Week 11's~Developing & Managing Products

A Basic R.L Rugby Long Sleeve

Developing Products has been a forte of Ralph Lauren,so much that over the years some of their product line have been discontinued,for whatever the reason.Many product models have been manufacture-red underneath the brand that is the Horse logo.Products from Outer wear,polo shirts, fragrances,eye wear,footwear to home furnishings are several offerings R.L make available merchandise .Back in 2004 parent company Ralph Lauren launched their American clothing brand Rugby Ralph Lauren.Rugby is exclusively entitled in Preppy/Rugby inspired lifestyle attire for male and female consumers from ages 15-25.The rugby affair inspired way for the encompassing of Rugby Food & Spirits(small cafe modeled after the brand)Rugby has a book load of that allows consumers to buy and personalize their rugby shirt,which includes free tailoring.Its offers items such as their customary "rugby shirt" sought out to also be known as the rugby jersey.Luxury items include vintage leather jackets and high quality blazers with bullion patches.

Week 16's ~Integrated Marketing Communications

Ralph Lauren's promotion has always been known as the class act when it comes to promoting their brand image.Ralph Lauren's promotion sells off of its elegant image,diverse styles,its target markets and in some ad cases how sex sells,as their ads add a bit of flirtatiousness flavor to spice things up. Integrated Marketing Communications is assembled with a few components.An IMC components feature a company's corporate culture,brand focus,consumer experience,communication tools,promotional tools and integration tools.A case in which of a promo tool RL uses is its Family & Friends avenue.This avenue is exercised when a Ralph Lauren employee forwards the promo code via email or mails a coupon to a friend or family member.The discount would usually go for 30%-40%  off your upcoming purchase at Ralph Lauren.Ralph Lauren's immense competitive advantage hits the market in which ways other industrial retailers can not keep up to par with.For instance with its wide consumer reach. RL offers products at every price mark from the discount(Chaps) to luxury(Ralph Lauren Collection) fourth widening target demographics.International Expansion will help growth as RL shifted its focus in expanding emerging market especially Asia's South East market.Polo's extensive competitive advantage has been their brand identity for the past 20 years,also leveraging the name internationally.Ralph Lauren's makes sure its consumer experience is one to remember.I personally know when somethings purchased on their website,the packaging with which its in goes within 3 boxes and they add a thank you for shopping label.Making the consumer feel special & appreciated.

Week 10's~Product Concepts

Classic!...
One of the few
widgets i'll always remember  in
my father's arsenal of cologne's from childhood

I'm sure that any company would admit,a top priority must be trademarking its brand.Once a trademark right is set into play,the only way other companies may use that brand is having to be granted permission.For instance if Burberry wanted to use Polo's horse logo in one of its Ad's.The Ultimate consumer can purchase clothing from R.L without them pondering questions about its quality.Prime example is that of my fathers closet.Their are still shirts that were purchased over 15 years ago that are in good shape,except for the only con that wears on clothing which is fading.Consumer products that are made available by R.L range from  

Throwback gear
,Vintage Polo
Sport Windbreaker
(#The~90's!)

Colognes,Clothing,Glasses/Sunglasses,ties,shoes,bags,jackets & other accessories. Also there home commodities are  another popular comfort that's sold under the umbrella. Dominating sections in department stores with products ,they've made almost every product that one could think of,off the top of your head.Leaving consumers to keep in mind, that Polo is truly one of the most reliable and convenient brand that's ever hit the market. Specialty products are products that consumers search extensively for a specific item and will abstain for settling for less other than what they are looking for.An example of a Ralph Lauren specialty product would be of a vintage collectors catalog,an accessory or clothing.I once remember being placed in this position,last summer when i was looking for a Polo Sport Windbreaker jacket..but failed to find it.

Week 18's~Sales Promotion & Personal Selling

As far as prices go, you will almost always see a retail Ralph Lauren product full priced,whether it be cologne,shirts or shoes..etc.One of the few times besides the holiday's when you'll RL merchandise "discounted" will be through their Friends & Family approach.The Friends and Family approach is applied when a Ralph Lauren employee forwards the promo code via email or mails a coupon to a friend or family member.Usually the discount goes for 30% to 40% off your next buy at Ralph Lauren.These coupons and promo codes have fine stipulations as to where they can be used.The coupon evidently states that only at Ralph Lauren stores/factories this method can be used,excluding stores that just carry Ralph Lauren commodities.The most conventional form of sales promotion RL exercises is its online promo codes for free shipping.This is applied once your at the store's checkout stage.Relationship selling is one of the programs in RL personal selling's repertoire.Basically the clienteling strategy is used here.Client books are able to document transactions and detail customers sizes,colors,desires and selections.Polo's trunk shows are another way of the company's personal selling.What this is, is a pre-seasoned show to where clients may choose to pre-order or visit to view attire before it's released in stores.Product seminar showcasing is another medium in relation to personal selling.On a seasons basis RL sales rep would train department store attendants & employees on the new product.Discussed are fabric's,colors and adjustments to the attire.Reason for this is that the department store employee can thoroughly comprehend the product to boost sales.

