Three year marketing strategy and communication for a struggling brand.

Three year marketing strategy and communication plan.

Anna Robbins FMBR20001 N0422553 27/01/15 4652 words

contents Introduction Rationale Methodology Situational Analysis Internal Audit Mission & Vision Statement Brand Essence Brand Values Brand Health Customer Profile

4 5

6 7 8 9

External Audit Market Overview Market Drivers PESTEL Brand Positioning Competitor Analysis

10 11

Primary Research Results Gap Analysis ANSOFF SWOT

15 16

12 13 14

17

Objectives Recommendations

18

Strategy

19

Action Plan Place Price Product

20

Communications

22

Tactics Budgets & Tools Timings

23 24

Control Conclusion

25

Bibliography List of Figures Image References References Appendix

26 27 28 29

ntroduction

Mothercare has long been recognized as the leading UK mother and baby retailer, however, after 44 years the brand is suffering from both fatigue and increased market competition. Established in 1961 in Surrey, it initially only catered for babies and expectant mothers, however after much success the brand is now established as a “multi-channel retailer specializing in products for parents and young children.” (Mothercare PLC, 2014) The brand originally extended its reach through a mail-order distribution channel in 1962, and then by opening its first international store in Switzerland in 1963.

The Mothercare group began to franchise out its store to selected partners allowing them to grow at a faster rate internationally. It has now grown to have over 1000 successful Mothercare stores across approximately 60 countries becoming an internationally recognized brand. Their product offering stems across the clothing, home, travel and toys product categories as well as operating multiple own brands including Baby K, My first wardrobe and Little bird. The brand has adapted to technological advancements by including e-commerce, blogs and apps under their portfolio, however some people suggest they were to slow to adapt to these market changes. In 2013 Mothercare found themselves in financial difficulty with sales down 7.5% compared to the previous year, causing the company to make a loss of £13.5million in the UK, despite a stronger performance internationally with profits up 7.5%.

In this document I will produce a three-year competitive strategy for the UK based brand to help maintain a competitive edge and consolidate the brand’s position as a household name. I will do this by conducting a situational analysis of the brand and then go on to create a strategy for moving forwards. Integrated with this, I will also devise a one-year communications supporting the strategy and recommendations I feel the company should adopt when moving forward, to achieve the company goal “to return the UK to profitability”. (Annual Overview, Mothercare, 2014) 4

Countries with Mothercare present.

UK stores

98 In town 97 OOT*

methodology In order to create a logical and prosperous strategy for Mothercare, I needed to gain a thorough understanding of the brand: its current position in the UK and the future market potential. I did this through the use of primary research. I began by building an online survey aimed at parents with children under 2 and posted it on the Mothercare and Kiddicare Facebook pages and mumsnet. com. My survey received 53 respondents, which I felt was a strong sample, as they were all within the Mothercare target audience. Following this, I went to a local nursery to ask parents about their shopping behavior when buying baby goods and to gather feedback of the current Mothercare online platforms. I also went on to visit a Mothercare store to undertake observation of the store environment, watch how customers interact with the store and also interview customers on their store experience. I felt I got some good, thorough research, which lead to strong insights for my strategy.

I also used secondary research to support my knowledge of the market and brand environment. I looked into Mothercare’s annual reports and presentations, which helped me get a clear idea of the brands current position. I found articles on Drapers and Marketing weekly particularly insightful while gathering industry specialist’s opinions and looked for information to support my primary research on reports such as Mintel and Keynote. I also used Mothercare and key competitor websites to see what things the brands were currently doing within the market.

5

internal audit “Our vision is a store where everything for mother and her baby under one roof”

(Annual Overview, Mothercare, 2014)

“Our mission is to meet the needs and aspirations of parents for their children, worldwide”

6

(Annual Overview, Mothercare, 2014)

These are the Mothercare Vision and Mission. I believe the mission not being reflected within the brand as they are focusing too much on competitive pricing rather than being the specialist market leader. I feel the key word in their mission is “aspirations” and the store should have an air of exclusivity for mothers, something that is currently lost on the brand leaving mothers happy to shop elsewhere for baby goods.

6

brand essence

I believe the brand essence for Mothercare is nurture. They specialize in products that help to comfort children through their development by nurturing parents with knowledge and access to quality products to make their jobs easier.

They understand the importance of this stage of life and offer a friendly, supportive role.

