Burberry's Repositioning Strategy: A Marketing Report Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Burberry's repositioning strategy, examining the company's efforts to attract a higher-end market segment. It begins by defining positioning and its importance in marketing, then delves into Burberry's current market position and its goals for repositioning. The report explores the two key elements of positioning: physical attributes and marketing communications, and discusses how Burberry can leverage expressive positioning to appeal to its target audience. It also covers the methods of repositioning, including psychological and total repositioning, and how these strategies can be applied to Burberry. The report includes a positioning map to visualize Burberry's competitive landscape, highlighting the challenges and opportunities associated with its repositioning efforts. Finally, it references relevant marketing theories and provides examples of successful repositioning strategies. This report is a valuable resource for understanding the complexities of brand repositioning and its implications for marketing strategy.

Running head: BURBERRY
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Name of the Student
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Author Note

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Positioning and Repositioning
Positioning is one of the aspects in every organisation in which the offerings are
differentiated from one another so that the cusumers are attracted towards the product and are
tempted to purchase it (Baines, Fill and Rosengren 2016). It also shows the company’s
perception about its customers and the brands that are based on their perception. Positioning
of brands have become very essential for every organisation that helps the marketers to
communicate as well as target the customers that is based on the customer needs. Positioning
therefore helps impart a meaningful message to the customers so that they are compelled to
buy the product (Baines, Fill and Rosengren 2016). Repositioning on the other hand is a shift
in the perception of the marketers where they make new offerings that are more appealing
from the other products in the market (Menon and Yao 2017). One of the most essential
reason behind repositioning is that it helps in monitoring the current position of the products
as well as services over time. It further helps them to change the perception of the customers
that they have regarding the brand.
After reading the case study it is quite evident that Burberry aims at repositioning the
brand to address more influence on the market as well as its activities while keeping in mind
the perceptions of the customers and its target market (Menon and Yao 2017). This can only
be achieved when new strategies are developed that focuses on positioning that will further
help in growing the base of the customers and reach a higher-end market (Baines, Fill and
Rosengren 2016). To go up the ladder Burberry needs to adopt expressive positioning by
following the user approach. By doing this a good communication strategy will be built that
will appeal the targeted customers keeping in mind the reputation of the brand.
Repositioning is adopted by Burberry due to a continuous change because of
globalisation, instability in economy, changed perception of the consumers as well as

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technological advancements. By repositioning its products the company will be able to make
a new image for themselves. Through the strategy of repositioning the company will be able
to strengthen its distribution channel and focus on its luxury products. According to Clark,
Conti and Lee (2018), digitalization is helping in reshaping fashion in distribution as well as
marketing activities. Repositioning will also help in bringing new capabilities that will help in
competing with other market. Thus by repositioning its products Burberry will be able to
retain themselves in the market and gain more customer loyalty.
Positioning Map
To effectively position the brand it is essential to understand the different attributes
that a product offers. The positioning map is a tool that is useful in understanding the
complexities in the attributes of the product and also allows the marketers to see the
representation of the market visually (Baines, Fill and Rosengren 2016). The figure below
shows the position of Burberry in relation to its competitors as well as the progress that they
have made after repositioning themselves. One of the most competitive as well as primary
factor for any brand is the strength of the brand, the design of the product, the materials used
to maintain the quality of the product, convenience, ambience of the store, process of the
development of the product as well as its delivery and the customer service experience
(Roncha and Montecchi 2017). Both Gucci as well as Primark are leading marketers in their
respective fields. Both always strives to increase their trade over the world that helps them to
retain in the market. Burberry too is now moving up the ladder and is trying to compete with
the above two brands.

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According to the positioning map if Burberry moves to the higher end of the market
then it face more competition from leading brands such as Gucci as well as Primark that helps
in driving the need for more investment within the competitive factors that has been
mentioned above. The company has already implemented a new strategy that is aimed at
giving an advantage regarding the ambience of the store (Burberry 2020). Burberry
furthermore, follows a strategy of sales on the basis of novelty, production of time, limited
editions as well as collections of themed capsules that will help in creating new vibes around
the brand. This will help Burberry to gain customer loyalty and compete with other brands.
Methods of Repositioning

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When a repositioning is successful then a well-defined plan was behind its success.
One of the methods of repositioning that can be adopted by Burberry is Psychological
repositioning. The method helps in altering the beliefs of the customers about the attributes of
the products that is being offered (Baines, Fill and Rosengren 2016). This method on the one
hand helps in aligning the communication of the brand and attributes of the products with
lifestyles, personality, interests, targeted consumers as well as values. One such example is of
Ricardo Tisci and its strategic communication that helps in appealing the customer value by
developing a futuristic campaign that helps in transmitting a single message but reaches all
the target segments (Tcherenkov 2017). The campaign was primarily aimed at enhancing the
image of the brand as something that was inclusive that appeals the existing customers as
well as the high-end marketers.
Another method of repositioning is known as total repositioning that changes the
entire target market as well as the offering that is given by market. It also focuses that the
concept of communication and idea of offering should be applied at the right time as well as
in the correct circumstances. This method will therefore lead to a new target market (Villas
2018). As Burberry is known for its communication strategy a method of repositioning will
help the company to venture into the field of customised marketing that is combined with
concentrated marketing (Baines, Fill and Rosengren 2016). The company should also realise
the importance of digital marketing as positioning when it is focused on people proves to be
more effective than normal positioning strategies. Now the company focuses on social media
like Instagram and WebChat to connect with its customers and address their queries (Villas
2018).

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References
Baines, P., Fill, C. and Rosengren, S., 2016. Marketing. 4th ed. Oxford University Press.
Burberry, 2020. https://www.burberryplc.com/.
Clark, E., Conti, S. and Lee, A., 2018. Fashion Wakes up to Digital Future. WWD: Women’s
Wear Daily, pp.24–24.
Menon, A.R. and Yao, D.A., 2017. Elevating repositioning costs: Strategy dynamics and
competitive interactions. Strategic Management Journal, 38(10), pp.1953-1963.
Roncha, A. and Montecchi, M., 2017. The underpinning strategies leading to high value
perception of luxury fashion brands. IUP Journal of Brand Management, 14(3), pp.7-21.
Tcherenkov, P., 2017. The impact of Reverse Psychology Marketing on a Brand.
Villas-Boas, J.M., 2018. A dynamic model of repositioning. Marketing Science, 37(2),
pp.279-293.