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A. Demographics: Introducing Adam Age: 24 Sex: Male Marital Status: Single Occupation: Sales rep at a popular hardware store Geographic Location: Santa Cruz, California B. Lifestyle & Personality Buying Habits: Frequently shops (2-3 times a month) to keep with the latest trends within his hipster/skater community. Chooses only merchandise he feels truly represents his outdoorsy personality and lifestyle. Can be described as picky, does not wear logos or patterns that are too flashy or loud. Personality: Adam is sociable and funny, but shy around most girls. He is relaxed and laid-back, does not stress about much. Lives everyday to the fullest and is proud of his independency. Leisure Time: Adam spends most of his free time hanging out and/or drinking beers with his friends, planning his next vacation or camping trip, and skateboarding. He likes to barbeque, have bonfires, and travel. Adam is an avid camper and rock climber, and having worked at a hardware store for a few years already, has all the latest gear for the outdoors. He has a black Lab named Cody, who always rides shotgun in his Subaru Outback. C. Benefits Price: Union & Bengalss merchandise is priced at $65 per shirt. This benefits men like Adam because while in the upper price range of the average mens tee, it is still not too much of an indulgence and they dont feel ashamed or embarrassed that they spent too much on a shirt, and
3 still received good style and quality. Union & Bengals products will be 100% organic cotton, so naturally the price will be a bit higher than the average mens tee. However, the brand believes its target market will appreciate that the merchandise is sustainable and pay the extra money for it. Quality: Union & Bengals merchandise is made from 100% organic cotton, and the garments are all constructed well and offer a back neck binding, so the garment is well supported and does not sag over time. The shirts are comfortable and fit loosely, have good hand and give the wearer a sense of quality and also comfort. Style: Union & Bengals signature garment is that of a pocketed short sleeve tee, where the pocket is printed and the rest of the tee is left a solid color (white, grey, forest green, etc.). The brands 100% organic cotton tees will release this signature style and the print on the pocket will change accordingly to each season. Union & Bengals pocket prints will give reference that the tee is made from organic cotton by using images of farming and farm tools to create a masculine feel but still reference the fact that the garments are made from organic cotton. Uniqueness: Union & Bengal will be unique because the printed images on the pockets will cause others to ask the question of why, and leave the wearer to answer, thus spreading the word to others about sustainability and organic textiles. Fabrication: All merchandise of the brand is made from 100% certified organic cotton, grown without any pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, or chemical fertilizers. Not only are those chemicals bad for the environment, according to Collin Dunn, author of Organic Cotton: For Clothing, Baby, Bedding and More, 1. 20,000 deaths occur each year from pesticide poisoning in developing countries, many of these from cotton farming (www.treehugger.com). Images on the pocket are printed digitally, because it is the most cost
4 efficient and sustainable way to print images on a garment. Because the companys target market focuses on young men who have a tendency to appreciate nature and the outdoors, I believe that they could easily adapt to the idea of purchasing 100% organic cotton products to further benefit the environment. D. Market Trends Economy: My product will reflect the current and future economic trends because the pricing is fair. I believe that consumers will purchase these products because people today understand why organic cotton tees are more expensive, and with that understanding, are more accepting of the fact that one will have to pay more for a garment that betters the environment. An article entitled, Green Fashion: The Popularity of Organic Cotton Clothing, it is stated that there is a large amount of people 2. who are becoming conscious that what they purchase has a direct effect on the environment (www.greatgreenidea.com). As time goes on, I believe that more and more consumers will become agree that organic cotton is worth the price. Location/Traffic: Union & Bengal will be sold in surf shops, skate shops, and in cities where people share a lifestyle similar to Adams. Cities with a high volume of traffic and window shopping such as San Francisco, California and Santa Cruz, California. The brand will sell well in locations like these because individuals that reflect the companys target market reside in these areas. Seasonality: Union & Bengal will release the prints on its garments relatable to whatever season it is. The fall line will have a slightly darker color pallet released fall-inspired designs, and so on and so forth with winter, spring and summer. Although the color pallet will change with every season, the printed images on each pocket will still somehow reflect the idea of sustainability, nature, or organically grown cotton in some way.
5 Technology: Each catalog of every new season released by Union & Bengal will be easily accessible through the brands website, which makes shopping easy for consumers. Union & Bengals website will be well developed and easily navigated, and compatible with mobile devices. This is also where customers will be able to learn about Union & Bengals process of using only 100% certified organic cotton and updated new and trends on the growing popularity of sustainable fabrics. Dr. Nancy Rabolt explains in the book Consumer Behavior in Fashion, that 3. The internet is a good place for (green) companies, as markets tend to be limited (p.517). Socio/Cultural Influences: Union & Bengal will have social and cultural influences on its consumers by promoting a lifestyle that is outdoorsy and rugged, appealing to the average twenty-something male shopper within the skating/surfing/active lifestyle. By selling 100% organic cotton merchandise, it will also soon appeal to those who are concerned with the environment and wish to become sustainable shoppers. As Connie Ulasewicz states in the book Sustainable Fashion, Why Now?, 4. consumers are increasingly becoming agents of changesocial entrepreneurs who invest not only in the transformation of the fashion industry but in the welfare of society and the planet that we all share (p. 30). E. Competitive Analysis Who are Your Competitors? Companies like Volcom, Element, RVCA and DC, who also advertise to a market that promotes a similar lifestyle to that of Union & Bengal. All of these competitors sell mens tees that are of a similar price range, and of a similar style. But those companies have also been around for many years and customers may want to try something new, and something that focuses on sustainability. Of the four retail stores I visited, mostly all of them carried organic and/or sustainable merchandise, but not much.
