Let me teach you a lesson!

Dear fellow Panties lover,

If like most women, you love the brand Aubade for all the lessons the brand taught you over the past 20 years, let’s discover more about this genius advertising strategy. (from Strategies.fr, article published in Strategies publication n°1253, October 2002.)

The lingerie brand Aubade owes its recognition to 10 years of artistic and sexy photos, which anyone would take great pleasure to collect.

Antoine de Caunes, a famous French actor recalls and tells the story of how he had two scooter accidents in his life: one while listening to a sketch on the radio; the second when running into an Aubade advertisement at a street corner. The now famous “Leçons de seduction” of Aubade are indeed very disturbing for our male counterparts. Close-up shots in Black&White, showing perfect breasts and backs, nice corsetry and some pieces of funny and quirky advice. “ Get him by his feelings”, “ Neutralize all competition”, “Set up the trick, and wait”, … the longevity of the campaign doesn’t go unnoticed. The first “lesson” is from 1992.

The campaign has been since then published in more than a hundred visuals in press and on billboards.

Black & White to be more daring

Ann-Charlotte Pasquier, CEO of Aubade, recalls the very beginning of the lessons: “We were aware of the fact that women had changed, she says. She loved seducing because she felt beautiful. She wasn’t a simple object anymore in men’s eyes.” In charge of the brand image, Ann-Charlotte Pasquier wants to take over the advertising campaign initiated by her father, Claude Pasquier who founded Aubade in 1958. Since the 70’s the photos are addressed to men. Seduction goes exclusively through their look. In 1974, Aubade promotes a bra that can be attached from the front, saving men from men’s nightmare”. In the 80’s, the visuals are signed “Aubade pour un home” which means in English “Aubade for a man”. It shows among other photos, a man, on his standing up, dominating, putting his hand on the shoulder of a women laying down.

Ann-Charlotte Pasquier recognizes the marketing skills of her dad “ He did put the light on the pleasure that can bring lingerie”. “Before that, a bra was something very functional” It was daring. The fist ad of the brand in 1968 was censored: it showed a couple, on a bed, in full daylight, with Aubade as a discreet accessory. They had to redo the ad before publishing it: they added a wedding ring to the hands of the couple and they closed the curtains. Black & White and shots without faces are already used. “In the 70’s, Aubade wanted to get out of the promotional use of these visuals only, and give a more artistic dimension to it. It is close to the luxury world. As for the Back & White, it allows us to be more daring.”

In order to show a woman with self confidence, and sure of her seduction power, Aubade’s CEO start looking for an agency. For 4 years they look without finding the right fit. Finally they ask Eric Flimon, who just started his own agency, Colette&Flimon. He created the concept of the “lessons”. “ When we presented the concept to the executive committee, my dad and I were the only two who wanted to adopt it.” she recalls.

Their tenacity ended up being worth it. They had bet on time to install the campaign. Two years later they were there. Their lesson number 5 “Feindre l’indifférence” (“Pretend to be indifferent” ) launched in 1993 finally gives some momentum to the brand, which records an increase of 35% of its turnover. The product presented, Tanga from the Bahia collection, has a huge success. It will become the reference of Aubade. But Colette & Flimon doesn’t survive to  the new Sapin law in France. Ann-Charlotte Pasquier buys the rights for the lessons and gives it to Carlin International, which already manages the catalog and collections of the brand. Big names of the photography make their own “lesson” campaign, Hervé Bruhat, Hervé Lewis etc…

Why stop a winning business !

Selin K.

Aubade

The AMBUSH Marketing

The ambush marketing can be defined as a marketing strategy used by a brand or a firm in order to be seen during an event without paying any sponsorship fee. These actions are quite risked because it is often illegal. The main objective of ambush marketing is to get benefit from a partnership, concerning the brand image or notoriety, and not be subjected to costs.

Some tickets for the Stade de France and some sexy models were enough for the brand DIM to do the buzz…

While TF1 realize a record audience with 14 millions of TV spectators for the match between France and Ireland of the rugby world cup 2007, the show is not necessary on the field.

The cameraman is focused on one part of the supporters stand. Here, beautiful women support the French team. They start to undress themselves and to dance in the middle of the amused spectators.

A big communication move due to this strategy of ambush marketing for the famous lingerie brand DIM which could get the benefits of a world media cover and be influence on people minds with only some Euros…

This action was the first one in France to be qualified as ambush marketing and to be a reference considering the success of this kind of infiltration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl3q6Jy4iKk&feature=player_embedded

The Maxus agency, The DCM cinema and the brand of lingerie Triumph used also the ambush strategy to do buzz.

