the proposed rebranding strategy

ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL THREATS TO THE SUCCESS OF THE PROPOSED REBRANDING STRATEGY

FUTURE SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths

Increased social appeal amongst first world societies with newer changes in identity, gender fluidity and desensitisation of status Returning to the Japanese legacy of the house through Wabi Sabi principles compared to the present day mass commercialisation of the brand, will increase its brand equity Mass appeal of media channels such as TikTok, for community building Zero waste philosophy with minimal and reusable packaging with the introduction of the Kenzo Tag High transparency level within the brand More effective experiential retail formats such as Hyperphysical stores and Pop up stores

Weaknesses

Alienation of the existing audience from developing countries New barriers of entry as it is a new market to venture into High Capital Expenditure investments Risk of appropriation during the execution process

Opportunities

Extend the adaptation of this philosophy into future retail and visual merchandising of Kenzo Rebranding direction into something more inclusive and diverse as a community Forerunner in building exclusive communities within the accessible luxury market Potential new faces for the creative direction Strong brand collaborations Line extensions

Threats to the rebranding strategy:

Damaging the brands identity if the rebranding is not well executed The brand is unable to move to the proposed rebranding lifecycle Possible loss in translation of the philosophy of the concept Culturally and emotionally sensitive market Core consumer group is lost with the removal of some brand symbols that the brand would be unrecognisable Execution of elements may be difficult due to variety of continent sanctions Kenzo is unable to build this experimental and open minded community Rebranding could be misinterpreted for the gender fluidity trend

CONCLUSION

For the rebranding strategy, the fundamental objective aims to revitalise the Japanese roots into the western status quo of fashion. The principal cultural driver which we have identified for our strategy is the philosophy of Wabi Sabi, which remains core to Japan. Incorporating cultural identifiers such as Kintsugi into the media channels, product portfolio and packaging remain core to the success of the strategy.

With shifting perceptions of Identity, Sex and Gender amongst the Gen Z consumer, it is imperative to recognise the core philosophies and belief systems of the new market. Sharing economy business models such as AirBNB and Uber have been on a rise in the past decade and now society is slowly gravitating into the product space. Where genderless wardrobes and personalisation take place. Kenzo by Kenzo Takada represented the idea of celebrating communities and societal changes, therefore resulting in a new genderless wardrobe, as the next chapter for the fashion house.

The physical store is not just the extension of the brand, but also the brand itself. The extension of the Wabi Sabi philosophies will extend into the retail strategies outlined through Japanese contextualisation. With this approach, the rebranding will prospectively have a refreshed approach to its imagemaking. This will be done through possible temporary retail channels such as pop up stores and repair centres(such as the kintsugi stores). The new retail strategy will provide a new image for the brand which can prospectively translate into new store experiences.

With our digital communication strategy, we aspire to link all the core values and codes of the initial lifecycle of Kenzo through a modern lens. With the rise in importance of social media, information exchange has become a vital driver through online platforms such as instagram and twitter. The pandemic has resulted in newer definitions for communities and tribes resulting in Kenzo to find innovative ways to engage with the emerging markets.

In conclusion, the core rebranding elements outlined should easily facilitate the rebranding of Kenzo. This rebranding strategy is crucial to the brands lifecycle as it connects an integral element, the history of the founder, Kenzo Takada. Kenzo Takada has been at the forefront of innovation, and Kenzo as a brand, will continue to facilitate this growth.

APPENDIX