Fig 1. Levi Brand Model

brand values

Fig 2. Brand Values, Mothercare brand book

7

brand health After a few years of dwindling UK sales the brand is in a financial difficulty. Last year it had sales of £462.3 million, down 7.5% compared to the previous year, leaving the company making a loss £13.5 million. However, Internationally, the brand is doing extremely well with profits up by 7.1% and growing, putting them a strong overall financial position- £5.5m profits last year compared to an overall loss of £11million the year before. Clothing and home & travel goods are the biggest generators both at 39% of sales in 2014.

£462.3 m

Fig 3. UK sales, Mothercare Report 2014.

Fig 4. Market shares within baby product market 2013.

Fig 5. Primary research results, company presence

Mothercare have just under a quarter of the overall market share at 24.3%, down 10% compared to 2012, after seeing competitors such as amazon and Tesco gain market share. My primary research highlights my sample would primarily choose to visit ASDA over Mothercare, highlighting a loss of interest from customers within the market.

In 2014 the brand pushed their online presence, re-furbishing the website and launching an app in 2014. The result of this is a online sales increase of 16% and a rating of 4.5 on the app store, direct sales now equate for £134.1 million in 2014.

8

target consumer Mothercare state their primary target audience are all parents with children under 2 and women during pregnancy, with their secondary target audience being parents with children up to 5.

They key demographic for Mothercare target audience are ABC1, between 30-35, slightly older and so are established within their careers, resulting in more disposable income to spend on baby goods and likely to place quality at the highest importance when buying products.

Meet Emma!

She a 34 year old event’s organizer from Hertfordshire.

Emma is expecting her first baby with husband John after moving into a larger 3 bedroom house ready to build their family.

She is extremely excited for her baby to arrive and frequently looks on Pinterest for inspiration for her baby’s nursery.

She is very social and wants to find friends for her little one to have play dates with.

Likes: going to fitness classes, cooking, meeting her sister for lunch, picnics, reading blogs and lazy Sundays reading.

Dislikes: horror films, shopping on Saturdays, motor bikes and rock music.

9

external audit

10

market overview The baby product industry was estimated to be worth £782 million in 2013, equivalent to £193 for every child in the UK aged between 0-4 years, my primary research also supported this with my sample parents stating they spent on average around £65 on their child under 5 every month. Wheeled goods remained the biggest section of the market at 29.4% in 2013, however it was car seats that saw the biggest growth of 18% between 2010-2013. Mintel has forecasted that the market will continue increase by 8% over the next 4 years as the rise in birth rates within the UK only creates more consumers highlighting it is a strong market, one that holds plenty of opportunity and growth for Mothercare.

market drivers

£193

0-4 UK children per month

The influence of media coverage on celebrity babies has introduced the concept of “designer babies” this has led to a 4% market growth between 2009-2013 largely driven by sales of premium goods and increased demand for highend products.

The rise in online retailers who offer baby products has increased dramatically giving parents the ability to shop around to find the best products to at the lowest prices, making them more price sensitive.

Supermarkets have entered the market and monopolized essentials by offering low cost substitutes to existing brands.

There is a growing emergence of older mothers in the UK, with the average age of first time mothers rising to 30 in 2013. This is due to more women focusing on their careers and putting off starting a family until they are more financially secure. The effect of this is that it is boosting sales in the premium end of the baby products market, with many fashion houses seeing it as a expansion opportunity and moving into the market, leaving retail specialists such Mothercare fighting for survival.

The recent recession compelled brick-and-mortar stores to focus on pricing strategies and discounts, causing many stores to lose their differentiation. By concentrating so heavily on price, many stores have lost out on the opportunity to build customer loyalty. Consumers are now seeking more from store experience and service.

11

pestel

Fig 6. PESTEL analysis

This PESTEL highlights that they key changes within the market are the customer power. With the Internet opening the market to smaller competitors, along with customers second hand selling for themselves and price comparison sites taking the stress out of shopping around, customers are in control of the market more than ever before. They have become brand savvy and want more for their money.

12

market positioning During my research, I found that Mothercare competed within two key markets due to an increase of retailers expanding into baby products. I decided to separate baby clothing from the baby products retailers as Mothercare have many different competitors within each.

Fig 7. Baby products market map

The baby goods market is formed of companies who sell bottles, monitors, nursery furniture and other key care products.

