DOCKERS: CREATING A SUB-BRAND

How would you characterie !e"i#$ Bra%di%& Strate&y i% &e%eral' (hat are the
)o$iti"e a$)ect$' Are there a%y %e&ati"e a$)ect$'
In the initial years Levis positioned itself as the makers of blue jeans 501 that were
indispensable part of the miners uniform, tough & rugged and have trademark !wo
"orse Logo# !he target audien$e of the Levis was the baby bloomers# !he points of
parity & points of differen$e at that point of time was that the pants were durable and
were $omfortable for the gold miners# %o in initial years Levis fo$us on these segments
only#
In 1&'0s L%&(o# de$ided to diversify & laun$hed )eans, (ords, %la$ks, %portswear for
men, range for women and $hildren# *ew +ivisions were $reated for youth wear,
sportswear & a$$essories, ,als marketing unit e-panded into womens wear division#
Levis %trauss International laun$hed as subsidiary# .apid e-pansion ne$essitated
$apital so $ompany was taken to publi$#
%ales boomed for the de$ade# 501 )eans remained the top selling brand# /rodu$tion
was e-panded lo$ally & abroad to meet the $ontinuous demand# %low growth among its
primary market 10102 years old for$ed L%&(o to $onsider alternatives a$tion to hedge
against an e-pe$ted de$line in the jeans market in1&30# L%&(o adapted a strategy to
e-pand beyond $ore jeans lines to utili4e Levis name on non jeans# Introdu$tion of new
produ$t lines $overing a broad range of family $lothing was needed# /rodu$t line
in$luded +enim & (orduroy )eans# 5ffered thousand of pants, sla$ks, vests, shirts,
bla4ers & blouses# 6$7uisition of 8ora$arp Industries, .esistol "ats, .ainfair Industrial
(lothing & 9rank %tarter .unning ,ear# *umerous li$ensing arrangements were done
for produ$ts in$luding shoes & so$ks and also with designers#
:rand %alien$e; +urable /air of /ants, <ithstand with the rugged lifestyle of the ,old
=iners#
Imagery; /ants for "ard <orking 6meri$an =en# (asual, !imeless *ature, <estern
Image#
/erforman$e; >uality, +urable, <ork (lothes, %tylish
9eelings; 9eel of (otton, (omfortable, ?ssential 9ashion, :lue (olour#
)udgments; /rospe$tor, ,ood <orking (loths, %elf ?-pression, %uperior >uality,
Likeable ad (ampaigns# .ight pants for variety of o$$asions#
.esonan$e; !hose pants of Levi, /ositive image among various demographi$s,
?ssential for teenagers#
(hange in (ommuni$ation %trategy;
"istori$ally fo$used on e-$lusive 7uality if Levis for mens#
6ds, whether /rint or television emphasi4es on 7uality, durability & timeless
nature of Levis#
In 1&'0, It shifted its advertising strategy to refle$t the $ompanys $hange in
produ$t fo$us#
.epla$ed traditional <estern =iner or /rospe$tor image with more
$ontemporary, psy$hedeli$, and @hipA imagery of the day#
:y 1&30, the advertising budget had grown to B100 million#
Lost tou$h ;
Levis dont have to be bluethey just have to be good
Quality never goes out of style
We put a little blue jean in everything we make.
