RESEARCH PORTFOLIO

LAUREN MITCHELL N0299038

the brandTopman was launched in 1978 (Arcadia, 2012, online), as the brother brand to women’s fashion leader Topshop. It provided a new approach to menswear retailing. Topman now boast over 185 stores in the UK, with the London flagship store seeing 75,000 visitors enter every week. (Topman,2012,online)

Topman has sponsored Fashion Week for 3 years, and together with Fashion East produces ‘MAN’ a dedicated showcase of new menswear designers.(London fashion week, 2012, online).

In 2011 Topman expanded into male grooming, with men’s fragrances and hair styling products. (GQ, 2011, online)

There are now Topman stores in over sixty cities worldwide with boutiques in America, China and Japan stocking the brand. Topman.com sees over 160,000 visits a week with international shipping. (Topman,2012,online)

products“The current uniform of skinny jeans, a check shirt and porkpie hat is a direct result of Topman,” says Richard Gray, editor of 10 Men magazine. “It’s one of the first times that a high-street brand has had such a major influence over what young men wear.”(Chivers, Simon, 2009, online)

The brand has a talented in- house design team for the main ranges, which are refreshed on a monthly basis. (Arcadia, 2012, online) Alongside concession ranges and Topman LTD & Design.

FInance

Topman is Arcadia’s best performing brand followed by Topshop and Miss Selfridge (Neilan, 2012, Drapers). This forms part of the Annual profit: £57,745,000.00 that Arcadia made in 2011. (worksmart,2011,online)

brand sponsorshIp

“Music has quickly become the lifeblood of Topman - over re-cent years we have strived to support unsigned and new music talent and we now own our own music platform - Topman CTRL.” (David Shepherd, 2009, online)

The brand has ‘has carved out a special relevance in Britain’s cultural landscape’ (Portas M, 2012, online)

Men’s uK FashIon MarKet

sIze The men’s fashion market makes up 29% of the total fashion market in the UK (Mintel, 2011, online) It is rapidly growing, currently worth £9.7bn, set to grow reaching £13.7bn by 2021 (Datamonitor, 2012, online).

One of reasons for this growth is the new trends in male grooming . They have prompted men to take more care in their appearance. The trend of the “meterosexual” male among 16-24 (Mintel.2011. online)

populatIon & consuMer traIts The male population is changing the 16-24 age group is shrinking whilst the 25-34s have seen large growth for the past 3 years. (Mintel, 2010, online)

There are 27.6 million men in the UK. (Office for national statistics, 2012, online) .The structure of the population is changing. The fastest-growing age bands from 2010-15 are:

• 25-34s (+12.2%), • 45-54s (+6.3%)• over-65s (+15.9%)

The biggest potential market will be the 25-34s, currently the largest sector with continuous growth for the past 3 years . (Mintel, 2010,online)

The charts show that highest spenders are the under 25s. This age group are more likely to experiment with fashion, on average spend-ing £479 a year on clothes (Verdict, 2012, online).

A drop of 5% in the population of 15-24 year olds, bringing the demographic to 7.8 million between 2011- 2016. this age bracket are the key drivers of sales within the fashion market. (Mintel, 2010, online)

spendIng prIorIty Clothing and footwear ranks as medium importance spending priority for men, with 35% choosing to spend extra money on fashion. (Mintel, 2012,online) This graph shows that clothing ranks as fifth importance.

Who? The more fashion aware demographic tends to be the teens to 25 and the 25-34 year old. Although it is the growing numbers of 25-34 year olds who will drive future sales as they have greater spending power (Mintel, 2012, online).

Mintel have identified three types of male shoppers:

• 24% Shopaholics- confident with their style and love to shop for clothes.

• 44% Alright Jacks – sense of style and like to look good but not interested in fashion or shopping.

