Brand indentity

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UCB AND ESPIRIT
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata Page 1
REPORT ON COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BRAND
IDENTITY ON UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON AND
ESPIRIT
Under the Guidance of:
Ms.BhartiMoitra
Associate Professor
Submitted by:
Rahul Hela
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE POST GRADUATE DEGREE
"MASTER OF FASHION MANAGEMENT"
Submitted to:-
Department of Fashion Management Studies
National Institute of Fashion Technology
Kolkata

Table of Contents
Introduction:- ........................................................................................................3
Brand Identity ....................................................................................................3
United Colors of Benetton:-..................................................................................3
Overview of the Company:- ..............................................................................3
ELEMENTS OF BRAND:-...............................................................................5
NAME.............................................................................................................5
LOGO .............................................................................................................5
SLOGAN ........................................................................................................5
DAVID AAKER’S MODEL................................................................................5
CORE IDENTITY .............................................................................................5
PRODUCT THRUST-....................................................................................5
USER PROFILE.............................................................................................5
EXTENDED IDENTITY ...............................................................................5
BRAND PERSONALITY..............................................................................5
SUB BRANDS ...............................................................................................5
ORGANISATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS.......................................................5
PRODUCT SCOPE ........................................................................................5
UCB AS A PRODUCT......................................................................................6
PRODUCT SCOPE ...........................................................................................6
UCB AS AN ORGANISATION.......................................................................6
ORGANISATION ATTRIBUTES.................................................................6
LOCAL VS GLOBAL....................................................................................6
UCB AS A PERSON.........................................................................................6
PERSONALITY-............................................................................................6
BRAND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP......................................................6
UCB AS A SYMBOL........................................................................................6

Introduction:-
The outward expression of a brand - including its name, trademark, communications, and
visual appearance - is brand identity. The identity is assembled by the brand owner, it reflects
how the owner wants the consumer to perceive the brand - and by extension the branded
company, organization, product or service. This is in contrast to the brand image, which is a
customer's mental picture of a brand.The brand owner will seek to bridge the gap between the
brand image and the brand identity.
Brand Identity
United Colors of Benetton:-
Benetton is the Europe’s largest clothing manufacturer and the world’s largest consumer of
wool in the garment sector. Today, the group is present in 120 countries, having 9 factories in
different parts of the world and over 5,000 sales outlets generating a total turnover of 2.0
billion Euros, net of retail sales. It is a company with a strong Italian character whose style,
design expertise and passion are clearly seen in the United Colors of Benetton and the more
fashion-oriented Sisley brands, in The Hip Site, the brand for teenagers, and in sportswear
brands Playlife and Killer Loop.Despite its global spread, Benetton has maintained close
relations to its local origins, especially through cultural activities of the Fondazione Benetton
Studi e Ricerche and through programmes about sport. The group’s ability to engage with
society is also evident in Fabrica, Benetton’s communication research centre, that backs
young artists from all over the world. Fabrica’s challenge is both an innovative and
international one.
Benetton was established in 1965 as a partnership by the Benetton family (Luciano, Giuliana,
Gilberto and Carlo) in Ponzano Veneto, Italy.
Overview of the Company:-
In spite of its transparency and impeccable conduct, the group has been surrounded by
controversy especially as a result of its ‘Institutional Campaigns.’ These advertisements aim
at publicising the entire company as a whole rather than one range of clothing. Through this
marketing technique they aim not only to keep public attention for their corporate name, but
also to associate Benetton with trying to raise awareness about certain issues, such as racial
equity. But after a series of billboard posters showing images of a nun and a priest kissing,
body parts labelled ‘HIV positive’ (for which the company was fined) or a military cemetery
filled with crosses, complaints started to be made against Benetton. As a result, some of the
campaigns were banned by the Advertising Councils in several countries, including
Germany. The 2000 campaign showing death-row inmates stirred so much controversy that
Oliviero Toscani, Benetton’s Creative Director for the last 15 years, was forced to leave the
company to be replaced by James Mollison. Despite the ad controversy, Benetton managed to

