Summary
Belstaff is a clothing company that came on board as the most sophisticated clothing company. The technology it used was important to ensure that the company made clothing that symbolized superiority. The company used cotton wax material to create cloth that was waterproof and yet breathable. Another benefiting factor is that the company invested in advertising. It branded its superior quality clothing with sophistication and made its use befitting to men.
The branding affected the female part of the market for the company. The women felt left out and even though the company gained a lot of customers in the military unit, the female customers are still not catered for. This is the reason that the company has to work hard in order to give the female market a niche in its products. This can be achieved through production of female oriented clothing as well as focusing advertisement to more elegant endorsement figures.
1 Terms of reference
1.1 Background
Belstaff is a clothing company that was founded by the collaboration of Eli Belovitch and Harry Grosberg his son in law. The company founded in 1924 in Staffordshire was named from Eli’s second name combined by the name of the location it was founded. The combination took Bel and Staff to bring Belstaff and currently the company deals in a number of clothing brands that include handbags, outerwear, ready to wear, shoes and accessories.
The company was able to hit the market for a long time with its new technology of creating clothes that were waterproof yet they were breathable. Owing to the waterproof material, the company gained fame equivalently to the market that its brands were embraced. This helped the company to dominate the markets for a good time especially in production of technical clothing for motorcyclists.
The company invested in innovation on the fabric and it not only served motorcyclists as a technical brand but also captured the army and aviation industries. Later in the century, the company faced a number of difficulties stemming from management. Though the company had innovative brands and a steady market there were difficulties in its endeavors. This led the company to be taken up by s.p.a a clothing company. This led the company to flourish under the Italian company to regain its glory in innovative clothing making.
The company has had a history of ownership through various companies. 2011 saw the company being taken up by Labelux. Labelux branded the company with a British sportwear powerhouse. This saw the company represent the clothing needs of bikers and regain the British heritage. Still it wasn’t enough to last the company through tough times and since then the company has had to innovate its products as well as address its advertising strategies. It is the reason that the company has invested in hiring a brand manager to show the masculinity of the company clothes. David Beckham being the new ambassador represents the brand as expensive due to his social status and brilliance in the field of play.
1.2 Purpose and Aim
Belstaff is an established company with brands embraced by sports enthusiasts, the military and the aviation industries. It represents sophistication with its innovative technology to create a brand that is waterproof and yet breathable. This is the reason that the company has had to survive the centuries. The business has been taken up by a series of companies and its stakes keep rising as companies acquire the business. It has come up through a strong business concept which lies on innovation. This is the reason the company has to expand and conquer the female market.
A female clothing company that is working best in the market and its innovative strategy.
How BelStaff can venture and capture the lucrative female market.
1.3 Report Insight
The report has to bring to light the methods that Belstaff should use in order to attract the female market. The results will help the firm to employ new strategies to capture the target market and strive to maintain it for the benefit of its profits and market command.
1.4 Scope of the research
There is need to bring to light the main problem that makes Belstaff clothing not attractive to the female market. The company has gained prowess in bringing sophisticated fashions to the market. This has been reinforced by the company’s ability to innovate its products to suit particular sports and industries especially in high friction areas.
The methods to be used to capture the feminine market will be investigated and proposed at the end of this paper. This is to ensure that the company becomes a powerhouse in clothing brands that attract male and female adults. This will ensure that the company covers the needs of the market in a general swing which tends to maximize the profits of the company. The company can decide to venture into other markets that specialize in specific clothing. Currently, the feminine market is important due to the culture of the females in shopping for clothing.
Tapping the female market will bring about two important concepts. Aggressive competition which will lead to aggressive innovation and a wide market which will lead to maximization of profits. Competition is important in ensuring that the quality of the products increases. This is because each company wants to beat the rest for the market and therefore gives an advantage to the buyers due to favorable prices and improved quality of clothing. Belstaff venture into the feminine market guarantees an improved position for the company to maximize profits on its female brands, this is because female shoppers have a consistency in the shopping traits and giving them what they require guarantees improved interests.
