Yves Saint Laurent Red Ssoles Versus Christian Louboutin Luxury Brands - Case Study Example

COMPARING YSL AND CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTINS LUXURY BRANDS Introduction Most people opt for luxury brands when shopping for luxury items such as clothes, shoes and other fashion items. YSL and Christian Louboutin present the best luxury brands especially when buying or wishing to buy shoes. The duo is best known for their shoe collection in the luxury market. The two which have existed for long have been pacesetters in the fashion market and can be considered to some extent competitors. Other competitors exist but when it comes to quality, not mentioning the two is an understatement. Brands keep coming into the market and there are instances where a brands product may breach the patent laws. The two have been witnesses of this and have had to undergo court battles to settle their differences, in the famous red sole law suit (Alexander, 2012) .This paper compares the retail experience of the two luxury brands and explores each through two tenets. First off, it critically reflects on the effective strategies of fashion marketing and retailing that is employed by each brand. Secondly, it evaluates the purpose of store location and its support of brand awareness. The battle that has been between the two is also explored in-depth. History of the Luxury Brands Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) is also referred to as Saint Laurent Paris. Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge pioneered the founding of the company in the year 1961 (Oakley & Kubler, 2013). The luxury brand constitutes one of the most outstanding fashion houses that stocks both iconic and modern pieces. For shoe fashion lovers a knowledge of the fashion house is a must because of their products. YSL stores a wide range of products including leather goods, jewellery, both men and women’s ready to wear products as well as tuxedo and women jackets. Cassandre designed the brand’s current logos in 1963. The luxury brand was bought by Gucci in 1999 (Oakley & Kubler, 2013). PPR also owns some share of the fashion house. The death of the founder in 2009 left the brand in a tumultuous situation. However, the brand and the logo of the company still remain to be attached to some of the products it sells. In a move to stay modern the company has dropped the name Yves since it rebranded. Most fashion forecasters have placed the existence of the brand as forever. Christian Louboutin The Christian Louboutin designer brand is one of the most sought after shoe heritage brand. The brand that was launched in November 1991 has done fairly well compared to other luxury brands that deal in the same products. Its first boutique was in Paris. It was founded by Christian Louboutin himself (Manetti, 2012). Louboutin had the inner feeling to raise the profile of his fashion lovers both in and outside Paris by his inseparables (Oakley & Kubler, 2013). The first shop in New York was opened in 1994. Some of the shoes that the brand prides itself with are couture and ready to wear types. This includes Givenchy, Lavin, Rolf and Victor. In 1996 the Fashion Footwear Association of New York awarded the brand. Some of the milestones in the same year included the design of transparent Lucite heel shoes. In the year 2002 the brand unleashed the emotional finale, at Yves Saint Laurent’s farewell, making it the first time in history YSL associated its name with another designer that is Christian Louboutin for Saint Laurent 1962-2002. 2003, the company launched a handbag. Ultimately, the brand left the world aghast when it transformed the London’s design museum into a fairytale to shoe enthusiasts. Customer Profile Most of the customers who buy Christian Louboutin are stars such as Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Additionally, the designer also revealed of its super stop customer; Danielle Steel. Christian Louboutin attracts female customers in the age above 25 years (Manetti, 2012). As evident thereof the main customers of Christian Louboutin are women who have the love for and ability to purchase heels and stilettos. YSL attracts customers of any background regardless of their gender. Most of the customers are those who have the understanding and appreciation of the French luxury items and aesthetics. The esteemed customers are those who believe in the words of the founder Yves Saint Lauren; “Fashion fades, style is external”. The brand targets individuals of age above 25 years with a substantial income that can allow them to invest into a luxury brand (Savignon et al, 2010). This includes college students, the working, and the business class individuals. As early stated the customers have to understand the legacy of the brand. This brand also draws celebrity customers just like does Christian Louboutin. The customers are therefore different between the two brands. However, a similarity that makes both competitors is the fact that they both target female customers. Mission To understand the mission of YSL it is in order to understand the missions of Gucci and PPR that own YSL currently. Gucci’s mission is stated as “Creativity is our Lifeblood,” on the other hand PPR’s mission states that “Entrepreneurship is at the core of PPR’s identity and value systems”. There is nowhere, where YSL states its mission (Savignon et al, 2010). In short the mission of the company is to create and market highly desirable products through unparalleled quality design and innovation. The company aims to continue growth for its global retail presence through opening new stores in emerging markets. The expansion of the current store is also one of the core duties of