Maje - Digital Marketing Plan

Final Project Kellen Mulcahy Marketing Data Analytics May 12, 2017

Executive Summary

Maje is a contemporary, “affordable luxury” apparel and accessory brand under the SMCP corporation (Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot). As a fairly young brand in the United States, Maje lacks brand recognition among the luxury shoppers in the country. In order to increase revenues, it is crucial for Maje to restructure their online presence to increase brand awareness among this highly valuable consumer base. By revamping social media channels and focusing on building a network of high-­‐profile fashion bloggers and celebrities, Maje will become one of the top competitors in the luxury apparel industry.

The Maje customer belongs to the affluent and high net worth premium brand and luxury consumer market. While this market enjoys the status and quality of designer brands, they are steering away from luxury labels who are producing sub-­‐par quality goods at a luxury price. Maje’s strategic placement in the “affordable luxury” market allows them to compete with these brands by producing quality, on-­‐trend apparel and accessories at a reasonable price. However, Maje faces fierce competition with sister-­‐brand Sandro, who has been around longer and has gained traction in the U.S. through a wider brand awareness and high-­‐profile celebrities who represent the brand.

E-­‐commerce is becoming increasingly popular among Maje’s target audience, thus increasing engagement rate on our social media channels to generate revenue through online purchases is of key importance. Maje’s following base is not far behind Sandro’s, but the brands engagement rate is much lower. If they begin to promote new collections through well-­‐known celebrities and bloggers, they will not only increase their following base and increase brand awareness, but data shows engagement rates will increase too. The luxury goods consumer places importance on status, and wearing the same/similar styles to celebrities they admire is a direct route.

Maje is an approachable brand with a distinct personality. The brand prides itself on provide exceptional customer service, unique designs, and quality products without a hefty price tag. If Maje boosts communication with loyal clients through consumer generated posts and exclusive events, the brand is likely to see an increase in revenue across the board, especially online. Online presence is key to surviving in this fast-­‐paced, highly competitive industry.

Part 2: Social Media and Website Audit

Social Media Audit-­‐ Maje

Twitter Audit

Total Followers

Retweets Likes Replies Total Engagements Engagement Rate Type

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

18,16 8

Post Post Post Post Post Aver #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 age 1 1 2 3 2

5 10 5 13 4 0 1 0 1 1 6

12

7

17

7

0.03% 0.07% 0.04% 0.09% 0.04% Photo Photo Photo

Photo /RT

Photo

0.05 %

05/04/2017 8:26AM: "Discover the M Weaving in stores and online. #MajeMbag" A promotional image of a woman holding the newest M Bag release paired with the new denim capsule collection. This photo did not contain a link to the website and generated below average engagements. If this tweet included a link to purchase the items shown, followers would be more likely to engage.

05/04/2017 3:54AM: "Have you discovered the new summer M bags ? #MajeMbag #bag #itbag" Great promotional image featuring the many new summer M Bag colors. It is clear that Maje is trying to push the M Bag on their social media sites. This post gained above average engagement rate, likely due to the vibrant colors and interactivity of the post's text. This gives the consumers a glimpse of all of the options available in this particular handbag style, making it more likely to appeal to/engage with a larger audience.

04/21/2017 11:07AM: "Maje denim truck stopped at the Chateau Marmont in LA to celebrate our Denim Capsule collection. Thank you girls for attending the party!" A photo of four stylish women posing in the newest Maje denim collection. This post was used to promote the newest denim capsule collection that was promoted

through a "denim truck" throughout the U.S. The post garnered a below average engagement rate. Maje could have benefited from tagging the individuals in the photo (are the well-­‐known fashion bloggers or loyal customers?) as well as a link to the denim truck tour to engage their followers and direct them to their website.

