Fashion promotion - Miss Dior - Essay Example

?Topic:  Fashion promotion- Miss Dior   Contents Page An overview of brand identity 2. Consumer profile and Promotions Opportunity Analysis 3. Communications Opportunities 4. Communication Objectives 5. Brand Story/ Brand Message 6. Communication Channels / Promotional Mix 7. Promotional Budget 8. Bibliography 1. An overview of your brand identity: Miss Dior is a perfume launched by the brand Christian Dior Perfume in 1947. This is categorized as a refreshing mossy and woody perfume. Though it is a very old brand it still endures as more and more people are being lured to it by its wonderful fragrance. This fact is what makes it still available in various stores and outlets. One can clearly understand how fascinating the Miss Dior perfume brand has been over the period. Brand image of Miss Dior (Top Ten Items on My Anniversary Whishlist 2012) Brand value: Miss Dior perfume compliments the exuberance, freshness and elegance of fashion line of Dior. It is the synergy effect of perfume and haute couture at its best. The aroma of Dior perfume was created by Paul Vacher based on a method found out by Jean Carles. Brand Onion: The brand onion of the products covers three major areas: physical features consumer benefits and inherent values. These are marked either negatively or positively. The qualitative outline facilitates the recognition of not just the mindset of a consumer but also his or her emotions and feelings. (Brand Development 2007) Brand personality: The brand personality is achieved in the course of continuous and effective advertisement. The features and attributes of the brand should be correctly communicated to the targeted clients. Brand essence: Miss Dior perfume comprises a concoction of the fragrances of jasmine, galbanum, oak moss, gardenia, bergamot, rose, narcissus, labdanum, patchouli and sandalwood. Brand in action: Miss Dior has a modern kind of fragrance that helps to capture the ageless couture spirit promoted by the brand. Ladies who use this perfume easily project an elegant grace paired with self-confidence and determination of character, which is truly an alluring combination. Brand Identity Map: Brand identify map is the overall expression of a particular brand and consists of its trademark, name, communication strategies and also the particular visual appearance, that is the brand identity. Successful brand names of the perfume build some sort of connection between the brand personality of Miss Dior as it is perceived by the target viewers, and the real product or service. Brand identity focuses on real qualities, real features that the brand promises and its values being sustained and offered by organizational and manufacturing characteristics. The main features and qualities highlighted by the Miss Dior company are: sophistication, femininity and emotion. The other attributes include long lasting fragrance, better quality, modernization and its brand name. 2. Consumer profile and Promotional Opportunity Analysis: Promotion opportunity analysis is the course marketers use to recognize target audiences for an organization’s goods and services and their particular communication strategies required to arrive reach out to the public. There are mainly five phases in developing an analysis of promotion opportunities and are as follows: Competitors- Dior mainly follows the pricing strategy of competitive pricing, that is, they set the cost of the product according to the cost set by their competitors.  They also adopt premium pricing strategy for their particular creation range to emphasize the product’s exclusiveness. The product faces main competition from Guerlain, Chanel, Prada, Cartier, Lancome, Calvin Klein, Givenchy and Angel de Thierry Mugler. The company faces a tight competition from its competitors. Chanel is one of the most recognized organizations in France, which always proposes high quality perfumes at high prices. But the cost of Miss Dior and its opponents are almost similar. So there will not be much dissimilarity for the clients in making payment for the product. The long lasting fragrances, the reputation that the brand name of Miss Dior provides when women use it, the self-assurance she feels when it contributes to her personality all add more to the product’s uniqueness, which is quite difficult for the competitors to imitate. Opportunities- Market opportunity is a newly recognized need, desire, or demand tendency that organizations exploit for the reason that it is not being addressed by the current competitors. It helps to increase the opportunities for media to make various promotional activities. This in turn attracts the customers. Miss Dior adopts mass advertisement in its niche marketing. This helps them in building high level of emotional appeal in the minds of the customers. Rich ladies between the age group of 20 and 55 are the chief target of the company. The feminine fragrance attached to Miss Dior is always admired and accepted by women. Female Hollywood actors are the main models for its advertisement. Thus, the perfume generates a sense of being a superstar in women.  Target markets- The targeted clients are women belonging to high-income groups. Once they like a particular product, they always purchase the same one, as it reproduces their femininity and meets their hedonic requirements. They purchase the product on the basis of its features, brand, attributes, modernism and quality. The company throughout targets wealthier areas for the delivery of the product. The areas consist of Japan, its homeland, Western parts of Europe and North America. Since its invention, Miss Dior has remained a popular brand, thus, one can definitely get the product everywhere. However, the business focuses mostly on the target areas. Customers- The customers of Miss Dior are price sensitive, but they are not prepared to sacrifice the quality of the product. They use this brand as it meets every requirement of the customer concerning a perfume. Customers can purchase Miss Dior perfume from stores like Macy’s. They can also make online purchases from various networks like Strawberrynet.com, Amazone.com, and Fragrancex.com etc. Nowadays, most people purchase the product online and, thus, the company does a lot of business online. the Miss Dior perfume