L%&(o adopted adual approa$h, on one side they want to be $ontemporary,
psy$hedeli$ & "ip imagery therefore wanted to ensure that 6meri$an men understood
that L%&(o still sold its traditional jeans as work $lothes#
.e$onstru$tion of strategy, ea$h division was responsible for its own advertising
strategy, fo$us shifted to target spe$ifi$ groups rather than selling produ$ts a$ross
division# =ore advertisement dollars allo$ated to <omens wear & Couth 6pparels#
.esulted in *on1)eans lines struggled & fa$e tough $ompetition# ?-pands distribution to
<all =art & 81=art#
In general if we analy4e the strategy the L%& (o;
+iversified too mu$h#
/rodu$ed every thing form "ats to %uits#
*o longer %tood for anything#
Lost fo$us on $ore produ$ts#
.etail relations sunk to a part of hostility#
6fter $onse$utive years of loss, the $ompany was taken private through a B1#D5
billion leveraged buyout#
6 paradigm shifting of fo$us ba$k to the $ore produ$t businesses was done#
=any non $ore lines were either dis$ontinued or sold off#
6t this time, the $ompany fa$ed both in$reased $ompetition and shifts in fashion
trends#
6t this time, the BED million @501 :luesA advertising $ampaign set out to $reate an
image for 501 jeans $onsistent with L%&(o#s $orporate philosophy and values#
It was felt that e-isting produ$t lines did not suffi$iently satisfy the needs of the
052& year old male $ustomers#
!he idea was to pa$kage the produ$t with a memorable, trademarked nameF a
uni7ue, permanent, on1garment logoF and a $olorful po$ket flasher#
6fter the su$$essful 501 jeans $ampaign defining Levis as jeans, meant the new
brand had to establish its independen$e and leverage the Levis brand name in a
way so as to maintain a link to the e-isting name and heritage but not detra$t
from the $ore jeans fo$us#
Laun$h of +o$kers;
+e$ision was made to $reate a new produ$t (ategory @ *ew (asualsA#
*ew (asuals satisfied the unfilled need in the mens pant market#
/a$kage the produ$t with a memorable, trademarked name, a uni7ue,
permanent, on1garments logo and a $olorful po$ket flasher#
!he strategi$ market positioning of the $ompanys very su$$essful 501 jean
$ampaign had defined Levis as jeans, so the new brand name has to establish
its independen$e and leverage Levis brand name in a way to maintain a link to
e-isting name & heritage but not detra$t form the $ore jean fo$us#
!he name +o$kers was taken from a Levi brand in )apan and 6rgentina#
+o$kers name was ideal be$ause although it did have some nauti$al
$onnotations, for the most part it was $onsidered a neutral empty basket that the
$ompany $ould fill with imagery that was relevant to its broad target audien$e#
!he logo that was $hosen blended the 6rgentine and )apanese logos and
$onsisted of interlo$ked wings and an$hors#
!he $ompany $ourted retailers with e-tensive presentations, sell1in bro$hures,
and swat$h books#
6 $riti$al $omponent of the $ompanys marketing effort was the establishment of
+o$kers shops within main floor =ens areas of major department stores#
6dvertising %trategy had to a$hieve two goals;
:e$ause there was no $onsumer terminology for +o$kers1type pants, the ads
would have to edu$ate its audien$e about the new produ$t itself and $reate brand
awarenessF and
6n image for the new produ$t had to be $reated that leveraged the positive
Levis brand asso$iations but also established a $ertain amount of autonomy or
distan$e to signal the inherent produ$t differen$es#
!arget 6udien$e and 6dvertisements;
!he target audien$e for the advertising was defined demographi$ally as white
$ollar working men between the ages of 05 and 2& who lived in major
metropolitan areas#
!he ads were to $reate a singular, appealing, and relevant image for the brand
that elevated +o$kers above all other possible alternatives#
!he men wearing +o$kers were to be real, approa$hable and attra$tive, but not
fashion models#
!he Levis name would help give the new pant $redibility and $apitali4e on the
tremendous loyalty of the target group to the Levis brand#
!he fo$us was on the waist down, and no fa$es were shown at any time#
!he tagline ran Levis !""# $otton %o&kers. 'f (oure )ot Wearing %o&kers*
(oure +ust Wearing ,ants.