Post 4

05/01/2017 4:40AM : "La vie en rosé -­‐ new

http://www.thelondoner.me blog post! #MajeXclusive #SpringSummer #ThinkPink #LWD" This post was a RT from a verified fashion blogger with a 43.3K following base. The photo featured the blogger wearing the newest Maje Exclusive "Ranchie" dress against a playful pink and white backdrop. This post generated the highest engagement rate of 0.09%. If Maje would continue to repost popular bloggers wearing their pieces, they could dramatically increase engagement rate. It seems the Maje consumer likes to see the clothing in an authentic environment, rather than just pushing projects and collection releases. They want to see how to style it and want to envision it in their everyday lives. Fashion bloggers do just that, therefore reaching out to verified bloggers should be of main focus to Maje.

04/26/2017 10:52AM: "Majexclusive #16 : Discover the RANCHE dress in extremely limited-­‐edition. Exclusively available on http://maje.com)" A promotional photo featuring Maje model wearing the Maje Exclusive Ranchie dress and a link to the website.

This post gained a below average engagement rate. Maje could benefit by providing a direct link to the dress featured, instead of the homepage of the website. This may increase engagement rate and prompt conversion.

Post 5

Facebook Audit

Total Likes

Reactions Comments Shares

218,0 20

Post Post Post Post Post Aver #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 age 70 68 97 191 66

2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

Total Engagements Engagement Rate Type

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

72

69

98

193

66

0.03% 0.03% 0.04% 0.09% 0.03% Photo Photo Photo Photo Collag Collag Photo Collag e e e

0.05 %

05/07/2017 4:00AM: "The colours

of t he desert by Maje: tangy warmth, lighting up your style... Discover the RANITA dress in stores and on maje.com" Lookbook image featuring the new Ranita dress release. One consumer tagged a friend in the post and another commented on the shoes. This post showed below average engagement rate, which is not suprising considering the data gathered from the campaign images posted on Twitter. There is not much to engage with here. It would be helpful for Maje to provide a direct link to the dress shown (or a "purchase now" feature) to increase engagement with the post and make it more convenient to convert a transaction.

5/6/2017 5:00AM: "The Maje girl is on the large island of Zanzibar.

She goes for purity, the duality of black and white. She combines comfort with style. Shorts, jacket, fringing, leather jewellery. Her smile lights up her face, she plays around... bit.ly/2qaPEzO" A photo gallery featuring a clothing story inspired by the designer's trip to Zanzibar. The album features various campaign photos of Maje models. The text cuts off, and there is a link that directs the consumer to the website. However, the link is directed to to the French website, making it inconvenient for the American shopper.

Again, this campaign promotion garnered a below average engagement rate. The one comment was referring to the model, rather than the clothes.

04/29/2017: "Surprising, irresistible...

This season a new chapter begins. The M bag retains its essence but branches out with new models and toys with colours and materials. It creates surprise and enthusiasm. Discover the M family at maje.com > bit.ly/2kde7Ba" This post features a photo gallery promoting the new M Bag in various colors. While this post garnered below average engagements, the engagement rate was higher than posts featuring the clothing. It seems that the Maje consumer can relate to the M Bag through its many designs/colors

and its versatility. Again, showing one product in mutltiple colors may attract a larger audience, and thus increase engagement rate.

Post 4

04/28/2017: "This w eek, Jacey embodies the M aje woman.

In her ROWER dress, she shows us how to wear the parrot print. Now, show us how you wear Maje! Tag us with the hashtag #LaVieEnMaje to be featured in our online Gallery. See you soon on maje.com !" This photo was taken from a client image who posted to enter the #LaVieEnMaje online gallery. This post garnered the highest engagement rate (0.09%). Again, it seems that client posted images and bloggers attract a higher engagement rate, as they show the clothing on real customers in an authentic environment.

Maje's engagement rate would definitely benefit by reposting images such as these, as well as tagging the individual in the photo, to capitalize on their follower base as well.

04/21/2017 11:01AM: "On our way to Los Angeles, Maje denim truck stopped at the Chateau Marmont to celebrate the launch of our Denim Capsule with Jordana, Gillian Kayla, Rocky, Moran, Nathalie, Olivia ... Discover our Denim collection on maje.com > bit.ly/2ouHhNI . Let's go for a ride!" This post featured a photo gallery of the denim capsule collection launch in LA. Popular fashion bloggers were photographed wearing the new collection in a fun, sunny environment. This post did not receive many engagements. While the nature of the post is fun, it would be helpful for Maje to tag the bloggers involved so consumers can connect to the post and the brand's representatives on a more personal level.