business largely made it. The business pays more attention to online shopping in order to build up the distribution strategy in terms of online marketing. The business product is distributed in retail stores although the number of retail storerooms is few. Miss Dior has also been planning to expand its distribution network by introducing the product in India (Chennai). •          Product positioning- Product positioning is a medium to generate a distinctive and strong place in the minds of potential as well as existing clients  in order to achieve a distinctive advantage. It shows the customers what they will achieve and how they will be benefited by the particular type pf product. Product positioning is the better means to accomplish a competitive advantage in the market. “The goal of product positioning is to keep your product on top of your customers’ mind when they’re considering a purchase. To be successful, product positioning must achieve three objectives: • Differentiate product from the competitions • Address important customer buying criteria • Articulate key product (or company) characteristics”. (Product Positioning in Five Easy Steps 2005). 3. Communications Opportunities: Communication method is easily overlooked, but the capability to communicate successfully is essential to fulfill the visions and thoughts of a company to the people. The importance of words and speech whether through orally or in written form, is a medium of communication to convey instructions and offer synchronization. There are numerous methods for the company to communicate with the public, which includes fax, phone, email, website, letter, instant message software’s, various types of social networking websites etc. “Level of communication is an attitude and communication skills can be changed through a conscious and rational effort. Develop an optimistic attitude about life. If you think today is bad, try missing tomorrow! Remember that no one can make us feel inferior without our permission” (The Importance of Communication 1997). Effective communication influences the consumers, who are also the decision makers, in many ways. It helps the customers to become better decision makers. The ability and the significance of communication turns out to be much more decisive to fulfill the mission. Without a proper means to communicate, the organization will turn out to be isolated. The ability to successfully communicate is very significant although it is usually overlooked and underestimated. Effective communication happens only if the receiver recognizes the correct idea or information that the sender plans to transmit. Numerous problems that occur in a company are either due to the direct outcomes of citizens deteriorating to communicate or various processes that cause confusion and lead to failure despite the best of plans. 4. Communication Objectives Objectives are goals planned to be attained by the company. These plans need to be reasonable and measurable. Objectives should able to achieve within a time period. “The marketing communication objectives are determined by problems the target or product category may encounter and any market opportunities the product has to solve to overcome these problems” (Marketing Communication 2012). Fashion businesses face serious competition in marketing products and brands to consumers. Markets are no longer consistent like the way they used to be, but are split, as consumers now have wider choice, faster-changing fashions, changing lifestyles, cheaper prices, more information, accessible luxury and different methods of shopping. To add to these essential changes in communications and entertainment technologies, it is easy to understand how difficult it is for brands to keep up with the changing demands of consumers. Market Communication: Marketing communication is a promotion technique used by the company in order to promote their product in the market. It is the division that deals with all communications for the company. This communication depends on the company and the industry. This department is also known as product market division or corporate communication department. Marketing communications is nothing but an art of communicating information about the company or the product to the general public. Communication is mostly related with new product launch, or the existing product, or community initiative taken by the company. Effective as well as efficient tracking and monitoring of communication techniques make marketing programs more result oriented and successful. ?                   Creation of brand awareness and knowledge is one of the important communication objectives of Miss Dior. It is essential for the company to make its product more successful. Miss Dior produces different kinds of products like perfumes, cloths, shoes, leather products, costumes etc. For promoting their products, Miss Dior uses all modes of media. Fashion shows and celebrity endorsement of products and brands are some of the tools used by Miss Dior. ?       Encouraging the market is another important communication objective of Miss Dior                    Understanding the needs and wants of the consumer is essential for the success of a business. Communication helps the company to understand the needs and wants of consumers. Dior concentrates mainly on the female segments. So communication plays a major role to help Miss Dior collect details regarding the preference of the consumers. Defining marketing objectives may be a challenge at first, but once the objectives are defined clearly, the company can move forward with its marketing communication strategy. Process of Evaluating Communication Campaign. Evaluation is a critical element of communication campaign, but it is often ignored. Evaluation of communication campaign is the first stage of planning. Justifying time and expenses is important in the evaluation of communication. All communication programs require an evaluation program that will show how to develop the program, or adapt it for a different audience. Following are the five steps in evaluating communication campaign. ?        Planning Planning includes creation of evaluating frame work, selection of evaluation techniques, establishing of team, determination of time frame, creation of work plan, client interview, preliminary desk review etc ?        