CASE 6 Young Brands
YOUNG BRANDS (YB) is a manufacturer of sports clothing and team uniforms. Its industry is quite competitive, so the management team has attempted to operate a modern operation with state-of-the-art production facilities. Careful cost management has been an important factor in attaining profits. YB is considered a leader for its fashion sense, pricing, marketing, and product quality.
Professional and university-team uniforms and affiliated products are sold by company salesmen to teams and to retail stores throughout North America. YB currently uses a network of manufacturers' representatives to reach retailers in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. (A manufacturer's representative [MR] is an independent individual, sales agency, or company that sells a manufacturer's products to wholesale and retail customers in foreign countries.)
There is a large demand for licensed (approved) clothing with team logos and colors, and premium prices can be charged to retail customers who buy for themselves as fans, for friends and relatives as gifts, or simply to affiliate with a local (hopefully winning) team. The licensed clothing line includes sweatshirts; caps; jogging suits; baseball, football, and hockey shirts; and various accessories (such as tote bags, scarves, and towels).
CHANGES IN YB'S GLOBAL MARKETING STRATEGY
About a year ago, the senior managers concluded that YB products in global markets were “underappreciated” and that “sales could—and should—be substantially ...
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