Cos Density Brand Extension Case Study

BRAND EXTENSION

ANDREA DI LELLO, AMIRA HATLANI, JOSH LEVIN // FASH 215

C O N T E N T S

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A B O U T C OS DENSITY E D I TO R S MARKETING P RO M OT I O N

A B OU T COS

Co s i s a hi g h-s tr e e t c lo thi ng br and tha t d e s i g ns mo d e r n and mi ni mali s ti c c lo thi ng f or me n & wo me n. A p ar t o f the H &M g r o up, Co s , w hi c h s tand s fo r Co lle c ti o n o f S ty le, was c r e ate d i n 2007 i n o r d e r to s e r ve a ma rk e t that mi d -r ang e r e tai le r s we r e no t ad dressi ng . The br and o ffe r s hi g hly tai lo r e d , high q uali ty g ar me nts at an affo r d able p r i c e , a nd d o e s no t p r o d uc e at hi g h-vo lume le ve ls like s o many o the r hi g h s tr e e t br and s d o .

Co s fo c us e s o n d e s i g ni ng c le an, q ua lity s tap le p i e c e s w i tho ut the luxur y p r i c e p oint.

I f a c us to me r wants an e s s e nti al c o llar e d s hi r t that w i ll las t fo r e ve r , he o r s he no l ong e r ne e d s to tur n to a d e s i g ne r p r i c e p o int to e ns ur e that q uali ty .

Co s o ffe r s a s tap le c o llar e d s hi r t for $ 1 00, as o p p o s e d to $ 500 fr o m a luxur y br and . Co s a halfway p o i nt be twe e n d e s igner and fas t fas hi o n, w he r e yo ur c lo the s ar e des i g ne d to las t abo ut te n we ar s .

S e e i n g a s C o s m a r k e t s i t s e l f a s a l i f e s t y l e b r a n d , we ’ ve identified a potential within their market for a brand extension: a lifestyle magazine published by Cos. Titled Density, t h e p u b l i c a t i o n f e a t u r e s a r t i c l e s o n m e n ’ s a n d wo m e n ’ s s t y l e , travel, interior design, and art, and will be produced quarterly. It is a lifestyle magazine that the Cos customer can keep on their coffee table. By creating a lifestyle publication, the brand extends its influence beyond the customer’s retail experience, and further integrates itself into the customer’s day-to-day lifestyle. Density embodies Cos’s mission of quality product with an emphasis on modern, authentic, and beautiful design.

Editors-in-chief

A s uccessful pu b li cat i o n n eed s t o ha ve a n e d i t o r i n c h i e f w h o s e v i s i o n a l i g n s w i th the obj ectives of t h e b ran d. A s o u r ed i t o r s i n c h i e f , we ’ ve s e l e c t e d Mo o n I n t e r n ati o nal c r e ative direct o rs Mart i n Gjesin g a n d Fr e d e r i k B j e r r e g a a r d . Mo o n I n t e r n a t i o nal i s a c ommercial creat ive di rect io n an d c o n s u l t i n g a g e n c y t h a t h e l p s b r a n d s m a k e s tr ategic steps in order t o ach ieve su b st a n t i a l i m p r o ve m e n t i n p e r f o r m a n c e . Mo o n fo und e d Space Magazin e, a b i an n u al pu b li ca t i o n f o c u s i n g o n i n t e r i o r d e s i g n , a r t s , a nd c ultur e .

Pr io r t o found in g Moo n I n t ern at io n a l , G j e s i n g s p e n t s t e n ye a r s a t A c n e S t u d i o s he ading ret ail , con cept developmen t , and i n t e r n a t i o n a l w h o l e s a l e d i v i s i o n s . B j e r r e g aar d has c r e ated b rand co mmu n i cat i o n st rate g i e s f o r c l i e n t s i n c l u d i n g Fr i t z H a n s e n , Ge o r g J e n-

s e n, and The Ap ar tme nt. H e als o c o -fo und e d and e d i te d the ma ga zines Cover a nd Cove r Man. The d uo i s p e r fe c tly q uali fi e d to le ad the d i r e c ti o n of D ensity a s a n emerging p ubli c ati o n. The i r c r e ati ve e nd e avo r s fo s te r De ns i ty ’s c har ac ter, a nd their ex perience i n the fas hi o n and mag az i ne i nd us tr y s up p o r ts o ur i d e nti ty as a lif estyle bra nd.