Creation Creation is the second step in the evaluation process. Designing of evaluation methods, designing of tools, templates and final report outline, refining inception report etc., are included in creation. ?        Management This involves managing and collection of data regarding communication campaign, and testing the tools and templates for evaluation process   ?        Analysis The previous step includes the collection of data and information regarding communication campaign. Analysis and interpretation are essential in order to understand the effectiveness of communication campaign. The analysis step also includes the formulation of conclusion, and creation of recommendations. On the basis of this data, they have to prepare and submit a final report. ?        Presentation It is the final step in evaluating communication program. This process may include presentation of final report, dissemination of final report, promotion of the final report and creation of follow up mechanism.  5. Brand Story/ Brand Message In the modern world, an increased focus on the terms of brand identity has influenced the “world” of brand strategy and brand development. Nowadays, competition occurs not only in terms of the product but also in terms of the brand’s inner inspiration and identity. It is no longer adequate to focus only on product attributions as the key to successful brand-customer relationships. It is very challenging for companies to form and create strong brands in today’s vibrant and competitive marketplace. Companies must also learn the technique of building a brand identity, which is attainable. The customer may turn to the competitors, if the brand product does not give something special to the customers. The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers” (Lake 2012). Brand Story of Miss-Dior Christian Dior, a French fashion designer, was born in 1905 in Normandy in France. In French language, Dior means the combination of god and gold. Gold is the representative color of the Dior brand. Dior started a fashion store in Paris when he crossed thirty. Dior introduced his first fashion series in 1947. After the Second World War, Dior reshaped his dedication to accentuate the beauty of females. Dior company expanded its business consistently, and now they produce different kind of products. Today the scope that Dior is capable of covers the wide range of perfumes, leather products, undergarments, knitwear, shoes, cosmetics, jewelry and so on, in addition to fashionable costumes. Dior keeps on creating new fashion. The brand also maintains its luxurious style, taste and elegance. The name Christian Dior always resonates in the heart of all women who use it. Brand Onion and Miss Dior Every organization, which adopts a marketing plan to promote its product is keen to have its ubiquitous brand onion model. “The hard, durable, objective reality of the market offering—the product or service—resides in the nucleus. Attached to the core are various subjective associations that consumers attribute to the product: product benefits, user attributes, emotions, personality attributes, and the like.”(Chapter 2 How Is Cultural Branding Different? N.d) As mentioned before, the theory of brand onion is concerned with three major areas: the physical features of product, consumer benefits and inherent value. Dior concentrates in different product lines such as perfumes, costumes, jewelry, shoes etc. The physical features of these products create some differentiation in the minds of consumers. Miss Dior also giving more importance to the consumer benefits. It ensures the best quality product to its consumers.    6. Communication Channels / Promotional Mix: Promotion is one of the main components of marketing mix, and trade with two way contact that takes place with the customer. The company focuses on increasing a promotional strategy for the smooth functioning of the business, by concentrating on advertising and other promotional techniques. Promotion mix is the definite combination of promotion tools that the company does to communicate customer significance and to establish a strong relationship with customers. Promotional mix is relevant for the product and the consumer because of the following reasons: ?       Promotional mix plays a significant role in acquiring and maintaining customers for the product. ?       Allows the business to connect effectively and build good relationship with customers. ?       Updates the consumers about the products, its features and availability, and encourages them to buy these products. Choosing marketing communication strategy is one of the main responsibilities of a marketing manager, and this procedure requires some key choice about how the customer is, who the customer is, how to get in touch with the consumer, and what the message must be. The blend of marketing communication channels is called promotional mix. There are various elements of promotional mix, which are used by Dior to increase its sale and capture the attention of the customers. Elements of promotional mix: ?       Advertising: Advertising is the most convenient component of promotional mix. It is a “paid form of non personal form of ideas, goods and services.” (Lesson 23 Advertising n.d). The actual cost of using advertisement for promoting the product is very high. As most of the customers receive it, the per contact price is very low. With the use of advertisement, the messages can be broadcasted through radio, television, direct mail, magazine, newspaper or outdoor advertisement. Miss Dior employs mass advertisement as a part of its marketing strategy. This assists them in raising high level of emotional demand in the intelligence of the customers. “The AIDA model” (White Paper: Advertising Process Models 2002). Implies consumers shift from an Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action mode, while watching the advertisement of the products. Women always give in to the attractive fragrance of the perfume. They are easily attracted towards the product and they set there minds to buy them as soon as they see its advertisement. The perfume company focuses on three words, through its advertisement: Emotion, femininity and sophistication. The positioning and promotion of the brand can be done effectively through continuous advertisements. The attributes and features of the Dior perfume are properly communicated to the targeted customers. They have concentrated more on creating a place in the minds of the customers through celebrity endorsements. ?       