Marketing Analysis Project

Bird Co.
Electric Scooter in
Lisbon, Portugal
Group 4 Final Draft

Kristina Renaud, Jessica Rousseau, Meaghan Uhl
Profesor Cadavid
International Marketing-Business 325E
22 November 2018
Renaud, Rosseau, Uhl 2
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Investment Ranking 3
Company information 3
Country information 5
Business environment 10
Customer analysis 12
Bird service description 14
SWOT analysis 18
Competition analysis 24
Bird pricing 25
Bird promotion 28
Bird placement 29
Financing Bird 31
Conclusion 32
Works Cited 34
Launching Bird Electric Scooter in Lisbon, Portugal
Bird has the vision to bring sustainable and accessible transportation to every city across
the globe. The dockless electric scooter company was launched in 2017 by Travis
VanderZanden, and ex Uber and Lyft executive, in Santa Monica California. The electric scooter
sharing app allows users to rent the bikes at a cost of one dollar plus 15-20 cents per minute
(Bird, 2018). The app operates the same as Uber, Lyft or Cabify and users can pre-order scooters
or arrive at one of the many, convenient locations to rent a scooter for a period of time.
Currently, the electric scooter company has swarmed North America and operates in many cities
all over the country. In the international market, Bird has expanded to France, Israel, Belgium,
Austria, Mexico City and Brazil (Keane, 2018). Now, we are flying Bird into a new, commercial
city -- Lisbon, Portugal. Through extensive market research and company research, we write this
report to decipher the need for a sustainable, affordable and accessible form of transportation,
Bird electric scooters, in the consumer market for Lisbon, Portugal.
ɪɴᴠᴇ ᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ ʀᴀɴᴋɪɴɢ
Bird has most recently secured $150 million in C-funding round led by Sequoia Capital.
Bird is still in the stages private funding and has financed millions of dollars through
private investors. The company is currently valued at $2 billion (Business Insider, 2018).
The company is still an early startup, as a very new company that has only been launched
for just a bit over a year.
ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀɴʏ ɪɴ ᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
Bird was founded in May 2017 by Travis VanderZanden, former VP of Global
Driver Growth at Uber and CFO at Lyft (Linkedin). He promptly left Lyft after a
potential lawsuit of breaking a confidentiality agreement in 2014 and then began working
for Uber. With his knowledge and background of international growth from Uber, he left
in October of 2016 and a few months later launched the electric scooter company, Bird
(Bloomberg). Currently, the headquarters of Bird is located in Santa Monica, California.
Additionally, the company has grown
to currently between 250 and 500
employees across the globe. The startup
has locations all across North America,
that can be seen in Figure 4. Bird has
also added locations in Austria,
Belgium, France, Israel, Mexico, Madrid, Switzerland and London. Bird has also
partnered with Universities such as; UCLA, Ohio State and University of Texas, Austin,
as a way to grasp more market share (Techcrunch.com).
Bird has said to become “the uber of electric scooters” (Jonathon Shieber). The company
deployed its first set of electric scooters in September 2017 before financing $15 million in the
Series A round of February 2018 (Techcrunch.com). Now, Bird must make money on the scooter
service. If each scooter is valued at 500 rides, each ride being about 20 minutes, the company
could manage to break even after 165 rides and have 40.1% profit margin. This would total $813
of profit per scooter. This was a profit calculation equipped by TechCrunch, but allows investors
to visualize the immense profitability scooter services have on the market. Despite the startup
rapidly gaining funding, Bird has been facing some issues with the electric scooters. Currently,
Bird is facing problems with overcrowding and careless placement of the scooters that have
taken over sidewalks, streets and entrances of public buildings. These issues are mainly within
the origin of the company, Los Angeles, but also San Francisco, Kansas City, Washington D.C.
and other U.S. and international cities are complaining and in some cases suing Bird.
Overall, before entering into the Lisbon market, we need to ensure that we have applied
to the necessary permits and have support from the local government. We will have to consider
the implications on our target market and customer segmentation. Below, we have conducted a
country and customer analysis of Lisbon, Portugal.
ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ ɪɴ ᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
In order to ensure Bird would be a successful business model for Lisbon, we will first
decipher the prospective market. Firstly, Portugal is located mostly on the Iberian
Peninsula in southwestern Europe. As of 2017, the country population was estimated at
10,291,027 (TradeEconomics, 2018). The capital
city is Lisbon and the nationally-recognized
language is Portuguese. Regarding the history of
Portugal, the country has been settled and
re-conquered several times since it was founded in
868. The aftermath of the Christian Reconquest
against the Moors, when the country was first
founded, resulted in the primary religion being
Roman Catholic at 83% and the second being other
forms of Christianity (Weiner, 2016). Additionally, Portugal has been noted to have
established the world’s first global empire in the 15th and 16th century. It was at this time
that Portugal had monopolized the spice trade which brought in vast international trade
for the country (World Factbook, 2018). There is no doubt that Portugal has left profound
international and cultural impacts on the globe. Today, Portugal is a fully-developed
country with an advanced economy, and ranks very high for peacefulness according to
the Positive Peace Report (Institute of Economics and Peace, 2016).
Economic Factors. Before segmenting our specific market, it is important to ensure
Portugal has a healthy economy. We will be researching Portugal’s economical factors; Gross
Domestic Product (GDP), the Consumer Price Index (CPI), the current unemployment rate, the
interest rates and the balance of trade. We analyzed all economical factors under the FY 2017.
Portugal’s economy is number 46th in the world when comparing Gross Domestic Product as a
primary factor. The GDP of Portugal was 217.57
billion dollars while the United States was
19,390.6 billion (Trade Economics, 2018). This is
an alarmingly large difference when we take a
look at investing into a developed country, but it
is also a standard number for smaller countries in
Europe. The CPI for Portugal was at 102.97
while the CPI for the United States was at 247.91
(Trade Economics, 2018). The CPI indicates the amount consumers in the specified country pay
for a constant value of a basket of goods and services. The difference indicates that consumers in
the United States pay 144.94 higher than those consumers of Portugal. This is important to
consider when developing our pricing strategy. Additionally, the current unemployment rate for
Portugal is 8.1% while the United States is 4.1% (Trade Economics, 2018). The unemployment
rate is relative to each country but is still very high for Portugal. Some would argue that the
unemployment rate for the United States is absurdly high for this century as well. However, it is
important to consider the positive and negative effects on jobs for Bird entering a major city.
Next, we have considered the interest rates in both countries. Portugal was at 0% at the end of
2017 while the United States was at 1.5% (Trade Economics, 2018). An incredibly low interest
for Portugal may indicate that institutions such as banks are not at profit but it could also signify
higher consumer spending. Both are important to consider when entering into the country as a
foreign marketer. Finally, for the balance of trade, Portugal has a deficit of 1,200 million and the
United States also has a deficit at 52,000 million (Trade Economics, 2018). This indicates that
both countries are importing more goods than exporting. However, because Portugal has a
significantly smaller trade deficit, it is possible that Portugal could obtain the ability to export
more goods and services and move towards a positive trade balance. The economic factors are all
important to understanding the economic environment of Portugal in regards to the home
environment of the product, Bird.
Political Factors. Portugal has been a republic since the overthrow of the monarchy in
1910. Portugal is considered a semi-presidential republic, meaning that under the constitution
includes a popularly-elected, fixed-term president who serves for five years and a Prime Minister
and cabinet who are collectively responsible for the legislature and to run the government. The
President represents the nation, serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, appoints the
Prime Minister, and convenes or dissolves Parliament when necessary. The Prime Minister
actually runs the government and appoints the Council of Ministers. The ministers are in charge
of debating and approving the
bills that pass through parliament.
Parliament is made up of 230
member who are voted in by the
public and elections are every four
years.
Cultural factors.
Hofstede’s model is successful in
analyzing the inherent cultural
differences between two countries. It is important to understand these cultural differences before
doing business with another country to be aware of any risks with cross-cultural communication.
Please reference Figure 3 a bove to see the overall comparison of Hofstede's dimensions
comparing both culturals. The first dimension is power distance. Portugal scores higher in power
distance (63) than the United States (40). The power distance in Portugal reflects the hierarchical
distance that is recognized by society between the highest positions and their subordinates. This
can be analyzed through a business model. Due to the higher power distance in Portugal, the boss
is recognized the superior and anyone below the boss should not give feedback even if asked.
However, the United States is lower in power distance because people are encouraged to share
their opinions no matter the title of job in order to live up to the belief of “liberty and justice for
all.” This is important to recognize because this major difference could arise in cultural conflicts.
As a United States company, we need to understand that Portuguese bosses may only want to
speak to higher positions in our company. The next dimension is Individualism. Portugal scores
