Market Research - Digital and Physical Communication - Marks and Spencer by bpix

Introduction............................................................................................................................3 Methodology..........................................................................................................................6 Chapter 1: Market Position and Public Perception of Marks and Spencer............................7 Chapter 2: Physical and Digital Communication at Marks and Spencer..............................11 Chapter 3: Physical and Digital Communication at Next....................................................21 Chapter 4: Unifying Communication Techniques for the Mature Female Customer...........25 Conclusion............................................................................................................................31 References............................................................................................................................35 Bibliography..........................................................................................................................39

Multinational retailer Marks and Spencer is a longstanding feature on the British high street, offering a selection of food, clothing and homewares to a loyal band of customers. Starting as a one-man business that has grown to encompass over 1,300 stores worldwide (M&S Corporate, 2015b), the brand has often been praised for its successful business model. Whilst its food offering has remained profitable in the last decade, General Merchandise, which is largely made up of clothing, has suffered. In their most recent report, the brand posted a 0.4% fall in sales of General Merchandise (M&S Corporate, 2015a), despite significant investment into improving the entire department. National press are now beginning to doubt the brand’s future as a fashion retailer (Shah, 2015). This research document will analyse Marks and Spencer’s position as a fashion retailer on the British high street, looking into public perception of the brand and awareness of its current marketing activity in order to determine key problem areas. Since Marks and Spencer prides itself on being an ‘innovative, multichannel retailer’ (M&S Corporate, 2015a), the document will then explore the brand’s use of physical and digital communicative tools, highlighting the most successful approaches, before analysing the strategy of a key competitor. Physical and digital communication must work together to be successful (Evans, 2010), so ways of unifying the two will be identified alongside an in-depth exploration of the brand’s core target market females aged forty-five and over (Elder, 2012), discovering what most appeals to them as fashion consumers. Finally, this research will be consolidated into a number of recommendations for future approaches to communication. Overall, this research should outline the most successful ways for Marks and Spencer to communicate with their primary target consumer, offering a new approach that could steer the brand away from its current failings and into a new, more appropriate direction for General Merchandise.

Marks and Spencer AW15

Primary research for this document will consist of a questionnaire based on public perception of the brand (M&S Public Perception – Appendix B), a focus group with a core target market of females aged 45-75 (M&S Focus Group – Appendix E), a Q&A with a former employee of a competitor brand (Next Employee Q&A - Appendix H) and personal evaluations of the shopping environments at Marks and Spencer and its main competitor (M&S Customer Experience and Competitor Customer Experience respectively – Appendix F and Appendix G). This will help to establish the current state of play at Marks and Spencer, public perception of Marks and Spencer as a fashion brand and the needs of a core target market. Secondary research will consist of information from Marks and Spencer’s extensive archives and database of reports and current activity, quality retail and marketing literature, fact and opinion pieces in respected physical and online publications and market research reports from Mintel.

Marks and Spencer became one of the nation’s most profitable fashion brands (Bevan, 2007), with a long period of success lasting until the 1990s, when customers began to complain about a number of issues, including (Bevan, 2007): • A fall in clothing quality when prices were rising • An unfashionable product offering • New stores being built with older stores becoming outdated • Confusing store layouts with too much choice • •

A lack of cohesion between advertising and available stock Reduced staffing and bad customer service

‘It is not a profitable proposition to be everything customers want’, states Ander in his book ‘Winning at Retail’ (2004), which is what Marks and Spencer tried to achieve during a long period of expansion during the 1990s when they increased their square footage and ordered large volumes of stock (Bevan, 2007). In the process, the brand struggled with the basics and began to lose touch with its core customer. Since then, Marks and Spencer has made various attempts to resurrect its image as ‘the retailer that would never let you down’ (Bevan, 2007), including modernisation of stores, new logos and catchphrases, alterations to its supply chain and collaborations with fashion designers, but it would appear that feelings about the brand’s fashion offering remain mixed. A 2010 audit revealed that sales of womenswear were at a 10 year low, (Liquisearch, 2010) and there is a lack of evidence to suggest that the situation has ameliorated since then. Founded in 1884 as a Penny Bazaar in Leeds, Marks and Spencer did not set out for a future in fashion. Initially offering bric-a-brac and haberdashery, the business did not expand into clothing until the 1920s. By the 1940s it was one of the largest British retailers of quality, affordable clothing. Customers appreciated the brand’s fashion-forward approach, investment in fabric technology, sizing and value for money (M&S, 2015).

