Entity Launch & Promotion

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INTRODUCTION ot only is Entity a brand of ‘luxury’, defined in the Collins English Dictionary as N “indulgence in rich and sumptuous living or something considered an indulgence rath-

er than a necessity”. Entity wants to become a place in its users lifestyles, a missing piece that newfound customers ultimately cannot live without. Through this report, I will be going into depth and detail to how Entity intends to do this for its customer base.

Cohesively, it will be looking into the development and strategic proposal for the initial launch and first year’s promotional activities for the Entity brand.

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LAUNCH EVENT

M ost often the success of a product will rely on the product launch, it is an

extremely key part in the construction of a successful brand. Being a critical time in an early stage brand such as Entity, the success of the product launch (and furthering promotional activity) could determine Entity brand survival1. The purpose of a Product Launch is to build sales momentum, enabling the brand to grow and prosper. It will aspire to gain as many customers, expand influence, hire more people and grow even more momentum. The event will be organised by ‘Bottle PR’, our chosen agency that specialises in the UK. Although budget will need to be considered, established and well renowned PR and marketing companies, particularly one with years of experience such as Bottle PR can help the Entity brand and products gain visibility through launch activities. The marketing efforts of using this will eventually ensure Entity gets people talking – there is no better form of promotion than traditional word of mouth methodology2. The greater professional and renowned company will

ensure that Entity and its product range gains recognition. The launch will be considered also as a networking exercise for the brand and products. The power of leverage can get the word out faster, the launch will aim to leave a lasting impression that will boost the business sales and create towering interest3, building the customer base faster and generating more revenue. The aim of Entity’s launch will be to give the attendees something to talk about, multiplying the effects of the event to all their family and friends.

Taimedhe special launch event is foremost for the end- consumer, to whom the product is targeted for. This consists of a female consumer of the ABC1 demographic, aged between 25 and 40. She is a health conscious, spiritual individual who appreciates the uniqueness of a duo perfume. Nonetheless, the launch event will be aimed also at the press, not to forget industry professionals and business customers. The press will firstly boost the brands visibility to the public eye; press releases

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can spread far and wide in a small amount of time. This news will help Entity to get more customers through this inexpensive form of promotion. Many investors may very well see about the launch through press release also; yet inviting industry professionals and business customers to the launch can be even greater source in getting intelligent, fresh and active new fragrance brand - Entity - on their radar.

Business professionals will be invited to the event to allow entity to be put on their radar from the beginning. This is why the launch must be intriguing and inviting to gain as much interest from these companies and individuals. This will include the likes of our special guests - Mary Comber, head editor from ‘Women’s Fitness’ magazine; Food Futurologist Morgaine Gaye and personal trainer Dan Roberts, famously announced in the Sunday Times as ‘one of Britain’s best’ and stated by Vogue ‘Personal Trainer to the Stars’. Expertise and organizations used in the event shall include an organic, healthy living food company to cater for the event. Relating to Entity’s brand values of healthful and honest. The

Organic Buffet catering company offered local organic and local produce, which well suited the event’s needs. The idea of using duo combinations of complimentary foods to be served to guests would fit in with the duo concept of the perfume. e.g. duo style canapés.

Ttimehe2014, launch will be held in early Summer in the picturesque St James’s

Royal Park. In the extraordinary tranquillity of the garden set in the heart of London, St James’s Park makes the perfect setting.

We chose London to originate our initial launch due to it remaining to be the main centre of activity for luxury brands.

Nonetheless, in future growth Entity shall launch in other cities such as Manchester and Edinburgh - the cities with strongest sales of luxury brands outside of London4.

Based outdoors, the launch event will relate to the brands essence of freedom, activity, pure and cleansing. The visuals communicated from the event shall portray the minimalistic brand colours of white and green. Modern white sofas and beautiful antique ivory benches, furniture

draped with white flower arrangements and displays, contrasted against the beautiful greenery and landscape of the park.

