MKT305-1102A-08 Phase 2 Individual Project
Heather Haines
April 17th, 2011
Dr. Roy Viar IV
Colorado Technical University Online

Limited Brands Limited Brands is the parent company for seven other companies, Victoria’s Secret and Victoria’s Secret Pink, Bath and Body Works, La Senza, C.O. Bigelow, White Barn Candle Company and Henri Bendel (Overview, n.d.). Mainly known for Lingerie and beauty products, they also sell clothing and accessories. Creating brands that make woman feel sexy, glamorous and fashionable. Inviting us to pamper and indulge ourselves whenever we want. Victoria’s Secret brings in 42% of Limited Brands net sales. Victoria’s Secret was started in the mid 70s by Roy Raymond, in San Francisco, CA. He wanted to create an atmosphere for men to feel comfortable buying lingerie for their wives. You could say the first customer target was men. After growing the business to four locations he was forced to sell it in 1982 to The Limited. By the early 90s, new management took over and focused on an older age group, thirty to forty year old women, as their target. Today there are over 1,000 stores nationwide and catalogs and the internet allow us to shop anyplace and anytime. Pink is Victoria’s Secret line started in 2004 and is targeted for the college-aged girls (Overview, n.d.). Victoria’s Secret and VS Pink’s demographic is women ages 18-44. The psychographic profile of Victoria’s Secret and Pink are that the stores offer a feeling of elegance and style the moment you walk into them. Women want to feel desired and the men want their girlfriends and wives to look like the models from the advertising. The stores provide a safe environment in which they can purchase items that make some embarrassed to buy in public. We have seen Victoria’s Secret change their target market already, changing focus from men to women and with the addition of the Pink line. With the obesity levels growing in the states, they could add more to the current product line and offer a plus sized section or one for the pre-pubescent girls. Adding more sizes or creating additional lines will only increase revenue by expanding to meet all women needs, instead of limiting them to certain sizes. Victoria’s Secret & VS Pink currently has three market segments, stores, catalogue and internet, and makeup and bath products. Their store credit card offers “Angel Rewards” for every 250 points you earn, $10 off gift cards are sent on your birthday, and online access to customer service to pay your bill, view your statement or ask a question, and coupons for free products and money off the cost of a bra. Everyone wants a deal and by providing coupons for a free pair of underwear (no purchase necessary) or a beach tote, if you spend a certain amount of money will get people into the store and spend money. Since the stores only sell sleepwear, lingerie and the beauty line, customers go online to purchase clothes, swimwear, shoes and accessories. Victoria’s Secret brand image was “too sexy” for awhile; in recent years they are bringing it back to sophisticated and ultra feminine. And VS Pink’s image is to “Live Chic. Live Comfy” (Overview, n.d.). Both images give women that feeling of empowerment, by making us feel and look good and the ability to indulge ourselves with things that are comfortable and stylish. The Limited Brands image is to be “Family of the world’s best fashion”, that does not just sell products but experiences (Our Company, n.d.). Part of their strategy in being the world’s best fashion retailer is to go global. In 2010 the created Limited Brands Canada, opened a Bath & Body Works in the Middle East and are looking to open a Victoria’s Secret in London next year. With such a large hold on the lingerie business, they still need to build the brand. Their strategies are simple but effective. Every year they have the annual fashion show that can be viewed on TV just before Christmas. Even though this is not a new concept, it works by giving the audience a reason to take notice of your company. Men love it because of the models and women love it because of the fashion ideas they may get. It is a win-win. What better way to advertise your products without making consumers feel like they are watching a commercial? By placing the cash registers at the back of the store you can create a brand experience. You walk in the store for the 5 panties for $25 sale at the front of the store, now you have to walk to the back. Your senses fill up with the sounds of the music, the sights of color and the feel of the fabric, how can you resist not buying more? They understand that people will buy more in the store if you can create an experience for the customers. Online, their website is easy to navigate to see the sales or just go directly to what you are looking for without all the extra stuff screaming at you to be bought. It can be frustrating to keep clicking on page after page of things you do not want trying to get to the purchase. Too much clicking could cost you a customer.

References
Our Company. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2011, from Limitedbrands: http://www.limitedbrands.com/our_company/default.aspx
Overview. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2011, from Limitedbrands: http://www.limitedbrands.com/our_brands/BrandOverview.aspx