ELIAS & GRACE STRATEGIC MARKETING PLAN By Jayme O Donoghue Elias and Grace- The Brand Story Opening it s Primrose Hill, Flagship store in 2005, Elias & Grace is a luxury children s clothing store that stocks high end children s wear brands. The store is owned by Nickey Thrussell who named the store after her children and their middle names, Freddie Elias and Tatum Grace. To read more on Nickey go to http://www.renskitchen.com/about/press/ telegraph. It offers children and their parents international designer childrenswear from sizes 0 to 14 years. It created it s online store in 2008. Some of the brands stocked at the store include, Acne, April Showers, Bellerose, Chole, Dore Dore, Little Marc Jacobs, Marni, Miller, Mod 8, Morley and Petit Bateau.
The Elias & Grace Tween Flagship Store- An Outline of the Proposed Business Concept The proposal is to expand the Elias and Grace business and create a new Elias and Grace TWEEN girls flagship clothing store. We will separate the girls children s wear from the girls tween wear and create new store in the similar Primrose or Notting Hill area that focuses on the niche market of tweens (ages 8 to 14). Brands to be carried include-
We will add extra products to the store such as accessories, knick knacks and fun beauty products. We will also create an additional service and value proposition- a beauty and hair bar. Here staff will create simple beauty and hair up dos.
Tween girls have specific and contradicting style and lifestyle tastes. They not think of themselves as children anymore, but they are not yet teenagers either. This means they do not want to buy their clothes at the same stores as their younger siblings. Therefore, the tween store will have a new, more grown up aesthetic and interior. Without being too serious, the store will be fun, bright, energetic and very fashion forward. We also will create a new website for the store. This will be interactive and dynamic. We will create an & blog which features up and coming tween stars and models and stylish and age appropriate events and activities. The Current Marketing Situation The following retail stores and online stores currently exist and attract buyers from the the tween market-
These brands however are low to middle priced and do not create the same retail experience & intends to. Because of the high priced pieces, the store will offer tweens a sense of status. We will market the store at a particular circle of tweens, thus create an exclusive young fashion community. Of current there are no tween girls retail stores that show to offer the same luxury brands & will. The majority of stores for tweens in London offer fast fashion and are accessible by most socio economic groups due to the lower prices. There are also no stores which create the same retail experience we intend to create for tween girls. Because of the high end prices and the intended additional services the store will be unique. SWOT Analysis Strengths The store already has a very strong retail image and aesthetic. It would be easy to create a more unique and grown up aesthetic whilst still creating links to the original. Value quality and individuality. Sell very strongly branded clothing labels.
Offer impeccable customer service. The online store. Offering worldwide shipping. The celebrity and editorial following. Offering extra retail services, such as the party and event dressing. Excellent media coverage. Weaknesses There is only one stand alone store Prices are not the most accessible There has not been any expansion in their business as yet. Opportunities The tween influence on parents is enormous. There is a big social debate about whether children dress to old for their age. Thus, this new store could tap into this fear and provide a store where tweens can find clothes that are age appropriate but also stylish in a modern and chic retail environment. The tween market in terms of population is growing rapidly. They are responsible for spending a lot of money for the economy. According to 360 Youth, Tweens independently spend $51 billion annually. They also have considerable sway over another $170 billion annually spent on them by parents and family. Parents often don t sacrifice their children s needs. There is a gap in stylish, luxury, age appropriate tween clothing stores for girls. The store will offer night time pieces and day wear pieces.
We will be able to use technology to our advantage in creating a fresh new online shopping destination, look book and blog with separate models and features to the original website. We will develop an online marketing campaign aimed at tweens. Socially, the way a tween looks and dresses now is very important in the public sphere. Thus we can engage with this idea in a positive way by showing tweens how to create age appropriate but fashionable and highly style savvy outfits. Threats Other online tween labels. The idea the Topshop and Zara are also popular amongst tweens. Thus we must really push out USP. Tweens often want to dress older than they are thus there may be negative associations with buying clothes from a store that extends from a children s wear store. Economically, parents may not be spending as much on luxury labels. That the ideal to be cool and dress like mainstream teenagers may hinder the store. The scepticism about buying expensive products online without being able to try on first. Positioning Statement To convince our target market that buying from new Elias and Grace store, &, is of benefit as it is a new tween store for girls that is fashion forward, unique, quality and a balance of sophisticated and playful. This is because of the clear and expert brand team who are knowledgeable on how tweens see style and how they want their clothing to be.
Segmentation Demographic Characteristics Age Geographic Area Socio Economic Group Family Life Stage The Target Market for & TWEENS- in between a child and teenager, ages 8 to 14 years. GENERATION Z DIGITAL GENERATION Tweens are desperate to put away childish things and be taken seriously in their own right. They are are constantly aspiring to be 18 months - 2 years ahead of themselves and often act older than how they feel. Tween girls become increasingly aware of their social group and are influenced by their peers. They are gradually gaining more responsibility from their parents and slowly developing more grown-up tastes in entertainment, style and activities.
