WEAR THE WALK BRAND COLLAB: Strategic document - Brand Extension Proposal by Sarah Young - Fashion Communication

The

E xpr ess YO UR O N E -WAY TICK E T TO A N E N DL E S S , E V E RY DAY A N D ET H I C A L WA R D R O B E .

STRATEGIC DOCUMENT

#itstimetowearthewalk

pack ag e

Fast fashion and our shopping habits are rapidly destroying our planet and have catastrophic results for human life, too. Knowing the devastating effects of our actions, how can we casually consume at such a relentless rate, when there are more socially responsible alternatives??â&#x20AC;?

Business insight and analysis 03 Wear the Walk 04 Internal Analysis 07 External Analysis

CHALLENGE AND SOLUTION 11 The Challenge 13 Proposed Solution

concept logistics 17 How It Works 19 Subscription Logistics

SUPPORTING RESEARCH 23 Primary Research 27 Secondary Research

TARGET AUDIENCE 39 Current vs. Desired Audience 40 What We Know About This Audience 43 Why Will the “Express” Package Appeal to Them? 45 Subscriber Personas 47 Changing the Mindset of Consumers

CONTENTS 49

Situation analysis 50-51 SWOT Analysis

119 The GFW Competition

52-55 PEST Analysis

123 Media Plan

57 7 Pâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 64 - 65 PESO Analysis

133

67 Competitor Analysis 77 Market Position 79 Originality

135 Brixton Studio

143

85 Environmental Objectives

149 Market Retention

151

86 PR Objectives

155

MARKET ACQUISITION

95 The Campaign 101 Press Launch Event 113 Ambassadors

Budget 156 - 157

159

PROMOTIONAL TACTICS

TIMELINE 152 - 153

91 Strategy

post launch 145 Measuring Campaign Success

objectives 84 Business Objectives

NEW SPACE

Future trajectories 161 A Closed-Loop Vision for an Open-Minded Future

BUSINESS INSIGHT and analysis

SS18

Business ANALYSIS

WEAR THE WALK Executive summary Wear the Walk, founded by 26-year-old entrepreneur Zoe Partridge, is a woman’s fashion subscription platform operating both offline, at their studio in London, and online. This company prioritizes sustainable design and works primarily with ethically sourced brands and designers. Wear the Walk work closely with the next generation of young designers, who care about how their clothes are made, and help them become established within the fashion industry. They offer a range of monthly subscription packages to suit any lifestyle or occasion, starting from £30 - £120. Items available on rent range from smart jackets and office wear, to special occasion dresses and handbags. 47% of Wear the Walk’s key target audience fall within the 26 - 30 age range (WTW Business Plan 2018, page 3). These young professionals are based within central London, have a high level of disposable income so are therefore more than able to afford such a service. This transformative business model has proved popular in London; however, it is yet to take off within the UK. Despite this, it has been proven that fashion subscription services can offer huge environmental gains in the long run. Fashion subscription services like Wear the Walk encourage a much more sustainable way of consuming fashion, pushing the ‘Experience Economy’ over the need for ‘Ownership’.

“AT OUR CORE, WE RUN OUR BUSINESS THE WAY WE DO BECAUSE WE WANT TO ENABLE WOMEN TO FEEL EMPOWERED BY WHAT WE WEAR, NOT JUST ONCE A MONTH OR WHEN THEY HAVE A SPECIAL OCCASION, BUT ALL THE TIME” FOUNDER & CEO, ZOE PARTRIDGE

(LEFT) FIG. 1

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Business insight and analysis

Internal analysis. In a world growing increasingly infatuated with speed and newness, and a rapacious clothing industry encouraging the act of mindless clothing consumption – Wear the Walk pride themselves by marketing their service very differently. Wear the Walk want to change the way women consume, by encouraging them to adopt a clothing subscription service. Think of it as the Netflix or Spotify of your wardrobe. A SWOT analysis has been conducted to evaluate Wear the Walk’s current business model, to look at the internal strengths and weaknesses of their current business operations and that of the proposed business extension, the “Express” subscription package. It also looks at opportunities and threats facing this proposed business extension. Please refer to chapter six for further information on this analysis. As mass clothing consumption within the UK continues to disrupt and pollute our depleting environment, many are looking for a more sustainable way to consume fashion. Wear the Walk offers consumers a simple, cost effective way to borrow rather than buy. This benefits the consumer by granting them a rotative and endless wardrobe where they can experiment with their style without buyer’s remorse. It alleviates pressure on the environment as it reduces consumers need to purchase fast, disposable fashion, which slows down the rate at which garments are being sent to landfill sites. The affordability of the proposed “Express” subscription package will provide a younger audience with a chance to enjoy fashion subscription, a service typically only viable for those with high levels of disposable income. Exciting developments in technology boast promising opportunities for Wear the Walk as it expands in the coming years. Companies have started piloting new models of same-day delivery, including logistics providers such as DHL, FedEx, and UPS. What this means for Wear the Walk is that instead of customers who shop via the website having to wait one working day for their items of clothing, they can receive them on the same day, making this subscription service and the idea of ‘rotating’ an item a lot more instant and further enabling expansion into other UK cities. Currently, WTW face little direct competition as the concept of fashion subscription for the ‘everyday’ is yet to take off within the UK. See Wear the Walk’s ‘Market Positioning’ on page. Since their establishment at the beginning of 2017, Wear the Walk are rapidly gaining momentum within the UK’s fashion landscape, and have since collaborated with credible industry leaders such as London Fashion Week and Fashion Revolution. 4

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(RIGHT) FIG. 2

SS18

Business insight and analysis

SS18

Business insight and analysis

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Business insight and analysis

External analysis. Within the UK, the economic downturn has encouraged many young adults to invest their money in fast, disposable fashion as it allows them to enjoy the latest trends at a fraction of the price of luxury or designer fashion retailers. This generation of consumers have a growing desire for ‘newness’ – which fast fashion helps them satisfy without the impending financial burden. Fast Fashion has made it possible for consumers to experience the neurotransmitter “dopamine” high more frequently than ever before. With the small prices of disposable fast fashion garments, the pleasure of purchase easily outweighs the pain of payment. Changing the mindset of consumers will be one of the biggest hurdles that subscription-based rental model will have to face. Millennials appear to be much more open minded when it comes to the idea of wearing clothes that have been worn before, as they have grown up amongst the sharing economy and increasingly value access over ownership. Alice Goody, retail analyst for Mintel states, “Young consumers are driving this shift in attitudes,”. They are much more environmentally and socially conscious than previous generations, therefore an ideal market to target with this new business model. The amount of clothing being sent to landfill has fallen by 14% from 350,000 tonnes in 2012 to 300,000 in 2016*. However, despite these promising figures, one-quarter is still binned rather than recycled, increasing the need for the UK to find new markets for used clothing and much more sustainable approaches to consuming fashion. The rise of ‘resale’ success stories such as Depop, the eBay-Instagram hybrid used by over 6 million people, are helping to banish the stereotype of second-hand clothing leading the charge into a new generation of retail. This has allowed the once negative reputation of wearing second-hand clothing to shift dramatically. Young people are utilizing the accessible prices of second hand clothing to stay on trend for the fraction of retail prices, while being praised by their peers for their fashion sense. The reselling business can be considered a “green” industry because of its potential to minimize the amount of fashion waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Such news gives confidence in the development of Wear the Walk, and the fashion subscription business model.

