Final Master's Project by beckiegoodall

Creating and marketing an inclusive dancewear brand.

FIGURE 1

BECKIE GOODALL 2020536

GLOBAL MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TARGET AUDIENCE

INTRODUCTION

- Overview

MARKET SITUATION

- Consumer profiles

Primary consumer insights

MARKETING PLAN

Market insights

- Introduction

Competitor analysis

- Strategy

PESTLE

- Objectives

THE BRAND

- Media channels

Message

- AIDA

Culture

IMC FOR LAUNCH

Mission statement and values

- Summary

Visuals

- Marketing mix

Products

- Marketing timeline

BUSINESS PLAN

- Media rationale

- Organisational management

- Evaluation

- Business model

APPENDICES & REFERENCES

- Operations

- Appendices

- Sustainability

- Illustrations

- Financial management

- References

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Eight& is a new dancewear brand with inclusivity at its core. For too long dance, and ballet particularly, has had a reputation for being elitist, inaccessible and body-shaming (Bukowski, 2021; Anon, 2020; Howard, 2020). Change is happening across the dance world and brands have a responsibility to encourage this further. Our strapline is ‘for every dancer’ because we believe that everyone should be able to enjoy dance in fun and flattering clothing. This document acts as an introduction to the brand, starting off with the and exploration of the market situation and how the brand came to be, addressing the research behind each decision. This is followed by the fundamentals of the brand and business plan. Finally, the last half consists of

detailed

marketing

overview

and

integrated

marketing

and

communications plan for the brand’s launch.

INTRODUCTION

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic consumers had time to pause and reassess their priorities. Brand responsibility and sustainability have become increasingly important factors in consumer brand choices and this trend is set to continue to grow (Fricker, 2021; The Future Laboratory, 2021:33-4; Gardner, 2021). There is a gap in the dancewear market for a truly sustainable brand whose ethos and style appeals to today’s consumers (see Appendices A, B and C). There has also been increased discussion concerning inclusivity within the dance world in all senses. Particularly ballet has always had a narrow focus on Eurocentric beauty standards which is now, rightly, being challenged (Bukowski, 2021; Anon, 2020; Howard, 2020; CNN, 2020). The dance industry needs to take steps to make positive changes, and this includes dancewear brands. Research shows that whilst many brands are now making efforts to be more racially diverse in their imagery and product offerings, there are other ways they could be even more inclusive, particularly when it comes to representation of different body types. Primary research conducted through a survey and interviews with dancers has reinforced the presence of these issues (see Appendices A and B).

FIGURE 3

100% of survey respondents said

11%

of survey respondents felt current

72%

sustainability was important to

dancewear brands were adequate

struggled to find dancewear to

them (to varying degrees).

in their inclusivity efforts.

suit them at some point.

of survey respondents have

This is where eight& comes in, a brand which not only has sustainable ethics at its core, but also celebrates and caters to all dancers. The main messaging of the brand will focus on inclusivity and dance being for everyone. The collection will be suitable for all dancers; however, the brand will primarily be marketed to those in ballet, as this style requires more specific apparel. The world is at a turning point, sustainability and inclusivity should not still be seen as radical ideas. eight& aims to normalise these approaches. This will be done through responsible decision-making and constantly working on making our supply chain as sustainable as possible, but you won’t see us shouting about it. Furthermore, keeping our core message in mind of dance being for everyone, we will showcase a diverse range of talented dancers in our ads and marketing campaigns because they deserve the spotlight. Research has shown that this is what consumers want to see; brand warmth and loyalty is increased when consumers can relate to the images portrayed by the brand (Saggese, 2021; Howard, 2020; Joo & Wu, 2021; Lou & Tse, 2020; Shoenberger, et. al., 2020). Diversity and inclusion just make sense, from both an ethical and a business standpoint. The more people are represented the larger the demographic our products will appeal to.

MARKET SITUATION 6

To gain a greater understanding of dancers needs a survey was conducted to gather initial data followed by interviews with a recreational dancer and a preprofessional dancer. This research provided some vital insights…

INCLUSIVITY

SUSTAINABILITY

Dancers want to see brands leading by example to

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important

promote inclusivity into the industry (see Appendices

factor for consumers in general (Gardner, 2021;

A and B). They are aware of the current issues

WARC, 2021; Castagnera, 2021; Fricker, 2021),

surrounding inclusivity and body image and want to

including Millennial and Generation Z dancers.

see change (See Appendix A).

Currently, there are limited options, however, it would impact purchasing decisions if more choices were

PRICE

available (see Appendix B).

FUNCTIONALITY

Price-point is a very important factor for dancers

Above style and branding, the pieces need to

(see Appendix B). In general dancers do not have the

perform (see Appendix A). Dance involves a lot of

highest disposable income and is probably at its

physical movement and adult dancers in particular

highest amongst adult recreational dancers and

need support and functionality from their clothing.

company principles. Keeping the price in the mid-

This includes the structure of garments, fabric

market range is key to attracting customers,

choices and quality in general.

between the £10-60 bracket depending on the item (see Appendix A).

•

Generation Z are looking for more authentic and community driven digital experiences as their desire for social inclusion has increased (The Future

‘54% of the global population agree “Brands have an important part to play in the

Laboratory, 2021: 33; Joo & Wu, 2021:260). Consumers favour advertisements

social conversation about issues like

(and the brands behind them) which they see as being more authentic

gender equality and race or immigrant

(Shoenberger, et al., 2020:200). •

relations”’ (Kantar and Affectiva, 2021:2).

Generation Z and Millennials care about sustainability with almost 90% preferring sustainably produced products (Narula, 2021). It is also believed that brands have a responsibility to tackle environmental issues (WARC, 2021:7).