CLIENT

C O S d e s c r i b e s i t s e l f a s a b r a n d f o r m e n & wo m en who want modern, functional, and considered design.

T h e i r f o c u s i s o n c u s t o m e r s w h o w a n t va l u e d e s i g n , quality, and affordability. While H&M sells to millennials, the Cos customer could be 35 plus with a stable job and a high disposable income. COS’s target custome r i s 2 5 - 4 0 y e a r s o l d , w i t h m e d i u m t o h i g h i n c o m e , l i ve s in a metropolitan area, and appreciates functionality and style. The Cos customer has an artistic approach to style and lives a life integrated with the arts. Due to this, Cos comes across as more of a lifestyle brand that fosters innovation and originality within its product range. Their storefronts are highly stylized with clean, minimalistic, and modern design. The clothes on their racks are arranged immaculately, and the furniture within the store takes cues from Scandinavian minimalist design. Cos sells to a specific customer, with a specific aesthetic, who leads a specific lifestyle. Since Density is an extension of the Cos brand, the publication’s target customer is the same as Cos’s: someone who appreciates every aspect of a modern lifestyle.

T he ma ga zine will be stra te g i c ally pla ced a mong the f ive flag s hip Cos stores in order to p r o mo te it during the custome r ’s e xperience. Our goa l is to mak e i ncorpora te the ma ga zine i nto the store’ s mercha ndising s tr ate g y so the product f eels tho ug htf ully pla ced, a nd not li k e bla ring product pla cement.

Fo r e xample, in a ta ble of men’ s c lo thi ng in a Cos store, a n issue o f De nsity will be open to its me n’s style a rticle. The ma ga zine w i ll be pla ced open to certa in ar ti c le s subtly throughout the s to r e , so the customer recognizes i t and is dra wn to it, but only in s i tuati ons where it is releva nt to the c ustomer. This sort of pla ceme nt m a inta ins the integrity of the maga zine a nd its mission.

The r e will a lso be a f ew sta cks of De ns i ty pla ced on bookshelves thr o ughout the store. Fina lly, Co s ’s f la gship stores will be set up w i th rea ding rooms f or the mag az ine. An a rea of the store w i ll be a rra nged a s a n inviting ar e a to sit down a nd rea d, with a c o mforta ble cha ir a nd a cof f ee table with a f ew issues of D ensity . This invites the customer to s i t d o wn a nd rea d, a nd it merges the ac t of shopping with the a ct o f r e ading. It is welcoming, well d e s i g ned, a nd pure.

A li mi te d r un o f p r o d uc t c r e ate s e xc i te me nt ar o und and c r e ate s a n a ir of ex clusivity, a s we want to mai ntai n the i nte g r i ty o f the p r o d uc t and i ts c o mmi tme nt to a n a uthentic lif estyle.

The p ubli c ati o n w i ll be p r i c e d at $ 25, s i mi lar to Co s ’s p r i c i ng s tra tegy: a bove low- cost but be lo w luxur y . Thi s p r i c e fo r the p r o d uc t p lac e s i t abo ve a c he ap er ma ga zine tha t produces mo nthly , but be lo w the p r i c e o f an ac tual c o ffe e table bo o k , fo r ex a mple. The Cos customer i s w i lli ng to p ay $ 25 fo r a p ubli c ati o n that r e p r e s e nts the i r li fe s tyle, is bea utif ully designed, and has an e xc lus i ve p lac e me nt i n the mar k e t.

