belle PR
1 Sloane Gardens London SW1 8EA +44(0)2082990360 +44(0)7917718883 bellepr@gmail.com
Media Kit Charlotte Levien Fashion Communication Media and Public Relations Year 2 DE0923 Word Count - 2031
belle
PR +44(0)2082990360 press@bellepr.com
Contents Research on Cath Kidston brand
Page 3
Mission Statement Page 4 Marketing Plan Summary Marketing Objectives Strategy Implementation TImeline
Page 5 - 7
News Release Pagee 8-11
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Mission Statement Who We Are
People
At belle PR we aim to work hand-in-hand with our clients to help them realize and achieve their goals.
Each individual at belle PR brings with them a comprehensive understanding of the key of areas within the fashion industry. Every one of them is an integral part of our team and each of them share our values.
We have many years of experience in the fashion industry, equipping us with an in-depth knowledge and a wide variety of skills. We have assisted in the successful launch of a diverse range of items; from handbags to evening dresses and from shoes to scarves, for a number of local and global enterprises. Connecting with and understanding the customer is at the very root of our ethos. Through the mediums of the press, fashion shows and events, we aspire to launching our clients and their products into the heart of the public domain. Communication is at the very centre of our business strategy and success. We pride ourselves on forging and developing strong working relationships. By listening to you, the client, we can then tailor a number of strategies to suit your needs.
By harnessing each individual’s strengths and working as a team, alongside our clients, belle PR has placed itself at the forefront of fashion PR.
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Research on Brand In 1993 Cath Kidston opened a small shop in North London selling traditional fabrics and wallpapers which reminded her of her childhood. To compliment these she bought and repainted cheap furniture. This look appealed to many setting up homes at that time. It created a look from the past – of happy childhoods, comfort, endless sunshine and fun. As her popularity grew she began to design her own prints, starting with an ironing board cover – a practical addition to her range. Her team regularly visit antique fairs to get inspiration and then rework old designs to suit a more contemporary market. The floral prints she used are now iconic. Gradually she has expanded her range to include most household items, women’s fashion, accessories and children’s wear. Throughout her range, Cath Kidston has always tried to create practical items that are reasonably priced, high quality and original. She has successfully kept abreast of events by introducing relevant items and prints, for example her Jubilee and Olympic items. In the nineteen years she has been trading Cath Kidston has collaborated with other high-profile companies such as Nokia – for phone covers, Millets – for tents and Tesco – for re-usable shopping bags made from plastic bottles. Her high profile has earned her an influential position in the market place.
Sales of many goods have generated huge sums for charity. The Tesco bags alone raised £500,00 for the Marie Curie Cancer Care Charity and through her range of clothes designed for Uniglo funds have been raised for a safe motherhood scheme in Zambia. Forty seven shops have now been opened in the UK and she is now expanding to other countries, most recently in Thailand and Taiwan in 2011. There is also an airport shop at London Heathrow’s Terminal 4 which was opened in 2009. Cath Kidston Ltd also has a presence in large department stores like John Lewis. Alongside the high street presence there is a very successful website and mail order business which goes from strength to strength. Growth has been steady over the years and this has attracted the global private equity firm TA Associaties which has recently bought a majority stake in Cath Kidston Ltd which will underline its future growth. Not content with designing household items, Cath Kidston has also published seven books, including Patch!, Stitch!, Sew! And Make. In 2010 Cath Kidston was awarded an MBE for services to business and she has retained her role as Creative Director of the Company. 2013 will mark twenty years of Cath Kidston Ltd in the market place.
