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The Story of a Romanian Brand

Panait Adeline Scinteanu Flavia Stoian Marilena


Group 138, An III FABIZ engleza, ASE 2011-2012

Ch 1 Musette the story of a Romanian brand

The company
The story begins in 1994. Two young students, Cristina and Roberto Batlan, resign from Law School in order to start a business in the textile industry. We had the chance to work with Robertos father, who was working as a designer at Venus fashion house. This is how we started working with fabrics, says Cristina, the designer of group Musette. Soon, the two partners became the biggest fabrics wholesalers in the country and they extended their activity by importing shoes and leather goods from Italy. Because they realized that is too expensive to buy the shoes

from abroad, in 2000 they give up to their fabrics and shoes distribution business and build their own shoe manufacture point. They started by producing 15 pairs of shoes per day. Now they produce 20 times more.

The passion for design of Cristina has its origins in her childhood, when she used to go with her mother to fashions shows and to visit design studios and textile factories. All this gave her the desire to experiment concrete things using the Singer sewing machine of her grandmother. She was in love with the world of design and had a strong will to explore it more than that. In 2002, the first Musette store selling shoes launches in Bucharest. In the next 10 years, the brand developed continuously building a retail network of 20 stores, in Romania, USA (New York), Bulgaria (Sofia) and Israel (Tel Aviv).

The name of the brand was inspired from the name of the main character (a cat named Mewsette) of the animated musical Gay Pur-ee, produced by United Production of America and realeased by Warner Bros. in 1962. Cristina Batlan had felt that Gay Purr-ee fitted well with the french athmosphere of Bucharest and expressed the need of more aristrocracy.

The product
Musette is one of the main accessories brand in Romania, specialised in manufacturing leather goods, bags and shoes. Musette products have a great demand in every season because they catch the essence from the international fashion tendencies and their models and

colors are well adapted to the taste and needs of its female customers. Musette uses only natural and high quality materials, while the prices remain normal. And this is exactly what the Romanian brand seeks: luxury products at affordable prices.

Ch 3 External and Internal Environment and SWOT Analysis


Musette is searching for new markets. The signal is clear - the company fate cannot anymore count on the number of shoes and bags that can be produced by the company, but on how and where it can sell. In present, Musette has 20 stores in Europe, 12 of them in Romania. In September 2010, the company also opened a store in New York. The first step towards the international market was by opening a store in Bulgaria, in Mall of Sofia.

The internal market


On the internal market, in 2000 Batlan family decided to open a

factory, how Cristina Batlan said to move on to the next step. Now, the company has two factories, one for bags in Bucharest and another one for shoes in Husi., where it produces 40 000 pairs of shoes and 25 000 bags per collection,given that there are two main collctions and two prontofashion(with few products) per year,and collections for special events.

The external market


Musette brand first appeared in Bulgaria in Mall of Sofia, beacause like Cristina Batlan said, there customer behavior is similar to those in Romania. Although the store in Sofia is only 55sqm, goes well, say designers. On 8 September 2009, Musette had plans to open another store in Bulgaria and the desire to enter on Parisian market, in the commercial gallery Le Bon Marche. Also, Cristina Batlan sells her products in a boutique in Malta. In September 2010, the company opens a store in New York, and in June 2011, Musette arrives in Luxemburg-the state with the second highest GDP per capital in the world after Qatar. The store in New York is chic, full of Musette bags and shoes. A Romanian brand which, besides the overseas boutique opened in franchise, boasts with another one in Israel. Even if the nitial investments are high, the stores from overseas are full of customers, for example Musette invested in the store from Manhatan 300 000 Euro,so three times more than that on Victoria Avenue. Only in States the products are sold at double price.
(photo) Downtown New York,on West Broadway

The company is optimist and in ten years, wants to have 300 stores all around the World. Based on the analysis of external and internal marketing environment we can make the Swot analysis for the company.

Swot Analysis
Is a planning tool used to understand the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involvedin a project or in a business. It involves specifying the objective of the business or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are supportive or unfavourable to achieving that objective. SWOT is often used as part of a strategic planning process.