•

of UK consumers would use

information supplied by retailers to

Consumers now prefer to see a more diverse range of body sizes in advertising,

learn about ethical retailing practices’

while activewear consumers are seeking a balance between ideal and actual body images portrayed (Bazilian, 2016 quoted in Lou & Tse, 2020:603; Zhou, 2017:10). •

Consumers are also looking to companies to give them guidance when it comes to climate-friendly consumption and making responsible purchases (Fricker, 2021;

‘40% (Fricker, 2021).

‘66% of all British consumers have either bought or are interested in buying

WARC, 2021:7). •

The effects of rising prices and disruptive supply chains are impacting consumers and their purchasing behaviour (Clark, 2021).

second-hand fashion items and 69% have either sold or are interested in selling unwanted fashion items (Sender Ceron, 2021).

Research has indicated that there are no ‘like-for-like’ competitors on the market, however, there are still brands to take into consideration (see appendix C).

On a larger scale dancewear sits within the activewear industry. Steps towards creating and promoting sustainable and inclusive practices are evident through many brands in this category, from big players such as

Lululemon and Sweaty Betty to smaller brands such as Organic Basics and Girlfriend Collective (see Appendix C).

Examining dancewear brands specifically there is less evidence of inclusivity and sustainability (see Appendix C). Brands such as Bloch and

Capezio have made their products more inclusive, however, their marketing and e-commerce imagery is still showcasing the idealised thin dancer. Similarly, Dansez is a sustainable brand using ECONYL as a sustainable alternative to nylon, however, they too limit their imagery to the thin dancer body-type. FIGURES 4-11 (LEFT TO RIGHT)

POLITICAL

ECONOMIC

• Ongoing COVID-19

• Inflation due to the

SOCIAL

• Rising awareness of body

TECHNOLOGICAL • Sustainable practices

LEGAL

• Compliance with the Sale

ENVIRONEMTAL • Climate crisis, new

implications could raise

economic effects of the

inclusivity and body

such as carbon neutral

of Goods Act, the Supply

fabrics, small steps

numerous supply chain

pandemic is leading to

positivity on social media

shipping and carbon

of Goods and Services

rather than large future

issues with workers

reduced consumer

(Shoenberger, et al.,

offsetting through

Act, and the Sale and

goals.

isolating and see costs

spending power with a

2020:198).

planting trees are now

Supply of Goods

rise with inflation

“cost of living

available (DHL, 2022).

Act (Watts, 2021)

(McKinsey, 2021).

catastrophe” predicted in

Matter protests raised

the UK from April as

awareness once more

data; it is estimated that

products is compliant

businesses (Gardner,

logistically harder and

energy prices rise and tax

about the racial inequalities

advertising adds 38% of

with regulations (Ibid.)

2021; WARC, 2021:7)

more expensive to import

reductions for hotels and

that are still prevalent in

the carbon footprint to

• Registration with HMRC

• Promoting slow-fashion

to the UK from Europe

restaurants are lifted

society. Dance brands

everyone in the UK

(Islam, 2021).

(O’Brien, 2021; Fricker,

were called into question

(WARC, 2021:8; Tam,

2021).

over this, particularly when

2021; Pena-Taylor, 2021);

it came to ‘skin-coloured’

investigate using lower

financial impact of Brexit

products that were only

data media when

could be greater and

available in pink (CNN Wire,

marketing, e.g., lower

more direct than that of

2020; Howard, 2020)

resolution imagery and

• Brexit has made it

• It has been said that the

the COVID-19 pandemic (Islam, 2021).

• The 2020 Black Lives

• Businesses need to show

• Carbon implications of

• Ensure all labelling of

(Ibid.) • Trademarking (Ibid.)

• Sustainability is now a ‘must-have’ rather than a ‘nice-to-have’ for

practices (Zhou, 2017; Roshitsh, 2020)

shorter videos.

they care about the planet and people not just profit – the triple bottom line (Stanton, 2021)

THE BRAND 11

COMMUNITY-ORIENTED

VIBRANT

SUPPORTIVE

WARM

INCLUSIVE

SUSTAINABLY SUSTAINABLE

FUN

AUTHORITATIVE

FOR EVERY DANCER.

WH O WE A R E A dancewear brand that understands its wide range of customers. We believe everyone deserves to enjoy dancing and should feel their best when they do.

WH A T WE DO We provide sustainable manufactured dancewear for everyone in colours to suit anyone and we also champion our customers through inclusive marketing and imagery.

WH Y WE DO I T The dance world has had a reputation for lack of diversity and inclusivity for a long time, we believe that dancewear brands can play a part in changing this narrative across the industry.

"Making a positive impact by providing good quality, well priced dancewear for every dancer."

Inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do This is the inspiration and driving force behind

eight&.

Sustainability is a necessity Ensuring sustainable practices are implemented throughout the supply chain.

Transparency is key We are open to feedback and conversations around the brand.

This brand is for you We have the power to make real change. Supporting dancers from lower socio-economic backgrounds through our ambassador programme.

Visuals will be colourful with consistency coming from the core brand colour palette. Representation and diversity will be considered both in marketing imagery and e-commerce. Research has shown that consumers appreciate being able to see products on different shapes and sizes (Saggese, 2021; Howard, 2020; Joo & Wu, 2021; Lou & Tse, 2020; Shoenberger, et. al., 2020).

LO GO VA RI A T I O N S

C O RE C O LO UR PA LETTE

FO N T S

Myriad Pro

Apalu

Lemon/Milk Light 15

M O O DBO A R D

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FIGURES 12-25 (LEFT TO RIGHT)

Key insights from the interviews conducted:

“Long-sleeve leotards (are hard to “ Good quality tights” are hard to find, as are basic leotards; “ When you get to this stage it’s

silly to wear floral or frilly ones. If you buy custom ones that are more sleek and plain they go up to £100s which isn’t an option for me.”

