For my dissertation I am working on a live brief to create a marketing strategy for the brand for the next 3- 5 years. This is a summary of my research findings.

1. RESEARCH PORTFOLIO
LAUREN MITCHELL N0299038

2. the brand
FINANCE
Topman was launched in 1978 (Arcadia, 2012, online),
as the brother brand to women’s fashion leader
Topshop. It provided a new approach to menswear
retailing. Topman now boast over 185 stores in the UK,
with the London flagship store seeing 75,000 visitors
enter every week. (Topman,2012,online)
Topman is Arcadia’s best performing brand followed by Topshop and Miss Selfridge (Neilan,
2012, Drapers). This forms part of the Annual profit: £57,745,000.00 that Arcadia made in 2011.
(worksmart,2011,online)
brand
Topman has sponsored There are now Topman stores sponsorshIp
In 2011 Topman expanded
Fashion Week for 3 years, into male grooming, with in over sixty cities worldwide
and together with Fashion men’s fragrances and hair with boutiques in America, “Music has quickly become the
East produces ‘MAN’ a styling products.
China and Japan stocking lifeblood of Topman - over re-
dedicated showcase of (GQ, 2011, online)
the brand. Topman.com sees cent years we have strived to
new menswear designers. over 160,000 visits a week support unsigned and new music
(London fashion week, 2012, with international shipping. talent and we now own our own
online). (Topman,2012,online)
music platform - Topman CTRL.”
(David Shepherd, 2009, online)
products
“The current uniform of
skinny jeans, a check shirt
and porkpie hat is a The brand has ‘has carved out a
direct result of Topman,” special relevance in Britain’s
says Richard Gray, editor of cultural landscape’
10 Men magazine. “It’s one (Portas M, 2012, online)
of the first times that a
high-street brand has had
such a major influence over
what young men wear.”
(Chivers, Simon, 2009, online)
The brand has a talented
in- house design team for the main
ranges, which are refreshed on a
monthly basis. (Arcadia, 2012, online)
Alongside concession
ranges and Topman LTD & Design.

3. MEN’S UK FASHION MARKET
sIze
The men’s fashion market makes up 29% of the total fashion market in the UK (Mintel, 2011,
online) It is rapidly growing, currently worth £9.7bn, set to grow reaching £13.7bn by 2021
(Datamonitor, 2012, online).
One of reasons for this growth is the new trends in male grooming . They have prompted men
to take more care in their appearance. The trend of the “meterosexual” male among 16-24
(Mintel.2011. online)
populatIon &
consuMer traIts
The male population is changing the 16-24
age group is shrinking whilst the 25-34s have
seen large growth for the past 3 years. (Mintel,
2010, online)
There are 27.6 million men in the UK. (Office for
national statistics, 2012, online) .The structure of
the population is changing. The fastest-
growing age bands from 2010-15 are:
• 25-34s (+12.2%),
• 45-54s (+6.3%)
• over-65s (+15.9%)
The biggest potential market will be the
25-34s, currently the largest sector with
continuous growth for the past 3 years .
(Mintel, 2010,online)
The charts show that highest spenders are the
under 25s. This age group are more likely to
experiment with fashion, on average spend- SpendIng prIorIty
ing £479 a year on clothes (Verdict, 2012, Clothing and footwear ranks as medium
online). importance spending priority for men, with 35%
choosing to spend extra money on fashion.
A drop of 5% in the population of 15-24 year (Mintel, 2012,online) This graph shows that
olds, bringing the demographic to 7.8 million clothing ranks as fifth importance.
between 2011- 2016. this age bracket are the
key drivers of sales within the fashion market.
(Mintel, 2010, online)

