Integrated Marketing Communication of Zara and Desigual

Résumé du document

The fashion industry is still on a downward trend this year, notably in France. Indeed, the first trimester of 2010 registered a decrease of 1.9 % in value compared to 2009 at the same period. Yet, since several seasons, the fashion industry has accelerated its collections' turnover, which was supposed to foster consumption.

The fashion market is very heterogeneous, so the development of new brands and new store openings imply a necessary differentiation. The range/price policy represents a determinant choice which can lead to restructuring of these strategies. Moreover, the clothes' enhancement cannot be ignored. The fashion market does not offer "classical" products, for example, there is virtually an absence of packaging. However, the products will be considered as consumption goods in the following report, considering clients and consumers on the fashion market.

In this clutter, two Spanish brands have succeeded in making a mark on well-known territory: Zara as a paradise for consumers with tight budgets and Desigual with its unprecedented exuberant design. Both, Zara and Desigual, overcame the crisis better than the other distributors. So, what are their key success factors? What is the IMC of each brand on a global view?

First, we will analyze the communications and rhetoric tools used by the two brands. Then, we will study the communication strategy through advertising, in-store activation and product displays.

it is true while studying branding strategy and its advertising, we can isolate elements from both argumentation and demonstration processes, but the fashion industry is more specific and prone to use an argumentation strategy. Let us have a closer look at our two brands: Zara first, then Desigual and finally why not confront their strategy?

Zara has once been described by CNN as "a Spanish success story" or "possibly the most innovative and devastating retailer in the world" by Louis Vuitton's fashion director Daniel Piette. What raises such a fascination around the brand is especially its unusual way of persuasion through what we call "a zero advertising policy".

Extraits

[...] Bag given to the customer when buying a Zara item At the moment, the store is its main communication tool. However, Zara is a well known brand and liked by its consumers. So what is at the origin of such a fascination while considering the clothes is not an efficient vector of communication for it? Why are consumers buying Zara clothes? Well, it seems the design of the clothes, the weekly changing collection and the price are the main competitive advantages which could be the answer of these questions. [...]

[...] So, the main harm to Zara is not a fiancial one but a deterioration of its brand image and especially of its credibility. Desigual and the social media Desigual do not hesitate in using new ways of advertising and spreading ideas very quickly. It totally corresponds to its state of mind and philosophy, which promote sharing between people all over the world. But more particularly, social media represent an opportunity to develop awareness. But Desigual goes further the classical list of social networks (Facebook, Twitter ) Through its new campaign Happy Hunters, Desigual actually asked its clients to comment on blogs with messages, on the example of flashmob. [...]

[...] Explosion of colors, music and drawings. Online store Social networks (Facebook fan page, Youtube, Twitter) and blogs Numeric flashmobs Ads on alternative medium “Help yourself” and discover Desigual Undie Party Kiss Tour Paint Parties Broad target: 20-40 year old urban women who like following the fashion trends + more recently: 20-40 year old and urban men who take care of their appearance 20-40 year old mothers believe that it is impossible for their children to be fashionable like them because it is expensive and time consuming. [...]

[...] The Kiss Tour is a European road show planned each year in Berlin, Madrid and Paris. People can collect their free entrance ticket in stores and go on the spot to enjoy the concerts, to kiss one another and to win a tee shirt. With its Undie party, Desigual proposes to its clients a game: the first 100 persons arrived in a certain store in one's underwear, will be dressed up by Desigual. The clients are invited to participate in Paint Parties to paint their local store with an artist. [...]

[...] The people implied in the communication process are always very dynamic and joyful. Their gestures are very large and full of life. Desigual definitely creates enthusiasm. Accordingly, Desigual advertising strategy uses destabilization process which provokes surprise and strong deviation from the usual fashion advertising and especially Zara's one. Arguments on the mind predispose: Arguments are not imposed. The consumers still have control of their choice though some of them are guided by calculative decisions. Based on common sense: Who does not want to feel as good as these people in Desigual ads? [...]