(LEFT) FIG. 3

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

CHALLENGE AND SOLUTION

SS18

CHALLENGE AND SOLUTION

THE The scalability of this business model, and potential environmental gains, is vast. However, for a large majority of consumers within the UK - such a service is not attainable. One of the key reasons for this comes down to affordability, and the common perception that fashion subscription is exclusively for special occasions. Only 10% of Wear the Walk customers are aged 20 - 25 (WTW Business Plan 2018, page 3). In two years’ time, this generation (Y & Z) will represent the highest spending consumer generation worldwide, therefore altering this business model so that it will appeal to consumers of this age range could prove to be a strategic move in the long run. This generation are a lot more environmentally aware than previous generations, and generally prefer access over ownership due to growing up amidst the Experience Economy. These traits make them the ideal consumers for fashion subscription services, however they cannot afford such a service, due to not having a high enough level of disposable income, therefore they typically get drawn in to the high street’s cheap, disposable fashion and range of designs as a result. The main challenge this business model faces lies in not only being unable to offer this generation a platform where they can afford to engage with fashion subscription services, but rectifying it as a more everyday and instant service, rather than a service for special occasions.

(LEFT) FIG. 4

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

there is a growing awareness of the urgent need to get away from the throwaway societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and move towards a more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;circular economy. Prince Charles

SS18

CHALLENGE AND SOLUTION

PROPOSED A Business Extension. An “Ethical, Ultra-Fast Fashion Campaign” targeted at 20 - 25 year olds, will launch a

new, monthly subscription package with British fashion subscription service, “Wear the Walk”, based in Hackney, London. This business extension will be primarily aimed at this generation of socially conscious consumers within the London catchment area.

The

E x p r e ss

pac k age

As fast fashion outlets continue to produce cheap, throw-away fashion, consumers need for immediacy and desire for ‘newness’ continues to grow. There is an urgent need to slow down these clothing supply chains and reduce the lead time of garments to extend their technical life span and ease pressure upon UK landfills and the environment.

This proposed subscription package will have environmental objectives at the heart of its ethos, will allow consumers to become more socialised into renting for the everyday, by

offering them a hassle-free subscription platform and service that is affordable, instant and above all, sustainable.

The new package will be more affordable than the current subscription packages that Wear the Walk currently offer and will be priced at £30 per month. It will offer subscribers

4 - 5 items of clothing on rotation each month, with free returns and dry cleaning included.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

Concept logistics

the

Express package

the

Express package

•

The perfect solution for the

•

fahion-cravers, that want an ever-changing, rotative 4 items on rotation per month.

•

Free shipping, dry cleaning and insurance.

•

Cancel anytime with 30 day notice.

•

to dip their toe in renting. •

wardrobe. •

Ideal for event-goers, who want Choose 2 items and swap

lovers. •

monthly. •

Free dry-cleaning, insurance, Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.

6 items for the month, taken anytime.

•

and shipping. •

The ideal package for label

Free dry-cleaning, insurance and shipping.

•

Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.

•

For the disrupters, innovators and explorers.

•

An unlimited amount of items, swap whever you want.

•

The perfect solution for the

•

Hold onto items for up to 2 months.

•

the insurance, and Free dry-cleaning,

fahion-cravers, that want

•

package Cancel anytime.

an ever-changing, rotative

•

Free monthly styling consultations.

E xpress shipping.

•

to dip their toe in renting. •

wardrobe. 4 items on rotation per month.

•

Free shipping, dry cleaning and

•

The perfect solution for the

•

fahion-cravers, that want an ever-changing, rotative

•

4 items on rotation per month.

•

Cancel anytime with 30 day notice.

•

Free dry-cleaning, insurance,

•

Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.

6 items for the month, taken anytime.

•

and shipping. •

The ideal package for label lovers.

monthly.

Free shipping, dry cleaning and insurance.

Choose 2 items and swap

Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.

to dip their toe in renting.

wardrobe. •

•

Cancel anytime with 30 day

Ideal for event-goers, who want

Free dry-cleaning, insurance, and shipping.

insurance. notice.

Choose 2 items and swap monthly.

•

Ideal for event-goers, who want

Free dry-cleaning, insurance and shipping.

•

Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.

•

For the disrupters, innovators an explorers.

•

An unlimited amount of items, s whever you want.

•

Hold onto items for up to 2 mon

•

Free dry-cleaning, insurance, an shipping.

•

Cancel anytime.

•

Free monthly styling consultatio

SS18

Concept-Logistics

How it works It is essential that there is clear instructions on how the “Express” subscription package works and the ease of swapping at every touch-point.

Subscribers can browse and select from over

Items can be kept for up to one month.

Once you’re done with items or fancy

700 designer pieces. Either order via the site,

So wear, love and enjoy!

a change, just pop on the free returns

or visit one of the Wear the Walk studios.

label included in your package and send them back to WTW. They will send you new items the next working day.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Concept-Logistics

Subscription logistics Order and Delivery Standards Returning Dry Cleaning Damage And insurance

Subscribers simply pop on a free return label and come in to the studio within opening hours to exchange. Alternatively, they can pop on a free return label and email WTW with their new choices, they will be send within 24hrs via delivery. Items are delivered either within 24 hours or on the date specified by client. Orders before 1pm in central London will be delivered on the same day. It is free to return clothes. Subscribers simply pop on a free return label, or drop-in to a Wear the Walk studio. With delivery of the Product, WTW will provide you with a pre-paid, pre-addressed WTW mailing envelope as well as instructions for your use in returning the Products to WTW (“Return Packaging”).

Free dry cleaning is offered in every subscription package for subscribers. The Products will be professionally cleaned and delivered ready to wear. WTW dry cleans and inspects each Product with the utmost care, so Products are as good as new. You are responsible for loss, destruction or damage to the Products due to theft, loss, fire, major stains or any other cause, other than normal wear and tear. Normal wear and tear includes minor stains, rips, missing beads, stuck zippers or other minor damage covered by the insurance you paid for with your rental of the applicable Product. If you return a Product that is damaged beyond normal wear and tear, then you agree that WTW shall charge you, and you shall pay, for the price for repairing or replacing the Product There must always enough choice of styles and items, so there is always something that subscribers would like

Choice

to subscribe. If a customer requests something that is on loan, they are notified as soon as it comes back in stock, or they are suggested a similar alternative.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Vivienne Westwood

SS18

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

PRIMARY RESEARCH CLOTHING CONSUMPTION SURVEY.

