Introduction
STP stands for Market Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning, which are three fundamentals of product marketing. Market segmentation refers to the process of dividing a market up into different subsets of consumers that have similar needs or attributes. Targeting focuses on choosing a business’s target market members and tailoring the product features and marketing messages to match the needs of that target group. Finally, positioning refers to how the business communicates its value proposition and sets its product apart from competing offerings within the market.
Uniqlo is a popular Japanese retail chain that specializes in apparel, accessories, and other lifestyle products. To gain an understanding of how this brand successfully uses STP analysis, let’s take a closer look at each stage:
- Market segmentation: Uniqlo generally segments their markets by gender, age groups (kids, teens/young adults & adults), lifestyle (casual/urban wear) location (Japan/ Overseas), budget/price range etc.
- Targeting: Based on their various market segments Uniqlo then targets specific customers using media campaigns & store locations near particular demographics such as downtown metropolitan areas with high concentrations of young professionals for their casual-wear products.
- Positioning: The positioning strategy used by Uniqlo is based upon creating an emotional connection with customers through building an aspirational lifestyle brand; they also employ low-price strategies in order to make their products accessible to all budgets whilst retaining quality in all aspects such as design & materials used in manufacturing.
Segmentation
Segmentation is the process of dividing the target market into groups of consumers who have similar needs, wants, and preferences. Uniqlo uses a variety of strategies to segment their customer base in order to better target their marketing efforts. STP Analysis is a helpful framework for understanding how to segment Uniqlo’s customers, and how to market to them effectively. Let’s dive into Uniqlo’s segmentation strategies.
Geographic
Uniqlo, the publically traded Japanese casual wear designer and retailer, utilizes a geographic segmentation strategy. As such, Uniqlo has identified three distinct geographic customer segments: Asia (including Japan), Europe/USA, and emerging markets.
In the Asia market, Uniqlo has established stores in 15 countries and regions with a total number of 1,818 stores as of August 2019. In China alone there are more than 800 Uniqlo stores. Other popular markets in the Asian region include Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
Uniqlo also holds a considerable presence in Europe and United States with 151 stores across these two regions combined at the end of August 2019. Majority of the European stores are located in UK and France with some smaller test markets in Spain and Italy. In United States there are 93 brand outlets covering 33 states as of May 2019.
In addition to its established markets in Asia and developed countries of Europe/USA Uniqlo is also present in 18 emerging countries including Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia , India , Vietnam etc., where it is exploring potential customer segments who appreciate its quality products at affordable prices such as college students or young professionals looking for good value proposition for fashion wear within budget constraints.
Demographic
Demographic segmentation helps establish an understanding of the target market’s age, gender, occupation, income range, educational background, family size and other socio-economic factors that shape a customer’s purchasing decisions.
Uniqlo has always kept a powerful focus on the youth demographic. The majority of its customer base is young adults between 18 and 35. This group represents Uniqlo’s core values – quality and affordability through style – resulting in increased loyalty from this growing segment of young adults with disposable income.
Geographically speaking, the majority of Uniqlo’s customers come from urban areas due to the company having stores primarily in cities such as Jakarta or Tokyo. In order to target these customers effectively, Uniqlo tailors its marketing towards urban dwellers.
Although Uniqlo markets primarily towards young adults, they also recognise that they have customers across a wide range of ages due to their relatively low pricing found at their stores. As such, they retain loyal customers who remain faithful over decades.
Psychographic
Uniqlo is a global apparel retailer that uses segmentation to understand the needs and wants of its target market. One of the key elements of its segmentation strategy is psychographic segmentation. Psychographic segmentation looks at a consumer’s lifestyle, values, attitudes, and opinions in order to determine purchasing trends.
Uniqlo’s customers can be grouped into six major psychographic segments: Explorers, Creatives, Professionals, Traditionalists, Trendsetters and Socialites.
- Explorers are adventurers who always want to try something new and exciting. They enjoy physical activities and freedom from everyday routines. They often look for bold designs from Uniqlo that will help them stand out from the crowd.
- Creatives are artistic people who express themselves through unique style and culture. They often look for individualized fashion items from Uniqlo that reflect their expressive nature.
- Professionals prioritize formal dressing with classic pieces in timeless silhouettes that look polished both at work and social gatherings alike.
- Traditionalists embrace modesty over flamboyance in their dressing style and adhere to conservative silhouettes with neutral colors like whites or nudes.
- Trendsetters appreciate cutting-edge designs while keeping up with current popular trends created by fashion influencers on Instagram or on the runway shows seen every season.
- Socialites enjoy dressing up for events while standing out through daring combinations of bold colors or eccentric design elements such as feathers or sequins in order to make an impactful statement to everyone around them.
Behavioral
Behavioral segmentation is the process of dividing a customer base into smaller groups based on consumer buying behaviors, usage and loyalty. In the case of Uniqlo, behavioral segmentation involves examining their target market’s shopping behavior and patterns while considering their level of purchase frequency, degree of brand loyalty or value placed on price. This kind of segmentation can provide valuable insights into consumers’ interests in order to improve product portfolio and marketing campaigns.
For example, Uniqlo may further assess the strength of preference for shopping with them through consideration of price sensitivity, re-purchase rate or loyalty programs. This kind of segmentation can indicate how loyal customers are to a brand offering its products at various prices. It can also give an understanding as to how varied types of customers respond differently to different promotion strategies such as discounts or loyalty programs meant to influence purchase decisions. Through this kind of segmentation, Uniqlo can better inform its promotional mix decisions so as to satisfy its most valuable customers in accordance with their individual needs.