Ideal prices for items:

Hoodie/Sweatshirt: £15-£40 Joggers: £15-£30 Leotards: £15-£50 (max spend £65) Dance shorts: £15-£20 T-shirt: £15-£25 Warm-ups: £10-£30 Tote bag: £10-£15 Dance bag: £30-£60

find). I find them the most flattering but its really hard to find nice styles under £50”

Branding on garments is nice to have and good for brand awareness; “some have little

labels out the side but they can catch so printing it on the leotard is better.” “I think the dance world is a lot smaller

Leotard preferences:

“High cut, high hip so I don’t have to hike it up.” “Something simple, not too fancy. No florals.” “ I like mesh, low back, everyone likes a low back.” “I quite like a sleeve over straps as they can fall.”

than we think and everyone looks at these brands and what they’re doing. But they aren’t the only ones, companies and schools also need to change their

“I also like a variety of colours, it’s nice to have options for what you are in the mood for that day."

attitudes and find a way to be more inclusive”

See Appendix A for full interviews

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The initial collection will be small in order to gauge which products are the most popular and react to consumer feedback to launch future products.

We will start with 3 styles of leotards, a sweatshirt and jogger set, 2 styles of

MATERIALS & SUSTAINABILITY

shorts, 1 t-shirt, tights, a tote bag and a larger compartmentalized dance bag. Each

Any brand launching now needs to consider sustainable options in every point of the

item is named after a famous dancer. All items will be considered genderless

supply chain. The aim of the brand is to be sustainably sustainable, following the

(although the leotards will be marketed towards women and those who identify with

triple bottom line of making the best decisions for the planet, and people whilst also

that body shape/need), with sizing from XS-XXL, potentially expanding in the future

achieving profitability.

with demand. Each item will have a QR code (see example above), once scanned our customers Stylistically the products play into the 80s and 90s athleisure trends whilst catering

can learn more about the origins of the fabrics, the environmental impact of the

them specifically to dancers’ needs.

product, and a pricing breakdown. This will also allow us to authenticate items for the recycling scheme.

PRICING The price-point for each product has been decided on from a combination of

RECYCLING SCHEME

production costs, competitor pricing, and consumer demands.

We aim to launch the recycling scheme in Year 2. Each item is eligible to be brought

items to sit within the £15-£50 bracket.

Our aim is for all

in for recycling (in store or online) where the garments will be washed, repaired, and sold on at a much lower price. In return customers will receive a voucher to redeem against a new piece or on another second-hand item.

NELLA – long-sleeve leotard - £40

FRANKIE - cap-sleeve leotard - £40

MISTY – strappy leotard - £30 FOSSE – shorts - £16

GRAHAM – shorts - £18

ACOSTA – t-shirt - £18

BUSSELL – tights - £15

MADDIE– tote bag - £15

FONTEYN – sweatshirt - £30

NUREYEV – joggers - £30

FRED – duffle bag - £50

BUSINESS PLAN 21

The team will start off on a smaller scale, however, over

Design/creative

Buying & Merchandising

Pro d uct D evel o p ment

time with growth and investment this is the organisational structure we would establish.

Web Development

E-co mmerce CEO

CFO

COO

M a na g ement

Marketing

Visual Merchandising

Co mmunica tio ns Store Development

Warehouse

Lo g is tics People Team

Customer Services

Sup p o rt O ffice 22

Stores viability will be investigated for year 2 or 3 depending on pop-up success and reacting to the ever-changing retail environment.

Physical stores

In-house design/collaboration Marketing

with manufacturer

Recycling scheme Website

Share on

Warehouse/

Manufactured in UK

Office

social

Word of mouth

Direct feedback through

Happy customer

Package received.

Home delivery or pick-

Returns not

up points with carbon-

encouraged but can

neutral shipping

be done easily on

company

website

customer services

•

The business will be primarily D2C online through an e-commerce website and social-commerce on Instagram, a method which is rising in popularity (WARC, 2021:33).

•

The first physical retail trial will be through a pop-up shop in year 2.

•

Depending on the success of this and consumer demand we will then look at establishing a permanent shop in years 2 or 3 in Covent Garden, the home of many dancewear shops in London.

•

Will be exclusively UK-based for at least first 3 years, again responding to consumer demand we will look into expanding into other markets.

FIGURE 24

WEBSITE

Sustainability is a core value for the company. Although we will not be promoting it within our core marketing strategy, the aim is to implement

•

With the growing awareness of the internet’s environmental impact it will be essential to make the website as energy efficient as possible (Pena-Taylor, 2021; WARC, 2021).

•

This will mean lower resolution imagery, a minimal design and lack of higher-energy elements such as animations and video.

sustainable actions at each point across the supply chain.

MARKETING MANUFACTURING •

resolution content. It will also be necessary to optimise the quantity of content,

Serai . To limit carbon emissions and overcome shipping pricing and issues due to Brexit,

assessing the best post to interaction/conversion ratio. •

Email marketing will be used, however, on subscribing to the mailing list customers will be

transparent as possible and ensure employees are treated fairly.

asked how often they want to receive our emails with a reminder of the environmental

When European expansion becomes a possibility we would likely set up a second

impact.

manufacturer in Europe. •

Similarly to the website our digital marketing activities will limit energy usage with lower

Once funding is secured a manufacturer would be sourced through a company such as

ideally the factory will be UK-based. It will also be a priority for the supply chain to be as •

•

Further when creating press releases and events minimizing the environmental impact and waste will always be considered.