very low (27) for this dimension. This signifies the country’s commitment to the group and
loyalty of the people. The collectivist culture is evident and fosters strong relationships where
everyone operates as a family, even businesses. In the Portuguese business environment, family
comes before business, and the two are often mixed as families often times work together in a
company. The United States scores very high (91) for the individualism dimension. This means
that the United States identifies with being highly individualistic and competitive in nature. In
the business world, employees are expected to be self-sufficient and display initiative. This
extreme difference in individualistic and competitive nature combating personalities of
teamwork and loyalty may make it difficult to conduct international business. It is important to
remember that Portugal operates to benefit the common good and it may be difficult to maintain
permits to enter the city of Lisbon if it is not evident that our product will benefit all of society.
Next, the third dimension is Masculinity. Portugal scores low on this dimension (31),
making it more of a feminist culture. Therefore, the country is more focused on working to live
and people strive to have quality of living. Also, conflicts are resolved by compromise and
effective managers are supportive to their employees. On the other hand, the United States scores
high in Masculinity (62) and this is synonymous with the Individualistic dimension. The United
States is very competitive and has a “live to work” attitude. Employees hope to gain
self-recognition and see results in their contributions. This cultural difference signifies the
importance of communication between our company to any mutual company in Portugal. It is
also important to note how employees work or what the incentives may be if Bird were to open
offices in Lisbon. For example, while a U.S. employee may want to receive a bonus, the
Portuguese employee would want to receive time-off or more vacation time. The fourth
dimension is the uncertainty avoidance or the degree to which a country attempts to avoid the
unknown. Portugal scored very high (99), compared to the U.S. at (46). This means that
compared to the United States, Portugal likes stability and controlling the future and does so by
enforcing regulations and laws. This cultural difference is crucial when applying for grants and
permits to operate in Lisbon, because it is possible that Portugal has additional laws and
regulations. Finally, the fifth culture dimension is short-term versus long-term orientation.
Portugal scored at 26 and the United States at 28, both have short-term orientation. This means
that both countries tend to be spenders and want fast results. In the business world, this is helpful
to note the way consumers spend and could aid in the way Bird adapts a pricing strategy or
conducts promotional materials. Overall, Hofstede’s model for Cultural Dimensions allows us to
conduct our own market research on the cross-cultural differences between both countries. In the
following section, we will analyze the specific business culture and focusing on the business
environment of Portugal.
ʙᴜ ɪɴᴇ ᴇɴᴠɪʀᴏɴᴍᴇɴᴛ
In Portugal, punctuality is not seen as overly important, even in a business environment.
It is considered polite for the host to arrive on time, and for the others to arrive five
minutes late to a meeting. When waiting for a meeting in Portugal it can be common to
wait even up to twenty minutes, but it is considered rude to be kept waiting more than
thirty minutes.
Appearance is very important in the Portuguese culture. Appearance expresses success
and statues. For women in the business environment, it is best to dress conservatively, however
trousers are acceptable. For men, the standard business suit is still common in the Portuguese
business environment. The rules concerning the right fit of the jacket, shirt, and tie are very
strict, and long sleeves may not be rolled up.
It is common to give gifts to customers and partners in the Portuguese business culture. It
is seen as offensive to reject a gift. Gifts are a personal gesture, and it is not appropriate to
distribute a gift to staff, or re gift an item. Gifts are a sign of respect, not a bribe. It is polite to
open a gift immediately after receiving it at the beginning of the encounter and then express
gratitude, but it is impolite to immediately give a gift back at the same time. It is polite to say
thank you as well as send a thank you note. Spirits and personal items from your home country
are acceptable gifts, however flowers are not.
When entering a business negotiation with a Portuguese business partner you must show
respect by greeting them with a firm handshake and meeting direct eye contact. Formal dress
wear is always recommended. It is better to dress overly formal rather than too casual. It is
common in Portugal to get to know a potential business partner over a long business lunch in a
restaurant before negotiating business terms. Portuguese may finish a meeting or a project with
unclear business objectives but rather when they have a feeling of a job well done. The key to
reaching a mutual business agreement during negotiation is to be polite but clearly assert your
conditions. It is inappropriate to talk business during social situations, and Portuguese business
partners may want to share their culture with you by taking you out to social events after
meetings.
Environmentally conscious companies are starting to trend in Portugal, which could be a
competitive advantage for companies entering the Portuguese market. As an international
company entering into a new market, it is important to understand that bribery, tax evasion, and
corruption are all common business practices in Portugal. This may alter the way Bird conducts
business in the future.
ᴄᴜ ᴛᴏᴍᴇʀ ᴀɴᴀʟʏ ɪ
In order to develop a market strategy for implementing Bird electric scooters in Lisbon, it
is also important to research the market segmentation of the city of interest. Portugal has
a total population of 10.279 million people (constituting .13% of the total world
population) with 504,718 residents in
Lisbon (Worldometers 2018). 67% of
Portugal’s population is urbanized
(with a .91% annual rate of change)
and the median age is 44.4 years old.
Breaking down the population by age,
we see 15.34% of individuals are
0-14 years old, 11.36% are 15-24
years old, 41.72% are 25-54 years old,
12.18% are 55-64 years old, and 19.4% are 65 years and older. The obesity prevalence
rate among adults is 24% and unemployment rates are at a staggering 37.6%, affecting
both male and female sectors similarly with a 36.4 percentage and 39.1 percentage
respectively (Wordmap1.com 2018). Although, Lisbon holds only roughly 20% of
Portugal’s overall population, it is still a significant opportunity for Bird to expand.
Portugal has historically been known as Western Europe’s poorest country, however
growing infrastructure and beautiful weather has drawn in floods of tourists and aided in
strengthening the economy. The official minimum salary in Lisbon in 557 euros per month, a
statistic that is lower than neighboring Western European countries. The average salary in
Lisbon, however, is 860 euros per month (Check in Price 2018). Although this statistic is lower
than the average salary in many other European countries, the quality of life in Portugal
continues to draw in many new settlers. The biggest job opportunities for Portuguese individuals
is in the service or tourism sectors. Many jobs entail giving tours, navigating through the city
center, and exploring everything that Lisbon has to offer.
The most ideal target market for Bird would be adults aged 16-50 (possibly older) who
live an active lifestyle or are engaged in outdoor activities / work in a related field. Our target
market will extend to tourists, local families, and students. By introducing the product in mass
quantities to Lisbon before any of its competitors, Birds would gain a competitive advantage and
make steps towards achieving brand recognition and ultimately brand loyalty. The presence of
Bird scooters around the city would be great advertising in it of itself, accompanied by billboard
ads in airports and busy locations as well as a combination of social media and internet
advertising. Branding itself as an energy saving company would be incredibly beneficial as this
is a current trend in Portugal. Overall, there are many opportunities to capture market share and
gain success for Bird in Lisbon.
ʙɪʀᴅ ᴇʀᴠɪᴄᴇ ᴅᴇ ᴄʀɪᴘᴛɪᴏɴ
Bird Co. is a service company offering affordable and alternative transportation with
electric scooters around the world. Bird accesses an untapped potential of the market by
offering alternative forms of transportation at affordable prices. Because the electric
scooters are easy to maneuver and make avoiding traffic patterns simple, Bird becomes
an attractive alternative to other forms of transportation. The service is simple to use with
only a few clicks on a mobile device or monitor. The application allows the user to locate
the nearest bike, pay online and begin
riding within minutes. In highly congested
areas of traffic, such as metropolitan areas
and cities, Bird becomes a very marketable
and successful product. In areas with
young people or students, Bird becomes
attractive due to the low prices. Lastly,
based on the ease with riding these electric
scooters, families become potential target consumers as well.
Bird Co. electric scooters have transformed the traffic patterns and ways of moving
around in many cities. Now, Bird Co. will continue providing an innovative service in
order to quickly and efficiently move from one place to the next in Lisbon, Portugal.
Brand Name. Bird Co. has a unique brand name and image. A bird symbolizes flight,
travel and freedom. The name alone should resonant easy and fast travel for consumers. With a
name like “Bird,” it is the hope that consumers associate the electric scooters with the way of
traveling similar to that of a bird. The brand name and image will not be modified when entering
into the market of Lisbon, Portugal. However, Lisbon has become an upcoming city in Europe as
being environmentally conscious. Bird could potentially modify marketing campaigns and use
this angle for promotion. Birds obviously have the ability to fly and travel quickly from one
place to the next but people associate birds inherently with nature and its surroundings. As part
of the marketing and promotion component, Bird co. could change marketing techniques to be
more centered around the environment, with the bird as the main focus. For more information on
product promotion, please reference product promotion section.
ird will use a geocentric

