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Senior Public Relations Research Project
- 1. The differences and similarities of the marketing approaches Patagonia and Northface take on Social media Keltie Klijanowicz, Hannah Bass, Charlie Williamson, Savannah Smith, Lorin Simpson MASC 425 Research Project
- 4. Research Questions -What are the difference and similarities of marketing approaches Patagonia and North Face take on Social Media? -What social media techniques are North Face and Patagonia using? -Which brand is most effective at reaching their target audience? -In what ways are Patagonia and North Face marketing different? Methods used to conduct research: Focus Groups In-depth Interviews Surveys
- 5. In-depth Interviews “Patagonia. I like their emphasis on sustainability, protecting the environment, and making quality gear that lasts vs. cheap gear that you then have to buy over and over again.” “North Face is for the outdoor person who is more into athlete type of sports - skiing, snowboarding, etc. I tend to think of extreme but common sports. With Patagonia, I think more of hikers, thru-hikers, climbing, etc. Outdoor sports that are necessarily normal.” “Wealthy, active, white people, probably 30 and up for patagonia. North Face caters to a slightly older crowd as well”
- 6. Qualitative Research - ● Convenience sampling ○ Made use of social media ● Because of this sampling we had a large demographic including family, friends, VCU students, males, females, non-athletic consumers, and athletic consumers. ● Survey ○ Example questions: Do you follow the brands on social media? Do you buy their products? ● Indepth Interview ○ Target sample, active, preppy, those that enjoy nature, the outdoors, extreme sports, etc. ○ Example questions: Which brand do you prefer, why? What do you think are the differences between the brands? Does the social media entice you to buy their products? ● Focus Group ○ Example questions: What first comes to mind when you look at these pictures from their social media? Do you think minorities are represented? Which do you prefer and why? T
- 7. Focus Group - Gave us interesting quantitative research ● 5 participants in focus group: Two black females, one white female, one black male, and one latin american male. ● Brought unique perspectives, specifically touching on how little minorities are represented in the two brands. ● Most of the participants agreed that they personally like Patagonia’s stance on social media for them because they could relate better with their lifestyle photos and culture. ● Some of the participants felt that North Faces photography approach geared toward the loan extremist leaving them with feelings of isolation. The Patagonia photography includes friends, fun, and family all of things they could relate with.
- 10. Brand Popularity -Average number of likes for an Instagram post from North Face being 37,096 likes - The average number of likes for a Patagonia Instagram post is only slightly higher than North Face’s average like count at 35,671 likes per post. -North Face’s average number of comments per post at 115 -Patagonia’s average of 194 comments per post
- 11. Interesting Findings 52% of the posts for both brands were classified by the research team as involving exercising activity and 93% of all posts analyzed for both brands were classified as having the outdoors a part of the post. Only 17% of all posts for both brands were classified as “supporting environmental stability.” That’s 11% of the analyzed North Face posts, and 24% of the analyzed Patagonia posts
- 12. Secondary Research Analysis ● With the popularity of outdoor clothing brands rising in recent years due to the collective impact of social media, rise of overall encouragement of physical activity to consumers, and the ever-evolving trends in fashion. ● Businesses are also using SNSs today to target consumers and create value for their brands. ● Though still viewed by many as a niche brand, Patagonia has yet to reach the same level as The North Face. However, its views and brand mission have Patagonia poised to ascend to the same status as it’s biggest competitor..
- 13. Brand Perception in 2004 Vs. Brand Perception in 2014 Graph 1 Graph 2
- 14. -Photos are transcendent -Focus on nature and activities to indirectly influence buyer behavior -Most consumer engagement, with Twitter falling slightly behind. Instagram was the best choice when looking at social media platforms to research because…
- 15. The Survey
- 16. Survey Objective: Our survey was created to focus on the question “In what ways are Patagonia and North Face’s marketing different?” The question chosen “which brand is more effective at reaching the target audience?” best represents the information obtained through a survey questionnaire. By asking 88 participants of varying ages and gender questions based around each brands social media accounts, we can better understand the effectiveness of their reach in their marketing efforts.
