Brand Identity Prism- Michael Kors

Subject: Fashion Brand Management

National Institute of fashion Technology, Bangalore (2014-2016)

MFM-III

Submitted by:

Antarleena Sikdar

Submitted to:

Ms. Gulnaz Banu

Brand Identity Prism:

Brand identity has been defined as a word or a logo, related to a product, that at the beginning

has no sense and then, year after year, it acquires a meaning determined by the products and

the communications of the past. Firms can’t manage directly the sense behind their brands

but they have to manage it through brand identity as perceived by the market.

While brand image is a reception concept, identity is on the sender’s side. Therefore brand

image emerges as the overall perception of a brand identity on the market place as driven by

brand personality and positioning.

The conception of brand identity was mentioned for the first time in Europe by Kapferer,

1986.

The Brand Prism is represented by a hexagonal prism which defines 6 characters of a brand.

Just like a person is known by his name, job, education, physical and emotional traits, a brand

can be identified by the following:

Physique

Personality

Culture

Relationship

Reflection

Self image

First of all brand contains an external specificity that is physical appearance, which

is the core of brand and its value added.

The second element of identity prism is brand personality. Brand personality is

described and measured using those features of consumer personality that are directly

related to brands.

Brand is culture. Brands possess that culture in which they originated. Brand is a

representative of its culture, including communication. From this perspective culture

entails a lot of values that provide brand with inspiration. Cultural features a

correlated with external principles of brand management (a good and communication)

Culture is in the core of brand. Culture plays the essential role in brand differentiation

as it indicated what moral values are embodied in goods and services. This feature

helps identifying the strongest brands because sources, basic ideals and a set of values

are revealed.

Brand includes relationship as brands frequently take the most important place in the

process of human transactions and exchange. This is extremely reflected in the sphere

of services and retail companies. This feature emphasizes the way of behaviour which

is identified with brand most of all. A lot of actions such as the fact how brands

influence and provide services in connection to their consumers determine this

feature.

Brand is a customer reflection. Consumers can easily define what goods of a

particular brand are produced for a particular type of consumers. Brand

communication and goods aim at reflecting a consumer, for whom those goods are

addressed. 

Consumer self-image. Brand is closely related to the understanding of consumer self-

image that is the features with which consumers identify themselves and the very

same features they would like to be reflected by the chosen good and its brand.

Consumer self-image is important in the explanation of consumer behaviour as

consumers purchase goods, corresponding to their self-image. The conception of

consumer self-image includes an amount of individual ideas, thoughts and feelings

about him in relationship with other objects within socially defined boundaries 

Physical appearance and personality allow determining the sender. The recipient is defined

by consumer reflection and self-image. The last two elements of brand identity: culture and

relationship link the sender and the recipient. 

The prism of brand identity maintains a vertical subdivision: the elements on the left such as

physical appearance, relationship and consumer reflection are social and provide brand with

external expression (image) and are visible. The elements on the right such as personality,

culture and consumer self-image are connected with the inside of a brand and its soul. 

Michael Kors

Michael Kors Holdings is a fashion company established in 1981 by American

designer Michael Kors. The company is known for handbags and accessories. As of 2015, the

MK Holdings has more than 550 stores and over 1500 in-store boutiques in various countries.

Michael Kors has featured distinctive designs, materials and craftsmanship with a jet-set

aesthetic that combines stylish elegance and a sporty attitude. 

he won the CFDA Award for Womenswear Designer of the Year in 1999 for Michael Kors

Collection. All of this upped his standing in the fashion world—and he capitalized on this by

launching a full-fledged accessories line in 2001, a men’s collection in 2002, and sportswear

line Michael Michael Kors in 2004. With flagship stores in most major cities, popular

fragrance and home lines—and of course, the celebrity factor from his role on Project

Runway—Michael Kors remains a powerful brand in the American fashion landscape.

The brand currently produces a range of products under the signature Michael Kors

Collection (Premium luxury segment) and MICHAEL Michael Kors labels (more accessible

luxury segment). These products mainly include handbags and accessories; and also

footwear, watches, jewellery, men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, swimwear, eyewear and a

full line of fragrance products. With an innate sense of glamour, Michael Kors offers a luxury

lifestyle for the consummate jet setter that is as sophisticated as it is indulgent and as iconic

as it is modern. So the brand is a combination of owned and licensed brands.

Brand identity prism of Michael Kors:

Physique Personality

Relationship Culture

MK logo Gold accents Bags and luggage Camel colour High quality Jet set style Clothing line Unique design

Elegant Confident Ambitious Active Stylish Simple Practical Glamorous

Personal Trustworthy Welcoming Emotional Long term

American Materialistic Modern Fashionable Outgoing

Consumer Reflection

Consumer Self-image

Traveller Successful Trendy Stylish Glamorous Rich

Traveller Trendy Stylish Glamorous Fashionable High-status

Physique: This is the external attributes the sender wants to communicate to the receivers.

