Manitobah Mukluks

Many companies might like their products to be considered the original. The term is perceived as positive to customers and denotes a sense of tradition that can be a sought-after attribute. In the case of Manitobah Mukluks, the title The Original Winter Boot seems rather appropriate, although the company is only 22 years old. That is because the design of the winter boots from Manitobah Mukluks follows an Indigenous tradition that has been around for millenia. Its hard to get more original than that!

The vision of Manitobah Mukluks is this: As an Indigenous-owned company, our vision is to build a vibrant, global brand that makes a significant impact in Indigenous communities. The company is owned by Sean McCormick, who is Mtis. The company has grown significantly over the past few years and now has a presence in retailers across Canada. Growing demand for its products necessitated the purchase of a factory in Vietnam.

The company has taken a growth mentality when it comes to much of what it does. It created a new waterproof sealant for its boots called AuthenTEC. This new technology is matched with traditional designs in ways that reflect the companys overall direction. Through continuous innovation, Manitobah Mukluks finds more ways to incorporate tradition into their offerings. Along with popular modern winter boots like the Snowy Owl Mukluk Boot, the company has created a line called Storyboots. For this line, it partners with Indigenous elders and artisans who make mukluks and moccasins in the traditional way. Then, the company sells the products through its website and retail partners and gives 100 percent of the proceeds back to the designer.

The companys partner network is what is truly astonishing for a Canadian-based small company. Manitobah Mukluks has partner agreements with more than 600 retailers around the world. This includes small trading posts across Canada and large stores like Nordstrom and Holt Renfrew in large cities. The company has also been experimenting with running its own stores, establishing 3 pop-up shops in malls in Canada in 2018 and 17 pop-up shops in 2019.

In a recent Think with Google case study, Manitobah Mukluks was featured as an organization that has gone from a local Canadian manufacturer of lndigenous footwear to having customers in 45 countries. Unsurprisingly, the report focused on Google tools and advertising as the means by which the company was able to grow.

Josh Fine, the chief brand officer for Manitobah Mukluks, was featured in Think with Google article and was asked to assess how the companys growth was made possible. He noted that as e-commerce platforms continue to innovate, it has gotten easier for small businesses to bring that experience to customers. Many of the more complex marketing functions that are being performed by the best e-commerce companies in the world can now be done by small businesses using very simple tools, like Google Ads.

As a student going through a marketing course, you are happy to see the success of a Canadian company. But, youre a little troubled by Mr. Fines statement about how complex marketing functions can be performed using e-commerce companies like Google. You know that marketing is complicated and likely cannot be reduced simply to online advertising.

You decide that you should prepare a presentation for Mr. Fine, who will appear as a guest speaker at your school in a few weeks. Your task is to explain what marketing is truly about and how understanding the basics of marketing will help his business grow in sustainable ways.

The presentation should include concepts from the overview of marketing in the text and should provide some ideas as to how conducting marketing research might help Manitobah Mukluks. Tread lightly, as Mr. Fine is a strong believer in e-commerce as a means of marketing success!

With its Storyboots program, Manitobah Mukluks clearly exemplifies which type of orientation in the evolution of marketing?

a. marketing orientation

b. product orientation

c. sales orientation

d. societal marketing orientation

One area where Manitobah Mukluks has not developed is in the creation of a customer loyalty program. This type of program, along with CRM, is a great way to build whic important aspect of marketing?

a. exchange

b. value

c. relationship marketing

d. sales development

e. product development

A vital concept in marketing is the importance of value. Which of the following is NOT consistent with companies interested in customer value?

a. Offer products that perform.

b. Earn trust through loyalty programs.

c. Determine price limits for promotions.

d. Co-create experiences with consumers.