1

3

Bethan SavoryLucynda Jackson

Natasha Minter

5

The purpose of this report is to provide Ann Inc. with an insight into the current United Kingdom fashion market. By analysing Ann Inc.’s existing womenswear brands, Ann Taylor and LOFT, this report will be able to provide an accurate comprehension of the UK fashion landscape. Adopting primary research, our research document will able to give Ann Inc. an understanding as to whom their competitors would be, who their consumers would be, and the marketing approach they could take to globalising their brand. 1.

INTRO-DUCTION

7

2. ANN TAYLOR

BRAND IDENTITYAnn Taylor believe they are an iconic, American brand, meeting women’s individual needs, through a unique balance of fashion and work wear, ‘championing the modern working woman’. Ann provides a collection of apparel, suitable for both work and play, mixing versatility and quality together. Ann provides confidence and style, allowing women to juggle their complicated lives comfortably, making them the must-go-to brand. Ann is dedicated to building genuine relationships with women of every generation.

9

“My first impression is that this store is for the slightly older, more stylish women. The dresses are quite plain simple lines and the material looks of good quality. It also looks as though each item is well fitted. This brand is more suited towards my style, as opposed to LOFT”.

MICHELLE AGE 50

BRAND IMAGE

“Ann Taylor’s aesthetic is very similar to that of Marks and Spencer’s and NEXT. The styles are simple, but I can see that product is of reasonable quality. I like the idea of a one stop shop, this is very useful in my very busy

lifestyle.”

DEBBIE AGE 48

“I like the tailored section of Ann Taylor and feel like I could shop in there for office wear. However, for everday wear I prefer the likes of NEXT because I have shopped there for

years and has always been consistant in my opinion.”

YVETTE AGE 42

11

BRAND IDENTITY

MODEL BENEFITSFunctional – clothing company championing the modern day woman.

Emotional – so that you can feel confident, empowered, styling and inherently feminine.

The brand identity model consists of five elements; attributes, promise, source of authority, personality and brand essence.

Ann Taylor’s attributes consist of the brand being wearable and affordable, and they provide the consumer with the assurance

of being reliable and trustworthy. Ann have a deep-rooted heritage within America, and personality-wise, they are

colourful and smart. The brand essence encapsulates their American heritage.

13

TONE OF

VOICE

BRANDESSENCE

Empowering real women with confidence and style.

Ann Taylor tone of voice is engineered to connect with their

female target market, to understand their needs, and prioritise her wants and desires. Ann Taylor are committed

to achieving “a memorable shopping experience” for each and every woman.

“OUR CLIENT IS AT THE CENTRE OF EVERYTHING WE DO”

15

3.LOFT

BRAND IDENTITYLOFT target women who live a casual, layered life, and aim to be a trusted personal stylist, while creating a one-to-one connection with the LOFT consumer. The LOFT woman is committed to friends and family, and lives a fun, sociable, youthful life, with age not being an issue. LOFT products are feminine, versatile and affordable, that help express individuality. LOFT believes they are increasingly becoming a more accessible and stronger brand with a much more focused identity.

17

“The style of clothing is very basic and a bit repetitive for my liking, it reminds me of Marks and Spencer’s, but I don’t get the impression it is as good quality. Not quite as trendy as ZARA, the style of fashion doesn’t really appeal to me, I would rather be in

suits or dresses. It looks just too casual.”

KAREN AGE 26

“The colours are vibrant, and inviting, however styles are not suitable for my age. It reminds me of New Look. I do think that LOFT is more trend aware than Ann Taylor, but this doesn’t necessarily suit me.”

SANDRA AGE 38

BRANDIMAGE

“In some respects LOFT really suits both my lifestyle and personality; I love experimenting with colour and I am reasonably active which makes the versatility of

their garments extremely beneficial.”

AMY AGE 21

19

BRAND IDENTITY

MODELBENEFITS

Functional – A ‘preppy’ American apparel suited to the fashionable, active lifestyle.

Emotional – The key to a flexible life and unapologetically feminine.

LOFT’s brand essence is also American, like Ann Taylor, and is also casual and feminine.Their personality however differs, being more fun, friendly and individual. LOFT’S

source of authority and promise are both similar to Ann Taylor’s, but their attributes are comfortable and flexible.