The event cannot be held too late into the year, due to the holiday period being disastrous for launch events, when everybody is off work and on holiday. Therefore it will be held in mid-May where the sun is high and attendance simultaneously at its highest. Personal touches also will relate to Entity’s brand values. The product range will be at the event on the Entity “Blending

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Bar”, used to show off the brands new collection. It has been proven that if customers can see, feel and experience a product with positive effects, they are more likely to buy into the brand. Thus, trained representatives will assist guests in creating their own unique Entity fragrance duo, advising on favourite blends in terms of scent, what healthful benefits they entail and which choices may best suit their personality and daily lifestyle.

P U B L I C R E L AT I O N S

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Tty willhe main promotional activities for Entibe in the hands of our PR company.

We chose to use the company ‘Bottle PR’ for its well constructed promotional strategy that personally related to the Enitity brand essense. Bottle PR began to tell us that most PR agencies start a communications process by looking at what their message is, or by looking at what channel they think you they should be communicating from. Which Bottle public relations company said is a completely wrong start point. Instead they believed the two most important factors in any communications programme should be identifying the people you want to reach and the desired outcome in terms of change5. This appealed to Entity as that is exactly how we began the big brand idea. We found there was a gap in the British fragrance market for a more mature, female audience – independent women of the 25-40 age bracket. Primary research showed that this dermographic were increasingly interested in a healthy lifestyle, and clarity in what they are putting on their skin.

Alternatively, in our post-modern society people increasingly want to own things unique to them – items know one else can have. It wasn’t feasible to create a fragrance unique to every customer, as this would take a enormous amount of time and money. Thus, the big idea devised what based on the duo concept. The duo combination idea allowed freedom and individuality for each customer to pick and choose which two scents best suited them, so each customer could choose their favourite blend of scents, personal to them.

create the ‘story’ based upon behavioural insights. The fact that Bottle PR believed in the importance of stories for a brands success, also appealed to Entity on another level. In our own research we had found that the rebirth of story-telling is a major trend in luxury marketing, says director of global brand consultancy Interbrand, Rebecca Robins6. The challenge is to retain the brand essencse and DNA, whilst telling a coherant story. Entity aspired to do this through the idea of being a ‘feel good fragrance’, bringing greater meaning and uplift to everyday routines, promoted through each bottles appealing story. Being energized with jasmine with yuzu citrus top notes, to enlighten mood throughout the day; to relax and pamper body mind and soul, indulging into the rich opulent aromas of indian rose and himalaya honey; or to be refreshed and purified after a hard days work, with the fragrances of rosemary, vanilla and eucalyptus. Bottle PR agreed that these stories provide common ground that allow Entity consumers to communicate, creating genuine emotions and behavioural responses. They stated stories are how we explain how things work, and how we persuade others - all channels are now important for telling an enduring story. Through these narratives Bottle PR would furthermore promote excessively the need our consumers subconsciously have for these uplifting elements in each everyday task.

Similarly to how we take vitamins each day for the benefit of our bodies, Entity products will be promoted for this same reason – to benefit our bodies and the outcome it devotes to each daily routine.

FBottleromPRproviding these two narratives, Fneeded or and Entity brand ambassador, it could identify the outcome (the to be considered what kind of measurable change we wanted to affect), qualify and quantify the influencers, and

personalities would be aspirational to our consumer. Although she has done a lot of

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work for other companies such as Marks & Spencer, Pantene Pro V, Littlewoods to say a few; Myleene Klass could become the most recognisable and well suited face for the Entity brand. Not only is Myleene a respected and well-loved UK personality, the target audience of Entity can relate to her on many levels. At the age of 35, Myleene manages her many careers, kids and most importantly her healthy lifestyle. It has been said it is hard to know which description best sums up Myleene Klass.7 Musician, TV presenter, author, businesswoman or model? Interviewer, columnist, pop star, designer, DJ or mother? The simple truth is, Myleene is all of these things - and so much more. To which the Entity brand with duo combination product range is well suited for promotion of such an extraordinary woman. The adaptably-honesty features of Entity can be combined and refined for scents even Myleene can mix up for whatever mood, career, or activities each day will bring. Bottle PR shall persuade the public of this image and the values of Entity brand (Honesty, Individuality, Healthy and Adaptable) which Myleene Klass could so easily promote.

