Individual Marketing Report and Advertising Campaign Analysis - A.P.C.

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This report will describe marketing plan and campaign recommendation of a denim brand based on cultural influence and social environment the brand believes, with the framework, including 7P’s marketing mix, SWOT, PESTLE and STP analysis.

A.P.C., which stands for Atelier de Production et de Création, is a French fashion label that was established in Paris in 1987. The founder / owner is Jean Touitou, fashion designer of Tunisian Jewish (A.P.C. n.d.). Currently, A.P.C. has been expanding worldwide and has over 60 own stores and more than 300 spots of selling the products (Neuville 2013) in nearly ten counties and cities, including Paris, London, New York, Tokyo, Berlin, Stockholm and Los Angeles (SG magazine YEAR).
A.P.C. has become famed for the minimalist, without ornament, tailored garments. Understood that clothing should never obscure the person’s character and individuality, they are particular about the principles and produce the seasonal collection with the latest trends for men’s apparel (Aphrodite 2017). A.P.C. was originally launched as a men’s line having garments with modern essences and simple esthetics when the brand was founded (Ofiaza 2017), but the women’s line also started in the next year 1988 (Fashionbi 2017).

Initially, A.P.C.’s background that the brand was born relates to an occasion: Jean Touitou had an accident in Barcelona and lost all his baggage. He needed to get underwear and a pair of denim jeans immediately, but he that there is no denim jeans can be used in fashion. Every denim was weathered and distressed , and there is no “raw denim”. This experience convinced him to would produce men’s denim jeans and underwear that have simple and beautiful raw denim based in “minimalist” creativity (Muzquiz 2017). Besides, he drew the inspiration from resilience against conspicuous fashion that was popular in France at that time (Mr Porter 2011).

About a market segment, whereas A.P.C. may group into a premium and designer brand of diffusion among market segmentation (fashionbi 2017). 

There is a reason that A.P.C. might be a small industry nowadays as they approach the way close to niche marketing even though having 60 stores around the world.
A.P.C. is not the only, but also may explain they are one of the few “ready-to-wear” brands having a high fashion status, even so, there is hardly glittery existence that is often seen in high fashion groups. Its luxury quality links to the expensive prices (See appendix ?), consequently demonstrate niche marketing (Battan 2017).

“Niche marketing is defined as channeling all marketing efforts towards one well-defined segment of the population. There is one important thing to understand that ‘niche’ does not exist, but is created by smart marketing techniques and identifying what the customer wants” (the Economic Times 2016).

According to A.P.C. website (2018), A.P.C. sells a variety of clothing as described above a diagram (See Figure ? Products). The garments (See Appendix x) have distinctive qualities which are “simple patterns”, “clean lines” and the brand tags are concealed inside excepting for some clothing with the tag marked on the front (Aphrodite 2017). Surprisingly, they publish music items as “selection musicale” of A.P.C. (See Figure X) despite a fashion company, which there are 38 tracks and about 2,800 followers online (A.P.C. selection musicale 2018).
After all, however, A.P.C.’s strongest point is the jeans that make denim addicts engrossed in A.P.C. “raw jeans ” (Independent 2009). The denim jeans is a Japanese Salvage that is highly “popular” among denim devotee (Aphrodite 2017). Japan is the first place where A.P.C. succeeded outside France. Although Touitou chose Hiroshima, Japan as a denim supplier, he achieved to gain customers’ appreciation in the international city, Tokyo where processes sophisticated and diverse fashion (Vogue Japan 2017). Japan amounts to roughly one-third among A.P.C. industry (Neuville 2013).

CLICK PLAY (probably putting video to explain smth?) 

Besides, it points out that some denim companies are well known for raw denim following A.P.C.., for example, Acne Studious, Pure Blue Japan and Naked & Famous. According to him, since begging to market raw jeans, the company A.P.C. has been actual criteria for raw jeans for the past ten years (Levy 2018).