21

TONE OF

VOICELOFT believe “The best relationships are built on trust.” Aiming

to style, inspire and make their life easier in a modern and relaxed manner.

“CONNECTING WITH WITH WOMEN ON A GENUINE LEVEL.”

BRANDESSENCE

A genuine, casual and chic fashion store.

23

4.THEANN INCAAKER MODEL

25

AAKER MODEL AAKER MODEL - Brand identityCustomer analysis

•Trends – Trends chosen by the consumer follow a comfy, classic aesthetic. For Ann Taylor, she is a working mother who wants to find styles to suit her busy and sophisticat-ed lifestyle. For LOFT, she is a young individual, who lives a casual, layered life.•Motivation – All consumers want knowledgeable staff. She is always looking for value and promotional vouchers. Magazines are going to motivate her purchases.•Segmentation – Ann Taylor’s consumer belongs to the middle tier market, she doesn’t mind paying for good quality, however selling products like silk are pointless for her busy lifestyle. LOFT focus on giving their consumer affordable apparel, that is feminine and fun, and allow her to be confident within herself.

Competitor analysis

•Brand image – Chosen competitors of Ann Inc. are Dorothy Perkins, Next, Monsoon, Gap. Styles are similar, they offer a range of departments, so shopping is made easier. •Strengths and weaknesses – Strengths are they offer everything under one roof so shopping is efficient. They have large stores in key locations, and have been estab-lished in the UK for years so have a loyal consumer basis. However, there is not a focus on customer service, VM lacks innovation, and styles are repeated too much.•Vulnerabilities – The current recession has left the population bargain hunting, if these shops get their consumer’s needs wrong, then sales would decline.

Self-analysis •Existing image – Ann Taylor are the go-to destination for the 25+ woman, whereas age isn’t an issue for LOFT consumers. Ann Inc. concentrates on fit and quality, as well as having staff that are more like stylists rather than just a shop assistant. •Heritage – A well-established American brand.•Strengths – Ann Inc. are knowledgeable about their consumer, they always aim to be their best friend. Pricing is reasonable considering the quality, and they’ve got some major in celebrity endorsements. •Values – Ann Inc. promise to look after their consumer throughout her life. Their charities ‘Ann cares’ and ‘LOFT cares’ also shows their philanthropic side.

Brand as product

•Scope – Wide variety, they offer casual, work wear, formal, footwear, and accessories. It’s easier to shop between departments. They cater from US sizes 00 – 18, and also XXS – XXL. •Attributes – Ann Taylor’s product reflects the target audience well, they are trendy to wear but traditional. LOFT are also up-to-date with the latest trends, and promote a range of styles that allow the LOFT consumer to express individual flair.•Value – This ranges. They have some more expensive lines, however sale items are a bargain. •Uses – Fairly versatile, the consumer isn’t just shopping for one occasion, but for everyday life.•Country of origin – America.

Brand as organisation

•Innovation – Every aspect of the Ann Inc. company puts the consumer at the core of their concern; they follow her throughout her life, and act as her best friend.•Concern – Is the UK market steady enough for them to move into it?•Trustworthy – In America, yes it is trustworthy. They are well established with loyal consumers, however in the UK, consumer awareness of the brand is limited, therefore trust between the consumer and Ann Inc. has not been built yet.

Brand as person

•Personality – Ann Inc. is reliable, feminine, friendly and confident. This is shown through everything from their ambassadors, to the language used on their website, as well as in our primary research.•Relationship with the consumer – Their relationship is key to the brand image, Ann Inc. pride themselves in going the ‘extra mile’ for their consumers. Ann Inc. communicate via social networking, campaign ads and via celebrity endorsements.

27

AAKER MODEL - Brand identity

Brand as symbol

•Atmosphere – Everything from VM, to location, to the people that work there. Ann Inc. work to create a fairly relaxed and friendly environment. Everything is clean-cut and minimal. The atmosphere is always tranquil, but done so in a careful manner.•Visual imagery – Imagery used really epitomises the brands. Logos are sharp and simple, and campaign to use model’s that represent the consumer, is always in a muted, consistent matter. Ann Inc. adopt to the ‘American style’ of advertising, with their concise focus on product, rather than narrative. •Heritage – Ann Inc. as a brand definitely showcase their traditionalism, with a focus on its founding and infamous shift dress, which has become a key symbol of the Ann Taylor image.

