Fortnum & Mason Marketing Proposal

Fortnum & Mason Marketing Proposal

Contents

1-2 4-6 8-16 17-18 20-22

Executive Summary

Fortnum & Mason as a Brand

Marketing Proposal

Staff Opinions

Loyalty Scheme

24-32 34-38 40-42 44-46 47-48

Fortnum & Mason Mobile App

Accessory Focus

Timeline

Summary and Future Plans

List of Illustrations

Executive Summary This is a Marketing proposal to increase the awareness and development of the Fortnum & Mason brand. It will highlight the importance of reaching out a wider consumer audience in conjunction with adapting to the digital age.

This Proposal will include how Fortnum & Mason currently interact with their customers across all platforms and the different ways their particular personality is projected throughout the brand; this will sit in conjunction with new marketing techniques to increase overall awareness of the brand. One of the main functions of this marketing proposal is to create a campaign which allows Fortnum & Mason to become a luxury department store which stands above the competition.

Innovative technology and personalised customer service schemes are techniques that will be used within building a cohesive and successful campaign for Fortnum & Mason.

This proposal includes promotional tools to be used both in-store and externally to increase the population of Fortnum & Mason in todays’ market. The store’s current public profile does not give a full representation of all the items Fortnum & Mason has to offer, in particular the Accessories department.

This proposal contains all of the relevant information to construct strong campaign which links all departments evenly within the brand. Technology is used within this pitch to bring a brand which has such a strong British heritage successfully into an age where the digital and interactive mediums control the modern market. Being a traditional luxury brand, Fortnum & Mason offer a unique in-store atmosphere which allows customers to interact with a part of London legacy however the stores unique traditional views are being lost and are not appealing to a new customer demographic.

The content of this proposal provides all of the necessary information to show the progress that can be made within Fortnum & Mason as a store and as a brand. This document will explore how adding new elements to the brand such as an interactive app and a loyalty scheme will create a new excitement to Fortnum & Mason and will ensure that Fortnum & Mason receives the appreciation the store deserves. This Proposal is a descriptive tool to display the current issues Fortnum & Mason are facing and the solutions which can be put into place to create a brand which stands above the competition, in addition to creating a campaign to dramatically increase customer footfall.

1.

The Luxury Tea Hamper, Fortnum & Mason, Fortnumandmason.com

2.

Fortnum & Mason

4.

Fortnum & Mason as a Brand Fortnum & Mason first opened it’s doors in 1707 making it the oldest department store in London and values it’s heritage very highly when promoting the store. Having held a Royal Warrant for over 150 years Fortnum & Mason is infamous for its food produce and has a luxurious image to uphold. It is a brand which dearly treasures its British legacy and proudly displays this to all that visit the store both physically and online.

Fortnum & Mason effortlessly creates an unique and enticing atmosphere where both local customers and international tourists can indulge in a traditional store experience and explore British culture within a store. With five floors in total in the Piccadilly store there is a wide range of products to explore from unique flavoured teas in the food hall to beautifully delicate necklaces on the third floor.

Its’ strong heritage and pure British luxury can be seen as great strengths in todays market in comparison to other luxury department stores which are competing for the same customers. The authentic interior allows visitors of the store to be engulfed within the history of the brand, and experience an atmosphere unique to a luxury department store. The convenience of being able to purchase all exquisite items in one location allows Fortnum & Mason to stand above stores which focus on one department. Having a reputation as the official grocer for the Royal Family, attracts tourists to be part of distinctive part of English legacy, which is unique to visiting Fortnum & Mason.

Even though Fortnum & Mason has a wide variety of items and produce the main point of promotion can be seen through the Food Hall, neglecting the other departments that Fortnum & Mason offers. As you enter the Piccadilly store you are immersed into a new world of delightful teas and sweet confectionary products, however there is a lack of indication that other departments are present within the establishment. Solely focusing on one department can leave the remaining floors completely undetected by both the first time customers and even by those who have been loyal to the brand for numerous years . Fortnums’ heritage is extremely important to the brand as a whole but having such a strong focus on this element can potentially mean that its traditional values and aesthetics are being lost within this modern market, and producing the image of a slightly dated store. Fortnum & Mason have invaluable loyal customer which have been following the brand for copious years, but seem to lack the initiative to attract a new range of customers into store. The store promotes the items in a gift arena which is ideal for tourists, however to encourage the frequent custom of visitors details into treat yourself and not others need to be displayed.

5.

Fortnum & Mason is in the ideal position to keep its heritage intact whilst adopting elements on this modern era, to not only produce an image of a strong British store but to attract a wider footfall into store. The store displays are the first port of call for tourists and new customers, updating these with items from all over the store gives the image of a more varied department store and not just the Royal Grocer. Keeping the traditional elements of this store are vital in keeping with Fortnum & Mason’s overall aesthetic , however slightly altering and adding new components can ensure a traditional brand stays current within the public eye, elements such as technology and interactive elements allows the store to display its unique personality on a new platform.

Fortnum & Mason has the opportunity attract new customers by updating itself as a brand which allows the store to be evermore successful and grow in comparison to other luxury department stores.

Fortnum & Mason’s main threats are stores such as Liberty, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Harrods, all of which value the notion of being a luxury retailer and are proud of their British heritage.

Liberty is the immediate threat to Fortnum & Mason as a brand as it is closest in proximity to the flagship Piccadilly store, and still maintains a traditional interior of the store like Fortnum’s. It has recently adapted to the modern market by incorporating mobile technology to the brand, in addition to the constant update of collaborations with brands and designers to create interest to wider demographic for instance both Nike and Acne have been associated with the store.

Harrods has a reputation for being one of the most well known tourist destinations in London, with their iconic mascot and elaborate escalators Harrods is definitely a key competitor in terms of department store ambience. Their website is incredibly interactive with a modern news feed layout and promotion of all departments equally, however due to the large range of products the personal experience can be lost within the stores commerciality.

