You are the director of marketing for Kosport, a brand of backpacks that are sold at various retailers across the country. Kosport has been making backpacks for over 60-years and is the most well-known brand for school-use backpacks.
Each July, August and September, millions of Kosport backpacks are sold to students of all ages during back-to-school shopping. Discount retailers, mid-range department stores and sporting goods stores carry a wide variety of Kosport backpacks during this season, including various colors, patterns, sizes and materials. The Kosport logo is prominently featured in a large rectangle on the face of the backpack. The backpacks are priced between $50.00 - $90.00, which is high for a mainstream school backpack, but continues to be the top-selling brand each year. Once back-to-school shopping season is over, a smaller assortment of Kosport backpacks can be found in the travel section at discount retailers with luggage and other travel accessories.
With over 60 years in the industry, Kosport has touched the lives of almost every generation, from young Baby Boomers to Generation Alpha. People of all ages have memories of picking out a Kosport backpack and wearing it to school.
Kosport is expanding its product line into the fashion world. The brand will soon be producing a line of purses and wallets made from the same fabrics and materials as the backpacks, but in popular and fashionable purse styles such as crossbodies and clutches. The Kosport purses and wallets will be priced in the same range as the backpacks, $50.00 - $90.00. The Kosport logo will appear on a small rectangle on the back of the purses and wallets.
The president of the company wants the new line to be considered as its own fashion line and not an add-on or accessory to the Kosport backpacks or be located in back-to-school or travel departments. Other than that, the president is unsure how to market the Kosport line of purses and wallets. The president wants you to determine:
- A specific target market – Kosport has touched the lives of every generation, but choose one to target for the new product line.
- Marketing strategies – create strategies that will reach and engage the chosen target market.
- Sales channels – identify appropriate sales channels for the product line that will reach the chosen target market.
- Use of brand name – should Kosport lean into its well-known brand or use this opportunity to differentiate.