Fabric options have been found through researching other sustainable activewear and dancewear brands. Leotards and shorts will be made from ECONYL, t-shirts, joggers, sweatshirts, and tote bags will be made from certified organic cotton, tights from

RETURNS

recycled polyamide and elastane, and the large bag from recycled polyester.

•

It has also come to light how impactful returns can be on the environment, particularly when it comes to fast fashion. With this in mind we will be as transparent and

FULFILLMENT •

All packaging will be recyclable and limited, just enough to protect the products.

•

Delivery will also be fulfilled through a carbon neutral shipping service such as DHL’s

responsible as possible with our returns process. •

A returns label will not be included with orders, however, free returns will be offered through the website. On creating a return the customer will state the reason.

•

GoGreen (DHL, 2022).

Once the item has been received at the warehouse it will be assessed and processed, and we will let the customer know what has happened to it (resold, repaired or recycled).

•

Similarly, our recycling scheme, mentioned previously, will also prevent products ending up in landfill.

•

Initially investment will be drawn from £5,000 personal investment and crowdfunding with an aim of £25,000 (£30,000 in total). This will allow for the first stage of production and marketing.

•

The primary costs will be manufacturing and fulfillment.

•

To minimize costs in the first year the team will be kept small at 2 people, aiming to grow as sales and demand increase year-on-year.

•

In Year 1 order fulfillment will be done by the team from our own premises and then scaling up in the future with demand.

•

To avoid wasted stock there will also be limited runs initially to gauge numbers and this should also create sense of excitement when new products are dropped.

•

Apparel = 15x each size (XS-XL) = 75 units/design

•

Bags = 100x tote bag, 50x large bag

Further investment will be sought in the future to outsource fulfillment, venture into physical retail and expand manufacturing.

YEAR 1 OPERATIONS estimated costs -£15k Activity

Cost Breakdown

Founders x 2

In year one we would claim expenses only.

Materials & Manufacturing

Using a service such as the London Pattern Cutter estimated costs are as follows for apparel: Pattern cutting and sampling for each garment £120£400 each (8) = £1600 total Production = leotards £20-£25, shorts £10, sweatshirt and joggers £15-20, t-shirt £8 Tights will be sourced = approx £8/pair Bags with production and branding = approx £30/large bag, £8/tote bag Total for first run: approx. £14500

Packaging and postage

Postage paid for by customers - £2-4 (through DHL’s carbon neutral delivery service) Using a mixture of compostable mailers and recyclable cardboard boxing, packaging will equate to £1/order. We will order in bulk, 300 pieces per order (200 mailers, 100 boxes) = £300 approx. initially.

Office space

Run from home in first 3-6 months. (Potential to gain office space in Cheshire during expansion – approx. £800/month. £9,600/year.)

FIGURE 27

YEAR 1 MARKETING estimated costs -£10k Activity

Cost Breakdown

ROI POTENTIAL

Social Media

Photoshoots: £1.3k - Dancers x5 £100/day - Photographer £200/day - Studio space £500/8 hours - Food £100/day Uploading and planning: £0 in first year, will hire social media coordinator in year 2

Good for increasing reach and brand awareness. Lower conversion rates but higher reach = good ROI

Out-of-home

Travel hub advertising: £1k-2k Ad creation: Free, done in-house – use images from social photoshoot

Periodic to keep costs down. Reach new customers and those not online.

Showcases

Travel: approx. £40 each to Manchester, not covered in London x12 Dancer payment: £200 each to cover rehearsal time and 3 performances x10 Costumes: provide each dancer with two pieces from collection - £30 per person Music licensing: free – use older classical music Total: £2.7k

Increasing brand awareness. Sharing brand message. Low conversion.

Move It

Dressing a performance: £30 per person x15 Booth: approx. £1k Total = £1.45k

Increasing brand awareness directly within the dance world. High conversion on the day. Connection with consumers – potential for market penetration.

Influencers

PR gifts: £45/person inc. postage Post fees: £100-£5k depending on reach & stats

Reaching target audiences through influencers.

Ambassadors

Products: approx. £200 to send majority of collection Scholarships: £1k/year if in full time dance education

Reaching smaller audiences but will create loyalty and trust from testimonies.

TARGET AUDIENCE 29

FIGURE 14

• It will be assumed that all consumers initially will be UK-based as this will be the only market eight& is available in. • Generation X make up our core audience, currently the largest proportion of dancers (approx. ages 10-25). • Millennials are another important market, comprising of professional and recreational dancers with larger disposable incomes (approx. ages 2641). • Parents and guardians who may be shopping for their dancing children. • Overtime Generation Alpha should be assessed and marketing towards – upcoming consumers, starting dancing in childhood (approx. ages 9 and younger). • B2B marketing will focus on collaborations with dance schools, companies and organisations who have specific uniforms and branded merchandise. • Psychographics: love of dancing, music, active on social media, artsy, active.

FIGURE 25

FIGURE 28

AMATEUR DANCER

FIGURE 30

FIGURE 29

• A university student or young professional • Aged 18-22 • Takes dance classes in free time both to exercise and as a social event • Still enjoys feeling part of the dance world, will enjoy shopping for dancewear as a way to connect with dance. • Follows famous dancers on social media • Most likely to make purchases 2-3 times per year • Most likely to purchase athleisurewear products such as sweatshirts, t-shirts and joggers • Generation Z and Millennial

STUDENT/PRE-PROFESSIONAL DANCER • Lowest spending power • Age 16-20 • Enjoys finding new pieces to wear outside of uniform/dress code • Influenced by professional dancers - aspirational • Most likely to buy leotards and lower-priced items • Active on social media promoting themselves as a dancer • Generation Z

FIGURE 31

FIGURE 32 FIGURE 33

PROFESSIONAL DANCER

FIGURE 34 FIGURE 36

FIGURE 35 FIGURE 37

• Highest spending power, particularly when higher-up in a company • Age 21-41 • Engrained in the dance community • Larger social media following, particularly from aspiring dancers; power to increase brand awareness and influence audience • Most likely to purchase frequently • Most likely to purchase technical items such as tights, shorts, warm-ups and leotards • Millennials and Generation Z

MARKETING PLAN 34

Inclusion will be at the centre of all marketing activities. An open dialogue will be encouraged with consumers so that we can ensure all voices are heard and anyone who wants to buy from us feels that they can and that we support them.

