Decathlon Singapore sprints off with new brand positioning

Decathlon Singapore has unveiled a new brand positioning, Sports Together, Decathlon Together, to strengthen its identity as an inclusive sporting brand for all. To raise awareness about the new brand positioning, the brand has launched three promotional ads on the brand’s website, YouTube and Facebook pages. Aside from digital channels, OOH ads will also be plastered across multiple locations and bus shelters nationwide to spread Decathlon’s exciting new message.

marketing director Kieran O’Shea told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that with a stable brand presence in the market after five years of operating in Singapore, Decathlon felt it was the right time to learn from its customers and external comapnies of where they believe its brand positioning is in SIngapore.

"This prompted the new brand positioning of making Decathlon synonymous with sporting together for everyone. Turning the brand into a word of action, we want to emphasise that there is a place for all at Decathlon – from elite athletes to casual sports lovers and even children," he added.

It is working with TSLA and dentsu for the campaign which will run for four weeks. In terms of campaign execution, Decathlon is putting a strong emphasis on creating emotional communication as compared to the strong focus on sales communication in the past. O'Shea explained that this strategy is essential as the brand would like consumers to better connect with Decathlon on a personal level. "Building this relationship is our first step to improving customer loyalty and to developing brand advocates," he added.

More than advertising efforts, Decathlon is looking to grow its team by creating 100 new positions across its supply, retail and digital teams over the next six months. According to O'Shea, some roles it is looking out for include SEO leader, production leader, SEA leader, category manager, and customer service leader.

Since its first brick-and-mortar launch in 2017, today Decathlon has 15 physical stores islandwide. The newest outlet in Northshore Plaza I Punggol, termed the Experience Store, boasts 4,200 square metres of space and features an exclusive feature mural wall and bike charging stations. Decathlon seeks to create an immersive and inclusive sports experience. In 2020, the brand launched its Decathlon App which garnered double-digit growth in the Singapore market. According to Decathlon, the turnover by the app increased by 14% from 2019.

In a separate interview with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE previously, Stephan Veyret, MD of Decathlon Singapore, said a large part of its digital transformation was focused on helping streamline the more manual, tedious part of the teams' work so as to create a more effective, enjoyable, and meaningful work environment.

This is best exemplified by the introduction of the PAL robot in its experience stores. The use of service robots from PAL Robotics ensures stock accuracy and automates the inventory process. This time-saving technology allows store teammates to focus on addressing shoppers’ needs instead, he added.

Veyret previously worked at Germany, the UK, France, and China. Based on his experience, he shared that localisation is key to success. While 80% of what works somewhere might work in every other market, Veyret explained that companies will still have to work hard on the 20% local specificities to build a strong project adapted to local realities.

"It is vital to listen to your local users and customers, define a project for them but keep your own convictions and always be true to yourself and to your values," he added.

Decathlon is working towards pioneering the business model of tomorrow for the sporting scene through more participative, convival, sustainable, phygital and interconnected customer-centric innovations in collaboration with Singapore's thriving start-up scene.

"My idea of the business model of tomorrow, and one that I would like to see Decathlon in 10 years down the road, is for the brand to be at the centre of an ecosystem dedicated to our sport users and customers, developing unified retail solutions and providing the best services, with ourselves or with partners," he added.

Having seen success in Singapore, the brand plans to expand its retail network locally to 37 locations in Singapore over the next few years, The Business Times reported, quoting Veyret. There will be seven larger Experience stores that have the full range of 5,000 products and 30 smaller "Click and collect" outlets where customers can pick up the items they purchased online.

Meanwhile on the PR front, Decathlon Singapore is currently working with WhiteLabel PR following two successful engagements for the opening of the Centrepoint Experience store in September 2020 and the Sports in Family campaign last June. WhiteLabel PR was officially appointed last July for a year covering corporate and lifestyle publicity as well as crisis management in Singapore.

According to Veyret, WhiteLabel PR was chosen because the team was able to understand the brand's mission and values, and live and breathe the sporty culture that Decathlon upholds. "Having a strong culture fit beyond their expertise was a strong reason why we awarded WhiteLabel PR as our retainer PR agency," he added.

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