!he .esult was that the $onsumers responded to the produ$t design, whi$h utili4ed
the $omfort and $asual feel of $otton, and likeable advertising by pur$hasing enough
+o$kers to make it a billion1dollar brand by 1&&E# !he fastest1growing $lothing brand
in history# -ortune maga4ine estimated in 1&&& that '5 per$ent of 6meri$an men
owned a pair of +o$kers#
!wo brand names; Levis and +o$kers
LeviGs moniker was in$orporated in the +o$kersG winged logo to establish an
understated asso$iation with the LeviGs name#
%ub1brands Levis %ignature#
/ositive 6spe$ts;
%u$$essful sub1branding strategy
(apitali4e on the strengths of the Levis brand
+ifferentiates between Levis and +o$kers
*egative 6spe$ts;
+o$kers image was not appealing to many $onsumers
+o$kers brand idea does not support the new trends in the market#
Lesson learnt form Levis;
Intensify, dont multiply# Instead of a$$entuating its $ore brand values, Levis has
$onfused jeans buyers with an apparently limitless array of different styles# 6s
brand e-pert 6l .ies has put it; HIn the long term, e-panding your brand will
diminish your power and weaken your image#
9o$us on your strengths# If Levis stands for anything it stands for Hthe original
jean# In order to fully re$over it will need to $onsolidate and strengthen this
identity#
+ont look down on your original brand# <hen Levis laun$hed the %ilvertab
range it fell into the same trap as (o$a1(ola when they laun$hed *ew (oke# 6s
branding e-pert and journalist Ian (o$oran has pointed out, HLevis now seems to
have a real problem in $onvin$ing the $onsumer that ownership of the previously
indomitable red label still represents suffi$ient kudos to $ommand e-$lusivity#
*ue$tio%: A%alye Doc+er$#$ co,,u%icatio% $trate&y at the ti,e o- the lau%ch.
How did it -it i% with )a$t !e"i#$ ad"erti$i%& e--ort$' How did it co%tri/ute to
/ra%d e0uity'
!he advertisement $reates an image for the brand based on an emotional
appeal#
!he attitude of the advertising was $ontemporary to ensure the styling of the
pants be per$eived as timeless and $lassi$#
6t time of laun$h, produ$t fo$used, $onsistent with some Levis advertising from
the 1&30s#
5ther Levis ads very image1oriented, +o$kers did not add an image element
until later#
/art of the advertising strategy was defining target audien$e a$$ordingly by
demographi$ally, attitudinally, $lothing needs and pur$hasing behavior and a
fo$us group was sele$ted for determination on the type of ads that appeal to the
target group#
!o advertise +o$kers, $onsumer advertising was adoptedF $ommer$ials were
aired during sele$tive prime time slots and spot !I was used in all 11 major
regional markets#
!he $onsumer advertising was to provide a positioning and image umbrella for both the
$onsumer and the trade markets#
!argeted $onsumer through $o1op advertising with retailers an old Levis
advertising efforts# %ales promotions planned during ki$k off & key season to
$reate in1store e-$itement#
+o$kerss $ontributed to brand e7uity by
aJ !here was no $onsumer terminology for +o$kers1type pants, the ads would have
to edu$ate its audien$e about the new produ$t itself and $reate brand
awarenessF and
0J 6n image for the new produ$t had to be $reated that leveraged the positive Levis
brand asso$iations but also established a $ertain amount of autonomy or
distan$e to signal the inherent produ$t differen$es#
*ue$tio%: How would you characterie the Doc+er$ /ra%d i,a&e' (hat ,a+e$ u)
it$ /ra%d e0uity' E"aluate the ,o"e to e1)a%d the li%e i%to /eddi%&2 /ath
a%d lu&&a&e ,ar+et$.