The Strengths for Musette company are that : The company has stores all around the world in Europe,but Also in America. First the company worked only in house, but took a preventive decision, anti-crisis, they wanted to see if they are competitive in other markets. Cristhelen B. is on the Fashion Shoes store shelves, neighbors with brands such as Guess or Tommy Hilfiger. Cristina Batlan knows that, outside is not enough to have qualitative products, so the company is associated with the name of Jean Barriol. Musette had produced products under the label of the

French stylist, although the Cristina Batlan had the ambition to sell her one brand.That was a compromise much smaller than that to not sell. Selling under the label of the French stylist, helped the company to avoid business taxes; the entry fees can be between 100 000 and 300 000 Euro. On the opposite side, the weaknesses of the company are: The company makes great efforts to maintain the profitability similar to the last years,due to the crisis. Musette made cost cutting, that meant reducing staff by 15%, lower salaries for the technical staff abroad,closing the store from shopping complex Feeria. The high rents are the main complains form the fashion merchants, and this is the fact that made Musette to not invest anymore in opening new stores, for the moment.

Opportunities for Musette:


In one or two years they want to open stores in Russia and England.

Threats for Musette:


Because it is a very popular area, every day appears the treat of new entrants. The industry has many producers, so Musette has many competitors, and has the disadvantage of being a not very big company,just starting to taste the activity abroad The customers can always change the store from where they buy their shoes/bags Also the suppliers can get a greater offer and stop giving Musette the necessary materials.

Ch 3 Target Market, Positioning and Segmentation

Brief Background
A marketer can rarely satisfy everyone in a market. Not everyone likes the same cereal, hotel room, or restaurant and especially, not every woman likes the same shoes or handbags. Therefore, marketers start by dividing the market into segments. They identify and profile distinct groups of buyers who might prefer or require varying product and services mixes by examining demographic, psychographic and behavioral differences among buyers. The marketer then decides which segment presents the greatest opportunity which are its target markets. For each chosen target market, the company develops a market offering. The offering is positioned in the minds of the target buyers as delivering some central benefits. Fashion is always changing, and trends come and go. Therefore, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the footwear industry. The younger generations are becoming bolder with their style, and therefore want that unique shoe that will match their unique personality. Musettes mission is to follow and adapt to this pattern.

Target Market, Musette

Positioning

and

Segmentation

for

Musettes main target market is one formed out of fashion-forward women, aged 18-35 years of age, seeking quality products at reasonable prices. These individuals are in middle to upper class families and are looking for quality foot apparel at an affordable price, while maintaining an edgy look. These individuals are attending a post-secondary education or work full or part-time. As well, these individuals are active and are aware of their appearance. Demographics

Women Aged 18-35 years of age Middle to Upper class Individuals looking for quality Conscious of their appearance Fashion forward mentality

Geographics Musette sells to residents of the six countries it activates in: Romania, USA, Israel, Bulgaria, Hungary and Luxemburg. Founder and owner, Cristina Batlan, stated that eventually, after the Christhelen B. Musette brand will establish itself as an important competitor in the footwear

industry, the company shall branch out and expand into the Great Britain and Russia. Psychographics Individuals with middle to upper class backgrounds in both education & finance Individuals who are quality as well as price conscientious Trend setters Individuals who lead an active daily lifestyle In order to better supply their target markets needs, Musette will produce limited edition lines quite often, creating products that will be viewed as rare, intriguing and appealing to fashionable women all around. The company will not try to force its expansion, but will rather make its development slowly but surely, and it will take its time in analyzing their consumers needs constantly.

Ch 4 Attractiveness of Musette by regarding the 4Ps

The marketers task is to devise marketing activities and assemble fully integrated marketing programs to create, communicate, and deliver value for consumers. One traditional depiction of marketing activities is in terms of the marketing mix, which has been defined as the set of marketing tools the firm uses to pursue its marketing activities. McCarthy (Edmund Jerome McCarthy - born 1928 - was an American marketing professor) classified these tools into four broad groups, which he called the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place (distribution) and promotion.

