In bringing this assignment to fruition, it was great to bring knowledge from previous classes into a real company. I chose to do a company called Knolly Bikes who makes high end mountain bikes. I know the company very well because I have been sponsored by them for the last six years and worked for them from 2020-2022 as a social media and public relation manager. In many ways I am bias towards the company, but I know that they are in an interesting situation. The owner and engineer, Noel Buckley, likes where the company is now and has no ambition to grow in size so marketing and sales efforts are minimal.
This assignment emphasized the target audience that Knolly bikes is looking for. Being a high end niche brand, knolly is looking for returning customers and word-of-mouth marketing over larger, big budget marketing campaigns. A high emphasis on excellent customer service and superior engineering patents are the sole focus for Knolly. A campaign slogan of “Engineering>Marketing” is a clear indicator that the quality of the bike speaks for itself.
Looking at the marketing mix and a swot analysis determine that knolly is doing just fine in their current position. I have knowledge being an employee that they are earning a profit and intend to continue as business per usual without growth. The only continuing threat to the brand is to stay relevant in producing new products that rival the industry standard. Many of which are in the works.
Looking over the whole assignment, part of me wished I did the assignment on myself. I know Knolly very well and feel a little lost and anxious as graduation approaches. I don’t worry that I won’t find a job but I worry I wont find a job that satisfies me and challenges me in day to day activities. I feel I just need to start somewhere and stay positive in the workforce.
Reflection Video