Selfridges can be seen as a large risk towards Fortnum & Mason due to the numerous store locations around the country allowing a much larger customer awareness of the brand. In addition to the number of stores, it has chosen to become more of a fashion directed brand with the addition of ‘Agender’ , a department which takes away the gender of fashion and concentrates on the clothing. Stocking both designer and highstreet brands clothing brands it has an element of accessibility to a wider, more money conscious audience. Fortnum & Mason is currently not attracting the fashion minded consumer, however does manages to maintain the ideal of being exclusive and luxurious brand ,giving it the illusion of mystery in comparison to high-street items which you can purchase easily.

Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly Store Front, Fortnumandmason.com

6.

Marketing Proposal

8.

Main Proposal This is a proposal to create a long-term campaign to increase footfall into Fortnum & Mason and overall awareness of the store; a marketing strategy to introduce new elements to the brand in order to strive against other luxury department stores in todays market.

The overall outcome being the promotion of all the incredible floors and products Fortnum & Mason has to offer, not just the iconic food hall creating a fluid, recognisable and cohesive identity.

Outside the Fortnum & Mason Piccadilly store, 100 people of the general public including the regular Fortnum & Mason customer and those who have never visited the store before were questioned in regards to what they thought of the store and the brand and received a varied scale of responses. Unsurprisingly overall the data showed positive reactions to Fortnum & Mason as a brand with responses such as “Classic”, “Timeless”, “Traditionally British” and “Luxury at its finest” however these views were not consistent within the entirety of responses, there appeared to be a wide gap in responses displaying the view that the brand can be improved for the modern market.

After a close analysis of the vast range of responses it’s clear to see that Fortnum & Mason are slipping in comparison to other luxury retail competitors such as Liberty, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Fenwick and Harrods. In an additional survey comparing Favourite department stores Fortnum & Mason received a minor 2% of results in their favour, clearly displaying that the competition to gain the public’s admiration is at an alltime high. Liberty’s being in close proximity to Fortnum & Mason can be seen as one of the key threats to Fortnum & Mason’s footfall and profit margin. Liberty is also seen as a Luxury British brand however to keep up with the modern era has recently released a loyalty points scheme and has teamed up with Tapestry to be part of their reward scheme via a mobile app.

This has the opportunity to attract new customers and offer their current clients even more benefits of shopping with them in-store, however Tapestry as a brand is not exclusive to Liberty and features other brands. Additionally a weakness of this mobile application is that it only contains pop-up benefits much like one of the many voucher websites, losing some of its luxury exclusivity of the brand which I aim on maintaining within Fortnum & Mason.

Harrods is known for being a popular London tourist hotspot and have accepted the addition of technology with open arms, however where Fortnum & Mason thrive against such a global brand is the heritage Fortnum & Mason exudes and the lack of commerciality giving each visit a feel of exclusive indulgence.

Liberty and Selfridges have both had the opportunity to exceed publicity for the brand as they have been featured within the premise of television programmes with ‘Mr. Selfridge’ and ‘Liberty of London’, this allows the general public to view traditional brands in a more modern context of being on television. This self-promotion over different medias is an element Fortnum & Mason could consider to make the brand more widely known to individuals who are currently unaware of the brand.

9.

100 people were asked : “ What is your favourite Department Store?�

Fortnum and Mason recieved one of the smallest responses

Favourite Department Store

14% 22%

16%

1%

2%

8%

9% 28%

Debenhams

Fenwick

Fortnum & Mason

Harrods

House of Fraser

John Lewis

Liberty

Selfridges

10.

An outstanding 37% of people surveyed admitted to rarely shopping in Fortnum & Mason and a mere 4% disclosed that they make a visit to Fortnum & Mason on a daily basis, which is an incredibly low response in conjunction with the low results in the public’s favourite department store, it’s clear that Fortnum & Mason currently isn’t creating the accessible appeal to the everyday shopper. To enhance the personal experience Fortnum & Mason has to offer a loyalty card scheme would encourage individuals to treat themselves in correspondence to shopping at Fortnum’s on a regular basis to increase the amount of loyalty points they earn.

A vast majority of participants in the brand survey portrayed the view of seeing Fortnum & Mason as a gift emporium and don’t necessarily feel obliged to buy items for themselves. The idea of a loyalty scheme is formed around “Treat yourself to Luxury”, giving customers the ideal of being pampered and part of an exclusive club. The Loyalty points will equal one point per pound spent in-store and would equally vouchers in correspondence to the amount spent. This entices customers to visit the store as it provides benefits for them personally. Signing up this service allows Fortnum & Mason to add large numbers of customers to the mailing list, expanding the opportunity to promote Fortnum & Mason further on another platform.

Adding technology to a traditional brand is difficult without losing its heritage, however if Fortnum & Mason doesn’t adapt to the digital era it will soon fall behind in comparison to other stores. Fortnum & Mason currently incorporates the use of technology within its Tea department in the Piccadilly store by using an a touch screen to allow customers to browse the history of the Tea department, the various products and the events and opportunities within store. This perfectly demonstrates that a brand such as Fortnum & Mason can combine technology whilst upholding the traditions of the brand. Promotion of digital elements that both the store and brand can incorporate creating a closer interaction between the brand and consumer, making the connection to the brand enjoyable.

We propose the creation of an interactive mobile app exclusive to Fortnum & Mason, which promotes a personal connection to the individual and persuades the masses to visit and experience the in-store atmosphere. The app will be tailored to the individual with option to refine which items are shown to mobile owner. The main functions of the mobile app are to promote events both in-store and externally, allow customers to connect to Fortnum & Mason’s social medias in conjunction with Fortnum’s products and to connect their loyalty points to a mobile device. A Luxury department store such as Fortnum & Mason needs to maintain a desirable in-store atmosphere in order to keep attracting new customers in addition to keeping the loyal customers interested, all whilst creating an irresistible exclusivity.