Product Standardization. B
marketing orientation for Lisbon, Portugal. This approach matches
the orientation of the company because of the product, price,
promotion and distributed placement. Bird has a geocentric
orientation for its electric scooters because the scooters are a
standardized product created with the global market in mind. The
electric scooters are the same all across the globe with slight
modifications such as the charging adaptors for each country and a few additions that will be
made to target specific markets in Lisbon. Please reference the SWOT analysis and opportunities
section for more information on prospective modifications on the electric scooters in Lisbon.
Bird’s pricing strategy will also follow a geocentric approach. The set price will remain the same
as set previously with other countries. However, Bird will be adding a new concept to the pricing
distribution by creating additional pricing methods to target major groups; families, tourists and
students. For more information on the Lisbon pricing strategy, please reference the section on
product pricing.
With promotional efforts, Bird will also use a standardized advertising campaign with the
majority of advertisements. For these campaigns, Bird will use little to no words and mainly
focus on controlled images of the electric scooters with the Bird logo. Bird will targeting two
groups that have not yet been focused on in other countries; tourists and families. In its primary
market, North America, Bird has continuously targeted students and Universities. With the
addition of target consumers, the promotion of Bird will change slightly. The section on product
promotion has more information regarding the promotional details of each major target group.
Bird’s fourth component of the geocentric marketing orientation would be the distribution
placement. Bird will operate under a vertical distribution approach in which the producer and
distributor in Lisbon will work together. The placement of the electric scooters is just as
important to the success of the company. The electric scooters have to be seen and found to be
used as a service. If the scooters are placed in a less popular location, they may be difficult to
find and may discourage people from purchasing the service. The placement of the scooters will
also contribute to the manner in which Bird targets its consumers. The scooters will be placed in
optimal locations in Lisbon to target the three major groups; tourists, families and students.
Please reference the section on product placement for specific information on placement of the
electric scooters.
s Bird scooters will line the streets of Lisbon, it is important

