35 minute read
Communication
COMMUNICATION IMPLEMENTATION AND ESTIMATED RESULTS
OWNED MEDIA WEBSITE/ E-COMMERCE
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In order to increase engagement and inward traffic onto the website, Kenzo can divide its existing content under shoppable and editorial selections.
The editorial selections of content can include collection storytelling, our Kintsugi campaigns, new opening of stores, interviews of collaborators and also some features of the Kenzo community.
The website can include online exclusives which are more exclusive to the E-shop in order to generate more traffic onto the website. The categories can also have a seasonal and core selection in the website to assort the merchandise in a systematic way.
The Kenzo community can be a platform that is linked with the Kenzo Tag, where Kenzo consumers can build a personal profile on the application to post fits or engage with resellable models on the forum.
Building SEO Rich Editorial content(SERP’s) will not only help establish a community or a tribe for Kenzo but also increase the click-ins and build trust within consumers. Due to the active engagement with information exchange and shoppable content.
Building a library of content with a strong choice of keyword targeting will also help the website gain traction with its algorithm, categorising the page to the top for Google search.
The overall aesthetic and language of the website will follow the Wabi Sabi aesthetic, specific to Kintsugi, to build on our brand concept. To commit to our principles, we will also be reducing the number of End of Season Sales. This will be done through Artificial scarcity by capsule collections and drops in order to reduce unnecessary waste and make it more sustaina
Whilst a potential customer decides to take the decision to go to the website of Kenzo and enter the world of Kenzo, they will be swept into the journey of the brand through the email propositions set out. By browsing the website, they will be welcomed by a video of the new storyline of Kenzo which will direct them to the ‘sign up’ page.
This page will explain what it means to be signed up, all the benefits it has. When receiving the confirmation email in the customer’s account. There will be an invitation for a member’s only page which will be revealed on the app. This means that by signing up people will be motivated and curious about what the app has to offer.
With the first email every potential customer will receive, there will be a video with a message from Nigo as well as a story about the creator of the brand, Kenzo Takada. This will help the brand to tell their story without only having this information on the website.
Besides these emails, there will also be weekly emails with the links to the newest podcasts, stories, collections and activities. These emails will be well aligned with the direction in which the brand is headed.
The aesthetics of the emails will be very minimalistic and clean. It will have disclaimers and give the reader a clear view.
Whilst using the app, the user will have to consent to the app sending out emails to their email address as soon as they log in. This login will be exactly the same as for the Kenzo website.
If the customer already created an account on the website, they can then use those details for the app. With this consent they will be receiving emails and notifications of the app about their purchase, new items, items they looked at but also similar items. When an item is sold out on the app or website they will be notified and also invited to go back to the desired platform to have another look at the website/app.
Newsletter
MOBILE APP
The Mobile application of Kenzo can represent itselves as a medium for expression.
The website can have a separate interface within itself where users can share images of their daily lives, books they have read or podcasts that they have listened to. This is to create an interactive platform for education.
The Kenzo TAG will also be implemented within the application where the QR code is attached to every product. It will link you to the product page in the application, mentioning the details of its make, the designer and the user’s own bio.
The faces for the Product Display pages(PDPs) will use younger faces who are very youth centric, individualistic and expressive. To link in with phygitization, the Kenzo application can also serve as a virtual experience centre where users can host events and webinars in order to trickle up and build a community for the brand.
The stores will follow an End-to-End encryption format where the user has to go through an authentication process for the subjects in question which will also allow a new experience in the platform.
Interactive gamification formats such as the Kenzo World can also be introduced during the second pilot of the application where users can have their own experience as a first person character on their online or virtual stores.
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
Every social media platform will have a different but still similar approach for the rebranding for Kenzo. As different social media platforms have multiple audiences as well as approaches to what they want their users to get while using the app. With new technology being implemented every day, each platform needs to follow the new adjustments to stay as up to date as regularly as possible and be the trend setters instead of followers.
Followers: 329,5K They follow 16 people Started their account: September 2009
With the largest percentage of the share of media types for Twitter, Kenzo will need to keep the momentum high for this particular platform.
