Introduction
The 21st century has seen tremendous advancements in the technological sphere. Wu (2009, p. 259) suggests that technology and fashion are closely related. Wu (2009) notes that the two (fashion and technology) have evolved together over the years. For example, people share opinions and information related to new trends via the internet.
The current report is developed against this background of the link between fashion and technology. The author of this paper illustrates the fact that contemporary fashion exists in the era of the digital consumer whose preferences and desires are informed by prevailing technological advancements. The report revolves around Medea’s Couldron, a popular perfume brand.
The label relies on eco-friendly production to sustain its niche market among consumers who are concerned over environmental degradations. The brand is seeking to sustain this market on its expansion plans. The report analyses key aspects of the brand in a bid to develop a promotional campaign for the 2015 autumn-winter season.
The effect of technology on the marketing campaign is analysed in this report. Recommendations are made to ensure that the oncoming season is a success for the brand.
Current Brand Positioning
In the marketing field, brand presence is regarded as the determinant of how well the consumer prefers a given commodity over others that provide similar levels of satisfaction. Stuart (2013, p. 793) observes a trend where consumers require only a word or a phrase to establish relationships with a given brand.
Such a situation implies that a consumer identifies with a given good or service depending on the various strength parameters and level of perceived importance. In light of this, Medea’s Couldron has adopted a perception map as illustrated in figure 1 below:
Figure 1: Perception chart for Medea’s Couldron
Adapted from Stuart (2013)
As illustrated in figure 1 above, the first aspect of the brand that resonates with the customer is safety. According to Stuart (2013, p. 795), clients are concerned with the direct effects that a product has on them. Medea’s Couldron is a perfume produced through an eco-friendly manufacturing process.
Wu (2009, p. 261) observes that the future digital consumer is increasingly becoming aware of the need to protect the environment. To this end, it appears that environmental groups have succeeded in convincing today’s consumer that it is important to protect the surroundings. The development has seen a rise in eco-fashion brands. Medea’s Couldron has curved itself a niche in the larger cosmetics market.
Consumers identify with a given brand in terms of its reliability. Stuart (2013, p. 795) supports this assertion by insisting that a given brand is expected to deliver the promises made through marketing campaigns. For instance, many perfumes guarantee the consumer a lasting and refreshing experience.
However, many fail to deliver this level of satisfaction. Medea’s Couldron pledges a 24 hour refreshing experience for the user. Such a ‘promise’ from an organic perfume is hard to meet. However, the brand meets the expectations of the clients, making it a reliable product within the market.
The price of a commodity is another determinant of the nature of interactions between the brand and the consumer. To this end, Medea’s Couldron is relatively affordable. Presently, a standard bottle goes for $5, while the deluxe package costs an average of $55.
The pricing is meant to target various segments of the consumer group. As already indicated in this paper, Medea’s Couldron is also environmentally friendly, an aspect that is increasing its consumer base.
Competitor Set
Brands are produced and designed to target a given segment of the market. Beard (2008, p. 447) posits that a particular niche may be characterised by one commodity that is produced by different companies. As such, it is important to outline a competitor set for a particular brand.
Establishing such a set is beneficial to the marketing strategy designed to promote the product. Table 1 is an illustration of the competitor set for Medea’s Couldron.
Table 1: Competitor set for Medea’s Couldron
Table 1 illustrates 3 main competitor profiles in the perfume niche. Beard (2008, p. 447) argues that a company must have an actual set of rivals and an ‘aspirational’ one.
A theoretical competitor set is informed by trends yet to be established in the market. Table 1 outlines five competitors in each of the actual and aspirational competitor kits. The futuristic perfumes in the theoretical profile act as a medium through which further advances in the perfume world are managed.
Profile of Consumers
The consumer and producer of a given commodity are related through trade links. Kim and Fiore (2011, p. 55) argue that a producer is required to develop a consumer profile to ensure that the market can be clustered for the purposes of promotional campaigns.
