Men’s Fashion Brand: A rebranding strategy  using the Storytelling Tool

Challenge

As a marketing manager in a medium size and established fashion company I came

up with a great challenge to develop the brand's rebranding approach and

repositioning strategy in the market and in the perceptions of customers’ community.

The company has a strong market presence dating back to over half a century

(established in 1960) and it operates with 35 retail shops all over the country of Greece.

The company creates male fashion and its brand represents the synonymous to

contemporary way of life, bearing in mind the best possible quality/price relation. Its

signature products being its shirts and polo shirts. The brand is broadly distinguished by

its elegant, minimalist and comfortable lines, ideally balancing between the mystique

of modern-day life and the timelessness of the classic, bringing out the uniqueness in

every man. In addition, the company follows a traditional family business case

constituting as well as an important sign both for the market competition and for the

brand itself. The project aimed to reveal the perceptions of younger potential

customers about men’s fashion brand, brand’s reputation and placement, as well as

their needs regarding their clothing habits. Moreover, aimed also to suggest new

marketing strategies to attract younger customers.

Selection

To better understand the history of brand, its clothing personalization and their brand’s

fans I select to use the storytelling tool. As commonly understand, clothing is a part of

our psychology and it depends on our routine, needs, way of living and personality. I

wanted to learn stories about the people who wear this brand and how they feel. These

stories can make clearer the connections between customers and brand. This

information gathered can help to develop a specific strategy answering if the brand

can create effective associations with younger people, which are the connections

between brand and fans and what has to be done for the future. Storytelling tool help

me to get a deeper access on customers experiences, to discover brand’s equity as

every brand has a “story and this story connects to the emotions, the characters, the

values of the people, that live that product every day” (Video “Storytelling tool”).

Application

I first divided two groups of circle discussions in which participants know the brand and

don’t. Then, these groups were divided in other two groups of young (25-34 years old)

and older men (35-45 years old) from different places of the country. In these

discussions storytelling tool help me explore their journey selection on men’s fashion

brand, their preferences on products, under what circumstances they choose a brand,

how brand influence their choice, how the price affects their decision, what are their

feelings created from different brands, what they feel and what they consider to

represent our brand. For those who didn’t know the brand the processes was to discuss

what they think that our brand represents. Each discussion was conducted within a

thirty minute timeframe. Storytelling was the key tool to understand what our audience

wants providing us useful data for clear strategies.

Insight

By applying the storytelling tool, I sat down with each participant sharing stories and

examples from our everyday’s living. Initially, I started the conversation by sharing my

thoughts about how choosing colors, product types, and brands influence my

appearance. I talked about how I feel and what people around me are thinking about

me. I gave examples with specific products and opinions of my friends. This helped

them become familiar with the discussion and formulate their own thoughts. A set of

questions helped us draw more data. The actual results from participants’ stories were

different from what we anticipated. Management unit was believing that the brand

can easily find the approach of entering into the younger audiences but discussing

with people who knew the brand we resulted in different thoughts. Most of our

participants talked about stories that our brand remains attached to a fairly business

style, political and mature level of appearance. They described that brand’s product

lines, formal style and innovation in some types are directly related to their professional

status. Unlike with the young people we discussed that brand is linked to social

acceptance and impression. Using examples from everyday life, sharing stories of

specific occasions and utilizing photographic material we came to the conclusion that

the margin of entry in the young segment is very limited.

Approach

The use of storytelling tool helped me to learn more about the exact information we

need to share with our customers. Talking with potential customers and competitors

can help you understand the key message we need broadly to disseminate and

preserve as a company. So, we learnt that we have to create this story, the real one

which comes from brand’s fans, in a really good context connecting emotions, needs,

images and moments of reflection. For future approach we could try to use after the

storytelling tool the visualization approach in order to map our customers’ journey

developing effective touch points between us.


Men ’s Fashion Brand : A rebranding strategy using the Storytelling Tool Challenge As a marketing manager in a medium size and established fashion company I came up with a great challenge to develop the brand 's rebranding approach and repositioning strategy in the market and in the perceptions of customers ’ community . The company has a strong market presence dating back to over half a century ( established in 1960 ) and it operates with 35 retail shops all over the country of Greece . The company creates male fashion and its brand represents the synonymous to contemporary way of life , bearing in mind the best possible quality / price relation . Its signature products being its shirts and polo shirts . The brand is broadly distinguished by its elegant , minimalist and comfortable lines , ideally balancing between the mystique of modern - day life and the timelessness of the classic , bringing out the uniqueness in every man . In addition , the company follows a traditional family business case constituting as well as an important sign both for the market competition and for the brand itself . The project aimed to reveal the perceptions of younger potential customers about men ’s fashion brand , brand ’s reputation and placement , as well as their needs regarding their clothing habits . Moreover , aimed also to suggest new marketing strategies to attract younger customers . Selection To better understand the history of brand , its clothing personalization and their brand ’s fans I select to use the storytelling tool . As commonly understand , clothing is a part of our psychology and it depends on our routine , needs , way of living and personality . I wanted to learn stories about the people who wear this brand and how they feel . These stories can make clearer the connections between customers and brand . This information gathered can help to develop a specific strategy answering if the brand can create effective associations with younger people , which are the connections between brand and fans and what has to be done for the future . Storytelling tool help me to get a deeper access on customers experiences , to discover brand ’s equity as every brand has a “ story and this story connects to the emotions , the characters , the values of the people , that live that product every day ” ( Video “ Storytelling tool ” ) . Application I first divided two groups of circle discussions in which participants know the brand and do n’t . Then , these groups were divided in other two groups of young ( 25 - 34 years old ) and older men ( 35 - 45 years old ) from different places of the country . In these discussions storytelling tool help me explore their journey selection on men ’s fashion brand , their preferences on products , under what circumstances they choose a brand , how brand influence their choice , how the price affects their decision , what are their feelings created from different brands , what they feel and what they consider to represent our brand . For those who did n’t know the brand the processes was to discuss what they think that our brand represents . Each discussion was conducted within a thirty minute timeframe . Storytelling was the key tool to understand what our audience wants providing us useful data for clear strategies . Insight By applying the storytelling tool , I sat down with each participant sharing stories and examples from our everyday ’s living . Initially , I started the conversation by sharing my thoughts about how choosing colors , product types , and brands influence my appearance . I talked about how I feel and what people around me are thinking about me . I gave examples with specific products and opinions of my friends . This helped them become familiar with the discussion and formulate their own thoughts . A set of questions helped us draw more data . The actual results from participants ’ stories were different from what we anticipated . Management unit was believing that the brand can easily find the approach of entering into the younger audiences but discussing with people who knew the brand we resulted in different thoughts . Most of our participants talked about stories that our brand remains attached to a fairly business style , political and mature level of appearance . They described that brand ’s product lines , formal style and innovation in some types are directly related to their professional status . Unlike with the young people we discussed that brand is linked to social acceptance and impression . Using examples from everyday life , sharing stories of specific occasions and utilizing photographic material we came to the conclusion that the margin of entry in the young segment is very limited . Approach The use of storytelling tool helped me to learn more about the exact information we need to share with our customers . Talking with potential customers and competitors can help you understand the key message we need broadly to disseminate and preserve as a company . So , we learnt that we have to create this story , the real one which comes from brand ’s fans , in a really good context connecting emotions , needs , images and moments of reflection . For future approach we could try to use after the storytelling tool the visualization approach in order to map our customers ’ journey developing effective touch points between us .