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Mission Statement Cath Kidston Ltd opened in 1993. It was the inspiration of one woman who had a passion for all things vintage. At a time when minimalism was all the rage she was recreating images of happy childhoods and granny-type dÊcor. These traditional values appealed to the hard working women of the 90’s. Nearly twenty years on the appeal is still there. Our aim at Cath Kidston is to produce a range of household goods and accessories which will embrace our customers and give them a feeling of comfort, luxury and contentment in an ever-changing world at a realistic price. We are keenly aware of families hard hit by recession, but that is no reason not to be able to enjoy a little fun. We want our customers to be able to find even the smallest thing which they can take home to brighten up their lives. Although comfort and familiarity drive Cath Kidston Ltd, many items found in our shops and on our website are fun additions to modern technology. We have taken everyday domestic goods and transformed them so they will brighten up any home. Fun, practicality and originality drive us in our designs alongside high quality and affordability. We have not stood still. Not only have we expanded in the UK, but we have ventured overseas too. Collaboration with large multi-national companies has enabled us to expand in all directions and given us the opportunity to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Our commitment to our customers is our top priority. To produce goods of the highest quality which do not compromise our values or style remains our aim.
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Marketing Plan Summary As Cath Kidston approaches her 20th Anniversary in 2013 and the UK enter into a summer of jubilation, celebration and patriotism in 2012, Cath Kidston has chosen to launch the ‘Jubilee Hamper’, a luxurious picnic hamper that will help the UK celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics in true British style. The Jubilee Hamper will go on sale in May 2012 following an aggressive online launch that will aim to both increase brand awareness and generate interest in the hamper itself. Cath Kidston has already produced prints which capture the spirit of 2012 – with the Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations taking precedence. The Olympics and the Jubilee appeal to a huge range of people and Cath Kidston intend to embrace this with the Jubilee Hamper, aiming to increase the size and demographic of their customer base. In their 20 years in industry Cath Kidston has very successfully taken what was good from the past and given it a twenty first century make-over. She has tapped into the desire of many to indulge in nostalgic memories. However, whilst using these ideas from the past, Cath Kidston is keenly aware that
the road to success lies in embracing 21st century technology and utilising modern online marketing channels and techniques. Our aim at Belle PR is to enable her to do this with flair and success, with particular reference to The Jubilee Hamper – a hamper fit for the Queen. Marketing Objectives • Encourage new and current customers to make a purchase of the new ‘Jubilee Hamper’ • Increase sales of other Cath Kidston merchandise both in-store and online • Increase brand awareness of Cath Kidston in both current clients and future prospects • Increase the number of visitors to the Cath Kidston Website • Increase the number of Facebook ‘likes’ and Twitter ‘followers’ on Cath Kidston’s profiles • Target a wider range of customer and prospects • Protect and gain market share in the marketplace
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Strategy The launch of the Jubilee Hamper will take place purely online, utilising a plethora of online channels to reach the maximum amount of potential customers as possible. The campaign will embrace the celebratory atmosphere that the Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee will bring using modern channels whilst maintaining the integrity of the Cath Kidston brand, focusing on the truly British style and nostalgia that Cath Kidston embraces so well in her designs. It will be vital to capture the essence of Cath Kidston – the harnessing of the iconic look of the traditional English country house style and the British community spirit. The target audience will be – • •
Those currently engaged with the brand - those who have signed up to the Cath Kidston Ltd newsletter and those who have ordered goods through the website in the past Those not currently engaged with the brand – by advertising through online channels such as social media
This online campaign will utilise the following mediums – • The Internet – Utilising both the Cath Kidston and other related websites, the campaign will inundate the internet and online press about the impending launch – creating almost a sense of urgency. It is important that the Cath Kidston brand and the Jubilee Hamper becomes and remains front of mind for our target audience. • Social Media has become a highly important and influential channel in the online community, used by a wide range of people from all ages and walks of life. As a result, Social Media will play an important role in this campaign utilising Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr. • Smart Phone Applications have also become incredibly popular and are in mass use across the UK. As a result, this campaign will produce an application to support the online launch.
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Implementation Marketing Activities will be as follows – •
Ensure that the Jubilee Hamper has good coverage on the website in the run up to and following the launch. This coverage should link at all times to other products that will compliment the hamper.