Packaging and Labeling. A
that their image is maintained in a positive manner. For this reason, the actual makeup and image
of the electric scooters is important, as are the appearances of the racks if they are chosen to be
placed around Lisbon. Currently, the Bird electric scooter has a classic black neck with the white
logo isolated on the street view of the scooter. The overall image of the scooter is very sleek and
universal, similar to the design of Uber. As Bird migrates to Lisbon, the image of the scooter will
be left untouched. The look is unique and stands out on the streets without being obnoxious to
pedestrians. However, scooter racks have yet to be implemented in the major Bird cities, but it is
something that could transform the usability, accessibility and convenience to Bird scooters.
Currently, the scooters are owned by “nesters” and at the end of the day, if scooters are left in the
street, the nesters must pick them up to recharge for the night. However, often times that does not
always happen and the scooters are left scattered on the street to the dismay of pedestrians.
Adding bike racks to the cities major landscapes and tourist areas could provide a unique way to
keep the scooters and allow for another form of promotion. Tourists and locals would notice the
scooter racks on their way across town. On a hot, summer day or in between one tour to the next,
customers could easily hop on, hop off the scooters from central locations in the city. Packaging
and labeling will be an important asset to gain new prospective clients and maintain a positive
image on the streets.
After Sales Services. This section provides important insight into foreseeable issues
amongst consumers after launch in Lisbon, Portugal. Bird Co. has already established designated
personnel, or the “Nesters” to pick up the electric scooters at the end of the day on the streets.
However, as seen in the news recently, Bird has had many problems with pedestrians and local
government due to the amount of scooters simply left, parked in the middle of the sidewalks. It is
important to ensure that one of the after sales services includes an overload of employees or
“Nesters” so the scooters are placed in the appropriate places. In the first few months of launch
in Lisbon, the electric scooters should have a positive image to the public. Additionally, if
scooter racks were put into place, it could be a very convenient location for picking up and
parking. It would also avoid this issue of annoyance to the public with the scooters in every
corner. Another after sales service that should be considered is customer service. If people
experience issues while traveling or trying to book a bike, there should be a hotline service to
contact. Lisbon has about 4.5 million tourists each year, that is more than Barcelona and Prague
by about 4 or 5 tourists per city resident (Xinhua, 2018). It is important that trained employees
are put on these hotline services and speak a variety of different languages; Portuguese, Spanish,
English, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Italian and Dutch. The most popular nationalities
to travel to Lisbon are from Spain, the United States, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, China, the
Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium. According to a recent report from Portuguese
government, Portugal welcomed 21 million tourists in 2017. Lisbon accounts for 15.7 million
euros of tourism tax for 2017 and capital is continuing to grow in Portugal (Froyd, 2017). It is
important for Bird to take advantage of this growth in tourism, specifically in Lisbon but also
ensure that tourists will become repeat buyers in Lisbon and other cities by ensuring quality
service.
ᴡᴏᴛ ᴀɴᴀʟʏ ɪ
Bird Co. has revolutionized the meaning of convenient public transportation. First
by expanding through the US, the arrival of Bird scooters in a various cities has captured
the attention of citizens and investors. Bird Co. has been compared to Uber and Lyft as
one of the revolutionaries of the transportation industry due to its immense global growth
and expansion. Saar Gur, an investor at CRV attests, “If I were to simplify it, I think this
innovation could be as profound as the automobile. But there are also lots of questions”
(Marketreportr). As we have learned in numerous case studies, initial popularity does not
guarantee consistent success and it is crucial to take an internal and external look at the
company prior to further expansion.
Strengths. One of Bird Co.’s greatest strengths is simply existing in a desirable market.
By 2025 The Global Electric Scooters Market is predicted to flourish into a 28.56 billion dollar
industry at a 7.3% CAGR in the forecast period
(Business Insider 2018). This market sector is
currently in the trajectory phase and has a slight rise
in prices, competitors, and demand. Bird Co. has
taken full advantage of this, establishing a net worth
of 2 billion in about a year and a half. Also, Bird
Co. capitalizes on the market for vehicle rides less
than 6 miles. Bird Co. fulfills consumer needs for
short-term transportation by providing a quick,
convenient, and affordable option. Not only is this service advantageous for customers, but it
also coincides with governmental policies and social values to become eco-friendly in Lisbon.
2015 statistics show that “two-thirds of consumers consciously choose to avoid specific brands
or items due to environmental concerns” (Kennell 2017). Bird Co. mirrors these values;
spokeswoman Mackenzie Long stated, “Bird’s true mission is to get cars off the road and to
make them safer and healthier moving forward, making way for bikers and walkers and scooters
that are better for our cities and the people living in them” (Bowman 2018). In addition to the
primary service of scooter rides, Bird Co. also employs support staff to answer questions on the
phone, engineers to track where scooters are going, and technicians to remove damaged scooters
from the streets. Another strength of Bird Co. is their ability to quickly expand business. Bird
Co. has provided over 10 million rides in their first year of operation and currently operate in
over 100 cities throughout North America, Europe and Asia (Hawkins 2018). Global expansion
of operation came quickly yet cautiously. Patrick Studener oversees Bird Co.’s global expansion
process and hired a 30-employee team dedicated to operation in Europe. The team
communicated with local officials and conducted experiments in Paris prior to the scooter launch
in efforts to ensure business would transition smoothly. Bird Co.’s approach to European
markets should be common practice with all expanding business. However, many companies
overlook these crucial steps and take major risk when opening to a new market; thus we include
Bird Co.’s value of preparation as one of their strengths.
ird Co. unfortunately did not have the same level of preparation when
Weaknesses. B
initially launching their company as they did with
Europe. Bird Co. did not sufficiently communicate with
local authorities prior to their launch. Santa Monica’s
director of policy, Anuj Gupta, told local reporters,
“These scooters literally just began showing up on our
streets last fall. The challenge is they decided to launch
first and figure it out later” (Price 2018). Appearing
without warning or local input has frustrated many
affected officials and citizens as the scooters tend to
clutter sidewalks and pose obstacles for others to get
around, especially those in wheelchairs, as expressed in
Figure 9. Seattle has made efforts to keep electric scooter companies out of the city until they
can draft and enforce regulations. San Francisco citizens expressed their frustration through
vandalizing the scooters, whereas LA residents set the scooters on fire and threw them into the
ocean, trash cans, and even toilets (CBS San Francisco 2018). This negative perception even
spread to parts of Europe. Matthew Hughes, a European news journalist posts an article titled
Those Ridiculous Bird Scooters Are Now In Europe where he criticized the company on many
fronts. At the end of his argument he states, “Fortunately, I live in England, where motorized
scooters are mercifully banned from the UK roads, but I spend enough time in Europe to resent
this” (Hughes 2018). Bird Co.’s approach to national expansion could possibly employ