In the present day, Marks and Spencer positions itself ‘at the forefront of massmarket fashion’ (M&S Corporate, 2015a) and holds a leading market position in womenswear and lingerie in the UK (M&S Corporate, 2015b). Contrary to this statement, public perception of the brand is often negative. In the ‘M&S Public Perception’ survey, 55% of respondents stated that Marks and Spencer was not

with or offer anything new to its core customer, which consists of females aged 45 and over looking for fashionable, flattering clothing that fits well and will last (Mintel, 2015a).

‘M&S Public Perception’ survey results

relevant as a fashion brand (Appendix C) suggesting that the retailer is overlooked by the average shopper on the high street, who would choose to shop elsewhere for more fashionable clothing. Furthermore, whilst 79% of survey respondents had visited Marks and Spencer in the last 12 months, only 57% of those people had spent time in the fashion department (Appendix C). By failing to entice almost a quarter of its visitors into the fashion department, Marks and Spencer has missed opportunities to boost its fashion sales. It seems likely, therefore, that fashion marketing as opposed to overall company branding is the retailer’s weak area. Moving on, the retailer uses four signature brand pillars to guide its operations (M&S Corporate, 2015a), which are: • Innovation – improving things for the better • Inspiration – inspiring and exciting customers • Integrity – striving to do the right thing • In Touch – listening actively and thoughtfully

According to Mintel (2015b), the brand’s biggest competitor is Next followed by Debenhams, with both attracting a similar core customer. Overall, consumers feel that Next manages to capture a younger customer without alienating its older customers, and offers more fashionable clothing and a better shopping environment. Debenhams, on the other hand, offers good quality clothing and works with various different designers to achieve its niche. Primary research has also shown New Look and Dorothy Perkins to be popular with the 45+ customer (Appendix C), mostly for their fashion appeal. In a world of cheaply-produced fast fashion, shoppers struggle to find competitively priced, quality clothing. Generally, Marks and Spencer succeed in offering this to their customers, therefore this appears to be the brand’s niche. All things considered, Marks and Spencer’s strength appears to be its quality and value for money. Potential weaknesses are unfashionable products, outdated stores with unclear merchandising, mixed advertising messages and a staff shortage. By devising new digital and physical communication strategies, many of these problem areas can be targeted, which could result in a more positive outlook for one of Europe’s best brands (Interbrand, 2014).

The success of these brand pillars is questionable. Given the latest dip in sales, it would appear that Marks and Spencer is still struggling to inspire, impress, connect

For the last 20 years, Marks and Spencer has struggled to offer an effective physical store space that appeals to its core consumer (Bevan, 2007). One key point that Marks and Spencer appears to continually ignore is the disparity between its various stores. This dates back to the mid 1990s, when customers complained that stores in the biggest UK cities carried full ranges of goods in attractive, spacious surroundings, whilst older high street stores in the providences were left to become dated and shabby (Bevan, 2007). Even in 2015, the ‘M&S Public Perception’ survey revealed that 40% of respondents find the fashion department unappealing, and 30% find that only certain stores such as the brand’s Marble Arch flagship are appealing (Appendix C). With big city and flagship stores making up a small percentage of the brand’s overall retail space, it is likely that Marks and Spencer will continue to lose customers to more attractive stores opening up around the country. The effectiveness of providing a quality retail space for customers has been demonstrated by many different companies, including Marks and Spencer. In her book about the brand, Judi Bevan speaks to a former M&S employee, who states that in one store ‘business doubled in a week when we changed the scene but not the clothes’ (2007). According to retail consultant Willard Ander (2004), the components of a winning shopping environment are: • Stocking a good selection of products • Designing a logical store with clear signage • Providing the tools for intelligent buying • Offering knowledgeable, friendly staff