Having in-store installations, events and specialised floors allow a talking point between members of the public and press to keep interest at a high. The key to keeping a strong lead ahead of the competing stores is brand integrity which the general public can recognise and relate to, elements that Fortnum & Mason already uphold.

11.

100 people were asked : “ How often do you shop at Fortnum & Mason?”

An outstanding 10% responded with Never.

Frequency of Visit

10%

35%

4%

8%

25%

Everyday

Twice a Week

16%

Once a Week

Once a Month

Rarely

Never

12.

It’s hard to believe that only 56% of the sample asked were aware that Fortnum & Mason consisted of other floors and not simply just the infamous Food hall. Even members of the shop floor staff from various departments coincide with the view of the general public of the others floors being neglected in terms of publicity and public attention, “ The Accessories floor currently isn’t getting the recognition and promotion it deserves in comparison to the main food hall.” Rachel, Accessories Sale Assistant. Action should be taken place to create excitement about all of the products available from Fortnum & Mason and in particular the accessories and all of the products featured on the Third Floor.

A strong example of the lack of promotion concerning the other floors can be seen directly through the way Fortnum & Mason is displayed through any search engine where it is described as “The most luxurious department store in the world, since 1707, Fortnum and Mason provides a treasure trove of hampers, tea, coffee & sweet treats.” displaying the wide array of food produce, However there is no indication to any of the other luxurious products and services Fortnum & Mason provide, giving new potential customers and visitors who are initially researching the brand a misinformed first impression of being a glorified grocers.Changing the way Fortnum & Mason present themselves online is fast and effective way of updating it’s entire image to represent the brand whole identity.

The Accessories department contains a vast range of items from luxury handbags to exquisite designer jewellery; however these are often over looked due to the publicity and iconic status of the food and drink products on the lower floors. After visiting the store on numerous occasions and times of day it is clear that the food hall attracts the largest volume of customers in comparison to the other floors. For example the largest number of customers recorded upon visits to the accessories floor was the small number of just five customers, compare this to visiting stores such as Liberty and Selfridges with constant flowing footfall, shows Fortnum & Mason is missing that certain element of publicity.

The store is known for being the first port of call for the Royal family and their grocery needs, yet the general public are unaware of the beautiful luxury products available all over the store. In order to receive more floor recognition several marketing steps can be taken to create overall awareness of all the products Fortnum & Mason has to offer and the variety it’s privileged enough to posses.

Attention needs to be directed towards the amazing luxury brands Fortnum & Mason currently stock which are currently being lost within the rest of the store environment.

Brands such as Anya Hindmarch, Meli Melo and Smythson who would appeal to a wide range of ages and backgrounds are essential when promoting the store, yet these are all unknown to the general public specifically those who are unfamiliar with Fortnum & Mason. With over twenty four different designers on the accessory floor alone, excitement and promotion of the products should be relatively easy to create.

13.

100 people were asked : “ Are you aware of the Accessories for at Fortnum & Mason?�

44 out of 100 were completlty unaware Fortnum & Mason consisted of other floors

Aware of the Accessories Floor

60 50 40 30

56

44

Yes

No

20 10 0

14.

By altering the current tradition of having the shop windows focused on food and confectionary produce and having a wider variety features, would by one of the most effective ways of creating interest. A window display for each floor would easily create more attention and excitement to the store with brands on clear display, there is the option for a handbag display, a jewellery presentation and promotion of the scarf collection presented throughout the windows. Changing one element such as the window elements allows an opening for a vast change in store awareness and interest.

A simple way of promoting the other existing floors within store is a change in approach to Fortnum & Mason’s social medias. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest have been turned into the first port of call for a large amount of the population who research or choose to connect to a brand, having only food products shown through these platforms gives the impression that Fortnum & Mason has no other departments within store. Fortnum & Mason should be promoting all floors and accessories in order to increase footfall and overall profits.

Events are another key example of attracting more individuals into store and to encourage purchase, and the events Fortnum & Mason hold and are connected to are greatly received and anticipated by the general public. Stereotypically, Fortnum & Mason are connected to events surrounding the food hall and its products, in addition to regularly being a collaborative partner in external events again food produce related. The idea of having events focused on other floors draws in the current brand outlook of being able to connect personally to the brand and designer but promoting the store at the same time.

The designers featured on the Third floor in departments such as Jewellery, Perfume and Handbags could all be featured within the concept of in-store events for example collaborative exclusives and exclusive releases of new products to Fortnum & Mason customers. Fortnum & Mason are currently associated with external parties offering exclusive hampers and the prize for many competitions, Ascot Race course and the Royal Ascot is one of Fortnums’ most recent collaborations with the chance to win one an exclusive hamper .Somerset House with its external Ice Skating Rink, and the Chelsea Flower Show are addition collaborative events Fortnum & Mason is connected too yet again which further promote the food elements of the brand.

Having collaborations with brands and events that allow Fortnum & Mason to promote other departments from store, would be an effective way of connecting to a new audience and encouraging interest into the store , all of which can be promoted both online and offline. Collaborations with such events connects the store and create a strong fluidity between all aspects of Fortnum & Mason .The aim is to create a high interaction within all departments allowing a cohesive brand identity to be established. Convenience and efficiency is crucial in todays market and consumers are going to be more likely to shop in a store which provides a range of departments in comparison to a store which a singular speciality, this is why its important to let the general public become aware that Fortnum & Mason has more to offer them than the Food Hall and the Food Produce.

15.

100 people were asked : “ What Items are you likely to purchase at Fortnum & Mason?”

Only 14% shopped the Women’s Accessories on the Third Floor.

Items most Frequently Purchased

23%

14%

12%

11% 6%

7% 9%

Food Hamper

Sweets / Confectionary

Women's Accessories

18%

Perfume

Tea

Jewellery

Menswear

Alcohol

16.

