Abstract

The case “Skechers: A Checkered Past – Will it have a Stable Future?” talks about the emergence of Skechers USA Inc. (Skechers) as one of the leading footwear companies in the US. It chronicles the early business ventures of Robert Greenberg (Greenberg), the founder of Skechers. The case then delves into the reasons for the collapse of Greenberg’s earlier shoe company, L.A. Gear, Inc. (LAGI), in the early 1990s. It provides an overview of the product and marketing strategy undertaken by Greenberg to make Skechers a success. The case also provides details about the strategy adopted by Skechers to recover from the hit to its brand reputation, when it was accused of false advertising for a popular product. The case concludes with a look at the company’s future plans for expansion.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Evaluate the product strategy to be adopted in an industry with fast changing customer preferences
• Create a marketing strategy to connect with a wide range of customer categories
• Analyze the possible impact on brand value following negative publicity for a product

Keywords

Skechers,Footwear Industry,Publicity,Brand Management,Consumer Centric,Market Positioning,Brand Image,Market Segmentation,Targeting,Market Trends,Fashion,Celebrity Endorsement,Imitation,Marketing Message,Entrepreneurship