As Twitter is number 16 on the rank of the amount of users on the social media platforms, they would still need to work on the platform itself. Kenzo can however introduce new ways of using the platform which will lead to a higher usage of this social media platform. Twitter is currently the second used platform for news, for Kenzo. The main users on Twitter are between the ages of 25 until 34 years old.
Kenzo’s channel will be implementing a hashtag for their tweets, #Thisishowikenzo. This will ensure that the brand Kenzo will not be confused with other accounts on Twitter that are similar with Kenzo’s name.
For example, ‘The Real Kenzo’ is a account which could be confused with the brand as it is one of the first accounts google shows when searching for Kenzo on Twitter.
Currently Kenzo is sharing all of the campaigns as well as celebrities wearing their clothes. But for the future they will be implementing more tweets about current affairs in the world. As Twitter is a platform to inform people, Kenzo will be working with this as well. The language will be more formal but still in line with the playfulness and minimalism and Kintsugi idea of the rebranding.
Kenzo will be linking all the new fashion and art projects from both Japan and Paris in Himeji to connect their customers with their heritage and take them into their story.
Only in the US alone, Facebook live was the feature that had an immense impact. With almost half of the users using it.
With the Kenzo hunt that will be organised, there can be a community on Facebook. This will consist of only followers of the brand which can then view the campaign that Kenzo made along with having interactive activities, games, videos and chance to join for the hunt itself.
Through this, Kenzo will gain more followers on Facebook and improve their likes as they will interact more with their consumers instead of only posting videos and images onto their account. Their account will be clean but at the same time have all the relevant aspects of Wabi Sabi and Kintsugi into their communication.
The language which will be used will be playful but also honest. Kenzo will be colourful in their images and videos which will be shared as well as the communication used. Campaigns, articles about Kenzo and related subjects will be shared on Facebook. Facebook will be a platform where news will be shared which will be close to the brand as well as to Nigo.
Going through all three of the stages of the marketing funnel, Kenzo will implement these marketing tools for Facebook in specific. The proposed result will develop into more sales but also be targeted at awareness and involving the audience onto this specific app.
The biggest age range on the platform is between 25 and 35. Which connects perfectly with the customers Kenzo is targeting.
As Weibo was launched in 2009, the social media platform became very well-known in China. Sina Weibo is the original name, and was created in Beijing. The translation of the name is ‘microblog’ which is similar in many aspects to many different European platforms. When the platform started they were compared to the European platform, Twitter, but changed in a way which now is seen as a platform on its own.
Weibo still has different parts which can be compared to other platforms. As the platform is one of the biggest in China, many people use the application which means this can possibly lead to a lot of traffic to the Kenzo website.
Influencers are exploiting their content on the application. Asian influencers are able to show their fans what they are doing, what they like but also dislike. For the rebranding of Kenzo, Weibo will be the main platform for the Chinese market. Using Chinese influencers/celebrities, which will be the brand ambassadors for Kenzo.
Kenzo will add videos in the form of a vlog on this platform. Kenzo will utilise this technology to convey their brand story. Through this implementation, the brand will form a community in the Asian market specifically.
Weibo had more than one million content creators that are recognized as official influencers. They cover different areas, with 520 million monthly users on the app. One third of the users are between the age of 16 and 30 years old.
Users use this application for similar things as Facebook. With the application gaining more active users after the Pandemic in 2020. Consumers have now opted for this application as it allows them to follow news events around the world, following trends and staying up to date with societal changes.
Yoyo, the proposed influencer, will be implemented into the campaigns which will be targeted at the Asian market. The language will be conform to the general way of communicating in Asia.
YOUTUBE
Youtube is the number one live streaming platform (Lin, 2022). With the platform already receiving a large amount of views, this platform will not have the biggest change on the account of Kenzo as they currently have more than 86K subscribers.
However, Kenzo can make it more personal, implementing interviews with different people, people who are connected to the brand as well as ‘ in the life of’ segments. Nigo will be implemented in the channel more frequently to give the customers a close look into his thought process as well as keep the customers involved.
On youtube the use of language will be clear and engaging, yet playful in order to communicate the brand DNA effectively. The concept of Kintsugi will be implemented in the Youtube channel through the layout and in the video content.
These videos will be available on all relevant social media platforms.
