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Calvin Klein Proposal/Analysis- Brand Overview
- 1. Calvin Klein Nathifa DeAndrade FinalProject: Brand Repositioning Module 14.1 May 16, 2022
- 2. 1 Table of Content Overview……2-3 CompetitiveAnalysis…….4-6 Direct Marketing & Interactive Media……7-9 Sales Promotion & Selling……10-11 Visual Merchandising…..12-14 Public Relations……15-17 Works Cited……18
- 3. 2 Overview The fact thatrebranding or repositioning a brand that is very much a veteran is unheard of. As Calvin Klein has been a staple in fashion for many years, I personally think the brand needs to market itself to the younger demographic; not just in denim, athleisure, and undergarments. Styling and design needs to be a bit more edgy and encapsulate what the designer was like in his Studio 54 years and even while attending multiple universities. After retirement, Klein’s brand has not ever looked to transform its image until collaboration took place, which still is not truly a repositioning or rebranding. It makes the brand look weak in my opinion. Calvin Klein is a global lifestyle brand that exemplifies bold, progressive ideals and a seductive aesthetic. We seek to thrill and inspire our audience while using provocative imagery and striking designs to ignite the senses; youthful while mature. While tapping into the audience's younger years, Calvin Klein is opening its collection and breaking traditional barriers. Collaborations for instance with other brands such as Palace mesh the two audiences under one roof. Selling points such as such as family orientation or even Calvin family - much like Calvin Jeans - advertise to a wider market. Calvin Klein 205W39NYC is just the start of this brand repositioning. Adding more edgy looks along with the tradition of progressive ideals and seductive aesthetics will get the younger market excited to be a part of this family. I don’t think there should be a change toward any Calvin Klein product category, just who they are servicing - 30 plus- more towards the 20s market as they love designers and can afford the product at reasonable prices.
- 4. 3 This repositioning canbe directed towards both parties as I am not trying to debunk the brands work but merely position it to wear the younger generation acknowledge the brand as a go to when shopping. It’s embarrassing to know that in the near future we may lose this brand in full. As this brand has been a part of a lot of my role models life - as in advertising- I am not looking for the end of the brand. We need more edge with an urban feeling while still allowing elegance and sophistication to take the forefront. My idea may seem far fetched but this brand is looking for a spark much like a twinkle in the dark sky. As more people are being put on the face of the earth, I do not want to lose a classic designer that designed for the elegant professional. As we have many newer brands sparking out of thin air, I see a repositioning to be beneficial. It is relevant as many people do not see a suit and tie to be professional anymore. It is just a look that carries tradition which I see everyday being broken. It’s like the look has become an act. The consumer can benefit by becoming more comfortable in what they wear. The design name really holds weight but the clothing no longer excites the shopper. My plan to promote first starts with the design house or creative director. Keeping up this brand's image is necessary but dated and it’s unfortunate. The new target market Calvin Klein’s brand should reach is Generation X as the Millennials have the knowledge already about this brand, as well as the older generations. As many of us spent our 20 years rebelling and doing what we want - tattoos, piercings, hair colors, etc. - this brand can take hold of these opportunities in use of repositioning. As we all know by this age, you should have a decent paying career that sustains your life and its choices that come along with the daily hustle and bustle we know.