irreversible effects on society’s impression of the brand. This is a weakness of the company and
should be addressed immediately before launch in Lisbon, Portugal.
Opportunities. Despite the fact that Bird Co. made mistakes in early expansion, there are
still many opportunities for the company to grow and obtain success. Founder Travis
VanderZanden states,
“This is a huge opportunity right now to have a huge impact on transportation. We were
the innovators on the electric scooter sharing market, and we were the first in the world to
do it. We think it's the right solution to get people out of cars. It's lightweight. It's easy to
use. It's affordable” (Hawkins 2018).
Not only is there the opportunity to expand business globally, but also the opportunity to
diversify or alter the service offerings. Bird Co. can bring local jobs to individuals willing to
collect and charge scooters in various cities, which could help with local perception and brand
loyalty and recognition. The company could also evolve to install baskets on the front of the
scooter to stand out compared to competition. This is a prospective modification that would cater
to families. The biggest opportunity for Bird Co. is to work with architects and engineers to
restructure cities to become more eco-friendly. Data analysis from GPS information obtained
from the scooters can show which routes or locations in a city are most populated. This is
valuable information when trying to reconstruct a city. Los Angeles Urbanism Editor Alissa
Walker talks about this growing opportunity in her article Don’t ban scooters. Redesign streets:
Seville, Spain—a city almost identical in size to San Francisco—built out a
comprehensive “lightning” bike-lane network in just 18 months. The number of
people commuting by bike daily increased tenfold in about four years. How did it
work? The city carved out space from existing roadways—and eliminated 5,000
places to park cars. (Walker 2018)
Reconstructing cities in similar ways to that of Seville would open the door to differing modes of
transportation. Bird Co. has an incredible opportunity to work with cities globally to become
more environmentally friendly.
A specific opportunity for Bird Co. is expansion into Lisbon, Portugal. The city was built
atop seven steep hills and similar to many other cities around Europe, Lisbon has a serious
congestion problem. Pedro Machado, an employee for Lisbon’s transport body comments on the
traffic problems of Lisbon, “Lisbon is a city which has high commuting patterns. We get a lot of
people in the morning coming from the outside; that’s a problem that can go on for two hours”
(Laker 2017). The adaptation of new eco-friendly modes of transportation in Lisbon would
create huge improvements in air quality, health, and liveability. Not only would the introduction
of Bird scooters improve the local environment, but it also fulfills customers’ needs for quick
and effortless transportation through Lisbon’s steep streets. The city center has the highest
concentration of steep hills. Coincidentally, the center has the highest concentration of schools,
job locations, and tourist attractions (Worldmap1.com 2018). Bird scooters would be most
successful amongst local students, employees, and tourists because of this reason. The electric
aspect of the service would capture a broader range of customers compared to a traditional
bicycle. Pedro Machado, an employee for Lisbon’s transport body, draws from e-bike success in
Madrid, “If you’re comfortable riding 3km on a regular bicycle, then you’ll be comfortable doing
8km on an e-bike, so it captures people that would not be able to use a normal bike” (Laker
2017). Bird Co. could also partner with local tour groups to give guided electric scooter tours
around the city, similar to what some companies currently do with bikes or segways.
New policy in Portugal allows individuals with a driver’s license to ride a scooter or a
motorcycle up to 125cc without another license or training (Lisbon Guru 2018). Most scooters
are used locally, generally within 5 kilometers from home. However, because gasoline prices are
1,50 euros per litre and continue to rise, consumers tend to favor more budget friendly options.
Following the Gira bike hiring scheme, Lisbon currently has 60 kilometers of cycle routes and
shared paths, and is expected to increase to 150 kilometers (Lisbon Guru 2018). The Gira bike
hiring scheme introduced e-bikes to Lisbon and has seen a positive public reaction. Citizens
value the electric powered bikes to easily navigate through the hilly terrain. Portugal has openly
welcomed the introduction of this new electric mode of public transportation and does not have
any stated policy or regulation on the topic (Export.gov 2018). Also, there are no statements
concerning the need of a permit for these companies. These factors combined provide the ideal
environment for Bird’s dockless electric scooters to thrive.
Threats. Bird Co. faces many threats to the company as a whole. Overall, safety questions
and concerns arise in participating cities and can damage the company’s reputation. New Orleans
journalist Alex Woodward writes, “There are many reports of scooters riding on sidewalks and
bussing around bicyclists and pedestrians, who fear being mowed down by Silicon Valley
characters now dominating urban spaces” (Woodward 2018). Scooters travel at fifteen miles per
hour on average. In comparison, pedestrians walk at about three to four miles per hour. The
speed and weight of vehicle coupled with the weight of the rider would result in a dangerous
force when colliding with pedestrians. An excess of electric scooters could possibly create a
hostile walking environment for pedestrians. Ensuring the safety of customers is instrumental in
winning over skeptics and gaining overall brand loyalty. Other overall threats to the company
include the threat of competitors. This includes direct competitors such as Lime as well as other
public transportation systems such as metros, trams, busses, Uber, Lyft, etc. In addition, overall
public reaction to the company can pose a threat to success. If citizens react in a similar way to
certain individuals in San Francisco and Los Angeles, the brand’s reputation could be
compromised.
When considering expanding into Lisbon, Portugal, it is important that corporate officials
consider these various threats and adjust accordingly. Although Bird Co. does not need to obtain
any foreseeable permits in order to conduct business, as well as the positive public reaction to the
Gira bike hire scheme, there is still a possible threat of backlash from local government and
citizens (Export.gov 2018)
ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇᴛɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴀʟʏ ɪ
Bird’s main competition is fellow public for hire electric scooter company, Lime. A San
Francisco based company, Lime also looks to bring affordable mobility to the public
through their shared scooters, bikes, and transit vehicles. They share the same pricing
strategy, in which to use a Lime scooter, one must scan the QR code on the scooter with
the Lime app on their phone. It also costs $1 to start and then 15 cents per minute. (About
Lime).
In June, 2017, Lisbon unleashed their own electronic public hire bike system where one
could hire a public electric bike via an app. The bikes are placed in the flatter parts of the
notoriously hilly city of Lisbon. An annual pass for the bikes, available to residents, costs €36
and a daily ticket for tourists costs €10. The bikes also carry advertising, which generates profit.
The city of Lisbon built multiple colorful bike lines and lanes around the city in order to promote
the use of electronic bikes and scooters. The Lisbon government hopes to encourage these modes
of transportation in Lisbon in order to decrease downtown traffic and congestion as well as
decrease environmental pollution. (The Guardian, 2017).
As for public transportation in Lisbon, there is an extensive line of busses, metros, and
trams. For the bus, there is a one ride
flat fare of €1,80 paid in cash once
you board. Flat fare on the trams
(streetcars) is now €2,85 with the
object being to make more users buy
pre-pay passes. A single ticket on the
metro is €1,90 without a
rechargeable card, €1,40 with a
rechargeable card. There are no
student discounts, and only a senior
discount if you are a local resident of Lisbon. There are also no