The core objective of our new social media plan is to create more engagement and generate online traffic into our existing social media channels. For asset management and image selections, we propose a new approach to content development which is more interactive and dynamic. This is in line with the physical visual merchandising strategy for Kenzo. Content will be segregated and scheduled based on its objective. This is in relation to lookbooks, editorials, shoppable content and press.
For our initial rollout spanning between 1-3 months, each post will be in a video format and will include a common thumbnail image. The thumbnail image would be for instance, the Kintsugi pot or a blank red thumbnail, which upon click per view, will invite you to the actual video of the model.
The main purpose of this strategy is to create excitement and intrigue the user to click on the page, hence increasing the level of engagement for the brand and thereby helping with free retargeting algorithms and increasing bounce rates.
Kenzo will also incorporate other media formats such as reels as it is very effective for expanding its instagram footprint. The type of content will mostly revolve around communal content such as pieces styled by the new Kenzo consumer.
Instagram captioning: This will be in line with the tone of voice portrayed on platforms. The caption will be informative and invite people to shop the looks or visit the website.
Product centred content: Introduce the shoppable feature in targeted geographies which have high engagement. Merchandise selected with strong keyword tracking and Search Engine Optimisation strategies linked with product specifications. Internal CTA to direct to the site will also increase website traffic to the specific product pages.
Editorial centred content: Brief introduction to the story of the collection alongside the details of the main creative direction leads such as the photographer in order to bring off site traffic from mentioned profiles into an in-house channel.
PR centred content: A more lifestyle approach to content of faces in order to create tribes. A careful selection of faces in sync with the brand’s ethos and values. Captions will accentuate their style and archetypes along with the shoppable links tagged on the images itself.
Exclusive hashtags: Every post will have its own exclusive hashtag designated to the type of content that is posted such as #Kenzoworld and #KenzobyNIGO, to create its own community hashtag where users can post their outfits. aEvery week the best outfit is featured on Kenzo’s story, in turn creating high engagement and favouring the instagram algorithm. This will be used across all the social media platforms.
Pinterest can be an interesting platform to bring in the new storytelling for Kenzo due to its deeply visual nature. The current Pinterest profile of Kenzo lacks cohesion in image formatting, captions and hashtags and could do with improvements in a different array of areas of the asset management sphere.
Kenzo could adopt more interactive mixed media content such as short videos and editorials bringing in the non gendered and Wabi Sabi elements to focus on the new philosophy of the brand.
Pinterest could also be used to link it with phygitisation. Kenzo can also adopt a shoppable platform for its fast moving products such as cosmetics and t-shirts.
Kenzo can also introduce stronger captions with dedicated hashtags to further increase the engagement of the pins.
TIKTOK
KenzoTiktok account details 26,0K followers on Tiktok.
First video: 23th of January 2021 à 11.1K views , 653 likes, 31 reactions Most viewed tiktok: 3th of February à 8,9M views, 21,2K likes, 109 reactions Total likes: 154,0K Total Tiktoks: 26 video’s Last uploaded video: 24th of May 2022 à 360 views,, 24 likes, 1 reaction
Looking through the hashtag ‘ Kenzo’, the Tiktoks are mostly not related to the fashion brand. With #Kenzo-365.8M, #Kenzochallenge-3.2M and #kenzo paris-579.9K, being the top 3 hashtags that the brand still needs to connect their platform.
For the rebranding, the theme will be minimalistic, taking from the Wabi Sabi culture. The Tiktoks posted by the brand should be clear, energetic and interactive.
Kenzo will introduce Tiktoks that users will be able to duet with, generating social media interaction. #Kenzowithus will be the hashtag which will be advertised the most.
Due to the hashtag being so specific, it is unlikely for random videos to be mentioned with this hashtag. On the Kenzo page, they will also participate with the viral tiktok challenges and have influencers that will be connected to the brand. The video’s will all be corresponding to the reels which will be posted on Instagram.
The aim for this platform for Kenzo is to engage more with their audience, make it more authentic but also a line with the rebranding while not losing any of their playfulness. The number of followers will be targeted as well as the reactions, which is all about the creation of a tribe.
Kenzo Mode on Linkedin currently focuses on content specific to promotion of latest campaigns and capsule launches with good engagement and SEO management. However, with the rebranding process of Kenzo, they can focus more on the communal aspect of its DNA. Introducing content related to the Kenzo workplace environment philosophies in order to incorporate transparency.
