golf as it stands now can not compete on Style,
Competitiveness, Wealth & Professionalism. Considering the amount of resources and
bandwidth for financial reallocation this is not a feasible option. Columbia golf however
was high in value shopping associations in comparison to its competitors at 34% strong
associations as well as family orientation 35%. Analysis of the data also suggests that
given current conditions almost 55% of respondents would choose another brand over
Columbia golf with an additional 20% unsure. (Refer to Exhibit 9a & 9b) So what does
this mean for Columbia Golf? Relating the primary motivations and needs of consumer
segments, current players in the industry, different environments/dimensions and
branding frameworks there are a few suggestions that Columbia Golf must follow if it
wants to be successful as a whole within the golf community.
17

18. Strategic Recommendations
Due to a lack of overall Brand Knowledge within this product line, it is obvious that
Columbia Golf line has no real brand relationship and therefore has created very little
brand loyalty. Columbia Sports needs to be able to create a purpose to form or generate
a relationship between the brand, product lines and consumers. According to our
market sample from our survey, 70% of consumers felt that Columbia Sports brand
meaning did translate or make sense in the golf category.
1st Recommendation:
Columbia Sports has overall been successful in creating brand equity and eventual
value to both consumers and stakeholders within the outdoor category. Within our
market sample, 96% of respondents are aware of the Columbia Sports line and on
average own 4 items of clothing. We believe if Columbia Sports wants to be successful
within the golf line category, they should leverage their existing brand meaning to create
a sub-brand to enter this product. This would allow Columbia Sports to utilize their
existing consumers, markets brand knowledge and brand
meaning to create a positive association with the
sub-brand into the golf line catorory, while at the same
time introducing new brand elements and qualities that
solely pertain to the sub-brand. We believe the sub-brand
which we have called Nori should position and leverage
the positive brand association that Columbia Sports has
created with being associated with the outdoors, sporty,
active and athletic and use those elements to create a
eco-friendly brand with its own brand elements of
sustainability and renewable using renewable resources. This would allow the co-brand
Nori to differentiate themselves from the what the dominant competitors compete on
such as Nike and Callaway.
The average age of golfers is the U.S. is 54 years old , making this biggest segment
dominant competitors compete for market share. We believe that Columbia Sports5
co-brand Nori would be able to resonate and compete within the market segment of
younger casual golfers who make up 7.1% of market, target market would be between
the ages of 18-39 years old. The younger demographic builds stronger emotional and6
5
​https://www.creditdonkey.com/golf-player-demographic.html
6
https://www.ngf.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GOLF_PARTICIPATION_IN_THE_US_2018.pdf
https://www.ngf.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GOLF_PARTICIPATION_IN_THE_US_2018.pdf
18

19. cognitive purposes for the brand, Columbia has been successful in creating functional,
experiential and symbolic value for its main categorical product and could leverage
these focal points to incorporate sustainable initiatives to create and market the product
line to that speaks to an underserved golf market that does not ethically agree with
dominant competitors current business practice.
The 4Ps
Product: sustainably-sourced men and Women golf apparel - Nori by Columbia Sports.
Place/ Channels: online store front & Columbia Sports brick and mortar stores
Promotion: Social media, blogging and golf industry magazines that have a print and
web-based presence to create a story around their sustainable initiatives and mission
statement.
Price: leveraging Columbia Sports current pricing model, Columbia in know as a
moderate price quality clothing line. Their price points have helped them to carve out a
niche with their targeted demographic as quality products at an affordable price.
2nd Recommendation:
After conducting our market survey, we were alarmed that respondent answered the
question; What word would you use to best describe Columba Sports, third largest
response from our market sample was old. This lead us to the conclusion that even
though Columbia Sports has created specific strong brand associations and brand
awareness, they are losing touch with the younger demographics and this could
eventually affect long-term sales and brand reputation.
Our recommendation to address this concern of brand image, from the limited
data collected on the brand itself, is to sponsor athletes for what the brand is ​best
known for, outerwear, footwear and sportswear. There are two objectives when it7
comes to sponsorship, direct and indirects. The benefits of direct sponsorship is8
focused on creating growth around increase consumerism of certain products that the
company want their target markets to be highly aware of. Indirect sponsorship is about
creating brand awareness, cultivating brand loyalty, and building a prestige relationship
around your target markets brand perspective.9
Benefits of Athlete Sponsorship:
7
https://moneyinc.com/columbia-sportswear-company/
8
​https://collected.jcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1045&context=mastersessays
9
https://opendorse.com/blog/why-big-brands-spend-so-much-on-athlete-endorsements/
19

