Aspire is a well-known Australian company that creates and sells athletic clothing and accessories. Founded in Melbourne in 1958, the brand currently sells its products worldwide and in over 100 countries. With over 600 stores in over 35 countries, the company is truly a global presence.

While Aspire is best known for its athletic clothing and accessories, the brand also creates and sells home products, swimwear, and workout gear. But with over 90% of Aspire’s revenue coming from their athletic clothing and accessories, it’s clear that the company focuses mainly on this area.

However, the athletic clothing and accessories manufactured by Aspire are not always created equal. You see, not all of the brand’s products are made equal, and despite its popularity, it seems that many people aren’t aware of this fact. Because of this, I’ll be discussing the various aspects of Aspire’s marketing history and whether it’s really as good as it seems on the surface or not.

The Beginning

A major contributing factor to Aspire’s popularity is undoubtedly their unique brand identity. When they were first established, the founders of the company wanted to capture the spirit of a true Aussie and created a logo that incorporated the kangaroo, the unique creatures that roam the country. Since then, the brand has stuck with this identity and created multiple store locations around the world. While the Kangaroo logo may not seem that unique when you see other athletic brands around the world, it is certainly distinctive and something that sets Aspire apart from the rest.

The Middle

What has made Aspire even more popular is their community of Aussie customers who shop the brand. The customers are extremely loyal, and many feel that the brand reflects their personality and values. Because of this, people around the world have started to imitate the brand’s marketing techniques, which has led to a decline in brand loyalty.

In 2017, Aspire launched a major remodel of its U.S. site. The rebranding included a new logo and a complete digital makeover. To further boost business in the United States and Canada, the company also established an office there. This move has proven to be very beneficial, and Aspire has seen a 130% increase in store visits and a 150% increase in web traffic. The brand is truly experiencing the benefits of a ‘modern’ approach to e-commerce.

The End

While the benefits of a centralized US office and a fully digital approach are evident, the path to success for Aspire is anything but smooth sailing. In fact, the brand has been through a lot over the years, and despite their recent success, they are certainly no stranger to hardship. In 1958, the company faced closure after just $500 was raised. Luckily, the founders of Aspire knew just what to do and put their minds to it. They leveraged their international connections to secure a small loan of $1,250 from a Japanese bank, which enabled them to remain afloat. Even when the company was at its height in the 1960s, they still had financial problems. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that things started to turn around for Aspire.

The brand thrived during the ‘70s and ‘80s, and they are now enjoying a resurgence in popularity. The key to their success? Price competition. When retailers started undercutting each other to attract customers, the market shifted in favor of the low-cost brands. That enabled Aspire to grow further and further thanks to word of mouth and the generation of online reviews. With low-cost brands flooding the market, it’s little wonder why Aspire enjoys such a loyal customer base. They know exactly what they are getting into when they buy from the brand.

In the ‘90s, the brand diversified beyond their Australian roots and started to manufacture products for the bodybuilding industry. It wasn’t long before they created an entire sport nutrition line, which enabled them to continue growing. The bodybuilding industry as a whole got a bad rap for a while due to anabolic steroids and other performance enhancers. However, as the anti-doping regulations got tougher, bodybuilders started moving to better-designed products.

These days, Aspire is a strong brand with a unique identity and a very loyal customer base. However, it’s not always easy being a successful brand in today’s world. They’ve had to adapt to each new generation, and while the majority of their customers have always been men, they’ve changed the way they market to women. In the not-too-distant future, Aspire hopes to build on their success and enter the U.S. market.