In store at Marks and Spencer

Ander also points out that whilst choice is important, stocking everything that is available is a disservice to customers as it hinders their decision making and affects their experience. In the ‘M&S Customer Experience’ report (Appendix F), based on a standard store, it is evident that Marks and Spencer is not successfully implementing these important factors into its operations. Whilst the retailer’s product offering has received praise in recent times from the likes of Vogue (Kilcooley-O’Halloran, 2015) and The Telegraph (Gonsalves, 2015), customers struggle to find key products in-store. Customers in the ‘M&S Focus Group’ (Appendix E) implied that trend pieces are not easy to locate and are not styled in a way that suggests that Marks and Spencer is a modern fashion retailer. Throughout the store, there is a lack of campaign imagery or styling suggestions offering customers little incentive to purchase. Valuable space on merchandise tables is taken up with unrelated home accessories and customers dislike the use of colour in-store, complaining of too much of one colour or uncomplimentary colour schemes. Each of these statements were backed up by observations in the ‘M&S Customer Experience’ report (Appendix F). Therefore, whilst Marks and Spencer is delivering a good selection of products, this suggests that customers cannot clearly locate them and are not being provided with the tools, such as styling advice, to make an informed purchase. This extends to Marks and Spencer’s sub-brands, which include Autograph, Indigo, Per Una, M&S Collection, Best of British and Limited Collection. The ‘M&S Focus Group’ (Appendix E) revealed that awareness of these brands was significantly lower than would be expected, with none of the participants able to name more than half of the brands. The focus group also believed that product choice can be overwhelming and the layout confusing to the average shopper, who is unable to identify each brand due to a lack of differentiation between them and ineffective signage.

This observation implies that Marks and Spencer is failing to offer its customers an easy-to-navigate store environment, and is confusing its customers with too much product at a time when the modern shopper desires a quick and convenient shopping experience (Mindtree, 2015). According to the ‘M&S Focus Group’, a standard Marks and Spencer store features dated fixtures and fittings, worn carpets and boring colour palettes, with one individual stating that they ‘feel old when visiting’ and another believing that femininity and luxury are needed in the store (Appendix E). Clearly, words like ‘oldfashioned’ and ‘boring’ go against the brand’s ethos of ‘style and newness’ (M&S Corporate, 2015a) and do not give out a positive brand message. This key weakness could somewhat explain the fall in general merchandise sales and the growing disinterest of the 45+ female customer. Few customers would visit the ‘drab little shop with the same boring old lambswool sweaters they have been selling for years’ (Bevan, 2007) when there is an ever-growing selection of modern retailers on the high street. One of the key points on Ander’s list is that brands should offer knowledgeable, friendly staff (2004). This is an area in which Marks and Spencer appears to thrive, with members of the ‘M&S Focus Group’ complimenting its quality in-store customer service, particularly with lingerie fittings (Appendix E). Furthermore, each member of staff is easily recognised with a formal uniform that is in keeping with uniforms at competitor brands such as Next and Debenhams. With those aged 40+ becoming the fastest growing social media users (Evans, 2010), it makes sense that Marks and Spencer operates accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Google+ alongside its website. Social media enables the brand to extend its reach to a wider audience and speed up the process of improving public perception of its fashion department (Evans, 2010).

However, there is a clear disconnect between what Marks and Spencer present online and what is offered in-store. If the average store appears to be aimed at older women, according to the ‘M&S Focus Group’ (Appendix E), then Marks and Spencer’s digital communication seems to target a younger audience. On each of the brand’s social media channels, modern, minimalistic page design works alongside campaign imagery and videos, with fashion content being placed alongside food and homeware (Appendix F). Of the accounts that Marks and Spencer operate, the most popular are: • Facebook – 3 million followers • Google+ - 520,000 followers • Twitter – 439,000 followers • Instagram - 224,000 followers Although popular, Google+ receives little user interaction, whilst the remaining accounts generate a lot of conversation and are generally favoured by the public (Appendix C). According to the ‘M&S Customer Experience’ report (Appendix F), the brand updates each account regularly, posting relevant content that is often lacking in the store environment such as advice on the latest trends, edits of key seasonal pieces, interviews with celebrity collaborators, London Fashion Week coverage, new products and campaigns. Marks and Spencer’s ‘Style & Living’ section on its website, which was visited by 8.2 million people in 2014 (M&S Corporate, 2015a), provides an editorial take on similar content. In ‘Social Media Marketing’ (2010), Evans explains that modern consumers can be difficult for brands to communicate with online, as they are suspicious of marketing by corporate brands. She suggests that brands work on building interesting and