4. Who?
The more fashion aware demographic tends to be the teens to 25 and the 25-34
year old. Although it is the growing numbers of 25-34 year olds who will drive future
sales as they have greater spending power (Mintel, 2012, online).
Mintel have identified three types of male shoppers:
• 24% Shopaholics- confident with their style and love to shop for clothes.
• 44% Alright Jacks – sense of style and like to look good but not interested in fashion
or shopping.
• 32% Sloppy Joes – comfort is key less interested in
fashion but will pay more for quality and show some enjoyment from shopping.
(Mintel, 2010, online)
shoppIng experIence
buyIng frequency
The frequency of male clothes purchasing depends on a
& brand loyalty
number of factors, including age, location and social
demographic grouping. As the graph shows most men buy “Men don’t hate fashion, they just hate
clothing every few months. shopping the way it’s designed for women,”
Believes Ben Lerer, founder of Thrillist,
This is definitely seen with the under 25’s. They are the most
dedicated to shopping and fashion with 57% purchasing new “The young generation of guys love to shop,
clothing at least once a month. (Mintel, 2012, online) they love to talk about the brands they
like and they really care about how they
look.” (Frier S, 2012, online)

5. CONSUMER
They describe their customer base as ranging from the Trend conscious
Bright Young Thing to the Indie Boy to your Typical Lad. (Topman, 2012, online)
Yougov. Com describes Topman shoppers as proud, outgoing , alternative youth culture
and young. Typically shopping at both Topman and competitor stores such The youth market differ from other consumer groups.
as River island, ASOS, Republic and Urban outfitter. This supports the findings After speaking with Laura- Jane Preston Youth editor
into competitors in chapter 5 . They typically read magazines include NME, from WGSN the following topics were agreed as most
GQ, FourFourTwo, The economist and Metro. (YouGov.com, 2012, online) important for affecting youth culture.
Digital technology- The most defining factor of
youth culture is the adoption of technology. They are
the most digitally connected generation having grown
up with rapid technological development.
Instant gratification- Speed and efficiency
drive purchases.
Peer recommended products: They are more
likely to trust peer recommendations. Youth turn to
their friends (60%) when looking for fashion advice,
with 56% of males asking their friends. (Ypulse, 2012,
online)
Brand engagement - “Young adults are looking
for products that can help communicate what they
stand for. And they tend to view brands as a means of
expressing themselves, which is good news for brands“
Nick Tabbal, SVP research, Resonate. (Phillips, Carol,
2012, presentation)
Brand Me - The youth market are experts at curating
their online life. They know the power of branding and
publicity. (MTV Research, 2012, online)
Music/ Role Models- Music artists have a huge
influence on youth culture. Young men are encour-
aged by their role models (Musicians etc) (Tungate M,
2008, p 40)

6. Questionnaire 56% of participants shopped at Topman with 44%
A survey was used answer the question ‘who is the Topman consumer ?’ Stratified sampling saying they do not. Participants who did shop at
was used, as the survey was looking at the male population. Random sampling was then the brand provided similar responses, noting the
used to collect the results. The survey was conducted using an online questionnaire format fashion forward clothing and price. None picked
(Survey- monkey) with a total of 50 participants. up on brand image: this could indicate the brand
is failing to connect.
“I like the cutting edge style “
A wide range of consumers were “Relatively cheap, fashionable
questioned to find out exactly who clothing.”
Topman’s consumers were. The
majority of people fell into the 21-25
(44%) category followed by 26-30 “it’s a reliable brand”
(26%).
It was important to find out why participants did not
This shows the age range for shop at Topman.
Topman is more diverse then the
brand supposes. Reoccurring themes included the high price not
being justified and a limited/ poor product range.
An interesting response stated that the products
were similar to Primark but twice the price.
“I don’t like wearing the same
shirt that 3 other guys in the room
Most earned between £20,000 -
£24,000 or £25,000- £35,000. The
are currently wearing.”
average income for men the UK is
£28,700 (BBC, 2012 online), the lower “It’s not to my taste, nor do I
bracket could relate to the student feel the quality is good enough for
participants or those in part time the price”
work.
“I find the men’s range to not have
any range at all,”
“Over-priced, ugly & poor quality”
Of the people interviewed These responses suggest, the brand needs to
28% were students 37% full improve the quality and range of products as well
time employment and 32% as pricing.
part time employment.