Results from an anonymous online survey carried out by fifty-five 21-32 year olds, both male and female demonstrated that two key features the audience find most important if they were to subscribe to a clothing brand, were affordable rental prices and on-trend items. As much as 40% go shopping for clothes more than once a week, each item purchased costing £50 on average, for occasions such as nights out or going out for dinner. According to more than half of this audience, these occasions occur weekly, therefore it is evident that millennials are willing to spend a lot of time and money on shopping and purchasing clothes. They may find that signing up to a subscription service, like the proposed “Express” package, would be much more cost-effective.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

INTERVIEW WITH MYF RYAN CHEIF MARKETING OFFICER, wESTFIELD, UK AND EUROPE. In an interview with Myf Ryan, Chief Marketing Officer at Westfield Group UK and Europe, when asked the question, “With fashion trends turning over on a weekly basis due to the rapid rates of fast fashion, and the high-street almost encouraging the careless consumption of disposable fashion items, do you feel as though there is an urgent need for consumers to readdress the way that they shop?” Ryan states, We are starting to see consumers, especially consumers who fall within the younger age bracket, gradually changing the ways in which they shop. This generation of consumers are more aware of industry practices and more proactive about how, and where, they shop. Myf Ryan has identified the changing needs of this younger generation of consumers, who are much more environmentally and socially conscious than previous generations. They are asking questions about where their clothes are coming from, how their clothes are made, who made them and ultimately finding out how ethical brands really are. This stresses the importance in brands becoming increasingly transparent about how and where their clothes are made.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

Doubling the useful life of clothing from One year to two years reduces emissions Over the year by

24 Percent. Fashion revolution

Extending the life of clothing by a further nine months would reduce carbon, waste and water footprints by around

20 - 30

Percent Each. Fashion revolution

SS18

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

SECONDARY RESEARCH ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.

The fast fashion supply chain model dramatically increases clothing turnover and leads to greater end-of-life clothing waste (DEFRA, 2006). We are now witnessing the emergence of an even faster model, ‘Ultra-Fast Fashion’ with the arrival of a new generation of young fashion retailers such as Missguided and Boohoo.com who are said to have the leanest and shortest supply chains. These retailers feature new items every one to two weeks with a lead time as short as one week. This rapid turnover rate is tapping directly into consumers growing demand for immediacy, and adding to the environmental damage that the UK’s clothing industry is causing.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

The Figures.

75% of clothing within the UK is disposed of before the end of their technical service life. - 2017 WRAP Report, “The Cost of UK Fashion”. The carbon footprint of clothing in use in the UK has risen to 26.2 million tonnes in 2016, up from 24 million tonnes in 2012. - 2017 WRAP Report, “The Cost of UK Fashion”. In 2016, it is estimated that 1,130,000 tonnes of clothing were purchased in the UK, an increase of 20,000 tonnes since 2012. - 2017 WRAP Report, “The Cost of UK Fashion”. It is estimated there is over £30 billion of clothing sitting in wardrobes across the UK that hasn’t been used for over 12 months.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(ABOVE) FIG. 5

We take and we take but we do not give back, Leading our world down a devastating track, We watch as our natural resources deplete, While we shop till we drop for things we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need, Putting pressure on supply chains and making them sweat, While we cuddle up on the sofa SURFING the net, Demanding more and more and wanting it faster, We are driving our world into a mass consumption disaster. ROSANNA HOPKINS

SS18

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

SOCIAL IMPACTS. This increased demand for fast, disposable fashion from MEDC (More Economically Developed Countries) is putting increased pressure on supply chains in LEDC’s, where many sweat shops are located. Consumers want more, and they want it faster.

The harsh reality is that garment workers in LEDC countries are paying for these masses of cheap, disposable clothing. Initially, the promise of “Globalisation” was set to be a winwin. Consumers in MEDC countries would have access to cheaper goods, and people in

LEDC countries would get jobs. Those jobs would give them the opportunity to work

their way out of poverty. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. The reality is that underage and underpaid garment workers are being forced to work unethical hours in extremely dangerous factories, in order to supply our high-street brands with enormous, unsustainable amounts of throw-away fashion. Many have been wondering how such an enormous, rapacious industry, that generates so much profit, is unable to support its millions of workers. While there’s something to be said for the mass job creation that this industry can bring to these LEDC countries, it cannot keep coming at this cost.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

RANA PLAZA DISASTER. With the rise of ultra-fast fashion, clothing moves from the runway to retail stores at record speeds. For consumers this means new clothing and design choices every week. On a manufacturing level, this means that garment workers are incentivized to produce disposable clothing as quickly as possible, while keeping costs at record lows. The Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013 is one of the worst social impacts that fast fashion has had upon the developing world, to date. 1,134 garment workers died when their factory building, located in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed (Labowitz, 2017). Many global fast-fashion brands from Zara to Benetton use factories like Rana Plaza for inexpensive labor. They expect their merchandise to be produced quickly and cheaply, often to the detriment of vulnerable employees. Companies like this fail to adhere to corporate social responsibility, operating their businesses in a manor that does not correspond with the most basic moral, social, and environmental policies. Action needs to be taken, however withdrawing business from these countries is not the answer. The clothing industry has become an integral part of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy. It accounts for 80% of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total exports and employs nearly 4 million people (Wheeler, 2017). This calls for an urgent need for supply chain transparency, and for consumers to adopt a much more conscious consumption.

FAST FASHION ISNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T FREE. SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE IS PAYING. LUCY SIEGLE

(LEFT) FIG. 6

SS18

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

The problem.

The solution.

The rise of ultra-fast fashion.

Encourage more sustainable clothing consumption within the UK.

Overconsumption of disposable, ultra-fast fashion items - leading to the

Increase material utilisation & exploit full use potential of clothing.

technical service life of garments being dramatically shortened.

Introduce an affordable fashion subscription package targeted at gen Y

An industry encouraging the act of mindless purchasing on the high street,

and Z, with British fashion subscription service, Wear the Walk.

and online. Fashion rental within the UK is limited to special occasions, and generally expensive.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(ABOVE) FIG. 7

TARGET AUDIENCE

SS18

Target audience

Current audience.

DESIRED audience.

Wear the Walk provides designers and brands access and exposure to

The desired target audience for this campaign and fashion subscription

potential customers.

package is 20 - 25 year-olds, possibly students, who are socially conscious and wish to experiment with their style and enjoy a rotative wardrobe,

These customers being woman aged 26-50 years old.

without the buyers remorse.

They are London based in mid-level to senior position.

If we can begin socialising this generation with the notion of fashion subscription now, there is more chance it will become a regular and

Hence they either currently have disposable income or will do in a few years.

everyday service within the fashion landscape in years to come. Thus, helping to reduce the amount of waste caused by over-consuming cheap,

Wear the Walk generally target a broad female audience, who wish to

disposable, fast fashion.

experiment with their style, and feel empowered by what they wear - not just once a month or when they have a special occasion, but all the time.

This campaign will help to promote brand visibility amongst a younger generation of consumers.

Currently, 47% of WTW customers are aged 26 – 30, whilst only 10% of customers are aged 20 – 25 (Wear the Walk Business Plan, 2018).

The reason for such a strong focus on this younger, socially conscious generation is that they typically do not have as high a level of disposable income as Wear the Walk’s current target audience, to spend on such a service, but wish to make a positive change to the UK’s clothing industry and the environment.

