Burberry Brand Revitalization: Strategy and Marketing Case Study

Case Overview and Brand History

Burberry, a brand known for its quality, luxurious character, and royal associations, was confronted with strategic issues relating to style, a conventionally dated product look, and a customer base skewed toward older demographics. The company was not only facing concerns with its product line but also lacked a unified corporate vision and strategy. As a result, its position in the luxury goods market began to weaken. The central strategic question was how the brand image could be revitalized in the target market — a challenge that offers broader lessons in brand management.

Burberry was founded by Thomas Burberry, then just 21 years old, when he opened a draper's shop in Basingstoke, England. The company built its brand image initially among the British Army, politicians, renowned adventurers, and celebrities through the introduction of gabardine, a waterproof breathable fabric. The brand's development timeline began in the 1860s with that innovation and matured steadily over the following decades. In the early 1900s, Burberry was associated with the uniform design of the British Army during World War I. Then, in the 1920s and 1930s, Burberry's signature checkered pattern in black, white, and camel became a trademark design feature of its coats. By the 1940s, Burberry coats had become popular among celebrities, and the brand soon entered the consciousness of the Hollywood industry.

Through the 1970s and 1980s, Burberry made few remarkable moves in the fashion industry, though its signature coats remained a source of brand pride and customer loyalty. During this period, well before new CEO Rose Marie Bravo took the helm, Burberry's corporate strategy was focused primarily on licensing and distribution arrangements, with the company maintaining a limited set of products.