1.5 Constraints
There is a limitation on information concerning personal behavior on the feminine market. This is because of the restrictions on the access and use of personal information. The information include location, shopping behavior and even likes and interests of the feminine market. The use of this information will require a number of processes which involves seeking permission from the associated people, the government and even the company management. This is bound to take up a lot of time that will tend to prolong this research. A delay in the results of this research may make it obsolete due to the dynamics of innovation and information in the field.
The other constraint depends on the scope of information, there are a lot of factors that affects a brand in the market. It can be competition from other established brands, advertisement, or even the tastes of the market. Dealing with such a wide market needs tends to limit the companies willingness to venture or conquer into the markets. This way, solutions can be proposed but they will be limited in addressing the scope and methods. This type of problem therefore needs intensive studies in the market dynamics, how to topple competition and how to change the culture of the target market to favor the brand. You find that a lot of time and resources have to be invested to achieve this.
1.6 Field Excursion
2 Belstaff Need to Conquer the female Market
Belstaff has been making clothes for the feminine market but it has not broken out on sale as compared to the masculine outfits and the status of the company. This is the reason that the company has to ensure that it captures the female customers who are enthusiastic to don brands of the company. The company has been making jackets for the female market but it is considered to have originated from the male market inspiration. This makes it hard for the females to accept them.
There are a number of cultural practices that the company has been undertaking that do not encourage the involvement of the female market in their brands. The company advertisements and figure endorsements show that it is a male oriented company. This is through the endorsement of David Beckham who is a male figure as the company brand ambassador. There is need to invest in a more feminine touch through sports and even lifestyle.
The company can endorse a female figure considered a fashion icon or feminist to represent its brand. The best in this is a trending actress since especially one that has acted in a block buster movie. An important personality in this category is Liv Taylor. You find that. Liv is known for her beauty, confidence and is celebrated as a fashion icon where most females want to follow her style. It means that they will be looking to see which fashion she adores or rather represents and make a following.
Liv Taylor has acted in Lord of the Rings. The movie has propelled her career as well as given her a platform show off her talent and feminist nature. This traits are a plus for a fashion representative for the firm. This shows that a female can be as outgoing as possible but still be female in a perspective that is important to beauty and brains.
Picking a female ambassador therefore improves the image of the brand to the market in a way that is appealing. A high profile female ambassador will still put out the theme of the company, but the feminist nature will help to organize the female market to suit their needs. It is in the interest of the market for the company to rebrand and embrace feminine designs in the apparel making practices. The market is the most important part of the venture and therefore it should be the main target of design satisfaction.
Designing of the clothes of the company should also take a tender touch. This means that the female brands should base on beauty and even though they should be long lasting to friction, they also need to have a representation that is keen on exposing the fundamentals of female beauty. A company like L,Oreal invests its efforts in a bid to cater to the needs of the female customer. It means that Belstaff can get a few changes to the structure of its brands by maintaining quality while shifting design to a female preferred elegance.
2.1 Advertising Fit
The company can endorse any of the three above mentioned celebrity. Celebrity endorsements work for brands such as clothing. This is because celebrities are always in the media. More so fashion tends to rotate around them and the more elegant a fashion is, the more it will attract the market. This way, Belstaff can endorse or offer to dress a female celebrity in the various categories especially when attending an event, a performance or even for photo shoots on the red carpet.
The company can also look into the fashion events for a probable female celebrity. This can be the models that get awards. The model should be endorsed especially after winning a prestigious contest like Miss World. This works to raise the stakes of the company in that more is left for the female market to admire.
The company can also make complimentary accessories, handbags or even perfume that goes with its brands. The accessories should be branded by the company and they should be lined with the female clothing. It is not only in sports that the market is vibrant. You find that there is potential in fashion, in music and even in party clothes. Therefore the company has to improve its scope in design to venture into other categories. Improving the versatility of its brand makes the company strategic to attracting more customers.