• 32% Sloppy Joes – comfort is key less interested in fashion but will pay more for quality and show some enjoyment from shopping. (Mintel, 2010, online)

shoppIng experIence & brand loyalty

“Men don’t hate fashion, they just hate shopping the way it’s designed for women,”Believes Ben Lerer, founder of Thrillist,

“The young generation of guys love to shop, they love to talk about the brands they like and they really care about how they look.” (Frier S, 2012, online)

buyIng FrequencyThe frequency of male clothes purchasing depends on a number of factors, including age, location and social demographic grouping. As the graph shows most men buy clothing every few months.

This is definitely seen with the under 25’s. They are the most dedicated to shopping and fashion with 57% purchasing new clothing at least once a month. (Mintel, 2012, online)

They describe their customer base as ranging from the Trend conscious Bright Young Thing to the Indie Boy to your Typical Lad. (Topman, 2012, online)

Yougov. Com describes Topman shoppers as proud, outgoing , alternative and young. Typically shopping at both Topman and competitor stores such as River island, ASOS, Republic and Urban outfitter. This supports the findings into competitors in chapter 5 . They typically read magazines include NME, GQ, FourFourTwo, The economist and Metro. (YouGov.com, 2012, online)

youth culture The youth market differ from other consumer groups. After speaking with Laura- Jane Preston Youth editor from WGSN the following topics were agreed as most important for affecting youth culture.

dIgItal technology- The most defining factor of youth culture is the adoption of technology. They are the most digitally connected generation having grown up with rapid technological development.

Instant gratIFIcatIon- Speed and efficiency drive purchases.

peer recoMMended products: They are more likely to trust peer recommendations. Youth turn to their friends (60%) when looking for fashion advice, with 56% of males asking their friends. (Ypulse, 2012, online)

brand engageMent - “Young adults are looking for products that can help communicate what they stand for. And they tend to view brands as a means of expressing themselves, which is good news for brands“ Nick Tabbal, SVP research, Resonate. (Phillips, Carol, 2012, presentation)

brand Me - The youth market are experts at curating their online life. They know the power of branding and publicity. (MTV Research, 2012, online)

MusIc/ role Models- Music artists have a huge influence on youth culture. Young men are encour-aged by their role models (Musicians etc) (Tungate M, 2008, p 40)

consuMer

questIonnaIreA survey was used answer the question ‘who is the Topman consumer ?’ Stratified sampling was used, as the survey was looking at the male population. Random sampling was then used to collect the results. The survey was conducted using an online questionnaire format (Survey- monkey) with a total of 50 participants.

A wide range of consumers were questioned to find out exactly who Topman’s consumers were. The majority of people fell into the 21-25 (44%) category followed by 26-30 (26%).

This shows the age range for Topman is more diverse then the brand supposes.

Of the people interviewed 28% were students 37% full time employment and 32% part time employment.

Most earned between £20,000 -£24,000 or £25,000- £35,000. The average income for men the UK is £28,700 (BBC, 2012 online), the lower bracket could relate to the student participants or those in part time work.

56% of participants shopped at Topman with 44% saying they do not. Participants who did shop at the brand provided similar responses, noting the fashion forward clothing and price. None picked up on brand image: this could indicate the brand is failing to connect.

“I like the cutting edge style “

“Relatively cheap, fashionable clothing.”

“it’s a reliable brand”

It was important to find out why participants did not shop at Topman.

Reoccurring themes included the high price not being justified and a limited/ poor product range. An interesting response stated that the products were similar to Primark but twice the price.

“I don’t like wearing the same shirt that 3 other guys in the room are currently wearing.”

“It’s not to my taste, nor do I feel the quality is good enough for the price”

“I find the men’s range to not have any range at all,”

“Over-priced, ugly & poor quality”

These responses suggest, the brand needs to improve the quality and range of products as well as pricing.

It is important to define the other stores participants visit. The most frequent response was River Island followed by Next. Primark, H&M and ASOS were also popular. American brands were also frequently mentioned such as Hollister and Abercrombie and Fitch.