weekly or monthly tickets available. There is a 24 hour pass available to tourists to pay €6,50
their first day, and then recharge €6,00 for every day after. It allows for unlimited use on all
busses, metros and trams throughout the city. There is also a ‘zapping’ rechargeable card that
charges each ride on the metro, tram or bus €1,25, and €1,80 for each ride on trains. (Trip
Advisor). The yellow Lisbon trams are an iconic tourist favorite. Despite the tourist appeal, they
are also a legitimate mode of public transportation in Lisbon, especially downtown. They are
even used by the locals daily. While the yellow trams are the most iconic, the green and red
trams are used exclusively for tourists.
As for ride sharing apps, Uber, Cabify, Taxify, and MyTaxi are all available in Lisbon.
They are quite affordable in comparison to taxis from other cities and countries, but typically not
as affordable as public transportation.
ʙɪʀᴅ ᴘʀɪᴄɪɴɢ
Currently, Bird prices the product at $1 to start your ride, and then 15 cents per minute.
One must have the Bird app downloaded onto their phone and connect their account to a
credit card in order to charge
their account every time they
ride. If someone wants to
activate, or unlock, a bird
scooter, they must use the
QR reader on the Bird app to
scan the QR code on the
scooter. They are then

charged until they lock the scooter via the app. Bird’s goal is to bring affordable methods
of transportation to low-income people. (IndyStar, 2018). However, for our expansion of
Bird into Lisbon, we decided to expand the pricing options in order to attract different
target markets. To attract more tourists and families who want to ride together, we
decided to offer a discounted price for large groups of people riding collectively. A
highly coveted target market for the Bird scooters are students, and Bird has already done
an excellent job of placing many of their scooters on major college campuses across the
USA, but in order to ingrain brand loyalty, we wanted to create a long-term discounted
student membership for Lisbon students. Lisbon students could sign up for a year-long
discounted membership with their school email, in which for a flat fee they have
unlimited rides with Bird. This would increase brand loyalty and repeat business.
We would still keep the current pricing strategy that has already been so successful for
Bird as well for short-term, solo tourists, as they would expect the same pricing worldwide and
would not want to pay for a long term membership or a group fee. Bird is currently equally
priced to their main competitor, Lime. As for the extensive public transportation in Lisbon,
referenced in the competitor analysis section that in comparison to the public transportation
ticket prices, Bird scooters are equally or slightly higher priced than most other local Lisbon
transportation competitors. However, Birds are priced lower than taxis and ride sharing apps
such as Uber, Cabify, MyTaxi, or Taxify.
ᴘʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ
One of the most important elements of operation is product promotion. Bird Co.’s
expansion into Lisbon has a clear target market of tourists, families, and students.
Bird Co. product promotion will target these individuals by placing advertisements in
ideal locations. In order to successfully reach these markets, Bird Co. has to advertise in a
variety of ways. These advertisements will appeal to schools and advertise family trips,
promotions and discounts for students. They will be placed in high tourist areas such as
train stations, airports, bus stations and metro stations. In addition, Bird Co. should be
cautious of their brand image and identify themselves as a beneficial service to the
community and environment in order to avoid a negative public reaction.
Advertising through the media in Lisbon is very similar to the majority of developed
Western countries: newspapers, magazines, TV, and Internet are the most popular forms
(Export.gov 2018). The most important aspect is to place Bird Co. advertisements in a location to
reach the target market. When focusing on students, Bird Co. should engage with local
Universities to offer discounts for group trips or students. For example, there could be
advertisements with students highlighting how easy the daily commute to and from school could
be with Bird. Placing advertisements in the school newspaper or on the school’s website could
aid in reaching this market. In order to reach families, it would be advantageous to place
advertisements in local grocery stores, at popular employment locations, and local entertainment
centers. Advertisements focused on capturing tourists would be placed in the most
tourist-saturated locations. This includes airports, hotels, and train, metro and bus stations. In
addition, advertisements should be placed near the biggest tourist attractions including El Castelo
de São Jorge, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Oceanário de Lisboa, as well as a variety of museums
(Bernhardt).
The advertisement content is just as important as its placement. In order to avoid previous
mistakes of coming across as invasive and disruptive, advertisements should express Bird Co.’s
desire to better the community lifestyle and environment. Catering to social values such as
affordable and eco-friendly transportation will give Bird scooters a competitive advantage. A
possible advertisement suggestion could be before and after pictures of air quality showing how
beneficial electric scooters are to the environment. Focusing on images would correlate with the
geocentric marketing orientation, so that any international visitor could understand the
promotion. Advertisements targeted to tourists should employ a feeling of comfort and
familiarity to viewers. It also should highlight how effective and fun Bird scooters are as a mode
of transportation in Lisbon. This can effectively be done by keeping advertisements simple and
image based. In this way, advertisements can be understood by a greater proportion of viewers.
Bird Co. scooters provide a massive advantage in the sense that they are self marketors.
The simple presence of Bird scooters at optimal locations advertises the brand through the design
and logo present on the scooters. Especially because these scooters are parked on prime real
estate, it is imperative to station the scooters at areas with high foot traffic to maximize their
advertising ability.
pʀᴏᴅᴜᴄᴛ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ
Bird scooters need to be placed in ideal locations for the targeted individuals.
The main service Bird scooters seek to provide is a convenient mode of transportation for
the “first and last mile” of a commuters journey. It is important to to address strategies
concerning company suppliers, needed import documentation, location of the scooters,
and method of transportation.