When the movie Sex & the City is released in mai 2010, the underwear brand Triumph organized a fashion show in five different cinema before the movie broadcasting.

In fact, Triumph has scripted a fashion show of 60 seconds to promote its new collection in display rooms. Moreover, a complete marketing strategy was organized around the show:

-          6 giant posters of the brand was hooked at the entrance of each display room

-          A game to win discount voucher

-          Commercials to give you information about the brand

Triumph has chosen the movie “Sex & The City 2” which spectators are the perfect target: young and fashion women.

The previous episode of the movie was a enormous success, so everyone predicts that the second one will be too.

The DCM cinema was an accomplice in this action which is used to manage advertising area for the brand in their display room, but there was any agreement before with the movie producer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA7w4Zex30M&feature=player_embedded

Pauline G.

Aubade

Aubade

Aubade invites you to today's lesson!

The lingerie brand Aubade was created in 1958 by Claude Pasquier. The brand gained recongnition in the 90’s, thanks to an adverstising campaign called “Les leçons de seduction” (in English “The seduction lessons”).

Today, Aubade has a very strong brand awareness in France and can be proud to say that it is the favorite brand of men.

Inspired from “amour courtois” (“chivalrous love”), even the name Aubade suggest seduction. Back in the 60’s, this approach was highly innovative and initiated a small revolution, at a time when lingerie was considered as a utility and not a seduction tool. Aubade was one of the first brand to present lingerie as a pleasure for one’s self, for one’s man and an affirmation of women’s feminity.

Les Leçons de séduction

At first glance, the recipe was quite simple: allow women to identify to models with a perfect body whom faces stay hidden. Add to that a little humor with women who mastered the seductive power, and who play with men by sending them seductive messages. A revolutionary campaign: women giving “lessons” to other women to try to charm their man!

This Black&White campaign that everybody loves hasn’t gotten old, when celebrating its 100th: still Black&White again, same humor, only the models and photographers have changed.

Selin K.

Victoria's Secret: An integrated 360-degree brand strategy

Dear Fellow Panties lovers,

Let’s go back in time today, and dive into the history of Victoria’s Secret to find out how they managed to become the solid brand they are today. Here is a little answer as to how they built the brand around a 360-degree brand strategy.

Back in the days when Leslie H. Wexner was chairman and CEO of the Limited Brands Inc.’s, he decided to put in place a monthly “branding” meeting. The goal of these meetings was to ensure that the products sold in Victoria’s Secret catalogs, in the 1,000-plus stores and on the company Website are consistent throughout. He would bring in key department managers such as creative, merchandising, circulation, and new media. The plan behind this strategy, was to solidify the brands on the global stage.

The Limited Brand Inc. wanted to create what its executives call a “360-degree brand”. The idea behind it is to implement a comprehensive marketing strategy where all three selling channels of the brand are connected in order to reach consumers anyhow, anywhere and at anytime, as well as to offer them the same high quality products no matter where they buy.

In September 1999, Wexner was talking about the company’s flagship and said: “ We've been working diligently on a coordinated basis to make sure that Victoria's Secret stands as an integrated world-class brand. Across all channels - catalog, stores, Internet that the same products are launched at the same time, in exactly the same way, same quality, and same price. […} Prior to 1998, there was no real efforts to interact or connect the catalog with the retail business. Cindy Fields, the president of Victoria’s Secret catalog, and Grace Nichols, the president of Victoria’s Secret retail stores, ran independent businesses – there was no coordination of styles or marketing efforts.”

And we could sense it as Victoria’s Secret had a problem with its clothing and lingerie line, because marketing for retail stores and catalog wasn’t done together, communication was inconsistent. This inconsistency, added to another issue which was that the company was often over mailing its catalogs, resulted in a shy mail order response in the end of the 90’s.

An integrated 360-degree brand strategy: The same bra, in any venue

After launching this new strategy, sales doubled in 4 years in the women’s apparel division. But these results were hard-won. The shift began in August 1998, when in an effort to boost sluggish response the Victoria's Secret catalog cut circulation for the first time, mailing 30% fewer catalogs for the second half of 1998. More pages per book in 1999 also helped increase response by 20%, says Victoria's Secret's Fields.