(LEFT) FIG. 8

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Target audience

What we know about this audience. This generation are savvy with how they spend their money, due to having parents live through a recession. Heavily influenced and persuaded by discount and voucher codes - a popular tactic used by ultra-fast fashion retailers such as ‘Pretty Little Thing’ and Missguided’. Also known as ‘Generation Rent’, having grown up amongst the hight of the sharing economy and collaborative consumption, with the likes of UBER, AirBnB and Spotify at their disposal, therefore they have become familiarise with this business model. They value access and experiences, over ownership. Not immune to the allure of discounted items. This is made apparent through the increase in popularity of vintage, second hand clothing, and the thrift-shopping oasis app, ‘DEPOP’. This is a positive sign for the future of fashion subscription services.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(ABOVE) FIG. 9

SS18

Target audience

WHY WILL THE EXPRESS PACKAGE APPEAL TO THEM

This package will satisfy the clothing consumption habits of younger millennials aged 20 -25, as it allows them to consume fashion as often as they like, satisfying their constant cravings for newness and desire for choice, without generating excessive clothing waste caused by ultra-fast fashion outlets, and prolonging the practical service life of garments. This costeffectiveness of this subscription package will boast appeal to this economically-minded generation, as they are generally on a budget. The ‘Express’ package is much more every day and instant in comparison to other fashion rental business models, which is a vital aspect of this business models, as growing up amongst the digital age and the sharing economy, young millennials have grown accustomed to the ability to access almost anything instantly. As a socially conscious generation, young millennials value transparent brands and organisations who prioritise Corporate Social Responsibility, like Wear the Walk.

(LEFT) FIG. 10

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Ra VE ME E

CH E A R

M EE

ME E

Target audience

A NU

FIG .1 3

FIG .1

FI G

Rachel is 20. She goes by her nickname and

Vera is 23. She is in her second year at CSM Collage

experiment with her style.

three other university students in a flat, in Clapham.

Instagram handle, ‘Milkie’, and is not afraid to

She rents a small room within a flat in Hackney. Rachel models full-time with her agency Nevs, and is found travelling a lot with her career.

Japan, New York , Amsterdam - you name it,

studying Arts and Cultural Enterprise. She lives with

Vera and her friends have a wide social circle, and they enjoy going out for drinks to trendy beer gardens in Brixton most weekends.

with her boyfriend.

She is the PR and Marketing Director for a leading menswear brand in London.

Working in a busy office each day, constantly running in and out of meetings, she finds there

Vera is aware of the dangers of fast fashion; however,

is a lot of pressure to look smart and stylish. She

With very little wardrobe space, and constantly

from her part time job, and small student loan, there

both high-quality and fashionable.

love a service where she could simply rent key

chains, that beats the on-trend pieces and affordable

Nuala would love a cost-effective service that

she’s modelled there.

she feels as though, with her low disposable income

travelling back and fourth from home, she would

is no reasonable alternative to these ultra-fast fashion

pieces of her wardrobe for when she is back in

price tags.

London - at a reasonable price.

Vera wants to help make a positive difference to the

UK’s fashion landscape. She wants to be on trend, and experiment with her style, but would be swayed

by an straightforward, affordable subscription service that offers choice. 44

Nuala is 25 and lives in a small flat in Fulham,

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

struggles to find affordable office wear that is

could provide her with practical, on-trend

office wear throughout the working week, that can take her from client meetings on Monday morning, to happy hour on Friday evening.

SS18

Target audience

SUBSCRIBER Personas Subscriber personas allow Wear the Walk to establish effective touch points and inform marketing decisions such as the type of content that is created, and the channel by which it is delivered, all with a distinct qualitative, not just quantitative, understanding of their target audience. The following personas are examples of the type of target audience this new business extension and campaign are targeting. These subscriber persona assumptions are also loosely based on Wear the Walk’s existing customer base’s activity. However with a slightly different product offering, aspects such as their age, needs and profession vary slightly. These customers are heavily into fashion, shopping and image. They crave newness, shop by trends and style - but are frustrated with traditional high street shopping and spending huge amounts of money on clothing that doesn’t last, or that they only get a few wears out of. They want a mix of high end event ware to cater for their social life, as well as cool basics to wear everyday.

Core and explore customers. Core customers will be acquired organically through current customer base. Explore customers will be acquired by said tactics and strategy (see page 93).

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(ABOVE) FIG. 14

SS18

Target audience

Changing the mindset Of consumers Conscious Consumption. Conscious consumption is buying what you need, when you need it, rather than shopping aligned to the traditional shopping seasons or the weekly ultra-fast fashion trends. We don’t need to boycott new clothes altogether, but we can adopt more mindful and environmentally sensitive shopping habits. Wear the Walk aim to introduce consumers to the notion of “Borrow, Don’t Buy”. Consumers need to start thinking about how they consume. This proposed “Express” subscription package suggests that instead of buying a new piece of fast fashion every month, why not subscribe to a service that not only offers you up to 4 new pieces every month and allows you to have a revolving wardrobe, but Both cost-effective and sustainable. When it comes down to our shopping habits and the clothes we choose to wear - our actions have potential to change everything. To change the system, we must change the culture that it thrives on. It all begins with us, the consumer. Only when we implement individual actions on a collective scale, we will start to see change.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

Situation ANALYSIS

SS18

ANALYSIS - SWOT

strengths.

Weaknesses.

This business extension will offer the only fashion subscription service of its kind within the UK - boasting rigour and originality.

to a wider audience in general, will add to the operational challenges and company costs.

Strong environmental objectives at the forefront of the business ethos and campaign.

The ‘stigma’ attached to renting fashion and wearing clothes that have

Offering this new target audience a chance to enjoy a rotative and endless

‘everyday’ service.

been worn before, hinder this business extension from taking off as an

wardrobe, guilt free. Thus, satisfying consumers cravings for ‘newness’ and desire to be on trend and less need for these consumers to buy cheap,

4-5 items on rotation each month will lead to huge stock turnover, leaving

disposable ultra-fast fashion items.

customers with nothing they would like to rent.

The flexibility and quantity of this new subscription package provides

Increased pressure to ensure a constant stream of new styles available at

incredible value for money and ability to ‘Opt Out’ of the subscription at any time, with no cancellation fees.

companies championing the rise of collaborative consumption and the experience economy.

all times, for subscribers. Fashion rental businesses have been able to sell women on the logic

Timing of Wear the Walk launching at the same time as many other

Broadening the target audience, and making the service more attainable

and cost-effectiveness of renting a gown that they will wear only once or twice. But it may prove harder to sell that same message about everyday garments.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - SWOT

Opportunities.

THREATS.

Expanding into other UK based cities.

Threat of new entrants to the market.