maintain an admirable corporate image during Italian goveernment investigations conducted
in 1993 that involved more than 5,000 of the country’s political and business elite.
A constant commitment to technological innovation was always a characteristic of Benetton’s
business organisation, from communication to IT, from research into new materials to
integrated logistics. Special attention is given to innovation in production, where all systems
and equipment are totally renewed every five years. The Benetton production system,
coordinated by a high-tech facility at Castrette (Treviso, Italy), operates with a structure of
computerised machines that are programmed to operate all knitting phases. One of Benetton’s
innovations is the computerised knitting procedure capable of producing a complete,
seamless sweater in half an hour thanks to a software program conceived by Benetton
specialists
The unconventional irreverent image associated with Benetton as a result of their institutional
campaigns means they have to target markets that are open to controversial issues. It has been
suggested that the group should change their communications strategy if they intent to use
this form of advertising in stricter or more religious markets because their campaigns are very
likely to offend in these regions. This can happen because cultural barriers are far more
inflexible, meaning that the advertisements could easily be banned or Benetton boycotted if
the messages are thought to be controversial.
The fashion thrives on building images and attitudes. Nothing sales clothing better than
provocative icon, emotional symbol, or brand image that is embedded into the customer’s
minds. People identify with the advertising or ideology and therefore use that particular brand
to express themselves. Benetton understood this since the beginning, and it used attitudinal
and unconventional advertising, mixing political and social issues with their ad messages in
their campaigns. In addition, something consistent in their advertising is their cosmo
approach, using for example multiracial and unusual-looking models to deliver their message.
Benetton supports and illustrates the unconventionality in their brand personality as their
campaigns veer away from the pleasing aesthetics commonly associated with
clothing/fashion brands. This has created an association with consumers in that they equate
unconventionality and shock with the brand Benetton. Apart from their institutional
campaigns, the group launched product advertising campaigns in which it actuallyshowed the
products as they were, colourful, practical and full of energy. Together these two
communication channels targeted the brand towards a specific buyer profile: stylish but
casual, practical, modern and dynamic.
Only the independent-minded and creative people could appreciate their message and identify
with it. In terms of prices, the brand focuses the upper-middle market. The consumers adopt a
limited problem solving approach when buying the products, and their level of involvement
may be both enduring (in the case of a loyal consumer that appreciates the brand for its
attributes as he finds that it responds to his desires) and situational (an on-the-spot decision to
buy triggered by a particular circumstance or environment in which the buyer finds himself).

ELEMENTS OF BRAND:-
NAME-
URL-
The name Benetton comes from the four members of Benetton familywho founded
the company in 1965. The name United Colors of Benettonindicates that people of different
racial backgrounds should come together and live in harmony and unison.
www.benetton.com
LOGO-
United Colors of Benetton represents in a perfect way the unity of amodern logo with a
traditional one, making it everlasting. This logo’s beauty isbased on the importance of its
empty spaces inside the body’s shape. Thelogo United Colors of Benetton Is executed in
such a precise way thatincluding it in any place will never result a problem.
SLOGAN- ‘All the colors of the world´ was one of the first slogans to appear inBenetton
ads, and was later altered to ³United Colors of Benetton.´ Theconcept of united colors was
such a strong one that for the first time in itshistory, the company adopted the slogan as its
actual logo.
DAVID AAKER’S MODEL
CORE IDENTITY
PRODUCT THRUST-colourful clothing
USER PROFILE-all age group ranging from kids to adults who likes style
EXTENDED IDENTITY
BRAND PERSONALITY- Innovative, Rebellious, daring, Provoking/provocative, full of
energy
SUB BRANDS- Under colors of Benetton, Sisley, playlife
ORGANISATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS- Customer oriented, reliable, unity
of different races
PRODUCT SCOPE- Apparels, accessories, footwear, fragrance