29

5.THEU.KMARKET

To give Ann Inc. a contextual view of the current UK market, Mintel, an online database, was used to collate statistics and the current trends of consumers behaviour and purchases to give Ann Inc. a useful insight as to how to launch within the UK fashion landscape.

In the UK, 4

3% of c

onsumers

say “

Trying to

add to m

y rainy

day savin

gs/emerg

ency fund”

is a prio

rity fo

r this y

ear

In the UK, 4

7% of c

onsumers

are only buyin

g clothes on

sale, o

ffer o

r promotio

n

35% sa

y their c

hoice of sto

re is

determ

ined by special o

ffers

or disc

ounts.

In the UK, 2

8% of c

onsumers

own a smartp

hone.

In the UK, a

lmost

a quarter o

f

women wear c

lothes in siz

es

18 and ove

r.

31

The axis of excellent VS poor customer service, and sophisticated VS relaxed, enable various potential competitors of the UK fashion market, to be positioned appropriately. Competitors were chosen regarding their price point, target consumer, in-store environment, style aesthetic and marketing approach.

A gap was found in the excellent customer service and the relaxed style of garment segment, thus implying that when LOFT enter the UK market, they should take the approach of maintaining their laidback persona, however they should showcase their employees knowledge of product, and of service, in order to make sure that they are targeting this gap in the market.

In regards to Ann Taylor, up against their UK competitors, such as John Lewis, Monsoon, and Zara, Ann excelled in their excellent customerservice. Therefore, like LOFT, the launch into the UK market should propose a continuation with their approach of excellent customer service, but in a more refined manner, in order to suit the UK customer, in keeping with Ann’s tone of voice.

33

POTENTIAL COMPETITORS POTENTIAL COMPETITORS

DOROTHY PERKINS

PRODUCTDorothy Perkins offer a selection of floral, shift shirts, and feminine dresses presented in a predominantly muted palette, with the odd garment endorsing the colour block-ing trend. Ranging from UK sizes 6 – 22, they cater for every woman, of all ages. Their target market ranges, as styles are suitable for all figures, and styles also reflect current trends. 6/10

VALUEDresses in Dorothy Perkins range from £7 (sale) - £80, suitable for all occasions. The boutique section suggests that you are getting a more exclusive purchase, than per-haps something from the jersey dresses collection. Offering free UK standard delivery with orders over £75 online, and with offers such as buy two tops for £8, Dorothy Per-kins are constantly providing consumers with value for money. 7/10

EXPERIENCE Visual merchandising isn’t as inspiring as brands such as Monsoon, and the in-store layout can often be quite clustered, disadvantaging the customer to freely browse the store comfortably. Shop assistants often aren’t enthusiastic and sometimes lack charisma, creating a hostile environment. 4/10

MONSOON

ProductMonsoon target not just women’s wear, but also bridal wear, children’s wear, and have recently introduced their new Fusion line. With a main focus on femininity, all of their trends are incorporated into looking beautiful in a stylish and comfortable manner. Although dresses are the focus, separates are stamped throughout the 2012 Spring collection. 8/10

ValueValue for bridal wear is decent, with wedding dresses available for under £200. Women’s wear give off the expensive vibe, but dresses do not match this perception, indicating a good quality. Ranging from £38 up to £200. Spring sees a variety of promotions across all departments, in some cases offering up to 30% off. 7/10

ExperienceMonsoon take the subtle approach to customer service, with staff available but not pushy and overwhelming. In the fitting rooms, advice is given and staff are happy to assist. Visual merchandising is general quite pretty and strong but never too cluttered. 8/10

35

POTENTIAL COMPETITORS POTENTIAL COMPETITORS

NEXT

Product For Spring 2012, Next delivers a palette of; floral, animal prints, pastels, polka dot, and tribal, with a major focus upon cotton t-shirts and loose-fitting shift shirts. Their target consumer is always visible, with products designed to fit the consumer in the most flat-tering manner. With the priority of comfort and versatility, Next provides their customer with essentials and basics. 7/10