Staff Opinions After asking members of the general public their thoughts and opinions, in order to gain a true perspective of the brand Fortnum & Mason was visited and proposed the idea of brand renovation and the additions to the brand to members of staff in various departments within store to gain a wider and more realistic outlook on the proposed ideas.Various members of staff were approached, and questions were asked to individuals in relation to the key ideas of the proposal and received a varied range of responses.

The main outcome displayed a positive view of the brand and how Fortnum & Mason approaches its’ customers but response did show that Fortnum & Mason is lacking within the area of being modern and striving against competitors. All agreed with the proposed introduction of technology however mutually agreed that the brand ethos of luxury tradition needed to remain intact.

Having the opinions of current staff allows a deeper insight into the store and Fortnum & mason as a brand; it highlights problems and assets from a store perspective. Ten members of staff were interviewed from all departments around the Piccadilly store to reveal insight into the collaboration of Fortnum & Mason with technology, In-store events and the prospect for wider promotion within floors.

“What do you think about the Third Floor? Do you think it attracts enough Attention?”

“Do you Think Fortnum & Mason would benefit from more in-store events?”

“Do you think all floors gain the same amount of publicity?”

“Do you think there is a place for in-store technology or an in-store app within Fortnum & Mason?”

“Technology and an in-store app would definitely something Fortnum & Mason would be interested in as there needs to be a way of keeping up with the digital age! However Fortnum and Mason are not going to transform into Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty and Selfridges with their commerciality and ideas. Fortnum and Mason needs to be seen as luxurious and traditionally British, after all it is still the grocer for the royal family and has a certain reputation to maintain, so it can’t be changing its entire identity” Jessica Porter-Smith, Head of Accessories

17.

“I would definitely use this if I was a customer, and I think from a staff perspective it’s a really good idea! You are on the same track as us wanting to celebrate (the) accessories, jewellery and nightwear as we already have ideas in place for higher footfall.

I really feel it has a realistic place in today’s store” Robert Stanford, Jewellery Manager

“The store holds in-store events now and then, for example we often have events in the jewellery room with designers coming in to have contact with the public. We have also had a celebrity chef in recently who set up on the lower ground floor for a book signing which bought in a larger footfall into the store.”

Sasha Cooper, Beauty Sales Assistant “I think the idea of getting a younger audience involved is a good idea as we can be slightly more adventurous with our products” Holly Johnston, Baking Sales Assistant

“An in-store app would be really useful and I like the idea of having exclusivity, but it needs to include all floors I think so the brand feels connected” Rachel Parkinson, Accessories Sales Assistant

“The store has recognised the problem with the other departments not being as busy as the ground floor (food hall) and there is a plan for redeveloping the products in-store, newer colours and displays are going to be used in the accessories department which I definitely feel will have a good effect on customers” Gwen Stevens, Childrens Department Sales Assistant

“We have just created a new ‘V.I.P mailing List’ where if you make a purchase at the till customers are encouraged to leave their email address and information; this allows us to inform them of exclusive events and products easily” Sasha Cooper, Beauty Sales Assistant

“There is definitely an opportunity for elements of developing technology to help shopper’s in-store,In regards to the accessory department, at the moment I agree in that it’s not getting the attention that it deserves and a wider audience does need to be introduced, however I feel the new store changes on this floor will help majorly! Having brighter colours within the products and display should help create more attraction! The products do appeal to a wider audience it’s just getting their attention that’s the only issue I think” Rebecca Sarahs, Accessories Sales Assistant

“Loyalty card/points or in-store benefits are a good idea to bring customers into store and does keep the store relevant.

I think with such large competitors such as Harvey Nichols and Harrods we do need to have an element to attract new customers. Our current typical customer is usually a loyal shopper who has been visiting us for years” Rachel Parkinson, Accessories Sales Assistant

“The Store does lack in accessory promotion and the appeal to a younger audience and I think Fortnum & Mason are hoping that the new changes to display and products will do this” Grace Hutton, Food Technical Assistant

“There is currently a plan in place to create more excitement about the accessory floor, with new bright colours in the perfume department, bags and nightwear to attract a younger audience, Well not only a younger audience but also a wider more varied audience.”

Tom Murray, Perfume Sales Assistant

After seeing these results it is clear that members of staff are equally aware of the lack of attention the other floors in particular the third floor, and can realistically say that in-store technology such as a mobile app would comply with the current store atmosphere.

The main concern is maintaining the stores heritage and personality whilst including the updated elements to level up to competitors. Allowing a campaign where existing customers in addition to new customers are approached equally gives Fortnum & Mason a strong opportunity for substantial growth.

18.

Loyalty Scheme

20.

Loyalty Scheme ‘Treat Yourself to Luxury’ In order to allow customers to be rewarded and encourage to shop at Fortnum & Mason a loyalty scheme can be created, not only does it create a new interest for the store but also attracts a wider audience into Fortnum & Mason .In addition to giving a taste of luxury to customer a Loyalty card scheme brings Fortnum and Mason up to date with its’ competition. Both Liberty and Harrods have a successful Loyalty Scheme currently in place, which creates a disadvantage in comparison to Fortnums’ as it provides a personal customer experience and offers a reason to repetitively visit the store resulting in higher profits.

The idea of having a loyalty point scheme will enable new and current customers to engage with the brand whilst enjoying benefits to spend either in-store or online. For every pound spent, the Fortnum & Mason customer will be rewarded with one invaluable loyalty point which can then be translated into currency to spend throughout the brand. The Loyalty card would be an interactive way of introducing new customers to the brand whilst continuing to reach out to new customers simultaneously. The tagline of the loyalty scheme, “Treat yourself to luxury” gives the impression to the customer of exclusivity and a personal touch point between brand and consumer .The Loyalty card will be linked to the brand’s main aesthetics of Luxury British Heritage but with a modern twist to interest current and attract the attention of potential new consumer whilst upholding the brands ethos.

There will be exclusive benefits for loyalty card holders including exclusive events for Loyalty card holders such as personal birthday offers of vouchers and discounts each year. When registering for the loyalty card account the customer will input birthdate information which will correspond to the birthday gifts and promotional material. Information of exclusive new products will also be sent via this email to the customer, to create the illusion of being personally connected to Fortnum.