Bra%d i,a&e
(asual dress brand, positioned in between jeans and dress $lothing
6t the time of its laun$h, the brand image tied almost e-$lusively to the khakis
popular with the suburban set
+o$kers updated its $ommuni$ation strategy and its design styles to $onvey a
more sophisti$ated, urban image
Bra%d e0uity
"igh awareness
"igh market penetration
%trong $hannel support
/ositive image in numerous demographi$ segments
6gain +o$kers plans to diversify its brand and is diluting the brand as it failed earlier,
the $ha$n$es are that they would probably fail again as the finan$ial position is also not
very en$ouraging#
*ue$tio% - De$cri/e $o,e o- the cha%&e$ i% the Doc+er$# ,ar+eti%& $trate&y -ro,
it$ de/ut. Ha$ !S 3 Co. ,ai%tai%ed a co%$i$te%t e%ou&h ,ar+eti%& ,e$$a&e' Are
they well )o$itio%ed $trate&ically a%d tactically to ,ai%tai% their $tro%&
leader$hi) $tatu$ i% co,i%& year$'
+o$kers altered advertising to $onvey a more sophisti$ated image
@*i$e /antsA offered more edginess, more se-iness, less stuffiness, younger
target
@5ne Leg at a !imeA was a departure, $onfused $onsumers
LeviGs work $losely with retailers in order to generate e-$itement and support for
its new pant
!rade promotions su$h as sales support, sales kits for retail1based marketing,
$ooperative advertising and sales promotion programs were provided#
.eturned to @*i$e /ants,A better $onsisten$y#
!he +o$kers in1store shop sought to $reate a friendly, a$$essible environment,
prominently displaying the sporty +o$kers logo and linking $onsumer advertising
with point1of sale signage and posters#
LeviGs also adopted point1of pur$hase advertising through shelf talkers to give
$onsumers an entirely different kind of shopping e-perien$e whi$h the $on$ept
proved to be very su$$essful#
/oint1of sale displays were established in stores where shops were e-perien$ing
spa$e or finan$ial $onstraints#
Doc+er$ i$ )o$itio%ed well
Leading brand of $asual pants
"igh awareness levels
=any different lines, broad market $overage#
+o$kers need to do the produ$t development by using the te$hnologyF they have
$reated $ertain new produ$ts# !hey should $ontinue to do it#
*ue$tio% -Doc+er$ ,i$$ed out o% the 4wri%+le -ree5 tre%d whe% it -ir$t $ur-aced. Not i%cor)orati%&
thi$ tech%olo&y i%to )a%t$ hurt the co,)a%y. 6ear$ later2 Doc+er$ e,/raced tech%olo&y i% it$
)roduct$2 creati%& the Ther,al Ada)t Kha+i a%d 7er$)iratio% Guard $hirt. (a$ addi%& thi$
tech%olo&y to their )roduct$ the ri&ht ,o"e2 or did Doc+er$ 4&o too -ar5 i% addi%& the$e -eature$
to their clothe$'
(hallenge of $hanging the image among young $onsumers
*e$essary to target this market#
!he $ompany has to move with the times and in$orporate the best and the most
innovative te$hnology available#
In highly $ompetitive market, the need is to differentiate your produ$t# :y giving
these options +o$kers presents the point of differen$e to the $onsumers, there
fore in my opinion +o$kers +id not go too far#
E"aluate Doc+er$#$ deci$io% to $to) $elli%& )roduct$ directly to co%$u,er$ o% it$
we/$ite. Doc+er#$ ,ai% co,)etitor$ are hea"ily i%"ol"ed i% o%li%e retaili%&.
Should Doc+er$ reco%$ider their deci$io%'
L%&(o# did not enjoy the e1$ommer$e su$$ess#
.elu$tant to offer produ$ts for dire$t order online for fear of angering retail
partners#
?a$h :rand Levis# +o$kers# 6nd %lates had separate website with
information about the seasonal lines & retail lo$ations as well as online ordering
feature#
!outed its e1$ommer$e venture with B5 million of web advertising on more than
00mprominent sites#
!he internet advertising effort met with minimal su$$ess dire$ting traffi$ to
Levis#$om
!he revenue from the website $ould not offset the $osts of operating the site and
delivering the produ$ts#
!he retailers sites sold D0 K more mer$handise than L%&(o did at its own
website#
L%&(o should approa$h more retailers like =a$ys#$om to have tie up with them
to sell their produ$ts online#
I,a&i%e you are 8oh% Good,a% a%d ha"e 9u$t /ee% %a,ed a$ the head o- the
Doc+er$ Bra%d. (hat are your )rioritie$' (hat do you do -ir$t'
6s +o$kers had introdu$ed new identity, logo, slogan and advertising $ampaign
that helped in stem the losses from the previous fis$al year, my priority is to
make $ontinuous efforts in redefining the marketing initiatives for the +o$kers#
(ondu$t e-tensive marketing resear$h to assess the image of +o$kers among
different market segments#
6naly4e the possibilities of e-tending the brand, espe$ially using sub1brands in
order to attra$t new $ustomers, while keeping the brand relevant#