7. It is important to define the other stores 65% of participants would be interested
participants visit. The most frequent in taking out a Topman loyalty card in
response was River Island followed by return for discounts and rewards. This
Next. Primark, H&M and ASOS were also could be used to increase account card
popular. American brands were also uptake and increase brand loyalty.
frequently mentioned such as Hollister
and Abercrombie and Fitch. The questionnaire highlighted important
areas that the brand can improve which
Other responses included Online and will be useful in informing stage 2.
independent shops including vintage
and street wear brands. Some
participants stated that for more
expensive items such as suits they go to
specialists. This information will help define
Topman’s competitors later in the report.
Only 20% of participants had heard of
Topman CTRL and Topman Generation ,
this is worrying as the brand is positioned
as a music and fashion brand , putting a
lot of money into Topman CTRL and
Generation.
68% of participants were not concerned
if Topman had an independent store or
not. This area will need further
investigation to determine if it is the right
step for the brand.

8. Primary Research Methods InterVIeW WIth a topMan Manager
store obserVatIon how would you describe the topman
A number of store visits were made to a range of consumer ?
different sized stores in locations such as They like to look good and see Topman as the brand that
Nottingham, Cambridge, Stevenage, Cheshunt can offer that whether they are buying the more basic
and London Oxford street. ranges or the core fashion ranges. You get the fashion
consumer buying the patterned shirts and more
Consumers ages were noted to see if Topman ‘statement’ pieces. Then you also have the style aware
had a wider Target market then the perceived consumer who are less concerned with what is in fashion
16- 25 market. but like to look good.
The chart shows the percentage of consumers
within the age brackets. What age ranges do you typically see in
stores ?
The majority of shoppers fall in the 19-25year The age range is really diverse. You get 16 year olds
market . There is also a large proportion of 26-35 coming in with their mum or friends as well as older men
year old shopper, which Topman do not target in looking for something to wear on the weekend. The age
advertising or models chosen. range is really diverse. You get 16 year olds coming in with
their mum or friends as well as older men looking for
The research may be slightly limited as the something to wear on the weekend.I would say age
observations were conducted a few months ranges are from 16 to mid thirties, in our store we tend to
before christmas. have an older consumer base of 18-35, they are the ones
consuMer dIarIes
To gain greater understanding of the Topman target market, a range of who purchase more often.
participants were asked to keep a photo diary for seven days of the clothing
and brands they wore.
Four consumers took part in the research. The research may be slightly
limited due to the close ages of the participants.

9. Stand alone store ?
Topman already have two standalone stores,
one in Spitalfields and one in Covent Garden.
(Millar J, 2012, online)
They are branded as the General Store
Topman and are very different to the Topman
stores.
They are designed to look like an
independent with no obvious visual
connection to Topman. They have the feel of
an up market boutique selling fresh
undiscovered designers clothing. Brands
include high end names like Levi’s, Fleet
Iyla, John Smedley and Taxonomy.
(Arcadia,2012,online).
“General Store concept aims to
‘This is Topman, the stock is Topman, make the shop part of the
but it neither looks nor feels like the community wherever it may open by
brand of which it is an extension.’ integrating the brand within the
(Ryan J, 2012, online) neighbourhood.” .
(Hay,E, 2012, online)
Arcadia recently closed 250 stores
(Warburton S, 2011, online) due to leases
running out. Primary Research Many women buy clothing for their boyfriends or husbands,
speaking to Arcadia staff members (Mintel 2012, online). Having both departments in the same store
found that for the moment the plan means it is quick and easy to shop. It also encourages women
is for brands to share a unit space. into the male department by being in the same store
Meaning currently it is unlikely that
Topman would be opened as a The primary online questionnaire showed that the Topman
stand-alone store. consumer is not concerned if the store is standalone. (68%).
Grouped stores may actually be more of an asset. In an informal
Competitors offering both men and conversation with one consumer they said they look for a large
women’s ranges brands tend to keep Topshop store, as they know there will be a Topman Department
both departments in the same store. inside. With many men shopping with their girlfriend or wife it
These include New Look, H&M, River makes sense to have the two brands under the same roof as it
Island and Next. caters for both parties.