Supermarkets that can offer the lowest prices have monopolized essential products within the market, damaging the market share of specialist shops such as Mothercare and Kiddicare who also offer essential products but at a higher price point. My primary research confirmed that for everyday items mothers combine the purchases with their weekly shop for convenience. Mothercare is positioned in the center of the market next to competitor, Kiddicare, who both offer a wide range of baby goods are both basic and premium in offering. Stores such as John Lewis are placed within the premium region of the market as they offer more high-end baby goods and brands. This is the area of the market I believe Mothercare should seek to be placed within, somewhere that is immediately associated with quality and a superior brand.

Big changes are happening within the clothing market, with children’s-wear becoming more fashion oriented and many high-street brands & designers introducing kids ranges to expand into this market due to its desirability. As a result, fashion brands are bringing a trendier edge to the market and Mothercare cannot compete with this as they have a stigma of being “uncool� and offer a more basic clothing range; a weak position in the baby clothing market.

Fig 8. Baby clothign market map

13

competitor analysis

Fig 9. Competitor analysis

The key UK competitors for Mothercare are Kiddicare and Mamas and Papas; both specialist stores offering a similar product range to the brand. When looking at the brand comparison, it is clear to see that Mothercare has a much larger market share and dominance. I feel this is due to the longevity of the brand and the trust it has gained from customers within the UK. Both of these brands are currently facing financial difficulty, which could be perceived as an opportunity for Mothercare to gain their market share. However, it could also highlight an industry wide struggle to convince consumers to visit specialist stores, something I need to consider when developing a strategic plan.

14

primary research results During my primary research, I asked my sample to describe the Mothercare brand using three words. I have created a word cloud to visually represent my findings, as you can see the key word was “expensive” highlighting that many people acknowledge the brands price point before the brand personality itself. Something I felt suggested people didn’t feel the price fairly reflected the service as positive words, such as trustworthy and quality underlined that people do still feel the brand as sells good quality products. Taking from this, I believe the brand has lost its luxury appeal and so people are questioning what they are paying extra for. This may be a key factor in why the brand is loosing market share to cheaper competitors, especially as many people are describing the store with words such as basic and simple- why would the consumer want to pay over the odds to visit?

My research has found that Younger Mothers, below 30 were 62% more likely to view the brand as out dated, over priced and aimed at “older mothers” highlighting a clear missed target market for the brand.

As a brand aimed at mothers, who of course are going to be the younger generations now, they need to be communicating better to ensure they keep relevant in the market as it develops. 4/6 of parents I spoke to in store were unhappy with their store experience describing the brand as “old-fashioned”. Many felt the uninspiring environment was disheartening, especially the first time parents. They also felt that as an upper priced store, it should not be a similar experience to a supermarket and by marketing itself as a specialist store they felt it should be more informative and trip treated as a “day out”. This highlights clear flaws between the company offering and its customers wants, leaving many customers being drawn to stronger competitors My final finding was the store was heavily merchandised with clothing, something that my primary research highlighted was a product they would not take a trip to Mothercare for, due to its unfashionable range and as they prefer to order online for convenience.

15

Fig 10. Primary research results wordcloud

Fig 11. Primary research results

gap analysis This gap highlights where the brand will be if it continues the current marketing mix, a brand that fulfills the needs of customers through many channels. However, it also displays where Mothercare could be if they updated their brand, an aspirational brand that is unrivaled in the market, somewhere parents want to purchase all their baby goods from. To achieve this, the brand need to gain back their premium reputation and exclusive feel making customers want to pay the extra to feel associated with the brand.

Fig 12. Gap analysis

Ansoff matrix

Fig 13. Ansoff Matrix

16

SWOT analysis

Fig 14. SWOT analysis

key insight In a very crowded marketplace, Mothercare’s key strengths are the trusted name and long standing reputation. Unlike many competitors it grew from being the first baby specialist store and was once the only trusted retailer to buy from, it inspired and educated generations of parents. These factors are Mothercare’s USP, and something I believe going forward the company should focus on.

Founder Selim Zilkha said his aim was to “build a business that catered for all parents needs whilst inspire them.” (Mothercare Brand Book) By stripping back the brand to focus on their core values and concentrating on the key word “inspire” within the mission statement, I feel the brand can turn its fortunes around.

The current attempt to directly compete with supermarkets isn’t working and resulting in the brand loosing its personality, Mothercare should use this opportunity to lead the market through brand experience, supporting and educating parents; creating an emotional relationships leading to customer loyalty.