the company. The mission statement of Christian Louboutin hails from its founder Christian Louboutin himself. The company in its footwear has incorporated red lacquered and shinny soles that have become its signature. As a fashion excellence stamp the trademark of the glossy red shoes is undisputable (Tagariello & Oryshkevich, 2014). Its mission statement draws back in 1991 when the designer stated that the company’s mission is “to make shoes that are like jewels”, this has been the case since its inception in that the company continues to unleash fantasy footwear as well as sensational accessories that are part of the expansion of the company products (Koehl, 2014). The razor sharp stilettos, studded sneakers and laced up boots are just but a few exemplary products of the brand. The brand is one of the desires of every woman when it comes to wardrobe transformation Legal Battle between the Two Brands In the year 2011 Christian Louboutin learnt that YSL was marketing and selling monochromatic red shoe with a red sole and then filed a law suit against YSL (Alexander, 2012). The claims were that YSL has infringed the trademark, created unfair competition and diluted their trademark, in accordance to New York state law. As such Christian Louboutin sought for a preliminary injunction to bar its competitor from selling any shoes bearing the monochromatic red sole which was its trademark (Bergin, 2012). According to Alexander (2012), the court ruled that Louboutin’s trademark of red soles had to be guarded and rendered protection except when the shoe itself is red, this move allowed YSL to make and sell red soled shoes. However, after 18 months long court battle YSL voluntarily dismissed the case claiming it wanted to focus n development of the brand and not more court battles (Bergin, 2012). The move has been well received by both parties and their attorneys. How each Brand uses 8 P’s of Marketing One of the most complex issues in luxury brands is its marketing. A luxury brand has a complex marketing mix other than the common known 4 P’s of marketing (Arora, 2013 & Kapferer & Bastien, 2009). Performance Brand performance refers to the delivery of superior experience of any luxury brand. Arora (2013) notes that performance can be segmented into two broad categories or levels that is at the product level and at experiential level. In the former the product of the brand must fundamentally be functional and satisfy the practical attributes. This is ensured through uniqueness in design, technology, innovation and craftsmanship. In the latter however, the product must be able to catch the emotions of the consumers (Chartered Institute of Marketing, 2004). In short it has to have an emotional value attached to it. Christian Louboutin satisfies the performance since its design is unique. The red lacquered shoes make it stand on its own. The products are also associated with quality. The products are a symbol of elegance and class and this attaches a high emotional value to the customers (Kastner & Baumgarth, 2014). YSL on the other hand also boasts of a unique form of products that are reflected in the quality of the designs and the trademark of the brand. The products of the two brands are outstanding, classy and elegant. No words best fits the design of each brand. Pedigree Most luxury brands have a rich derivation and peculiar history that become part and puzzle of the company or the brands aura. The mystique is generally founded on an exceptional trait of the founder character making a brand story and brand personality worth being part of. Most of the customers will be blinded to buy a product not because it performs well but simply because it has a rich history and heritage based on the years it has stayed in the market (Chevalier & Mazzalovo, 2012). Each of the two brands has a rich background ranging from the founders to the products. The heritage is reflected in the trademarks of each brand that makes each unique and outstanding. The mission statements too draw a long time back in the years when fashion was real fashion and luxury brands had hit the luxury market. Paucity Too much production and distribution of luxury brands jeopardizes the fame of the brand. Most brands are therefore able to maintain the perception that the products are scarce in order to avert dilution of the luxury character (Kar, 2011). There are many forms of paucity. Natural paucity is exemplified by scarcity of raw materials thus constraining mass production. Tactical driven paucity refers to a promotional strategy by luxury brands including limited editions and special series to create an elusive artificial demand (Arora, 2013). The brand may also decide to customize some goods as a paucity move. Some of the products of both brands are produced in low quantity to create exclusivity in the market. This has made the two brands perform well in the luxury market. Persona The brands character plays a very pivotal role in its marketing. This comes as a result of distinctive projection and coherence within its consumers and through advertising that creates a brand’s communication (Arora, 2013). Brand personality, emotional value and mystique all bear in the visual brand identity. The orchestration of a visual brand can take the form of brand colors, identity, tone of voice, and the trademark (Kar, 2011). Advertising that maintains brand character is very versatile and needs to be inclined in displaying the persona of the brand (Chevalier & Mazzalovo, 2012). Most of the customers who by the products buy them because of the value they attach to them. For example, Christian Louboutin’s customers pride themselves in the products since it make them look classy and comfortable (Koehl, 