Post 5

Instagram Audit

Total Followers

Likes Comments Total

378,6 63

Post Post Post Post Post #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 1644 1415 2379 3876 2180 11 7 29 39 49 1655 1422 2408 3915 2229

Aver age

Engagements Engagement Rate Type

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

Post 4

0.44% 0.38% 0.64% 1.03% 0.59% Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo

0.61 %

04/12/17: "It's time for colors!

Discover the beautiful

R ENAN dress and all the summer collection in stores and online! #SummerInMaje #dress #colors #summer" This photo features a Maje lookbook image of the bright yellow renan dress, one of the key color stories in the new Maje spring collection. This post received a lower than average engagement rate. This could indicate consumer's interest in the featured piece, as many of the later posts showed higher likes and comments.

05/9/17 "Modern

S afari inspiration.

T he Maje g irl travels wearing comfortable and stylish outfits. Her smile lights up her face, she feels happy... #inspiration #summerinmaje #travel #SS17 #travelinstyle @chiarascelsi" This photo features model Chiara Scelsi in the "Maje Safari" collection story sweater, skirt, and belt against a fitting safari-­‐like backdrop. Consumers commented very positively to the clothing pictured.This post gained the lowest engagement rate, which could be due to its recency.This could mean that consumers visit the Maje page to browse content posted in the past weeks/days.

05/3/17 "Add colors to your looks with the new summer M bags! #MajeMbag #SummerInMaje #bag #itbag" This post featured two new M Bag colorways: Sand and Red. As always with M Bag posts, this photo garnered an above average engagement rate. Many consumers commented on the color they preferred (if not both). It seems the M Bag is at the top of Maje consumers' radar.

04/26/17 " The #Majexclusive

saga comes

back with a w hite embroidered dress for limitless grace and purity. A very unique piece -­‐ limited to few items worldwide. Now available on maje.com.

Post 5

#SummerInMaje #Maje #whitedress" This photo features a Maje Exclusive dress campaign image (also posted to Twitter). This brought in the highest engagement rate of 1.03%. It seems consumers are more likely to react to product releases on Instagram, especially "exclusive" items. This is definitely a call to action and it worked very well, with many consumers commenting about how they plan to buy it or already have already made the purchase.

04/14/17 " Long dresses

for l ong summer nights... discover all the collection in stores and online ☀ #SummerInMaje #dresses #summer #lookbook" This post of a loobook campaign image brought in a below average engagement rate. However, this post received the most comments, which could be very helpful for the company in marketing this product to their audience. Again, it seems the lookbook images may not bring in as many likes due to the bland background and repetitive model.

Analysis

• Twitter

Maje has a low follower base of 18,168 that has potential for growth.

However, their current Twitter page features mostly campaign images that their followers are uninterested in. With an engagement rate of 0.05%, if they wish to promote a collection, a collage of images will attract a larger audience (see post 2), rather than posting just one campaign image. From the data I collected, it seems Maje could benefit by reposting popular bloggers in Maje (which showed the highest engagement rate of the posts chosen). The Maje consumer wants to engage with a larger community, and it helps to see fashion bloggers style the merchandise so they can envision it in their everyday lives. This also pulls in a larger audience from the bloggers follower base.

• Facebook

Maje has a page like base of 218.020 on Facebook, which is a decent follower base to work with. The average engagement rate is the same as Twitter (0.05%). Similar to their Twitter page, Maje is focusing too heavily on campaign launches, rather than posting images that receive high engagements such as consumer generated content and blogger content.

Again, working on building a larger blogger network will allow Maje to promote new releases to their own following as well as capitalize on the cult following of verified fashion bloggers.

•

Instagram Maje has accumulated their biggest following base of 378,663 on Instagram.