17

recommendations 1. Reduce clothing available in store and move to online.

Look into collaborations with a designer to increase the status of the brand and reduce the clothing stock to age 5.

2. Make the brand more Omni-channel by including QR codes on products in store to be scanned on the Mothercare app, leading directly to show customer reviews of the product.

3. Modernize the store convenience through the use of fast track self-scanners, speeding up the check out process and improving store excitement.

4. Focus on larger stores and creating a memorable store experience for the whole family.

objectives 1. To focus on relationship marketing to change customer attitudes towards Mothercare, leading to a 25% increase in customer loyalty over the next 18 months.

2. To increase UK sales by 50% by 2018 by re-positioning the brand within the premium end of the baby product market and focusing on the store experience 3. Gain back 10% of the market share to 35% by 2017 by continuously improving online platforms and store interactions.

18

strategy

Drawing from my analysis of the brand, my proposed strategy for Mothercare is to consolidate their expertise within the market and to increase their service levels to once again become the market leader by developing a marketing mix to delight customers. To achieve this I feel Mothercare should change their entire in store experience. My research suggests the biggest flaw Mothercare has is convincing customers they are worth the added cost for the service, although people acknowledge the products are high quality it isn’t enough for people, especially the younger generation of mothers. Secondary research also highlights after being targeted for so long over reduced prices, customers are seeking more of a brand experience in store. I will gain customer interest once again by creating Mothercare “showrooms� in out of town stores. The stores will be creative and dynamic seeking to motivate and inspire customers leading to an air of luxury around the brand once again. The stores will defy the norms of baby shopping creating a space all about product knowledge and try before you buy, along with a friendly social space for children, engaging all customers from two to sixty. A more dedicated service will be the key to making Mothercare stand out in the market place, by modernizing their sales system and personalizing their aftercare service.

19

action plan

I will action this strategy by implementing the new marketing mix for the brand.

Place.

I will modernize the brand by creating Mothercare “showrooms” which will be based in their out of town stores, beginning with the current Mothercare world stores, but over the next three years will move into the new out of town stores which means they will be larger stand alone stores with more room and opportunity to build stores to this specification in line with their current plans. Shops will be re-designed to be interactive and no longer “products on shelves” I want to create a store that is the first point of call for excited parents. Showrooms will be a one-way system through which customers are taken on a journey through their child’s product needs as they develop. Large sections will be individually themed to suit its content, the first is the baby emporium, in this room parents can find everything they need for their newborn and baby for example, baby monitors and sterilizers. The next area customers would move on to is toddler town, which would be where specialist products children 18+ would be. These rooms will be established as an interactive place for parents to walk around and test the product for themselves, while being exciting for the children. The design and atmosphere of the room would reflect the age group with specialized staff trained in this age of development stationed accordingly to help and advise on products suited for customer needs. I have made the push chair, nursery and car seat rooms larger due to research highlighting these are the key earners within the market. Moving forward I suggest the brand focus their product mix on bigger baby purchases like these, as these total 78% of Mothercare’s sales and are bigger purchase decision for the customer. By having modern store environment it will restore the feel of exclusivity to the brand.

I have reduced the clothing areas; baby boutique and mummy’s corner as research shows clothing is the biggest online seller, and this will allow for more room in the store. The showrooms will operate “self scanners” which customers can use to put together their ‘order’ while moving around the store. This speeds up the check out process as customers can just collect their order from the check out zone, rather than physically checking out items. This will make the store less stressful and speed to process for time poor mothers. The store will focus on being Omni-channel by QR codes ebing displayed on products which, when scanned on smart phones using the Mothercare app, will take customers instantly to the product review page.

Fig 15. Showroom layout design

20

Product.

The product mix will continue over all key categories, with the only change being the clothing. Research highlights that most people purchase clothing online now with 30% of Mothercares total retail sales now taking place online and “customers online spend twice as much as our in store customers” (Mothercare Annual report, 2014) and so moving forward from my findings I suggest a logical move for Mothercare is to consolidate their clothing collection and reduce the range in-store. I also believe they should reduce the age range from 0-8 to 0-5 to cut costs as many children of this age with be more demanding themselves about fashion labels. The full range of clothing for both maternity and child will be available online, however in store the “baby boutique” will be reserved for only the high-end clothing. I believe that Mothercare should try and compete with fashion labels by collaborating in the future with designers, such as online Belgium based brand “Les Petites Abeilles” who only started in 2012 but shot to fame after price George was seen in numerous outfits, having no official outlet in the UK could be an incentive for the brand, and will give Mothercare a fashionable reputation. Mark Newton-Jones, Mothercare chief executive recently stated, “Anything at the top of our price pyramid is selling treble that of the basics.”