- 17. Findings:
- 19. The Numbers 1.Do you follow Patagonia on any social media accounts? Yes: 14.8% (13 participants) No: 85.2% (75 participants) 2.Do you follow North Face on any Social Media accounts? Yes: 18% (16 participants) No: 82% (72 participants) 3.Have you purchased items from North Face before? Yes: 73.9% (65 participants) No: 26.1% (23 participants) 4.Have you purchased items from Patagonia before? Yes: 31.8% (28 participants) No: 68.2% (60 participants) 5.Do you find the social media accounts of these brands inspire you to want to purchase their merchandise? Yes: 36.4% (32 participants) No: 63.6% (56) participants) 6.Would you be interested in purchasing a product from Patagonia after viewing any of their social media accounts? Yes: 44.8% (39 participants) No: 55.2% (48 participants) 7.Would you be interested in purchasing a product from North Face after viewing any of their social media accounts? Yes: 51.7% (45 participants) No: 48.3% (42 participants) 8.Do you believe that Patagonia is targeted towards wealthy individuals? Yes: 75.9% (66 participants) No: 24.1% (21 participants) 9.Do you believe that NorthFace is targeted towards persons who enjoy extreme sports? Yes: 45.5% (40 participants) No: 54.5% (48 participants) 10.Do you feel North Face reaches you in their marketing efforts? Yes: 37.9% (33 participants) No: 62.1% (54 participants) 11.Do you feel Patagonia reaches you in their marketing efforts? Yes: 25.3% (22 participants) No: 74.7% (65 participants) 12.Please enter your gender? Male: 25% (22 participants) Female: 75% (66 participants)
- 20. Some Survey Findings Of those surveyed, only 14.8% followed Patagonia on social media versus 18% for North Face. Based on the same numbers though, only 31.8% had previously purchased items from Patagonia with 73% having previously purchased items from North Face. 75.9% of participants felt that Patagonia markets towards wealthier individuals. 45.5% Felt that North Face was marketed towards individuals interested in extreme sports. 75% of those surveyed were female while 25% were male Out of everyone surveyed only 25.3% felt that they were reached by Patagonia’s Social media while only 37.9% felt reached by North Faces accounts.
- 21. Discussion
- 22. Trends and Discoveries Through secondary research we found that though North Face has solidified itself as the leading brand, over the last 10 year Patagonia has steadily been rising to their level in the market. Based on the number of followers from the survey, while only 31.8% had previously purchased items from Patagonia, 73% having previously purchased items from North Face giving North Face an advantage in the market From the research we found participants felt that Patagonia markets towards wealthier individuals who were also These same participants do not see the North Face brand as family oriented or have an emotional appeal but based on the durability of their products. Through the interviews and focus group, we uncovered issues with the brands involving a lack of diversity among their posts. The demographic make-up of the brands audiences was very similar however their selling tactics were very unique to their individual brands.
- 23. Open up new doors for new research? YES! Why are minorities not represented? Who is the target audience, is it skewed? Why North Face choose to not actively take a social stance like Patagonia and sustainability. Do they do this to raise revenue or because it truly represents their mission. Why do people who are not into the ideals of extreme sports, nature, outdoor lifestyle represent their brands?
- 24. Where the research questions answered? Yes! Let me explain… What are the difference and similarities of marketing approaches Patagonia and North Face take on Social Media? What social media techniques are North Face and Patagonia using? Which brand is most effective at reaching their target audience? In what ways are Patagonia and North Face marketing different?
- 25. What issues occurred during research? Research led us in many different directions The North Face vs. Patagonia Social aspect and Millennials We thought we would focus on them more as a brand and their marketing efforts more than anything, but found more social problems, representation, who their target audience is and how their brand perception has changed in recent years.
- 26. What can be done next? -Expand target audience -Increase environmental sustainability efforts and capitalize on that through marketing efforts
- 27. Why does this matter? We found new data and gained new research no one else had done before. We saw things that both companies can do better. We saw pros and cons for each companies based on their social media practices. Our research led us to talk about minority representation Who a company's target audience is How companies choose to display their brand via “lifestyle” photos or “product based photos” Selling a brand vs. selling products
- 28. Call to Action ASK YOURSELF.... Become aware of your favorite brands social media accounts. Before you consume, be aware of who and what your supporting. Take notice of their social media practices. Do they take social stances you agree with? Do they represent your cultural? Are their morals in line with your morals?