This platform is extremely successful for the brand, as it has an average engagement rate of 0.61%. This platform seems to attract consumers who are looking to shop online and browse their collection. Campaign images work well on this platform and seem to get consumers excited about upcoming product releases. Again, the Maje exclusives are of key interest to their followers, as the name alone incentivizes them to shop. The M Bag also received a high engagement rate, like many of the other platforms, as it is easily customizable to fit the needs of a large audience. Compared to Twitter and Facebook, this is the best platform to promote new product launches and collections. Posts from later dates show an increase in likes, which points to the assumption that consumers are likely visiting their Instagram page to browse products. Their following/purpose on Instagram differs from Facebook and Twitter, where their followers are seeking authentic conversation with the brand. I do, however, believe that introducing reposts from popular bloggers would be of benefit to the brand to boost conversation and garner a higher follower base.

Social Media Audit – Sandro

Twitter Audit Total Followers

Retweets Likes

13,851

Averag Post #1 Post #2 Post #3 Post #4 Post #5 e

14 3 6 3 2

46 15 15 8 8

Replies Total Engagement s Engagement Rate Type Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

Post 4

Post 5

0

2

0

0

0

60

18

21

11

0.43%

0.13%

0.15%

0.08%

10 0.07%

0.17%

01/19/2017 11:34AM: "Thanks @GiGiHadid for looking sublime in our straight cut jeans! Find your pair at http://po.st/PreCoJeanCoupeDroite …" Street style photo with link of Gigi wearing Sandro jeans. Gigi is a well-­‐known and admired super model. Consumers likely engaged with this photo due to her involvement with the brand. These pants have been a key piece in the Sandro Spring collection thus far, with customers visitng the store to purchase them due to these street shots.

01/01/2017 5:00AM: "Journalist @marieportolano of @canalplus looked classy in our lace dress last night! Find the delicate piece at http://po.st/RobeLace!" This post features the classic Sandro Robe Lace dress on a popular journalist. It gained an engagement rate just below average. This post further proves that consumers are inspired by images of celebrities/popular media figures wearing the brand. It also likely increased conversion as they provided a direct link to the garment shown in the post.

1/31/2016 2:01PM: ".@GiGiHadid is out and about in New York once again flaunting our straight-­‐cut jeans! Find the flattering pair at http://po.st/PreCoJeanCoupeDroite …"Another post of celebrity model Gigi Hadid wearing the sought-­‐after Sandro denim. This is a strategic post on Sandro's part as it shows that these jeans can be worn more than once, even by a celebrity model. Again, a direct link to the product was included with the post.

Photo

Photo

Photo

Gif

Photo

03/16/2017 7:00AM: "Time to s hop !Discover

the deals

up to 8 0% off at our exclusive online outlet : http://po.st/SandroParis !" This post features a gif promoting the Sandro online outlet sale. It also provides a link to shop the sale. This had one of the lowest engagement rates, inferring their followers are more likely to engage with a celebrity-­‐focused post rather than a promotional gif.

04/14/2017 10:06AM: "Hello Jessica ! Sandro's fluid coat is always a

good idea !

Look at this coat : http://bit.ly/2of6NpT" This post features a street shot of Jessica Alba in a forest green Sandro trench coat. The post shows a side by side photo of the product shot as well as the street shot, to give consumers a closer look at the piece. While this is a celebrity image, I noticed that Sandro does not post often (this was the most recent post, and it was from April). It is important for Sandro to continuously post content to keep their followers engaged.

Facebook Audit

Total Likes

Reactions Comments Shares Total Engagement s Engagement Rate Type

Post 1

Post 2

318,18 4

Averag Post #1 Post #2 Post #3 Post #4 Post #5 e 641 174 251 199 180

8 1 5 2 9 1 1 1 2 2 650

176

257

203

0.20%

0.06%

0.08%

0.06%

191 0.06%

0.09%

05/06/17 3 :00PM: "Bags

are a g irl's best f riend ! Check the Lou bag at : http://bit.ly/MyLouBagMedium" A photo featuring the new Lou bag in an authentic, consumer-­‐generated environment. This post garnered the highest engagement rate, likely because it is a new handbag release with a catchy caption. Again, it seems consumers are more attracted to content that they can relate to, rather than a campaign shot generated by the brand. Sandro consistently posts a direct link to the products featured in their photos.