Marketing Mix

Product Product Variety Quality Design Features Brand Name Packaging Sizes Services Warranties Returns

Target Market Place Channels Coverage Locations Transport

Price List price Discounts Allowances Payment period Credit terms

Promotion Sales promotion Advertising Sales force Public relations

PRODUCT
Product Variety Musettes range of products is medium. The company offers three major categories of products: Shoes, Handbags and Accessories. Each category has a small range of subcategories: Shoes Ballerinas & Loafers, Pumps & Sandals, High Heel Boots, Flat Boots, Limited editions; Handbags Top Handles, Totes & Shoulder Bags, Clutches, Limited Editions; Accessories Wallets, Belts. Quality In terms of quality, Musette is ranked as a luxury manufacturer. Its products are classified as luxury items both on local and on international markets. The owner, Cristina Btlan, has declared her passion for quality products more than once. Although she receives constant pressure from the foreign market to raise prices, she believes that luxury isnt necessarily an issue of price, rather of quality. With the major success stories she has created for her brand abroad, Cristina is still extremely reserved in closing franchise deals due to her fears of decreased quality. The products are all made of leather exterior and are very well viewed by buyers. Design The concept, design and overall appearance of the Musette products are thought of by the general manager, design director and owner,

Cristina Btlan. The Christhelen B. Musette brand takes pride in its colorful, joyful and feminine products. The look and feel of Musette products are appreciated orldwide.

Features Founder and owner, Cristina Btlan, takes great pride in the features of her products which she says are comfortable, fashionable, wearable and accessible. All her claims are supported by customer feedbacks. Brand Name The Name of the Brand, as outlined in the presentation of the company, derives itself from the cartoon characterMewsette. Branded asMusette, the company has come to a very high level of popularity amongst Romanians as well as Americans alike. Almost every woman in Romania, upon hearing the wordMusette, automatically connects with the image of high quality, colourful, expensive shoes. The brand name has gained a reputation to be reckoned with, both locally and abroad and, as it seems, it will continue to grow. Packaging All packaging of Musette products stick to a clean and minimalist look. The boxes and bags are either all white or all black, with a single

appearance of the logo on a side.

Services

Musette sells its products both in traditional as well as in online stores. Warranties Musette does not give any other warranty, express or implied.
Returns Musette will not accept returns for any non-faulty items that have been worn and tags removed. Upon receipt of an order, if any item has been received with no tags, customer are required to notify the company (by phone or email) on the same day if they wish to return. The company strongly advises all its customers to check products thoroughly upon delivery before removing any attached tags and before disposing of any original packaging. The company draws attention to the fact that shoes must be returned with their original designer packaging. Shoes returned without their original boxes will not be accepted. Should customers wish to exchange an item for an alternative size, they are required to email the company and the specific product will be reserved if it is in stock. As soon as the company receives a return, it dispatches the customers new size to after the goods have undergone a quality control check. Musette also makes it clear on their website that they are unable to exchange an item for an alternative color or style, subject to availability. RETURN POLICY FOR ONLINE PURCHASES ONLY All unworn purchases may be exchanged or returned for a refund. Items must be returned in their original packaging along with the original sales receipt, no later than 10 business days (2 weeks) after the purchase date. Musette will not be responsible for the return shipping fees.

PRICE
List Price List price refers to the manufacturer's suggested retail pricing. It may or may not be the price asked of the consumer. Much depends on the product itself, the built-in profit margin, and supply and demand. A product that is in high demand with low availability will sometimes sell higher than the list price, though this is less common than the reverse. Price Musette is considered a luxury brand, both locally and internationally. And although the list prices for the Musette products are usually affordable, retail prices can end up being double the list prices. SHOES Ballerinas & Loafers 150$ - 300$ Pumps & Sandals 180$ - 350$

