1. Problem Statement:
Burberry has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Is this position
in the marketplace that Burberry has won sustainable? How can they sustain this
competitive market position overtime? The main question Bravo asks is: How do we
continue to grow the brand without risking customer burnout?
Constraints:
• The marketplace and current trends are constantly changing.
• Everyone is a competitor, even Target.
• High income people shop everywhere, and lower income people are starting to shop
for more affluent brand names.
• The popularity of Burberry must be managed in a way that lays the foundation for
long-term growth.
• Burberry’s brand is wedged between lifestyle (Ralph Lauren) and fashion (Gucci).
• The brand’s sales rely heavily on the Burberry check-they must find a way to
manage the meaning behind the check in a strategic way. Creating a consistent
brand image.
• Emerging customer bases-worries about alienating current customers.
Decision Options:

2. • Reposition the brand. The goal of this decision is to attract younger customers,
while still appealing to the current customer base.
• Updating the product line and develop a consistent look throughout products. Also,
weed out out-of-date parts of the line and replace them with new products.
• Create a line that is responsive to trend changes, and release them on collection-by-
collection basis.
• Get rid of licensed products so they could control all aspects of the product lines
and curb inconsistencies in price, design and quality throughout markets.
• Expand brand portfolio with a high fashion line and other product categories.
• Give consumers the check-undercover. Put it there, just make it harder to
find/recognize. The nostalgia of the check will still be evident. Also, sell a greater
number of products with no check at all.
Recommended Rationale:
Based on this Burberry case study, I would suggest to develop a product line that is
responsive to trends, and to start targeting the Burberry brand to a younger audience. Lots
of brands have many realms of customers, from young to old; you just need to give them
what they want. I think that it would be most effective to develop a less-expensive line for
children and young adults that will give them the nostalgic feeling Burberry has always
created with its customers, but without the big price tag. Keeping up with trends and
appealing to people of all ages may be the best way to saturate your brand.
With this rationale, you do not need to alienate the loyal customers, because their
line will remain consistent with what they have responded to favorably all this time. There

3. is room in this industry not only to stretch your product line but to develop many separate
lines within a brand, like the Prorsum line of high fashion options. If Burberry develops a
way to appeal to a broad customer base, they will be successful.
I would also recommend ridding the brand of some licensed products and opening
new stores themselves. Burberry can be found in department stores and some other
boutiques, but their big flagship stores are where they can offer the largest product line. I
would suggest opening Burberry stores in more places, since the brand is now bought by a
broader customer base than in the past. This may be appealing to some people, who would
like more options when shopping the Burberry line.
Today’s marketplace is fueled on new and changing options, finding the next big
trend. Brand loyalty is harder to achieve and harder to keep than in the 1920’s because
there are so many options and anything can appear to be better than the next. Burberry
needs to keep their brand at the top of mind with their past, current and future consumers.
The only way to do this successfully is by changing the product lines and options for the
consumer world.