United colors of Benetton include the consumer products as brightly coloredlines,
accessories, shoes, baby clothing lines, each collection with its ownpersonality adapted for a
larger consumer as possible. The UCB productsdesigned for young people of all ages, colors,
nationalities, with the desire tohave more color in their life.
UCB AS A PRODUCT
PRODUCT SCOPE
Apparels, accessories, footwear, fragrancePRODUCT ATTRIBUTES- Respect for diversity,
anti racismQUALITY/ VALUE- Comfortable and good qualityUSAGE- casual and funky
wear as well as formal and party wear USERS- all age group ranging from kids to
adultsCOUNTRY OF ORIGIN- Italy
The Benetton brand can successfully for making a strong statement about theworld, Benetton
brand is talking to customer about current events, it canmakes the customers feel sensitive
and appreciative, Benetton can makes away of giving the brand that sense of being current,
it's important to fashionbrands, especially, Benetton brand can succeed to build up the
branding tobrand awareness. It provides the same merchandise through the globe.
UCB AS AN ORGANISATION
ORGANISATION ATTRIBUTES- Customer oriented, reliable, unity of different races
LOCAL VS GLOBAL- Global presence
UCB AS A PERSON
The brand as a person is the one who likes style and is colorful and fashionconscious. This
one is elegant and at the same time it is cheerful. He knows how to have fun and is innovative
with his style. He is an extrovert and ismoody. He has a vibrant personality and is creative in
his own way.
PERSONALITY-: Innovative, Rebellious, daring, Provoking/provocative, full of energy
BRAND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP: Reliable, Unity, Equality,friendship
United Colors of Benetton represents in a perfect way the unity of a modernlogo with a
traditional one, making it everlasting. This logo’s beauty is basedon the importance of its
empty spaces inside the body’s shape. Thelogo United Colors of Benetton Is executed in
such a precise way thatincluding it in any place will never result a problem.
UCB AS A SYMBOL

Back in the 80’s when Benetton launched its new product line, based then only on clothing
and accessories, under the brand name United Colors of Benetton nobody knew how much
this will grow.
Today United Colors of Benetton is one of the best known world brands, with daring
campaigns and new, innovative and high quality products this brand stayed in the top for
more than twenty years. Anything done under this brand proved to be successful from the
start. The mix of products made under the brand name United Colors of Benetton include the
consumer products as brightly colored clothing lines, accessories, shoes, baby clothing lines,
each collection with is own personality adapted for a larger consumer scale as possible. The
organizational products include licenses and franchising. The UCB products designed for
young people of all ages, colors, nationalities, with the desire to have more color in their
life.As a ‘clothing services company’ Benetton through United Colors of Benetton stated that
no one was excluded from their targeted consumers, united meaning just that. This
multiracial theme was repeated in succeeding years with the slogan ‘United Colors of
Benetton’, a slogan so successful that it became the trademark of the company. United Colors
of Benetton is rich with meaning; it suggests, among other things, the United States, united
races, a united Europe and a united world. This is consistent with the philosophy of the
company, which is truly global and generates the majority of its revenues and profits outside
Italy.
The creative department of UCB is made entirely of young graduates from art schools all
over the world, 200 young designers create more and more new colorful and diversified
products, maintaining like this UCB as one of the world’s most successful brands. But still
after the departure of Oliviero Toscani in 2000 the brand maintained the same success as
ever.

Figure 1 Brand Identity Prism
Objects don't have an identity unless they are branded. One brand stands out from the others
not by so much by product design but as by marketing strategies. And one of the companies
responsible for this is United Colors of Benetton. By choosing not to directly advertise their
clothing and apparel, and by approaching social issues such as racism, AIDS, child abuse etc.
they wanted to show that this is one company that is not interested in the products but in the
people wearing them. That they were available for anyone no matter their skin colour, class,
living region, social background or sexual preference. To talk about Benetton’s promotion
and advertising means talking about one person: Oliviero Toscani.
When it comes to promotion, Benetton are in a class of their own. Since the company was
founded in 1965 it had no real advertising. All this changed in 1985 when Benetton hired
Oliviero Toscani as marketing director, and, furthermore, gave him complete control over the
advertising strategies. Benetton offered their billboards as blank canvases for his art.
Toscani had a very simple recipe: take a powerful image, stamp the logo in a corner and there
you have it. The ad will work by itself from that point on. He wanted no marketing
research, he saw no need for ad agencies. Toscani single-handedly built and established the
image of Benetton as one of the most recognized brands worldwide. This made advertising