valuable online content that fits with their customer’s lifestyle. It appears that Marks and Spencer are offering a good range of content and are providing genuine suggestions to assist customers with their purchasing decisions, with ‘M&S Focus Group’ members agreeing that the approach is not overlycommercial (Appendix E). The group did, however, state that they would like to see more variety in the models used online, with varying age-groups, sizes and shapes so that they can identify with the styling more effectively. One member also believed that sub-brands such as ‘Autograph’ should be clearly represented online to enable customers to easily locate outfits they see on social media when they visit the store (Appendix E). Since Marks and Spencer began communicating with its online followers, customers have used the brand’s social media pages to make complaints and personal requests, as stated in the ‘M&S Customer Experience’ report (Appendix F). Many of these comments receive personal responses, but are often unrelated to the brand’s original post and could overshadow customers’ positive responses to the content. That said, personal online responses offer time-strapped customers assistance no matter where they are, which is important in today’s ‘increasingly connected world’ (Field Service, 2015). Overall, whilst Marks and Spencer’s digital offering seems better placed to appeal to the 45+ female customer, the brand is still missing some important opportunities to connect with her by not aiming their styling advice at diverse, mature women. Some members of the ‘M&S Focus Group’ (Appendix E) argued that these digital platforms are a little too youthful and modern to fully appeal to the key M&S customer, so the brand should consider this for future content to avoid alienating their target market. According to Ander in ‘Winning at Retail’ (2004) the best brands provide ‘a seamless shopping experience from store to website’. Up to 70% of customers (Mindtree, 2015) are now using multiple platforms during their shopping experience, from the

store itself to company websites, social media and external sites. If a brand can successfully engage with its key customer at as many of these touch points as possible, they are likely to be rewarded with sales and loyalty. The key to this is to be consistent (Evans, 2010) but also to not presume that what works offline will immediately work online and vice versa. Marks and Spencer prides itself on its good customer service (M&S Corporate, 2015a) but its attempt to replicate this online by responding to numerous complaints may negatively impact its brand image. Similarly, an Instagram photograph may appeal to online users, put displaying a similar image in-store may not have significant value unless it was adapted to suit the store environment. As it stands, the physical and digital communication at Marks and Spencer appears disjointed, with females aged 45+ stating a preference for the online offering (Appendix E). For a brand that places multi-channel retailing high in its list of achievements (M&S Corporate, 2015a), this suggests that improvements should be made. By making its current strategies more complimentary, Marks and Spencer could offer its customers the consistent brand experience they desire (Appendix E).

Primary and secondary research has identified Marks and Spencer’s main competitors as Next, Debenhams (Mintel, 2015b), New Look and Dorothy Perkins (Appendix C). Next is the brand’s closest competitor, therefore analysis of its current strategy could explain some of Marks and Spencer’s shortcomings and provide pointers for future strategies. Next describes itself as a ‘UK based retailer offering exciting, beautifully designed, excellent quality clothing, footwear and accessories’ (Next Plc, 2015a). Public perception of Next is positive, with market research specialist Mintel stating that in comparison to Debenhams and Marks and Spencer, they are ‘the only brand that combines a strong reputation with an image of vibrancy and fast fashion’ (2014). Targeted towards women aged between 20-46 (Reference for Business, 2015) and priced towards a middle-class market, the brand provides a multi-channel experience with over 500 stores, a directory, a website and numerous social media channels (Next Plc, 2015a). Findings from the ‘M&S Focus Group’ (Appendix E) suggest that Next offers a good in-store experience to its customers with trend pieces positioned in obvious locations and clothing presented in a way that offers simple styling suggestions. Different areas within the store, such as lingerie and denim, are easy to locate as they are clearly segmented. The footwear lounge, for example, features attractive seating which acts as a divider to the brand’s clothing offering. Customers also praise the brand’s ‘great’ visual merchandising, particularly with window displays.