As the platform is mainly aimed for professionals who are either similar minded or interested in working for Kenzo; the brand can develop content specific to Linkedin such as the press house kit which focuses on informing about Kenzo’s new value chain with Wabi Sabi aesthetics.
VIDEO STRATEGY
Instagram and Weibo are Kenzo’s two main platforms that they will be using. Instagram will be used in regards to the European and American market, whereas Weibo will be used specifically for the Asian market.
The Brand Refresh: Use video Video to Reestablish the High Points Kenzo as a brand needs to use this new rebranding video to refresh consumers’ memory of the brand and what they stand for. The footage chosen to be displayed in the video is a representation of the core pieces integrated into the brand originally, and how these core subjects have evolved and will be portrayed in the current lifecycle.
The Brand Evolution: Show the Brand’s Reinvention on Video In this section Kenzo needs to focus on incorporating its DNA and past life cycles to fully interpret the new journey for the brand. This element focuses on the changes within society and creating an equilibrium of roles in society.
This sphere of the promotional video facilitates the view in recognising that the brand is going to change as well as the product offering. Kenzo is ultimately establishing its position within the accessible luxury market.
The Brand Overhaul: Abandon the Past, Embrace the Future The Kenzo rebranding is a communication form that implies that the brand is changing and that the brand image is going through a reconstruction phase. This element is crucial to the consumers as we need to portray key identifiers that customers will still be able to recognise the brand. Elements such as colours, prints and flowers will be incorporated into the video in order to make this connection to Kenzo.
Video Strategy: The video will be launched on Kenzo’s main social media platforms. The main advertising platforms will be Facebook, Instagram and Weibo. These platforms will have the most generated content in terms of the launch of the video. Kenzo will focus a portion of its budget on advertising this campaign and extending the reach of its main geographical areas which include USA, Europe and Asia.
Smaller social media channels such as TikTok, Twitter and Linkedin will advertise the launch of the video. These advertisements will be implemented in a smaller quantity to that of the above mentioned platforms.
The target for this video launch is similar to a campaign launch. The main focus is to present that a change is occurring within the company. From a competitive angle, Kenzo the brand needs to reach a high level of consumers in order for the brand and video to gain traction on social media.
NATIVE ADVERTISING
Content has become a central part of our lives. Focusing on news articles, television shows, photos and social media posts.
Native advertising is intended specifically to not appear as if an ad, creating it more durable to ignore. Instead, it’s designed to appear just like the rest of the content on the page. The strategy for Kenzo is to focus on Native Advertising on Social Media. Kenzo wants to generate attention to this application through subscriptions to newsletters and generate traffic in the e-commerce and resale platforms.
For our Native Advertising strategy, we have sub segmented it under three main types of content.
First we have the editorial styled Native advertising in high profile websites such as Business of Fashion, WWD and Nowfashion, which is targeted for industry professionals and students who are more critical with their approach with fashion.
Secondly Kenzo will focus on the editorial sections of E commerce models such as SSENSE and Matchesfashion, which takes the role of a tastemaker in the field. These platforms can engage with storytelling principles which are either capsule or collection specific. These have a more conceptual view on the collection.
Lastly, Kenzo can incorporate a possible paid media strategy with the art collective, NOWNESS, which focuses on producing short art films. This is to connect the roots of Kenzo Takada and the initial DNA of the house.
ORGANIC PR
Vogue france: Local to the HQ of Kenzo, the content of the article will focus on the shift in cultural exchange and business models with Kenzo as the case study example.
Elle Magazine: In order to generate traffic from the masses, Elle Magazine will follow up with an interview with Nigo, speaking about culture and the relevance of rebranding.
Highsnobiety: A youth centred subculture magazine focusing on millennials, early adopters and style seekers. The content will be centred around the overall overview of the new rebranding of Kenzo, reflecting the philosophies of the house.
Hypebeast: A subculture magazine focusing on youth centred fashion such as streetwear and high end, ready-to-wear. The content will be centred around Nigo in an interview format of him reflecting the new ethos of the brand.