As for promotion, A.P.C. had many opportunities to collaborate with other designers and brands so far explaining a diagram above (figure 2). One of the most remarkable collection would be with Kanye West, American producer, rapper and fashion designer, for fall/Winter 2014 capsule collection that was the second time to collaborate between A.P.C. and Kanye West. These products are much more extravagant than first collaboration collection and perfect commodity (Woolf 2014). There are undoubtedly effective methods that collaboration with others would seem to promote the brand more.

Customers can be available to purchase A.P.C. products that distribute both offline shopping and online website and has the collection, with an exception to own stores and brick-and-mortar, in a shopping mall and department stores in the world that there are about 300 locations to buy A.P.C. clothing (Neuville 2013).

As accepted contemporary “fashion trend” that the overdesign and overhype clothing at the beginning in his home, Paris, Jean Touitou attempted to produce whole fashion industries that clean and exclusive, but highly functional as much others have, even fashionable. The achievement, still, is not accomplished. Since a few general advertisements remain that have outlined A.P.C.’s apparel as a “unisex” costume yet, the brand A.P.C. still strives to make the public comprehend what “fashion” is (Muzquiz 2017).
Whereas fashion trends often have varied and go and return every season, it is believed that A.P.C. would not afraid of that, and their clothes carry on making the traditional shapes (Aphrodite 2017).

Jean Touitou had been inspired by philosophy when he was young, which can be influenced by the current collection of A.P.C. (Hosoda 2017).
People often grasp that certainly, A.P.C. clothing involves an element of resistance that they do not act with the majority, even the same things. Also, in fashion industries, once the business is successful, people request to produce eye-wearing, fragrance, cosmetic and home wear but A.P.C. does not, which may link to that there positively is something unchanged even though new fashion trends come (Hosoda 2017). As for providing an excelling “price-to-quality” than conventional fashion designers, A.P.C. became one of the first industries to bridge the “gap” between high street chains and high fashion houses and carve out the rapidly-growing modern market (Neuville 2013).

Jean Touitou strongly argues sexuality: he is known for criticising recent female fashion insanely (Touitou 2014). He firmly raises the question: “why do people only show parts of the female body overdetermined to trigger men’s sexual desire?" he continued and advocated that women don't have to let people see their "boots" seems to be sexy (Battan 2017). That is primarily why A.P.C. establishes a status of mixing original and neutral that become the brand's feature.

Besides, there is a comparison compared to competitors. In general, while it can suggest COS, The Kooples, Sandro and IRO etc. as A.P.C. competitors, this case should be focused on denim brands illustrating Acne Studious, Pure Blue Japan and Naked & Famous, citing from top 18 raw denim brand (Levy 2018). Also, even though not only denim companies, Jean gives an example of competitors which are French "contemporary" label, The Kooples, Sandro, Maje, and others (Neuville 2013).

Nowadays, A.P.C. has over 50 own stores and over 300 total points of sale.
According to Neuville (2013), the total sales of A.P.C. was €42 million (approximately $58 million), leading to that there is an increase of 7 % compared to the preceding year. Schneier (2017) reports that after that a recent data shows A.P.C. was forecasted to gain €62 million (roughly $73 million) in turnover in 2017, mentioned by the chief executive, François-Cyrille de Rendinger.
Despite this, there is a seeming weakness situation that A.P.C. is often underestimated easily due to a comparatively small company within fashion industries, compared to the larger one. Additionally, it is more necessary to promote strong strategy advertisement – Touitou has shunned large exhibitions, serving their clothing for red carpet events, arrogant advertise campaign and “hysterical logomania” (Schneier 2017).

