Ch. 7 - Business Marketing

When we think of a Business product, we usually think of computers, printers, and photo copy machines. However, it is important to point out that- what we wear in a particular work field can also be called a business product. This is true because you wouldn't expect to see a lawyer in mechanical clothes or vise versa. Therefore the clothing that a particular job requires you to wear is a business product.

Now that we have establish clothes as a business product, let's see what Uniqlo has to offer and what products can be used in particular work fields. One of Uniqlo's items that instantly come to my mind when thinking of a business products are their cashmeres. This piece of clothing can be seen in any professional work field, simply because it is comfortable yet elegant and sophisticated. Going to college few blocks away from the World Trade Center and Wall Street, I've seen a lot of professional men and women wearing cashmeres. Their cashmeres might not be from Uniqlo, however their usage of the MTA trains have certainly exposed them to advertisements from Uniqlo. It is also important to point out that Uniqlo's premium products are almost always on sale.

Other items that can be used in a professional work field and can be purchased at Uniqlo are Linen Blazers. Ties, Shirts, Skirts, and Dressing Socks. These products might be used for personal used when going to a wedding or a sophisticated event and be called a consumer product. Nonetheless, they make up part of the image of any professional working field and therefore they are a business product.

It is also important to say, that Uniqlo carries this products at unbeatable low prices and should be taken in consideration as a "to go to store" when seeking a professional image.

Ch. 17 - Advertising and Public Relations

A well-known rule of thumb in the advertising industry is "Sell the sizzle, not the steak." Described in our textbook, in advertising, the goal is to sell the benefits of the product, not its attributes.

Like I mention before, one of Uniqlo's most advertised product was their Heat Tech shirts. Ads throughout New York City's public transportation advertised the upcoming opening of two Uniqlo stores, one in 5th Avenue, and the other in Herald Square. Both openings were set to be in October of 2011. Aside from seeing "Grand Opening" signs there were Ads that displayed a normal, regular shirt with the words "Heat Tech" next to it.  There was no information as to whether this 'shirt' came in different colors or if its packaging set this particular shirt aside from other shirts. Nonetheless, its benefits were highlighted to keep you warm during the upcoming winter. More importantly, its price stood out as equal or as more than its benefits.

In the opening date of the Fifth Avenue Uniqlo Store, the big fuzz was about the "Heat Teach Shirt." I know, because I was there. Most people waiting online talk among each other, saying things such as, "Do you imagine not having to wear a jacket this winter? I really want to check this heat tech shirt!" Promoted as "Japan technology" this 'shirt' definitely caught peoples attention. Further evidence was when I lined up to pay for my selected items and saw that most people online had bags of shirts that display the words "Heat Tech."

This shirt might have not come in different variation of colors- but its benefits stood out perfectly enough for people to see them, more than its attributes.

Ch. 8 - Segmenting and Targeting Markets

If you can recall from my mission statement post, Uniqlo thrives to sell clothes for those who seek a contemporary and elegant look. However, if you visit their shopping website you will come across models who exhibit clothes that are neither contemporary or elegant. Furthermore their logo "Made For All" contradicts the clothes they carry. This is true because we have still yet to see clothes for people who are petite and overweight.

These factors have let me to conclude that Uniqlo has and must re-define their marketing skills. Better yet, they should become conscious in the way they use words to promote their products.  In a way, the clothes that Uniqlo carries could be used by "ALL." This is simply because they have a wide variety of clothes that can be used as formal wear and casual clothes that can be used in a day off from work.

Using a logo that says "Made For All" can also be discouraging. As we discussed in class, people need to feel that they matter and that they are taken into consideration, when trying to sell  them a product. Therefore, standardizing ethnicity, body shapes, and personal styles is the worst thing any company can do. 

I'm not saying that Uniqlo has to change their logo, completely. Perhaps they can modified it to "MADE FOR ALL Body Types, Ages, and Sizes" or somewhat similar.

Ch. 11 - Developing and Managing Products

In the world of business, especially in the retail field, new products are essential to a company's profit and growth. The term "New Product" has different meanings depending on your perception. In fact, there are six different types of "New Products" and they each have their own meaning.

Recently Uniqlo launched a modified version of their Cardigans for the summer. This product can be categorized under the "Improvements or Revisions of Existing Products." In conjunction to the release of this new product, Uniqlo teamed up with British designer, Lulu Guiness. A limited-edition line of Shirts for women with some of Lulu's most iconic images are now on sale in every Uniqlo store around the world. This product can be described as "Lower-Priced Products."
Uniqlo's new line of cardigans may look like any other regular cardigan. Just like Uniqlo's Heat Tech products, that keep you warm during the winter, these cardigans will keep you cool while also protecting your skin  from the sun during this summer. A lot of science went into the process of creating this new cardigan. Made out of cotton and nylon this cardigan is enhanced with a special processing treatment that blocks out 90% of Ultraviolet rays. Described by Uniqlo in their Facebook page, this cardigan is set to be a "wearable sunscreen" piece of clothing. Different from other cardigans, these cardigans are soft, fine and lightweight which makes them- Perfect for the summer!