The tween generation spends in excess 94.25 billion a year. Added to this is another 94.25 billion year- this is the amount the generation controls when it comes to family spending. Social Pressure on Tweens It is the last years of primary school and the beginning years of high school that girls start to feel social pressure. Feeling the need to identify with their peer group, they become more aware of the latest trends and gossip. Taking in these trends they being to express their identity - be it wearing the right clothes or becoming interested in their appearance. To belong for tweens, means to keep up with trends. However, they also don t want to stand out due to the fear of bullying. Their feelings of self consciousness generates a horror of having attention on one s self. Thus, their day and night pieces must have an effortless and causal coolness. In terms of their buying habits, being in the early stages of defining their own identity, the tweens change their tastes rapidly. Clothes, and they way they are worn become a way of identifying with their peer group. The Tween Public vs Private Self At home tweens can be themselves and possibly even revert back to being more childish. They are still heavily influenced by family life and activities. Moreover, with the distance between generation gaps growing close in the generation gaps, tweens and their parents are finding more similar interests. This is particularly true for mothers and daughters, and the activity of shopping.
The Influence of Tweens on Family Spending Tween influence is high on family spending, as children often take priority in budget decisions. Parents are always concerned that their tween has fashionable products and clothing to fit in at school. Our target market being high in socioeconomic status, this would be particularly true since their parents are also most likely style conscience. Young girls particularly have also perfected during their pre-tweens years, the power and art of pester power, particularly towards mothers. The Importance of Parents for Purchase Decisions Although tweens have a lot of influence in the decision making process, in most cases it is still parents making the final buying decision and buy act. Tweens drive demand, however parents are the real buyers. Thus, the economic spending power of tweens actually rests with parents. Purchase Decions % 0 20 40 60 80 Tween Parent Joint
This chart demonstrates the importance then of making the store interiors and environment quality, age appropriate and stylish for them to invest their money in it. Moreover, of the US$ 51 billion spent by tweens themselves, an additional $170 billion was spent by parents and family members directly for them, according to 360Youth.com. Tween Media Usage http://www.slideshare.net/cmm263/tweens-not-kids-not-teenagers. Tweens also spend a lot their time interacting with the internet and social media during the day. It allows them a pool of knowledge, a collaborative space, the ability to share and compare value systems, express interpretations and opinions through pop culture and share information with others. This suggests the possibility of targeting them through Facebook and Twitter.
Creative and Entrepreneurial Drivers for creating Tween Stores 1. A key entrepreneurial driver for creating a tween clothing stores is that there is a large gap in the market for fashion forward, quality, quirky and unique tween girls stores. 2. Elias and Grace already has a loyal customer base of high income parents who currently buy clothing for both their children and tweens. Therefore, from an entrepreneurial view it makes sense to expand the brand as we have a stylish customer basis of parents who would happily buy tween clothes for their girls at the new store. This is particularly so since the store will be very current and relevant but still capture the innocence and whimsical nature of the brand. 3. The store helps overcome criticisms that fashion promotes children grow up to fast. 4. A creative driver in creating the new store is that Elias and Grace captures a beautifully unique childrens retail aesthetic through the luxury brands they carry. Thus, this aesthetic could easily be converted to create a new store. Here tweens can shop in a space where the atmosphere, service and store layout is more relevant and grown up. The exclusive customer basis we intend to create amongst tween customers through our high priced clothes will allow feelings of status, acceptance and group belonging- all important factors for tweens. The store will also give them no self consciousness about shopping in a childrenswear store and what that does to their image.
The Influence of Innovation and Technology 1. We will create a new online shopping website for &. It will be more grown up in its look, yet still capture an essence of fun, playfulness and enchantment. 2. The website will use more age appropriate models to model the clothes in the online look books. 3. The website will be very interactive. Tweens will be able to create a full look and place clothing, shoes and accessories on digital models. We will also create a way to upload a photo of oneself onto the website for girls to try the clothes on online versions of themselves. 4. We create an & blog. This will feature up and coming trends, hair and beauty tutorials, styling tutorials, mood boards, quirky inspirations, up and coming young events and interviews with tween celebrities or prominent British faces. We will also style our own photo shoots with up and coming young models to further enhance the fashion experience.. 5. As part of the store s launch, we will use film technology to create a fashion film on how the lookbook was created. We will also interview the tweens models. With tweens being influenced by their social peers, thus we can ask them what they like about the clothes and what their favourite pieces are. The Marketing Strategies of our Competitors No Added Sugar was created in 2001. They stock clothing for babies and kids up to 12 years old. Like Elias and Grace they produce high quality kids wear. The following are marketing strategies used by No Added Sugar- Creating a transactional website. It features an interactive look-book which uses lifestyle photography to create visual impact and enhance the customer
experience. Their e-commerce platform, which allows for the launching large scale marketing campaigns. The site can now handle over 100 transactions per minute. Weekly customer communications via email and social media channels to drive traffic and increase sales. They have competitions, promotions and give-aways to build stronger customer relationships. Using online marketing techniques to grow the in-house data file. They introduced brand protection and customer service facilities through social media and online marketing. Social media promotions. No Added Sugar are a competitor for the current, flagship Elias and Grace store. However, the new tween store will make our brand stand out further, giving it a unique selling point. Johnnie b is a tween line extension for the UK online shopping website, Boden. It is for girls aged 8 to 16 years. The following are marketing strategies used by Johnnie b- They have an interactive and consumer involved website, for example the Johnnie b Pick and Mix section of the website. They have a ipad app. Their Facebook, Twitter, Pininterest and Tumblr accounts. They have a large online lookbook.