ird Co. should partner with a native segway manufacturer in order to

Sources of inputs: B
create their product. This will allow the company to save on transportation costs as well as allow
them to connect with the local culture. Partnering with a local company can help establish
legitimacy and better connect with the new market. The segway manufacturer would also help
construct a scooter that is ideal for Lisbon’s terrain.
Import tariffs and barriers: U.S. exports to the European Union have an average tariff of
6.4 percent (Statista 2018). The International Trade Administration posted a document outlining
relevant rules and regulations. European Union rules on electronic equipment do not require
specific customs or import paperwork, however they may entail a financial obligation for U.S.
exporters. U.S. exporters need to register products with a national WEEE authority or have done
through a local partner (Export.gov 2018). These are obstacles that should be accounted for,
however they can easily be overcome.
Location: I f the company wants to successfully reach its target market, the product needs
to be placed in desirable locations. With the initial launch of the service, officials should place
the electric scooters near metro and bus stations, parks, the beach, malls, museums, and castles.
These locations would be the most ideal for travelers. The electric scooters should also be placed
near schools, grocery stores, and other popular neighborhood destinations in order to cater to
students, local workers, and families. It is also important to gradually grow the number of
electric scooters present in Lisbon as demand grows. Bird Co. should avoid introducing an
overwhelming amount of scooters in order to maintain orderly streets and ensure effective usage
of the product.
ɪɴᴀɴᴄɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘʀᴏᴊᴇᴄᴛ
Over the course of the past year, Bird Co. has expanded their scooters’ presence across
North America, the Middle East and Europe. In order to fund this rapid expansion, Bird
Co. has raised a total of $418 million in funding from venture capitalists over the past
year. Initially it raised $15 million in from investors in February 2018, and then another
$100 million round in March 2018, and most recently the company raised $300 million
led by Sequoia Capital, and joined by investors Accel, B Capital, CRV, Sound Ventures,
Greycroft and e.ventures in June, 2018.
The company said
that Sequoia’s
investment
partner Roelof
Botha will join
Bird’s board of
directors.
(Reuters, 2018). It is very unusual for a startup this young to
have raised so much money in so little time. However, due to Bird’s rapid worldwide expansion,
it is necessary in order to reach their goal of transforming short distance transportation, much
like how Uber did for longer distance transportation years ago. Bird’s CEO, Travis
VanderZanden, plans to use the money to buy more fully equipped electric scooters in order to
continue to expand across the world into more cities. Each fully equipped electric scooter costs
the company about $500-$600. (Bloomberg, 2018).