ValueNext provide an affordable approach to the latest trends. A pair of pastel coloured skinny jeans at £42 enable the female Next consumer real value for money. Also for women, an embellished occasion dress comes in at a reasonable £98, and for men, a summer cotton suit (made of 50% wool) all for under £200, indicating style and com-fort for a reasonable price. 6/10

ExperienceWindows lack innovation, but do provide ideas for multiple purchases. Well-lit, spa-cious and easily navigated, it’s easy to pick out trends throughout the store. Staff are friendly but are sparse for such big stores. Also available online, and through the Next directory, to increase accessibility to all kinds of consumers. 5/10

GAP

ProductGAP’s primary focus has always been on everyday essentials. With a whole section devoted to cotton t-shirts online and in-store, including their key trends; fresh summer whites, coloured denim, and bohemian looks. Styles are repetitive but work well with their brand because they keep it consistent. 7/10

ValueGAP might do basics, but they don’t necessarily do it at an affordable price. Taking the idea of longevity over fast-fashion, GAP provides their consumer with classic and timeless products. The coloured jean comes in at £45.95, and a t-shirt at an average price of £20. 6/10

ExperienceColour palette is muted, which is reflected on the in-store layout, which remains domi-nant throughout all seasons. This makes shopping for trends difficult in GAP, but due to their repetitive styles, staff are knowledgeable about the products. 5/10

37

6.ANN INC.’sPOTENTIALCONSUMER

Name : DebbieAge : 45Occupation : SecretaryNationality : White BritishHobbies and interests: Gardening, bak-ing and shoppingMartial status: Married, two teenage children

Where do you shop?John lewis, Morrissons, Marks and Spen-cers, Next, Tesco, John Lewis

What is it you like about these shops?Easy to park near, friendly and knowl-edgeable staff, visually pleasingI do not appreiciate staff pestering me when i am shopping. However, my shopping experience is better when staff engage in everyday conversation with me but also when i ask them a question they can give me a good answer. Good staff are people who will go out of their way to help you and not just ask if your okay because they have to.

What music do you listen to?I have radio 1 on most of the day in the background.

What do you read?Local newspapers, Prima, Good housekeeping and Good food.

30 mins

39

Name: MicheleAge: 50Nationality: White BritishOccupation: property sales negotiatorMarital status: Married, three children

Name: MicheleAge: 50Nationality: White BritishOccupation: property sales negotiatorMarital status: Married, three children

Name: YvetteAge: 42Occupation: beauty therapistNationality: BritishMarital status: single, 4 kids

Favourite stores: Sainsbury’s, Next, Zara, Coast, Marks & Spencer, House of Fraser, John Lewis

Personal preference for shopping in these particular stores:“I shop at Sainsbury’s for the quality of the food, I like how there’s always a generous amount of staff avail-able to help me locate items I need”.

“I shop at Next because I find their quality of formal wear in particular the suits I find are of good quality and value for money. The layout of the Next stores helps me to consider what i should wear with what, giving me suggestions for what is in season” whereas Marks isn’t as useful, i find their merchandising of clothing boring and overcrowded and with no styling consideration to help the customer with their pur-chase”

“Zara is the store I go to when to give me inspira-tion as to what the new season holds, the window displays I find are always up to date with their latest stock and have two ranges the basic and the Zara brand, giving me additional choice of garments to consider”

“I like shopping in department stores such as hose of Fraser and John Lewis’ as they give you more con-cession choice ranging from high end market brands such as Ted baker, French connection,and coast down to oasis and mango. So for occasion dressing there is always something to be found”.

Hobbies and interests: gym, horse riding, walking, reading, ceroc dancing

T.V: news, corrie, long lost familes, wild at heart, documetries

Where do you shop/favourite stores: sainsburys, next, Debenhams

What is it you like about these shops? Good customer service, good layout, clean, tidy

What music do you listen to/do you listen to the radio (what station)? Soul, radio 1

What do you read (magazines or newspapers or books)? Daily express, healthy food, weight watchers magazines, scratch, vitality, guild

Do you enjoy new technologies e.g. laptop? Yes, own kindle and use an ipad

Do you go online/look at brands online? Yes, NEXT, sometimes food shoppingDo you regularly go on-line:

No, I’m from the thought i would rather interact one to one with the product I like to feel and touch the product I would be purchasing. as the whole shop-ping experience is apart of it, having people around and entering individual stores makes the experience fun.