And I believe collaboration will increase the profile of Mothercare amongst the children’s wear market.

Price.

The pricing of Mothercare will remain the same. Many people felt it was “expensive” but I feel with the brand equity, improved store experience and added expertise people will feel the store is worth the added cost due to the level of service, it will also help re-establish the brand as premium. Key items, such as branded pushchairs and car seats will remain to be priced to match competitors, and will continue to be promoted both online and in-store.

This is due to online price comparison websites giving parents the ability to research prices beforehand, and if Mothercare is still the same price they will be happy to visit the store, as research shows with large items parents still want to see it in person before buying. Once the parents are in store Mothercare can place a mark up on the prices of other items such as blankets and bottles as parents know Mothercare is high quality and therefore wont mind paying the extra. The key change for the brand is to increase footfall and sales volume.

21

communications plan

For my one- year communication I am going to focus on increasing customer loyalty.

Mothercare offer a “family card” which is a club for parents offering vouchers and exclusive events. Currently it is mainly promoted in Ireland with little awareness of the program in the UK. Of my primary research only 6 respondents were aware of a loyalty program offered by Mothercare, yet 60% said they would be interested in joining one, highlighting an interest from UK customers. To promote the loyalty card I will focus on below the line communication to directly target existing Mothercare customers. I will do this through emailing directly to current newsletter subscribers and designing point of sales displays at till points in store, as well as online checkout which will displaying the number of points that can be collected from their unique transaction. The Facebook page and blog will also feature card promotions pushing the emphasis of 5% back on all key purchases- the bigger the purchase the bigger the reward. At 6 months I will send existing members a “recommend a friend” incentive emailoffering £20 vouchers for both parent and friend if they join the loyalty program as research shows customers are most influenced by recommendations by friends. I will also create awareness through a stall at the baby show to promote the loyalty scheme, offering visitors who sign up on the day triple points within the first month. I believe, in this concentrated area of competitors it will make Mothercare stand out and offer customers more value for money, despite being seen as a premium brand.

22

budgets

Fig 16. Budgets and Tools table.

“As we continue our work to reshape the UK store portfolio, we are also investing in the continuing store base, which remains a critical part of supporting our multi-channel strategy in the UK.” (Mothercare annual report, 2014)

In 2014, Mothercare made a loss of £21.5 million within the UK, but the Mothercare PLC group made an international profit of £45.3million. This highlights the overall group is in a strong financial position, with only the UK in difficulty, highlighting a need to re-invest in the UK outlets of the brand. In 2014 the brand stated a plan of “£5.8 million investment into UK stores” (Mothercare annual report, 2014) I will be investing this money into the 97 UK out of town stores, meaning each store has a budget of around £500,000. However, this will be split over the three years, with 33 stores being done each year. Meaning an investment of £1.65million per year.

I have allowed the loss of the UK from the total global profit, leaving £23.8 million. I will be taking 0.5% for the UK marketing budget, £238,000 for 2015. Using quotes, I have also estimated the budget for the tools needed in my one-year tactical communications plan will be £15,000 in 2015. This table highlights the tools I will need to implement the plan, both online and offline.

The key costs will be the printing of promotional material and purchasing advertising space online. Part of the marketing budget will also be spent on prizes for the Instagram competition and also the £20 gift voucher for both member and friend in the “recommend a friend” email offer.

23

timings

For my strategy I will be rolling out my plan in the 97 out of town UK stores, ensuring the size of the stores can be optimized to their greatest potential. I will achieve this by aiming to refurbish 33 UK stores per year. I will begin with the largest stores and Mothercare World locations, as this will help to create more of a buzz in these areas and hopefully lead to an increase in sales from year one. From then I will continue with 33 stores each year, until all out of town stores are fit to the new specification.

Within the next three years, in line with Mothercare PLC’s current strategy, all in town stores and no profitable locations should be closed, leaving the new Mothercare showrooms the tangible face of the brand.