A partnership with Graduate Fashion Week, where new, ethical designers

Key competitors such as ‘Girl Meets Dress’ or ‘Far Fetch’, introducing a

can be scouted for WTW. This partnership would also act as a direct

similar business model.

channel to reach the key target audience for this new business extension. Market Diversification - targeting a new, younger audience with a faster, more instant subscription package. This new target audience represent the highest spending consumer generation worldwide, therefore altering this business model so that it will appeal to consumers of this age range presents a potentially strategic and financially rewarding move in the long run. Sustainable fashion captures less than 1% of the market according to the last comprehensive survey on the topic – back in 2009 by Mintel. An updated figure is released next year, but you can be sure it will still be low. This means there is huge scope for sustainable fashion business, like Wear the Walk, to capture a much larger portion of the market.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - PEST

POLITICAL. The Creative Industries Federation (CIF), a London-based organisation that represents trades including fashion in the United Kingdom, has produced its first ever global talent report, outlining the potentially detrimental effects Brexit and restricting free movement between UK and Europe will have on the country's fashion industry. John Kampfner, chief executive of the CIF, states “The end of freedom of movement poses a huge risk. Losing access to crucial international talent will damage our ability to produce the [work] that defines Britain around the world.”

RESTRICTING FREE MOVEMENT WILL PREVENT ACCESS TO TOP-TEIR TALENT, AND THIS MAY CREATE BARRIERS BETWEEN WEAR THE WALK, AND IT’S EXPANSION INTO EUROPE IN THE FUTURE As Wear the Walk set to scale up it’s business model in the coming years, and for the new ‘Express’ subscription package, more brands and designers will need to be acquired to offer a growing customer base more option and to relive pressure on current inventory. With Brexit set to be implemented by 2020, this will cause certain implications in regards to acquiring brands which are based outside of the UK. Restricting free movement will prevent access to top-tier talent, and this may create barriers between WTW and it’s expansion into Europe in the future. One of the main knock-on effects of Brexit is that the pound is set to decrease in value. This also means that the price of apparel, accessories and footwear is likely to increase. A weaker pound means that fashion brands will have to spend more money to produce the same amount of clothing. In order to recuperate those costs, businesses will be forced to charge more for the final product. This could stagger the rate as which the high-street’s fast fashion brands pump out cheap disposable fashion, potentially increasing the appeal of a more cost-effective service like fashion subscription. 52

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - pest

ECONOMICAL. Economies of Scale - Subscription based businesses enjoy various economical advantages over other retail models. Subscription

businesses operate with a ‘recurring revenue model’, which requires consumers to pay a regular fee. Once a customer commits, they are a guaranteed source of income for at least a month, and usually longer. At Wear the Walk, subscribers currently stay

for a minimum of 3 months (Wear the Walk Business Plan, 2018). Because of this, the company can predict its revenue stream, allowing management to plan and invest accordingly. As a result, subscription services such as WTW can invest heavily in growth and are often quick to gain momentum.

However, with Brexit set to be implemented by 2020, businesses like Wear the Walk may experience the worst of an immediate hit on their overall costs and margins, finding it more costly to run the business. As a result, Wear the Walk may find it difficult to grow or expand into new markets. Thankfully, growth in global consumer spending power is set to accelerate in 2018. This is a potentially major advantage to services like Wear the Walk, who’s offerings would usually be seen as a luxury, however with the introduction of a lower priced, more cost-effective, subscription package, paired with stronger purchasing power, consumers may begin to see this an everyday service. The target audience for this campaign and business extension is young millennials, aged 20 - 25. Consumers in this generation are approaching their peak spending years, and millennials as a whole currently represent the largest spending consumer generation worldwide. Therefore this is a particularly lucrative market to target. Tapping into this market should prove to be very rewarding for Wear the Walk in the long run.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - PEST

SOCIO-CULTURAL. As a socially conscious generation, young millennials value transparent brands and organisations who prioritise Corporate Social Responsibility, like Wear the Walk. According to Omnicom Group’s ‘Cone Communications’, 70% of millennials will spend more on brands supporting causes they care about, and 60% are more likely to engage with brands that discuss social causes. As millennials currently represent the world’s highest spending consumer generation and, brands are striving to capture millennial interest through corporate social responsibility. UK Government department, DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) have launched a “Sustainable Clothing Action Plan” (SCAP). The plan is spearheaded by the “Waste & Resources Action Program”. WRAP is revolutionising the clothing industry, using collective action to minimise the environmental impact of our clothes. This industry-led action plan delivers positive environmental and economic outcomes to organisations, by helping to reduce waste through the SCAP 2020 Commitment. This is a prime example of the Government and industry working together in order to combat “throw-away” fashion.

(ABOVE) FIG. 15

(ABOVE) FIG. 16

(ABOVE) FIG. 17

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - PEST

TECHNOLOGICAL. Wear the Walk uses advanced digital technology throughout it’s supply chain to handle the complex operations of an e-commerce business that expects 100% of its inventory to be returned. In the coming years, as they begin to scale it’s business model to cater for a much wider audience, the complexity of such a service will increase, and WTW will perhaps need to acquire more advanced technology to support higher demand. Technological advances overseas are helping to make fashion subscription much more instant, such as computer software that calculates the most cost-effective shipping method based on forecasted item demand, used by Rent the Runway. Technological advances in areas such as dry cleaning could aid Wear the Walk when up-scaling their business model over time. Rent the Runway, America’s biggest fashion subscription service - is home to the US’s largest indoor dry cleaning centre. Here they use state of the art technology such as automated machines sterilize and steam dresses in under a minute, and a database that instructs workers on which chemicals to use for different stains, on different fabrics. These improvements mean that the items can be sent off to the next customer sooner, speeding up the subscription process. Same day delivery within the UK is the next evolutionary step in parcel logistics in the UK, and it will make it easier to improve the production level of such a service, and fundamentally change the way we shop. In recent years an increasing number of companies have started piloting new models of same-day delivery, including logistics providers such as DHL, FedEx, and UPS. What this means for Wear the Walk is that, instead of customers who shop via the website having to wait one working day for their item/s of clothing, they can receive them on the same day, making this subscription service, and the idea of ‘rotating’ an item a lot more instant. It also integrates the convenience of online fast fashion retailers with the immediacy of offline stores All of these factors show progression in the industry working towards making fashion subscription a seamless, hassle free and instant service. Adopting these new technological advances may open up new markets throughout the UK and overseas.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - 7 P’s

The seven p’s PRODUCT. This campaign will see the launch of a new, everyday subscription package for Wear the Walk, an ethical fashion subscription company based in Hackney, London. Subscribers can pick up to 4 items on rotation each month. Items may include clothing, bags or accessories. Subscribers can be sure that each brand featured with Wear the Walk are ethical and sustainable. They can choose items from up to 700 brands and designers. The monthly fee of £30 also include free dry cleaning and returns.

Process. Subscribers will sign up to this new subscription package. By paying £30 a month (with the option to opt out at any time) they will be allowed up to 4 items of clothing, bags or accessories at any one time during that month. These 4 items will be on rotation, meaning they can swap an item for something else that they would like to try out within that month offering endless choice and great value for money. If they wish to rotate an item, subscribers can browse the WTW website or studio, select the items they want, then simply stick on the free returns label included in their package and send them back to WTW. The new items will be sent to subscribers the next working day. Alternatively, they can carry out the swap instantly, in their nearest WTW Studio.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

Never put Anything past the determination of people to affect change zandra rhodes

SS18

ANALYSIS - 7 P’s

Promotion.