10. “They are too ugly and girly why
would you want to shop from a brand
that uses them. I don’t want to look
like that so I wouldn’t shop there.”
MarKetIng The group were then shown an image from a
competitor. The feedback was mixed. Many agreed
topMan Models that they were more appealing then the Topman ad
After discovering a tweet from a Topman but felt that they still were not a good representation
consumer stating that Topman’s models of the male consumer.
looked “malnourished” and “ugly”, a “Much Cooler. Doesn’t look so try hard
focus group was used to investigate and pretentious.”
whether other consumers shared this
opinion.
A focus group looked at the current advertising for Topman and that of a competitor. 5 They were asked if they would be more likely to
male students were asked about the images and if the models in the advertising shop here based on the models. The results were
influenced them to shop at the store. 50/50 some participants said they would as they felt
they were a lot better then Topman. Whereas
The responses were negative. “These guys are not cool or even good others felt they would not due to the models still
looking. It’s trying to be too looking feminine and unappealing.
alternative and doesn’t work.”
When asked about musicians and artist modeling
for a brand, respondants were in agreement that it
This was an opinion shared by the group; they also stated that the models looked too was a good idea and can bring the brand a more
young and feminine. When asked would you shop at Topman based on the models credible image as long as the partnership seems
alone the feedback was a unanimous no. authentic and the right person is used.

11. MarKetIng
TopMan ctrl & topMan generatIon
The biggest focus for the band in terms of marketing is Topman Generation
which is a progression of CTRL. Topman CTRL is a online music show created Topman CTRL is now part of Topman Generation an
for Topman consumers. online across platform magazine focusing on
fashion, music, film and art.
(CTRL Topman, 2010, online)
In 2010 Topman launched Topman CTRL (Topman CTRLFacebook, 2010, online)
The CTRL platform aimed to bring together social media platforms and
traditional music platforms. The face of the campaign was Huw Stephens Readers can interact with the content, favorite
(BBC radio 1 DJ) hosting the podcasts. Guests and Huw can post content features and share them on social media.
(Campaign live, 2012, online) Recent interviews
onto the Topman CTRL feed, including videos, photos, music and TV shows.
(Bounce digital, 2010, online)
include Example, Kristen Dunst, Rankin and Yoko
Ono. Content includes daily viral videos, film
reviews, CTRL track of the day, music, fashion and
interviews. (Magazine Topman, 2012, online)
“Creativity is at the heart
of the new CTRL platform,
with some of the best music
content all housed and
collated in one space.
Topman.com/CTRL will become
an all-important music filter
run by the people pushing
music forward to
create a key music discovery
destination.”
Danielle Ford - Senior
Marketing Manager, Topman.
(Bounce digital, 2010, online)
It is difficult to see how popular the Topman Generation magazine is. There are
daily tweets about the brand using the #TOPMANGENERATION on twitter. The
magazine does not have its own Facebook page or Twitter page, which CTRL
did. Instead it is a more integrated part of the brand. However with only 20% of
The Topman Generation the participants questioned in the online survey knowing about the magazine,
Despite the success Out of those
content is handpicked by Topman still need to work on raising awareness.
Topman CTRL only interviewed only 20%
has 6,389 likes on had heard of the ex-Dazed Digital arts and
Facebook. (Topman campaign. culture editor John-Paul
CTRL Facebook, 2012, Pryor, (Metro, 2011, online).
online)

12. MarKetIng
Social media
Like many fashion brands Topman communicate with their consumer
with Social Media, including Facebook, Twitter, Google plus, Tumblr and
Instagram.
These tools are used on a daily basis
adVertIsIng
Topman have created a cinema ad for their fragrance Topman Distil. (Shortlist,
through competitions, pictures and
2012, online) the ad is 37 seconds and feature British model Jester White (ftape,
messages. Topman have been
2012, online) who has featured in the Topman A/W 2012 campaign. The ad
innovative in using the different
is also available on You Tube.
media to create competitions to
encourage consumers to promote
Although striking it is not
the brand using the Topman hash
appealing to the male consumer.
tag #Topman when they send in
The video has only been watched
their answers/ pictures.
4,329 times and out of those who
viewed it only 18 people liked it.
The content across all the social
(Topman You Tube, 2012, online)
platforms is the same; there does
not appear any need to follow the
brand across more than one social Compare this to Lynx
media site. These different platforms Excite ad, which has
could be so that Topman can been viewed 838,750 and
communicate with their consumer in has 2,004 likes. (Lynx You
a way that the consumer chooses. tube, 2012, online)
Topman need to rethink
the video so that it
appeals to the consumer
and gets the consumer
sharing the content.

