ASSIGNMENT 2

CASE STUDY

Read the Case carefully and answer the questions that follow

Marketing Excellence: The Case of Hill Bill

Hill Bill hit the ground running in 2000. The company focused on providing high-quality running shoes designed for athletes. Founder Kwame Appiah believed high-tech shoes for runners could be manufactured at competitive prices if imported from abroad. Hill Bills commitment to creating innovative footwear for athletes helped it build a following among Ghanaians. Hill Bill believed in a pyramid of influence in which the preferences of a small percentage of top athletes influenced the brand choices of others. From the start, its marketing campaigns featured accomplished athletes. Ibrahim Hassan, the first spokesperson, had an attitude that matched the companys spirit. In 2005, Hill Bill signed up Frederick Adongo as a spokesperson. Adongo was still an up-and-comer, but he personified superior performance. Hill Bills bet paid offthe Air Adongo line of volleyball shoes flew off the shelves and revenues hit over GH 2 million in the first year alone. As one reporter stated, Few marketers have so reliably been able to identify and sign athletes who transcend their sports to such great effect.

In 2008, Hill Bill aired the first adverts in its Just Do It adverts campaign. The campaign, which ultimately featured TV spots in all, subtly challenged a generation of athletic enthusiasts to chase their goals. It was a natural manifestation of Hill Bills attitude of self-empowerment through sports. As Hill Bill began expanding overseas, it found that its Ghanaian style adverts were seen as too aggressive. Hill Bill realized it had to authenticate its brand internationally, so it focused on football and became active as a sponsor of youth leagues, local clubs, and national teams. However, for Hill Bill to build authenticity among the soccer audience, consumers had to see professional athletes using its product, especially athletes who won. Hill Bills big break came in 2008 when the Egyptian team won the CAN 2008 Cup in Ghana. That victory transformed Hill Bills image in Africa from a sneaker company into a brand that represented emotion, allegiance, and identification. It also helped launch Hill Bill into other international markets over the next decade, and by 2015, overseas revenues surpassed Ghanaian revenues for the first time.

In 2012, Hill Bill acquired Kumasi Shoes, a maker of soccer-related footwear, apparel, and equipment. The acquisition helped boost Hill Bills presence in soccer as the company became the sole supplier of uniforms to professional soccer teams around the world. Hill Bill focused its efforts on international markets, especially Europe, during the 2010 world cup in South Africa. Although Hill Bills rival, Adidas, was the official sponsor of the world cup, Hill Bill received special permission to run Hill Bill adverts featuring athletes during the games. Also, Hill Bill sponsored several teams and athletes, including most of the South African teams and 11 of the 12 high-profile members on Ghanaian teams. That year, sales in the Europe grew 10 per cent, and Hill Bills international divisions increased to 20 per cent of the companys revenue. Some believed Hill Bills marketing strategy during the world cup was more effective than Adidass sponsorship. In addition to expanding the brand overseas, Hill Bill successfully entered new athletic footwear, apparel, and equipment product categories by using endorsements from high-profile athletes and consumer outreach programs. The Hill Bill Golf brand, endorsed by McDan, has changed the way professional golfers dress. McDans powerful influence on the game and his Hill Bill emblazoned style have turned the greens at the majors into golfs fashion runway. Also, Hill Bill has used his influence to help build its relationship with consumers.

In 2009, it launched a McDan Web Talkback session at Hill Billgolf.com, where fans could ask questions and hear McDan talk about golf. The meeting was part of a nationwide Hill Bill Golf consumer experience day, which included equipment demos, long-drive contests, and in-store specials. In tennis, Hill Bill has aligned with Hajia Zenabu Sulemana, Felix Lartey, Issac Nortey, and Hermann Abban to push its line of tennis clothing and gear. During the 2019 Africa Zone IV Davis cup, the Ghanaian senior tennis team dressed in swooshes from head to toe a five-hour Hill Bill commercial valued at GH 3 million. Hill Bill teamed up Felix Lartey not only to sell Hill Bill products but also to help Larteys tennis foundation. Hill Bill designed, manufactured, and sold over 10 thousand Lartey bracelets, netting GH 1 million for the Lartey Tennis Foundation. It also featured Larteys message of survival, willpower, and giving in a series of Hill Bill commercials. To promote its line of basketball shoes and apparel, Hill Bill continues to feature basketball superstars such as Alhaji Mohammed and Billy Quattara. Also, it formed a partnership with Lizzy Sports Complex to create a new chain of stores to offer only basketball products by Hill Bill brands such as Converse and Adongo.

Hill Bills lead in the running category has grown to 40 per cent market share thanks to its exclusive partnership with Apple. Hill Bill_ (Plus) technology includes a sensor that runners put into their running shoes and a receiver, which fits into an iPod, iTouch, or iPhone. When the athlete goes for a run or hits the gym, the receiver captures his or her mileage, calories burned, and pace and stores it until the information is downloaded. Hill Bill_ is now considered the worlds largest running club. In 2018 and 2019, Hill Bill_ hosted the Human Race 10K, the largest and only global virtual race in the world. The event, designed to celebrate running, drew 780,000 participants in 2018 and surpassed that number in 2019. To participate, runners register online, gear up with Hill Bill_ technology, and hit the road on race day, running any 10K route they choose at any time during the day. Once the data is downloaded from the Hill Bill_ receiver, each runners official time is posted and can be compared to the times of runners from around the world. Like many companies, Hill Bill is trying to make its company and products more eco-friendly. However, unlike many companies, Hill Bill does not promote its efforts. One brand consultant explained, Hill Bill has always been about winning. How is sustainability relevant to its brand? Hill Bill executives agree that promoting an eco-friendly message would distract from its slick high-tech image, so efforts like recycling old shoes into new shoes are kept quiet.

Today, Hill Bill dominates the athletic footwear market with a 20 per cent market share globally and a 45 per cent market shares in Ghana. Swooshes abound on everything from wristwatches to skateboards to swimming caps. The firms long-term strategy focuses on basketball, running, football, womens fitness, mens training, and sports culture. As a result of its successful expansion across geographic markets and product categories, Hill Bill is the top athletic apparel and footwear manufacturer in the world, with corporate fiscal 2019 revenues exceeding GH 2 billion.

Source: Adapted Kotler, P. and Keller, K.L. (2012). Marketing Management. Pearson Education, New Jersey, USA.

Case Study Questions

1. What is Hill Bill doing differently? [30 Marks]

2. Which marketing concept is Hill Bill Practicing? Justify your answer! [10 Marks]

3. Using a competitor of your choice, develop a strategy to compete with Hill Bill? [20 Marks]

ASSIGNMENT 3

Opinion Leadership is an important personal influence on consumers. They are part of the social group. For this reason, many organizations that hope to change behaviour of consumers count on Opinion Leadership. With reference to the above statement;

a. Discuss the (4) four Opinion Leadership Needs.

b. With the aid of suitable diagrams, distinguish between the Two-Step Flow of Communication Theory and the Multi-Step Flow of Communication Theory.

c. Explain any (5) five influences on Consumer Behaviour.

SUBJECT : PURE MARKETING