As a brand that aims to appeal to both amateur and professional dancers,

marketing

content

will

also

highlight

these

different

FIGURE 15

approaches to dance, always keeping our strapline in mind – ‘for every

dancer’.

FIGURE 12

YEAR 1 (2022-3) – launch •

Launch brand at the end of Spring 2022.

•

Host 2 launch events – showcases in London and Manchester, establishing a brand experience with limited environmental impact and an opportunity to create content for social media (WARC, 2021:8; Fricker, 2021).

•

Establish influencer/ambassador relations with dancers.

•

Grow social media following and brand awareness.

•

Sponsor a performance and hold a stall at Move It dance convention in March 2023.

FIGURE 38

YEAR 2 (2023-4) – establish brand in the UK •

FIGURE 39

Hold a 2-3 month pop-up shop to increase brand awareness and connect with further with UK consumers.

•

Begin advertising in theatre programmes and dance magazines.

•

Launch recycling scheme online.

•

Depending on success of pop-up shop, set up a permanent shop in Covent Garden.

•

Return to Move It dance convention in March 2024.

•

Add to collection and expand business in line with growth.

YEARS 3 & 4 (2024-6)– reach a profit •

Establish wholesale relations selling through resellers such as Move Dancewear and Just Dance.

•

Grow brand awareness abroad through social media and digital marketing activities.

•

Build B2B relations with dance schools, organisations such as RAD or ISTD, and companies such as the English National Ballet.

•

Set up Covent Garden shop if this did not happen in Year 2.

•

Add to collection and expand business in line with growth.

•

Start planning to expand to new markets in Years 5-7.

FIGURE 40

FIGURE 41

B US I N E S S •

Establishing eight& as a brand

•

Building customer loyalty

•

Growing market share within the dancewear and activewear space

•

M A R KE T I N G

Make a profit by year 3

•

Year-on-year growth

Presenting eight& as a fun, inclusive and stylish brand that is also functional and sustainable

• •

Increase brand awareness within the

C O M M UN I C A T I O N S

dance community

•

Promote sustainable efforts from time to time, particularly recycling scheme

Share the inclusive message throughout all communications

•

once the brand is more established

Create an online community through the brand

•

Utilise brand ambassadors to promote the brand and its values to other dancers

•

Showcase and support dancers

The majority of marketing will be done through digital and social media, with other content spread throughout the year to strategically increase brand awareness at certain times.

DIGITAL

WORD-OF-MOUTH

•

Paid ads (banners and social pop-ups)

•

Great for conversion and brand trust

•

Email – subscription, options to subscribe to

•

Earned overtime

certain content

•

Dancer to dancer

•

Website – e-commerce, about the brand, sustainability information

•

SEO

SOCIAL •

O O H & PR •

Posters to spread brand awareness amongst general public

•

Advertising in event/performance programmes and industry publications such as Pointe magazine

Instagram – main branding, sharing user generated content, community creation

•

TikTok – fun content, collaborating with dancers

•

YouTube – sharing campaigns and event footage

•

Facebook – community oriented

•

LinkedIn – sharing business goals and achievements

•

Pinterest – sharing inspiration behind collections and branding

•

Twitter will not be utilized initially but this may change if it becomes apparent that it could be beneficial (WARC, 2021:37)

E X PE R I E N T I A L •

Move It – stall and sponsoring a performance with dancewear

•

Outdoor performances – to spread awareness amongst general public

•

Pop-up – increase personal connection and create a brand experience

SOCIAL MEDIA EXAMPLES

Instagram

TikTok

AWARENESS • As this is a new brand building awareness is crucial • This will be done through all marketing activities discussed

INTEREST

DESIRE

ACTION

• Influencers/ambassadors

• The brand is marketed as

• The main call to action will

current, cool and inclusive,

be to drive new consumers

such as launch campaign,

something unique to the

to the site to buy product

#foreverydancer

dancewear market currently.

• Creating unique campaigns

• Promotional showcase

• Limited stock and a slow

• It will also be encouraged to share with friends and drive

trickle of new styles will

that digital community

create intrigue and desire

engagement • Messaging will also include quality over quantity: wear the pieces a lot and recycle them with the brand later

NEXT STEPS: IMC FOR LAUNCH 42

Eight& is a new brand so marketing activities will be building the brand from the ground up. Initially focusing on the UK market, we will utilise and connect with the online dance community to promote organic growth along with partnering with influencers and dance professionals to spread the brands core message and share the range of products available. Starting off with a small collection, creating an online community will allow us to listen to feedback from dancers and what they want and use this to fuel our growth. All marketing and communications will be done inhouse initially as the brand is established FIGURE 23

CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION

BRAND CONSIDERATIONS

•

Gen Z, Gen Alpha (and Millennials)

•

Dance students

•

Professional dancers

•

Recreational dancers

communicate with consumers and be transparent to avoid being labelled

•

Barre, Pilates, and Yoga

as greenwashing

•

All genders

Inclusivity is at the heart of the brand, this requires sensitivity and informed decision making