According to a former employee (Appendix H), Next operates a strict uniform policy, whereby all staff members must wear the brand’s own clothing designs from the current season, which reinforces a consistent brand message. Most of the group agree that Next presents itself as a quality, fashion-forward retailer in-store, although one member of the group believes that Next is the ‘second quality retailer’ compared with Marks and Spencer (Appendix E). The brand’s digital offering appears to be consistent with the in-store environment, adopting a fashion-forward approach by using campaign imagery to display the latest trends and products (Appendix G). With over 2.5 million social media followers, Next has a significant online presence, although it is smaller than that of Marks and Spencer and interaction between Next and its customers is less frequent (Next Plc, 2015b). As with Marks and Spencer, the ‘Competitor Customer Experience’ report (Appendix G) revealed that Facebook and Twitter are the most-followed social media platforms at Next, who also provide personal responses to complaints and queries. Additionally, Next features customer outfit pictures on its social media pages (Next Plc, 2015b) and works on digital features with fashion bloggers which could be useful for customers in need of styling inspiration. The average blog reader is aged between 25-34 (Hanlon, 2013), therefore this type of activity is most likely to appeal to Next’s younger customer. There is little evidence of editorial styling content on Next’s digital communication platforms, which could give Marks and Spencer an advantage with older customers who prefer content that ‘helps you decide what to wear and inspires you to try something new’ (Appendix E).

In 2015, the brand posted a 7.2% growth in sales, suggesting that their current integrated strategy is working (Next Plc, 2015a). Whilst some aspects, such as good product merchandising, attention to trends, a navigable store and the promotion of customer styling on social media could work for Marks and Spencer, Next caters for a younger audience so not every communication technique – such as use of young tastemakers - would necessarily be effective.

In ‘Winning at Retail’, Ander (2004) points out how stores have failed in the past because they ‘did not respond to the way customers were changing.’ Brands had an image of their core customer in mind and operated under the belief that this customer would always have the same interests, needs and desires. Marks and Spencer has targeted a core customer of females aged 45+ for the last 20 years (Bevan, 2007), but what was relevant to a customer in 1995 may not be so relevant today. Research by trend forecasting agency LSN: Global (2014) reveals a new mind set with today’s ‘Baby Boomers’, encouraged by a longer life expectancy. Those aged 45+ no longer view themselves as ‘old’, value fashion more than ever before and are steadily using technology. Over-50s currently control around 75% of all wealth in the UK and the 50+ woman is increasingly inclined to spend her disposable income on fashion, making her a perfect target for Marks and Spencer. “With age comes experience, and the 45+ woman knows exactly what she wants” (Ander, 2004). Today’s mature female shopper typically has a younger sense of style than she did 20 years ago, looking to adopt the latest trends in a way that is ageappropriate and does not step too far out of her comfort zone. She often lacks the confidence to fully experiment with fashion and looks for inspiration from her peers, social media and in-store merchandising before making a purchase. ‘M&S Focus Group’ participants, for example, favoured Instagram as a social media platform as it is visually-based and allows users to access inspirational styling content (Appendix E).

For this customer, shopping should be simple and efficient. She is often time constrained (Experian, 2015), and prefers to look online for fashion products before purchasing them in-store. Large stores can be overwhelming, therefore it is important that there is a sense of continuity between touch points and that products found online are easily located in-store (Appendix E). Store aesthetics and ambience are equally important to this shopper, who looks for a sense of femininity, luxury and character when she visits a fashion store. With the majority of fashion brands catering for the 18-30-year-old fashion consumer, the Marks and Spencer customer values brands that use age-appropriate décor and visuals along with good customer service to directly target her specific needs (Appendix E). “A brand that wants to be remembered in today’s information overloaded society needs to stand out from the crowd – it is no longer enough to maintain ‘good quality’ alone” (Hillesland et al, 2013). With all things considered, it is evident that the core Marks and Spencer customer desires a seamless brand experience from the Instagram page to the company website and the local store that takes her individual needs into account. Relying on quality clothing will likely no longer be enough. The following recommendations embody the research gathered throughout the document, providing feasible suggestions that combine key strengths in the brand’s existing strategy and competitor strategy to directly appeal to the 45+ female shopper. The result is a unified communication approach that could reposition Marks and Spencer as a relevant British fashion retailer.

