Introduction
Victoria Street is a brand of quite a number of products ranging from clothes, beauty products, lingerie, shoes, and swimwear. The brand name is owned by the limited brands company and is a significant contributor to the company’s corporate profits up to an average of 45 percent. Previously, the company enjoyed a monopoly in the sexy niche of undergarments, which were the first products in the 70s when it was started by Roy Raymond. Presently, the company faces competition in many of its products with startups and even other key players entering the market. Competitors like Fredricks of Hollywood with over 250 stores in America alone as compared to Victoria street 1000 stores. Others include Sara lee, Warnaco and Maiden form.
Marketing Strategy
Being one of the big players in the fashion industry the company needs to have effective marketing strategies. By running marketing campaigns targeting an audience of the young between the ages of 18- 23 years, they have a strong urge to be sexy and noticeable. The campaign targets the young, and the most effective way of meeting this group is by taking the products to where they are in large numbers (Guber & Berry, 1993, pp25). The first and most appropriate location is in colleges and campuses where the population is constituted of people of the target group. By using sexuality as a theme, the marketing appeals to the young women with a strong desire for sex. The general urge in this age group to feel beautiful and hot provides an opportunity for such a strategy. International markets are weighty and can provide an appropriate avenue for growth of revenues. However, it is essential to understand the culture and beliefs of the locals before marketing certain products (Frank et al, 1972, pp18).
The company has incorporated means wear line that is available in the same retail outlets as the women wear. This fact creates a comfortable environment for men to walk into the retail shops alone and make purchases. For those boyfriends and partners who desire to have sexy lovers they can comfortably buy them such products as gifts conveniently. Through organizing events such as pajama parties, using celebrity’s testimonials and trend setting the company gets respect from secondary buyers (Reichert & Lambiase, 2006, pp44).
The brand image is portrayed to be quite playful, with the mascot trademark of a pink dog that appeals to the young. The image is also suggestively fun to be associated with as well as cute. The target age group is quite adventurous, and the company does not let them down as there is a new product bang launched every four weeks. This keeps them talking of what is new and engaging thus capturing their attention always. Brand image can also be enhanced through public relations firm, fashion advertising, the campus campaigns, and using a brand spokesperson. This ensures retention of long-term consumers since they will feel proud of their brand of choice (Zollo, 1999, pp69).
The teens and preteens that constitute the majority of the long-term consumers tend to be random in their shopping trends. The company should thus make the brand visible all year through frequent launches of new products and promotions of existing ones. The fashion manias follow through a will be consistently be having something exciting. Targeting should focus on crucial shopping periods such as Christmas and valentine days. This is when partners are seriously searching for the right messages to their loved ones expressing many of their feelings (Easey, M. (2008, pp170).
Bibliography
Easey, M. 2008. Fashion Marketing. New York: John Wiley and Sons
Frank, R. E., Massy, W. F., & Wind, Y. 1972. Market segmentation. New York: Prentice-Hall
Guber, S. S., & Berry, J. 1993. Marketing to and through kids. New York City: Mcgraw-Hill
Inc
Reichert, T., & Lambiase, J. 2006. Sex in Consumer Culture: The Erotic Content of Media and
Marketing. Hillsdale: L. Erlbaum Associates
Zollo, P. 1999. Wise Up To Teens: Insights into Marketing and Advertising to Teenagers (2nd
ed.). Ithaca, New York: New Strategist Publications
