Burberry's Brand Transformation: 1997–2007 Case Study

Introduction

While Burberry has been renowned as a luxury brand for the last few decades, the company's condition during the 1990s proves that even established firms can be overlooked by the masses when they fail to raise public awareness and project a distinct personality. Being exclusivist can have drawbacks, and Rose Marie Bravo's actions as CEO addressed this issue directly. Bravo emphasized the need to reach out to the general public and engage with a market already accustomed to purchasing luxury products. The fact that Burberry was already established in the industry, alongside Bravo's ambition, made it possible for the company to experience rapid progress during the 2000s, as these two factors gave the general public the opportunity to observe the institution's values.

Burberry certainly proved that it has the capabilities to occupy a significant position in luxury markets, and considering the success it has since experienced, it would be safe to say that it provides fierce competition to companies like Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren. By becoming actively involved in the international sales of its products, the company began a process of reinventing its strategies, ultimately becoming a player capable of retaining its market position while attracting new customers who previously could not identify with the brand.

Analysis of Bravo's Strategic Vision

To a certain degree, Bravo's success is likely owed to the fresh attitude she brought to the company. She acknowledged that, although loyal, many of Burberry's customers had lost touch with its key values. As a consequence, markets around the world had also begun to perceive the company as producing goods aimed only at particular individuals, and the brand appeared less complex and multifaceted than other luxury labels.

While some might be inclined to believe that Bravo took a great risk by steering Burberry in an unfamiliar direction, the reality is that she simply recognized the brand's untapped potential. She determined that Burberry was not necessarily designed to serve a niche market — its products carried a name that could be appreciated by the broader public. Bravo's description of one of the first marketing campaigns during her tenure (1998) perfectly captures the new attitudes she wanted to convey: "All we had were raincoats, and yet we were able to build a story that conveyed our brand values — classic and chic and fun and witty — around the simple idea of Stella outdoors in the rain" (Bravo in Moon, 5). The masses were thus able to see Burberry as a brand designed for the aristocracy, but not exclusively for the upper classes of any particular region — the company had essentially opened itself to luxury markets across the globe.

Product Diversification and Market Repositioning

During the 2000s, Burberry began concentrating on a much broader range of products than its initial offering. The company started designing clothing ranging from bags to swimwear, reaching a point where it shed its stereotypical image as a maker of garments built for rough weather. While it had once designed clothing for British soldiers during World War One, by 2003 it was using top models such as Kate Moss for its advertising campaigns (Moon, 16). The scale of this shift was significant and involved considerable risk.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Burberry's new direction is that it did not make the company a direct competitor of most luxury clothing lines. Bravo appears to have positioned the company somewhere between Ralph Lauren and Gucci — the former promoting the lifestyle dimension of the industry, the latter placing emphasis on fashion. Burberry thus brings lifestyle and fashion together, encouraging customers to see the brand as an opportunity to develop their identity while remaining fashionable. Bravo intended people to perceive Burberry as a statement: individuals wearing the company's products could signal an interest in a style that is both serious and contemporary.

Conclusion

Burberry is currently one of the most important brands in luxury fashion, having introduced ideas that allow customers to identify with it and express genuine interest in purchasing its products. Under Rose Marie Bravo's leadership during the 1997–2005 era, the company experienced impressive growth while expanding its customer base to encompass styles and demographics that were previously not associated with the brand. The case illustrates both the rewards and the inherent tensions of ambitious brand repositioning in the luxury sector.