Kate Spade Brand Strategy

lauren sharp & sona martirosian

nyu ms integrated marketing

brand strategy

in 1993, kate spade designed the utilitarian handbagshe’d been craving for yearsbut hadn’t been able to find. and so began a revolutionin the accessories market.

simple silhouettes sprangto life with crisp palettes andclever details, women and fashion editors alike fell for the designs. and the companygrew (and grew, and grew).

over time, core values werereinforced by classic shapesand modern graphic elements, establishing a visualshorthand for the brandrecognizable the world over.

in 2007, after kate and andy sold the company to liz claiborne, the reigns were turned over to deborah lloyd,formerly of banana republic and burberry, who took the helm as president and chief creative officer with an aim to broaden the line while honoring kate’s rich history.

craig a. leavitt, of theory and ralph lauren, joined shortlythereafter as chief executiveofficer to realize the globalpotential of the brand and leadthe development of all commercial aspects.

key competitors

kate spade new york draws women into a world that's CULTURALLY CURIOUS, INTELLECTUALLY ALIVE, and GLOWING WITH IRRESISTIBLE ALLURE. there are stories to capture the IMAGINATION, and dramas to unfold. kate spade new york encourages women to star in their own lives. to BE COURAGEOUS. to INDULGE THEIR MANY PASSIONS. to tune out the noise of fashion fads and mediocrity in all its forms. kate spade new york is the brand that helps women express their own PERSONAL STYLE with INCANDESCENT CHARM and a DASH OF REBELLION.

kate spade mission statement

kate spade new york is:COURAGEOUS

BOLDCHARMING

CLEVEROPTIMISTIC

PLAYFULCHIC

PASSIONATESPIRITED

CULTURALLY CURIOUS

ASPIRATIONALQUIRKY

attributes:• colorful• graphic prints• timeless• quality• multi-category lifestyle brand• unique• utilitarian (handbags)• fashionable

benefits:• self expression• establishes a distinct personal style• easy- variety of product lines allows you to put together a look head to toe

in a style you love• feel like you’re part of the brand’s culture…you are the “kate spade

girl”

an exuberant approach to the everydaykate spade new york combines a playful, sophisticated personal style with high quality and long-lasting utility for the young professional fashionista.

the kate spade new york girl

the kate spade new york girl is:

she has wallpapered therental apartment

she has seven dollars in change at the bottom of her bag

she believes in bold color, good shoes, her gold lame` pencil skirt and stripes

in storewebsite print

outdoor

emailsocial mediaTOUCH POINTS

products

store

print / outdoor

social media

e-mail

strengths• strong brand image• consistent message • clear understanding of

their customer• breath of product lines

weaknesses• no real heritage/brand

story• association with lower

performing brands through Fifth and Pacific can hurt brand image

black & white

social media presence

industry trends dress for less

recommendationsbuild kate spade’s brand story around deborah lloyd and brad goreski

• as brand stylist brad goreski works with kate spade creative director deborah loyd to style press events, fashion presentations, ad campaigns, and shoots for their website. • brad: before signing on with kate

spade, brad rose to fame as rachel zoe’s assistant on her reality show the rachel zoe project and has since starred in his own reality spin off it’s a brad, brad world. brad has a strong social media presence with over 240K twitter followers.

• deborah: before kate spade deborah was the creative director of banana republic for six years, and worked at burbarry prior to that. athough not known in the mainstream media, deborah is well respected in the fashion world

• leverage brad goreski’s prominent public persona and deborah lloyd’s fashion expertise to create the face behind the playful yet sophisticated style of kate spade

tactics• posts on the kate spade blog by brad and deborah

• interviews with prominent fashion web sites

• create content for kate spade social profiles

• posts about kate spade on their social profiles

• email campaign featuring messages from brad and deborah

• guest appearances on fashion related programming like the Fashion Police on E!

QUESTIONS?