case: peter england- the honest shirt

Peter England- Honest Success

Dr Amit Rangnekar

2007-08

2007-08 Dr Amit Rangnekar

Case Objectives

• Can a product be sold without any marketing gimmicks, or film actors, or the hype

• Can you sell a product honestly?

• Peter England did that successfully and captured the Indian middle class mind, honestly


Brand Heritage

• 1885- Started in in Londonderry, Ireland, became a leading military dress supplier to the British Army

• 1997- Brand came to India through Madura Garments

• 2000- Madura Garments acquired by Indian Rayon, Aditya Birla Nuvo Group

• Madura Garments also markets Louis Philippe, Van Heusen, Allen Solly, Byford, SF and Elements through exclusive & Planet Fashion outlets, & multi-brand outlets

• Madura Garments- prefered manufacturer for Marks & Spencers, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren (Polo), and exclusive marketer for Esprit in India


Market scenario

• March- 1997• Indian shirt market size 60 million pieces (est)• Premium Segment Rs. 500+ @15 %• Mid price Rs. 250-500 @35 %• Economy below Rs. 250 @50 %• The mid-price segment had good growth rates• Enormous potential for developing a new brand• Peter England created to tap into that segment


Background

• The mid-price market- Plethora of store brands • Shirts sold mostly on retail push• Regional / Local brand strengths• No national brand• Store brands had weak customer relationships• Relationship was primarily product oriented• No distinct brands image or emotional connect


Peter England Strategy

• Build a national image

• Carve out a national foot-print

• Gain share from store promoted/ local/ regional labels


Peter England’s competitive edge

• Extensive range of office & casual wear

• Good quality label and branding

• Contemporary designs, colours & fabric

• Wide distribution, easy availability

• Well-orchestrated merchandising

• High market visibility


Objectives

• Marketing- Build Peter England into the largest selling shirt brand in India.

• Advertising• Establish Peter England as an international• quality shirt at an affordable price.• Short term• Launch phase communication designed to create quick

and universal awareness of the brand’s• USP of quality & price• Long term• Build strong brand preference• Sustain brand loyalty through attractive imagery &

constantly reiterating the product benefits


Consumer Insights- The mid-price buyer • Lack of benchmark brands• No standardisation of quality, high variation• Pre- and post-purchase uncertainty & anxiety over fit,

quality, shrinkage, durability etc.• Lack of a Value-for-money proposition• Belief- Premium shirt brands were overpriced• Good looking shirt always out of price reach• Embarrassing feeling to publicly reveal their budget to the

shopkeeper • Seeks a mix of rational, sensory & emotional pay-offs• Peter England incorporated these in its ads


Peter England simplified the buying process

From To

Search for a good shirt across counters Ask for PE as their first choice

Check for merchandise, colour / design, fabric / stitching, overall look, brand / label

Check colour/design, decide on overall look

Ask price Know price band

Select 1 from many Select 1 from PE

Buy a shirt with a label Buy PE

Start hunt all over Is happy, Comes back to PE

Consumer Insight: Things seem to happen only to people who wear good looking (read expensive) shirts


Launch Ads


Creative strategy

• Communication needed to link brand’s position ‘good quality product at a great price’ and the consumer’s need for ‘product plus brand imagery’

• Research insight ‘most consumers thought premium shirt brands were overpriced’ provided the link

• ‘Just honest-to-goodness quality available at an honest-to-goodness price’ emerged

• Thus the brand line ‘Peter England - The honest shirt’• Creative- ‘Alter-ego format with an element of simplicity’


Creative strategy

• Effectively used ‘Element of fantasy that a consumer segment would indulge in, to push the honesty of quality and price across’

• Key driver- ‘Level of empathy the character generated amongst consumers’

• Concept visualised in vernacular also• Outdoor media, the colour identity of Red used with

significant impact.


Advt


Media Strategy & Objectives

• Print- Press ads: 150/100 cc colour• Outdoor- Hoardings in Metros/ mini metros• Launch• South India, Delhi & UP in Mar-Apr 1997• Maharashtra in Jan-98 and ROI by May-98 • Post Launch TVC - two creative units- 30 sec• Objective- Ensure high & quick awareness among target

group• Media plan- Adequate weightage to reach, frequency and

campaign continuity• Media choice- To build a clear identity for the brand


May 2003


Innovative approaches

• 1st time in India, a readymade shirt brand went outdoors extensively to deliver a high quality launch

• Extensive TV usage as main medium for readymade shirts and garments, earlier only print

• Bold use of vernacular media, unlike the big brands • Taking over Dadar Railway Station sites• Sponsor male oriented programmes- News, Sports

(cricket) & crime thrillers


Phase 2 Ads


May 2004Oct 2003


Jul 2002


Brand Building• Once brand was established, quickly building volumes became

critical• The category demanded fresh fashion cues every season• The second phase attempted to give a seasonal flavour to the

brand• 1999- Casual range introduced as sub-brand ‘Elements’• The brand theme campaign supported by :• The Anti-wrinkle Collection• The Solids Collection• The Festival Collection• The English Cottons Collection• The Summer Mints Collection • 2000- Trousers launched to cover the complete wardrobe


Peter England SuitsMay 2004


Performance

• Research confirmed Peter England’s high brand equity

• Became a 1 million brand in 2 years

• Crossed the 2 million mark in 4 years

• The 1st mid-segment brand to cross Rs 100 cr

• Voted ‘best brand’ in the IMAGES study

• The only new lifestyle brand to feature in ‘best brand launch’ of The Strategist Quarterly in 1998


Extensions

• Trousers

• T-Shirts

• Denims

• Socks

• Suits

• Ties

• Wallets

• Launched Peter England Elite


Peter England Today

• Prefered brand• Loyal customer base, overall brand satisfaction • High brand and advertising awareness• Brand value- High• Future purchase intention-High• Intention to recommend- High• Largest selling shirt brand in the country• Robust growth rate• Many Peter England clones in the market

case: peter england- the honest shirt

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