As for how much we expect the expansion of Bird into Lisbon to cost, we are planning on
placing 2,500 electric Bird scooters in downtown Lisbon. We choose 2,500 scooters because that
is the cap of how many scooters a single electric scooter company is allowed to supply in San
Francisco, California, which is a similarly sized and designed city to Lisbon. With each Bird
costing about $600 for the company to buy, we will have to budget at least $1,500,000. With
other added expenses such as advertisements,
establishing infrastructure such as scooter
racks and chargers, as well as paying for any
government permits to allow the scooters to be
used legally in Lisbon, this expansion could
cost the company upwards of $2,000,000. It is
possible that residents of Lisbon could
become chargers themselves. As seen in the Bird App
screenshot above, it is possible for anyone to become a Bird Charger or “Nester,” similar to that
concept of Uber Drive.
ᴄᴏɴᴄʟᴜ ɪᴏn
Bird Co. will be successful by grasping the market share of families and tourists in
Lisbon, Portugal. After this extensive market report, it is financially feasible for Bird to
enter into Lisbon. There is a great deal to consider with weaknesses, threats and potential
obstacles for Bird. Even without additional public or private funding, Bird maintains
enough profit to invest in the amount of electric scooters, chargers and racks around
Lisbon. With effective placement of Bird scooters, the negative association around Bird
scooters as a source to overcrowding would not be an issue and could also be effective in
promotion. If families and tourists are targeted effectively in promotion, Bird will prosper
in Lisbon. However, it can also be seen that Bird will face competition from indirect
competitors such as the metro, ride sharing services and taxis. Nonetheless, Lime (Bird’s
direct competitor) launched in Lisbon and has been incredibly successful. This should
provide security for Bird as the company launches its electric scooters in Lisbon. We
hope that Travis VanderZanden will seize this opportunity to fly Bird into an
exponentially growing market of Lisbon, Portugal.

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Bird Co.

Group 4 Final Draft

Launching Bird Electric Scooter in Lisbon, Portugal

Bird electric scooters, in the consumer market for Lisbon, Portugal.

ɪɴᴠᴇ ᴛᴍᴇɴᴛ ʀᴀɴᴋɪɴɢ

for just a bit over a year.

​Bird was founded in May 2017 by Travis VanderZanden, former VP of Global

(Bloomberg). Currently, the headquarters of Bird is located in Santa Monica, California.

Additionally, the company has grown

to currently between 250 and 500

employees across the globe. The startup

has locations all across North America,

that can be seen in Figure 4. Bird has

also added locations in Austria,

as a way to grasp more market share (Techcrunch.com).

country and customer analysis of Lisbon, Portugal.

Peninsula in southwestern Europe. As of 2017, the country population was estimated at

10,291,027 (TradeEconomics, 2018). The capital

city is Lisbon and the nationally-recognized

language is Portuguese. Regarding the history of

Portugal, the country has been settled and

re-conquered several times since it was founded in

868. The aftermath of the Christian Reconquest

against the Moors, when the country was first

founded, resulted in the primary religion being

Roman Catholic at 83% and the second being other

international and cultural impacts on the globe. Today, Portugal is a fully-developed

the Positive Peace Report (Institute of Economics and Peace, 2016).

Economic Factors. ​Before segmenting our specific market, it is important to ensure

primary factor. The GDP of Portugal was 217.57

billion dollars while the United States was

19,390.6 billion (Trade Economics, 2018). This is

an alarmingly large difference when we take a

look at investing into a developed country, but it

is also a standard number for smaller countries in

Europe. The CPI for Portugal was at 102.97

while the CPI for the United States was at 247.91

important to understanding the economic environment of Portugal in regards to the home

environment of the product, Bird.

of debating and approving the

bills that pass through parliament.

Parliament is made up of 230

member who are voted in by the

public and elections are every four

Hofstede’s model is successful in

analyzing the inherent cultural

extreme difference in individualistic and competitive nature combating personalities of

importance of communication between our company to any mutual company in Portugal. It is

In Portugal, punctuality is not seen as overly important, even in a business environment.

Appearance is very important in the Portuguese culture. Appearance expresses success

strict, and long sleeves may not be rolled up.

are acceptable gifts, however flowers are not.

Environmentally conscious companies are starting to trend in Portugal, which could be a

competitive advantage for companies entering the Portuguese market. As an international

business in the future.

population) with 504,718 residents in

Lisbon (Worldometers 2018). 67% of

Portugal’s population is urbanized

(with a .91% annual rate of change)

and the median age is 44.4 years old.

Breaking down the population by age,

we see 15.34% of individuals are

Bird was founded in May 2017 by Travis VanderZanden, former VP of Global

Economic Factors. Before segmenting our specific market, it is important to ensure

product promotion, please reference product promotion section.

ird will use a geocentric

s Bird scooters will line the streets of Lisbon, it is important

comprehensive “lightning” bike-lane network in just 18 months. The number of