Other responses included Online and independent shops including vintage and street wear brands. Some participants stated that for more expensive items such as suits they go to specialists. This information will help define Topman’s competitors later in the report.

Only 20% of participants had heard of Topman CTRL and Topman Generation , this is worrying as the brand is positioned as a music and fashion brand , putting a lot of money into Topman CTRL and Generation.

68% of participants were not concerned if Topman had an independent store or not. This area will need further investigation to determine if it is the right step for the brand.

65% of participants would be interested in taking out a Topman loyalty card in return for discounts and rewards. This could be used to increase account card uptake and increase brand loyalty.

The questionnaire highlighted important areas that the brand can improve which will be useful in informing stage 2.

InterVIeW WIth a topMan Manager hoW Would you descrIbe the topMan consuMer ? They like to look good and see Topman as the brand that can offer that whether they are buying the more basic ranges or the core fashion ranges. You get the fashion consumer buying the patterned shirts and more ‘statement’ pieces. Then you also have the style aware consumer who are less concerned with what is in fashion but like to look good.

What age ranges do you typIcally see In stores ? The age range is really diverse. You get 16 year olds coming in with their mum or friends as well as older men looking for something to wear on the weekend. The age range is really diverse. You get 16 year olds coming in with their mum or friends as well as older men looking for something to wear on the weekend.I would say ageranges are from 16 to mid thirties, in our store we tend to have an older consumer base of 18-35, they are the ones who purchase more often.

prIMary research Methods

consuMer dIarIes To gain greater understanding of the Topman target market, a range of participants were asked to keep a photo diary for seven days of the clothing and brands they wore.Four consumers took part in the research. The research may be slightly limited due to the close ages of the participants.

store obserVatIon A number of store visits were made to a range of different sized stores in locations such as Nottingham, Cambridge, Stevenage, Cheshunt and London Oxford street.

Consumers ages were noted to see if Topman had a wider Target market then the perceived 16- 25 market.The chart shows the percentage of consumers within the age brackets.

The majority of shoppers fall in the 19-25year market . There is also a large proportion of 26-35 year old shopper, which Topman do not target in advertising or models chosen.

The research may be slightly limited as the observations were conducted a few months before christmas.

stand alone store ?

Topman already have two standalone stores, one in Spitalfields and one in Covent Garden. (Millar J, 2012, online)

They are branded as the General Store Topman and are very different to the Topman stores.

They are designed to look like an independent with no obvious visual connection to Topman. They have the feel of an up market boutique selling fresh undiscovered designers clothing. Brands include high end names like Levi’s, Fleet Iyla, John Smedley and Taxonomy. (Arcadia,2012,online).

Many women buy clothing for their boyfriends or husbands, (Mintel 2012, online). Having both departments in the same store means it is quick and easy to shop. It also encourages women into the male department by being in the same store

The primary online questionnaire showed that the Topman consumer is not concerned if the store is standalone. (68%). Grouped stores may actually be more of an asset. In an informal conversation with one consumer they said they look for a large Topshop store, as they know there will be a Topman Department inside. With many men shopping with their girlfriend or wife itmakes sense to have the two brands under the same roof as it caters for both parties.

‘This is Topman, the stock is Topman, but it neither looks nor feels like the brand of which it is an extension.’(Ryan J, 2012, online)

“General Store concept aims to make the shop part of the community wherever it may open by integrating the brand within the neighbourhood.”(Hay,E, 2012, online)

Arcadia recently closed 250 stores (Warburton S, 2011, online) due to leases running out. Primary Research speaking to Arcadia staff members found that for the moment the plan is for brands to share a unit space. Meaning currently it is unlikely that Topman would be opened as a stand-alone store.

Competitors offering both men and women’s ranges brands tend to keep both departments in the same store. These include New Look, H&M, River Island and Next.