Economic factors bring about both advantageous and disadvantageous points under working on the fashion business. Prosperity boom allows consumers to obtain more “disposable income”, resulting in being able to spend a lot of money on garments, rising the selling in fashion industries, including supply chains and manufacturers. Opposite to economic boom, when the economy has entered a recession, clothing sales would fall significantly. As a consequence, probably they need to make and sell clothing at a lower cost, and cheaper clothes may appear on the market. Accordingly, customers tend to buy more inexpensive clothing when having less money (Suttle n.d.).
On the other hand, Coumau et al. (2017) refer to concept stores and fashion department stores in Japan rapidly got a growth from 2012 to 2015 due to the increase of new stores and shares and has been flourishing for the youth in particular. These two forms ensure customers to meet contemporary and fashionable items. Also, the report observes there are variety of products lineup assorting domestic and overseas fashion companies that they operate a shop style got inspiration from Colette and 10 Corso Como. It is assumed that more concept store would establish in the future and the demand for premium brands, including A.P.C. increase through all over the world, which can influence the economic situation for fashion.

Fashion companies and retailers are in the face of technological uncertainty.
Recently, consumers lifestyle attitudes have changed that they tend to prefer online shopping rather than visiting the store and they are willing to spend a lot of time on doing that because of it possible for them to compare the price quickly on the internet. Besides, it would prompt the fashion industries to enhance their supply chain work and fixing to the low price. Also, they begin to obtain goods or sources from outside suppliers with low-cost because of price pressure. (Akhtar 2019).
In contrast with the situation, it seems clear that there are technological developments and advantages within the industries and retailers which play enormous usefulness, for example, 3D printing, digital marketing and inductions of robots and AI (Posner 2015).

Regarding one of the environmental factors, it can be said that, as an eco-friendly fashion brand, A.P.C. starts a recycling project named A.P.C. “Butlers”. This project makes it possible for customers to recycle their unused jeans and all of the clothing, that will be reused and redistributed into sustainable markets afterwards (Larvin 2018). Also, Jean considered the “initiative”, advancing his promotion in Tunisia, where there is a typical method of recycling. A.P.C. has already decided to extend the environment-friendly label, and the brand is working to create a sustainable fashion company (Larvin 2018).

In conclusion, as explained in the introduction above, the brand name of A.P.C. has the meaning of "Atelier de Production et de Creation". In short, it implies that ‘only because it is not unique but basic, the person who wears it will maximise the individuality’ (Navo n.d.). In other words, A.P.C. apparels were predicated on Touitou’s craving for wearing “handsome” clothing, but the most critical aspect is to be comfortable to wear that not abstract and attract attention or even excessively refined – rebelliously beautiful and straightforward (Craig 2018). The clothes present chic but modest that become the stereotype pattern of fashion in Paris after establishing A.P.C. company for the year 30 (Schneier 2017).
Furthermore, fundamental selections have not shifted hugely although French fashion label A.P.C. carry on growing in notable for 30 years (Muzquiz 2017). To sum up, it may be believed that A.P.C. clothing fundamentally features simple, basic and classic that minimalist pursues yet, they somehow reflect cutting-edge and rebellious spirits, which can suggest the cultural influence that A.P.C. consider. 

As describe through this report, it may be said that A.P.C. and Jean Touitou personally do not prefer a bold advertisement, but there is indeed a necessity to promote A.P.C. more to comprehensive the brand concept. Therefore, it seems to recommend that A.P.C. would hold the event that removed such a gender barrier that people wear the determined dress code, for instance, making genderless denim suits because Jean is generally critical against women’s fashion to an extent and he is a feminist cultist.

Most importantly, it can be expected that A.P.C. is recognised as the men’s label rather than women’s. Thus, A.P.C. should increase women’s collection more. For this reason, recently the number of those who are concerned with minimalist extend and the brand for these women is established, for example, Low classic in Korea (Jakubik 2013). At the same time, it may be possible to give a little more sophisticated sense of humour and playful spirit according to rebelliousness. Specifically, when comparing to denim overall of Acne Studious (See Figure ?~?) and overall and jumpsuit of A.P.C. (See Figure ?~?). A.P.C. clothes are no longer made in denim which are cotton drill and striped motif; in contrast, Acne’s use a faded denim material. It is thought that there is a difference of a sense of playful spirit on making denim items.