Case Activity: Vineyard Vines

Inspiration came to brothers Shep and Ian Murray, then in their 20s, when they started meeting for lunch and complaining about how they disliked their desk jobs and the business suits and ties that went with them. They decided to go into business for themselves and settled on a product they knew nothing about: neckties. If they sold enough ties, they reasoned, they could stop wearing them.

Today, more than 15 years later, Connecticut-based Vineyard Vines has grown into a multimillion-dollar business. Those familiar with the firm's success credit the Murrays' understanding of their customers' needs and their determination to make customers happy. The brothers say they're interested in dressing people not merely to go to work but rather to "take some fun to work." Their company sells clothes, but also a carefree lifestyle image that many people want to adopt.

For instance, one of Shep and Ian's first decisions, when they quit their jobs and began selling ties out of their cars, was to create whimsical designs that reflected the happy summers they spent on Martha's Vineyard while growing up. Thus was born the sporty vacation theme that runs through all their bright pastel designs, featuring lobster pots, sailboats, whales, crabs, and sports paraphernalia such as tennis racquets, golf balls, and hockey sticks. Customers who would rather be sailing, swimming, golfing, or fishing are quickly drawn to these lighthearted images and the lifestyle they conjure up.

Questions:

1. By understanding its customers' needs, which marketing management philosophy is Vineyard Vines utilizing?

a. Societal marketing orientation

b. Market orientation

c. Production orientation

d. Sales orientation

2. Vineyard Vines recently partnered with First Insight to utilize online social engagement tools to gather sentiment analysis and real-time data from its customers. Using the information gathered, Vineyard Vines will be able to quickly make product and pricing decisions, which will allow it to improve sales and margins online and in brick-and-mortar locations. This is an example of _______.

a. customer value

b. customer satisfaction

c. customer relationship management (CRM)

d. employee empowerment

3. When asked about lessons they have learned from starting their own business, Shep and Ian shared this: "...it's essential to empower the people around youyour team, customers, partners, vendorsbelieving in them 100 percent." This statement best reflects _______.

a. the value the company's products provide

b. the importance of building and maintaining relationships with stakeholders

c. the goal of customer relationship management

d. the tools the organization uses to achieve its goals