Urban Outfitters Continuing Case Study: Marketing a Business

A counter culture is defined as a group that rejects the major values, norms, and practices of the larger society and replaces them with a new set of cultural patterns (Thomas, 2003). The thinking and behavior of younger people who want to be different from the rest of society developed during the 1960s. It was a different way of living chosen by people who would eventually become known as hippies, or freaks. The name came from “hip,” a term applied to the Beats of the 1950s, such as Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, who were generally considered to be the pioneers of hippies (Britannica, 2015). The movement originated on college campuses in the United States, and Members of this counterculture held beliefs almost the same as that of the New Left movement in that they wanted to change domestic policy within the United States.

Identify the type of retailer that Nordstrom’s is classified as. Describe the characteristics it shares with other retailers of this type..

The aim of this paper is to provide an insight into Hollister Co.’s marketing communications and assess whether it successfully targets my demographic of young, male recent college graduates. The paper will first introduce Hollister and provide a brief company history as well as outlining the challenges in reaching out to consumers such as myself who differ from the brand’s intended targets. It will then segue to discussing Hollister’s position within the market and any outlying challenges the brand has navigated through.

A mainstream trend does not merely appear without warning—most likely, the thought behind the trend had been around for a while. According to Gladwell, in order for a trend to grow amidst the influx of newer trends, three types of people must be working hard behind the scenes. In the chapter “Case Study: Rumors, Sneakers, and the Power of Translation”, Gladwell details the roles of Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen, and how they unknowingly act together as a bridge between hipsters and mainstream media. Gladwell’s assessment of the Connectors is valid, as they play the role of the bridge itself as he/she has to be cogent and merge two completely different strata. An excellent portrayal of this would be Gladwell’s example

Southern Charm Boutique is a start-up retail establishment that will sell fashionable clothing to women of all ages. Southern Charm Boutique will be located in the downtown area of Norton, VA. My primary goal is to open one boutique. In the future I plan to expand by possibly franchising Southern Charm Boutique and/or building a well-known brand name. Eventually, we would hope to develop a website and reach a wide customer base.

The retail industry has been highly competitive for many years. JCP, Kohl’s, Macy’s and Sears have been clashing for some time to keep the attention of the avid shopper. It would seem that each company would be on an equal playing field, but according to the strategic group map below, Macy’s is in a group all by itself. Macy’s pricing and number of stores are different for JCP. Macy’s promotes the branding of having high class products that have celebrity names on the tags, which draws the shopper who is attracted to being in the know. The Macy’s customer is willing to pay more for their product because they know that a celebrity made this, which ultimately allows them to connect with their favorite stars. The supplier power is what helps Macy’s stay in a different category than JCP, Kohl’s, and

Now through undersigned counsel, come Defendants, Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC, ("BSRO") formerly known as Bridgestone Firestone Retail & Commercial Operations, LLC, and Bridgestone Americas Tire Operation, LLC ("BATO") formerly known as Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, who respectfully request that this Court grant their Motion for Summary Judgment dismissing the Plaintiff's claims. Defendants move this Court for a Summary Judgment on the grounds that the Plaintiff is unable to set forth evidence sufficient to satisfy its substantive evidentiary burden at trial.

Hollister Co. was founded in 2000 and is based in Los Angeles, California. The company operates as a secondary business for Abercrombie & Fitch Management. The company provides clothing and accessories for men and women. Hollister’s main target consumers are teenagers. Hollister retails its products through a chain of stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. They also sell their products online. The marketing strategies that Hollister use to promote their products are by using a logo, a slogan, and informing what their products are pertaining too. Two of the marketing strategies are very effective in attracting consumers while one of the marketing strategies needs more research to be done. Because of Hollister’s well known slogan, attractive logo, and the way they use celebrities to represent their product, this makes them unique compared to other clothing businesses.

The company which our focus centers on is the prestigious Lululemon. What started out as an underground yoga and design studio blossomed today into a $225 million-dollar company that offers premium athletic clothing at high-end prices. It all started one day when the company founder, Chip Wilson, decided to try something new – yoga, a physical activity that emerged in 1997 which appealed to the independent woman. Wilson was a fanatic in every type of board; he took joy in surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding. After his first session of yoga, Wilson found the experience so exhilarating and akin to the post feeling of boarding. Yoga today is the central focus surrounding Lululemon, the lifestyle which the customers pursue.

The objective of this report is to describe our study of Urban Outfitters, Inc. and analyze its results with respect to strategic options. This report provides an analysis and evaluation of the current and historical profitability, liquidity, and financial stability of Urban Outfitters, Inc. The study included a detailed look at each of the four firms in the U.S. Specialty Retail Apparel industry: Urban Outfitters, Inc., American Eagle Outfitters, Abercrombie & Fitch, and The Buckle Inc. The data was sourced from the firms’ annual 10K reports, SEC reporting documents, and news articles.

Finish Line is an athletic footwear and fashion business that serves in the national markets. The company “has more than 660 stores in 47 states” (Briggs and Swiatek 2016). District of Columbia is also a market where Finish Line does its business. Out of the 660 stores that it has, there are “about 50 Running Specialty stores, and 200-plus branded shops inside department stores (Macy’s)” (The Finish Line Inc 2016). Just like most of the businesses, FInish Line also has many competitors. Having competitors is one of the biggest reason why the company’s core stores are better and larger than their competitors’ stores. The core stores offer a variety of clothes, accessories, and footwears, which provides customers with more options of shoes and apparels (The Finish Line Inc 2016). Finish Line not only does business in bricks and mortar stores, it also offers online sales on their website and www.run.com. Buying products online is a trend of today’s society, and providing online sales allows Finish Line to compete with its competitors and the opportunity to increase its sales. The company is also focusing more on online and mobile sales, and in order to do this, Finish Line is “is investing in its online channel with design and content upgrades, mobile and tablet applications, and an expanded presence on social media and platform enhancements” (The Finish Line Inc).

When a brand is created, many will ask the questions that haunt all of us trying to start a company. Will it work? Should we stay online or launch a brick-and-mortar store? Will I make profit or fail? These questions arise even more when the company is to start only online. Because of this, e-commerce fashion brands must constantly evolve and expand their styles to maintain the interest of their target customers. Fashion Nova is one fashion brand that manages to stay relevant among its consumers because of their edgy style and quality priced clothing. Fashion Nova was first established in 2010. It gained its popularity from celebrities promoting it on their social media platforms and the fact

The new technological advances have made it easier for even small time stores to come out with some unique idea like designing your shoe online. For an example, Customix offers 3 billion

Because our main selling point is “local”, so our promotion strategy should focus on local market.

Zappos.com, established in 1999, has rapidly become a strong competitor in online apparel and footwear sales. With the original corporate vison of offering the absolute best selection in shoes; the vision has evolved over the past several years to include the goal of being the retailer that “provides the absolute best service online -- not just in shoes, but in any category” (Zappos, 2014). The online retailer stocks millions of reasonably priced footwear products; carrying thousands of hard to find brand named shoes, handbags, apparel and accessories via the company website and 7,000 affiliate partners. In recognizing their rapid success, Zappos credits it to their commitment to the customer, stating,