Core Market Failure or Cross Marketing Genius
There’s really two markets in snowboarding regardless of what anyone tells you or what you believe. We have the core market that is all about being youth against establishment, fuck the man, keep it small and then there’s the mainstream mass appealed market that actually pays the bills. When you’re the largest company in snowboarding it’s a fine line appealing to both sides and pandering more to the mainstream will make people pose questions about why.
Case in point Burton has partnered with PBTeen (Pottery Barn). Not exactly a move that says we’re core when the products are sold in places like:
Atlanta: Lenox Square Mall
Chicago: Market Square
Natick: Natick Mall
New York City: 76th Street and 2nd Avenue
Roseville: Westfield Galleria at Roseville
St. Louis: Plaza Frontenac
But alas when it comes to cross marketing you can hit an amazing mainstream demographic inside major metropolitan areas. Plus it appeals to the youth that have grown up with Burton from the second they could have a snowboard strapped to their feet. It’s the whole Disney effect, you grew up with Disney from your childhood and regardless of what it does it’s a part of your life. So now little Timmy is in his tweens and it’s time to ditch the Cars down comforter, so what’s the most suitable replacement? Burton!
Here’s Jake talking about snowboarding why they did it.
Is it a smart decision? Well look at it this way you can now drag your kid to the mall with you to buy them some new linens and things and then swing into Zumiez for the matching outerwear and boards. Probably not winning over core local shops with that one, but mom and dad are stoked! Two birds one stones on that family outing.
If you look at other brands that were once core or niche that have gone outside their respective markets the mainstream success is there. But does the mainstream market actually pull in more participants? Will a set of sheets suddenly make a kid that’s never ridden before want to take it up? That’s what it’s all about is getting participation numbers up verse just having the market exposure.
This is a topic that honestly should be up for debate is it a good or bad decision to cross market with stores that as a whole don’t offer anything for snowboarding as a whole. Lets here your opinions.
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Over saturation of products can lead to a dilution of image…
I agree with Shred Tripper, the moment you make something like bedsheets you lose a massive amount of credibility (which, I suppose, Burton has already lost in a large segment of core snowboard society). Now what comes next? Rome toilet paper? K2thpaste?
Funny you say k2thpaste I’m pretty sure I have a travel toothbrush with toothpaste from them floating around here.
Christ…
I might have to write on this.
Isn’t Jarden Corp a massive conglomerate? They probably already make toothpaste.
They make crockpots. MMMM slow cooked food!
[...] The Angry Snowboarder asks, Does the mainstream market actually pull in more participants? Will a set of sheets suddenly make a kid that’s never ridden before want to take it up? … [...]
It might damage Burton’s rep amongst core riders, but in all honesty has that been their target for a while?
A friend of mine that raced sports cars once told me a BMW guy responded to criticisms of the BMW X5 soccer-mobile (echoed later among Porsche owners RE the Cayenne), cheapening the BMW brand and hurting their image with hardcore driving enthusiasts and racers. The rep stated that the legions of soccer moms buying the X5 is what paid the bills to develop insane new tech and offer cars that were otherwise unprofitable, but pushed the tech envelope.
When I was 7, I had a set of Donkey Kong and Pac-Man pajamas. Did they help me rescue the princess or eat ghosts? Not really. OTOH, at age seven I *really* liked those pajamas. I think these are marketed the same way probably. I don’t care, really, as long as the kid is happy that is sleeping on “Sheets by Jake”.
“… core market that is all about being youth against establishment, fuck the man, keep it small…”
Sounds like the intro to Search for Animal Chin.
I’m just stoked on the shaun white signature bed set