13. MarKetIng
experIentIal
Topman run in-store events in the Flag-
ship stores. More exciting events have taken place
in America where the brand is still
A popular event that runs in the London building brand awareness and a
& Prague flagship stores is the Fashion consumer base. These events include
Friday event, on the last Friday of every pop- up shops (some at Universities), a
month. The event takes place in the pool party, free gig tickets and
stylist’s lounge where customers can sponsored music nights. (Topman Face-
shop get advice from stylists whilst book, 2011, online) As well as a road trip
listening to live DJ’s. There are discounts, with a Topman branded van touring
goodie bags and wet shaves from popular cities. Customers who spot the
Sharps Barber shop. van received a free bag and bottled
(Bergin O, 2010, online) water. The van was track able using
social media. (Bergin O, 2010, online)
Topman have also run a gaming night in
2011 sponsored by Xbox. (Topman official There have been no recent large
blog, 2011, online) This was again held in scale event or campaigns in the UK.
the London Flagship store. They could be seen to be neglecting
their home market, which they can
More recently Topman gave 3 not afford to do. Especially as Primary
competition winners the chance to win research has shown that there are
a personal shopping night with singer negative opinions about the brand and
Olly Murs. (Topman Facebook, 2011, only half of those questioned shop at
online) This was a success but questions Topman.
as to whether Olly Murs was the best
choice for a male brand remains. Topmans other tools include bus ads in
London, magazine featured items and
Primary research into his fan base using a blog. However analysis of the blog
his Facebook page shows his fan base is shows that it undermines the Topman
predominantly women. Topman would Generation magazine. Consideration
have been better using a male musician needs to be made as to whither the
who appealed to the male market blog is needed and if so how it can be
made more influential.

14. MarKetIng to Men
Marketing to men is very different to marketing to
women. Few men are confident enough
Mark Tungate in his book Branded Male explains to dress entirely by instinct
(Tungate M, 2008, p55) Magazines
men are wary of any advertising that contains a
hint of narcissism. (Tungate M, 2008, p 37) such as GQ and esquire offer
tips on leg length and styling .
Authenticity is important to the male consumer. This lack in confidence means,
Topman need to offer a strong unique reason to men are heavily influenced by
choose them over their competitors. Men look for role models. For example Daniel
longevity, heritage and craftsmanship if none are Craig in Casino Royale (2006)
available they choose familiarity.(Tungate M, 2008, p saw an increase in sales of tight
219)
swimming trunks. (Tungate M,
2008, p56) Topman can utilise this
by using recognised popular role
Men can be very loyal customers if they are treated models as the face of the brand.
well, returning to the same brand again and again.
(Tungate M, 2008,p 219) Men appreciate guidelines for dressing (Tungate M,
2008, p61) which GQ have featured in articles written
Men have moved online with a subsequent drop by the Style Guy explaining how to use a tie clip and
in physical retail sales (Tungate M, 2008, p 136) With which shirts to choose. It is important to recognise
Twice as many men as women shopping online that men do not like to be dictated to by magazines
(Scivisum, 2012, online) the internet is ideal to reach (Tungate M, 2008, p136)
men.
Sedge Beswick, Global social media marketing
executive at ASOS explained in a lecture that
marketing to men online is also very different. They
do not respond the ‘fluffy’ talk instead preferring
engaging social media tools such as asking ques-
tions, fill in the blanks (of a tweet) to win a prize,
or ‘which do you prefer ? have a look here”. They
respond to minimal copy and engaging and inter-
active digital tools.