And of course, the company concentrated on trying to standardize offerings in the retail, catalog, and Web channels. "We wanted to more closely align the catalog with the retail [and Web] stores," Fields says. "It was a massive undertaking. But we've made great improvements. More than half of the merchandise in our stores, the catalog, and our Website are now exact duplicates. We began with bras and panties, which are highly fit-sensitive."

Still, trying to sell the exact same merchandise throughout your selling channels presents some hurdles. "Lingerie that might look fabulous on a store mannequin might not translate as well in the catalog," says Glenda Shasho Jones, a New York-based catalog consultant. On the other hand, certain apparel and lingerie might sell better in the catalog than in a retail environment. "In a catalog, where you can show merchandise on models, you can really romance merchandise" that would otherwise look flat on hangers in a store, Jones says. "It may be one of the reasons the Victoria's Secret stores carry only lingerie."

Beyond borders via the Web

As for the global aspect of Victoria’s Secret new brand strategy, like many other multichannel marketers, the company has high hopes for its Website, which it thinks will blaze a trail for its brands overseas. "The Internet raises the ease with which you can sell your brand to overseas markets," says Ken Weil, the vice president of new media at Limited Brands Inc.

For instance, within the first few hours of going live in December 1998, Victoriassecret.com, had received orders from 37 countries. Its first live Webcast of a lingerie fashion show, during the 1999 Super Bowl, was so successful that the system became overloaded by the rush of people (30% of buyers are men) trying to access it.

"Going global is a natural for Limited Brands," says catalog consultant Marty Brill, former president of women's apparel book Tweeds. "It's probably the next step for them. In my travels to the Far East, consumers in China and Japan are fascinated with all things American. And I can't think of anything more American than Victoria's Secret. My strong reaction says it will be successful in the Pacific Rim and to a lesser extent Europe."

John Pitzen, chief financial officer of women's apparel cataloger California Style and formerly the senior manager of financial reporting at Limited Brands Inc., says Limited Brands has grown so big that it's very difficult to get new names, "so it's a natural progression to go overseas." (The cataloger already mails in Canada, the U.K., and Japan.)

In the long run, international success will depend heavily on the success of Limited Brands new global brand strategy. "It seems like common sense, but most companies struggle with their branding," consultant Jones says. "With brand building, everyone has to have the same vision, from the CEO right on down."

And then there's channel integration. Regardless of what channel they buy from, Jones says, consumers everywhere want what they want, when they want it, and they still expect a certain level of service. "But Victoria's Secret has done a good job of taking away those barriers by providing consistent products and services across all channels," she says.
Source: Multi Channel Merchant – Strategies.

Selin K.

Let's share a secret together, Victoria's Secret !

Victoria’s Secret

Victoria's Secret is a retail brand of lingerie and beauty products, owned and run by the Limited Brands company. Victoria’s Secret generates more than $5 billion in sales a year. It is the fastest growing subsidiary of Limited Brands and contributes 42% of corporate profits. More than 1000 Victoria's Secret retail stores are open in the United States. Products are also available through the catalogue and online business, Victoria's Secret Direct, with sales of approximately $870 million. 

Victoria’s Secret was established by Roy Raymond in the San Francisco area during the 1970s. Raymond saw an opportunity in taking “underwear” of the time and turning it into fashion. Products stood apart from the traditional white cotton pieces, which department stores offered, with colors, patterns and style that gave them more allure and sexiness. They combined European elegance and luxury. Even the name Victoria’s Secret was meant to conjure up images of 19th-century England. The store went so far as to list a fake London address for the company headquarters. By 1982, Raymond had opened six stores and launched a modest catalog operation. He then sold Victoria’s Secret to Limited Brands, which took Victoria’s and sprinted away. Today, Victoria’s Secret enjoys nearly a monopoly position on the retail of intimate apparel in the US. The typical bra that once sold for $15 at Victoria’s Secret, when the company first opened and was worried about competition, now sells for just under $30.

Victoria's Secret is known for its annual fashion show, the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and for its catalogs, both of which feature top fashion models, the Victoria’s Secret Angels.

Victoria’s Secret Angels

Although it now refers to the brand's most visible spokeswomen (while the fashion show models are referred to as "Runway Angels"), the Angels started out as a Victoria's Secret's lingerie line. The models featured in the original advertising campaign in 1997 were Helena Christensen, Karen Mulder, Daniela Pestova, Stephanie Seymour, and Tyra Banks. Due to their growing popularity, the brand used them in several other advertising campaigns until Christensen's departure. In February 1998, the Angels made their runway debut at Victoria's Secret's 4th annual fashion show, with Chandra North filling in for Christensen. Their line-up has been changed multiple times over the years and the brand currently lists 11 supermodels on its website, including Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Among other recognitions, the Victoria's Secret Angels were chosen to be part of People Magazine's annual "100 Most Beautiful People in the World" issue in 2007 and became the first trademark awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 13, 2007.