If the customer starts to accumulate a large amount of points they will receive a voucher in correspondence to this. They will be issued with a £5 voucher for every £150 spent, a £10 voucher for every £250 spent and finally a £25 voucher for every £500 spent on Fortnum & Mason products, the amount spent is connected to both in-store and online. The vouchers will be issued to the individual twice a year in February and September allowing the individual to build a substantial point balance, but still gives the impression of being a luxury treat.

The most frequent and high spending clients who spend over £5,000 within the 6 month period will be invited to participate in the VIP Loyalty card where they receive the same benefits as the original Loyalty card but also receive 5% of their spend back on to a gift card yearly, a free personalisation of an item when requested upon purchase and complimentary U.K. delivery. Creating a higher tier for the more esteemed Fortnum & Mason customer.

Customers will be asked to register their details at the till point upon a purchase which will enter their email address to the Fortnum & Mason Mailing list, this allows an additional link from customer to the brand.

The cards available in-store will be a temporary Loyalty card with their official personalised card being sent through the post, with the addition of an exclusive joining discount at point of purchase. In addition to the initial joining discount there will be offers exclusive to loyalty cards holders available such as double points for a limited time period, having these extra benefits creates additional interest within customers and keeps them coming back to the brand.

The amount of points can be measured through a monthly update sent through the post, or can be monitored on the new Fortnum & Mason In-store App. The Loyalty point scheme would be advertised at till points, on Fortnum & Mason’s website, Fortnum & Mason’s social medias and several touch points around the store. The overall aim of introducing this element to the store is to attract a larger footfall into store; additionally the use of the loyalty card can be used to promotional tool to increase competition between other luxury department stores.

21.

Fortnum & Mason Loyalty Cards

22.

Fortnum & Mason In-store Mobile App

24.

Fortnum & Mason In-store Mobile App Fortnum & Mason are infamous for their representation of Traditional British Luxury however there is a gap within the brand for the addition of technology to incorporate Fortnum & Mason into the digital era. After speaking to one hundred members of the general public outside of the Piccadilly store when asked ‘What would you change about Fortnum & Mason’ I received a wide range of varied responses. Some of the key responses included: “I would only add more interactive elements” “Yes, I would create something that is fun and allows customer interaction with Fortnum and mason” “I find everything is aimed towards the older customer which I find intimidating” “Traditional Luxury Brand” It is clear to see that there is a missing element of interaction between Fortnum & Mason and the Customer. In order for Fortnum & Mason to create a bridge between technology and the traditional values of the store an, interactive in-store mobile app would be a solution to this missing link.Having an App dedicated to Fortnum & Mason provides that personal interface between brand and customer whilst combining the convenience of having technology on the move.

A Mobile app is an effective marketing tool within a brand as it creates an accessible direct channel from brand to consumer with functions such as event updates and push notifications to constantly keep the user interested and with 82% of mobile media time spent on apps, it seems it’s a tool that can’t be ignored in order to become a successful brand. A mobile app is invaluable to a brand such as Fortnum & Mason as its simple to keep updated with new information and provides value to the customer personally.

Having an app with a traditional luxury brand such as Fortnum & Mason openly attracts a new generation of customers to interact with the store which was previously unknown to them before whilst keeping the devoted customers interested with brand new element the store can offer them, creating promoting a sense of exclusivity.

The Piccadilly store currently uses touch screen technology within its Tea department which displays information on the different varieties of Tea, the options for afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason and a broad range of products, this gives an insight into how the store has come to realise the growing importance of technology and how Fortnum & Mason could potentially cope with incorporation of technology throughout the store.

The Main functions of the app are to attract more customers into store in addition to competing with other luxury establishments such as Liberty, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. Liberty has recently collaborated with ‘Tapestry’ creating a mobile forum for their loyalty points and offers which are available in-store, notifying the user with push notifications. Its connected directly through Instagram which provides an exciting twist on loyalty points however, it is not exclusive to Liberty and many brands can become involved losing its individuality and doesn’t offer any other function apart from the tracking of loyalty points.

25.

On the other hand Harrods launched their mobile app in 2013 with the unique feature of being able to locate items in-store with an interactive store guide and updated newsfeed. This particular app has a strong focus on navigation but doesn’t allow any personalisation services towards the user, indicating that it has been created in the direction of tourists and first time visitors. Selfridges have declared their app is being released later this year, so having Fortnum & Mason involved within the mobile market would bring the brand up to where the modern competitors and their campaigns.

The App would feature updates from in-store with new products and developments, tracking of the amount of loyalty points gained, event information and more. This app will not only connect the current customer to exclusive content but will also attract a more technology interested consumer. The main focus of the app is to combine all floors of Fortnum & Mason easily and not just focus on the Food Hall. Out of the 100 people questioned only 54% were aware that Fortnum & Mason had other floors to explore and didn’t just consist of a Food Hall, which is shocking seeing that Fortnum & Mason is an iconic brand with such a vast British heritage. Having an app which displays information and products from all departments will hopefully alter this view.

The initial screen when opening the App shows the option to sign in; this sign in option will be the same as the email address which had been used to activate the loyalty account within store. The link to create a new account, will take the app user to their internet provider and directly to our website to sign up to enjoy all of Fortnum & Mason’s exclusive content. Once initially signed in, the mobile app will remain signed on for efficiency and customer ease. This email address connects the customer to the exclusive Fortnum & Mason Mailing list where updates of products and events can be sent directly to the customers email, adding another form of contact between customer and brand.

The App once successfully signed on show a feed of new products from store, exciting news and exclusive information from behind the scenes of Fortnum & Mason. This content will provide a personal connection to the customer as it will give the impression of luxury exclusivity and a deeper view in to private areas of the brand. The App will show a task bar at the bottom with the main features of the App displayed for simple navigation reaching out to all degrees of technical ability. “Loyalty Points”, “In-store Events”, “Product Search” and additional extras, are all displayed within the Fortnum & Mason colour aesthetic to allow App users a close association to the brand’s identity.