- 5. 4 Competitive Analysis While somefashion brands have been bought out by conglomerates, some have not. Calvin Klein is under household name PVH (Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation) while competitors such as Donna Karan (DKNY) is represented by GIII Apparel Group, Giorgio Armani is represented by LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton) and Hugo Boss which does not fall under the category of a conglomerate. This brand solely represents itself. As Calvin Klein, DKNY, Giorgio Armani carry many product categories (lifestyle products/ fragrance, men’s & women's apparel, footwear, eyewear, children’s clothing, watches and jewelry, home goods, cosmetics) such as Home, while Hugo Boss strictly sticks with clothing and accessories for all age ranges. As a lifestyle brand addresses Calvin Klein, DKNY, and Giorgio Armani; the term does not work for brand Hugo Boss. For these many reasons, Calvin Klein, DKNY, and Giorgio Armani have a competitive advantage over Hugo Boss. When looking at the stock market, you can also see that the conglomerates are worth more than a single household name. PVH (Calvin Klein) comes in at $79.26 per share buy-in, GIII Apparel Group (DKNY) at $28.99 per share buy-in, LVMH (Giorgio Armani) with the
- 6. 5 largest buy inat $138, and Hugo Boss are simply put at the mere amount of $11.50 (as of 11am 04/17/22). There are many things to learn when looking over Calvin Klein and its competitors. Conglomerates represent multiple brands and the stock market numbers do not represent how the single brand is doing standing as a solo entity. Breaking away from representation would allow this brand to reposition itself in the forefront much like Hugo Boss. Researchers will be able to see exactly what the brand is doing financially. The numbers have been hidden from the public which is unfortunate. If you are an individual who buys stock; that information is pertinent. We would also know which brands are stronger or holding up the stock dollars within each conglomerate. When analyzing each brand logo, you see some consistencies. Each logo carries a minimalist approach as the brands all use typefaces instead of actual imaging. Interestingly enough the use of San serif font is used for three of the four brands, Giorgio Armani being the difference. No color is used in any of these logos to continue the sense of elegance and minimalism. These brands all carry a stylist and design that are also consistent; the hard working and effortlessly dressed professional. Not to mention that two brands are American made (DKNY and Calvin Klein) while the other two birth themselves overseas (Hugo Boss in Germany and Giorgio Armani in Italy). Calvin Klein’s repositioning in my opinion follows terms such as rebellion, urban, and professional by bringing in reconstruction to each of their designs and product categories. As I would not change the brand's visual identity, there is room for more collaboration with youthful brands and even advertisements of Calvin Klein 205W39NYC. This spin off of the brands
- 7. 6 speaks directly tomy rebranding and therefore should be pushed into the target market for those twenty plus year olds that still love the brand name. As the brand already has gone forward with this repositioning and revamp, you see that the logo itself integrates into something similar to Louis Vuitton. The brand uses CK now to represent itself. This movement towards something a little more edgy has found its way on many garments such as t-shirts and even embossed fabrics which are funky and reminiscent of childhood memories especially after Klein’s retirement back in 2003. Not a single competitor has stepped into the house of using acronyms as a logo except for Donna Karan. Giorgio Armani once had imaging attached to the logo but it was later removed. Although this is not something new to fashion brands, it is not only an acronym but also if we are thinking of the renowned name Louis Vuitton, a monogram style which has sold repetitively for many, many years. Below are some ideas for the brand's new logo; keeping minimalism in the forefront while still holding onto professionalism and elegance which is feminine of some t-shirt designs that already have been pushed for sale.
- 8. 7 Direct Marketing & interactive Media Repositioningthis brand is very important to opening up newer avenues in the target market. Calvin Klein has already been taking steps towards this. The first ideation started with the logo as it only used basic text and typeface. The new logo can be seen as a monogram which is traditional but still unique enough to be seen on many of their products. Speaking of products, this brand does not need to change anything about the categories they have but looking a little more in depth will help. As a designer with a creative eye, there can be movements away from what Calvin Klein strives on; minimalism and towards looks that are reconstructed and slightly more urban while still keeping its elegance; still keeping the top priorities of quality and trendiness. Categories such as apparel are the main focus when repositioning. As broad as this category is, lines such as denim, athleisure, and even business casual can
- 9. 8 change tremendously tothe advantage of presenting items more “hip” for a target market in their early twenties. As we are opening this traditional designer household name to a market which they usually do not target, redesigns that are more risky will speak to the consumer. Promoting the basic t-shirt is not enough, especially when the consumer is always looking for something unique or one of a kind. As stated above, repositioning does not plan to destroy but reinvent for a target market that worships fashion icons and celebrities; the concept is to still design wearable fashions. Looks that embody the idea of rebellion work best when speaking of repositioning. There could be a push later on into avant-garde and haute couture looks but for what this brand represents it would be far fetched. Pricing for new and reinvented ideas tend to be a bit higher as there is more work put in when it comes to production and manufacturing. With this brand’s name being established for over many years and even with the new target market that is being lassoed in, there should not be a change to price. Pushing this product into markets that enjoy shopping and impressing their peers guarantees sales and profit. The profit margins should be so high that the brand would not even take a beating as the price point varies anywhere from ten to three hundred plus dollars. Not only does the price not have to change but neither does where and how the product is being purchased and promoted; CK Storefront & Nordstrom, Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, BergDorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, licensees such as Warnco, Coty, G-III Apparel group (international & domestic presence), social media & magazines/ Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, Elle and Vogue.