The Marketing Mix- Product, Price, Place, Promotion Product The product we will create is the physical retail store, &. It is also the retail service we will provide to customers. Image Inspiration for the & Store Interior
Inspiration photos from <http://www.thecoolhunter.co.uk/stores>.
Core Product- the benefit of the product. The benefit of the new Elias and Grace store is the stylish, quality and age appropriate fashion it provides to tweens. It also benefits their parents. To a degree we are targeting parents who already shop for their children at Elias and Grace and buy from the many labels sold. Thus, the store offers convenience for parents, particularly if they have younger children and tweens. They will not need to change their shopping habits nor loyalty patterns. Actual Product- the tangible product The actual products are the clothing pieces. For girls, the pieces will include dresses, skirts, basic tee and singlet tops, coats, blouses, jackets, trousers or pants and evening wear piece. For the boys, the pieces will include, coats, jackets, knitwear, sweats, hoodies, day time and evening shirts, basic tees, trousers, shorts and evening pants. Augmented Product- the added value gained from a product Being a celebrity talked about store, tweens may gain status amongst their peers. Our online store will provide a look book with how to style pieces, thus added value is styling advice. We will also provide an after sales service, such as exchanges and refunds. Once a purchase has been made, we will also send out emails with customized information on new pieces for customers. Place The product will be sold in the new store and online shopping site. The distribution channels will be the physical store and customer service as well as mail and postal service to supply the customer with the product once they have ordered it online.
Price The price points of the brands sold in the store will be middle to high, which is a point of difference to many other tween clothing store or sites. However, the customers is getting more quality and status from purchasing from Elias and Grace. Prices will start at around 40 pounds for a basic t- shirt or singlet top and extend to 300 pounds for an occasion wear dress for girls. Promotion To launch the new girls store, we will do in house store mums and daughters fashion parade. We will invite loyal spenders of the original flagship store, Elias and Grace VIP members and prominent London or celebrity guests. Food will be provided such cupcakes, cotton candy and other organise gourmet treats and sweets. Wine and champagne will be provided for mums. We will also build in a hair, beauty, nail and salon bar. This service launch on the event night. Ipads and Macs will be availiable for use to check out the new blog site and interactive website. There will also be a photo booth machine. We will approach a celebrity or well known British personality or to be the host or simply guest a the party. In particular we will approach the following celebrities as they have already given good word about the original store- Kate Moss, Kate Beckinsile, Jude Law and Victoria Beckham. I love Elias & Grace, it s where I always find the most beautiful pieces for Lila - Kate Moss Elias & Grace is really cool - Jude Law
We will send out clothing pieces and accessories to these celebrities or PR agents, along with other prominent British personalities, in the hopes of their own tweens wearing them. This will generate publicity for the new & store. We will gain editorial coverage through feature and news pieces on the store s opening and event party and through providing pieces for tween photo and beauty shoots. Magazines to target include, Tattler, Vogue, Sunday Times Style Magazine, Evening Standard Magazine, Miss Vogue and popular Sunday newspapers. This editorial coverage will particularly be done at the time of the store opening event. This will advertise the event and encourage and mothers and daughters to RSVP. To promote the opening store launch we will also give out flyers in the original shop designed to look like an exclusive invitation. They will particularly be given to the most loyal customers. We will utilise our current online customer database to send emails to customers promoting the event. To attract tweens to the event and store itself will create a Facebook, Twitter, Pininterest and Tumblr account. On these accounts we will promote the evnt, but also provide style tips, cute inspiration photos, celebrity photos, model
photos and snippets of interviews from our blog. Thus, our social media will be effectively synchronised with the blog. We will advertise on online fashion websites such as Womens Wear Daily, Style.com, Conde Nast traveller and Tattler. Expenditure, Investment and Profit We will gain the money to create the store from the earnings and profit currently made from Elias and Grace. From here, investment will be constantly made for the store s up keep. We will gain profit from the selling of the clothing pieces. The product price is high as customers are paying for quality and status. Opportunities for International Trade and Global Expansion As we are launching a new online store for &, this allows many possibilities for the store to gain a larger following. If popularity grew we could extend the shipping to make it worldwide. Depending on the success of the store, we could create further boutique stores around well off areas of London. Being such a quality and unique brand and in creating such an exceptional retail environment, Elias and Grace is a store that could be placed in other countries internationally. Like the Notting Hill area, Elias and Grace would be placed in upper socio economic areas. Melbourne, Australia would be a city that Elias and Grace, both it s childrenswear and tween store would thrive in. It is style savvy and there are many upper echelon suburbs.
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