Kim and Fiore (2011, p. 55) add that a brand stands to benefit immensely from a consumer profile since the marketing activities are specialised. Consumer outlines ensure that a given market is divided into manageable segments. Table 2 is a representation of consumer profile with reference to Medea’s Couldron:
Table 2: Consumer profile for Medea’s Couldron
Table 2 illustrates a three tier profile for an ideal consumer for Medea’s Couldron’s range of products. The model consumer can be found in the fashion conscious and active enthusiasts segments. The passive fashion enthusiasts are found in the middle of this continuum.
The demographics represented in table 2 cover a wide range of individuals who vary depending on their level of income. The response of these clients to the product is tied to their ability to purchase.
Technology
As mentioned earlier in this report, technology has become an integral part of every industry operating in the 21st century. Medea’s Couldron has embraced technology, making it part of virtually all the spheres related to the production of the commodity. It is noted that technological advancements have also affected the marketing endeavours undertaken by the firm.
Fortunati, Katz, and Riccini (2003, p. 48) are of the opinion that brands attain sustainability by making technology part of their processes. For instance, at Medea’s Couldron, the company’s emphasis on production of organic perfumes extends to the element of product design. The designers of this perfume use specially crafted bamboo chalk and paper to sketch the models. The waste is later recycled and used in the labels.
The company has several electrical appliances that add to the production process. In keeping up with sustainable production, Medea’s Couldron has acquired a number of solar powered panels that are used in the assembly lines.
Aligning a brand’s theme to technology is an indicator of the genuine status of the company (Fortunati et al. 2003, p. 49). To this end, Medea’s Couldron offers the client an experiential product as evidenced in the brand positioning illustrated in figure 1.
The relevance of many companies in the new millennium is determined by, among other factors, the incorporation of technology in most (if not all) of its processes. Fortunati et al. (2003, p. 101) opine that technology must be evident in the marketing and sale of a commodity. To achieve this objective, all Medea’s Couldron retail outlets are fitted with software that enables a consumer to select a fragrance of their own liking.
Furthermore, the brand has embraced trends in the social media. To this end, the company uses motion pictures (gifts) on Tumblr and Instagram. The approach is used in the online marketing campaign. The use of technology to promote a brand is meant to guarantee increased sale and meet the demands of consumers.
Promotional Campaign for Autumn-Winter 2015 Season
Overview
2015 autumn-winter will witness ‘a travel into the past through time’. The design of Medea’s Couldron was inspired by the Greek mythology of the goddess of rejuvenation. Pearson (2011, p. 55) is of the opinion that a brand must ‘sell’ itself without deviating from its original theme. Since inception, Medea’s Couldron has developed the brand on the basis of rejuvenation.
The same approach will be used in the 2015 autumn-winter season. However, the influence of futuristic developments will be taken into consideration. Black (2008, p. 88) argues that fashion has a way of modifying previous trends in the industry. It is noted that Medea’s Couldron is moving to the next season based on this understanding.
Marketing Campaign: Rationale
The rationale for the marketing campaign designed for the 2015 autumn-winter season is based on the 7Ps of marketing. According to Pearson (2011, p. 76), the 7Ps include product, price, and promotion. Others are place, packaging, positioning, and people.
The product should be continually evaluated in terms of quality to ensure the consumer is getting worth for their money. The marketing campaign must ensure that the product conforms to the demands prevailing in the market. To this end, the products for the next season will obey the ‘vintage-meets-future’ theme.
In terms of price, the marketing campaign must ensure that the costs incurred by the consumers are responsive to the prevailing market conditions. Stuart (2013, p. 797) points out that the luxury consumer’s market is very volatile.
The dynamics of this industry necessitates the need for a constant evaluation of the prices of the commodity. Medea’s Couldron will retain retail prices for the low end products and increase the cost for the high edge products by 5%.