One key issue highlighted by all members of the ‘M&S Focus Group’ (Appendix E) is the unbalanced provision of styling content to assist customers with their purchases, with quality styling advice being shared online and few suggestions being presented in-store. Taking inspiration from its digital platforms and competitors, Marks and Spencer could refresh its entire merchandising approach. To assist customers who lack the confidence to embrace new trends, the brand could incorporate more outfit styling into its visual merchandising, adding accessories to benefit from upselling to a customer who regularly shops for costume jewellery and footwear (Appendix E). Furthermore, Marks and Spencer could highlight key trend pieces within its store as it does digitally to attain a sense of continuity between touch points. Something that could benefit both the physical and digital offerings is the use of age-appropriate models or real customers in campaigns, allowing mature females to take inspiration from women their own age which in turn proves that Marks and Spencer caters directly to them.

To achieve a unified communication of its brand, Marks and Spencer could adopt some of its digital aesthetics such as the use of fresh, modern colours, bright, natural lighting and minimalism to give its clothing offering a vibrant, fashionable edge. Today’s mature female shopper is a visual person (Appendix E) therefore increasing in-store imagery to reflect digital platforms like Instagram would appeal to this customer and improve the shopping experience. ‘Typically, 70% of shopping decisions are made in-store and 30% are made at home’ (Hillesland et al, 2013). By directly targeting the 45+ female shopper and aligning the in-store offering with the more popular digital offering Marks and Spencer could provide the seamless brand experience that its customer demands. All participants in the ‘M&S Focus Group’ stated that they would definitely reconsider Marks and Spencer as a fashion retailer (Appendix E), proving that these simple changes could help the brand to achieve its target of ‘improving womenswear performance by the end of 2016’ (M&S Corporate, 2015a).

Another issue uncovered by the research findings (Appendix E & Appendix F) is the need to raise awareness of Marks and Spencer’s sub-brands, as key customers find them difficult to understand and locate both digitally and physically. In-store, the retailer could benefit from creating differentiated spaces for each sub-brand with unique aesthetics and use of colour to make them easily identified by the 45+ female shopper. This could be replicated digitally with simple markers to represent different sub-brands, creating brand awareness and making the transition from online browsing to in-store shopping quicker and more simple. Store environment is the final key area for improvement, as revealed in almost all primary research (Appendix C, Appendix D, Appendix E & Appendix F), with the 45+ female customer disliking the use of colour, lighting, fixtures and fittings in-store.

As it stands, Marks and Spencer is often viewed as an ‘old-fashioned’ (Appendix E) retailer that cannot compete with more ‘vibrant’ (Mintel, 2014) high street fashion brands such as Next and Dorothy Perkins. The brand seemingly targets the 45+ market, yet confuses its customers with conflicting communication strategies, appealing to younger females digitally whilst targeting much older women in-store (Appendix F). Research suggests that the 45+ female desires a shopping experience that combines modern styling with a sense of femininity and simplicity and expects marketing to be unified across all channels (Appendix D-F). Marks and Spencer currently relies on quality clothing to propel sales, but this is no longer adequate in ‘an information overloaded society’ (Hillesland et al, 2013), therefore the brand could benefit from actioning its ethos of ‘listening actively’ (M&S Corporate, 2015a) to its core customer and implementing some changes. By making customer styling advice, awareness of sub-brands and the overall aesthetics of the brand consistent over all platforms, the retailer could potentially compete with Next, restoring faith in what was once ‘the nation’s most profitable fashion brand’ (Bevan, 2007) and repositioning itself as the go-to retailer for the mature female shopper. “I think people are loyal to M&S. People will give it a chance and they will keep going back” (Appendix E).

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