Kapferer’s identity prism (Figure 1) portrays the characteristics and personality of a brand which is the ‘heart of brand management’ (Keller, 2012). The model is useful as it captures the strong visual brand persona that a brand is portraying. Voyage à Chanel are using the core attributes of the Chanel brand but adding key characteristics to target a younger market.
Figure 1. Voyage à Chanel Identity Prism
Physique
Chanel is easily recognisable for the two C’s branded on all of its products. Voyage à Chanel has a subtle and unique brand logo, trading off the Chanel image, however not stealing the identity (Figure 2). When considering the Generation Y target market, Gheysen (2013) states that there is a decline in big brand logos due to consumers wanting to be unique and not wanting to wear the same as everyone else. Dalgic (2011) states when using a niche marketing strategy, a practical guideline would be to avoid competing products in the same market segment. Voyage à Chanel would not want the older market buying the product. To do this, the product will not feature expensive leathers and show little craftsmanship.
Figure 2. Voyage à Chanel brand logo
Personality
Voyage à Chanel will integrate attributes of Chanel’s original sophisticated, understated and elegant personality. However, Voyage à Chanel will have a youthful, fun and interesting personality by targeting young women who engage with the arts, literature, travel and adventure. This is the lifestyle of the consumer Voyage à Chanel will target and this is what the brand will have to communicate through all online and offline platforms.
Relationship
Keller, et al. (2012) states that impersonal exchanges are offered by brands to create a relationship with consumers. This could be both offline and online exchanges, whether it being excellent customer service in store before purchase, to sending emails post purchase and giving the consumer different opportunities to contact the brand. Voyage à Chanel will use social media websites such as Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram to post images and information related to the brand personality as well as products, whilst using Twitter to communicate with the audience.
The theme of travel would be emphasised in-store, as well as using the latest technology. Yates (2013) states that more customers are in-store and interacting with brands online due to retailers using iPads. A photo booth will be set up in-store using an iPad so consumers can take a photo in a Voyage à Chanel themed booth. This will give the consumers the chance to star in their own Voyage à Chanel campaign and then upload photos/videos to the brands Facebook.
Culture
The intentions of the brand originate around travel and adventure. Voyage à Chanel extends and modernizes the heritage of Chanel by injecting a fun and adventurous element. The Coco Chanel quote, ‘If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing’, is the core brand philosophy. (Coco Chanel Quotes, 2014). Voyage à Chanel encourages women to be the star in their own life, which connects back to the in store photo booth, and have a curiosity for culture. Curiosity encourages exploration and adventure. Faw (2012) states that a lot of affluent millennials aged 18-30 have enough disposable income to go towards travel, technology and entertainment. Voyage à Chanel incorporates all three elements into the products and services. The brand will integrate city guides as part of the service on the website, giving consumers up to date information about great places to stay and see, facts about the cities, transport, style and appropriate attire, local delicacies, travel essentials and reading lists. This will be included into an app in which customers can take fashion photos of themselves with their Voyage à Chanel Tote or Dossier bag in major cities.
Reflection
The target audience of Voyage à Chanel is the 20-30 market who have a higher disposable income. An outsider will see a Voyage à Chanel consumer and identify that person as an adventurous, fun, sophisticated and successful young woman. The consumer will be portrayed as a representation of what most girls would dream of being, an ‘it girl’ who is defined as having a ‘magnetic personality’. (Dictionary, 2014).
Self Image
Self image refers to how the customer sees themselves when using the brand. Voyage à Chanel will make consumers feel sophisticated, powerful and unstoppable. The consumer will have goals to meet and dreams to follow in their careers; Voyage à Chanel will help organise the consumers’ life.
Referencing
Coco Chanel Quotes, 2014. If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing. [Online]
Available at: http://www.cocochanelquotes.org/
[Accessed 8th April 2014].
Dalgic, T., 2011. Handbook of Niche Marketing. 1st ed. New York: Routledge.
Dictionary, 2014. It girl. [Online]
Available at: http://www.dictionary.reference.com
[Accessed 8th April 2014].
Faw, L., 2012. Meet The Millennial 1%: Young, Rich, And Redefining Luxury. [Online]
Available at: http://www.forbes.com
[Accessed 8th April 2014].
Gheysen, P. J., 2013. Gen Y Trends: The end of conspicuous branding?. [Online]
Available at: http://www.howcoolbrandsstayhot.com
[Accessed 26th March 2014].
Keller, K. L., Aperia, T. & Georgson, M., 2012. Strategic Brand Management A European Perspective. 2nd ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited.
Yates, A., 2013. 10 ways that iPads are transforming retail. [Online]
Available at: http://www.thenextweb.com
[Accessed 8th April 2014].
Voyage à Chanel 