1. Converse was a company that I do know very well and so is Nike. The need that converse has is Nike, without Phil Knight and his shoe empire Converse might not be here today. A want for them is to keep their distance from the brand and its customers. This has been their best marketing tactic since Dr. J wearing them in the NBA. The demand, well the demand is from the customers. They have demanded the shoe and its unique style stick around, they also demanded that it does not change but adapt to the new world without sacrificing the originality of the sneaker.
2. Converse and its customers are exchanging simple information, such as the products that are in demand and the products that are not. They let Converse know what style of shoe is most popular and converse lets them know that by the price of the shoe they appreciate their business.
Converse and its relationship with its customers is unlike anything I have ever heard of or seen. They have a marketing strategy that really allows the customers to dictate the brand growth, popularity and style. Converse has also created a great idea when they made the RED All Star sneaker. The other shoe that really links its customers to the company is the special edition shoes and the create your Converse promotion.
3. As I have mentioned briefly in the previous questions, Converse has done a great job with their pricing and their unique promotions that market the legendary sneaker. By converse keeping their prices low allows for a larger market availability and their promotions that allow celebrities and customers to design their own shoes.
4. It is hard to tell how Converse can maintain its growth and its authentic image. I would say just let the customers continue to have a say in the shoe line and continue on with their "good party guest" marketing strategy. If it is not broke then don't fix it, but merely adapt as the shoe market changes.