The brand logo is unique and it speaks for the brand itself. It portrays the luxury and exquisite

feel the brand wants to convey through the design. No MK handbag is complete without the

lustrous gold brand logo. It is so desirable through the whole world that a huge number of

duplicates, even though not fair, are present throughout the global market.

Basically Michael Kors is famous for the exclusive collection of luxury handbags that

provide an ultimate status symbol and unique style statement. The fine luggage range for men

and women is also very popular among MK customers.

MK offers variety of products in camel colours. It is one of the most coveted colour tones

among MK users and also luxury brand consumers often associated the colour camel with

MK.

 The Michael Kors brand is known for producing high-quality goods and that is also reflected

in the suppliers that they work with. The licensing deals with Fossil, Marchon and Estée

Lauder are an example of this. These three brands have great reputations and enhance the

overall quality of MK. For those who cannot afford a Louis Vuitton bag, for example,

Michael Kors provides an alternative that is stylish , high quality and fashion forward. 

Michael Kors associates himself and his brand with a “jet set” style that personifies an

individual who travels around the world in style. In a high economy, this standard is not only

something that the consumer desires, but is also attainable. The everyday business woman,

for example, can purchase clothes, shoes and accessories from the brand that give her a “high

class” feeling. MK’s print ads as well as online promotion remain consistent with this ideal.

“Jet Set Style” includes imagery of yachts, private jets and glamorous parties in upscale

locations. These are just a few examples of the ads that the Michael Kors brand has used over

the years. The subjects in Kors’ ads are most often about to board a private jet or are hanging

out on a yacht in the French Riviera. Wearing the MK brand can make anyone feel as if they

are jet setting, even though in reality they are sitting on the couch reading a magazine or

commuting to the office.

The MK clothing line is a highly premium one and is a favourite among celebrities. Michelle

Obama, Lady Gaga and Heidi Klum, for example, are known for wearing MK. When the

general population sees these celebrities wearing his clothing, shoes and accessories, they

want to emulate their favourite stars and own the same items. 

Lady Gaga in Michael Kors

One of the most important and contributing factors to the success of Michael Kors is through

their unique design vision. Michael Kors himself is a world-renowned and award winning

designer who is personally responsible for leading the design team. This includes both

conceptualizing and directing all product designs, resulting in a unique competitive

advantage. These design claims are validated not only through continuously strong sales, but

also through numerous recognition awards, such as the CFDA Women’s Fashion Designer of

the Year, the CFDA Men’s Fashion Designer of the Year, the ACE Accessory Designer of

the Year and the CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award (Corporate Profile, 2012).

Personality:

The lifestyle and brand personality that Michael Kors products produce are representative of

a simple, comfortable, yet luxurious way of life in which the majority of high-end designers

aspire to uphold within their products.

The products have an appeal of confidence in it and through the various print ads it shows

how MK products are perfect for confident, ambitious, active personalities who as well as are

stylish and glamorous in an elegant, simple and effortless way.

Kors holds a steady philosophy within creating and maintaining his brand: “to stay away

from clothing that can only be worn at red carpet events and then left in the wardrobe until

the next big event”.

Relationship:

In essence of informing the targeted audience of the brand, Kors made it an effort to disclose

his desire for fulfilling the needs and wants for his consumers. Kors most often claims that it

is his “job to make women look good” and that “seeing them in the clothes, spending time

talking with them about their frustrations and fears” helps him to service his consumers as

they aspire and create strong, intimate relationships and loyalty between consumers and the

brand.

Such quotes give the consumers a feeling of personal relation and reliability on the brand.

Michael Kors brand portrays a measureless, incredible interest in direct access with

consumers in anticipation of collecting opinion-based commentary to suggest what exactly

works for his cliental.

The primary focus upon creating a favourable opinion of the Michael Kors product by means

of establishing long-term, intimate relationships between consumers and products displays

the true characterization of a brand that uses, and uses well, the concept of Integrated

Marketing Communication.

The Michael Kors brand primarily works to establish meaningful connections and puts

consumers first, even if it means the brand may be at loss.

The Michael Kors brand recognizes that they can, and will never know enough or too much

about their consumers, which calls for much data-driven interaction and research upon those

who consume their products. When brands such as Michael Kors obtain a consumer-centric

focus, it is precise to claim that its brand-loyal, satisfied consumers broadcast and pass

forward a well-respected opinion and reputation of the brand to others.