•

Although sustainability is not the main message it is still important to

BARRIERS MEDIA CHANNELS •

Social media – TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, using hashtag #foreverydancer throughout channels

•

Out of home - posters

•

PR – influencers, schools

•

Events – showcases in London & Manchester, MoveIt

•

New brand – teething problems

•

Competition: existing dancewear brands

•

Limited range and stock initially

•

Rising energy prices could lead to higher costs

•

COVID-19 could impact events

BUDGET £10k (see breakdown in ‘financial management’ section)

PRODUCT • •

• •

PEOPLE

PLACE •

First collection

High quality, functional

through social media,

and fun dancewear

email, paid ads and the

Inclusive size range,

e-commerce website,

styles and imagery

following a direct-to-

PRICE

Made with sustainable •

fabrics and a responsible supply chain •

As affordable and

consumer model •

•

PROMOTION

Manchester for

No offers or promotions

promotional events

in first year-2 years as

Move It dance

price should be as

convention. Bus stops

affordable as possible

and in-door display for

while maintaining ethics

posters

• • • • •

•

Influencers •

Brand ambassadors •

Physical: London and

transparent as possible

and sustainability

•

Digital: online primarily

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE Digital: conversion

Founding team at

rates tracked through

events

Google Analytics and

The dance community

web analytics

PROCESS •

Digital

•

and testimonial

Customers first,

Social media

ensure a customer

PR and events

enquiry system is

Out of home

established and fully

Word-of-mouth

functioning •

Customer feedback

• •

Email subscriptions Increased social media following •

Sales figures

D2C website experience

•

Learn from feedback

FOR YEAR 1 May ‘22

CHANNEL Social Media

Instagram

June ‘22

July ‘22

Aug ‘22

Sept ‘22

Oct ‘22

Nov ‘22

Dec ‘22

Jan ‘23

Feb ‘23

March ‘23

April ‘23

Ongoing to build brand awareness and develop social media community

Tik Tok YouTube

Seasonal campaigns and event videos

Facebook Pinterest

Ongoing to build brand awareness and develop social media community

LinkedIn PR

Influencers & Ambassador s

Establish relationships

Seasonal promotions and invite to events, ongoing support in both directions

B2B Out-of-home

Posters

Digital

Begin networking for collaborations at start of 2023 Correlating with events and seasonality Ongoing to build community and customer retention/loyalty

Paid Ads

Seasonal digital ad spending (pay-per-click and sponsored posts)

Website & SEO Events

Showcases

Ongoing to boost sales and search optimisation LONDON

MANCHESTER

MoveIt

•

SOCIAL MEDIA •

Collating content from other platforms.

Place to promote events and connect with older audience.

Pinterest: o

Share collections and inspirational content.

Scope to grow audience and bring them back to website.

TikTok: o

Fun content showing people dancing in the garments related to trending themes and ideas on the app.

Sharing event footage.

TikTok is an unpredictable platform but can contribute to large growth if a post goes viral.

•

Facebook:

Instagram:

•

YouTube: o

Videos about each collection.

Interviews with dancers/ambassadors, e.g., ’what’s in my dance bag’.

Event footage.

FIGURE 42

Sharing user generated content.

Editorial/social-commerce.

Inspirational content, e.g., quotes and stories.

#ForEveryDancer 47

PR •

Influencer and ambassador engagement: o

Ambassadors will be continually supported and worked with over a long period of time, they will be dancers in training or recreational dancers.

Influencer deals will be more one off or over a shorter period with paid content or sent PR packages to raise awareness with no obligation to post.

Influencers will more likely be considered if they are well known recreational dancers or professional dancers.

We will work to ensure ambassadors and influencers reflect a wide demographic of consumers.

FIGURE 17

DIGITAL •

Paid ads across social media and banners on other relevant websites.

•

Email: o

Sharing new products, events, success stories, and brand endeavours.

Options for frequency of content subscribers want to receive to reduce environmental impact.

•

FIGURES 43-45

Website: o

E-commerce – primary function.

About the brand.

Information about the supply chain and sustainable practices.

Content will be optimized for search engines (SEO).

EVENTS •

We will work with a choreographer and amateur dance company/school to create a short showcase to promote dance inclusion and the brand as they will be wearing our apparel.

•

Two showcases, one in London and one in Manchester. Ideally this will happen in Covent Garden, and two major train stations depending on permissions, audience and feasibility.

•

In March 2023 we will also attend Move It, a major dance convention in the UK. This will further increase brand awareness by dressing a performing dance group and having a stall at the event. This will also be a good trial for how we will run the pop-up shop in Year 2.

OOH Posters

OUT OF HOME •

Posters and digital ads at transport hubs.

•

Will be continually assessed for ROI and correlate with events/seasonality.

FIGURE 46

QUANTITATIVE • Sales increase, reaching a profit margin

QUALITATIVE • Increased brand awareness

by end of Year 1 • Word-of-mouth recommendations • Growth in online community (e.g., Instagram engagement, follows, and tags) and converting this audience

• Repeat customers and positive feedback

(WARC, 2021:18) • Market penetration and market share

APPENDICES & REFERENCES 51

T-shirt: “Yes I like t-shirts for layering and for days when I feel less confident. Its nice to have dancethemed ones so you still feel dressed the part.” “I think t-shirts are good for days when you don’t want to look at yourself in the mirror. I’d probably say about £15, I’d be comfortable spending £25 on a nice quality t-shirt.”

Interviews were conducted with two female dancers, a recreational dancer aged 24 (in red) and a pre-professional dancer aged 20 (in blue). Both were asked the same set of questions. Some answers were similar and others highlighted the different needs from different consumers.

Question How often do you shop for dancewear?