26.

Loyalty Points Feature This section of the mobile App allows the connection of the new Loyalty Card scheme and the mobile technology, this allows customer to check their Fortnum & Mason Points balance whilst on the move to check how many points have been gained.

It contains the same imagery used for the Fortnum & Mason logo and for the promotional Loyalty card leaflet to create brand consistency.

Every time the loyalty card is used the app will automatically update the amount of points on the screen and will show how far the customer is from receiving their voucher goals. There is the option to explore all areas of the App by using the tabs at the bottom of the screen and using directional arrow you can navigate back to the home screen.

Opening Screen

27.

Loyalty Points

In-Store Events Feature The In-store Events option allows customers to view which events are running and which department is involved within the event. This addition to the App creates a connection between shopping in-store and a association to the brands, designers and makers from Fortnum & Mason. This section would let the customer filter which department the event is involved with, the name of the event and the month the event is running, allowing a simple way of planning which events of interest to attend.

This creates a personal element to the In-store Events section as the customer can tailored the information to their specific interests, yet again this emphasises the proposal of connecting all of the floors in one place.

The events page will display the initial description of the featured event and gives the option of selecting more information if the event sparks interest to the customer, if the featured item does not interest the user they can simply swipe to the next featured event.

Home Screen

Events Page

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Product Search Feature This feature on the Fortnum & Mason App is unique to give customers the opportunity to explore the products that have been posted via Fortnum & Mason’s social media feeds, magazine articles and features within newspapers. Having the opportunity to explore items which have been featured throughout press allows a wider awareness and connection of Fortnum Products, for example if a commuter witnessed a Fortnum & Mason product featured in their free supplement they would be able to find it in-store. This function gives the Fortnum customer the ability to find particular items they have seen advertised and see their product description and store location.

The images are shown in a news feed format to scroll through with a drop down menu for more of a personalised product search. The customer can search between the date the product was promoted, what type of product was posted and which media the posted the product.

Once the desired item has been found the user can touch the product to open up a new screen which displays the product description, a store guide showing its exact location and clearly displays which floor you should visit to locate that item.

The idea of this segment is to connect the digital world and promotion with the in-store environment, ultimately attracting people to explore the layout of Fortnum & Mason in-store.

Floor Navigation Screen

Date Filter

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Item Filter

Media Filter

Additional Features The additional features for the Fortnum & Mason App include the option to view the store opening times, highlighting the current day to create an element of efficiency when checking the details of the store. In conjunction with this there is a link for the Fortnum & Mason website if the customer can’t find the item they were looking for, also this promotes the feature of ‘Fortnums’ Behind the Scenes’ through the App. The link will take the customer directly to Fortnum & Mason’s website through their browser on their mobile.

Opening Times

Website Link

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App Promotion A Promotional video for the app would be shown on Fortnum & Mason’s social medias and on the main site displaying the key functions of the mobile app, how to navigate to each section and the content that would be available. Having a video displaying and encouraging the download of the mobile app is an effective way of reaching a to a wide audience through a different medium. Fortnum & Mason’s YouTube channel ‘FortnumAndMasonTV’ is currently used for behind the scenes informational videos to provide a personal connection to the brand, however it only has a low number of uploads resulting in a small number of 909 subscribers.

Popularity within YouTube videos and Tutorials within brands is at an all time high, and releasing promotion material via this method creates a unique interaction between brand and individual. Fortnum & Mason should produce more video uploads to this page to ensure there is a constant talking point about the store. Having the promotional video features via this channel would provide an interactive interface for new and current customers to establish a connection with Fortnum & Mason and become familiar with the aspect of adopting new technology into such a traditional brand. This can be shown throughout the store to create constant promotion of the new app, ultimately reaching and attracting a wider audience into Fortnum & Mason.

The promotional app video contains fun and entertaining graphics which help to create a new personality for Fortnum & Mason which is accessible to all. Various brands including homewear, high street and luxury are using this technique of simple colours and exciting images to create an accessible platform of promotion.

A particular brand who is famous for their colour and print is House of Holland, who embrace all of their social medias and use short videos to promote new items, upcoming sales and much more. All of their videos contain bright geometric shapes and patterns which move simultaneously with a stop motion effect, which can be related to Fortnum & Mason as they also represent a luxury market but with a quirky twist.

An additional example of the medium of video being used in a promotional direction for a brand can be seen through Anya Hindmarch and their marketing campaigns.

Anya Hindmarch use their current products to create personality to inanimate objects with colourful graphics and intriguing video transitions. The videos created by Anya Hindmarch can be seen as a comparison to the Fortnum & Mason promotional app video as both use interactive video formats to engage a wider audience. The promotional app video only contains a small amount of imagery from the mobile app to create a sense of mystery and excitement surrounding the release of the Fortnum & Mason Mobile App, additionally having block colours and simple logos and graphics allows the functions of the mobile app to be displayed clearly.

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Using Fortnum & Mason’s iconic green accent throughout the video makes it easily recognisable in relation to the brand and connects the campaign to the aesthetics the store represents. The instrumental music playing throughout joins together the video transitions and produces a whimsical addition to this promotional marketing tool. This app demo video can initially be used to send to press to introduce them to the new mobile app and to start word of mouth of the app release. This video can also be used as a teaser on the Fortnum & Mason website, showing small extracts in intervals creating an excitement across the brand. There is an opportunity to display the information video instore at certain touch points further creating awareness of the new product. In order for the App to be deemed as successful it needs to be highly anticipated pre-release so that it doesn’t go completely unnoticed by new and current shoppers. Having this additional form of technology accompanying the app subtly introduces how Fortnum & Mason is adapting to the digital era and creates an opening for future digital ventures.