05/05/2017: "Summer inspiration -­‐ Look 12 Discover the skirt here: http://bit.ly/longasymmetricskirt" This post features an image from the Sandro Summer lookbook. The caption is short and to the point, directing the consumer to purchase the skirt shown in the image. This post generated a low engagement rate of 0.06%.

Photo

Photo

Photo

Photo

Photo

Post 3

Post 4

Post 5

05/03/2017: "The golden detail -­‐ Look 12 Discover the shoes here: http://bit.ly/GoldBoots" This post features another shot from the Sandro lookbook, with a focus on the new gold boots. Pointing the consumer in a specific direction is a strategic move on their part. The shoes, in this example, are strategically placed as a "must have" for the season. Incentivizing consumers to purchase them. This post is very similar to Post #2, but garnered a higher engagement rate. This shows that consumers are more interested in this item.

04/28/2917: "Oversized jackets are the best.

Make it yours at : http://bit.ly/OversizeJacketUK" This post features a campaign image of an army green oversized jacket. This post garnered a below average engagement rate. This is likely due to the fact that it is a simple image that is unlikely to be reposted/shared. The item featured is less eye-­‐catching than previous posts.

04/24/2017: "Cool Flames Find the jean at : http://bit.ly/JeanFlames" This photo features a product image of the new Sando flame jeans. This, like many other product shots, only garnered 0.06% engagement rate. Again, they stuck with the format of a short caption and clean product image. This could be easily scrolled past as it looks like an advertisement rather than a conversation piece.

Instagram Audit

Total Followers

Likes Comments Total Engagement

407,21 0

Averag Post #1 Post #2 Post #3 Post #4 Post #5 e

3250 5729 2590 3499 3782

22 34 9 16 13 3272

5763

2599

3515

3795

s Engagement Rate Type

Post 1

Post 2

Post 3

Post 4

0.80%

1.42%

0.64%

0.86%

0.93%

0.93%

04/28/2017 "A red b ag is always a good idea.

Check the Pola b ag in our bio. #SandroParis #PolaBag #Red #Accessories" This post features a campaign image for the red Sandro Pola bag. Keeping it consistent with other platforms, captions remain short and sweet. Many of the comments contain positive heart emojis.

Photo

Photo

Photo

Photo

Photo

04/30/2017 "Lou bag + denim T hanks @malou_elise

Link of the Lou bag in our bio #MyLouBag #SandroParis #Denim" This top-­‐performing post features the newest addition to the Sandro handbag collection. Comments were extremely positive -­‐ with many people begging to get their hands on it. This is a consumer generated post, affirming my point that consumer/blogger generated content brings in the highest engagement rate. You can really see yourself owning this bag from this photo.

05/05/2017 "Friday W ear with @jean_campbell

#SandroParis

#Fashion #Paris" This post features a fashion model in a Sandro jacket. However, they do not provide the name or link to the garment featured. This post brought in the lowest engagement rate. This can likely be cause by the lack of information provided on the piece featured.

05/06/2017 "Denim details #SandroParis

#Jeans #Blue"

This p ost features a close-­‐up image of the sought-­‐after denim pant that was featured on Gigi Hadid and many other celebrities in the past months. However, Sandro did not include a link to the product or any information regarding the product name. Again, this can make it hard for consumers to shop.

Post 5

05/10/17 "Stripes stories Link in bio. #SandroParis #Fashion #Shirt" This post garnered a high engagement rate at .93%. It features a lookbook image of a striped shirt and directs followers to the link in the bio to the product page on their website. This shot gained a lot of attention in just a little amount of time. The shot is true to the Sandro aesthetic, which likely prompted consumers to engage with the post.

Analysis

• Twitter

Sandro has a Twitter following of 13,851 compare to Maje’s 18,186.

However, their engagement rate is much higher, at 0.17%. The majority of Sandro’s Twitter feed features street shots of celebrities wearing the brand.

The top post from Sandro was a street shot of celebrity model Gigi Hadid wearing a popular Sandro denim pant. This shows that consumers are likely to engage with a post if they see a familiar face. However, Sandro has stopped posting any content since April, and their engagement rate has thus declined. If Maje follows their example of celebrity/blogger posts on a constant basis, they have the chance of out-­‐performing Sandro on Twitter.