Kors, being the busy man he now is, does not have time or ability to personally sit down with

each consumer at boutiques to discuss their wants and needs as he once was able to. Bringing

the social media aspect within Integrating Marketing Communication into play, consumers

are now able to comfortably and conveniently discuss comments or concerns through social

networking mediums, which they possibly had already partaken in, well before stepping out

of his or her way to comment on the brand.

The Michael Kors brand obtains multiple social mediums to connect with its consumers, such

as an official Facebook page, a Twitter with tweets from Michael Kors, personally, and an

official YouTube channel with videos of ad campaigns and recaps of recent events. By

interacting with consumers, Kors is able to establish and maintain relationships and brand

loyalty in a simple, yet assertive way.

MK believes trust is an important humanistic aspect, not only within relationships between

consumers and retailers, but also those relationships consumers hold between their selves and

their families or friends. It is compulsory for consumers to obtain the trust and knowledge

that a product will deliver what’s promised every time it’s purchased in order to initially

establish a brand loyalty. The more intimate the trust within the relationship between the

consumer and retailer, the less likely it is for the consumer to become easily influenced and

compelled by competitors.

Culture:

The products and offerings of MK follow solely the American culture. Through consistency

within magazine advertisements, consumers are able to rely upon the Michael Kors brand to

uphold and maintain its portrayal of the perfected formula for casual elegance that combines

simplicity, ease and luxury in a purely American way.

The products portray the modern American culture with heritage American values of

socialising and working and at the same time living a luxurious life. The advertisements

showcase the products in this way and also the brand also explains the products to be for

upscale modern society who are ready to take over the world.

The brand represents the traditional modern, trend-following and materialistic culture that

attracts the young crowd.

Consumer reflection:

It is how the products are advertised and promoted makes a customer reflection on the

product.

New York Times journalist and writer Ginia Bellafante wrote in an article, “Michael Kors

ads unabashedly worship moneyed glamour. It’s the 0.01 percent lifestyle the images convey.

The men and women in the ads are rarely resting quietly. They are forever travelling or

disembarking from helicopters, yachts and planes in which legroom does not appear to be an

issue. No one in a Michael Kors ad flies commercial. Women are occasionally pictured on

the phone — perhaps calling the Beijing office — and they are always in control.”

From the Jet set style as discussed earlier a traveller image is associated with the consumers

of MK. Also from the print ads and celebrity associations the customer reflection are often

rich, glamorous, successful, trendy and elegant

Consumer self-image:

What MK customers see in their products is the way they would like to think of their image

and want the society to perceive them. The clothing seems to attract the same, targeted

consumers- those who wish to be luxurious, while remaining casual and comfortable.

The Michael Kors brand makes it an effort to display products in use upon everyday

situations that current and prospective consumers can relate to. If the product is placed in a

more tangible scenario, rather than strictly upon models or celebrities for advertisement

purposes, the consumer is more likely to recognize that the common man can also wear the

brand.

Product placement within consumer-familiar environments creates a meaningful bond

between product image and self-image. This is key within the magazine advertisement aspect

of Integrated Marketing Communication Such bonds allot for consumers to feel comfortable

with the brand and each individual is able to uphold their own personal connotations with the

product or service which they obtain. Michael Kors product advertisements contain a phone

number to call or website address to visit allowing for current or potential consumers to

obtain more information about the product.

Those who want to be effortlessly stylish, leads a luxurious lifestyle, is fashionable , loves

travelling around the world and also rich and successful , belongs to a high status and also

want their belongings to reflect that status, relate to MK products more naturally.

Conclusion:

The brand identity prism enables the brand managers to assess the strengths and weakness of

the brand using the six aspects of the prism.

The Michael Kors brand indefinitely attains a primary focus upon making sure that the brand

remains as a stable, well-respected consumer product through the works of public relations.

Integrated Marketing Communications does the job of tying in works of advertisement teams

with works of public relations representatives: a concept that had never been given much

thought until just recently.

In these efforts, excellent teams, each with individual interactive concepts, come together to

decipher the best ways to build brand awareness, brand equity, and maintain brand loyalty.

The three quality aspects play a massive role in creating and maintaining a well-regarded,

successful company through the use of Integrated Marketing Communication.

Bibliography:

https://prezi.com/754nukctmt4f/michael-kors-strategic-analysis/

http://www.businessinsider.com/why-michael-kors-is-successful-2012-9?IR=T

http://www.slideshare.net/jplopan/michael-kors-strategic-marketing-plan

http://www.mcarthurglen.com/uk/cheshire-oaks-designer-outlet/en/the-brands/

michael-kors/

Caroline K. Callahan, Dr. James Lumpp, “Michael Kors & The Aspects of Integrated Marketing Communication”, IMC 204: Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communication, Thursday, Decmeber 8, 2011