D I G I TA L

Eture.ntityThecannatural be seen as a brand of the fuand healthful benefits

of the products, combined with a duo concept and minimalistic style creates a personal yet modern brand essence.

Nevertheless, it can be seen that many brands are getting increasingly caught up in catching up to the ‘digital age’ of today5. Thus, the natures of Entity lifestyle brand will focus on the simple fact that it is working to meet its customer’s most basic human needs. Despite the fact that brands are now communicating through blogs, videos and social media, the simple goal of reaching consumers and selling products or services remains unchanged. (ref) Entity aims to communicate and reach its consumers on a more intimate, psychological level based on ‘Maslow’s hierarchy of needs’. Its products must have a role in their customer’s lives and are not simply materialistic wants.

D rawn from Maslow’s 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation”, his Hierarchy of Needs began with Survival8, our

most intuitive basic human need. It is clear that brands that offer products or services that are directly link to survival have an important role in people’s lives. Yet, this does not mean that consumers want the food, clothing, shelter or security systems that these brands provide; they are purely a survival necessity. The aim of Entity will be to recreate the ‘want’ of the fragrance products to develop it into a recreational ‘need’ for the consumer. Our target market The question for brands becomes: needs Entity duo fragrance as part of their “Can our target audience live everyday lives, a ‘feel good fragrance’. Conwithout us; and if they can, how can sumers need these pure mood lifting esour brand reach out to them and sences, boosting spirits whilst beautifully meet one or all of their most basic scenting your skin. It is a lifestyle fragrance needs?”9 you can spritz before gym and leisure activities in one half, and combine with a more prominent engaging spritz for an evening date. It needs to be communicated that Entity’s products should be chosen over other competitors because of these reasons, its adaptability and uniqueness in each duo combination allows customers to make each purchase their own. Not to forget the natural ingredients and healthful benefits from wearing Entity products.

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This is where blogging, video and social media come into play; Entity will also use these channels to utilize, in order to increase brand awareness and consumer engagement. This will be done through channels that relate to the target market, focusing therefore on Facebook and banner interaction activities on multiple sites the consumer is expected to use.

O he second of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was said to be to be the human

yearn for Connectedness, Belonging and Love. These basic human needs are one of the explanations why Facebook has hundreds of millions of active registered users today; connecting to a social media network site such as this tends these needs.

As Facebook remains the most-used social networking platform for adults, two-thirds of online adults in fact say that they are Facebook users and statistics show they are more likely to be female. The statistics curated from Pew Internet Project in December 2012 showed that 67% of online adults say they use Facebook10. This built up the reasoning for Entity to base their main digital online advertisements and interaction to its target audience through Facebook. The growing ubiquity of mobile phones and the rise of smartphone have made social networking an even easier source of accessibility. Statistics show that 40% of mobile phone owners use social networking sites on the phone, and 28% do so on a typical day11. The demographic of our target audience is hugely adults, highly educated, with a higher annual household income; these individuals were also stated more likely to use Facebook and other social media networks on their mobile also. Therefore Entity will also be using mobile apps and mobile pop ups to these social networks for promotion and advertising of the brand and product range.

A nother need Maslow stated people require in their lives if the sense of Power

and control. Knowledge, self-esteem and achievements are all important components of power6. This was a key intention to give to the Entity consumer, power and control. This is gained through the customer’s choice of duo from the Entity product range. Each consumers chooses their own personal combination, that suits their own personality and daily lifestyle. ‘Consumers understand that they possess power, as evidenced by things like the popularity of social media as it relates to customer service, the rise in online product reviews, the strides of crowdsourcing, and the interest in sharing digital achievements via social networks.’ (Krista Peck December 2012) Entity lifestyle brand heed these trends by helping put some of the power into the customers hands, through providing these choices. Digitally the brand will be creating this consumer power and control also.

This will be through the Entity Facebook quiz, mobile app and internet banners on multiple sites.