The promotional aspect of the marketing campaign will inform the strategy to be used for the autumn-winter 2015 season. According to Wu (2009, p. 265), the fashion market responds well to a ‘catchy and trendy’ promotional venture. Some of the common promotional activities include flash mobs and stunts. The company will take its promotions for the 2015 season to a new level.
The perfume label intends to create an artificial ‘rain’ of its top-of-the-range of products. Medea’s Couldron will launch the 2015 season with a call centre that is set to introduce the virtual retail shop. Clients will only need internet connectivity to make a purchase. The perfume will be delivered on payment.
In terms of packaging, Medea’s Couldron will ensure that the spirit of rejuvenation is captured in the entire product. Wu (2009, p. 265) holds that the motivation behind a brand should be easily recognisable to the consumer. To this end, the new season will see a new package complete with the renaissance element.
The rejuvenation movement will see a new trend where each product will be used to appreciate the team behind its production. The realisation is in line with the people’s aspect of a marketing strategy. Finally, the positioning of the company will inform the marketing approach adopted.
The firm was developed with the intention of emerging as a leader in terms of eco-friendliness. In line with this, the perfume will be positioned as a product that is safe to the consumer and the environment.
Future Consumer Trends
The autumn-winter campaign embraces the idea of renewal. Coincidentally, the same is in line with the brand’s long term goal of ensuring that eco-fashion is adopted in the industry together with contemporary trends. Beard (2008, p. 461) illustrates that a promotional campaign of any nature must highlight the trend pursued by the product. For instance, the need for an intimate perfume will see the adoption of a futuristic trend.
The rejuvenation sought after by Medea’s Couldron will be evident in all the products meant for the autumn-winter 2015 season. There will be a new fragrance based on improvements in the organic quality of the perfumes. The objective will be to come up with a completely green product right from the production to the actual sale.
Visual Components and Inspirations for the Campaign
As already mentioned in this report, the autumn-winter promotional campaign is riding on the wave of freshness and rejuvenation. Wu (2009, p. 257) suggests that a campaign derives its existence from a specific phenomenon in the environment.
The inspiration can be an artistic or a courtesy message. The proposed promotional campaign derives its inspiration from the Greek goddess Medea and the cauldron in reference. Figure 2 is a visual illustration of the campaign:
Figure 2: Visual inspiration of the promotional campaign
The figure above illustrates the image of a woman with her hands raised above her head and spread apart. According to Black (2008, p. 145), blue is the symbol of freshness and rejuvenation. The woman in figure 2 symbolises the goddess Medea. The hands raised above her head create the impression of a cauldron which holds vast ‘amounts’ of freshness.
Conclusion
The digital consumer of luxury products is not immune to the vagaries associated with marketing trends. Stuart (2013, p. 794) holds that the emergence of technology has impacted on industries like fashion. However, the basic practices of marketing prevail.
Technology impacts on the market performance of luxury products. Such effects can be viewed as conventional market trends. The current report recommends future research on how the digital consumer will affect changes in fashion.
References
Beard, N 2008, ‘The branding of ethical fashion and the consumer: a luxury niche or mass-market reality?’, Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body & Culture, vol. 12 no. 4, pp. 447-468.
Black, S 2008, Eco-chic: the fashion paradox, Black Dog Publishers, London.
Fortunati, L, Katz, J & Riccini, R 2003, Mediating the human body technology, communication, and fashion, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, New Jersey.
Kim, E & Fiore, A 2011, Fashion trends: analysis and forecasting, Berg, Oxford.
Pearson, T 2011, The old rules of marketing are dead: the 6 new rules to reinvent your brand & reigniting your business, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Stuart, H 2013, ‘Positioning the corporate brand as sustainable: leadership de rigueur’, Journal of Brand Management, vol. 20 no. 9, pp. 793-799.
Wu, J 2009, ‘Internationalising and industrialising fashion: Shanghai international fashion culture festival (SIFCF) review’, Fashion Practice The Journal of Design Creative Process & The Fashion Industry, vol. 1 no. 2, pp. 259-266.