Victoria's Secret was founded in 1977 and acquired by Limited Brands in 1982. Limited Brands transformed Victoria's Secret into a brand for women's intimate apparel. Victoria's Secret now has over 1,000 stores in the US and targets middle-aged women ages 20-40. It also has a younger-focused line called PINK. Victoria's Secret uses extensive marketing including its annual fashion show, print catalogues, and social media to promote its brands. While very successful, it also faces criticism for sexualizing young women.

1. Victoria’s
Secret
Teddy Lord, Cameron Martin,
Colby Hough, and Liz Leinbach

2. How it all started
• Roy Raymond established Victoria’s Secret in
1977
• Started as a store for men
• Limited Brands acquired Victoria’s Secret in
1982
– Completely overhauled the company

3. Limited Brands
• Formerly known as “The Limited Inc.”
• Slowly made Victoria’s Secret into one of the
top 10 most recognized brands in the world
– Now a store for Women, not men
• Expanded to 1,019 stores in the United States

4. Target Market
• Customers are
sexy, confident, and have a
desire for “sensual fashion”
• Targets middle class women
– Ages 20-40; does NOT
specifically target young
women
• Targets men shopping for
girlfriend, wife, etc.
– Victoria’s Secret was created
by Roy Raymond, as a place
for men to buy their wives
lingerie

5. Target Market (PINK)
• Victoria’s Secret PINK
Collection
• Targets a younger, college
aged woman (19+)
• Inevitably attracts teens and
high school girls
– Brighter colors, trendy
prints, less sensual attire
– “Designed to be more cute
than racy”
• Meant as a gateway in the
main Victoria’s Secret Line

6. Victoria’s Secret Stores
• Average size: 6,000 sq ft
• Very unique layout
– Most have black or cream colored interiors
– Very nice interiors
– Sub-brands separated in the store

8. Flagship store NYC
• Located in Herald Square
• 25,000 sq ft
• Three floors
– Each floor intricately pieced together by Victoria’s
Secret designers

10. Retailing
• Retail stores located all throughout the
United States
• Started off as 3 boutiques
• First national lingerie store (multiple
collections)
• Sold at Victoria’s Secret:
- PINK: life style brand for younger
women, colorful stores, some separate
stores
- Swimwear: now available in stores
- VSX Sport: women’s athletic apparel
- Beauty: makeup, fragrances (also men’s),
skin/hair care
- Clothing: handbags, accessories, jackets,
denim, tops, dresses

11. Product Sourcing
• Limited Brands takes much pride in sourcing from places
that meet their strict standards
– No tolerance policy
• Deem their products “fair trade” and “good for
women, good for the children who depend on them.”

12. Scandal in Burkina Faso
• In late 2011 people discovered source
of some of Limited Brand’s imported
cotton
• Cotton specifically used in Victoria’s
Secret
• Came from impoverished cotton farms
– Child labor
– Abuse
– Unpaid workers

13. Digital Strategies
• Omni Integrated Digital Strategy = same experience everywhere
• Social Media
- Facebook (2nd most popular retail store on the site, 18th
most popular brand)
- Separate pages for Victoria’s Secret, PINK, and VSX
- Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube
- Respond to customer comments and questions

14. Digital Strategies
• VictoriasSecret.com
- offers, deals, organized
- VS ALL Access
• Email Marketing
- new product= email blast
customers
• Mobile Marketing
- apps for iPhone, iPad, Android
phones
• TV/ Radio Ads
- popular super bowl ads
- Thefuture.fm
- Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

15. Victoria’s Secret Catalogue
– Direct marketing approach
– $220 million a year is spent on the
catalogs sent to customers' homes
• includes postage, creative, printing,
paper and circulation
– VS uses print to drive more
"emotional content”
– The Victoria’s Secret brand is in the
mature stage of the product life
cycle
• Emphasis is focused on the product
rather then creating a buzz around
their brand

16. Current Marketing Strategies:
Freebies
– Coupons are sent out in the
mail every month with free
gifts
– No purchases are necessary
– Creates traffic in the store
– Causes impulse purchases
• Costs for freebies are low in
comparison to the profits

17. Semi Annual Clearance Sales
– Items only go on sales
during specified time
frames
– Items are discounted
between 25 to 70%
– Creates space in retail
stores and warehouses for
new products
– Targets different types of
consumers

18. VS Secret Rewards
– Gift card with an unknown
amount of money
– Redeemable within a specified
time frame on the card
– Values range from $10-$500
– Can be utilized online or in the
retail store
- Drives traffic
- Acts as an incentive to make
purchases with the help of the
reward card

19. Expansion of PINK
– 20% of stores carry the full
Pink assortment
– In 2012, 34 U.S. stores
totaling 109,000 square feet
– In 2013, an expansion to 83
stores will occur with 282,000
square feet
“Growth in lingerie and Pink were the primary catalysts
for a 3 percent increase in VS’ fourth-quarter same-store
sales, while beauty business was flat and holiday
performance.”- Stuart Burgdoerfer (WWD)

20. The VS Designer Collection
- High-end lingerie collection
- In-house designers
- Sold online at VictoriasSecret.com
and at 13 VS locations
“Bras retail from $98 to $158; undies
and garter belts are $38 to $68; baby
dolls and teddies are $158 to $218,
and the kimono and merry widow are
$120 and $298, respectively.”-WWD

21. Victoria Secret Fashion Show
– Incorporates their under garments
into outrageous themed costumes
– 11.5 million viewers in 2012
– Mostly women
– They have created a tradition
• “Angel wings” implemented in 1998
– Cater to their target audience
integrating popular entertainers
• Justin Bieber and Rihanna
“The 2012 themes: Circus, Dangerous
Liaisons, Pink Is Us, Silver Screen Angels,
Angels in Bloom and Calendar Girls.”

22. Competitors
Aerie- American Eagle
• Launched in 2006
• Targets 15-25 year old women
• Intimates Collection
– Bras, thongs, sleepwear,
sweatpants, “adorable wear”
• Competes with PINK
– “Dorm-Wear” fad
– Price?
– Appeal?
– Preference?
Bare Necessities
• Launched in 1998
– Second largest online specialty
retailer for intimate apparel
• Known for assortment of bras and
lingerie
• 3700 styles from 170 brands
– Bras, panties, swimwear, etc.
– Competes with Victoria Secret’s main
lingerie selection
• Targets middle aged women
– Ages 20-50

23. Major Strengths
• Market Leader
• Extremely good at
advertising
– E-mails, TV commercials,
Fashion Shows, Facebook,
Twitter, etc. ($66 million per
year)
– Traditional and Digital
Marketing
• Vast number of stores
• Very few competitors, all of
which are less successful
• Multiple Sales Channels

24. Major Weaknesses
• Parental view of Victoria’s Secret
– Many people think Victoria’s
Secret is wrongfully exposing
preteens to “adult items”
– “Bright Young Things”?
• Unable to expand their target
market; very specific market

25. VS Fashion Show

26. Work Cited
• http://www.wwd.com/markets-news/financial/limited-brands-
speeding-pink-expansion-6812441
• http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-11-20/business/ct-biz-
1120-bf-secret-marketing-20121120_1_victoria-s-secret-victoria-s-
secret-s-fashion-show
• http://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/blog/4-victorias-secret-
marketing-tricks/
• http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/victorias-
secret-launches-first-high-end-lingerie-collection-
5564144?src=search_links
• http://raventools.com/blog/6-content-marketing-lessons-from-
victorias-secret-fashion-show/
• http://www.wwd.com/markets-news/intimates-
activewear/victorias-secret-under-fire-6872180?src=search_links