“Probably every 2-3 months” “I’d say I look for new dancewear once per month, apart from pointe shoes are a lot more often.” “I’d say about the same or slightly more often. It varies quite a lot.”

What items do you purchase the most frequently?

“Soft ballet shoes, leotards and probably sweatshirts or warmups”

How much would you spend on the following items?

Warm-ups: “Probably around £10 for legwarmers but then I would say around £25-30 for an all-in-one or a gillet.” “I think those things around £10-15. They are very important, you can always do with more.”

Answers

Would you say that that is more or less than your peers?

Is there any particular item you wish was more available or more accessible?

Shorts: “Not really. I quite like bike shorts for contemporary but that’s about it.” “Personally they don’t suit me so the most similar thing I wear is jazz knickers. Again with them, they cost £25, but I’d prefer them around the £15 bracket. You want them as plain as possible.”

Bag: “I just use a tote bag so probably around £10/15?” “That I would be happy to spend a bit more on as you don’t want it to break. I don’t have one currently but I would like one with compartments and things. Id say I would spend up to £60, preferably around £30. At the minute I use a tote bag. It works and it carries the weight but its also annoying to find everything in it. I could do with something with more organization but I haven’t found one that I really like”

“I’d say that’s less than a lot of my peers. Especially the ones with more money. “

“Tights, different styles of tights, fishnets, black ones, pink, ones, because they always rip. Toe padding and things like that I need quite a lot Hair accessories I need quite a lot I’d say I look more for skirts than I do leotards. I’d say more the accessories than leotards. The best tights I’ve found are on amazon are for ordinary people as they don’t rip. And they are cheaper than an average dance brand.” “Long-sleeve leotards. I find them the most flattering but its really hard to find nice styles under £50” “Good quality tights I wish leotards that aren’t really frilly, more basics from brands. When you get to this stage its silly to wear floral or frilly ones. If you buy custom ones that are more sleek and plain they go up to £100s which isn’t an option for me.” Hoodie/sweatshirt: “Max £40 but more like around £20” “Max £30, ideal £15” Joggers: ”Around £15-£30 depending on the quality and brand” “Probably about £30 as well, they’re in a similar bracket” Leotard: “I don’t tend to spend very much on leotards, probably between £15-30” “For a leotard ideal would be £20 I think it reasonable, but I can understand shaping and construction is difficult. Max I have spent is £65, which to me was too much but I didn’t have other options.”

Would you say if they were sustainable and well made you would spend a bit more?

“Yes I think so, I would be less likely to look for sale bargains from that brand and buy full price because I know sustainable products tend to cost more to make.”

what would you say is your favourite dance brand currently?

“I don’t really have a favourite brand, I like Bloch and Ballet Rosa. A lot of the nicer brands are just a bit too expensive for me.”

What are your favourite styles of leotards?

“Definitely long sleeve and high cut. I also like a high neck sometimes but they can be a bit tight depending the exact style.”

“100%. Lucky Leo are sustainable but they only have custom so it gets too expensive. It was also quite hard to do on their website. If I new one was sustainable and I didn’t have to pfaf around customizing it I would happily pay £50/60 but I wouldn’t buy many, it would be a special treat.”

“I really like the lazy dancer who have really nice tote bags and jumpers, its more for their branding. For functionality, Capezio have good prices and Bloch I get all my shoes from but I don’t like their leotards. They cater more to children and recreational dancers. Comfort over practicality which looks nice but is not very useful.”

“High cut, high hip so I don’t have to hike it up. Something simple, not too fancy. No florals. I like mesh, low bag, everyone likes a low back. I quite like a sleeve over straps as they can fall and it’s a bit more but without friends. I also like a variety of colours, it’s nice to have options for what you are in the mood for that day.” Do you believe that these views reflect that of your peers?

“There’s a big variety in the classes I go to. I think the most common style is a strappy leotard.” “Yes I think everyone likes a high cut and low back. Not everyone likes a sleeve, that’s quite personal, it depends on your shape. But I think everyone suits a low back and high hip.”

Continued Question Is there anything you dislike about dancewear or activewear marketing/branding? Anything that sticks out to you?

Answers “I really dislike the lack of diversity when it comes to a lot of dance brands, particularly on websites like dance direct and move dancewear – pretty much every model is white and slim. Another I don’t like, which is more common with activewear brands doing dancewear rather than dancewear brands, is when they use models that aren’t dancers and it looks so bad. Kendall Jenner did it once and the dance community hated it.” “One thing I really hate is when brands use models that don’t dance because it looks weird and I find it infuriating because why would you not just use a dancer to model dancewear? A lot of the websites are really annoying to look through. They don’t have enough filtering on it so it’s quite hard to find what you’re looking for. So I would say that is a massive issue. I think there’s a lot of children’s options than adults. They would sell more adult ones if they made nicer adult ones. Even adult recreational dancers would want to buy nicer stuff, kids don’t care as much. They need to consider more options for adults. The variety of the models is another issue, they all look the same and don’t have any shape so I don’t actually know how they are going to look on me until I try them on.”

Would you prefer to see a mixture of professional dancers and also recreational dancers with a wider body range? Would you feel like you could shop from those images? Do you like when you see the name of the dancer on websites if they are modelling?

Do you believe that brands have an influence on the dance community as a whole?

“Not really. I follow dancers rather than brands on social media.”

Do you tend to choose bigger brands over smaller brands? Why?

“Yes, mainly because I don’t know many of the smaller brands and because of pricing.”

Can you rank these factors when shopping for dancewear? Brand/reputation, style, functionality, price, sustainability.

