Hitting the ground running with smart use of data and analytics

In an increasingly health-conscious society, large numbers of people are using websites, mobile, social media and fitness apps to interact with their favorite sports brands, generating a wealth of potentially valuable information in the process.

But capturing this data and interpreting it in a meaningful way in order to drive growth is a constant challenge for the industry. Our client, a global sportswear company, wanted to explore new analytics approaches to expand its e-commerce operation, create more personalized and rewarding experiences for consumers, and inspire innovative product development.

We began work on this project when the client was in the early days of its digital strategy. Like many successful companies that had relied mainly on mass-market branding, it had little experience of direct-to-consumer interaction. It was not equipped to track and analyze consumers’ digital behavior and lacked the necessary data to optimize its e-commerce operation.

Our team guided the client on a journey, putting in the necessary analytics infrastructure and tools, then building up skills within the organization. Our first task was to improve the website, enabling the client to discover what helped people to make a purchase decision, and what barriers were blocking them. We also analyzed behavior in emerging markets such as China, where payment systems and access to the internet are fundamentally different to that in the US and Europe.

Another important part of the project was advising the business on social media, mobile and apps — fast-changing, fast-growing channels where analytics models were still in their relative infancy. Because many fitness enthusiasts are passionate digital advocates for their favorite brands, it is vital for sportswear companies to be at the top of their game here.

Social is a critical marketing vehicle and a critical research vehicle too. And mobile is becoming a platform not just for interacting but for transacting. As a company delivers new functionality and new mobile apps, analytics can help identify what different audiences there are and how their needs differ. That company can then tune the experience to them and personalize it, so they get the information they need, and get it quickly.

As a result of our work, the company implemented a sophisticated analytics approach, allowing it to make better, fact-based decisions, measure performance, and improve results. The business was able to grow intelligently — for example, by using mobile apps to support customized product launches.

Our client is well placed to keep pace with fast-evolving digital relationships and to capitalize on subsequent developments such as the Internet of Things (IOT), where sensors embedded in “smart” sportswear generate even more detailed data. Ultimately this will enable the company to gather information from products “in the field” and develop clothing and footwear that perform even more effectively.