Title screen from the Fortnum & Mason Promotional Video

Example of the Promotional App Video on the Fortnum & Mason Youtube Channel.

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Accessory Focus

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Events and collaborations with external partners is something Fortnum & Mason has always been celebrated for. The Chelsea flower shows’ exclusive hospitality oasis has been hosted by Fortnum & Mason for several years allowing visitors of the Chelsea Flower show to indulge in a luxury space for large parties or individual client meetings. Fortnum & Mason has also recently been associated with The Grange Park Opera in Winchester, where guests visiting the event can experience a Fortnum & Mason Picnic whilst being exposed to the beauty of an outdoor Opera event.

Both examples of previous collaborations have a close connection to a royal occasion. Fortnum & Mason have recently created a partnership with Ascot with the chance to win a beautiful hamper. The competition is promoted through the Royal Ascot mailing list consisting of members of the public who have previously visited the races and gives the perfect opportunity for Fortnum & Mason to establish a reoccurring collaboration with the numerous events Ascot holds throughout the year including the Royal Ascot races in June. Both Fortnum & Mason and The Royal Ascot are prestigious brand with close connections to tradition and British heritage, which implies a perfect partnership between the two. We feel an article for Fortnum & Mason both in-store and online revealing style tips for a day at the races would create a large amount of excitement and would draw in the fashion conscious into the store. This would include accessory style advice, information of exclusive in-house millinery services Fortnum & Mason has to offer and The Royal Ascot guidelines for each individual enclosure. Having the service of style consultant associated with members of staff on the third floor produces the image of Fortnum & Mason being fashion conscious in todays’ market.

A new range of customers will be more obliged to visit Fortnum & Mason if a wider fashion appreciation is demonstrated. During this collaboration customers can freely ask members of staff about which accessories match which colours and certain styles of hats and fascinators to flatter different face shapes.

This shouldn’t be a service exclusive to the race season and should be widely recognised within the premise of Fortnum & Mason’s outstanding customer service and product knowledge, however as the Third Floor doesn’t currently receive the promotion as wide as the food hall members of the public are reluctant to ask for advice as Fortnum & Mason is seen as having food and tea products as a speciality.

Allowing this collaboration opens the opportunity to Fortnum & Mason of vast exposure at a luxury level, not only would the accessories floor receive a large scale promotion but such an association can filter through all floors within store including Menswear, Women’s Beauty and Fragrance and even the food hall with preparations for the race days. This can be demonstrated in-store by having graphics showing previous celebrities which have used Fortnum & Mason for their essential accessories and how they have been styled, for example a the duchess of Cambridge regularly uses Fortnum & Mason’s in house millinery services and display this connection would draw in more people to spend in-store.

Another way the store can promote such collaboration with The Royal Ascot is by showing displays both in store and within the shop windows of different accessories and beauty products combined together to allow customers to view a full outfit build giving inspiration for their future outfits. Having a more fashion forward approach allows consumers to realise that Fortnum & Mason is so much more than the royal grocers and has such an exciting array of products covering all departments.

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Example of Accessory Feature on the Fortnum & Mason Website

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In 1999 Fortnum & Mason launched their first selling website which focused solely on different types of hampers to purchase, and the brand has developed massively since this.

Fortnum & Mason has recently redesigned their website for a more of a sleek and user friendly interface, however the promotion of different departments still remains biased in favour of all food produce. Considering Fortnum & Mason is well know for the wide range of products from the food hall this does need to be displayed to a certain extent, however the other departments needs to receive equal appreciation.

Women’s accessories are currently listed under the drop down menu of Gifts and ‘For Her’ implying that they are items you wouldn’t normally buy for yourself, leaving a huge gap within the Fortnum & Mason customer who could be encouraged to indulge and treat themselves. The previous website before this redesign also displayed women’s accessories under the ‘Gift’ section. Fortnum & Mason should be encouraging the regularcustomer to visit Fortnum and Mason for all occasions, not just a gift for someone else.

Allowing women’s accessories more space on the home page will again entice the fashion minded consumer.

Events are a giant contributor of brand awareness and constructing interest especially when concerning a department store as the main appeal is the unique in-store atmosphere, however the new website design has replaced events with additional categories found in the food hall for example ‘Tea & Coffee’, ‘Food Hall’, ‘Wine & Spirits’. Previous events section has been moved to the end of the screen with contact us and FAQ’s, deeming its position less important within the overall brand.

Example of the new website menu including accessories

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Example of Fortnum & Mason’s Instagram with an Accessory Focus

Attention needs to be drawn to all of the elements that contribute to the store, the departments that are featured don’t show the full range of store products just a small sample online. In addition to this the home page frequently features products from the confectionary and food departments and lacks features of any other department, yet again not allowing a full representation of everything Fortnum & Mason has to offer the consumer.

The previous webpage showed information of in-store services and description of each floor, however the new website for Fortnum & Mason has been created with an ecommerce priority focusing on the sale. There needs to be more information about the floors in-store, as currently there is no indication Fortnum & Mason consists over multiple floors and having more visuals from the other departments featured on the homepage is a simple and effective way of achieving this.

The website doesn’t show all of the items on offer within the store, which does allow certain exclusivity to in-store products, however not being able to browse all products and brands does leave a missing connection between store and website. Having a brand drop down menu creates fluidity between all departments and allows visitors to connect with the products personally and with their favourite brands.

Fortnum & Mason’s social medias reflect the same information as shown on the main website, giving an overall image of Fortnum & Mason being Food Focused. Having a constant update of all departments displayed visually through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram is a simple platform to encourage the general public to explore all of the different products and brands stocked at Fortnum & Mason. Having a fun and accessible personality displayed through these medias gives the element that Fortnum & Mason is an appachable brand which is easy to connect to.

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Timeline

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Timeline

Send promotional video to press to encourage excitement about upcoming app release

August

Race day style page to be launched on the Fortnum & Mason website, featuring style tips and the opportunity to shop all products.

