Dr. Martens, also commonly known as Doc Martens, Docs or DMs, is a British footwear and clothing brand. The brand is mainly associated with boots, but over the years has extended its product range and now sells a wide range of shoes, sandals, backpacks, bags and accessories under the Dr. Martens brand. The origins of this iconic boot date back to 1945 when Dr Klaus Maertens, a 25-year-old soldier and medical doctor at the time, returned to Munich after the Second World War, nursing a broken foot. Finding the generic leathersoled military boots he had been provided with hard and uncomfortable, he was driven to create something more comfortable (Prendergast 2017). He went on to develop a prototype of a unique air-cushioned sole that would provide more cushioning and traction. Maertens showed it to friend and engineer Dr Herbert Funk, and the two went into partnership and began using discarded rubber and other redundant military supplies to produce their innovative footwear (Smith 2018).

By 1947, the duo had begun formal production of their unique shoe and their business grew rapidly. Within a decade, they had a booming business and opened their first factory in Munich (Dr. Martens 2022). By 1959, Maertens and Funk had begun looking to expand their business overseas. British shoe manufacturer R. Griggs Group bought the patent rights, adjusted the design of the heel, introduced the signature yellow stitching, trademarked the soles as Air Wair and anglicized the brand name in the process (Prendergast 2017). In April 1960, the iconic eight-hole 1460 (named after the date it was first launched, 1.4.60) Dr. Martens boot was born, and the following year the 1461 shoe arrived. Both remain at the core of the Dr. Martens Originals range (Dr. Martens 2022). Initially sold as workwear boots, Dr. Martens became popular among postal workers, factory workers and police officers, and were embraced by the British working class. However, in the following decades Dr. Martens became entwined with music and youth culture, with different genres through the years adopting them as their own. The boot and shoemaker has long had ties with the music industry and is famous for kitting out musicians such as Pete Townshend, Sid Vicious and Lady Gaga (King 2021). For many years the brand thrived, becoming a symbol of rebelliousness and independence from authority, popular with mods, skinheads, punks and goths (Gapper 2021).......

Questions 

1. What are the key factors that have contributed to the success of the Dr. Martens brand? Comment on the role and importance of digital marketing in growing the brand. 

2. Dr. Martens is often described as a strong and iconic brand. Comment on the value and importance of a strong brand like Dr. Martens to its parent company Permira. 

3. Discuss how the Dr. Martens brand has been extended, providing examples. In your opinion, are there are any other options for growing the brand going forward? 

4. Using secondary research, provide two examples of how Dr. Martens has engaged in co-branding. In each case, identify the type of co-branding that was used and the benefits to Dr. Martens of the co-branding arrangement.