High heel boots 200$ - 400$ Flat boots 200$ - 400$ Limited Editions 170$ - 500$

HANDBAGS

Top Handles 130$ - 400$ Totes & Shoulder Bags 150$ - 400$ Clutches 100$ - 350$ Limited Edition 170$ - 500$

ACCESORIES

Wallets 100$ - 250$ Belts 100$ - 250$

Discounts Musette has constant stock clearances on their websites and offer frequent discounts both online and offline. The discounts range between 10% - 20% for minor occasions such as Labors Day or Mothers Day but they can go as high as 50%-70% on big holidays such as Christmas, Easter and so forth. The company also offers substantial discounts to products that are of last season and have a remaining stock in very few sizes (mostly very large or very small sizes are left). Musette also offers its customers a discount card they can use for every purchase, be it online, or in traditional stores. Musette also gives its customers the opportunity to buy gift certificates for other people. The amount on the gift certificate cant be less than 50$, and higher than 1500$.

Allowances Sales Allowance is given if there is something wrong with the merchandise, or to show customer that you value their business. As researched, Musette apparently does not give out sales allowances. There is no mention of this on any platform of informational content regarding the company. Payment Period

Musette requires payment on spot. In traditional store, the payment is made either by cash or by credit card on the spot, in exchange for the desired product. On the online store, the customer has one out of two options. He can either make the payment in advance by credit card transfer through a secure platform in which he/she enters his/her full name and address, account number and security number, and only after the payment has been recorded, the customer receives a confirmation and the product is shipped to him/her. If the customer does not wish to pay through means of the internet, he/she can choose to pay through the carrier when his/her product will be delivered. Credit Terms Musette does not offer credit.

PROMOTION
Sales promotion A sales promotion is commonly used to obtain an increase in sales short term. It could involve using money off coupons or special offers. Musette often offers promotions, such as buy two, get a third at half price. They also provide gift certificates and on occasion, coupons. Advertising (any nonpersonal paid form of communication using any form of mass media. Musette advertises themselves through various marketing means. They have yet to step out the classic marketing strategies and have not executed anything in the realm of guerilla, buzz or ambient marketing. They play it simple: Catalogues They publish a seasonal catalogue that includes their products for that season

Fashion Shows Closed-circuit sales Ads in fashion magazines Website (both romanian and american) Facebook page (for the Soho Store, in NY)

Sales force Musettes work force is formed out of over 250 employees worldwide, out of which less than 100 of them are salespersons. Public relations PR involves developing positive relationships with both the media and the public. The art of good public relations is not only to obtain favorable publicity within the media, but it is also involves being able to handle

successfully negative attention. The Companys public relations representative tries to shine the spotlight upon Musette through methods such as: organizing fashion shows, select parties, closed-circuit sales and so forth).

PLACE (DISTRIBUTION)
Channels The main function of a distribution channel is to provide a link between production and consumption. While most businesses use third parties or intermediaries to bring their products to market, Musette has a direct marketing channel approach. They are both the manufacturer

and the retailer and they deliver the products from their factories, into their own stores and directly to the consumer. Coverage The distribution coverage of Musette products is quite impressive. It reaches the territories of 6 countries, from Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Israel, and Luxemburg to The United States of America. Musette employs a mix between selective and exclusive distribution coverage (the marketer deliberately seeks to limit the locations in which this type of product is sold. To the non-marketer it may seem strange for a marketer to not want to distribute their product in every possible location. However, the logic of this strategy is tied to the size and nature of the products target market.) Locations The Company has 20 stores throughout the world: 12 on the local market, 2 in Budapest (Hungary), 2 in Tel-Aviv (Israel), 2 in Sofia (Bulgaria), 1 in New York (USA) and 1 in Luxembourg (Luxemburg). The two stores in Hungary, the one in New York and one of the stores in Israel were opened through franchises. Musette however, has reserved the right to buy back the franchise or at least a portion of it. Besides its stores, Musette also promotes and sells its products by hosting or taking part in fashion shows, fashion fairs or other events of such sort.

Transport Musette can either use a third party company to transport its products from the factories to its stores, or it can employ an internal transportation system.

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