You have undoubtedly heard of Vans. The company has sold footwear, apparel, and extreme sports equipment for over 40 years using the distinct tagline, "Off the Wall." The company's founder wanted to control his own retail channel, so he transformed his manufacturing company into a marketing company.

Always carefully protecting its unique brand image, Vans has crafted successful marketing messages and promotions that resonate with the youth culture that represents the company's target market. This video examines the carefully planned strategy that Vans developed to create loyalty in a fickle niche market.

Questions

1. Does Vans use a push or pull strategy to market its apparel? How does Steve feel about the two strategies?

2. What does Steve mean when he refers to tours and events as "planting seeds?"

3. Describe Vans' pyramid strategy. How does it protect the brand?

4. How does Steve's hands-on approach to events and promotion benefit the company?