Sabukaru Online: A Japanese subculture magazine run by Adrian Bianco(former Eye_C Magazine editor), focusing on Japanese fashion and its associated subcultures. The readership of this publication are purists in the field with very good exposure of the cultural heritage behind brands. For this platform, the content developed will be more in line with the culture that is associated with Kintsugi and an in depth review of Wabi Sabi, as a philosophy.
Press release
PRESS OFFICE
The new Press Office for Kenzo will include all information regarding the statistics of the social media platforms such as the number of followers, engagement rate and also the bounce rates. Along with extra information such as detailed reviews of Kenzo’s target audience, the Customer Relationship Management strategies and new direction for other collaterals such as newsletters and email marketing.
The Press Office will also include a Press Release which would be sent out to magazines and other forms of publications in order to advertise and build features for organic growth in the digital media. A separate section about the new ethos of the brand alongside the past partnerships and collaborations will also be mentioned in the press house.
INFLUENCERS ESTIMATED RESULTS
Total Potential Reach= 2.3 M
Yoyo Cao Followers: 436K Avg. engagement rate: 0.93% Avg. likes: 4,017 Avg. comments: 31.06
Camille Charrière Followers: 1.3 M Avg. engagement rate: 1.02% Avg. likes: 13,376.8 Avg. comments: 107.75
Lorenzo Liverani Followers: 214K Avg. engagement rate: - Avg. likes: 0 Avg. comments: Megan Adelaide Vega Followers: 120K Avg. engagement rate: - Avg. likes: 0 Avg. comments: 0
Deon Hinton Followers: 264K Avg. engagement rate: 3.51% Avg. likes: 9227.71 Avg. comments: 76.36
PAID CAMPAIGN ESTIMATED RESULTS
The paid campaign will be launched on facebook and instagram which is Kenzo main social media platforms. Our target audience is from 23 to 40. The consumers based in France and the United States are interested in shopping, fashion and cosmetics. The estimated audience size is from 94.7k to 111.4k
Kenzo plans to have a video campaign and a product campaign with different objectives. The first stage is launching the video campaign to gain brand awareness. The campaign will be launched in a month and is planned to be scheduled every day at 9am-11pm. The estimated daily results for this stage is to gain total reach around 5.9k-17k.
The second stage for video campaign is to gain video views and launch a product campaign to keep gaining brand awareness. The campaign will be launched in a month and the time is to be scheduled at 9am-11pm every day. The estimated daily results are to reach 4.6k-13k by launching a video campaign and to reach 5.9k- 17k for the product campaign.
The third stage includes a launch of a product campaign to drive traffic to the website. The campaign will be launched in the month after the second stage and it is planned to schedule the time every day at 9am-11pm. The estimated daily results are to reach around 3.7k-11k.
The budget of each campaign is estimated at 1000 euros for each objective campaign, resulting in a total of 4000 euros.
RETAIL/DISTRIBUTION
In today’s world, the purpose of the store extends beyond a transactionary platform, but rather a channel to translate a new experience. The physical store is the biggest communication tool of today’s business which therefore becomes the extension of the brand itself. With Kenzo’s retail strategy, we focus on extending our new philosophies of Wabi Sabi and Kintsugi into the retail extension of our brand, whilst staying rooted with our brand DNA and values.
Kenzo has designed global mono-brand, flagship, freestanding malls, pop-up and Kintsugi stores to be implemented into the rebranding. The new retail concept that was developed, is a language of minimalism and transparency in line with Kenzo’s new codes based on the Wabi-Sabi principles.
FLAGSHIP STORE
Kenzo flagship stores are representative of the lead stores in the retail chain, acting as a showcase for the brand. These flagship stores are crucial to Kenzo as they will be representative of the main trends and re-branding strategies implemented.
The flagship store’s purpose is to draw customers into the brand, over and above making sales. The focus is on experience and creating a destination store that people want to visit. These stores will be implemented in Tier 1 cities, each consisting of a different concept; this will be dependent on the country.
The flagship store will focus on the physitisation element in the re-branding and will consist of minimal merchandising. The merchandising offer will consist of the new core and iconic products of Kenzo, along with the latest collection.
These stores will be updated every 5 years on an average estimate. This estimated time frame is subject to change, keeping in mind budget availability.
