PL_logo_TopSecret

Which process should be used 
to communicate new clothing collections?

How do you create a process based on customer needs?

PL_logo_TopSecret
Scope: Process Design, Market Analysis, Opportunity Marketing, Offer Storytelling
Industry: Fashion apparel and accessories, Store chain, Marketing, Product development,
E-commerce
Project duration: 1,5 months

Zakres: 
Ideacja, Badanie potrzeb i problemów, Zbieranie wymagań, Projektowanie UX i UI, Programowanie Low-Code, Testy z użytkownikami, Utrzymanie

Rynek:
Human Resources, Administracja

Status:
wdrożone, w rozwoju

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Executive Summary

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Challenge

  • design and communication of collections in a Product-driven approach with low-competitive offerings
  • a necessary shift in the collection design process toward a Consumer-driven approach with a strong focus on the key customer segments’ needs and megatrends
Group 80

Actions

  • we determined the current design process and identified the necessary changes for the new process
  • we analyzed customer personas and market megatrends
  • we created an opportunity marketing calendar
  • we showed how to build a marketing concept for a fashion collection
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Results

  • we provided practical knowledge on how to apply the Consumer-driven approach in a new process based on specific Personas, shopping needs, and fashion collections
  • we integrated the roles of the Marketing, Collection Development, Communications, and Sales teams

Service description

The design of marketing and sales processes allows for the implementation of a Consumer-driven approach based on the needs of key customer segments, with an aim to create competitive offerings and effective communications. It significantly improves team collaboration and clearly defines roles and responsibilities.

Our client

In this project, we collaborated with Top Secret, which has been dynamically designing fashion collections for 26 years, selling them in more than 150 own and franchise stores under the “Top Secret” brand, as well as in the e-commerce channel. Every year, the company delivers more than 2,000 models, aiming to match customers’ needs and budgets.

Challenge

The client faced challenges such as a weakened competitive offering, a limited customer base, rising production costs, and the need for deep price promotions, as well as undefined processes and roles in the collection’s design and insufficient long-term thinking in terms of customer needs.

 

To build an integrated and collaboratively developed marketing and operational process in a Consumer-driven approach, a decisive change was required. It needed to consider the expectations of Personas and their buying opportunities, as well as strategic market megatrends.

Our goals

We were tasked with the collaborative building of a full new process and the practical application of its key stage related to the creation of cyclical plans and guidelines in the design of new collections. We also took care of the development of pro-client communication. During the project, we aimed to achieve consistency and improve the flow of knowledge between the collection design and marketing departments.

Key actions

To begin, we created a detailed map of the collection’s design process and communication with all its participants. We identified the missing elements and responsibilities – this is how the new process was created. Further, we gathered knowledge of 5 Customer Personas, 6 global and local strategic megatrends, and their impacts on needs, attitudes, and buying scenarios. We created an opportunity marketing calendar for the most important target group. We built a full concept for one of the occasions: Persona – Situation – Needs – Solution – Communication Channels and Style – Customer Story.

Results

In a short period of time, during just 3 team workshops, we achieved project goals that were important to the client:
  • a new marketing and sales process was built;
  • Marketing, Collection Development, Communications, and Sales teams were integrated around it;
  • a knowledge base on the needs of a key customer segment was created;
  • practical knowledge of how to apply the new process independently was shared;
  • further steps for its full, cyclical implementation by designing based on Personas were defined and
  • a semi-annual calendar of buying occasions and situations was created.
A key result of the work was setting a timeline for putting the calendar into action and giving each team specific tasks to do.

Client benefits

Reorienting the new process from a Product-driven approach to a Consumer-driven one allows for a more competitive offering. Moreover, its communication is strongly tailored to the needs of the strategic target group. Planning the design and production of collections in relation to buying occasions months in advance allows for the creation of coherent marketing and operational plans. It also helps reduce losses associated with the creation of unnecessary products.


With this approach, the design team is better able to notice and respond to quick changes in ongoing communications by regularly adjusting the long-term plan to reflect the current state of the market.


By understanding their roles and responsibilities, all participants in the process can increase their involvement, efficiency, and satisfaction levels.

Working with Innovatika has been very inspiring. The new process showed us how to work more effectively as a team and plan the design of the collection with regard to shopping opportunities and customer Personas' stories to strengthen our offer and its communication.
Alina Strycharz | Project Sponsor, HR Director

Summary

In many companies, a Product-driven approach prevails when the development of an offering is done in isolation from the needs of strategic customer Personas, their buying opportunities, and regardless of the impact of the market environment. Communication is based on the presentation of the product and its price without telling a story to engage the customer. Product development is tactical, and the marketing and sales teams do not understand each other’s needs and the necessary collaborative efforts.

 

We can address these clients’ challenges by designing new marketing processes in a short period of time and with little investment.

Let’s talk about your business

Jerzy Kurgan

Jerzy Kurgan

Managing Director

Jerzy Kurgan

Jerzy Kurgan

Managing Director