• Facebook

Sandro has a higher Facebook following at 318,184 as well as a higher engagement rate at 0.09%. Sandro’s Facebook posts mostly consist of lookbook images and product shots. They keep their captions short and simple, which I believe makes the post straight to the point. Sandro also includes a direct link to the actual product featured in each post, which makes it easier for consumers to shop. Similar to Maje, the post featuring new handbags garnered the highest engagement rate at 0.20%. Again, handbags seem to be a great selling point for both brands.

• Instagram

Sandro’s following on Instagram is slightly larger at 407,210. Their engagement rate is also slightly higher at 0.93%. Most of Sandro’s posts to their Instagram are look book and product shots, which seem to perform very well on this platform. However, they provide no links to the products shown, which could hurt them in converting followers into shoppers.

Similar to Maje, new handbag releases garner a significant amount of engagements, especially lifestyle, consumer generated images. Sandro’s

Instagram has a distinct purpose to promote new releases, but lacks the creative aesthetic that the Maje Instagram has built.

Conclusion

Sandro has been in business longer than Maje, which makes it no surprise that they have acquired a higher consumer base and better understanding of their customers. One thing that Sandro excels at is putting celebrities and bloggers in their pieces. Consumers are more likely to engage with posts and buy items that they see famous celebrities wearing. Consumer content is also an area that Maje can capitalize on, as the few posts they have featured on their pages have garnered high engagement rates. Consumer generated content featuring popular pieces (like the M Bag) should also be a main focus for Maje to boost their engagement rate and follower base. Presenting the brand as a distinct personality that their consumers can relate to, rather than simply posting campaign images, will spark conversation and build a bond between brand and consumer.

Website Audit

Website Objectives 1. Sales/E-­‐commerce (60%) As a fashion e-­‐commerce site, Maje naturally has focused on advertising their products to generate revenue online. Each main navigation page is dedicated to the different categories of clothing/accessories that they offer.

The top scrolling banner of the homepage features new collection launches and key products. There are also links with images to “essentials”, “new arrivals”, and “Maje exclusives”.

2. Lead Generation (15%)

Lead generation is also one of the key focuses for Maje. When you visit the website, there is a banner that pops up, asking you to subscribe to the Maje Newsletter in order to keep up-­‐to-­‐date with new collection releases, event, and exclusive promotions. Maje hopes that even if a visitor does not purchase anything that day, they will be able to incentivize them to visit the website again at a future date and hopefully make a purchase. This is a great way to keep current customers loyal through reminder marketing as well as attract new customer with special promotions/events.

3. Content Focus (0%)

Maje does not advertise for any other brands on their site. As fashion is a competitive industry, they have no purpose in gaining ad dollars from competing brands.

4. User Experience/Support (10%)

The user experience on Maje’s website is fairly seamless. The site is set up to help clients style themselves with suggestions from the corporate team. This allows customers to build a head-­‐to-­‐toe wardrobe without leaving home.

The only fault is that the name of each piece is only visible at the top left corner of the screen once the item is selected. This can make it difficult for people searching for a particular piece. In terms of user support, there is an easy-­‐to-­‐use customer support form that may be filled out as well as the phone number, hours, and location of the support offices for reference.

5. Branding (15%)

Maje’s website is on-­‐brand and aesthetically pleasing. After the first visit, a customer can really gain an understanding of the Maje aesthetic. It is fun, interactive, and effortless. The website matches the themes inside the store, providing an accurate and enjoyable shopping experience.

Macro-­‐Conversion: Clothing/Accessory Sales Maje’s macro conversion is product sales. This conversion is the most significant to the company’s financial objectives as they are in the business of selling clothing and accessories. The website mainly serves to generate revenue from online sales.

Micro Conversions

1. Newsletter If a consumer subscribes to the newsletter list, they are interested in keeping up-­‐to-­‐date with new releases, promotions, and events. Even if this does not mean a direct financial outcome for Maje, customers that sign up for their list will likely purchase something in the future.

