LACOSTE COMMUNICATION PLAN

Lacoste Communication Plan

Lacoste Communication Plan

Lacoste: History and Brand Identity

Created in 1930 by Rene Lacoste, a tennis player, the first knit wear short sleeved shirt has appeared in 1933. During the 18 first years of existence, the brand won't extend his product line so much. For instance, the polo shirt will be distributed in a unique colour, the white.

In 1951, Lacoste decided to launch three new colours: sky-blue, navy and red. This revolution underlines the first steps of the brand out of tennis courts, and premises of its diversification's strategy. And although the polo shirt and its little crocodile remained the ambassador product, Lacoste was surfing on several universes, including club, sportswear and sport.

Today, the brand comprises eight product families: clothes (65% of turnover), perfumes, shoes, glasses, watches, belts, house clothes and bags.

As an explanation of this expansion strategy from the 50's, we can carry out two main values for the brand. The traditional value (the first white shirt as a brand emblem) followed by the innovation value (many products under a corporate brand) show us how the company wants to globalize as much as possible its prestige notoriety and its consumer loyalty over its traditional segment: wealthy people (bourgeoisie).

More generally, values that Lacoste wanted to spread over these customers are elegance, sportive spirit, authenticity, and product quality. The segment targeted included 45-50 year old people, belonging to the high society. They are seen to be loyal, classical, and to strongly share the brand values. Their sensibility to price is low; they look for quality and comfort, easiness of maintenance. What they look for in the brand, is the possibility to relax in sport or during week-ends far from towns, through casual, sportswear.

But a few years ago, brand consumers began to change and reasons for which people bought the products changed too. A new unexpected segment appeared: the young people from suburbs.

Added to counterfeits' costs, we will see that this new segment has remained, during the two last decades, the main managerial problem that the brand had to face.

The Managerial Problems

Who are these new young people newly attracted by a brand, whose communication strategy didn't even included them as a potential target ? Why did they suddenly decide to be part of the mass consumption society, which rejected them?

The explanation can be found as regards to the bad image that young of suburbs can provide, even if they are really underestimated on their important purchasing power. For them, to own a prestigious brand, and moreover wear it, must be a distinctive sign of social ascension or a sign of success. At least concerning clothes, they are finally on the same step of equality with young rich people. Furthermore, we can add that by feeling to be apart from this rich sign of recognition, they logically want to be more a member of the community.

But what makes real troubles to the brand; it is the values the new consumers transport. Indeed, there is here a big gap between the brand identity ...