UGG's battle to embrace the value of market research
Stephen WhitesideWarc
UGG boots is a billion-dollar brand that effectively created an entire category.
While the sheepskin footwear line, which is owned by Deckers Brands, dates back to the late-1970s, its rise to prominence really gained pace early in the new millennium. Helped – among other things – by the support of entertainment maven Oprah Winfrey, year-on-year growth peaked at more than 200% in 2004.
But as the laws of fashion and competition dictate, that expansion inevitably slowed to a less dramatic (if still robust) figure of 9.7% in the...