July

June

May

New website design feautring an events and an accessories tab. It will feature all departments on the home page and the ability to shop all products.

Start the App Building Process

Lauanch of new ‘Style Advice’ Graphics in-store to promote Staff helping customers with style and accessories on the Third Floor

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New Summer Window displays with even promotion over all floors.

Each window to have it’s own department

Loyalty Card launch party in the Picadilly store. Loyalty Card released to the public at the event.

All members of the mailing list both V.I.P and standard mailing list invited

Release promotional app Video to the public and press

First brand to be featured in ‘Designer of the Month’, where customers can meet the designer and be part of an exclusive event

December

November

October

September

Christmas Window Launch

Promotional Christmas discounts to be launched via the app Release Fortnum & Mason Mobile App, and all in-store graphics in correspondence to this

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Summary and Future Plans

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Summary and Future Plans In conclusion there are certain aspects that Fortnum & Mason needs to alter in order to gain dominance over competing luxury department stores such as Harvey Nichols and Harrods.Currently Fortnum & Mason attracts a traditional and loyal customer that has been with the brand for a numerous amounts of years, however when a sample of 100 was asked their favourite department store only a mere 2% voted Fortnum & Mason above the competition clearly showing that the store is failing in terms of attracting and exciting new customers. A cohesive marketing strategy needs to be implicated to reach out to the members of the general public that are unaware of Fortnum & Mason.

The addition of new elements such as an interactive loyalty points scheme creates rewards for loyal consistent shoppers and benefits to encourage new individuals to join the brand.

The Fortnum & Mason loyalty scheme will consist of a card which you can use and update both in-store and online. For every pound spend with Fortnum and Mason, the customer will be rewarded with one loyalty point. Having additional benefits such as vouchers complimenting the amount spent allows customers to feel shopping at Fortnum & Mason is a treat to them, in keeping with the brands’ ethos for luxury products and service.

Fortnum & Mason is well known for its dedication to its incredible food hall, and its heritage as being a supplier for the Royal Family for over 50 years however this concentration on the food hall leaves other products Fortnum & Mason has to offer neglected within store promotion.

With five floors of products ranging from exquisite luxury perfumes to quirky kitchen accessories, Fortnum & Mason has the grounds to stand against the competition, however the fashion promotion from other stores is what seems to be unavailable from Fortnum and Mason.

To combine all floors and encourage consumers to visit the store, an in-store mobile app for Fortnum & Mason is the perfect solution. The mobile app will not only create a strong cohesive brand identity linking all floors together but will also allow Fortnum & Mason to be seen in a more modern light. In such a digital heavy era the use of interactive technology is integral to any brand’s future.

The App will include the option to search and find any product from all departments, in addition to connecting the new loyalty card scheme with a points tracker. In-store events can also be tracked and filtered through to make sure the user doesn’t miss an event that appeals to them. Even though the current target market of Fortnum & Mason is the loyal customer that has been shopping at Fortnum & Mason for a long period of time, the introduction of innovative technology introduces a new range of consumers to the brand.

A promotion of more events both in-store and externally displays that Fortnum & Mason is more than your average department store by achieving a state of exclusivity and excitement. Fortnum & Mason are currently associated with a wide range of brands, professionals and external events, which promote the items from the food hall or their famous luxury hampers. However it remains a rarity that Fortnum & Mason is associated with events and competitions that involve other departments such as the accessory department. Having a Style focused event or brand connection would be a clean way of Fortnum & Mason engaging with a brand new audience, and creating a wide talking point about the brand.

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Fortnum & Mason Hair Accessories, Piccadilly Store, Lucy Wadey This Marketing proposal opens up various new pathways Fortnum & Mason can undertake to keep striving in today’s competitive environment. With the emphasise of in-store events Fortnum & Mason has the opportunity to create excitement over all floors , in particular the Third Floor. Recently Fortnum and Mason collaborated with Smythson allowing customers to have their item personalised upon purchased.

Reaching out to individuals in this manor opens a news channel of interaction between brand and consumer.

This can continue with monthly designer events focusing on a different designer each event to appeal to a wide range of interests. In addition to this, collaboration with events which showcase various departments of Fortnum & Mason and not just the food hall, will increase the popularity of the brand massively.

Events such as London Fashion week and fashion exhibitions would be an ideal partnership for a brand such a Fortnum & Mason as the audiences they attract are so vast and are all thoroughly documented via blogs and social medias, again attracting a new type of customer to Fortnum & Mason.

The Displays throughout the windows and in-store can be linked to the proposal of joining all floors. Having certain windows negotiated to specific departments would be an inventive way of portraying a cohesive image to the general public. In addition to this the in-store displays can be altered to showcase the products and brands in a more modern environment.Changing the current displays to displays which are creative, inventive and full of colour and excitement will keep all products current and will entice both new and old customers to explore all departments. The store displays can create a completely different atmosphere within store and updating the store image can provide a modern feel to the traditional brand.

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List of Illustrations The Luxury Tea Hamper, Fortnum & Mason, https://www.fortnumandmason.com/products/the-luxury-teahamper?taxon_id=755 Fortnum & Mason Brand Logo, https://www.fortnumandmason.com/information/our-history Fortnum & Mason Picadilly Store Front, https//www.fortnumandmason.com Fortnum & Mason Logo, Mobile App Logo, https://www.facebook.com/fortnums FortnumAndMasonTV, Fortnum & Mason Youtube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/FortnumAndMasonTV The Royal Ascot Logo, Accessories Page, https://www.ascot.co.uk/royal-ascot-2015-new Accessories Page, background image, https//www.fortnumandmason.com Accessories Page, Race horse Imagery, https://www.ascot.co.uk/royal-ascot-2015-new Fortnum & Mason Instgram Page, https://instagram.com/fortnumandmason/?hl=en Fortnum & Mason Tea Image, https://www.fortnumandmason.com/t/categories/gifts

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For Further Information Lucywadey.com Lucy Wadey