Introduction
As a luxury brand, Moet and Chandon targets customers who can afford a lifestyle accessorized with fancy champagne that translates a bourgeois status quo. As a result of the merger of Moet and Chandon with Louis Vuitton in 1987 (Blavin, Dghaili, Morselly & Tesseire, 2010), the spirit brand was positioned as a “must have” beverage, just as Luis Vuitton represents a mandatory brand that has to be present in high society ladies’ wardrobes. Not only because it is part of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennesy (LVMH) group (Blavin, Dghaili, Morselly & Tesseire, 2010) is Moet and Chandon targeting high class women, but also because of the specific traits that define this brand’s values and proposed lifestyle concept.
Body
Because it is a refined brand and a luxury good, associated with Louis Vuitton, Moet and Chandon is targeting women. For analyzing Moet and Chandon’s targeted customers’ traits, there must be know the principles on which brands guide for placing their offers to a specific market segment. As such, Berry and Wilson (2004) indicate that for identifying target markets, there should be well known the needs that customers seek to satisfy, “the level of knowledge, information sources, attitude, use or response to a product” (p. 76).
Form a behavioral perspective, Moet and Chandon’s customers seek to fulfill the need of belonging to the upper class, expressing like this their status quo which indicates refined tastes and no modesty regarding to prices of the products consumed when it comes to quality.
Regarding the level of knowledge, attitudes and perceptions about the analyzed champagne brand, the women consider it a Louis Vuitton of the spirit market. Being part of LVMH makes Moet and Chandon desirable and a prestigious choice. The high price of this champagne brand indicates that it is dedicated to people who have the financial possibilities to consume it. Moreover, being the one oldest champagne houses (Ye, Villemin & Morel, 2009) makes Moet and Chandon a chic selection, indicating the connoisseur aura of the consumer.
The psychographic traits refer to the general lifestyle and personality of the consumers, detecting the rate of use and the benefits that the targeted customers seek to achieve by purchasing a specific product and not others, competitive or similar products (Dough and Wilson, 2004).
Moet and Chandon’s active promotion through mundane events is a clear indication of the brand’s positioning on the high class segment, as a mandatory accessory, served in a chic glass of fine champagne while enjoying the latest haute couture lines. The benefits sought by women who consumer Moet and Chandon refer to their closeness to the scene of the fashionable lifestyle. The common trait that they share is their need to be permanently in-style, to follow the haute couture lines, even in the selection of their spirits. In fact, the brand’s connection with the high-end fashion segment is inseparable, because one major promotion strategy that Moet and Chandon explores is sponsoring fashion events (Rebour, 2013).
The premiumization of this brand is visible also in the fact that it designed its own cuvee, an indication of value, which the high class women seek as a necessity to maintain their social status. As Blavin, Dghaili, Morselly & Tesseire (2010) note, Moet and Chandon shifts its focus from selling champagne to selling dreams, as a promise of guaranteed access or maintained position in the high class.
Another indicator for defining a targeted group is to know the location, the geographical area of the customers (Berry & Wilson, 2004). Analyzing this trait in the context of Moet and Chandon, it can be stated that the champagne brand is targeting the urban population throughout the world, as the representative of a lifestyle that favors the champagne consumption not only in the moments of celebration, but also in casual afternoon reunions or business meetings (Blavin, Dghaili, Morselly & Tesseire, 2010). This geographic trait that shows that Moet and Chandon targets urban consumers is also an indication of the brand’s focus on mundane lifestyle. The brand’s association with classy fashion events or Oscars nights, wherein the brand is presented by celebrities, sales a “Great Gatsby” lifestyle that only fashionable, rich people can afford.
In addition to the social traits that define Moet and Chandon’s targeted customers as women of the high society, the brand is selected by these customers also because of its taste. The fresh, fruity flavors and the elegant maturity sensation offered by various Moet champagne titles (moet official website) influence ladies to consume it not only as an appearance, but also for its elegant, entertaining and pleasant taste.
Conclusion
This essay analyzed the traits that define Moet and Chandon’s targeted market. Although the existent literature is limited for identifying more indicators of the fact that the champagne brand targets high class women, the essay nevertheless investigated the characteristics that create a homogenous premium segment of women as Moet and Chandon consumers. The need of belonging to the high-class and enjoying the benefits that this status quo generates are behavioral and psychographic standards that bourgeois women seek and that this champagne brand provides.
References
Berry, T. & Wilson, D. (2004) On target: the book on marketing plans. United States: Palo Alto Software, Inc.
Blavin, H., Dghaili, G., Morselli, P. and Tesseire, C. 2010. International audit, Moet & Chandon. Madrid: International Audit.
Moet and Chandon official website. N.d. Moet and Chandon. Retrieved from http://www.moet.com/Our-Champagnes/Rose-Imperial.
Rebour, R. (2013). Moët & Chandon Champagne - Marketing Analysis. Retrieved from http://prezi.com/1ghrvo0t2gl3/moet-chandon-champagne-marketing-analysis/.
Ye, L., Villemin, L. and Morel, A. (2009) Moet and Chandon Marketing Plan. Retrieved from http://www.marketingplannow.com/userfiles/marketing/Champagne%20Moet%20&%20Chandon%20marketing%20plan.pdf.
