Marketing strategy: Case of Lacoste

The famous crocodile brand established in 1930 continues to conquer new market shares. Indeed, its founder Rene Lacoste will follow step by step development of the enterprise, from the mere creation of a shirt stitched mesh that became so popular, will extend to the mass production of a range of sportswear known today in over 109 countries worldwide.

Although Lacoste sponsors mainly three sports, the emergence of competitors in the current market had a profound impact on the turnover of the company, sales began to decline.

However, since 1995, the company saw the emergence of new customers, comprising youths from the suburbs, which saw Lacoste as a way to be fashionable and thereby formed a group identity. This appeared to be an excellent opportunity to boost sales, but at the same time penalizes the customer segment made up of affluent people who resent the fact that the brand has become a symbol for the youth in the cities.

Then arose an issue for the company from its customers. How to combine two kinds of consumers who are total opposites was a riddle. Could the enterprise rely on customers from the suburbs while keeping in mind the upper classes that represent the core of its client servicing since its inception? If the current advertising campaigns by Lacoste were really appropriate and effective?

After making an analysis of the current situation of the company, we propose some possible strategies by creating a new communication plan to alleviate this problem.

The story began in 1927, with Rene Lacoste, a famous tennis player known as "crocodile" making a bet with the captain of the Davis Cup, regarding a suitcase made of alligator skin. Everyone was reminded of this nickname, comparing him to an alligator because he showed great tenacity in his matches.

The first shirt was created in 1933. Gillier Andre, the creator, owner and president of the largest knitting mills in France at that time, was a friend of Rene Lacoste. They established a company to manufacture the shirts designed by Mr. Lacoste, who chose the logo of an alligator. In the product catalog of 1933, we can see that they were launched in the market along with clothing for golfing and boating.

This was the first time a brand used the product itself to communicate, even before the crocodile logo could appear. It was also the first successful Lacoste product. "This shirt revolutionized immediately sportswear for men, replacing the cloth shirts, and long-sleeved starched woven classics worn on the courts so far.

The first LACOSTE shirt was white, slightly shorter than the other shirts worn at the time with a ribbed collar and short sleeves. It was carved from a light knitted fabric called "Jersey's small dive." The qualities of comfort and solidity on which its name was built still shine today, providing a truly unique and different product."

The French market was no longer large enough, Lacoste began to export its products to Europe. The first export of the famous shirt colors other than white was bound for Italy in 1951.

Tags: Lacoste marketing analysis, market position, media planning of Lacoste

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