Targeting
Targeting is an important step in the segmentation, targeting, and positioning (or STP) analysis for any business. With Uniqlo, it is important to understand who their target market is and what strategies and tactics they use to reach them. This will help Uniqlo create effective marketing and advertising campaigns that cater to their target consumers.
Let’s explore the targeting strategies of Uniqlo in detail:
Identifying Target Segments
Uniqlo’s target market is comprised of a broad range of consumers, but there are some key characteristics that unify the company’s target segments. STP (segmentation, targeting, positioning) analysis helps companies identify the groups they should be aiming to reach with their product or service.
Uniqlo’s target segment includes people who are looking for quality and reasonably priced clothing with a sophisticated look. Its focus is on people between 20 and 45 years old who live in urban areas and have a disposable income. This group is primarily interested in casual wear and styles that are suited to their everyday lifestyle. Uniqlo also targets people who are interested in Japanese fashion trends and culture, as well as those who place a premium on comfort and aesthetic appeal when buying apparel.
The company attempts to reach these customers through its marketing messages by emphasizing its stylish options for any occasion, its focus on delivering efficient customer service, its commitment to materials of high quality at an affordable price point, and by highlighting its Japanese heritage as an essential brand element. Additionally, Uniqlo leverages digital advertising across multiple channels (e-commerce platforms, social media networks, etc.) in order to make it easier for customers to shop for their desired products on any device they have access to.
Assessing Target Segments
Once you have narrowed down your market and determined which of the segments you will target, it is time to assess them further. As part of this assessment, you should look at factors such as customer needs, trends and external influences.
Customer needs could include lifestyle criteria and preferences for which types of products would best fit their needs. Try to think from a customer’s perspective – what do they need in terms of product quality, price range, convenience, fashion trend? Moreover, trends in the industry can have a great impact on the way Uniqlo operates its business – are there any seasonal changes that Uniqlo should implement into their strategy or product/service development? Researching about external influencers or events going on in the market is also vital as it allows us to understand where Uniqlo should focus its efforts in order to capture untapped potentials or make use of an opportunity.
Once these findings are analyzed thoroughly along with available resources and benefit scope within each segment over others, Uniqlo can then be more confident when deciding which segments they should focus on in terms of resource distribution and understanding expectations from a target customer’s perspective when developing products and/or services. By thoroughly understanding your target market’s customer needs as well as gaining insights into recent trends & external influencers together with how your resources can be allocated efficiently to achieve maximum returns & cost savings per segment, Uniqlo can then make effective decisions when deciding which segments they would like to open up or expand out into from strategic perspectives.
Positioning
Positioning is a strategy used when creating a unique image in the minds of consumers, which can be achieved by choosing and managing the elements of the marketing mix. In this article, we will discuss the positioning of Uniqlo, a global clothing and lifestyle brand, using the STP Analysis framework.
The STP Analysis provides a systematic approach to understanding the positioning of a brand and can be used to identify potential areas for improvement:
Developing Positioning
Positioning is the process of creating a unique image and identity that defines a product or service in the minds of consumers. It involves developing a specific strategy for differentiating a brand from its competitors, with the goal of setting it apart and making it more attractive to a target audience. In order for this to be successful, brands must consider what their unique selling points are and how they can be emphasized both internally and externally.
The STP (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning) model can be used to help define positioning by looking at how your product should be perceived within your chosen market. Segmentation is the first step, where you should identify and classify groups of customers who may have different needs or buying habits. Once these are identified, they can be used as the basis for targeting specific potential customers to then create relevant promotional strategies. Finally comes positioning, which is where an organization will identify how it wants customers to perceive their brand by contrasting it against its competitors on dimensions such as price or quality.
When developing positioning, Uniqlo looks at factors such as their competitive edge in terms of style or design; their honest approach; and the “cool Japan” concept – where Japanese culture serves not only as inspiration but also an important part of what makes them unique. With sharp price points, stylish apparel designs that are rooted in current trends yet timeless in nature, Uniqlo continues to assemble an image driven by sophistication and affordability that resonates with discerning global audiences .
Evaluating Positioning
Positioning is a critical step in the product life cycle, as it helps determine where a brand fits in the larger market. To understand how Uniqlo is seen by potential customers, it’s important to evaluate what type of positioning they are using.
Positioning can be broadly divided into three levels – product-level, brand-level and marketing mix-level. Uniqlo’s product-level positioning has focused on low costs for high quality garments – often compared to other ‘fast fashion’ outlets such as Zara or H&M.
Brand-level positioning describes how consumers view Uniqlo relative to its competition. It includes concepts such as awareness and familiarity with the brand, positive attitudes towards the company, and behavioral responses based on emotion or attitude towards their offerings. Uniqlo has established itself as a middle of the road option for those who want quality merchandise but at a more affordable price than luxury stores.
Finally, Uniqlo’s marketing mix focuses heavily on promotion and loyalty schemes both in-store and online – with strong television advertisements being used alongside mobile coupons and discounts delivered through email campaigns. Social media is also employed to create an interactive experience with customers, who are encouraged to post selfies wearing their new purchases online and directly interact with the brand through social channels.
Conclusion
The STP analysis of Uniqlo reveals that it is a successful global apparel retailer that has managed to gain a foothold in the tough competitive environment of international apparel retailing. Uniqlo has achieved this through careful segmentation and targeting of its customer base and an effective positioning strategy that showcases its unique designs, product offerings, pricing, services, and brand image.
Furthermore, Uniqlo’s strong distribution network has enabled it to reach customers in the Asian markets as well as those in the United States and Europe. Finally, Uniqlo’s promotional activities have played a key role in making customers aware of its wide range of products and prices. All these efforts have contributed to the success story of Uniqlo.