SERVICES Full Retail Services
AREA 40m2 - 1,000m2
STORES 60+
TYPOLOGIES Corners, Shop-in-shops, Freestanding Malls, Flagships
LOCATION Worldwide
THEME Wabi-Sabi
General implementation of a Personalisation space:
As co-creating economies are continually on the rise, the flagship and tier 2 city stores can include a personalisation space which goes beyond the conventional printing of the consumers initials on leather accessories. A potential launch of micro product portfolios such as charms and badges, alongside personalised embroideries. These features can be styled with existing Kenzo products.
Each product from the portfolio extension would be categorised under two main types: carryovers and In store exclusives. This strategy would not only add a personalised touch but also give a sense of exclusivity to the consumers.
To explore sustainability initiatives, the store can also have a donation spot where customers can bring old Kenzo pieces in exchange for point redemption in order to buy new products. With an extra surcharge, the consumer can either upcycle the old Kenzo garments into a homeware piece or receive points for the donation itself.
FLAGSHIP IMPLEMENTATION & DEVELOPMENT PARIS, FRANCE
SERVICES Full Retail Services
AREA 300m2
VISUAL MERCHANDISING - Real Flora - Vibrant colours - Cracks of kintsugi
Japanese flora and fauna has always been a consistent trope within the legacy of Kenzo Takada’s fashion house. To extend this core feature into their designs would be an innovative link towards the brands DNA. Kenzo could also opt in for Zen philosophies such as the idea of strolling through nature related elements in order to bring in the Wabi Sabi philosophy, alleviating the Japanese DNA of Kenzo.
Using real Flora inside the store can also increase the number of walkins and visibility for a retail storefront from a visual perspective. The store can act as an information exchange centre with a potential omni-channel approach by having a database of the flowers of each store on the Kenzo app. The products themselves can be combined with RFID and ultrasound connected rails, which allows the consumer to see the products and get more information about the product through the screens allocated in the store.
With regard to the visual merchandising of the store, we would like to propose strong vibrant colours with kintsugi like cracks and actual kintsugi pieces as decor for the store itself.
TOKYO, JAPAN
SERVICES Full Retail Services & Bar
AREA 400m2
VISUAL MERCHANDISING - Archive Garments KT - Vibrant colours - Mochi Bar
Japan is known for having impressive flagship stores. The Asian market with a focal point on China, considers design features of shops to be an important factor that influences future product purchasing.
The Tokyo flagship store therefore will be decorated with archival products from Kenzo Takada, making it into a museum experience. This allows customers to connect with the origin of the brand, which is a key point within the rebranding strategy. .
The concept of Wabi-sabi will be present in the Kenzo shop through the use of neutral tones, giving prominence to the colorfulness of the products. This will act as a balance between products and visual merchandising.
Finally, the store will not only be regarded as a place of purchase but will be viewed as a meeting point for the Kenzo to get together. This store will therefore include a Mochi Bar where you can enjoy an aperitivo service.
NEW YORK, U.S
SERVICES Full Retail Services & Bar
AREA 400m2
VISUAL MERCHANDISING - Zen Garden (Flora, Water, Rocks) - Vibrant colours - Scents Space
All the shops are based on the concept of Wabi-sabi, and for the New York store, the decorative concept will be the Zen garden.
The flagship store will be a giant relaxing garden, where customers will experience a feeling of maximum relaxation thanks to the use of certain elements such as sand, stones, plants and water. This will be accompanied by music that matches the ambience. This garden is to allow consumers to remove their shoes and enjoy the introduction of Japanese culture. This experience links with the phygitization element that Kenzo would like to implement.
In addition, this store will have a special space for scents. Consumers are able to custom make their own parfums.
HYPERPHYSICAL STORES
The Kenzo hyperphysical stores are defined as experiential stores. These stores are ‘soulful’ shops that deliver a higher level of personalisation, culture and memorable experience for shoppers. The Kenzo hyperphysical stores can include community-based gatherings, workshops, try-beforeyou-buy services, and double as entertainment venues.
The merchandise offer will be location specific, allowing for a more exclusive and community-based environment to develop.
Kenzo will implement 5 hyperphysical stores in the pilot stage of the re-branding. Thereafter, Kenzo will open one store per year for another 5 years. This initial implementation is crucial in the beginning phase of the rebranding; to allow Kenzo to build a strong brand image and solidify its positioning in the accessible luxury market.
