Introduction Zara Sportswear is a brand extension providing fashionable sportswear for Zara’s already formed consumers as well as for those who wish for semiprofessional fast fashion. This clothing line has 3 main characteristics: 1. Semi-professional – used materials rise above the standards and are closer to those used in performance sports; 2. Designer’s touch – fresh out of the catwalk designs are quickly implemented into the sportswear range; 3. Fast fashion – new products arrive in store monthly, ensuring the range is on trend at all times.
Rationale Zara’s core customer is aged between 20 – 34 years old – a demographically increasing market segment. This age group is currently the highest spender in clothing retail, which is why broadening the range of options for them would benefit the company. (Mintel, 2013) Also, sport inspired fashions have been noticed on the catwalks, which is why Zara is the perfect choice to fill this gap in the market. (Mintel, 2013) Usually, sports shops have a male-dominated look that intimidates women, which is why we should attract them into Zara sportswear.
Market Segment Currently, there is a gap in the market of semi-professional
Desire is what will drive both types of consumers into
as well as fashionable sportswear dedicated to women.
buying the product. The primary consumer wishes for
Zara, unlike its direct competitors – H&M and Gap, doesn’t
branded fashionable sportswear, while the secondary is
have a sportswear range at the moment. However, it has
looking for sportswear that would bring him closer to
the power and potential to place semi-professional sports
performance.
clothing in a designer area. Zara claims to sell catwalk fashion at high street prices. (Retail fashion marketing: the complete strategic guide, 2006) This strategy will be adopted by its new sportswear line as well. Using high level semi-professional materials as well as providing sports fast fashion and designers’ touches, Zara manages to overcome H&M and Gap due to the high quality of its fabrics, as well as its new competitors such as Sports Direct, JD Sports by providing fast fashionable sportswear. The primary consumer will be represented by the loyal customers of Zara, HM Gap; He/she is interested in branded, fast fashion, fashionable sportswear and will be attracted mainly by the exclusive look and feel of the brand. They are more interested in the fashionable features of the range, rather than its functionality. The secondary consumer is a professional/performance sports amateur. He/she enjoys working out regularly, either for a healthy lifestyle, or simply as a hobby. He/she is looking for high quality items, but doesn’t need the type of sportswear used in competitions.
Product Zara Sportswear, presented under the name Kinetics by Zara the trial year, is a sports product that uses semiprofessional materials and catwalk accents while keeping Zara’s fast fashion strategy – USP. Like any other Zara product, the sports range is to be integrated between catwalk designs and high street prices, with a tendency towards performance sports. The line is to be launched under a new theme/ name each year, in order for its customers to easily remember the new Zara product range. The launching year will run under the name: “Kinetics by ZARA”, which will also be a trial for the brand extension. As the word kinetic states for forces in motion and the effect of those onto matter, Kinetics by ZARA will focus on the ease of movement, a flow of colour, lightweight. New designs will arrive in stock every month, keeping the fast fashion strategy that Zara is renowned for. The range will consist of sports shoes, tops, bottoms and any other clothing items designated for sport. The designs will be inspired from the catwalk and the fabrics will be semi-professional. For starters, Zara Sportswear will have a life span of one year, which will be a trial period. If the line will be successful, it may then become an integral part or, perhaps, a key component of Zara.
Price The price will reflect the consumer’s desire for high quality materials at high street prices. Therefore, the prices will slightly rise above its competitors’, ranging between £15 and £90 for an item. Plus, as mentioned before, Zara’s core customer is now the highest spender (Mintel, 2013). However, they will be lower than those of premium companies, because Zara is not a specialized sportswear manufacturer…And yes, it will make a profit. Zara is not a charity based company.
Place Zara Sportswear won’t be available for purchase in all of Zara’s stores, in order to create a feel of exclusivity around the range. It will be sold in the main stores in SouthEastern Europe, where its image is stronger in the eyes of the consumer. In the UK, the line will only be sold in London because Zara has a stronger image among Londoners, who also tend to be high spenders (Mintel, 2013). Zara Sportswear will be available for sale in UK’s flagship store on Oxford Street and in the Westfield Shopping Centre store in London, renowned for its unique design. The product range will also be sold in flagship stores of other countries such as the US, Canada and Japan. Apart from in-store, Zara Sportswear will also be available to buy online for all the countries where Zara makes deliveries.