Timelines The hamper will be launched on May 19th 2012. This is not far away and as a result action is required quickly to ensure maximum exposure of the hamper prior to and following the impending launch.
w/c – 30/04/12 – Launch Hamper on website • Email current customers to let them know about the launch of this new Send Email to current customers. product and allow them to pre-order the hamper. w/c 7/05/12 – • Set up a competition on Facebook – the first 1000 to ‘like’ the product Launch Social Media pages and competitions go into a draw to win a hamper and food over the Jubilee weekend, or Release news release to the press tickets to the Olympics. The prize could be drawn by a celebrity. Place links on related websites Create hype on Social Media websites by posting as much as possible • Encourage people to tweet/post a picture of themselves having a picnic to be entered into a competition to win a Hamper. w/c 14/05/12 – • Create a smart phone application to support the launch. This will in Launch smartphone application clude recipes for picnics, words for patriotic songs, british facts, news Allow people to pre-order the Hamper online linked to the Jubilee and Olympics events. Email current customers once more, if they have not already pre-ordered the hamper. • Identify websites which sell picnic-style foods and place links on them 19/05/12 – Launch the Hamper back to the Cath Kidston Ltd website. 04/06/2012 – Announce the winner of the competitions.
Launch of the Jubilee Hamper 2012
The summer of 2012 is set to be a joyous and celebratory season for the UK, with momentous events bringing enjoyment and excitement to our country throughout these summer months. In collaboration with such noteworthy events, the quintessentially British brand Cath Kidston Ltd is launching a new luxurious picnic hamper to enable everyone to celebrate in style. This picnic hamper, the Jubilee Hamper, has been designed to compliment the current smaller teatime hamper and includes a variety of picnic essentials, perfectly tailored to bring communities together for the ideal picnic party. Eight place settings, champagne flutes, wine glasses, tumblers, and a choice of napkins and tablecloth ensure that this hamper is perfectly stocked to grace any celebratory occasion. The streets will be abundant with parties celebrating both the 2012 Olympics, and the Queen’s Jubilee, and this new hamper filled with your delicious treats and nibbles will undoubtedly spark dutiful glances from neighbours across the country. The hampers’ wicker exterior and contemporary Cath Kidston fabrics are certain to evoke nostalgic memories and a desire to recreate childhood summers, filled with frivolity and fun.
All products inside the Jubilee Hamper have been designed with the usual Cath Kidston flair, with the plates adorning new designs uniquely created for the Olympics and Queen’s Jubilee complimented by the traditional floral and polka dot designs that Cath is known for. The launch will be on the 19 May 2012. This will be preceded by well advertised links to other websites, Social Media websites and Cath Kidston Ltd own website. There will also be a Smart Phone Application to support the launch. There will be an opportunity to pre-order the Jubilee Hamper to ensure customers receive their hamper before celebrations start. There is a chance for someone to win a Jubliee Hamper on Facebook. The first 1000 people to ‘like’ the Jubliee Hamper will be entered into a draw which will take place over the Jubliee weekend.
The picnic hamper is a logical extension to the whole Cath Kidston Ltd range and what better time to launch it. Not only will 2012 be a busy year but 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of Cath Kidston in the market place. The hamper is a timeless classic for any home or garden, and can be used time and time again. Cath Kidston, founder and creative Director at Cath Kidston Ltd comments, ‘ I loved creating this new hamper. It is an exciting year for the U,K what could be a better way of celebrating the summer and these momentous occasions than with a quintissentially British picnic. ‘ Cath Kidston has cleverly taken designs she remembers from her childhood, added contemporary influences, and produced materials and accessories suitable for any home. Her products are hugely popular and can be found everywhere from student accommodation to stately homes. Originating with ironing board covers, Cath Kidston’s range had
expanded due to popularity and demand into wallpapers, upholstery, china, household necessities, phone accessories, bags, and children’s clothes, enabling everyone to introduce a hint of Britain into their homes. WORD COUNT - 2031