Slowing the adoption and diffusion process to enhance brand repositioning: The consumer driven repositioning of Dunlop Volley

Abstract

What should you do when your brand becomes ‘hot’ overnight among influential endorsers? Do you exploit this sudden rise in popularity and mainstream the brand, or do you attempt to slow the diffusion process and seek to understand how to market to these consumers? Drawing on the case of Dunlop Volley in Australia, we argue that mainstreaming the brand by targeting later adopters results in a short-term fashion cycle rather than creating long-term brand value. Since these brands are ‘discovered’ by consumers, marketers must first understand the value system underlying this adoption and then fit the marketing program to these values. In the case of Dunlop Volley, slowing diffusion rates was achieved through four tactics: the rejection of hard sell marketing, appearing authentic, targeting alternative distribution channels and delaying launch to the mainstream audience. These activities ensured the ongoing credibility of the brand with endorsers and helped revitalize a long-thought ‘dead’ brand.