Selin K. 

Source: Wikipedia

Victoria's Secret 2011 Fashion show

Undiz your clothes !

In 2007, The Etam Group, composed of Etam prêt-a-porter, Etam lingerie and 1,2,3 , have launched its new brand of underwear named Undiz.

In 2010, 47 Undiz shops are opened in France.

The main target of this new brand name is girls and boys between 15 and 25 years-old.

The brand practices small prices to fit with its young target. Undiz prices are in an average 50% less expensive than Etam lingerie products. In fact, The Etam Group wants to compete with low prices lingerie brands as H&M lingerie.

These low prices allow consumers to delight themselves without feeling guilty with a non expensive and trendy product.

Undiz brand invites customers to adopt the concept of “mixed and match”. That is mean that you forget to outfit but coordinate our own way. “Girls buys odd underwear “ assures Marie Schoot, The brand owner. By this way, women could express their own identities by mixing bras and panties. The brand doesn’t follow the trend but it creates it.

Its positioning wants to give an answer to modern girls and boys needs who consume underwear differently. Far from the woman as an object, girls take responsibilities for themselves, are independents, autonomous and want to recognize themselves through their underwear.

The success of Undiz also lies in the bubbly and full colored products. Nowadays, underwears re created to be seen. It is like another clothe. Young people want something original and they love color. That is why they are crazy about Undiz.

In order to multiply visits in shops, Undiz designs one collection every couple of weeks. So for one year, they produce 22 collections.

Shops are the main media used by the brand. They do any visual advertising as TV spots or posters. They have also launched a website dedicated for the Undiz products. And in the “Shake zone”, consumers cold give their advices about the brand or a product and also propose new ideas. In fact, the suggestion which comes back the most often is to sell Undiz products online. Faced to the growth of e-commerce, and competitors, online shopping will not be an option.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iV2KWXOye2g&feature=player_embedded

Pauline G.

The evolution of Lingerie and its social meaning

Dear fellow Panties lover,

I have been scanning the web for more information about the evolution of lingerie over the course of  centuries, and started to uncover what are the social meaning of lingerie:

It's during the Renaissance (around the 14th century) that women started wearing what we currently refer to as panties, and more generally, lingerie. But only at the end of the following century did the word underwear actually replace that of "body linen". Today underwear is considered "plain", the seductive synonym would be "lingerie".

It was only a matter of time before lingerie entered the wardrobe as a clothing item in and of itself, therefore carrying its own social meaning. It reflected a more and more liberated behavior, a healthier relationship with one's body, a way to nonchalantly display what was formerly considered very intimate. This was a new role for underwear.

As years went by, elegance was replaced with seduction, which has, in turn, been replaced with a sensuality that shows itself with no taboo whatsoever. Lingerie is a flagship product of the fashion industry, and as such it carries a number of attributes desired by every woman: seduction, embellishment, imagination, pleasure, well-being and beauty.

As previously mentioned, today's lingerie plays a double role: functional and seductive. By the end of the 90's, the obsession was discretion. Showing a panty line or, to a lesser extent, the outline of a bra, was out of the question. Thus Lycra was introduced, bringing its elasticity to the plate, allowing for increased seamlessness. On the seduction side, lingerie goes the opposite direction and displays itself to the world.

Women tend to belong to one of two categories: the ones that like lace, embroidered fabrics, sensitive to the sexy, seductive aspect of lingerie, and the ones that only care for absolute discretion under the skin-tight clothes, with no regard for the fabric itself. Nevertheless, the jury is out as to whether a thong or G-string should be shown or not. Although certain people consider it to be vulgar, it is unanimously recognized that it has an undeniable aesthetic effect that brings out the curves and guarantees the absence of panty lines. It's probably a moot point, because when a woman is wearing a thong, it's obvious. Not necessarily because she shows it, but merely because the absence of panty lines pretty much underlines it (no pun intended).

Today, lingerie companies like Frederick's of Hollywood and Victoria's Secret have annual modeling shows and national commercials to promote their lingerie. Society has changed from hiding what we have on underneath to showing it off.


Selin K.

Victoria's Secret Angels during fashion show

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1302662