people from around the world look at him with admiration and envy at the same time. ‘I take
pictures, I don’t sell clothes’, he claimed. He did not try to seduce the buyer with smooth,
heart-warming imagery or by whispering sweet little nothings in the subconscious.
This type of passive-aggressive advertising pushed Benetton from a small-time sweater
manufacturer somewhere in Italy, to a worldwide corporation, handling billion-dollar
contracts. No campaign has ever come across un-noticed. Some might say that this has not
done well to the image of the company. Others say that as long as the company brand was
heard of, that was enough (the same people that say there is no such thing as bad publicity).
Toscani’s most well known motifs were:
 Dying AIDS patient
 Priest kissing nun
 T-shirt of Bosnian soldier (with bullet holes and blood stains)
 Military cemetery with Star of David
 Ship with refugees
 HIV positive tattooed
 Oil polluted duck
 Newborn child
Benetton Group looks ahead with the young eyes of the future. Its story is built on innovation
and seeing where others fail to see. Always at the cutting edge - with colour, with its sales
outlet revolution, with an absolutely unique production and commercial network and with a
universal form of communication, creating both a phenomenon and cultural debate - Benetton
was global before globalisation, but in its own way.
From the start, Benetton saw fashion as a global village where young people of every race
live. It travels at the world’s speed, overcoming geographical, political and ideological
boundaries.
Benetton is a responsible Group, receptive to the present time and attentive to the
environment, to human dignity and to the transformation of society. It creates value and aims
at growth, not as
Benetton creates desires and makes them achievable. Its style department is far more than the
name implies. It is a permanent observatory covering five continents. Its designers travel the
world to seek out ways of dressing, living and loving ahead of time: a global vision of style.
Its inspiration comes from life as well as art, architecture and the world of the Internet.

The search for new raw materials, is in turn, based on key concepts such as functionality,
durability of the garment, ease-of-use and care. The essential objective, particularly with
dyeing and finishing methods, is towards production with a lower environmental impact.
Consistently high quality is one of the fundamental characteristics of the Benetton production
process from the raw materials to the finished garment.
A constant commitment to innovation, a crucial factor for development, has always
characterized the Group’s business organization, from communication to IT, from research
into new materials to integrated logistics. Special attention is given to innovation in
production, where all systems and equipment are constantly renewed.
Benetton’s universal communication has accompanied the Group's global expansion. When
companies export around the world, they normally adapt their advertising to suit different
areas. Benetton chooses a single, universal message that is valid for all: beyond borders, skin
colour and language.
In the early 1990s, corporate campaigns were developed that represented a new approach to
communication: no products, just civil, social and political themes, which every wise
advertising executive of the time would have been careful to avoid. This is because here too,
Benetton strives to cover new ground, look ahead, experiment and anticipate the times.
By choosing social themes, actively promoting freedom of speech and giving visibility to
humanitarian causes, which otherwise would not have been communicated on a global scale,
Benetton has given meaning and value to its own brand, building a lasting dialogue with
customers – with people – across the world.
Benetton Group has sponsored the Treviso rugby, basketball and volleyball teams for many
years, underlining close links with its origins and its city, through a vision of sport that is
both competitive and social. The Benetton group has the same philosophy to sport as to
business: i.e. passion, challenge, competition and results.
In parallel with this professional, competitive approach to achieving victory in championships
and cups, the construction and development of La Ghirada, a 22,000 m2
public sports
complex on the outskirts of Treviso, has lead to the development of a vigorous social activity.
This has increasingly responded to the needs of the area, spreading the culture of sport and
promoting sporting activities and wellbeing for young people, children and families.
Today, the Benetton Group is present in 120 countries around the world.
The company has a worldwide network of over 6,400 stores and it offers high quality
customer services and generates a total turnover of over 2 billion euros. The development of