M oreover, this leads on to Maslow’s final element in his Hierarchy of Needs

- Fun. By nature, people want to enjoy themselves. In 2011 brand goals garnering the most media attention was based on this basic human need of fun. Consequently, this became the basis for Entity brand to enhance fun in its promotion through these online apps, games and interactions. The demographic of Entity’s target market tend to be independent, career driven women. They can sometimes have stressful jobs and tend to be workaholics. This means they really look forward to their leisure time, in which they spend this time doing activities they enjoy as well as maintaining their figure, doing fitness classes such as Yoga and Pilates. No matter what age, our inner child likes to have fun. Entity’s brand driven Facebook quiz will firstly be based on the Duo Concept of the product range. The quiz will be posted onto the Entity Facebook page as well as

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an app for iOS and Android. It will be designed to provide consumers an answer to which combination of Entity duo fragrance suits them and their lifestyle. The results conclude to a personalized video based on the traits they entered on the quiz, matched up with each particular combination of scent. The video will furthermore promote which ever duo is right for them by graphically advertising the benefits of the combination they chose and how it gives that ‘feel good factor’ in each distinct way.

O nline banners will be used for websites such as Women’s Fitness, Zest Maga-

zine, Graze Box online (where all users go to subscribe), Waitrose online, M&S online and Body Positive online. Similarly, this will be an interactive activity whereby users will pick a combination from the product range and it will create a visual graphic of the healthful benefits. If users don’t interact with it, the banner will automatically play through all the ‘favourite’ duo combinations and list their benefits.

CONCLUSION n conclusion, it is unfortunate that we cannot tell from the early stages and first years Ipromotional activities proposed, how successful Entity will be as a brand. Nevertheless, we know from societal research that we live in a Western, Capitalist, and Consumerist society. As result of this, we as individuals of these societies have a false consciousness and live by the great influence of advertisements and promotional strategies. It is said by anti-consumerists that we do not need majority of the things we buy and this is what leads to economic disparity. Thus this is how Entity will work so successfully in Western societies, through creating ‘false needs’ it its promotion. Women all over the UK will subconsciously ‘need’ our products - To Live a Better Lifestyle.

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REFERENCES & BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Written on Approved Index.co.uk on Product Launches 2. As above 3. Written by Dave Daniels on Pragmatic Marketing, 6 Secrets of a Winning Product Launch 4. Written by Lisa Wang 7 May, 2013 on The Business Of Fashion 5. Bottle PR values written on bottlepr.co.uk 6. Written on a Stylus.com article ‘New Ideas in Luxury Marketing’ 5 December 2012 7. By John Stuart on Myleene Klass biography 8. Abraham Maslow “A Theory of Human Motivation”, 1943 – Article by Saul McLeod published 2007, updated 2013 9. Written by Krista Peck on 14 December 2012, Inside Fmm 10. Written in a commentary of Social Networking, based on Pew Statistics (The Demographics of Social Media Users — 2012) – Joanna Brenner 14 Feb 2013 11. As above

Marketing Fashion’ by Harriet Posner http://www.approvedindex.co.uk/a/prcompanies/productlaunches/ http://www.pragmaticmarketing.com//resources/6-secrets-of-awinning-product-launch?p=2 http://www.businessoffashion.com/2013/05/uk-luxury-marketset-to-double-over-the-next-5-years.html http://www.bottlepr.co.uk stylus.com http://myleeneklass.com/biography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

Figure Cover: Own photoshoot Figure Contents Page: Own photoshoot Figure 1: http://www.eveshamfestivalofmusic.org.uk/champagne_recital_ Figure 2: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ugardener/3230340341/ Figure 3: http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/myleene-klassreveals-new-colour-pop-fashion-campaign-for-littlewoods-135450765.html Figure 4: http://www.socialsearchmobile.org/engage-forum-social-media-conference/ Figure 5: http://www.123rf.com/photo_14101810_womanusing-laptop-outside-on-a-sunny-day.html Figure 6: http://www.bottlebooks.com/butler/butler_bottles. htm

http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html http://insidefmm.com/2012/12/why-customers-buy-customer-behavior/ http://pewinternet.org/Commentary/2012/March/Pew-Internet-Social-Networking-full-detail.aspx

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APPENDIX

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