“Style Functionality Sustainability Price Brand/reputation”

“Yes, I feel like that way you can tell what leotards are actually flattering and well cut, rather than them looking nice just because the model is thin.” “Yeah, its quite nice, I like when I recognize a dancer from the royal ballet or something, I think it would definitely influence me to buying whatever they’re modelling.” “I think that’s nice, a girl from our company did some modelling for Move and its nice to see that it’s a working dancer. And its nice for the dancer as it’s a form a publicity to help them out and send people to their social media.” “Yes absolutely. I think the dance world is a lot smaller than we think and everyone looks at these brands and what they’re doing. But they aren’t the only ones, companies and schools also need to change their attitudes and find a way to be more inclusive.”

“I get some of their emails so I do look at those but that is probably it.” “Yes, it goes back to the Lazy Dancer – just really enjoy their print and their Instagram is really nice. Lucky Leo as well, their Instagram is really nice. Its just frustrating because their leotards are customizable so it costs a lot to get the nicest ones on their Instagram feed."

“Yes, definitely. The ones with bad websites also have bad Instagram’s.”

“Yes, I think my go to is Capezio or Move. I don’t know why because they’re usually more expensive, but they come to mind first. I always end up looking on Bloch even though I know I dislike their leotards, they’re always in my mind because I get my shoes from them. You go for the bigger brands before remembering and having a look at smaller ones.”

“Functionality first, I need support, that’s a key thing. Style/look Price Sustainability Brand

“Yes, I think that would be nice, its always good to see more diversity. I think its especially good when brands have people in three or four different sizes in the same piece of clothing on the website so you can get a better idea of how it will look on your body type.”

“Definitely, people know the brands. If you go to an audition or a workshop and someone is wearing a Yumiko, everyone will notice and assume the dancer is more professional from the brand. Whereas if someone is wearing a Bloch athleisure leotard you will think ‘do they actually know what they’re doing?’, and they could be great, but you do get an initial impression from the brand they’re wearing; it is an elitist sport.” And would you say you pay much attention to the marketing activities of brands?

Do you follow a lot of dance brands on Instagram?

Sustainability is low because I don’t know of many sustainable options. So, I realistically would look at ones I liked first. If it was sustainable, I would be more likely to want to buy it, but it wouldn’t put me off if it wasn’t. We do a lot of shopping on places like Depop and that’s more sustainable.” Are you open to buying secondhand dancewear?

“I could be open to it, I haven’t done it in the past, but I have been given leotards a couple of times.” “Yes, I feel like most of the time leotards stay in circulation. I haven’t really seen people throw away their leotards. I think its because they are expensive and because they’re Lycra they don’t get to the point of having to throw them away.”

This is an idea I have for the brand, do you think you would buy second-hand from the brand over buying it from another dancer?

“Yes, it would be easier and more reliable than somewhere like eBay or Facebook marketplace I think”

The idea is that you could bring in your old leotards/dancewear and receive a voucher to redeem on new things.

“Yeah that sounds like a cool idea”

“That’s a good idea, its then more reliable. You know it will arrive, it will look how its shown on the website.”

“I think that’s definitely something people would want to do. You would know that the items have been quality checked and repaired. An example of leotards, there are some girls in my year that have the old style leotards the school stopped using three years ago. So they have come down three years of third years. We just pass all our leotards down the year groups. I don’t think anyone has ever thrown them away because they’re like £25/leotard. You just think if you wash it, it gets washed every week. The only thing is the hems tend to fray, but everyone knows how to sew, that’s the thing with dancers, we can all sew. So it doesn’t matter if things are ripped.”

Fig. 13 Kate Stanforth (2021) Meet the woman leading the way for inclusive dance. [Photograph] At: https://www.thefemalelead.com/post/meet-the-woman-leading-the-way-for-inclusive-dance (Accessed 26/1/22).

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Fig. 14 Girlfriend Collective (2017) Navy and yellow activewear. [Photograph] At: https://www.nylon.com/articles/girlfriend-collective (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 15 SF Dance Gear (n.d.) Bloch camisole leotard. [Photograph] At: https://sfdancegear.com/products/bloch-camisoleleotard?variant=32670373543996&utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 16 Skims (2020) Set your alarm. [Instagram Screenshot] At: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIi1yBZF2YG/ (Accessed 18/11/21). Fig. 17 Shvets Production (2021) Boys in activewear. [Photograph]. Fig. 18 Celeste Sloman (2018) Have a Question About Fitness? [Photograph] At: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/reader-center/ask-the-new-york-times-a-question.html (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 19 (n.d.) Dancers. [Photograph] At: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/691654455277373960/ (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 20 Les Muses (n.d.) Self love club. [Print] At: https://society6.com/product/self-loveclub5786697_print?sku=s621559892p4a1v45&epik=dj0yJnU9QnZIUXhQV2YzX3diNGdpTmxNT2k4RThEZTNYVW1ob1ImcD0wJm4 9SUFXczQ4S3d6ZHYtcm11ZVpybDdzQSZ0PUFBQUFBR0h4Uklr&utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium= social (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 21 (n.d.) Pointe shoes. [Photograph] At: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/309622543141556036/ (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 22 Shvets Production (2021) Active women with different body types. [Photograph]. Fig. 23 Girlfriend Collective (2017) Black activewear. [Photograph] At: https://eluxemagazine.com/culture/articles/companies-planting-trees-with-every-purchase/ (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 24 Shvets Production (2021) Boy in green tracksuit. [Photograph]. Fig. 25 Lara Cappelli (2020) “Prodigal son”. [Instagram Screenshot] At: https://www.instagram.com/p/CFpDkc_hUIZ/ (Accessed 26/1/22). Fig. 26 QR Code Generator (2022) QR codes on clothing. [Photograph] At: https://www.qr-codegenerator.com/qr-codes-on/clothing/ (Accessed 26/1/22).

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