the commercial network, characterized by privileged locations in historic and commercial
centres and the high quality services offered to customers, is supported by a major worldwide
investment programme. Benetton stores carry complete collections, as well as a wide
selection of accessories and clothing, offering a global Benetton style and quality.
The Benetton Group has a strong presence in countries with Western style economies, which
represent 75% of total revenues.
Late 70s, Esprit takes off. Sales topped US$ 100Mand international partnerships in Hong
Kong and Germany were formed.
ESPRIT
Esprit is an international, young brand that offers its customers the smart, affordable luxury
of constantly being able to enrich their life with something special and something new, which
always corresponds to the current tastes and styles. This lifestyle concept is the central point
of the Esprit philosophy. The Group operates more than 800 directly managed retail stores
worldwide and distributes its products via more than 14,000 wholesale locations
internationally, occupying total selling space of over 1.
The brand uses this to constantly communicate to its customers the security and guidance that
they want on today’s markets, which are saturated by increasingly short-lived trends. Thus, it
is no wonder that Esprit ranks among the brands with the highest level of repeat purchases,
i.e. those with the most loyal regular customers. And this has nothing to do with age, but is
more about this joint attitude, this feeling of togetherness that characterizes the Esprit target
groups.
History
1968 San Francisco
Esprit, the brand was born, Susie and Doug Tompkinsstarted selling Esprit clothes out of the
back of their station wagon.
Early 70s
Seven product lines. The company was incorporated under thename of Esprit de corp. and
seven product lines were created.
1971 Hong Kong
Esprit Far East started business was born when Doug and Susie Tompkins met Michael Ying,
the group’s former chairman and shareholder of Esprit.
1978 San Francisco

1979New York
Esprit triple-bar ‘E’ logo. John Casado designed the famous Esprit stencil-effect logo. The
new logo became one of the most recognized in the international fashion
1986 Cologne
First Esprit store in Germany. First opening of an Esprit store in Germany. The store was
designed by Ettore Sottsass with typical elements of the Memphis style.
1987 San Francisco
Engagement. Susie and Doug Tompkins urged the public to confront the growing AIDS
epidemic. The company also expanded into Taiwan.
2000 Hongkong
New millennium. Esprit Holdings Ltd. Became a constituent stock of Morgan Stanley’s
MSCI Hong Kong Index.
2001 Düsseldorf
Brand Awareness.
2002 New York
Global Reintegration. Esprit Holding Ltd. Unified the global Esprit brand by purchasing the
US trademarks, bringing back control of asingle entity since the 70s.
2004 Ratingen
Ettore Sottsass exhibition.
2006 Ratingen
Global lifestyle player. The Esprit brand sold in five continents and more than 40 countries,
more than 20,000 products for women, men and kids, plus variety of licence products.
2007 Ratingen
Esprit launches de.corp, the new Esprit division for 18-25year old customers, presented by
de.corp ESPRIT URBAN CASUAL features.
2007 Munich
Edc by Esprit and MTV Networks announce extensivepartnership, Europe’s biggest
music event the MTV Europe Music Awards

2008
Esprit birthday celebration, 1968/2008.
2009
Flagship store on Hong Kong’s Peking Road Grand opening.
2009
Flagship Store, the first Westcoast store in Santa Monica GrandOpening
ELEMENTS OF BRAND
NAME- Esprit started out in California.
URL- www.esprit.com
LOGO-
In 1979 John Casado designed the famous Esprit stencil-effect logo. Despite worries that the
triple bar E logo would not be legible to customers, the new logo became one of the most
recognized in international fashion.
SLOGAN- It’s an attitude not age
DAVID AAKER’S MODEL
CORE IDENTITY
PRODUCT THRUST- Casual elegant wear
USER PROFILE- Age group from 16-40 with elegance
EXTENDED IDENTITY
BRAND PERSONALITY- Vibrant, lively and cheerful
SUB BRAND- Edc
ESPRIT AS A PRODUCT
A team of international designers incorporates the attributes of Esprit in various fashion line
rhythms with confidence, naturalness, modernity and sensuality: from Esprit Kids, Shoes and
Esprit Sports, per year and product range 12 lines are created with six order dates. The lines