2. Create Account There is an option to log-­‐in or create a new account. This allows consumers to save items in their shopping bag. Whether or not a customer purchases something that day, they will be inputting into Maje’s database and will receive emails about special offers and promotions. These emails may incentivize consumers to re-­‐visit their site and purchase the items that they have saved in their cart.

3. Stores At the bottom of the homepage there is a link to search for brick-­‐and-­‐mortar store locations. If a customers searches for a store location, they are likely to visit a brick-­‐and-­‐mortar store to purchase an item. If there is not a store nearby, they are more likely to shop online. Either way, they are interested in purchasing something from Maje in the near future.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) 1. Revenue (merchandise sales) A key indicator of how much revenue the website is bringing in for Maje. Are people purchasing online? Is this a crucial platform for merchandise sales?

2. Average order price This will indicate how the Maje customer shops. Are customers revamping their wardrobe each season all in one visit? Do our consumers buy more than one piece at a time? This can also indicate top-­‐spenders to reach out to.

3. Bounce rate Bounce rate is an important factor to consider. This will indicate whether or not the Maje website is engaging and effective. If consumers are consistently leaving the site after one page click, something needs to change.

Part 3: Digital Campaign

Company Overview

Maje is a contemporary, “affordable luxury” womenswear line based out of Paris, France. It is the youngest brand under the SMCP Corporation, which also houses Sandro and Claudie Pierlot. Maje was founded in 1998 and expanded overseas to the United States by 2011, where three stores in New York were opened. Today, Maje can be found in over 150 shops worldwide, which include freestanding boutiques as well as shops inside corner stores such as Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. The Maje line includes ready-­‐to-­‐wear pieces such as blouses, sweaters, skirts, bottoms, and dresses as well as shoes, jewelry, and leather handbags. It is often referred to as the “younger, flirty sister” of Sandro (its main competitor). Judith’s collections mix the understated, femininity of the French aesthetic with the bold, bohemian style influenced by her childhood in Morocco.

While the brand is well known among the European consumer, many American consumers still lack knowledge about the brand because it was just recently introduced to the top shopping streets.

Consumer Overview

The ideal Maje customer is a petite woman in her 20’s-­‐30’s who enjoys attending art galleries and concerts in her free time. She has a quirky, laid back personality and finds beauty in the inspiring and unexpected. While this is Judith’s vision of her ideal client, the brand’s personality speaks to many different age groups and nationalities. Young, brand-­‐conscious Asian consumers and middle-­‐aged career women are some of Maje’s most loyal clients due to their high amount of dispensable income and exposure to the brand in other countries through travel.

Many clients return to Maje for suitable pieces for school and the office, as well as bold, formal pieces for big events.

Being an “affordable luxury” brand, the Maje client would be placed in the affluent and high net worth premium brand and luxury consumer market. A Mintel study on this demographic group brings up some important points regarding how to effectively structure marketing strategies to these customers:

Market: • The U.S. accounts for about 1/5 of global luxury goods sales. Retail luxury good sales in the U.S. are estimated to have increased by 55% from 2011-­‐ 2015, reaching $35.3 billion. However, the U.S. trails behind Europe in this market, suggesting that wealthier consumers put a lower priority on buying luxury or they primarily shop abroad.

• Fashion and leather goods account for about ½ of global sales (46%) • $500K+ income-­‐producing asset households are on the rise. Total households under this annual income increase 33% from 2011-­‐2016 from 9.5 million to 12.6 million. They are forecasted to increase by another 14.4% from 2016-­‐2021 resulting in 14.5 million.

Consumer • Quality defines “luxury” – but not all “luxury brands” meet expectations. At least ½ of affluent and HNWIs select “quality” to be indicative of defining “luxury”. However, less than ½ think that luxury products are better quality than midpriced brands and they are worth the price.

• Image is important. 35% of affluent luxury buyers feel that luxury brands can enhance one’s image. Affluent consumers consider luxury purchases in the context of how they think owning/displaying the item elevate their personal image/status • Affluent/HNWIs are more likely to purchase luxury. 45% of these individuals purchased luxury branded items in the last month compared to 35% of all Americans. These consumers also value a good deal – 45% of these individuals vs 44% of all Americans are more likely to purchase luxury goods if they are reduced in price • Department stores attract 47% of affluent/HNWIs luxury brand shoppers due to superior service and greater accessibility.

