When Reebok first entered the sports sector in the 1980s, it held the top spot until Nike overtook it and recaptured it in the 1990s. Reebok outsold Nike in terms of sales in the late 1980s, 1.71B to 1.82 B. Early in the 1990s, Reebok started to experience setbacks.
The rivalry between Nike and Reebok escalated, and via its unique branding, Nike quickly overtook Reebok. Reebok fell behind Nike by a few billion dollars less than ten years after the latter reached its zenith, posting sales of $3.64 billion vs Nike’s $ 9.2 billion, and it hasn’t looked back since. What Led to the Demise of Reebok?
Reebok’s Downfall Reasons!
Considering that Reebok was having trouble finding a successor, partnering together felt like a perfect idea. When Adidas and Reebok joined forces, Adidas had a market share of just 5% in comparison to Reebok’s 17%. The two businesses each had a market and a wonderful opportunity to grow and expand into that market. They also frequently met to discuss it. Adidas attempted to encourage Reebok to become more physically active, but it failed miserably due to Nike’s dominance. Adidas taking Reebok’s market share was the cause of Reebok’s demise.
In its pursuit to revamp and establish its identity, Reebok underwent multiple logo changes, which had a negative impact on its reputation, making it seem less significant in the industry. Despite investing a substantial amount of $4 billion, Adidas faced difficulties in managing both brands simultaneously and failed to bring out the full potential of Reebok. However, it would not be fair to solely attribute Reebok’s downfall to Adidas, as there were various other factors at play.
Reebok attempted to expand into numerous markets and product categories simultaneously, frequently altering the style of its sneakers. While Reebok did have some noteworthy products and a decent market presence, it lacked a distinctive and memorable offering that could have sustained its success over a longer period of time.
Reebok once released a line of high-end running shoes, which people adored. However, the following year, Reebok changed the mould used to make the shoe, which made buyers who went to purchase the same shoe uncomfortable to wear. Reebok signed several sports stars who became enormous successes, but none of them resulted in significant financial gain or brand recognition for the company. Reebok also took a chance by collaborating with musicians to enter a niche market for sneakers. In the same year, they introduced both S. Carter and G-Unit footwear.
Reebok was the first business to collaborate with a singer, but the music trend for sports companies didn’t take off until too late. It was Reebok’s fault for failing to capitalize on the hype it generated for its products and for missing the opportunity to develop a cult following. Miscalculations in supply and demand by Reeboks were another factor. Reebok produced as many as 500,000 pairs of sneakers to meet the rising demand.
Customers were never made aware of the shoe shortage, and it worked against Reebok. They produced more goods than the consumers could possibly consume. Nike outscored Reebok in every area despite having a smaller team than Reebok. Reebok’s attempt to outdo Nike damaged its reputation even further because no one took the company seriously.
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