Lulu Guiness, a British fashion designer whose merchandise products are highly prized, is the latest person to collaborate with Uniqlo. Together, they have come up with a line of Tees that are $19.90 a piece. The finished product between these two parties can be defined as a "Lower Price Product." This is so because LuLu Guiness is a fashion designer, whose products do not go at such low prices.

In closure, A product may be modified, it can also be a high quality product and be sold at a low prize and still be consider a "new product."

Ch. 16 - Integrated Marketing Communications

According to our textbook, transmission of a message requires a channel- a voice, radio, news paper, computer or other communication medium. One of the most ongoing channel at this time is the internet.

Uniqlo uses Social Media as one of their key channels to deliver promotions and advertisements about their products, to their target market and beyond. I say beyond because the internet is available to almost anyone. Ttherefore anyone with a computer and internet service can come across a Uniqlo promotion or advertisement.

Uniqlo has both a Facebook page and a Twitter account from which peopple can view and learned about their special promotions. This a very effective way to deliver their message accross their target market because almost everyone has either a twitter or facebook account.

As a global company, it is important to stay in the same step as your target marke, i8n this case, Uniqlo's target market is mostly directed to 18-40 year old people. Knowing this, Uniqlo does not emphasize on marketing their products in old fashion channels such as newspapers or radios. This is due to the fact that todays youth generation are in touch by their phones in which they have apps for facebook and twitter.

Above you can see two tweets from @UniqloUSA in which they announce a special sale on women sweaters that protect you from Ultraviolet rays.  The frist tweet also promotes their products in ways that not many retail stores do. If you can recall from one of my previus post, Uniqlo has a weekly contest in which participants can upload a picture of themselves wearing a uniqlo product. If they win these contest, their submitted pictured will ber posted in Uniqlo's facebook page and twitter account. This is a clever idea because the youth generation of this time are somewhat attracted to fame. Those who win this contest may not get internatiol coverage but in some level they are guarrentee that their picture will be posted and they might get new followers on twitter and even some friend request on facebook.

Ch.10 - Products Concepts

In order to have a successful advertising and marketing distribution, marketing managers must know what product they are selling and most importantly in what category their product falls into.

Uniqlo is a consumer product. This means that the products they offer are produce to  satisfy an individual's personal wants. Having said this, Uniqlo is therefore and most obviously a shopping product. We must also know that, Uniqlo is a Heterogeneous shopping product. A heterogeneous product are things such as furniture, clothing, housing and even universities.

Now that we have successfully classified Uniqlo as a Heterogeneous, consumer-shopping product, let's see how this determines and shapes their advertisement, marketing, and promotion strategies.

If you can recall from one of my previous posts, Uniqlo does not emphasize on pushing their logo like other retail stores. In a way this is both good and bad. By not pushing their logo, people are able to combine and mix Uniqlo products with different clothing brands. In a sense this is beneficial because it keeps the doors open to other customers who might have an urban, preppy, or goth style. In the other hand, this is non beneficial due to the fact that pushing a logo in clothes is somewhat free advertising.

Furthermore, Uniqlo has yet to create a product that people can't pin point out and say "That's from Uniqlo." This is true because since they don't push their logo, people can not recognize their clothes from the competitors product.

Ch. 18 - Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

Uniqlo does not emphasize much on Promotion Sales, Instead they focus more on advertising and promoting new products. Whenever Uniqlo launches a new product, they make sure that, that product does not goes unnoticed.
One of the latest and clear example of this is the advertising and promotion of their under ware products for both women and men. In the launching of this new product, the selling price was set to as low as 5.99 U.S dollars! Advertising Ads and billboards were visible all through out New York City, advertising and promoting this new product. A main location in which these billboards were posted were in the MTA Train Stations, mainly in Times Square.

 

Times Square is one key point of transportation to any New Yorker and tourists. When a particular train line is out of service most people are pushed to make a train transfer at Times Square. Knowing this, Uniqlo has kept Times Square as a key point to expose their advertising and promotion ads for people to see.

A reason why Uniqlo, launches their products at such a low price is because they are confident in that once the attracted customer purchases their new products, that they will be satifisy with the benefits and quality of the product. Once this objective is accomplish, Uniqlo believes that people would come back again and buy the same or more products. Yet this time, the price of the product might not be as low as when the product was launch, gathering a higher profit.