• Online shopping is becoming more common – brand websites (29%), store websites (28%), and mobile sites (19%). 52% of affluent/HNWI luxury buyers purchase through e-­‐commerce sites, but still evaluate risks when purchasing online

Conclusion

Given this data, it is clear that the luxury fashion goods market will continue to thrive. Maje has an upperhand with the affluent and high net worth premium brand and luxury consumer market as they provide quality goods at a reasonable price. Focusing more attention on leather goods, such as the popular

M Bag and newest M Walk handbag release will likely garner a significant increase in revenue if marketed correctly. With the rise of online shopping, advertising our website on social media sites and making necessary improvements to Maje’s website will allow the brand to become a top competitor in the luxury goods market. Pushing out sale promotions and special events will also entice these consumers to shop at Maje rather than luxury brands with higher prices and equal quality.

Digital Campaign: Objectives/Strategies and Tactics

Objective 1 Increase revenue generated via social media by 20% for our Fall 2017 collection launching in September and extending through April.

Strategy 1 Build a network of high-­‐profile fashion bloggers and celebrities to represent our new collection

Tactics • Begin reaching out to celebrities in June 2017 regarding the new collection release in September • Organize gifting to celebrities at the time of the new collection release (at least 5 pieces of their choosing) • Post street shots of celebrities wearing the Fall 2017 collection on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at least once a week

Strategy 2 Promote #LaVieEnMaje consumer generated content campaign on all social media channels for our Fall 2017 collection Tactics • Launch a Facebook advertisement in September with the release of the new Fall 2017 collection o Ages 18-­‐35 o Location: U.S. o Time: Consistently from September 1-­‐30 • Use #LaVieEnMaje in every Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook post in regards to the new collection launch from September 1-­‐15 • Host a contest on Instagram: photo with the most likes for the month of September gets 40% off their next order • Post #LaVieEnMaje top consumer generated content at least twice a week for the month of September and once a week for the remainder of the collection (until February 2018)

Objective 2 Increase handbag sales by 50% for the Fall 2017 collection (September – February)

Strategy 1 Launch an advertising campaign featuring the new M Walk bag

Tactics • Find models with on-­‐the-­‐go lifestyles that our consumers will relate to (Jessica Alba, Mandy Moore, Jennifer Aniston, etc.)

• Promote the bag as an affordable, quality handbag for the actively chic woman • Conduct a lifestyle photoshoot featuring chosen celebrities in action with the M Walk bag • Launch campaign on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter throughout the month of September • Post all campaign images on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram during the first week of September (at least 5)

Strategy 2 Launch a new color of the M-­‐ Walk bag (Navy and Chocolate Brown) with the new Fall 2017 collection

Tactics • Host a promotional event September 1-­‐14 offering 25% off the M Walk bag with a purchase over $800 • Advertise the event on Facebook o Age: 18-­‐35 o Location: U.S. o Time: Consistently throughout promotional event • Promote through product shots and campaign video on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook throughout the promotional event (September 1-­‐14) • Send out promotional event advertisement to all consumers subscribed to our e-­‐newsletter list • Direct stylists at brick-­‐and-­‐mortar stores to outreach to loyal clients regarding the event • Direct all brick-­‐and-­‐mortar stores to have an after-­‐hours event featuring the M-­‐walk bag with champagne and gift bags with French cosmetic samples (collaborate with French cosmetic brand L’Octtaine) • Post at least 1 consumer generated image a week of the M Walk Bag

Works Cited

Maje. "The Maje Brand." Maje-­‐US. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2017.

O'Donnel, Fiona. The Affluent and High Net Worth Premium Brand and Luxury

Consumer -­‐ US -­‐ December 2016. Rep. N.p.: Mintel, n.d. Mintel. Web. 11 May 2017. <http://academic.mintel.com.colum.idm.oclc.org/display/748705/>.