International Marketing This Report Focuses

International Marketing

This report focuses on the firm "Under Armor" and it analyzes the market research plan needed to adjust according to the destination nation which in this case is Brazil, the first phase of this report will be based on the product strategy of the market plan and the second stage will focus on pricing strategy. Let's have a close look at product strategy first, the product information is as follows, the firm Under Armor is a United States-based firm which started its business with deals in perspire absorbent clothing usually worn beneath the regular sportswear, after its initial success the company now offers a wide range of products such as many sportswear like footwear, also different types of jackets, hats, shirts, pants, tights, leggings, shorts, fleece and many types of accessories such as headwear, gloves, sunglasses, socks, protective gear and bags.

The advantages of these products are unique in their own sense as they are high quality equipment which is by far more advantageous than the regular inner wear products, this is the main reason why many athletes from different sporting backgrounds choose Under Armor inner wear as compared to regular inner wear. It gives more comfort, reduces the body moisture by huge proportions which especially helps athletes to stay focused more on their training or during playtime. The products of the firm Under Armor is by far the biggest choice of inner wear for athletes in United States, it has also firmly established itself in many European markets.

The firm is now looking to adapt to the environment of Brazil which has a huge growing economy and is regarded as a developing nation, it also has a huge craze for the game of soccer. Since the FIFA World Cup of 2014 will be held in Brazil, the firm can use many of the top soccer players of Brazil for advertisement of their product, the firm should also focus on the pricing factor which also decides the area of interest from the customer. The product itself will be the first of its kind in Brazil and most probably will not face any stiff competition from any other franchise, it is also available in a wide range of different varieties, both for men and women of many age class.

Since Brazil is culturally different from the United States or Europe, the firm should have a different tactic to adapt in local environment there, firstly since Brazil is a soccer loving nation, many soccer athletes (or common individuals who just play soccer for fun) would use it, special attention can be given towards marketing and publicizing it towards these individuals informing on how it helps them to relax their muscles and provide the body comfort at the same time helping them play better than before.

Some major considerations that should be adapted by Under Armor in their product strategy are as follows, firstly introduce different kinds of t-shirts and shorts that have the color (yellow and blue) of the national soccer team of Brazil, currently there are many designs available for national team's soccer jerseys but Under Armor's product would be better as it will not only provide fashion but will also be very good for the body as whole. Also, people will buy more of the items if properly advertised by using well-known soccer players.

Secondly Brazilians love beach and related sports, it is wise to focus on beach related items such as shorts, bikinis with traditional Brazilian flare. Thirdly, people will also prefer a small Brazilian flag tattooed over their accessories such as caps, gloves or shirts. It is very much preferred and brings a slight feeling of nationalism.

Now, let's have a look at the pricing strategy. Since Brazil is not a rich country, the firm should not introduce expensive or very expensive products in the beginning, "the price tag should be nominal that is affordable for the working class" (Marvin 124). "The firm should focus on gaining customer confidence first as a base for itself, it should lower the price of its products so that it can gain many buyers" (Wilson 112). The cheap labor is also a huge factor that can benefit the firm in the short as well as the long-term, the firm can transfer some of its manufacturing plants there to take advantage of the cheap labor which will help in the overall profitability of the firm.

The pricing strategy should focus on three classes of products being sold to the end customer, first involves the most expensive products which will target the upper-middle class customer, top athletes and many other training professionals. The quality provided to the customer will be according to the price of the product. Second category involves products with nominal price tag, usually targeted towards the middle class individuals. A wide variety of different products are to be sold in this category, this class is also the main source of income as more and more individuals will buy things they can afford with good quality, also in a country like Brazil where majority of population is economically middle class it would be ideal for the firm to invest in producing more of this class of goods.