3.0 Rebranding
Rebranding is also another method in which a company can improve the image, quality and market taste in its products. It does not require the changing of the current outfits at the company. Rebranding should be directed to improving the female outfits to suit the standards required by the market. There is a change in taste and since fashion is dynamic, there is a possibility that the company brands have lost touch with the tastes of the female market.
Research is the main alternative in determining which area of rebranding to invest into. More so the company should consider the color of their apparels. It is an important determinant to the taste of the feminine market. The females like colors that are attractive, this means that the blend can be customized in order to fit their distinct tastes.
3.1 Market involvement
The company can also venture into market research or specialization. This is to mean that it should allow design flexibility, where a customer designs or chooses a specific design to be customized according to her preferences. This will not only avail preferred designs but will also give the customer a chance to select what suits her best. The more engaging and interesting the event and outcome, the more a customer will want to come for more.
This shows the customer that the company is customer oriented since it invests time and resources to please them. The female customer loves attention and such a gesture is important in reinforcing this type of thought. Continued customer oriented programs will fit the company into the minds of the customer and even as they visit the designing programs, they are able to view the brands that are ready made and can make their selections as well as design more.
4. Conclusion
It is important to always put the customer first in any design professed by a company. This is the reason that Belstaff which achieved fame through design and material innovation has done. The company been under various management companies but its brand has not faded. It has captured the sports, the aviation and even the military market. It is time that the company ventured into the lucrative female market.
This is the reason that investments have to be done in market study, brand innovation and tailor made products that appeal to the female market. The company has a rich history in using waterproof apparel material that is still breathable. Therefore, it is important that attention is given in making the brand an all-round market appealing brand by capturing the female market.
5. Recommendation
The company has to invest time and resources in market research especially the female category. This is because the female market strictly follows the fashion trends and if left behind, the market can shift. This is achieved through rebranding and tailor making the preferred brands. This will put the company at a better position economically and even in the eyes of the target market.
The company should start a media campaign to advertise the available female fashions and the upcoming ones in order to win more hearts in the market. The sleek designs that are proposed and the company strong profile are enough to propel the brands just when enough marketing is done. A fashion show is recommended and it can be around the cities that the company has set foot in the market.
6 Appendices
6.1 References
Belstaff, 2015. Belstaff. [Online] Available at: http://www.belstaff.co.uk/men/[Accessed 8 January 2016].
Commissioner, P., 2013. Limits on Use of Personal Information (Principle Ten). [Online] Available at: https://www.privacy.org.nz/the-privacy-act-and-codes/privacy-principles/limits-on-use-of-personal-information-principle-ten/[Accessed 8 January 2016].
Godfrey, N., 2008. Why is Competition Important for Growth and Poverty Reduction. Washington, OECD.
Goodson, S., 2012. Why Brand Building is Important. [Online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2012/05/27/why-brand-building-is-important/[Accessed 8 January 2016].
InfoEntrepreneurs, 2015. Identify and Sell More to Your Most Valuable Customers. [Online] Available at: http://www.infoentrepreneurs.org/en/guides/identify-and-sell-more-to-your-most-valuable-customers/[Accessed 8 January 2016].
Schools, M., 2015. Celebrity Marketing. [Online] Available at: http://www.marketing-schools.org/types-of-marketing/celebrity-marketing.html[Accessed 8 January 2016].
Wilson, J., 2011. Importance of Field Study Programs. Journal of the Sierra College Natural History Museum, 4(1).
6.2 Pictures
Photo 1: Liv Taylor in Beautiful Warm Winter jacket
Photo 2: Female model showing Belstaff female wear at a Mercedes Contest
Photo 3: A model in a Loreal outfit
Photo 4: L’oreal bridal wear