Hyperphysical Stores Strategies
Concept 1:
The outside display of the store will be extremely decorated with campaign photographs and past consumers posts of them wearing Kenzo. This will be contrasted by a calm and minimalistic store interior. This contrast will evoke emotions within the customers.
The store will be completely white with hints of the Kintsugi lines incorporated in the visual merchandising. This store will have special limited edition garments that will have the store theme incorporated within the design.
The kintsugi lining will be red to represent the rebranding of Kenzo. The concept of this contrasting store is based on the Kenzo consumers following the Kintsugi lines which is symbolic of the Kenzo story.
Concept 2:
The second store concept is based around the idea of the Japanese Zen garden. Customers entering the store will be asked to remove their shoes and will be handed biodegradable feet covers.
Consumers will be able to enjoy the store and the garden through this interactive experience.
Concept 3:
The third concept is in relation to an interactive art studio where consumers will be able to paint and make pottery. This concept is derived from the vast history of Kenzo Takada. The late designer enjoyed painting. This connection is crucial in the rebranding process as it linkes the late designer and creative aspects into the idea.
The pottery element is an introduction to the foundation of the Kintsugi element which is utilised in the Kenzo rebranding.
This space will give customers the chance to be creative and to provide them a platform to be educated
Concept 4:
The fourth concept is to open up a perfumery. This concept expands on the famous Poppy perfume by Kenzo.
Customers will enter a perfumery lab and be able to witness Kenzo employees creating the popular scent. Along with this experience, they will have the opportunity to create their own unique scent.
Through this creative and immersive experience, the idea is derived from the foundation of the brand, resulting in educating consumers. Kenzo’s core mission is to add value into society through an artistic format.
Concept 5:
The fifth concept expands on the idea of the Japanese tea houses which are sentimental to the Japanese culture. These tea houses are referred to as Chashitsu.
This tea house experience will provide consumers with a direct link to the brand, whilst creating a Kenzo community at the same time. Customers will also have the chance to be educated on the tea house tradition, connecting experience and culture.
BRICK & MORTAR STORES
The Kenzo Brick and mortar stores refers to a traditional stores that are situated amongst industry competitors. These stores will feature the Wabi Sabi and Kintsugi elements that are highlighted in the rebranding strategy of Kenzo.
The merchandising offer will consist of a vast width and vertical scope within these stores. Kenzo will focus on limiting production of merchandising, emphasising minimal waste. These stores should be easily accessible and should represent the DNA of the brand and rebranding strategy.
The Kenzo Brick and Mortar stores will be situated In Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Currently sitting at 122 stores, Kenzo will focus on opening 20 stores within a 10 year time frame. This expansion will facilitate the growth of the rebranding and to help stabilise the positioning in the accessible luxury market.
SERVICES Full Retail Services
AREA 30-90m2
VISUAL MERCHANDISING Cracks of kintsugi Vibrant colours Japanese Plants
Developing the Japanese DNA of Kenzo, the Wabi Sabi philosophy needs to be implemented into the store. For the visual merchandising of the store, the new core collection will be displayed on hangers made from bamboo. The store will be displayed in all white with Kintsugi design elements. Red Kintsugi lines will be incorporated throughout the store.
Traditional Japanese plants will be incorporated into the stores, connecting the fauna and flora of the country. Bamboo and maple trees are two examples of traditional plants. In regards to furniture, a red sofa will be presented in the middle of every store.
The renovation plan is to implement this new idea into six stores on a yearly basis, totaling to thirty stores in five years.
POP UP STORES
Kenzo pop-up stores are short-term sale spaces that last for a limited period. This concept will be a core element in implementing and facilitating the rebranding to ensure this new Kenzo brand concept is translated into a long-term strategy.
The Kenzo pop-up stores will focus on highlighting the brand’s DNA, values and new societal movement. The product offering will consist of core and iconic products, along with concept specific products, implementing the exclusivity factor within the experience.
These pop-up stores will help in facilitating the growth of sales and brand image. In regards to a long term strategy, Kenzo will regularly create popup stores to grow their community.
Phase 2: Pop up stores into Tier 1 cities
In today’s world, Experiential marketing is the new currency in hard luxury. Due to the shifting demographics of the luxury market into a younger consumer, consumers derive appeal from fresh and innovative experiences in retail; such as pop up stores, installation experiences and thematic flagships.
