Effective Promotional Campaigns in Fashion

Study Notes

Understanding merchandising processes is crucial for effective promotional campaigns.
Marketers need to understand national and international markets.
Key elements for marketers are trade shows, apparel markets, and business resources.

Organized by fashion industry organizations.
Provide opportunities for meetings, conferences, and seminars.
Manufacturers worldwide display merchandise during predetermined dates (typically three days).
Functions provided for retail buyers during trade shows:
- Merchandise ordering
- Attending fashion shows and seminars
- Meeting colleagues globally
MAGIC (in Las Vegas) is a major US fashion trade show.
Trade shows facilitate industry interaction, sourcing merchandise for the upcoming season, and discovering new sourcing opportunities.
Trade shows provide valuable, potentially previously unknown information.

Enclosed buildings for buyers and sellers to conduct business.
Crucial in creating excitement and a sense of engagement.
Major US apparel markets offer diverse marketing services, promoting brands and products.
Services are designed to build excitement for products and educate buyers about potential sales increases and upcoming trends.
Provide detailed product information (SKUs, wholesale prices, color options, and size offerings)

Resident Buying Offices (RBOs) are formal fashion intelligence sources acting as purchasing agents
RBOs provide information on consumer trends and offer services based on client requirements.
RBOs must be aware of industry trends to properly serve clients.
Trade publications offer valuable information on industry status, including women's wear and international buying markets.
International fashion markets are frequently pre-marketed during predetermined weeks

London is a major fashion marketing hub.
Italian designers are known for craftsmanship, elegance, and creative design.
Fashion organizations like the National chamber of fashion stimulate the Italian fashion industry.
Hong Kong's fashion industry has faced challenges with sizing and quality, but has since improved.
Hong Kong's trade development council provides information to designers and marketers.
Madrid is another important fashion market.

Centralized Buying Offices (with central merchandising plans) handle all buying for a company from headquarters.
Decentralized Buying offices (with departmentalized merchandising plans) divide buying responsibility by region, merchandise category and department.
Decentralized offices allow a deeper understanding of market wants and needs by region and department.

Major fashion price zones are designer signature, bridge, moderate, contemporary, and budget.
Designer signature is for high quality and craftsmanship.
Bridge pricing brings in the middle market.
Moderate and budget focus on mass marketing.

Planning and executing the buying season effectively is essential.
Preparation involves monitoring market needs, forecasting trends, and budget management
Fashion buying seasons often occur in the same week each year.

Trickle-down theory suggests fashion trends originate with upper-income consumers and eventually reach lower-income groups.
Trickle-up theory indicates how trends can start with lower-income groups.