Fig 17. Tactical timings table

24

control I will monitor the success of my communications plan by monitoring the increase of people registering for a Loyalty card. As it is currently not used within the UK I feel the membership numbers will be below 1000, and so within the first 6 months I am to achieve 25,000. Reaching this target will be seen as a success. I will control the communications by focusing on only one means of promotion during one time. I will use social network platforms to both monitor and control the reputation by interacting directly with customers and answering any questions they have, and listening to instant feedback. Mothercare can also ensure control over the communications by ensuring the contact points customers with the brand convey the same consistent messages.

conclusion In Conclusion, I feel my research created many insights into why the brand is suffering within the UK market but taking into consideration the current changes in the market and customer attitudes I feel my recommended strategy of improve the store experience for customers will drive people back to the brand. The brand will offer a complete emotional journey for customers and once again achieve its aim to be a brand parents will aspire to, hopefully leading to becoming a highly profitable market leader once again.

25

bibliography (Mothercare), Strategic. ‘Ioopl: Strategic Marketing Management In Organisations (Mothercare)’. Ioopl. blogspot.co.uk. N.p., 2013. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.

(Mothercare), Strategic. ‘Ioopl: Strategic Marketing Management In Organisations (Mothercare)’. Ioopl. blogspot.co.uk. N.p., 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2015.

Baby Brands Direct,. Mothercare Brand Book. 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2015.

Cdwpartners.co.uk,. ‘Retail Design And Branding Consultants | Cdw+Partners | Mothercare’. N.p., 2015. Web. 10 Jan. 2015.

Financial Times,. ‘Mothercare Takes Baby Steps Towards Recovery - FT.Com’. N.p., 2015. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.

Haymarket,. ‘Superbrands Case Studies: Mothercare - Brand Republic News’. M.brandrepublic.com. N.p., 2012.

Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Ivory Research,. Mother Care Case Study. 2013. Web. 2 Jan. 2015.

Keynote,. Baby Product Market 2013. 2015. Print.

Mamasandpapas.com,. ‘Mamas & Papas USA - Strollers, Baby Carriers, Bouncers, Clothing & More’. N.p., 2015.

Web. 20 Jan. 2015.

Marketing Week,. ‘For Mothercare The Focus Must Be Mums’. N.p., 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

Marketing Week,. ‘International And Online Boosts Mothercare’. N.p., 2009. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.

Marketing Week,. ‘Mothercare And Tesco Look To Capitalise On Royal Baby Baptism Interest’. N.p., 2013. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.

Marketing Week,. ‘Mothercare Debuts Mobile App’. N.p., 2012. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.

Marketing Week,. ‘Mothercare To Close UK Stores In Business Overhaul’. N.p., 2011. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.

Marketingmagazine.co.uk,. ‘BRAND HEALTH CHECK: Mothercare - Why Are Modern Mums Deserting Mothercare? With Competition From Opposite Ends Of The Kids’ Market, How Can Mothercare Regain Its Status As The Number One Choice For Parents And Pregnant Mums, Asks Suzy Bashford’. N.p., 2015. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.

Marketingmagazine.co.uk,. ‘Retail News Brief: Mothercare Increase’. N.p., 2015. Web. 7 Jan. 2015.

McDonald, Malcolm, and Hugh Wilson. Marketing Plans. Chichester, West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley, 2011. Print.

Mintel,. Baby Products Market Report. 2014. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.

Mothercare,. Annual Report. 2014. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.

Perry, Alison. ‘Not Another Mummy Blog - (It Totally IS Another Mummy Blog)’. Not Another Mummy Blog. N.p., 2015. Web. 3 Jan. 2015.

UK, Superbrands. ‘Silver Cross — Superbrands’. Superbrands.uk.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 11 Jan. 2015.

UK, Superbrands. ‘Tommee Tippee® — Superbrands’. Superbrands.uk.com. N.p., 2015. Web. 15 Jan. 2015. www.sheologydigital.com, Déanta. ‘Introducing The Mothercare Family Card | Mummypages.Ie’.

Mummypages.ie. N.p., 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2015.

YouGov,. Mothercare Turnaround. 2013. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.

26

list of figures Fig 1. Levi Brand Model Fig 2. Brand Values, Mothercare Brand Book Fig 3. UK sales chart, Mothercare report 2014 Fig 4. Market shares within the baby products market 2013.

