6.0 Understand the promotion of a fashion image. Objective 6.01: Understand the promotional messaging of fashion.

Fashion Promotion Promotion is selling to the general public to increase buying response. Aimed at communicating with the largest possible audience. The promotion mix is the combination of all types of persuasive communication used by an organization to market itself and influence sales. The promotion mix usually includes advertising, public relations and publicity, digital marketing, visual merchandising, and special events.

Purpose of Fashion Promotion Promotion is mainly used to encourage customers to buy their goods. Promotion should be designed to: Inform, by creating an awareness and understanding of companies or products. Persuade, to convince consumers about the benefits of using certain products or patronizing particular companies, especially in competitive situations. Remind, which reinforces where products are available, encourages purchases, and stimulates additional purchases.

Promotion Levels Consumer promotion is promotion directly to consumers, usually done on a national scale by companies that do not sell directly to consumers. Trade promotion is aimed within the industry, to the next segment of the distribution chain. Stresses how well the product performs, and projected profits if the product is purchased. Retail promotion is promotion by retailers to customers. Retailers promote the merchandise they have chosen for their particular target market, hoping to create demand.

Promotion Planning An important task of marketing and promotion management is to plan a promotion program. A promotion program is a written guide that details all of the company’s promotion efforts for a certain period of time. Usually done twice a year, for six-month periods that coordinate with retail buying plans.

Advertising Advertising is any paid form of nonpersonal sales message made by an identified sponsor through a mass communication medium. Best form of promotion to reach widely dispersed mass audiences quickly. Can presell goods and encourage customers to come to a store.

Types of Advertising Product Advertising: designed to sell specific identifiable merchandise items, lines, or certain services. It identifies and describes products, and often mentions their price and availability. Institutional Advertising: also called image or corporate advertising, is designed to sell the reputation of an organization rather than a specific product.

Types of Advertising Geographic Scope Advertising: ads can be grouped to their geographic scope. Worldwide advertising is done via the Internet. National advertising is sponsored by companies that sell products on a nationwide basis. Regional advertising is done by retailers that have many stores only within several adjoining states or a confined section of the country. Local advertising is sponsored by local merchants.

Types of Advertising Cooperative Advertising: the sharing of advertising and its cost by two or more organizations. This enables both parties to afford more advertising, promotes both the manufacturers and the retailers of particular goods, and reinforces the images of the retailers and producers.

Forms of Advertising Media Newspaper: for local retail ads, newspapers have decreased in favor since fewer people now read them. The cost of reaching customers is lower, and the time needed for preparation and publication of newspaper ads is shorter than with most other media. Magazines: done by large retailers and manufacturers who have widespread geographic distribution. High quality and very expensive.

Forms of Advertising Media Outdoor Signage: includes billboards, public transit ads, benches, and freestanding signs. Allows for short, general messages, but has the advantage of repetitive viewing. Direct Mail: advertising that includes catalogs, mailers, and bill enclosures mailed directly to homes of consumers. Often used by small, specialty retailers who cannot afford to compete with the mass media advertising of giant retailers.

Forms of Advertising Media Merchandise Packaging: includes company names, logos and slogans on shopping bags, gift boxes, and wrapping paper. Radio: a broadcast medium that is popular with most consumers in their homes, cars, and places of work and play. Often hard to communicate fashion or style-trend messages because the items cannot be seen.

Forms of Advertising Media Television: another broadcast type of advertising. Regional stores and branches can reach the largest local audience with television ads. Video: can be viewed on websites. Can attract customer attention near merchandise by using sound and movement. Websites: advertising on the internet has become increasingly popular. Companies try to attract people to their web pages with specialized art and copy that is entertaining and informative.

Types of Promotion Publicity: unpaid media coverage of news about an organization, or its products and activities, presented at the discretion of the media. Business generally have the least control over publicity. A written news story sent as publicity to a newspaper or magazine is considered a press release. Special Events: promotional activities held to build customer traffic, sell goods, and enhance the company’s image. Ex. Fashion shows or trunk shows.

Types of Promotion Personal Selling: moving merchandise directly to customers through door-to-door sales, selling parties, or showings in homes or work environments. This is expensive because it requires individuals to make contact with potential customers. Visual Merchandising: the physical presentation of goods in the most attractive and understandable ways to increase sales. Entices customers to enter the store and effectively presents the merchandise.

Promotion through the Fashion Cycle Introduction Stage: introduce trends and create interest in new merchandise. Rise Stage: motivate consumers and heighten desire for merchandise. Peak Stage: persuade consumers that the firm’s version of item is best and why. Decline Stage: gain consumer loyalty with reduced prices, and reinforce their choice. Obsolescence Stage: emphasize price promotion with large markdowns.