FTC
This graph represents the amount of different products within each store that were found to be sustainable and/or organic. Because we see that there are sustainable products sold, we know there is a market for Union & Bengal. Also, because we can see that there is not many of those products available, we can see that the brand has a chance to make a big impact and possibly become this target markets main source of sustainable merchandise. Is there Market Overload or is there Room for More? The options for mens clothing have always been limited in comparison to the options for women. Although it may seem like there are many brands and styles available for men, for a brand like Union & Bengal there is room for growth and popularity.
7 Retail Information
HMB Board Shop 3032 North Cabrillo Hwy Half Moon Bay, California
Retail Information
Street Information
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Street Information
11 Interview #1: Mark Shopping at: HMB Surf Shop Half Moon Bay, California September 26th, 2012 1:38PM
Kelly: Do you feel like the merchandise in this store relates to your lifestyle? Mark: Yes I do. Kelly: And do you feel like it reflects your personality? Mark: Yes it does. Kelly: Is this because you are outdoorsy and you like to skate or surf? Mark: Yes its being outdoorsy; its that typical, loose fitting easy going clothing that fits me and my personality. Kelly: Do you feel like there is room for more mens brands? Mark: Yah, absolutely. Kelly: Do you think new brands are easily accepted by men or do you think they are stuck on their ways and what they find familiar? Mark: Theyre kinda stuck in their ways but theres always room for more product. Kelly: How do you feel about sustainable cotton, cotton thats grown without the use of pesticides or chemicals that damage the environment? Mark: We live in the Bay Area in California, and everyones gotta do their part. Kelly: So, you think there is a good market in California for sustainable clothing companies? Mark: Yah, I see companies like that all the time. I think it caters to the lifestyle of the average Californian. Kelly: Do you think the average twenty-something male shopper would pay the extra $20-$30 for an organic cotton shirt? Do you think they care enough to pay that? Mark: I think it all depends on if they have the money for it. But if they do I think they would.
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Interview #2: Casey Shopping at: Nor Cal Surf Shop Pacifica, California September 26th, 2012 2:29PM
Kelly: Do you think the clothing in this store reflects your lifestyle? Casey: Yes? Some of it Kelly: Is this because you participate in surfing and skating activities? Casey: Mostly just surfing. Kelly: Do you think when it comes to guys brands that there is room for more? Casey: Sure. Theres a lot already Just keeps growing I guess. Kelly: Do you think guys would be accepting to clothing that is made form organic cotton? Casey: Yah. Kelly: Do you think they would be willing to pay more for it, because it is organic? Casey: Probably not. Id hit the sale rack.
13 Interview #3: Ian Shopping at: Vans San Francisco, California September 26th, 2012 2:58PM
Kelly: Do you feel like the clothing in this store reflects your lifestyle? Ian: Yes Kelly: Do you participate in an active lifestyle, like skating or surfing? Ian: Yes, skating is like on of my most passionate hobbies, and I grew up in a surf town so I grew up surfing too. Kelly: Do you feel like there is room to introduce more mens brands to this target market? Ian: I feel like theres room for more, as long as its unique and its doing something different. Kelly: On that note, how do you feel about sustainable clothing, like organic cotton, and fabrics that are made without harming the environment? Ian: I back that, yeah. Kelly: So you feel like even though theyre more expensive, there is a market for sustainable clothing companies? Ian: I think so, people in California are really into that. Kelly: So, lets say, if there were two shirts that were very similar in style, and one was $30 and one was $55 but the more expensive one was made without pesticides or chemicals damaging to the environment, which one would you buy? Ian: Like, are they identical? Kelly: Almost, very similar. Lets say a plain grey shirt. Ian: Well, I know a lot of people that would do that, but me personally Im kinda more on a budget. Well, like, is it just organic? Kelly: And the people that made the shirt were paid a fair wage. Ian: Yah, well then, yah, totally.
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Interview #4: Taylor Shopping at: For the City San Francisco, California September 26th, 2012 4:25PM
Kelly: Do you feel like the clothing in this store represents your lifestyle in a way? Taylor: Yah, because everything in here is affiliated with skateboarding. Street wear for younger guys in general leans towards this lifestyle. Kelly: Do you think the guys that shop here would buy sustainable clothing, like organic cotton? Taylor: I bought a hemp shirt here once. Kelly: Oh really? Taylor: Yah and Ive seen hemp shoes sold here too. Kelly: Oh, were they a bit more expensive? Taylor: Yah, I would say there isnt a whole lot available for guys that shop here thats, like, organic. There should be more. Kelly: So if a line a of sustainable clothing or organic cotton clothing for guys within this target market was released, do you think it would sell well? Taylor: Yah, especially at a place like Haight Street.
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Sources 1.Dunn, C (2007). Organic cotton: for clothing, baby, bedding and more. Tree Hugger. Retrieved September 25th, 2012 from: http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-fashion/organic-cotton-forclothing-baby-bedding-and-more.html 2.Green fashion: the popularity of organic cotton clothing. Great Green Idea. Retrieved September 27th, 2012 from: http://www.greatgreenidea.com/Green-Fashion-The-Popularity-of-Organic-CottonClothing.html 3. Rabolt, Dr. N. (2009). Consumer Behavior in Fashion. Pearson Education Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. P. 517. 4.Ulasewicz, C (2008). Sustianable Fashion, Why Now? Fairchild Books, Inc. New York, NY. p.30.