COMPETITORS

The i ntr o d uc ti o n o f ne w li fe s ty le and d e s i g n maga zines ha s be e n r i s i ng i n r e c e nt ye ar s , s o De ns i ty i s no t w i thout competi ti o n i n the mar k e t. We ’ve i d e nti fi e d o ur lar g e s t competitors to be q uar te r ly li fe s ty le and d e s i g n p ubli c ati o ns , a s opposed to mo nthly fas hi o n p ubli c ati o ns . UK -bas e d Ce r ea l ma ga zine is o ur lar g e s t c o mp e ti to r . Ce r e al i s a q uar te r ly jo urna l with stunni ng ar ti c le s o n tr ave l, ar c hi te c tur e , and d e s i g n. T heir price p o i nt i s the s ame as De ns i ty ’s , at $ 25 p e r i s s ue . I t is a bea utiful p ubli c ati o n w i th a lo yal fo llo w i ng ; ho we ve r , the ma ga zine i s d i ffi c ult to fi nd o uts i d e o f the UK . O ur ad van ta ge over Ce r e al i s that we ar e s tar ti ng w i th a li mi te d r un of product, but s ti ll s p r e ad ac r o s s the g lo be i n thr e e d i ffe r e nt continents.

O the r c o mp e ti to r s i nc lud e s i mi lar be s p o k e p ublica tions such as Fantas ti c Man, K i nfo lk , Co lle c ti ve Q uar te r ly , a nd Hunter Fas hi o n Mag az i ne . The s e p ubli c ati o ns ar e s i mi lar to D ensity i n p r i c e p o i nt, o bje c ti ve , and d e s i g n, and have alrea dy esta bli s he d the ms e lve s as r e le vant jo ur nals w i thi n the ma rket.

PROMOTION

Density

BY C O S

// 12/11/16 featuring Karin Gustafsson Ma r t i n G j e s i n g & Fr e d e r i k B j e r r e g a a r d Millie Tibbs

As with the introduction of any new product on the market, it is imperative that the magazine has a launch event promoting its first issue. The event will take place at Cos’s New York flagship store on 5th avenue, and will feature Cos creative director Karin Gustaffson and Density editors in chief Martin Gjesing and Frederik Bjerregaard. The event will also include artwork by photographer Millie Tibbs.

A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Tibbs photographs landscapes of the American West, and then manipulates the images using origami. Her work uses physical manipulation to create a relationship between natural spaces and formal geometries.

With her focus on travel, geometry, and composition, Tibbs’ photography captures Density’s interest in natural and unfiltered beauty, and therefore is the perfect artist to represent the magazine at the launch event. The event is invitation-only, and will be extended to fashion influencers, relevant artists and designers, press, and industry professionals. It is designed to be an intimate gathering that feels wholesome and personalized. For example, the invitation uses language like “Cos cordially invites you,” and invites guests to gather for “art, libations, and conversation.” The launch event reinstates the publication’s commitment to authenticity.

To f u r t h e r p r o m o t e t h e m a g a z i n e , w e ’ ve c r e ated an Instagram account for Density. Instagram is an appropriate social media platform for the magazine, as it allows the integration of thoughtful cont e n t , s u c h a s a r t w o r k a n d p h o t o g r a p hy , w i t h i m a g e s of Cos product. The Instagram page expands upon Density’s aesthetic while allowing us to reach a wider audience. Compared to other social media platforms, Instagram allows for the brand’s aesthetic to be clearly communicated and tailored. Platforms s u c h a s Tw i t t e r , Fa c e b o o k , a n d S n a p c h a t m a y c h e a p en the brand integrity and do not align as closely with Density’s values of living a modern, authentic lifestyle.

Density’s website serves as a platform to continue the conversation on the magazine. The website provides the customer with an essential knowledge of Density, from aesthetic to fashion to lifestyle. The website states Density’s intention as a lifestyle magazine, and also provides a look into the publication, with select galleries and articles from the magazine.