- 29. We learned a lot. And we hope you did to. Make sure to follow up: @thenorthface on instagram @patagonia on instagram
- 30. Thank you! Now for questions
Editor's Notes
- These four research questions were the ones that we based the majority of our research around. We came up with these research questions after a discussion between group members about which brand we felt had a better public representation of their company through their marketing efforts. We decided to use research methods that included: Focus Groups, in-depth Interviews, and surveys. By using these selected methods, we felt that we could get a good overall sense of the volunteers perceptions and views of the brands. We were intrigued with this topic because all of us seem to like some form of outdoor activities and you constantly see people wearing these two brands predominantly over any other brand when doing any form of outdoor activity. Why does this research matter to anyone? We thought by researching this topic we could provide great insight to people about the brands and provide them information that might help them make better more informed decisions in the future when deciding which brand to purchase from next time.
- We used convenience sampling to conduct out in-depth interviews. The responses from our interviewees were pretty even with what we thought the potential answers would come out to be. Which brand (between Patagonia and Northface) do you prefer? Why? What type of consumers do you think each brand is geared towards? What type of consumers do you think the brands gear more towards?
- With the popularity of outdoor clothing brands rising in recent years due to the collective impact of social media, rise of overall encouragement of physical activity to consumers, and the ever-evolving trends in fashion. We currently live in an age where reviews and brand perception are important when purchasing new or existing products for consumers. Social networking sites (SNS) provide a means for millions of users to communicate and network with friends and strangers. Businesses are also using SNSs today to target consumers and create value for their brands. SNSs represent investments in establishing electronic gateways-as content aggregators or as web portals- for efficient access to information and services online for consumers. Research suggested that North Face has put significant work into solidifying themselves as a leading brand. The brand has consistently evolved its brand to remain relevant. Patagonia has been steadily catching up with North Face over the last 10 years. With its emphasis on sustainability the brand has been increasing in popularity. Though still viewed by many as a niche brand and has yet to reach the same level as The North Face, its views and brand mission have Patagonia poised to ascend to the same status
- According to BAV consulting’s qualitative trend research, This differentiation was achieved by rebranding itself as a member of the leisure apparel market in the late 1990’s and by leveraging The North Face official website and targeted marketing to exhibit this change. Since 2004, The North Face has increased its relevance, esteem and knowledge, thus becoming a leadership brand. the brand is tapping into shifting consumer values about sustainability and purpose in such a way that makes it poised to augment its ascendant brand stature. Patagonia can become an industry leader by increasing knowledge, burgeoning popularity, and continuing to improve on its green efforts. Perceptions of each brand, Patagonia and The North Face, have shifted in the past ten years. As noted in the chart above, The North Face in 2004 was viewed as visionary, authentic, high performance, rugged and a good value brand, among other attributes. Patagonia in the same year was seen as unique, socially responsible, innovative and social. In 2014, the roles somewhat reversed.
- The cross channel social media performance was an interesting thing to notice. Instagram comes out on top over all the platforms. North Face avoids posting product pictures on their social media platforms. They focus on nature and the activities behind where people would use their products. The North Face is currently seen as more socially responsible, up to date, unique and a market leader, while Patagonia is now seen as more trendy, rugged, and high quality that had good value and is gaining in popularity. The North Face will soon have leadership competition if Patagonia sticks to this path of transparency, and pairs with it a way to connect to younger generations. Patagonia has the chance to improve the way consumers view their brand. A great way to connect with younger generations, as Patagonia has begun to demonstrate, is to help them understand the importance of sustainability and appreciate the items currently in their closets. With these changes comes the chance for Patagonia to finally migrate and become a leadership brand, and to sit at the top as The North Face has done for years
- Throughout all of our research methods and collecting our qualitative and quantitative data we found that in fact there are major differences and similarities in marketing efforts between the two brands on Instagram. Neither brand is necessarily better than the other, the just both have their own unique forms of marketing and it was very clear that both brands had a great grasp on their target audiences. Patagonia is more focused around environmentalism, sustainability and family, where as Northface is more focused around extreme sports, one on one experiences, and adrenalin junkies, and they market their products to their audiences in an effective way to produce profitability. The both market their brands on social media through Instagram using images and videos to promote their active lifestyles. When we looked at each of their platforms we found that Patagonia’s images were more focused on the environment and the experience versus Northface’s page. They seemed be more focused on the activity and the product more than the experience and the interactivity between two or more people.
- It was particularly interesting that both companies chose to reach out to that specific audience on Instagram when a recent report revealed that younger African-Americans (18-34) are twice as likely as the average person to log onto Instagram at least once a day (Spencer, 2015). It’s interesting that the platform that both company chose, has a larger audience of people that have not been looked into.