This campaign and new subscription package will target socially conscious, fashion forward students. In particular, it will target 20 – 25 year olds, otherwise known as Generation Z, or late millennials . This generation are currently the world’s largest spending consumer generation & are generally more familiarised with the notion of the sharing economy in the fashion industry, in comparison to older generations. This can be explained by the use of apps such as ‘Depop’ and the growing trend of vintage sports clothing. Therefore, an ideal market to target, as they are not deterred by the idea of ‘pre-worn’ clothing, and have a ‘savvy’ approach towards purchasing clothes.

(ABOVE) FIG. 18

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - 7 P’s

Place.

Wear the Walk currently operate from their studio in Hackney, London. This creative space allows members to browse through up to 700 brands and designers. They can try on different items at their leisure, and experiment with their style in a unique surrounding, without the hassle of busy, crowded changing rooms. This campaign and business extension will introduce a stronger offline presence, in Autumn 2018, with the introduction of a second Wear the Walk studio. This new studio will be located in Brixton, an up-andcoming area of South London which is as ‘on-brand’ as the Hackney based studio. This second studio will help to build brand identity and brand experience for WTW’s monthly subscription members. It is also purposefully located in South London, to provide a second touch point for members who are based nearer to this location. The North and South studio locations help to increase the accessibility and ease of this service.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(ABOVE) FIG. 19

SS18

ANALYSIS - 7 P’s

Promotion.

A stream of engaging content generated via an Opti-Channel engagement strategy will help in forming a personal connection with everyone that falls under the criteria of the new target audience. Promotional tactics for this campaign, such as voucher and discount codes, should also draw interest from all age groups, current target audience and beyond. Engaging promotional elements, support from a strong circle of influential ambassadors, generating more conversation + awareness regarding the dangers of ultra-fast fashion, sharing eye-opening research findings amongst the target audience, use of key words such as ‘rotative wardrobe’, ‘endless wardrobe’, ‘ethical’, – subscription fashion can offer the same experience as Fast fashion - without the environmental damage.

(ABOVE) FIG. 20

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - 7 P’s

Price.

This new, monthly subscription package will remain at Wear the Walks lowest monthly cost of £30, in order to appeal to this younger generation who usually do not have as high a level of disposable income to spend on such a service. The lowest subscription price is currently set at £30 per month for one item a month. This new subscription package will cost £30 per month, for 4 - 5 items on rotation each month - offering better value for money and more choice. Members are able to ‘Opt Out’ of the monthly subscription fee at any time.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(ABOVE) FIG. 21

SS18

ANALYSIS - 7 Pâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT.

This new subscription package will be launched primarily within the London catchment area, due to WTW currently being a London based company, with the only Wear the Walk studio being based in this city. As the company naturally expands over the coming years, this student focused subscription package will ideally be launched throughout other, major UK cities such as Manchester and Liverpool. The reason for limiting this new subscription package to London in the first year of operation, is to test the market and correct any logistical issues that may occur throughout the year. As this is still a very new concept within the UK, it is important to iron out any errors in the business model, before expanding into new locations throughout the UK.

(ABOVE) FIG. 22

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

DIA

EA R

PA I

ANALYSIS - peso

Sponsored Posts - On Facebook and Instagram.

All media coverage and publicity that Wear the Walk receive from someone else.

Brand and Campaign Ambassadors/Industry Leaders.

Article Placements - Refinery29.

Social Media Influencers.

Blogger Relations.

Paid Ads (20%)*.

*Wear the Walk Business Plan 2018

A I D E M

Garments shown in editorial/magazines.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

D E R

A I D E M

ANALYSIS - peso

IA D E M

Everything that is ‘shared’ on any social media platform or publishing network for free.

User Generated Content.

Social Media - Facebook Shares, Twitter Re-Tweets and Instagram Re-Posts.

Content created for internal use.

Paid or earned articles shared on social media platforms.

Photoshoots organised by Wear the Walk/in-house team.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(BOTTOM, LEFT) FIG. 23 (TOP, LEFT) FIG. 24 (TOP, RIGHT) FIG. 25

SS18

ANALYSIS - competitor analysis

Competitor analysis To achieve a greater understanding of where Wear the Walk is currently positioned in the market, and how they can elevate their position, key competitors were analysed. This analysis looks at Wear the Walks competitors and considers both their product offering and service offering. This will help identify tactics that WTW implement that outperform competitors, and areas may need improving. There are many variations of the fashion rental business model operating within the UK, however vary few are subscription based, or have ethical or sustainable objectives like those of Wear the Walk. In terms of product offering, ethical, multi-channel retailer “Wolf and Badger” act as a key competitor of Wear the Walk as they also only work with ethically sourced, independent brands and designers. A fundamental difference is that Wolf and Badgers items are only available for sale, not for subscription. London-based luxury rental company FRONT ROW rivals Wear the Walk and the proposed “Express” subscription package, as they offer their customers a highly competitive delivery service with same day delivery within London before 1pm, or next day delivery. However, what this company does not offer is the broad selection of ethical and sustainable brands that WTW and Wolf and Badger offer. Their luxury market offering still isn’t a mainstream option for most woman either, in comparison to Wear the Walks more affordable, every day and instant service.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - competitor analysis

Wolf & Badger sells the world’s best independent fashion, jewellery, accessory, home-ware and beauty brands. They target

Product/ Service.

a stylish yet ethically and environmentally conscious community. They provide independent brands with the opportunity

Size/ following.

Global, multi-channel retailer. Founded in 2009, Wolf and Badger is primarily based online with a boutique in New York

to gain the global reach and scale previously reserved for only for the largest and best capitalised luxury fashion brands. Stylish yet ethically and environmentally conscious community.

and two in London (Notting Hill and Mayfair). Has been used by the likes of Gigi Hadid.

Their boutique is one of the most innovative in London. USP of this particular platform is that it’s highly curated, with collections also switching over every couple of months in-

USP.

store to keep the brick-and-mortar experience fresh. Their line-up of designers and products is always fresh and ahead of the trends. Only work with ethically sourced brands and designers - “If it’s not ethical, we won’t do it!”.

Key Strengths.

Key Weaknesses. (LEFT) FIG. 26

They offer female, male and children’s clothing, as well as home-ware and beauty products on top of jewellery and accessories. Voted one of Walpole Brands of Tomorrow 2010.

Fundamental difference – these items are only available for sale. Meaning consumers are often cautious about investing in unknown, ‘independent’ designers, limiting the saleability of the brand. There’s a lot to choose from, which can be overwhelming. IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - competitor analysis

Product/ Service.

FarFetch is an online fashion retail platform that sells products from over 700 boutiques and brands from around the world. FarFetch don’t own merchandise. They offer a service – a virtual marketplace (their website) for users (brands and boutiques) to showcase and manage items for other users/customers. FarFetch achieves approximately 10 million site visits per month and ships to customers in almost 190 countries*. Of

Size/ Following.