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MarKetIngtopMan ModelsAfter discovering a tweet from a Topman consumer stating that Topman’s models looked “malnourished” and “ugly”, a focus group was used to investigate whether other consumers shared this opinion.

A focus group looked at the current advertising for Topman and that of a competitor. 5 male students were asked about the images and if the models in the advertising influenced them to shop at the store.

The responses were negative.

This was an opinion shared by the group; they also stated that the models looked too young and feminine. When asked would you shop at Topman based on the models alone the feedback was a unanimous no.

The group were then shown an image from a competitor. The feedback was mixed. Many agreed that they were more appealing then the Topman ad but felt that they still were not a good representation of the male consumer.“Much Cooler. Doesn’t look so try hard and pretentious.”

“These guys are not cool or even good looking. It’s trying to be too alternative and doesn’t work.”

“They are too ugly and girly why would you want to shop from a brand that uses them. I don’t want to look like that so I wouldn’t shop there.”

They were asked if they would be more likely to shop here based on the models. The results were 50/50 some participants said they would as they felt they were a lot better then Topman. Whereas others felt they would not due to the models still looking feminine and unappealing.

When asked about musicians and artist modeling for a brand, respondants were in agreement that it was a good idea and can bring the brand a more credible image as long as the partnership seems authentic and the right person is used.

MarKetIngtopMan ctrl & topMan generatIon The biggest focus for the band in terms of marketing is Topman Generation which is a progression of CTRL. Topman CTRL is a online music show created for Topman consumers.

In 2010 Topman launched Topman CTRL (Topman CTRLFacebook, 2010, online) The CTRL platform aimed to bring together social media platforms andtraditional music platforms. The face of the campaign was Huw Stephens (BBC radio 1 DJ) hosting the podcasts. Guests and Huw can post content onto the Topman CTRL feed, including videos, photos, music and TV shows. (Bounce digital, 2010, online)

“Creativity is at the heart of the new CTRL platform, with some of the best music content all housed and collated in one space.

Topman.com/CTRL will become an all-important music filter run by the people pushing music forward to create a key music discovery destination.” Danielle Ford - Senior Marketing Manager, Topman.

(Bounce digital, 2010, online)

Topman CTRL is now part of Topman Generation an online across platform magazine focusing on fashion, music, film and art. (CTRL Topman, 2010, online)

Readers can interact with the content, favorite features and share them on social media. (Campaign live, 2012, online) Recent interviews include Example, Kristen Dunst, Rankin and Yoko Ono. Content includes daily viral videos, film reviews, CTRL track of the day, music, fashion and interviews. (Magazine Topman, 2012, online)

Despite the success Topman CTRL only has 6,389 likes on Facebook. (Topman CTRL Facebook, 2012, online)

Out of those interviewed only 20% had heard of the campaign.

The Topman Generation content is handpicked by ex-Dazed Digital arts and culture editor John-Paul Pryor, (Metro, 2011, online).

It is difficult to see how popular the Topman Generation magazine is. There are daily tweets about the brand using the #TOPMANGENERATION on twitter. The magazine does not have its own Facebook page or Twitter page, which CTRL did. Instead it is a more integrated part of the brand. However with only 20% of the participants questioned in the online survey knowing about the magazine, Topman still need to work on raising awareness.

MarKetIng

socIal MedIa

Like many fashion brands Topman communicate with their consumer with Social Media, including Facebook, Twitter, Google plus, Tumblr and Instagram.

These tools are used on a daily basis through competitions, pictures and messages. Topman have been innovative in using the different media to create competitions to encourage consumers to promote the brand using the Topman hash tag #Topman when they send in their answers/ pictures.

The content across all the social platforms is the same; there does not appear any need to follow the brand across more than one social media site. These different platforms could be so that Topman can communicate with their consumer in a way that the consumer chooses.

adVertIsIng Topman have created a cinema ad for their fragrance Topman Distil. (Shortlist, 2012, online) the ad is 37 seconds and feature British model Jester White (ftape, 2012, online) who has featured in the Topman A/W 2012 campaign. The adis also available on You Tube.

