Magpie Lane Vintage: Marketing Analysis to Improve Brand Awareness

This report analyzes the marketing strategies of Magpie Lane Vintage, a vintage clothing store in Århus, to determine why it has less brand awareness than its competitors and to suggest methods to overcome this issue. The analysis includes a SWOT analysis, competitor analysis, content marketing and SEO assessment, Porter's Five Forces, customer journey mapping, consumer behavior analysis, segmentation, targeting, positioning strategies, a customer feedback loop, and an omni-channel approach. The report examines the store's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as well as its social media presence, pop-up shops, collaborations, and events. The goal is to provide Magpie Lane with insights that might help benefit and grow their brand awareness in the near future, focusing on improving their online presence, leveraging events, creating limited edition releases, and networking with other businesses.

1
MAGPIE LANE VINTAGE
An analysis of Magpie Lane's marketing strategies
By Tracey Lynn Wanjiku
Guidance Teacher: Keld Kristoffersen
Date: October 13th, 2023.
Word count: 31,317 characters (excluding first 3 pages)

2
RESEARCH QUESTION
What factors contribute to Magpie Lane Vintage generating less brand awareness than
their competitors and what methods can be implemented to overcome these issues?

3
Table Of Content
Cover page……………………………………………………………………………………….….. 1
Research Question………………………………………………………………….………….….. 2
Table of content………………………………………………………….……………………….… 3
Introduction……………………….………………………………………………………………… 4
Theories and methodologies……………………………………………………………..… 5-9
Company overview………………………………………………………………………….…. 10
SWOT analysis ……………………………………………………………………………………11- 14
Competitor analysis………………………………………………………………………..……15-17
Content marketing and SEO………………………………………………………………….18-20
Porters five forces………………………………………………………………………………….21
Customer journey map………………………………………………………………….......…22
Consumer behavior analysis……………………………………………………………….23-25
Segmentation, targeting, and positioning……………………………………………26-31
Customer feedback loop…………………………………………………………………….32-33
Omni channel approach…………………………………………………………………….34-35
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………..…36-37
Reflection………………………………………………………………………………………..……37
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………….…. 38

4
INTRODUCTION
Magpie Lane is a vintage clothing store located in the heart of Århus. The company was
founded by Sita Linddahl Busk. The store provides a variety of vintage designer clothing specifically
handpicked by the owner herself. The clothing sold ranges from sunglasses, jewelry, and scarves, to
designer shoes and jackets. So far they only sell their products through a physical store and
advertise using three online channels namely, tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook. The business has a
small but loyal customer base with many repeat customers.
Establishing a distinctive brand identity and generating revenue are two goals every
company aspires to achieve. Magpie Lane has managed to accumulate a loyal fanbase, however, due
to market trends, they face challenges in terms of brand awareness and social media presence
compared to their competitors.
The purpose of this report is to address the research question and find out what factors
contribute to the store generating less brand awareness than their competitors and identifying
what marketing strategies can be used to overcome this issue. In this report I will go over every
aspect of Magpie Lane's marketing strategy and find out what benefits and what hinders the growth
of the company.
The following pages will contain information about the methodologies that will be used
throughout the report and the reasoning, followed by an in-depth analysis of the findings, and
finally, a conclusion and reflection of the problem statement.
My goal is to provide Magpie Lane with insights that might help benefit and grow their
brand awareness in the near future.

5
THEORY AND METHODOLOGY
To answer the research question, I will dive into an analysis of Magpie Lane's current
market position using a combination of;
1. SWOT analysis.
2. Competitor analysis
3. Content marketing and SEO
4. Porter's Five Forces.
5. Customer journey mapping.
6. Consumer behavior analysis.
7. Segmentation targeting and positioning.
8. Customer feedback loop
9. Omni channel approach
SWOT analysis: will help identify various aspects of the business by assessing its
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By identifying and analyzing these aspects we
can understand the businesses standpoint in the market and formulate strategies to maintain its
strengths, recognize the areas in which the business may be vulnerable and mitigate its
weaknesses, find out which trends and factors the business can capitalize on and seize them and
find which ones impact them negatively and address them effectively. Overall, this will serve as a
valuable tool.

6
Competitor analysis: will be beneficial as it will provide insight into successful strategies
used by competitors, helping us learn from that and adapt similar tactics to improve Magpie Lane's
brand awareness. It also provides insights into trends and consumer preferences which will come
in handy when adjusting our strategies to align with the market that is constantly evolving.
Content marketing and SEO: The purpose of content marketing and SEO is to engage with and
create a deeper connection with our audience by capturing their attention. Creating relevant,
educational, and valuable content helps increase brand awareness. Constantly providing customers
with content also builds credibility with their customer base.
SEO: there are several marketing efforts that can be used to improve search engine
optimization. incorporating keywords, short URLs, mobile-friendly designs, and promoting content
would improve our website's visibility in search engine results and enhance our online presence.
Porter's five forces: complement competitor analysis in terms of assessing the overall
market. While competitor analysis evaluates specific competitors, 1Porter’s five forces assess the
overall market dynamic providing insights into factors such as external forces and factors affecting
the industry. This will help us gain a more comprehensive understanding of why Magpie Lane is
generating less brand awareness than its competitors.
1. Threat of new entrants: We can asses the barrier to entering the industry, a lower
barrier makes it easier for other competitors to join the industry, therefore
decreasing our brand awareness even more.
1 https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/porter.asp Accessed October 1st 2023