People Several changes will need to be made in the People “P”, not only because the new range requires it, but also because the staff is currently one of Zara’s biggest weaknesses. At the moment, the personnel resemble the ideal that the Zara wishes to promote: young, thin, exclusive. However, even if their looks help the brand, their knowledge about the product range doesn’t. The staff will be given in depth knowledge about Zara Sportswear, so that any employee can show the customer to the range and those in charge of the area can offer details about the product. No uniform will be required; the staff will dress similar to what the models are wearing in the Zara campaigns at that time, but inclined slightly towards office.
Promotion 1. Billboard
3. Website
It will be used in-store only, covering the windows, or as
The website is essential because it pays up for the small
a background for window display. It aims to offer exciting
number of stores selling the products, making it, therefore,
visuals of the sportswear line that would increase the
available in most countries selling Zara products.
customers’ knowledge about the new product and attract
The Zara Sportswear page will act like any other product
them into the store.The billboard will change at least 4
range on the website, such as Zara Woman or Zara
times a year, according to the trends of each season.
TRF: when selecting the sportswear tab (which is called Kinetics in the launching year) one of the pictures from
2. Launch event
the campaign will show; if you click on the picture, it will
The launch event will take place on the 11th of January
take you to the product range, where you can see all the
2015 at the Zara store inside Westfield Shopping Centre in
products available for sale. It will, therefore keep the same
London. This store is renowned for its rather uncommon
design as the other product branches, in order to make the
design which can sustain the image of the brand extension.
extension an integer part of the main brand.
The access to the event will be invitation based only; the maximum number of guests will be around 100, because
4. Press Pack
of the narrow space inside the store.
Press packs will be sent to journalists to announce the
Invitations will be sent to Chief Editors, Digital Advertising
launch of the new clothing line.
Directors, and Print Advertising Directors of magazines
The main objective of the press pack is to gain free publicity.
such as Elle, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Women’s
Also it is used as a means to deliver the invitation to the
Health. Journalists from Drapers and Women’s Wear Daily
journalists. It contains a press release, a CD with pack shots
will also be invited, so will renowned UK fashion bloggers
and a gift – all placed inside simple black boxes – as well
such as Susanna Lau and Imran Amed.
as the invitation. The chosen design reflects the simplicity
The DJ will be playing mixes of popular songs as well as
that Zara stands for.
lounge music and The mixer will be placed at the till. At the reception each guest will receive a £125 voucher that he/she can use to but items from the Kinetics by ZARA collection only.
Persuasion The billboard, through its design and positioning in the store’s window, will generate the customer’s desire to enter the store, observe and analyse the product, which would then lead to buying it. The message it will send is that Zara has a new stylish and professional sports line – values that reflect the lifestyle of the core customer. The guests at the launch event will promote the new product line directly to the core customer through his/ her favourite means of communication. Also, an invitation based launch party will strengthen the brand image by giving it a glamorous feel. The website aims to persuade its customers by offering them a fast and accessible way to make a purchase. Finally, the press pack, just like the launch event addresses the target market through key people or key publications.
Conclusion Strengths
Future Developments
Zara Sportswear rises above its high street competitors
If the product is a succcess, Zara may extend it into
by offering products of a greater quality and manages to
menswear and kidswear.
overcome its new competitors (Sports Direct, JD Sports) by being more desirable for women and by featuring catwalk designs. Also, it comes with a new product on the world market. Weaknesses Zara is not a specialized sportswear retailer yet and may come across as untrusted and the price might be considered too high. Opportunities Until the brand will become a trusted sportswear manufacturer, Zara can collaborate with specialized designers. Zara might even monopolize the market until other brands would copy the concept. Threats The product is new and hasn’t been tested on the market, si there is a chance that it will fail after the trial year.
Bibliography Mintel. 2013. Clothing Retailing - UK - October 2013 Mintel. 2013. The growing fashion for sportswear - UK -16th December 2013 Mintel, 2013. Sports Clothing and Footwear - UK Mintel.2013. Sports Goods Retailing - UK - July 2013 Vignali C., 2006, Retail fashion marketing: the complete strategic guide, Zagreb : Accent 2006
Produced by Ioana Lutia