20. Indirect benefits of sponsorship is being able to capitalize on the positive images
associated with the athlete’s that coincides and reinforce the image and the values of
the company and the brand. They have the power to be able to validate product
features within the mindset of your targeted demographic. They can increase the value
of the companies brand equity, by making your product more relatable and
recognizable amongst the clutter of similar brands. Companies are able to use the
athlete to test new products, elicit feedback and make real time changes to the improve
the product of product-line. Lastly, it create PR opportunities for the company. Athletes
are a source of inspiration and role models within the industry. This allows brand to
uniliz and leverage the athletes social media channels and be associated with the
athletes fan base.
The indirect benefits objective are directly linked to the direct benefits and goals of a
company, cultivating growth around product sales. The are creating a positive
association with the brand for consumers, leading to increase in consumerism of
sponsored athlete products with the targeted demographic. Overall, attracting a larger
share of the market and increasing overall sale of products. The outcome of
sponsorship would help benefit ​Columba Sports by keeping their brand relevant within
the mind of consumers because it would help them breaking through the clutter and
noise of like brand Attract a more diverse age demographic of consumers and help to
build brand loyalty among those consumers within the outdoor sports category. It would
also increase brand loyalty, which would help ensure the longevity of the company and
increase their net bottom line.
Additional Promotional Recommendations:
In addition to the sponsorship promotional campaigns to attract a different demographic
we also recommend an overall reallocation of resource spending on marketing
advertising in general. More specifically in the golf segment, as our research suggests,
individual respondents are completely unaware of Columbia’s presence in the ad space
at all. Some possible suggestions would be similar to prAna that is also a sub brand
under Columbia however is not an actual endorsed brand. Utilizing different forms of
younger medias including content marketing, social media, web ads, micro influencers,
streaming ads for podcasts and music could all be useful in utilizing for improved
visibility and community. This is supported in research conducted by Deloitte, further
research going forward should be conducted for optimal targeting. 10
10
​https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/industry/telecommunications/media-consumption-behavior-across-generations.html
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21. Appendix
Exhibit 1a
Exhibit 1b
Exhibit 1c
21

22. Exhibit 1d
Exhibit 2a
Exhibit 2b
22

23. Exhibit 3a
23

24. Exhibit 3b
24

25. Exhibit 3c
Exhibit 4a
25

26. Exhibit 4c
Exhibit 5a
Exhibit 6a
26

27. Exhibit 7a
Exhibit 7b
27

28. Exhibit 8a
Exhibit 8b
28

29. Exhibit 9a
Exhibit 9b
Further Secondary Resources
● Alvarez, A. (2017, November 14). Millennials Aren't Killing Golf; Golf is Killing
Golf. Retrieved from
https://sports.vice.com/en_us/article/3kvymv/millennials-arent-killing-golf-golf-is-ki
lling-golf
● Consumer-Goods' Brands That Demonstrate Commitment to Sustainability
Outperform Those That Don't. (2015, December 10). Retrieved from
https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/press-room/2015/consumer-goods-brands-that-de
monstrate-commitment-to-sustainability-outperform.html
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30. ● Curtin, M. (2018, March 30). 73 Percent of Millennials are Willing to Spend More
Money on This 1 Type of Product. Retrieved from
https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/73-percent-of-millennials-are-willing-to-spend
-more-money-on-this-1-type-of-product.html
● https://clients1.ibisworld.com/reports/us/industry/majorcompanies.aspx?entid=89
5
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