Fig 5. Primary research results, company presence within the market Fig 6. PESTEL Fig 7. Baby products market map Fig 8. Baby clothing market map Fig 9. Competitor Analysis Fig 10. Primary research results, word cloud Fig 11. Primary research results Fig 12. Gap Analysis Fig 13. Ansoff Matrix Fig 14. SWOT Analysis Fig 15. Showroom layout design Fig 16. Budgets and Tools table Fig 17. Tactical Timings table

references

Mothercareplc.com, (2014). Mothercare 2014 Annual Report. [online] Available at: http:// www.mothercareplc.com/ [Accessed 13 Jan. 2015].

Mothercareplc.com, (2014). Mothercare Annual overview 2014. [online] Available at: http:// www.mothercareplc.com/ [Accessed 13 Jan. 2015].

Mothercareplc.com, (2014). Mothercare Annual overview 2014. [online] Available at: http:// www.mothercareplc.com/ [Accessed 13 Jan. 2015].

Mothercareplc.com, (2014). Mothercare Annual overview 2014. [online] Available at: http:// www.mothercareplc.com/ [Accessed 13 Jan. 2015].

Babybrandsdirect.co.uk, [2011]. Mothercare brand book 2011. [online] Avaliable at: http:// www.babybrandsdirect.co.uk/br/mothercare/194/mothercare-distributor.aspx

27

image references Vintage Mothercare poster, Mothercare Facebook Page, 2014, https://www. facebook.com/mothercareuk/photos/a.430 810104124.228948.208680734124/1015059074 0554125/?type=1&theater

Sophie the Giraffe, Mothercare. com, 2015, http://www.mothercare. com/Sophie-the-GiraffeTeether/356374,default,pd.html

Blue stuffed toy, http://www. stuffedsafari.com/v/vspfiles/ photos/BB-2733-1.jpg

Brand motto, Mothercare brand book, 2011, Baby brands direct

Thinking baby, Mothercare Facebook page, 2014, https://www. facebook.com/mothercareuk/ photos/pb.208680734124.-

Mothercare shore logo, Mothercare brand book, 2011, baby brands direct Mothercare world presence display, Mothercre annual report 2013.

Mothercare new store, PR shots, http:// www.prshots.com/archive/images/ mothercare/50 Nursery, Mothercare, 2015, http://www. mothercare.com/Mothercare-ClassicWinnie-the-Pooh-Bedding-Collection/ psa3398,default,pd.html

Mothercare world presence, Mothercare annual report 2013.

Mothercare Sales Trouble, The Times, 2013 http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/multimedia/ archive/00171/mothercare_171291c.jpg Primary research photo, Mothercare store, Dec 2014.

Nursery, Mothercare.com, 2014, http://www. mothercare.com/Mothercare-Buttercup-BunnyBedding-Collection/psa3394-1,default,pd.html

Mothercare new store, PR shots, http:// www.prshots.com/archive/images/ mothercare/50 QR scanner, Self scan article, 2015, http://cohlab.com/wp-content/ uploads/QR_photo_scan1.jpg

Purple smock dress, Mothercare. com, 2015, http://www.mothercare. com/Mothercare-Purple-BunnySweat-Dress/LZ9760,default,pd.

Babies r us scanner, 2014, http:// mommybunch.com/expecting-checksweetest-registry-deal-ever-babies-r-us/

Mothercare Book ends, Shopstyle. co.uk, http://www.shopstyle.co.uk/ browse?fts=bookends+for+kids

Family shot, Mothercare brand book, 2011, Baby brands direct

Fashion blogger, megsite.com, 2014, http:// www.megsite.com/pregnancy-fashion-blog/

Family card, Business and leadership article, 2012, http://www. businessandleadership.com/marketing/ item/35350-mothercare-ireland-lauches Baby playing with toy, Toys R us, 2015 http://www.toysrus.com/buy/sightssounds/bright-starts-having-a-ball-abchamster-house-52055-23197706

watermelon dress, Mothercare, 2015, http://www.mothercare.com/ clothing/baby_kids_clothing,default,sc.

Baby and duck, Mothercare Facebook, 2014, https://www.facebook.com/ mothercareuk/photos/pb.208680734124.28

Hands close up, Mothercare brand book, 2011, Baby brands direct

appendix Appendix 1. Social media presence - Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Appendix 2. Questionnaire Results.

29

30

31