Personal Selling: This promotional mix finds out customers’ needs and reacts through personalized communication that persuades purchase decisions and improves future business chances. It is flexible, and gets immediate feedback. The company provides the facility for the customer to select and order the product through online stores, so that they need not go to shops to purchase the product. The customers of Miss Dior get the product at their doorsteps, in accordance with their order. The company offers free shipment to customers for a particular variety of Miss Dior products, when they order for the product through online stores. ?       Publicity: Publicity is a “non personal” (Basic principles Of Advertising And Public Relation n.d) form of idea, good or a service that is not paid for by the company. Most of the customers give attention to it. It has more reliability as it is not a viable message. A company’s website can be helpful in acquiring and presenting positive criticism. As the targeted consumers are women, it has helped the company a lot in increasing its sales. The women customers convey the attributes and features of the perfume to other women, and they buy the product. ?       Sales Promotion: Sales promotion is a promotional activity other than advertising, publicity and personal selling and it increases purchases. It includes visual merchandising or displays, product displays, coupons, rebates, fashion shows, free samples, contest and exhibits. The customers are asked to buy the perfume as a demonstration. The company also offers attractive sales proposal on particular occasions like Christmas. During the Christmas season, Dior presents blends like lotion with perfumes. For example, today, the Walmart business is extending its promotional mix to involve television, radio, newspapers, special sales bulletins, and a Walmart website, to encourage its national system. Competitive businesses make use of related promotional mixes and they are inclined to go after the leader. Miss Dior products are promoted through online stores too. They provide coupons and discounts while purchasing the perfume. 7. Promotional Budget: There are various factors that influence promotional mix. One of it is the promotional budget. The company must cautiously examine when and where to spend the money. In order to plan an overall budget, the company must focus more on the percent of sales method. This depends on the factor that, if the Dior Company can sell more products, they will be able to invest more in promotion and other campaigns. Women having high income are the main consumers of Dior product. Therefore, the advertisement campaign needs to be planned in such a way that it reaches out to women customers more promptly. With the expectation of return on investment, the company could keep some amount of expenses for future activities, which will increase their promotional campaigns. While planning the budget, their main aim is to do something more than what the competitors can think of doing. Dior is facing competition from well established companies in France and other international markets. Therefore, it is necessary to plan accordingly. The prices they offer to the product are somewhat similar to those of the competitors. They spend an amount almost equivalent to that of the competitors selling to ratio for promotion. This helps them to sustain a better competitive advantage in the international market. Dior Miss Visitors exchanges, e-mail promotions, article dashboard, labeled advertisements cost highly and require more budgets. While making a promotional budget, the company’s aim is to accomplish a task or objective. They have to adopt all promotional techniques such as advertisement, sales promotion, personal selling and publicity that enable communication strategy. But no other promotional mix promotes like a great TV commercial. This 30-second image can at times upset the budget, and therefore a small budget film is more practical. It costs a lot of money in using a celebrity for advertisement and yet more money to continue it during an event. Unless the product is a better one, the profits from this type of lifestyle and advertising could be more amazing than the cost. It is necessary to prioritize the techniques on the list and allocate expenses to each item. Once this is done, they get together with their targeted customers and decide what is really necessary, what can be delayed and what can be removed. This helps them to formulate the budget on the basis of what the company can actually afford to spend. Conclusion: Fashion businesses confront a diversity of challenges in marketing goods and brands to consumers. All markets are not homogenous in the manner they utilize the products, but are disintegrated as consumers respond to varied choice, low-cost prices, quicker changing fashions, exhibiting richness, varying lifestyles, more information and diverse ways of shopping. By adopting more fundamental changes in communications. The company comes to know that it is essential for them to meet the changing demands of the consumers. Reference List Brand Development (2007). Red 22. 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[Online] Available at http://www.google.co.in/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1143&bih=702&tbm=isch&tbnid=RWcZmp6dDvvNmM:&imgrefurl=http://morethanamummy.blogspot.com/&docid=9uTjRcuAjdZS9M&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rp76aYOUcIQ/T168faFnsGI/AAAAAAAABDc/h5wF7pLx7-s/s1600/miss%252Bdior%252Bcherie.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=WQ2uT6jdNojirAfSsYmIBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=122&vpy=151&dur=777&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=130&ty=98&sig=103245789771109706797&page=1&tbnh=169&tbnw=149&start=0&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:72> [Accessed on 02 May 2012] White Paper: Advertising Process Models (2002). Online] Available at http://www.glowa.ca/Advertising_Process_Models.pdf Accessed on 10 May 2012] Read More