For the final project of CMGT-556 Global Marketing class, I wrote a campaign proposal introducing an American brand into a foreign country. I chose Free People, a women's Boho-inspired, clothing brand to enter the fashion market in France. This proposal included a cultural and economic analysis of France and a marketing strategy. Below I share the Action Plan section of my marketing strategy. I’m so proud of this project.
Action Plan
The primary audience for Free People is French women aged between 25 to 30. They are currently students at a university or mid-career professionals. They are also adventurous, open-minded, sweet, daydreamer, feminine, and resilient. Free People will develop a message conveying that women can unlock their unique, creative spirit and embrace their individuality by wearing Free People. The message will be distributed through a digital marketing campaign. Media formats will be on the web, social media, print, and direct marketing. The message will be altered to meet the country’s advertisement policies for using the French language.
Free People’s media mix will have a budget of 6.5 million dollars. The breakdown of the media mix is 75% print, 15% web, 3% social, 3% direct marketing, and 4% sales promotion (See the table in Appendix D). The digital marketing plan will have advertising on several channels. Print will consist of fashion and beauty magazines like Vogue Paris, ELLE France, and Femme Actuelle. Print ads will also be placed in popular national newspapers like Liberation and Le Figaro. Web advertising will be placed in fashion, beauty, and lifestyle e-magazines and blogs. Advertisements will be placed in two social media networks: Facebook and Instagram. The campaign will also utilize influencer marketing by collaborating with French-speaking influencers like Caroline Receveur, Lena Situations, and The Doll Beauty.
Free People’s launch will be executed in March 2024. This will allow ample time for French consumers to familiarize themselves with the brand leading up to the first sales promotion season in France. This campaign will last for one year, measuring its performance every three months to evaluate reach, engagement, and consumer sentiment. The results will determine if adjustments are needed for this strategy.
The Action Plan is effective in various aspects. The target audience is ideal to whom Free People wants to represent. Free People’s message remains true to the brand’s value and resonates with the French consumer. The media formats chosen to encompass the digital marketing plan because French people are active internet and social media users.
The media budget is based on the media spending for previous years (see Appendix D). Free People has primarily focused on print and digital media. These formats are applicable in France because there is an adequate number of French people reading print and using the web. Direct marketing is included because a portion of the population is not visiting stores in France. Direct marketing will bring brand awareness to potential customers at home. The most popular social media platforms for shopping are Facebook and Instagram in France (Air of Melty, 2022). The choice of influencer marketing is because of high engagement rates with French macro influencers on Instagram (Le Blog du Modérateur, 2020).
By launching in March 2024, Free People will be able to participate in France’s les soldes, a national, seasonal sales promotion period in the summer This only happens twice a year and the French could take advantage of the brand's sales, producing profitability and popularity. This will differentiate FP from its competitors, establishing trust and brand loyalty for the future.