2014). YSL stilettos and the flat shoes are one of the most sought after shoe types by fashion lovers. Public Relations Public relations as a marketing move plays a central role in luxury brand marketing. Arora (2013) suggest that PR contributes to proliferation of the image of the brand and thus delicately influencing the public opinion over the brand. It is also used to express other supporting messages and aspects of the brand that are not likely to be captured in advertisements (Lea-Greenwood, 2013). In a way it creates brands personality, mystique and emotional values whether through endorsement or pedigree. It maintains dialogue and relevance with the luxury consumer (Kastner & Baumgarth, 2014). This could be through themed previews, fashion weeks and sport events. Christian Louboutin and YSL are participants and organizers in various fashion shows and fashion week across the world. Public Figures Celebrities have since time in memorial been employed in marketing mix of luxury brands, they still continue to dominate the luxury brand advertisements and have impacts and credibility in marketing of luxury brands. They could include film stars, music personalities, comedians, designers and royal families among others (Hoffmann et al, 2011). The celebrity endorsements in the luxury brand marketing takes a unique turn. Arora (2013) notes that celebrities are associated with the luxury brand personality and values to create the brands aura. This is done through red carpets, products placements in movies and TV shows and invites to special occasions and events. Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.) ( 2008) acknowledge that Christian Louboutin has used some of the finest celebrities in promoting its product this includes Jennifer Lopez and Sarah Jessica Parker as well as Danielle Steel who has long been the face of Christian Louboutin. Placement To heighten a consumers brand experience there has to be retail branded environment, which will also amplify the aura of the brand. This includes a variety of factors including choice of store location, sales person’s presentation, and the chain of touch that the consumers interact with. Luxury brand consumers have increased their demand qualities to being discriminative (Kapferer & Bastien, 2009). The consumers seek for professional assistance to help them manage their lifestyles (Hoffmann et al, 2011). As a result luxury brands are training and empowering their sales staff. The brands are also associating themselves with environments where they can reach the consumers easily. Some have selected the niche media where they advertise to sports and events. YSL sells its products through bricks and mortar in 104 operated boutiques globally as well as online platforms. The brand is also investing in emerging markets. Both brands are located in London at strategic shopping locations making their consumers have accessibility to their products (Tagariello & Oryshkevich, 2014). For example Christian Louboutin is located on Mount Street and YSL on Sloane Street that are in the center of fashion market (Koehl, 2014). Additionally, the two brands have also embraced social media marketing to lure in more customers. This is shown by their large number of fans in Facebook, twitter and other online social platforms. Pricing Consumer’s perception of a luxury brand is determined by pricing options. The consumers tend to consciously or subconsciously generate a mental picture or idea of the luxury with the price range that the brand operates. Due to challenging economic times luxury brands have to offer the best prices based on a good market research (Hoffmann et al, 2011). The price should be set in justification of the 7 P’s of marketing earlier mentioned. YSL’s buyers understand it is a luxury brand; high price that comes with it is welcomed by most of the consumers as shown by surveys. YSL is in line in terms of pricing with its competitors (Tagariello & Oryshkevich, 2014). Their average price for a heel is about $1000 and $500 for the flat shoes. According to Steele and Hill (2012), YSL has implemented the premium price strategy to create desirability of its products. Its pricing margins are not elastic since the customers still buy the products at the stipulated prices. Christian Louboutin on the other hand offers a price value that is attached to the luxury goods (Lamb, 2011). Most of the affluent customers are more drawn by the price they have to pay in accordance to the quality they are offered. Conclusion Evident from the analysis of the two brands luxury brand marketing needs to be rigorous so as to keep up with the pace in the market. The consumers of luxury brands always need the best from the companies and competition is very stiff. The 8 P’s of luxury marketing are not similar to the ones used in marketing other goods. This supports the idea that luxury brand management is of much importance so as to ensure that a brand does well. YSL and Christian Louboutin are some of the best designers and fashion house for shoes. Targeting different markets the competition between the two disappears when considering the products that targeting women. The two brands have had battles that are as now settled. Bibliography Alexander, E. (2012, October 16). Christian Louboutin sues Yves Saint Laurent for red sole shoes (Vogue.com UK). Retrieved from http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/2011/04/20/christian-louboutin-sues-yves-saint-laurent-for-red-sole-shoes Arora, R. (2013, May 8). 8 P?s of luxury brand marketing - Luxury Daily - Columns. Retrieved from http://www.luxurydaily.com/8-p%E2%80%99s-of-luxury-brand-marketing/ Bergin, O. 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