September 2014, “Annual sales of merchandise through the Farfetch site surpassed £167 million.” The business continues to grow, and in 2013, it retailed products from over 1500 global fashion brands, attracting 4.3 million weekly visitors to the site. The average spend of the Farfetch customer was stated as $680 per order in a New York Times article from March 2013.

USP.

Farfetch gives independent fashion boutiques an online retail presence. FarFetch is the only one of its kind to use their UK based tech start-up approach. As they don’t own merchandise – no inventory risks or storage fees.

Key Strengths.

Same day delivery – due to their series of mini warehouses and shipping network, that allows quick speedy delivery. Same day shipping in major cities. Free and quick returns. Strong accessibility.

Key Weaknesses.

*Campaignlive.co.uk

Fundamental difference – these items are only available for sale. Meaning consumers are often cautious about investing in unknown, ‘independent’ designers, limiting the saleability of the brand. Haven’t generated a profit yet. Operating in a declining luxury market. Lack of engagement/community on website. Too much reliance on boutique operations.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(RIGHT) FIG. 27

SS18

ANALYSIS - competitor analysis

Product/ Service.

Size/ Following.

USP.

Prime Wardrobe is a new service that brings the fitting room to you – so you can try before you buy. You order clothing, shoes and accessories at no upfront cost. You can take up to 7 days to decide what you want, then only pay for what you keep.

Amazon declined to say how many people were testing it out. It is currently only available to Amazon Prime Members by invitation. There is talk of them opening the service up to other Amazon members, not just Prime.

“Try before you buy” shopping service. This service solves one of online shopping’s biggest challenges in the apparel space – it’s hard to tell how something will fit – or if it looks good – from an online photo or video.

The ease of home try-on.

Key Strengths.

If you keep 3-4 items you get 10% off, then 20% off for 5 items or more. Offer ‘free’ returns with a resalable box and pre-paid label – no additional fees as a prime member. There are also featured selections like the “Editor’s Top Picks,” and seasonal collections like “That Perfect Spring Dress,” – adds to the experience.

Key Weaknesses.

Limited Access - You need to be a Prime Member before you can even receive an invitation to join Prime Wardrobe. The ‘discount’ feature offered to those who keep more items essentially encourages unsustainable consumption. Unlike Wear the Walk’s other competitors, it doesn’t have sustainability at the forefront of its ethos – rather than offering ethical brands or designers it offers everyday labels such as Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, Guess etc.

(LEFT) FIG. 28

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - competitor analysis

Product/ Service.

FRONT ROW is London’s premier destination for on-demand luxury, granting customers instant access to rent the latest

Size/ Following.

Relatively new to the luxury fashion rental scene, having only officially launched in 2016, as an invitation only service. Has

USP.

pieces, straight off the runway from the world’s most coveted designers.

took a while to build up momentum but now seeks to empower a wider base of fashion forward clientele

FRONT ROW’s unique voting system allows you, the customer to vote for your favourite items, upon which their buying is based.

Same day delivery in London, before 1pm.

Key Strengths.

Front Row has stylists on hand to help you create the perfect outfit for any occasion. Free returns and dry cleaning. Everything is delivered to your door in designer bags, so you can just order your outfit and have it at your home or office that day.

Key Weaknesses.

Rental periods are typically limited to five days. Currently they are only offering rentals in London. Unlike Wear the Walk, the insurance is not included in the rental cost. It must be purchased separately. Still isn’t a mainstream option for most women. They market their offering as more ‘event’ based service, may find customers harder to retail if they’re having a quiet month. Outdated business model. Operating in a declining luxury market. IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(RIGHT) FIG. 29

SS18

ANALYSIS - market position

high quality.

The

Ex p r e s s

package

low price.

high price.

low quality. 76

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - market position

Market position

Currently Wear the Walk are positioned mid-high end regarding price. As they offer a more everyday selection of clothing for subscription, it gives them a strong competitive advantage. Subscription fashion is still to take off within the UK, and Wear the Walk currently do not have any direct competitors offering their service. By introducing the more affordable “Express” Subscription Package, this would make their service offering a lot more attainable to a wider audience, and to the desired target audience for this proposed brand extension. It would also allow Wear the Walk to differentiate themselves from other fashion rental companies and stand out within a crowded market.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - UNIQUE SELLING POINTS

ORIGINALITY UNIQUE SELLING POINTS.

This proposed business extension boasts rigour and originality as it will be the only one of its kind to operate within the UK. While there are many fashion rental companies throughout the UK, none have environmental objectives at the forefront of their company ethos, and are usually for luxury, one off events, rather than a more every day and instant service. The concept of fashion rental within the UK is largely limited to one-off, special occasion rental pieces such as dresses and suits. This new business extension does not stop at special occasions. It aims to scale this model for almost anything and any occasion. Offering a sustainable fashion subscription package which is affordable and attainable for a younger generation of consumers, not just those with high levels of disposable income.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

ANALYSIS - UNIQUE SELLING POINTS

Increasing the ease of this fashion subscription service, by introducing new tactics such as more ‘Drop-off Points’ across London, a second, central WTW studio, and a host of digital improvements, suiting the modern demands of Gen Y and Z. Environmental objectives will be placed at the forefront of this campaign, helping to educate a wide audience of the dangers of ultra-fast fashion, and offering them a more sustainable shopping alternative. The ability to see the items of clothing face to face within an unique offline environment, at the Wear the Walk studios. This helps to develop the brand experience. Clients can try on and experiment with different styles before they select the items they wish to subscribe that month.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(RIGHT) FIG. 30

OBJECTIVES

SS18

OBJECTIVES

Business objectives.

To offer a unique fashion subscription service which is affordable, instant, everyday and easy to use. Encourage a younger, more socially conscious generation of consumers to engage in fashion subscription as opposed to ultra-fast fashion. Within the first year of operation, begin to see consumers becoming a lot more socialized into renting and subscribing for the everyday. Within the first 6 months of operation, see the percentage of WTW consumers aged 20 - 25 increase from 10%, to 20%, then by the first year of operation, see this figure increase by a further 15%. Revolutionize the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s retail industry - Reinventing retail to become smarter and more in line with how we actually live our lives. Demystify the negative stereotypes surrounding sustainable and ethical fashion industry.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

OBJECTIVES

ENVIRONMENTAL objectives.

Offer a sustainable and environmentally sensitive alternative to ultra-fast fashion outlets. Begin to alleviate pressure upon the UK’s landfill sites and surrounding environment within the first two years of operation. Aid the process of extending a garment’s technical life-cycle, allowing it to reach full use potential. Introduce more consumers to the concept of fashion subscription, to encourage a much more circular economy within the UK, as opposed to the existing linear economy where we purchase, use and expose of garments in an unsustainable manner. Encourage ethical consumerism within the UK.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

OBJECTIVES

PR objectives.

