Read Case Study Strava's Watching the Competition, page 264. Answer the following Case Study Questions. 1.What other aspects of a digital marketing audit could Gabriel have included in his assessment of Runkeeper? 2.Imagine you're working for Runkeeper in the social media team. How would you address the issues that Gabriel has found? 3.Why should companies deliver consistent content and messages? Does it matter? Your response should be at least 500 total words, submitted as a Microsoft Word document, and in APA seventh edition format. ASICS in 2016. It seems that ASICS planned to use the app to drive footwear sales. This acquisition provided a strong basis for Runkeeper, with many opportunities to upsell additional products, as well as gaining user feedback on running shoes. Gabriel thinks the culture is traditional and formal which is evidenced by looking at Glassdoor, a recruiting website which includes company reviews. It's a mixed picture - several staff comment on the micro-management and oldfashioned management approaches at ASICS, yet others love working there. The corporate website states that the company was founded by Mr Onitsuka in 1949 who wanted to make 'athletic shoes with the aim of nurturing healthy young people through sports' but this initial passion is not demonstrated on Glassdoor. Convenience There seem to be more weaknesses in the area of convenience. Although the Runkeeper app is straightforward to download, a robotic woman's voice loudly confirms when the activity is starting (so you'd need to remember to wear earbuds before starting an early morning run or it would wake everyone in the household). The 7Cs model concerns 'the ease with which a customer can make a purchase' and Runkeeper does not facilitate any immediate sales, but this may change in time. When recording an activity, users are encouraged to add an image and their thoughts about the run, neither of which add convenience. However, there is another section where users note the running shoes worn for the activity - the brand, model and nickname. This is a strength and enables Runkeeper to notify the user when it's time to buy a new pair of running shoes, potentially adding an area of convenience. Competition Runkeeper was an online-only digital business from the USA whereas ASICS was a traditional company founded in Japan. When ASICS bought Runkeeper in 2016, it aimed to enhance the user's sporting lifestyle with better use of digital technology. Runkeeper uses digital marketing to convert customers through its app. Once downloaded, users are invited to upgrade to premium membership - Runkeeper Go, which is around $30 a year. Gabriel believes this is neither a strength nor a weakness as it's the same for all fitness apps. When joining Runkeeper, the app provides a message: 'Welcome to the team! You're joining millions of active runners who have chosen Runkeeper M as their digital coach.' This positions the app as an instructor more than a community. This concept is echoed as the app is endorsed by the tennis champion Novak Djokovic. Its social media brand communications are strongest on Facebook, with nearly 300,000 likes. There is evidence of dialogues and trialogues, where customers jump into conversations. Although the posts are mainly offers or events, the six staff in the USA who manage the page don't respond to spam posts - people promoting 'get rich quick' schemes. In some cases, they respond to user complaints. The Twitter account has over 80,000 followers but little engagement, other than occasional messages from users about issues with emails and offer codes being out of date. Instagram has 50,000 followers with more engagement. Gabriel concludes that the company's social media lacks depth of personality and does not feel like it is part of a community. The responses on social media have a corporate tone and are signed off by 'ASICS Runkeeper' rather than named individuals. Gabriel thinks that Runkeeper's communications are weak as the blog content lacks depth and consists mainly of 'how to' articles or generic guides. Consistency The Runkeeper logo has been adapted to include a stylized ' A ' from ASICS, but the brand messaging lacks consistency. Although it is known as Runkeeper, its social media is named ASICS Runkeeper to demonstrate that it's part of a larger brand. The social media pages lack consistency. The Twitter page describes the company as 'a mobile app designed to help you reach your running goals, one step at a time. Support: @RKSupport' and the Facebook page is similar, but directs users to a website (support.runkeeper.com). The Instagram bio is different and states 'ASICS Runkeeper TM - We're on a mission to help you reach your #running goals. Use #Runkeeper or #TrainwithRunkeeper so we can celebrate your journey together.' It may be that the focus is different here as Instagram is about sharing images. The YouTube bio is once again different, stating 'Runkeeper is a mobile app obsessed with helping people get out the door and reach your fitness goals, one step at a time. Everyone. Every Run. #Runkeeper.' Gabriel is aware that consistency is a key feature in branding, ensuring that the same service, the same message, the same tone of voice and the same use of imagery are demonstrated across all online and offline platforms. Yet Runkeener lacks coordination. Customisation Unsurprisingly the app is customisable. Users can add their profile details: name, date of birth, gender, weight and height. When activities are completed, these show the distance, pace and achievements over the week, month or year. Similar to Strava, there is a social login, enabling users to log in via Facebook