7
2. Power of suppliers: we can asses whether our store faces challenges in terms of
the availability of quality products, this influences the price and quality of the
products sold.
3. Bargaining power of buyers: A smaller customer base is more influential and
therefore has more leverage on bargaining price reductions, and offers. A company
with a larger customer base has a better chance of implementing higher prices.
Understanding this can help us identify external factors that influence price, quality,
and customer loyalty. This will come in handy when carrying out a competitor
analysis
4. Threat of substitutes: products that can be used as a substitute for Magpie Lanes
products put the store at risk. It could result in lower customer loyalty and impact
brand awareness. this will come in handy for the competitor analysis when figuring
out how to make our products more appealing to customers.
5. Rivalry among existing competitors: This helps us assess the intensity of the
competition in the market and if there is a larger amount of competitors with more
products than our store offers.
Customer journey mapping: A customer journey map will help us visualize the process of our
customer's interaction with their store. We can pinpoint areas where our customers might be
experiencing issues by mapping out the touchpoints. The map provides insights into how
customers behave at each touchpoint. We can see where they drop off or disengage and the
challenges they face while interacting with the store. These issues might serve as barriers to our
store generating brand awareness. The customer journey helps identify where adjustments are
needed.

8
Consumer behavior analysis: Consumer behavior analysis and customer journey map are closely
related as they both provide insight into the customer's interaction with the store. To analyze
consumer behavior, we need to identify which areas trigger cognitive dissonance in our consumers
in order to take measures to minimize them. This will be done by using the customer journey
mapping.
Segmentation, targeting, and positioning: This is used to develop strategic approaches that allow
businesses to divide the market into smaller more distinct groups in order to ensure that they reach
the right demographic. By doing so, the store can improve its marketing strategies and ultimately
generate brand awareness.
1. Segmentation
This will help us gain a comprehensive understanding of how to better serve our customers
and cater to their individual needs.
This is done by dividing them into groups based on characteristics behaviors and
preferences using methods like demographic segmentation, psychographic segmentation,
behavioral segmentation, and lastly, socioeconomic segmentation. This will result in a more
methodical marketing plan and increased customer satisfaction which ultimately contributes to
business growth. To understand the different segments within the market, I will be creating
personas that embody the needs, characteristics, and behaviors of each specific segment of Magpie
Lane's customer base, and surveys, focus groups, and interviews.

9
2. Targeting
Once the segmentation process is done we have to decide which segment best fits the products sold
by Magpie Lane.
3. Positioning
Once we have chosen which segment to focus on, we need to figure out how we want them to
perceive our store by creating a unique image.
Customer feedback loop: Is used to collect, analyze, and respond to feedback and insights
provided by its customers by gathering opinions through, collecting customer feedback,
acknowledging them, and acting on the findings. The collection process can be done by using
surveys, social media, or physical interviews. The aim of the customer feedback loop is to improve
both the products and services using customer feedback to make decisions which lead to generating
more brand awareness.
Omni-channel approach: An omni-channel approach is necessary in today's market in order to
meet customers' expectations and build brand awareness. It ensures a seamless customer
experience across various touchpoints such as in-store online and mobile apps. It allows customers
to engage effectively with the business and helps the business collect valuable data and provide a
consistent experience, all of which contribute to a business's success. This approach accommodates
changing consumer behaviors and preferences which leads to higher customer engagement and
loyalty.

10
CURRENT MARKETING STRATEGIES OVERVIEW
SOCIAL MEDIA:
Magpie Lane uses social media as its main source of advertising. Their Instagram and Facebook
accounts are updated on a daily basis with an average of 4-7 story posts a day.
POP-UP SHOPS:
Magpie Lane Vintage uses pop-up shops in places with heavy foot traffic to advertise their products
and also attract new customers. This is used as a way to generate more brand awareness.
COLLABORATIONS
Magpie Lane has collaborations with another store (Line Becomes River) which is an online store.
They sell their products in the store in exchange for online advertising on Line Becomes Rivers's
Instagram page.
EVENTS
Magpie Lane hosts in-store events where customers can come in and try on their products while
sipping wine and snacks and taking pictures.

11
SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS
1. Competitive advantage
Magpie Lane has a competitive advantage when it comes to their products as they have
rare-to-find items. This gives them a competitive advantage.
2. Personalized shopping experience
The small intimate setting of the store creates a cozy atmosphere which provides customers
with a personalised experience helping them connect with the brand.
3. Premium Selection

12
Magpie Lane offers vintage designer clothes that cater to a niche segment creating a sense of
exclusivity and quality in comparison to their competitors who mostly sell mass-produced low-
quality clothing. Offering authentic handpicked designer pieces could build trust between the brand
and its customers as they know the authenticity and quality of its products.
WEAKNESSES
1. High prices
Magpie Lane caters to a niche market segment which can limit their customer base as people from
lower or middle-class households may not be able to afford their products.
2. Limited space
Since Magpie Lane is a generally smaller store in comparison to its competitors the amount of items
they can display is limited. This could potentially impact the comfort of shoppers during peak rush
hour times.
3. Competition
The existence of other second-hand stores in the area could lead to high competition, especially if
they offer high-quality products as well.
OPPORTUNITIES
1. Online presence
Expanding their online presence through social media channels and an online store could help them
connect with their customer base as well as potential customers. This is an opportunity to generate
brand awareness.
2. Events
Hosting designer or vintage fashion-related events is a good way to attract potential customers and
build engagement in the surrounding area. This can also be advertised through their social media
pages.
3. Limited edition releases