SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

• Founded in 1962 in Minneapolis, Target is the "second largest general merchandise retailer in America."
• The company’s main brand message is "Expect More. Pay Less."
• Target has utilized messaging such as Sun's Out, Fun's Out, Sun Squad, Summer Fun, and others for this summer.
• Target and Vineyard Vines have launched the #VineyardVinesForTarget campaign on social media to promote their limited-edition collection of 300 unique, affordable items.

findings

• As of 2017, Kohl's had a total of 1,154 department stores.
•  The main differentiators that Kohl's emphasizes are its longstanding history, impressive product/brand selection, discounts/savings, simple shopping experience, and innovation/use of modern technology.
• A component of Kohl's summer strategy is a featured product line called "Celebrate Summer Together."
•  Two components of Kohl's tech/experiential strategy are its tech innovation center in California and its Kohl's Innovation Center at the company's headquarters.

your research team applied the following strategY:

BRAND HIGHLIGHTS

• Walmart has over 11,700 stores in 28 countries. The company's mission is to be a one-stop shop with all its customers needs.
• Walmart differentiates itself from its competitors as having the lowest prices and largest selection.
• The company's motto is "Save Money, Live Better." Their aim is to always have "Every Day Low Prices". 
• Walmart's 2019 summer campaign centers around having everything customers need for summer.
• Currently on their website, Walmart is advertising everything you need for outdoor entertaining, summer chic, and a collection with Ellen DeGeneres.
• Walmart's website features each campaign with an array of items, showing that they are a one-stop shop for summer.
• Walmart has partnered with Microsoft, JD.com, and Google to battle Amazon.
• The company has invested in hiring engineers and data scientists, and started using automated distribution centers to remain competitive.
• Walmart currently partners with a number of small delivery companies to fulfill its deliveries, including Point Pickup, Skip Cart, AxleHire, Roadie, Postmates, and DoorDash.

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

• TJ Maxx was founded in 1976 by Bernard Cammarata and operates over 1,000 departmental stores across the US today.
• It differentiates itself from competitors as a department store chain that sells products at prices that are generally lower than other similar stores.
• TJ Maxx’s TV spot called “Summer Bod” featured people in squirrel costumes and was used to promote its Sierra brand.
• The company has recently partnered with Instagram tastemakers to launch a multi-city interactive game built around the brand's message on 'maxximizing' to demonstrate that shoppers don't need to sacrifice price or quality to find their desired items at TJ Maxx stores.

OVERVIEW

• Competitive Advantage and Messaging: American Eagle uses an optimization engine and a digital distribution network for order fulfillment. Consequently, it provides its customers with a shopping experience that is faster and more convenient compared to its competitors. Some of its major taglines are "Brighten up" and "Live your life".
• Summer Specific Strategies: American Eagle usually creates fun events for its customers during the summer. These events are aimed at promoting the brand, by encouraging customers to use its merchandise collection in expressing themselves.
• Tech & Experiential Strategies: This year, American Eagle has started using Alia’s kiosk software to enable shoppers to scan items using an iOS device. Among other features, this allows a shopper to quickly see alternative size options, request other styles and sizes, find product recommendations, send emails to themselves, and monitor their cart totals. All this is done without the customer having to leave the fitting room.

METHODOLOGY

Brand Highlights

• "Stay true, stay you" is the tagline for their recently launched Pride line.
• One way H&M sets themselves apart from the competition is through their designer collaborations. The latest collaboration is with Giambattista Valli.
• The brand is very active on Instagram and promotes a wide range of their products on the platform.
• H&M offers clothing and accessories for men, women, and children.
• Through a partnership with HoloMe, H&M is creating human holograms.

KEY FINDINGS

• Abercrombie & Fitch Co. sees its product, people, and process as its three differentiating factors from its competitors.
• The company positions itself as an iconic brand that reflects the attitude of the modern customer while staying true to the "effortless, American style."
• A&F's omnichannel infrastructure consists of 20 websites in 11 languages and process 29 currencies.
• The company is active across all three major social media platforms, posting once or twice a day.

YOUR TEAM APPLIED THE FOLLOWING RESEARCH STRATEGY

Overview

• Today Marshalls has over 1400 stores in the United States alone. Marshalls originally started as an Army and Navy Store in 1956 it has successfully become an off-price store for apparel and home fashions.
•  TJX Companies, Inc owns the Marshalls brand along with five other brands.
• Marshalls ever-changing brand names and designer fashions are 20% to 60% below general retailer prices.
• The company’s capabilities and objectives are summed up in its catchphrase “Never Boring, Always Surprising”.

Competitive Advantage and Messaging

• The company sells brand names and designer fashions at 20% to 60% below general retailer prices.
• Marshalls claims it is not seasonally bound like regular retailers when bringing in new stock. The company constantly offers new stock to consumers every few weeks.
• On Marshalls “How Do We Do It” web page they claim to shop like consumers. When buying stock for the stores they are always looking for bargains and something new.
• The company’s catchphrase or message is "Never Boring, Always Surprising".

Summer Specific Strategies

Social Media

• Marshalls messaging and positioning for the summer on social media revolves around its use of the phrase “SPRING into Marshalls”. The phrase is its heading on all its social media sites including Facebook and Twitter.
• On their social media sites, they have highlighted the beginning of summer with a visit from “The Voice Top 24”. The contestants did a performance at Marshalls.
• The company also appears to have used the services of a couple of social media influencers this summer. On the official website under the menu “Get Inspired”, there is an article written by Erin Robinson. The Instagram link “#MarshallsSurprise”, displays pictures of Erin wearing various items around a summer theme.
• A YouTube influencer, Bunny Birdy Gator, is seen walking into Marshalls and wandering around the store highlighting various products. The influencer spends a great deal of time in the family shoe section talking about the great deals to be found for summer in the store.
• Marshalls family shoe department is one of the stores features according to the parent company TJX Companies, Inc.

Television Advertising

• Three commercials were aired during the television series "The Goldberg’s" on different channels in April and May 2019.
• The commercials display a distinct summer theme with the actors on the beach, in summer clothing and buying summer products.
• The adverts all close with the phrase “Brands that wow. Prices that thrill.”

Tech and Experiential Strategies

• In the latter part of 2019, Marshalls will release its first e-commerce site for buying its products online. The brand aims to replicate its treasure hunt experience for consumers in its stores. By replicating the blueprint already used by its sister brand T.J. Maxx, the company hopes to drive traffic to the stores via the online store.
• Marshalls draws experiential interest in their products using its colored price stickers. Every price tag has a consistent labeling approach. White tags are normal priced products, red stickers are clearance prices and yellow stickers are final clearance products.