Amongst popular beliefs, pop up stores have found its commercial success amongst retail formats. This experience is a derivative of exclusivity and medium for artificial scarcity, hence a very cost efficient approach for brands to tap into new markets.
Idea 1: The Kenzo Cornerstore
The rebranding of Kenzo focuses on the accessible luxury market. This accessibility factor is linked to ‘normality’.
A proposal for the pop-up store launch is to introduce the Kenzo Mart. In Japan, Konbini or convenience store chains such as 7-11 and Family Mart remain home to all types of products. The Kenzo Mart pop-up will follow the ideology of a Kenzo pop-up store disguised in the style of a Japanese Konbini.
Idea 2: The Kenzo Arcade
Throughout the legacy of Kenzo, Kenzo Takada was all about bringing Japanese culture into Paris. Games like Initial D and Pacman are very popular in countries like Japan due to its heavy arcade culture.
Using arcades as a medium, Kenzo can alleviate the concept of cross culture by using it as a concept for the pop up installations. Kenzo will be able to introduce kenzo gaming experiences. This can be applied by using classic games and based on the tokens collected, consumers would stand a chance to win a prize which could be location exclsuive.
Idea 3: Mall pop up stores
Mall pop ups are known to be one of the most effective multichannel formats of retail. It is renowned for its high walk-ins and in store traffic. The retail merchandising selections made for the pop up store will depend on the location - both the mall type and the format of the floorplan.
Idea 4: The Kenzo Ramen Experience centre
Much like the ideology of streetwear which follows principles of Artificial scarcity and drops, Japanese ramen stores also follow a similar distribution model. The product demand is inelastic, where the demand is not reflected by the changes in price.
Japanese Ramen stores are known within Japan to have long queues and attract a young audience inside the store. The pop up store can be in collaboration with a Japanese Ramen chain, integrating the Japanese element.
In regards to merchandising selections, Kenzo could introduce limited edition location specific exclusives. Examples are t-shirts and sweatshirts which would be packaged using compressed instant ramen cups.
Idea 5: Japanese Ryokan
This independent pop up store will be located in the main luxury streets of the flagship cities. It will be installation based and follows the theme of a traditional Japanese Ryokan or a traditional inn. This will be implemented through the aesthetic of Kenzo, replicating a particular collection, in each room. This allows customers to experience the history of Kenzo through a dynamic experience.
These pop up stores will be slightly larger than the previous mentioned pop up stores, ranging between 70-100 sqm.
OUTLET STORES
An outlet store or factory outlet is a brick and mortar store in which manufacturers sell their stock directly to the public at a discounted rate. Due to Kenzo repositioning itself in the accessible luxury market, the brand will not be focusing on this store concept and will be closing all of their outlet shops.
Kenzo recognises that they have a strong community and consumer target that they attract with outlet stores, therefore Kenzo will be launching a Kintsugi store. The closure of these stores will generate the identity the brand requires in order to stabilise itself in the accessible luxury market.
SERVICES Repair, Resale and Personalization services
AREA 50-70m2
VISUAL MERCHANDISING - Smart Glass - Repair and personalisation machines - Red
KINTSUGI STORE
The re-branding of Kenzo will lead to the closure of outlet stores but will introduce the new concept of Kintsugi stores. Kintsugi stores will encapsulate longevity and the Wabi Sabi culture, highlighting no waste.
This store will allow customers to go and up-cycle garments, resell garments and create personalised garments from ‘deadstock’. This new concept will facilitate the re-branding of Kenzo and solidify a new community of consumers.
These stores will also create a platform for growth and education. Kenzo can hold sewing and textile courses every few months, in order to draw attention to these new Kenzo stores.
The Kintsugi stores will initially be implemented in Tier 1 cities in the pilot stage of the rebranding, and will then move on to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
These types of stores will be made of smart glass, which will be transparent whilst the store remains open, upon closure, the glass will become opaque. For the visual merchandising, the glass will be decorated with the Kintsugi lines, and the inside will be equipped with repair and personalisation machines in the colour red. The furniture will include tables and chairs for the workshop and compartments to keep the stock.