41

LOFT 1

Name: MelissaAge: 17Occupation: student, waitressNationality: British

Name: EmmanuelleAge: 23Nationality: BritishOccupation: Student Nurse

Do you regularly go on-line: Yes, I’m regularly on-line, I like to keep up to date, looking regularly on the BBC news website.

What do you read: “Daily Mail, You magazine, medical journals, Vogue.--What do you watch: One born every minute, CSI, NCIS, News, Big bang theory

Hobbies and interests: swimming, running, modelling, competitions

T.V: silent witness, the bridge, anything crime based

Where do you shop/favourite stores: Topshop, next, h&m, primark

What is it you like about these shops? Cheap, fashionable, affordable

What music do you listen to/do you listen to the radio (what station)? Radio 1, signal 1, Rihanna, lana del rey

What do you read (magazines or newspa-pers or books)? Ok, heat, maily look at pictures im not a big reading fan

Favourite stores: “Vivienne Westwood, Zara, River Island, Topshop”

Personal preference for shopping in these particular stores:

Vivienne Westwood: “I like Vivienne be-cause it has unique designs and different styles. I particularly like their shoes, their so individual”.

Zara: “it has more of a summery and Span-ish vibe, the tailoring of the garments are also really good. Zara’s in-store layout, very minimal. The staff don’t really interact with customers”.

River Island: “It has more of a young and vibrant feel, very up-to-date trends. It more fast fashion that attracts me to the store so I’m always up to date with what’s

Do you enjoy new technologies e.g. lap-top? Ipad, laptop, iphone, Blackberry

Do you go online/look at brands online? Vintage ebay, h&m

43

7.THE LAUNCHOF ANN TAYLORIN THEU.K

We propose that Ann Taylor should open a flagship store on Regent Street, London, in order to introduce their brand into the UK market. The flagship will

provide an opportunity for Ann to have complete creative control of the way in which UK consumers will perceive the brand. In order for a reputation to be

established, a launch night will be an appropriate way to present Ann to a whole new retail landscape. Ann Taylor was chosen over LOFT because we feel there is more potential for growth in the UK market. Ann Taylor has a style that would be suited to the British individual, and there is a gap in the market for an affordable

and quality brand for the 25+ woman.

THE PROPOSAL

45

THE ANN TAYLOR

POINT OFDIFFERENCE

MARKETINGSTRATEGY

Ann Taylor’s point of differenceThe Ann Taylor flagship will offer a unique customer service. It will meet the

needs of the consumer, and their desire to be styled by professionals, through an ethos of being a woman’s new best friend. Taking our primary research from

New York into consideration, we found that this is an area which they excel in, staff are well educated about the product, and are always aware of their

consumer. The store layout will reflect their current store design; however there will be a large focus on personal interaction, both on the sales floor and in the

fitting rooms.

In order to generate publicity and consumer awareness, we suggest a collaboration with a popular UK figure in the fashion industry, such as Gok Wan.

Gok is a renowned stylist, celebrity and TV personality, with shows like ‘How to Look Good Naked’, and ‘Gok’s Fashion Fix’. Gok appeals to Ann’s target

market, inspiring women from the age of 20+ to be comfortable and confident about their figure and style. The audience for Gok is therefore on parallel with

the audience of Ann Taylor. The launch night will be open to the press, including bloggers, journalists, and selected broadcasters. However, we also propose Ann

use Gok to communicate to his followers, via social networking, magazine columns andtelevision interviews, in order to raise an awareness of the launch.

Through this, Gok can randomly select one hundred of his followers to attend the launch night with him, where he will be conducting live styling with the Ann

Taylor products. Gok has previously collaborated with other British brands, increasing his public exposure, and further his popularity within the UK

47

8.RECOMMEND-ATIONS

49

Due to the current recession in the UK economy, pricing of goods is of paramount importance. Ann Taylor needs to be

competitive, but also be flexible in terms of offering promotions and discounts. In regards to franchises, location within these

cities is key, so as to target the right consumer for the brand. Ann must position themselves amongst similar competitors in the

market, for example Next and Monsoon. Training for staff is a necessity; staff needs to be well educated about both brand and product. They must also epitomise the brands persona of

friendly, confident and approachable.

RISKFACTORS