- 10. 9 Speaking of distribution,Calvin Kevin is already using avenues, stated above, to get its product to the consumer in a timely fashion. Using social media and influencers can help move distribution along very well. Releasing ads on Instagram and even TikTok are cool and hip ways to show the twenties target market that this brand is opening its home to the newer generations. There is no reason to move away completely from direct and interactive marketing concepts. With interactive marketing, the brand will be able to easily access how business is doing digitally and if there is a higher turnover in comparison to direct. While word of mouth and direct mailers are old ways of spreading the word, ideas such as the Metaverse in three dimensions have turned into the newest form of billboards. The metaverse shows in-store experiences as well as products. There are even applications and websites that will allow you to try on a product with just a snap of a full body photo. The Metaverse is really not different from your traditional shopping experience and neither is the visual merchandising. Usually when a customer can try on a product, they are more likely to buy it hence why I am not trying to turn Calvin Klein completely away from it tradition; knowing what’s right from wrong. The only conflict I found with the Metaverse is that the consumer cannot feel the fabric as some people have conditions with their skin and not even that, some are even unaware of fabrication. Repositioning this brand will not be a difficult task, just a task of inclusion much like the charity Klein supports, the onePULSE foundation.
- 11. 10 Sales Promotion & selling Influencers havebeen at the forefront of many advertising campaigns dating way back to the nineties. An influencer is a person/ role model that has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience. Primarily, use themselves and their platform to promote products while being paid. Calvin Klein has used this method to promote apparel and even undergarments. The concept of not just using the tradition, celebrities, allows the brand to be more personable instead of unattainable. Opportunities to reach a new customer base means the brand needs to step away from their traditional (target market: 30+). The younger market is willing to buy but needs to feel wanted. As the brand's tradition is tailored for business professionals; the younger demographic is not always gravitating towards what they consider old and outdated. They are looking for a more urban feel
- 12. 11 and will Kleinrepositioning of its logo; it is more marketable for a younger target market. Calvin Klein opening the door to even young artists can start this trend off on the right path. It has been legendary to hear young rappers call out brands and individuals who inspire and support them. This has been going on for decades; for example a rap song titled Elon Musk by DDG featuring Gunna, the screaming of Balenciaga in American Horror Story films, or even something that became an online sensation is Daniel from “Damn Daniel, back with the white Vans!” Running these campaigns with the help of influencers and celebrities can be a year around exchange. These campaigns can form better awareness as there is consistency. Not saying that Calvin Klein is already well known, but showing the customer that they are keeping up with social media and viral sensations lets the newer target market consider this brand as “woke”. Since this target market is strictly digital, it will be beneficial to take advantage of the newest trend. This also allows every single interaction with the ads to be traced; seeing whether a click turns into a sale. This will benefit the brand and show exactly who, how, when, and what times the ads should be posted. This opens the door for the brand to control everything from creativity to cost. All in all, Calvin Klein has been running these advertisements for many years and they have made a lasting impression on its clientele base. A continuation does not stop the brand from proving its point. As you can see, younger celebrities known by the new target market not only excites but compels the drive for new sales. The brand just has to remember to keep things sexy, elegant, and continue to use influencers that are arising within the new target market they are trying to capitalize on.
- 13. 12 Visual Merchandising Notable andrenowned designer brand Calvin Klein has long strived on using influencers and celebrities to advertise and promote their products and name. In the late 1900s to early 2000s, it was all tailored toward denim. They have branched out to push more products from their line such as undergarments and activewear. Still pushing the concept of being provocative, elegant, and sexy; this brand tends to keep their target market awake by using individuals that not only my parents know but also the younger ages. Being that this repositioning is tailored for the twenty plus market; artist such as Kendrick Lamar, Fetty Wap, and even and even ASAP Rocky can be seen sporting the brand under hashtag #mycalvins. This unique
- 14. 13 hashtag has openedup conversations between what the brand represents and also who this artist is to the brand. For example, the statement “I reflect in #mycalvins.” with the imagery of an influencer or celebrity opens the doors to a deeper meaning. Some may ask what exactly does that mean? As the brand is known for funding and supporting a charity known for inclusion of all, these simple statements have deep rooted meaning and become timeless. Calvin Klein revamped their logo in 2017 to a simple monogram making the brand a little more edgy and hip. This revamp is great when targeting a younger market. As the monogram is so traditional to the likes of Louis Vuitton, you can see it used practically in every product category recently. This edgy logo created by graphic designer Pete Saville has opened doors to fun designer apparel. Calvin Klein has broken its traditional look to spread its wings to a new target market, but these two movements or promotional tactics alone are not more effective than the other. Come to think of it, have you ever been listening to music and hearing your favorite artist name drop? I call it name dropping because it is much like word to mouth; the oldest way of marketing. There are young artists/rappers who aspire to be much like these moguls who have created a long lasting name for themselves. DripReport has actually named one of their songs after the esteemed brand which is a catchy way to put further publicity on the map for this brand. My mother always used to say “I hope you know those school books as much as that song” when singing along in the car. This form of publicity is the most effective in a digital age because even people younger than twenty years old catch on to the beat and lyrics much quicker than you think. Lines such as “Calvin Kleins on me, yea, she admirin” give this brand repositioning to be portrayed as young, hip, and still relevant in a world where new designers are popping up everyday.
