Marketing Strategies Adopted by Marks and Spencer in U.K

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Executive Summary

This study is an attempt to assess the strategies of marketing that are being adopted by the fashion retail industry in the United Kingdom using Marks and Spencer as a case. Fashion provides an outlet for self-expression in addition to fulfilling society's traditional requirement to cover our bodies. It welcomes the fundamental human need to belong and identify with others. It gives us the freedom to reinvent ourselves and to present the various styles that make each of us unique. We become attached to specific garments because they represent something special. The truth is that most people already know this. However, no one likes to discuss it because we want to believe that clothes are meaningless and take all the credit for creating our identities. The methodology used for this study is qualitative and quantitative. A questionnaire was distributed in the consumers in order to test the effectiveness of the products that are being offered by Marks and Spencer. In order to assess the effectiveness of the marketing strategies, the managers of Marks and Spencer were interviewed. The results showed that the consumers are highly dependent on the products being offered by Marks and Spencer.

Chapter1: Introduction

Background

Fashion provides an outlet for self-expression in addition to fulfilling society's traditional requirement to cover our bodies. It welcomes the fundamental human need to belong and identify with others. It gives us the freedom to reinvent ourselves and to present the various styles that make each of us unique. We become attached to specific garments because they represent something special. The truth is that most people already know this. However, no one likes to discuss it because we want to believe that clothes are meaningless and take all the credit for creating our identities (Philip, 2004, pp.213).

Fashion is an art form. Like Monet, Michelangelo, Diego Rivera and other world-renowned artists, fashion designers are creators of remarkable art that is appreciated by millions of people across the world. Typically, this form of art is presented on the runway as couture collections instead of art galleries and museums. People identify with a designer like they identify with an artist. Wearing a specific brand name can serves as more than simply clothing, it can provide an identity that leads to confidence (Varadarajan, 1999, pp. 88).

With such a huge revenue stream, it is no surprise the fashion industry avails itself the trendiest form of communication. Reality television shows, bold advertising schemes and eye-popping stunts have become the norm in fashion, so it is only natural for fashion to turn to the hottest trends in communications and go viral with social media. While there are many debates over the definition of social media, for the purposes of this thesis, social media will be used to describe the various web-based elements designed to support social interaction between users of the Internet. Social media has introduced various platforms that allow users to go from being content consumers to becoming content ...