Week17's~Advertising/Public Relations

Like father,
like son (David Lauren)

The act or practice of calling public attention to one's product,service, or need or paid announcements is what makes up advertising.Today son of Ralph Lauren,David Lauren is the head at administering Polo Ralph Lauren's advertising,marketing and corporate communications.Many have agreed in saying that Ralph Lauren's appearance has changed over the years from a vintage private club look to now being a trendy/preppy phoneonema. Being included in the nations number 3 overall print medium in the New York Times is another way to acquaint appeal to newsreaders(both online/print).The New York Times long enduring affiliation with RL also shows its longevity the brand has maintained.Continuing it's advertising schemes the brand contains a mobile app & website.In 2012 Ralph Lauren thoroughly advertised their brand through out the 12' Summer Olympic games & the US open(With RL being the premier brand for team USA's outfits)Famous for their classy catalogs that consists of models,in photo spreads that highlight some looks from specific collection with both men's and ladies apparel.Using different digital channels to editorialize content featuring a branded quarterly magazines that give users trends reports and articles that highlight the retailers current product line.Ralph Lauren's Web initiative uses its top editors at fashion magazines to walk users through the brands contemporary collection and let users shop looks directly.Within commercials,print,app & online outlets im sure their ad budgeting is undoubtedly ranged in the high millions.Embracing to advertise technology such as their QR(Quick Response) Codes(bar codes that cellphones are capable of to get content in association with the product).In addition RL won the luxury marketer award in 2010...Here's a look at Ralph Lauren's 2012 Big Pony Ad (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PPr4iWLH9c&feature=related)

                                                 

Week15's~Retailing

Polo Ralph Lauren's retail sources

*Fashionistas & Upper East siders know this building as the
 Polo Mansion.The 16,000-square-foot flagship store features everything 
from made-to-measure suits to sports coats, custom formal 
wear and made-to-order accessories and leather goods*

Being a well recognized brand for many years nationally and globally Polo Ralph Lauren can possibly be found in most department stores or mall nowadays.For the most part many retail branches carry Polo's clothing line.Some department stores offer more of the brand itself than others.Just to name a few department stores that sell Polo's merchandise are Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's ,Saks Fifth Avenue,Bergdorf Goodman,Neiman Marcus,Lord & Taylor, Dillard's, Macy's and Boyd's.Discount Retailers in which Polo Ralph Lauren is available are places such as a T.J Maxx, Marshalls,Ross & Loehmanns .It's only appropriate that Bloomingdale's continues selling Polo by Ralph Lauren as they were established as the first shop within shop designer boutique to sell the iconic horse.Polo Ralph Lauren has stores  in outlet malls where products are profoundly discounted as well.By 2007 Ralph Lauren had  over 35 boutiques in the U.S.Our national flagships hold in The Madison Mansions in N.Y(867 Madison Ave.-men's brands/888 Madison Ave.-women's brands) & in North Michigan,Chicago.Their website ralphlauren.com holds as another retailing medium for the company's prosperous revenue.Their website offers merchandise for categories under men,women,baby, children, as well as a Style Guide for Men & Women.Also there, is a link provided for Rugby.com(extension of Polo brand).During last years holiday season R.L company Rugby line promoted customizable and shop-able holiday e-cards in the fashion of its online catalog.Giving it's consumers a creative way to shop for the holidays through e-commerce.

Week6~Consumer Decision Making

 A Kanye line from the song.. Illest Alive-"the
 hood was struggling,
but then I blessed them with that Polo"

Style and purchase wise it's difficult to say to what a consumer is looking for when buying Polo Ralph Lauren (Clothing). Whether it being a shirt,short pants,jacket or long pants.With Ralph Lauren's clothing line having such plenty and broad variations of colors, styles & fits you never know why and how the consumer will make use of it.Call it options galore with R.L.I'll be glad to give you an example.Many youngster's of today's age...( and by youngsters i mean pre-teen to teenagers) might buy to  wear their Ralph Lauren attire with  predominately sneakers.And on the other side of things where  you  have the Adults, most likely out wearing Ralph Lauren along the likes of dress shoes,casual shoes,boat shoes, or even a pair of flip flops.I'm guessing it's not only age or a generation differential factors into how consumer's style their 

clothing but also your environment comes into account when dressing.Example,I honestly wouldn't be expecting a Upper class/wealthy teenager wearing a polo collared shirt and khaki pants along with tennis shoes..that would be a NO,NO! in my books.But then again "To each his own"  when it comes to fashion and preferences.Back then referring to past generations, Ralph Lauren's brand primarily would be targeted and worn by people of high and exquisite class . In contrast to nowadays where the name doesn't hold it's same prestige as it once did.I have a bit of an idea to whom was apart of "bringing" polo to the urban scene. Many including myself bless Kanye West with the title of  being one of Polo's "ambassador" for the youth,teens and young adults in urban areas worldwide.Making the trendsetter, Kanye today one of our most popular fashion mogul's(through brands of Louis Vuitton Polo & sneaker brand Air Yeezy etc.)Prime example was when Kanye is seen wearing/advertising the brand on all three of his mix-tape's Freshman Adjustment 1,2, & 3(before he blew up as a commercial Rapper/producer)Though the brand's popularity remained consistent for many decades and still is one of the most relevant brand's in the world.The consumer's purchase of the clothing is to have the impression of class & being yourself!