- 15. 14 As the planis to mainly advertise digitally in a world where everyone has access to the worldwide web through their cell phones, Calvin Klein can boost its sales and even design for a young market; Calvin Klein 205W39NYC. The #mycalvin ads can be splashed on multiple channels of social media. The hashtag #mycalvin can be used on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even in your traditional search engine. Interestingly enough magazines have gone digital as well. This movement even opens doors for the brand via the Metaverse where individuals are allowed to try on products at home with a simple full body photo. They practically can shop as if they are actually in a store. This brand already comes with a loyal customer fan base and using that information to send email blasts to their clientele will also be successful; updating the client of new products and sales promotion. To push this rebranding, this brand can use something as traditional as a BOGO (buy one get one) sale. Everyone loves free product! This even gives the retailer an advantage to get many more customers to sign up for further sales promotions the brand may have. Have you ever bought a product and found out that an influencer or celebrity has worn it? It makes the item much more hip and even sentimental in a sense. As the twenty plus years look for role models and tend to mimic behaviors, Calvin Klein has been spot on with keeping themselves relevant while keeping to its mission statement. Now, what do you do or believe about #yourcalvins?
- 16. 15 Public Relations As repositioningthis brand is not entirely mind blowing as Calvin Klein has already taken the reins towards a younger target market; there are many things that can be done on a retail and corporate level. Repositioning calls for the use of celebrities, influencers, music, and even technology. To reiterate what has been previously stated, the #myclavins campaign has done just that. We also see new and upcoming musical artist name dropping the brand to raise awareness. There is nothing like a trendy hook or chorus that is quick to remember and even recite. Lastly, the revamping of the brand's logo into a monogram has been successful and very trendy. In a retail store, it is best to make sure that all customer service personnel are knowledgeable of the product they are selling, from fabrication to feel to styling. These few elements have always worked to close a sale in my experience. It is best to also make sure that the personnel are as friendly as possible so the customer has a greater experience within the store. Keeping up to date as to what celebrities and influencers are wearing or promoting the product is also beneficial.The target market for twenty plus see these individuals as role models and tend to mimic their behaviors or even what brands they wear. For example, when Nicki Minaj promoted Fendi; it took nothing but a few weeks for every woman I saw in public sporting their
- 17. 16 Fendi products, sunglassesand purses. This influence has never failed and when personal selling; it is best to be well educated because placing that small bug in the target market's ear informs them that you are hip and not just an aggressive associate trying to make a sale. To continue with promotion and marketing, this brand has to stay on top of their social media platforms; Facebook, Instagram, personal website, etc. This digital presence is traceable and can show analytics as to who is engaging with the advertisements. It has been noted that individuals engage with social media around the times of lunch and after work into the late nights, posting around these times lets the customer know that you are completely ready to engage with them. Advertisements should be personalized if they have been sent through a loyalty program; emails. There also should be some form of excitement that drives the customer to click on what they see and browse through product categories of their interest. With the public relations job of protecting this brand name and image, it is best to see that they are doing their job effectively. As we are using celebrities and influencers to help with promotions, research needs to be done as you do not want an individual with a negative impact promoting your work. A fashion show has been the most traditional and hip but effective way to
- 18. 17 get individuals toengage. The target markets get an opportunity to not just engage with the brand, its product, but also network with individuals who share mutual interest. Events such as fashion shows can be handled within press releases and also promoted through digital platforms as well. Another idea that works effectively to make a profit are sample sales. As everyone is looking for a deal, samples are still in great shape and still half the retail price. What a snag! Promotional Calendar Date: June 6, 2023 Event: Fashion Show Date: March 20, 2023 Event: Sample Sale Date: February 11, 2023 Event: NYFW Date: August 1, 2023 Event: Sip & Networking
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