Although striking it is not appealing to the male consumer. The video has only been watched 4,329 times and out of those who viewed it only 18 people liked it. (Topman You Tube, 2012, online)

Compare this to Lynx Excite ad, which has been viewed 838,750 and has 2,004 likes. (Lynx You tube, 2012, online)

Topman need to rethink the video so that it appeals to the consumer and gets the consumer sharing the content.

MarKetIng

experIentIalTopman run in-store events in the Flag-ship stores.

A popular event that runs in the London & Prague flagship stores is the Fashion Friday event, on the last Friday of every month. The event takes place in the stylist’s lounge where customers can shop get advice from stylists whilst listening to live DJ’s. There are discounts, goodie bags and wet shaves from Sharps Barber shop. (Bergin O, 2010, online)

Topman have also run a gaming night in 2011 sponsored by Xbox. (Topman official blog, 2011, online) This was again held in the London Flagship store.

More recently Topman gave 3 competition winners the chance to win a personal shopping night with singer Olly Murs. (Topman Facebook, 2011, online) This was a success but questions as to whether Olly Murs was the best choice for a male brand remains.

Primary research into his fan base using his Facebook page shows his fan base is predominantly women. Topman would have been better using a male musician who appealed to the male market

More exciting events have taken place in America where the brand is still building brand awareness and a consumer base. These events include pop- up shops (some at Universities), a pool party, free gig tickets and sponsored music nights. (Topman Face-book, 2011, online) As well as a road trip with a Topman branded van touring popular cities. Customers who spot the van received a free bag and bottled water. The van was track able using social media. (Bergin O, 2010, online)

There have been no recent large scale event or campaigns in the UK. They could be seen to be neglecting their home market, which they can not afford to do. Especially as Primary research has shown that there are negative opinions about the brand and only half of those questioned shop at Topman.

Topmans other tools include bus ads in London, magazine featured items and a blog. However analysis of the blog shows that it undermines the Topman Generation magazine. Consideration needs to be made as to whither the blog is needed and if so how it can be made more influential.

Men can be very loyal customers if they are treated well, returning to the same brand again and again. (Tungate M, 2008,p 219)

Men have moved online with a subsequent drop in physical retail sales (Tungate M, 2008, p 136) With Twice as many men as women shopping online (Scivisum, 2012, online) the internet is ideal to reach men.

Men appreciate guidelines for dressing (Tungate M, 2008, p61) which GQ have featured in articles written by the Style Guy explaining how to use a tie clip and which shirts to choose. It is important to recognise that men do not like to be dictated to by magazines (Tungate M, 2008, p136)

MarKetIng to Men

Marketing to men is very different to marketing to women. Mark Tungate in his book Branded Male explains men are wary of any advertising that contains a hint of narcissism. (Tungate M, 2008, p 37)

Authenticity is important to the male consumer. Topman need to offer a strong unique reason to choose them over their competitors. Men look for longevity, heritage and craftsmanship if none are available they choose familiarity.(Tungate M, 2008, p 219)

Sedge Beswick, Global social media marketing executive at ASOS explained in a lecture that marketing to men online is also very different. They do not respond the ‘fluffy’ talk instead preferring engaging social media tools such as asking ques-tions, fill in the blanks (of a tweet) to win a prize, or ‘which do you prefer ? have a look here”. They respond to minimal copy and engaging and inter-active digital tools.

Few men are confident enough to dress entirely by instinct (Tungate M, 2008, p55) Magazines such as GQ and esquire offer tips on leg length and styling . This lack in confidence means, men are heavily influenced by role models. For example Daniel Craig in Casino Royale (2006) saw an increase in sales of tight swimming trunks. (Tungate M, 2008, p56) Topman can utilise this by using recognised popular role models as the face of the brand.