including Women Casual, Women Collection, de.corp ESPRIT URBAN CASUAL, Men
Casual, Men Collection, Accessories, as well as the complete edc ranges, can even be ordered
monthly. Depending on the range, Bodywear provides 10 to 12fashion lines a year with four
order dates. Esprit continuously invests in quality and fit. The constant focus: the
unmistakable Esprit of the products and convincing value for money. This high standard also
applies in the manufacturing of the products. the customers expect the brand to provide them
with contemporary, high-quality and affordable products.
PRODUCT SCOPE- Clothing, accessories, footwear, fragrance
PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES- Vibrant, lively and cheerful
QUALITY/ VALUE- Wearable, good quality and sturdy
USAGE- fashionable casual wear USERS- Age group from 16-40
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN- USA
ESPRIT AS AN ORGANISATION
Esprit is an international youthful lifestyle brand offering smart, affordable luxury and
bringing newness and style to life. It offers its customers the smart, affordable luxury of
constantly being able to enrich their life with something special and something new, which
always corresponds to the current tastes and styles. This lifestyle concept is the central point
of the Esprit philosophy. The brand uses this to constantly communicate to its customers the
security and guidance that they want on today’s markets, which are saturated by increasingly
short-lived trends. The brand is present in 40 countries and operates more than 650 directly
managed retail stores worldwide
ORGANISATIONAL ATTRIBUTES- Innovative, follows the trend, consumer
communication, socially responsible
LOCAL V/S GLOBAL- Globally present in 44 countries around the world.
ESPIRIT AS A PERSON
There is no one perfect Esprit person because Esprit is about the individuality of many. About
what's on the outside and what's on the inside. About variety of sizes, shapes, colors, faces.
There is no one perfect Esprit person. There are many. He is the one everyone wants to
be. He was born a human and just keeps getting younger. He doesn't lead and he doesn't
follow,he's just out there if you can catch up with him. He believes that if you believe it, it
will come. He believes that words haven't lost their meaning, like love and desire, like
forever and a day, like different but the same, like life is what you make it.

PERSONALITY -youthful, smart, cool, vibrant, chic
BRAND CUSTOMER REALTIONSHIP- Distinct identity, accessible
ESPRIT AS A SYMBOL
In 1979 john Casado designed the famous Esprit stencil-effect logo. Despite worries that the
triple bar E would not be legible to customers, the new logo became one of the most
recognized in international fashion
Successful licence partnerships have transformed the Esprit brand into a global lifestyle
group. Esprit has been working with companies with in-depth product expertise and a strong
market presence since 1990 to create a large and, in some cases, global pool of licence produc
Esprit is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 1993 and is a constituent stock in the
Hang Seng Index, MSCI Hong Kong Index, FTSE All-World Index for Hong Kong and
S&P/HKEx LargeCap Index and S&P Asia 50 Index.
A team of international designers translates the Esprit attributes into regular collections in a
self-confident, natural, stylish and sensual way: 12 collections are produced for six order
dates per year and product line for kids & edc youth by Esprit, Esprit shoes and ESP Esprit
sports. The 12 collections of women casual, men casual, women collection, men collection,
de.corp ESPRIT URBAN CASUAL, edc by Esprit, edc men and accessories could be ordered
monthly. Four collections are produced per year for Esprit bodywear.

Although the company focuses on the product and price/performance ratio, Esprit also invests
continuously in quality and fit – high standards that are also maintained in manufacture.
The brand constantly communicates to its customers the security and guidance that they want
in today’s markets, which have increasingly short-lived trends. Esprit provides an edgy and
fresh look to its consumers.

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