The Ethical, Ultra-Fast Fashion PR campaign will generate positive coverage across multiple media platforms including both digital and print (such as Refinery29 and The Sunday Times Style Magazine), with a strong call to action. Educate target audience via PR tactics such as a 4-day conference held at Graduate Fashion Week. Stimulate interest, and drive demand via social platforms with the use of influencer Management. Engage target audience in the right place at the right time, to create a buzz surrounding the business extension and the”Ethical, Ultra-Fast Fashion Campaign”. Raise awareness via PR tactics such as the use of credible campaign ambassadors, who will support the brand and work to influence the target audience.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

(BOTTOM, LEFT) FIG. 31 (TOP, LEFT) FIG. 32 (TOP, RIGHT) FIG. 33 (BOTTOM RIGHT) FIG. 34

Market acquisition Strategy

SS18

Promotional strategy

Increase accessibility + widen reach Socializing consumers into renting for the everyday, rather than purely for special occasions. Making this fashion subscription service as simple and straightforward as possible. Lowering the price to make it more affordable.

Educate mainstream consumers Increasing awareness of the issue of mass consumption with a strong call to action. Change the mindset of consumers regarding the stigma attached to second hand clothing.

Opti-channel engagement A targeted list of media channels and promotional tactics will aim to provide Wear the Walks target audience with the best possible experience of fashion subscription.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

Market acquisition promotional TACTICS

SS18

Promotional tactics

THE CAMPAIGN

The “Ethical, ultra-fast fashion campaign” This campaign will be called “It’s Time to Wear the Walk”, and “An Ethical, Ultra-Fast Fashion Campaign” will be used as the strap line. This unlikely word pairing should gain attention, and should become an interesting talking point. The idea behind this strap line is to highlight that consumers can still enjoy the endless choice and value for money that fast fashion offers – whilst being sustainable.

A PLAY ON WORDS. The purpose of this campaign is to educate this new, younger target audience on the potential dangers that over-consuming cheap, disposable fast fashion items can have upon the environment. This campaign will introduce them to an alternative way of shopping and consuming fashion, that will offer them the choice and efficiency of fast fashion, without contributing to the deterioration of the UK’s environment, and increased social hazards in LEDC countries.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Promotional tactics

This year-long campaign will be delivered via an Opti-Channel Engagement Strategy, providing a personal and direct approach to targeting a new audience. Tactics such as influencer marketing, email marketing and voucher and discount codes (similar tactics used by fast fashion outlets) will be implemented to appeal to this younger generation. This campaign will be supported by an ambassador program, with 3 strong industry representatives who are passionate about what Wear the Walk stands for. They will expose this campaign to like-minded prospects among their friends and followers. These ambassadors will help to make this campaign more personal, and will allow it to reach new audience segments. Their strong voices, expertise in the field of sustainable fashion and valued opinions will build campaign credibility, helping to build trust between consumers and the brand.

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

This campaign aims to raise awareness of damaging effects that our shopping habits are having upon the environment, and will help to encourage a more conscious approach to clothing consumption and ethical consumerism within the UK, over the coming years.

SS18

Promotional tactics

FLIPPING THE MISCONCEPTION OF Head ETHICAL FASHION ON ITS head.

This campaign aims to flip the common misconception of ethical fashion on its head. When faced with the words ‘ethical fashion’ - many people think of clothing that is overpriced, of a lesser quality, less variety or not on trend. This campaign looks at ethical fashion from a different perspective. Rather than the materials we use, or the way we manufacture clothes, this campaign highlights the issue of how we are currently over-consuming clothing in the UK. It shows how we can make a positive change by consuming less disposable, fast fashion items, and switching to fashion subscription. Fashion subscription services like the new ‘Express’ package by WTW, offers consumers a chance to experiment with their style, enjoy an endless and rotative wardrobe, whilst still being sustainable - without compromises.

(LEFT) FIG. 35

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Promotional tactics

press launch EVENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GRADUATE FASHION WEEK.

The campaign for this new business extension will be launched at Graduate Fashion Week 2018. Wear the Walk will host a live conference, featuring campaign ambassadors and a new guest speaker each day, discussing the ethos behind this new business extension and the problems ultra-fast fashion is having upon the UK’s environment. This will be a free, ticketed event, and attendees can claim their tickets via Fixr.com - with 30 tickets being reserved for media contacts. The area where the live panel discussion will take place seats approximately 150 guests. This event will be scheduled alongside the other GFW shows and events. The final panel discussion will be followed by an immersive fashion presentation from Wear the Walk, showcasing brands and designers new to the service this AW 2018. This press launch event will last the duration of Graduate Fashion Week, from the 3rd 6th June 2018. There will be a live panel discussion held each day, with different guest speakers each time. The fashion presentation will be shown on the final day. Each panel discussion will last one hour , with half an hour at the end for Q&A’s. The final day will last two hours, with the fashion presentation wrapping up the press launch event.

(LEFT) FIG. 36

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

101

SS18

Promotional tactics

BENEFITS OF PARTNERSHIP. This partnership will bring many benefits, not only to WTW’s campaign and business extension, but to potential fashion design graduates who attend this event, and the Graduate Fashion Week event in general For the Campaign launch, it helps to build credibility, spreads a greater awareness and allows it to reach a much wider audience. It offers fashion design graduates the opportunity to be scouted. A competition ran by WTW, will see one lucky, sustainable designer winning a one year contract with the British fashion subscription service. For Graduate Fashion Week, this exciting new campaign will help to strengthen and drive energy into their event. This campaign, as well as the fashion subscription concept, are currently very timely topics within the UK’s fashion industry, so should receive a lot of interest and positive feedback from those attending Graduate Fashion Week .

102

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

SS18

Promotional tactics

WHY GRADUATE FASHION WEEK

A partnership will be formed between Wear the Walk and Graduate Fashion Week 2018, to help launch the proposed ‘Ethical, Ultra-Fast Fashion Campaign’, and the new ‘Express’ subscription package. This would be a truly authentic partnership, as WTW work closely with the next generation of young designers who care about how their clothes are made, and help them to become established within the fashion industry. Similarly, GFW attracts many young, British designers every year - most with sustainability and the forefront of their designs. Thus, a perfect way for young designers to get their foot in the door of a crowded industry, and a direct channel for WTW to reach their ideal target audience.

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

103

SS18

Promotional tactics

Purpose and AIM OF CONFERENCE. This conference is for the benefit of both the public and the media. It will act as the press launch event for the “Express” subscription package and supporting campaign.

Changing consumers awareness, mindset and behaviour towards sustainable consumption.

Introducing the new “Express” subscription package as a means of doing so.

A strong call to action, helping to generate a buzz surrounding the launch of the “Ethical, Ultra-Fast Fashion” campaign, and “Express” subscription package. Gaining general publicity for Wear the Walk.

(LEFT) FIG. 37

IT’S TIME TO WEAR THE WALK.

105

SS18

Promotional tactics

“The Ethical , ultra-fast fashion campaign”

GFW CONFERENCE

20 18

10:30

Welcome Speech - Zoe Partridge, Founder and CEO Wear the Walk.

10:45

Tamsin Lejeune.

11:30

Kate Fletcher.

12:00

Refreshments and Networking Opportunity.

“The Ethical , ultra-fast fashion campaign”

GFW CONFERENCE 10:30

Welcome Speech - Zoe Partridge, Founder and CEO Wear the Walk.