The following is a case study on HomeGoods and the effectiveness of its IMC efforts. This was my final project for Georgetown's IMC course, offered through its School of Continuing Studies.

1. Integrated Marketing
Communications
Christianne Witten
wittencm@gmail.com
March 22, 2012
Presentation of Integrated Marketing
Communications Approach and Assessment

2. HomeGoods
Images taken from HomeGoods’ official Facebook page

3. Mission & Values
Mission:
 “To bring you home fashions you’ll love, at prices you’ll
LOVE even more! That’s what we call HomeGoods
Happy. ”
Values:
 Inspiration-Feed your inner decorator
 Value- Up to 20-60% off department/specialty store prices
 Fresh and diverse inventory- Supports individuality
 Fashion forward- Trend tracking
 Quality- Top Brands, off-price vs discount

4. Situation Overview
Home Fashions Retailer since 1992
 TJX parent company ( TJ Maxx, Marshalls)
 374 national stores (standalone and superstores)
Business objectives:
 Grow chain to 750 stores nationally (long-term)
 Upgrade stores to attract/retain customers
 Cut their operational costs by $50-75M in FY13
Marketing objectives:
 Increase brand awareness of HomeGoods as a place for fashion
and value seekers
 Increase store traffic and sales
Target Market:
 Primarily female, 25-54, middle-upper income shopper, suburban

5. Company Differentiation
Top marketing strategies on how it goes to or is in
the marketplace:
 Price: Providing unbeatable values (up to 60% off) on
top names in home fashions
 Opportunistic Buying
 Product: Providing “freshness” of inventory for every
style and part of your home “under one roof”
 Global sourcing from over 14,000 vendors, across 60 countries
 Place/Promotion: Using its online/social media
presence to drive store traffic vs serve as e-commerce
site

6. Company Communications
Strategies
Top communications strategies:
 Leverage website as an inspiration board /blog with fresh ideas
using current inventory to drive traffic into store
 Foster customer engagement through content sharing to spread
brand awareness via idea blog/FB page
 Keep in-store, online and tv messaging fresh and relative to time
of year to spark inspiration and keep customer coming back
 Reinforce value and “HomeGoods Happy” theme through
digital, print, tv, and in-store signage/displays:
 Price tags showing retail comparison, “Don’t Miss Out”
 “Amazing Value for Every Room,” “Fab Finds, Fab Price”
 “Top Brands. Just your-style savings!” “Love the Luxury,
Savor the Savings”
 “Spread HomeGoods Happiness” with gift cards

11. Competitor Comparison
Life Cycle (Intro-build- Build, player for 20 yrs, 336 Mature, player for 40 yrs, Mature, player for 50 yrs, 258
mature-decline) stores 1,000 stores stores
Positioning Off-price, value based, fresh “Largest specialty retailer of “Unique, authentic,
inventory, treasure hunt imported home affordable” “Bringing beauty
Focuses on: goods/furnishings” and excitement of global
Focuses on: bazaar with great finds at
the deal, fashion/trends
“Unique and original finds” great prices” “from more than
“Up to 60% off dept/specialty 50 countries, individual,
store prices” from around the world, global regional artisans”
artisan feel, hippie roots
-including wine and beer
selection
Media Used Website/blogs, mobile Catalogs, eCatalogs, website for e-
marketing, social media(FB, Social media, website with commerce, featuring weekly
Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest), idea room and Pier 1 2Go circular ad to browse, “As
Email newsletter ,tv ads and virtual basket for in-store seen In” print magazine
PR, print mag pick- up, references and décor ideas,
Email newsletter, social
Email newsletter, tv ads
media (FB, Twitter, Pinterest)

12. Integrated Communications
Approach
Types of Media Target Message/s Other Comments
Used Audience
Website Females Focusing on Clever use to drive
25-50 “customer finds” brand engagement
and inspiration to and sales through
drive you to their idea sharing vs
store traditional e-
commerce
TV Young, stylish Find value/great Not much spent on
professionals, deals, even during tv ads, focus on
Moms, lunch break, to fit placement on news
your style, better and HGTV
Holiday shoppers
way to shop for segments, very
gifts successful Share-
A-Carol integrated
campaign

13. Integrated Communications
Approach
Types of Target Message/s Other
Media Used Audience Comments
Print Females 35-50, Stylish finds, great Mailed circular,
moms value, Mom caves, articles in print
inspire your inner mag alongside
decorator professional
advice (Family
Circle, Woman’s
Day,Traditional
Home, Country
Living)
Blogs Females 30-50 Inspiration Using professional
everywhere, interior designers
budget-friendly for content
ideas

14. Integrated Communications
Approach
Media Used Target Message/s Comments
Mobile 25-35 tech savvy Value, Locating Share-A-Carol
Marketing shoppers nearest store,
convenience,
holiday cheer
Email Discount seekers Focus on fresh Fuels repeat
inventory and purchases, retains
savings customers
Social Media: 20-40 tech savvy Spreading good Very engaged FB
Facebook aspiring decorators deal happiness, (197,648 fans,
inspiration, 3,812 talking)
Twitter
style,excitement Twitter (16,665
YouTube with fresh followers), not
Pinterest inventory, store YouTube (701,235
openings views, 572
subscribers)

15. Evaluation
Assess:
 Is the company delivering it’s mission and living its values based on
your review?
 Absolutely! They walk the walk.
 Are the company’s messages tied to its mission?
 Very much so. Consistent focus on “Happiness” brought on by savings/deal.
 Is the company’s positioning/key message consistently deployed
across media?
 Yes! Well coordinated effort to communicate off-price concept while still being
fashionable/on trend.
 Is the company’s message and product/service delivery linked up and
aligned?
 The idea of fresh finds and huge savings fill the store and create a sense of
excitement when shopping. Employees also reinforce affordable creativity and
inspiration and encourage repeat visits to the area stores.
 Is the company spending it’s marketing dollars wisely?
 Absolutely! They are leveraging low cost mediums to spread awareness and drive
traffic and sales. This is consistent with their low cost business model.

16. Evaluation
 Do you think they have an ROI for their marketing investment?
 Consistent increase in brand awareness, customer traffic, sales- year over year
 TJX Revenues up 6% to $23.2B for FY12
 TJX February 2012 Sales report sales up 9% to $1.6B vs $1.5 B in Feb 2011
 HG Profit margins also up from 7.7% FY10 to 9.5% FY11
 HG Net Sales up from $1.9M to $2.2M for FY12
 Based on where the company is in it’s life cycle, how does that affect
its choices for IMC right now?
 Focus on cost containment while still pursuing growth opportunities=low costs IMC
campaigns, more social media
 Does the marketing approach make sense, or would you adjust it and
how?
 Yes, good use of low-cost social media to meet objectives, great communication and
delivery of strong brand positioning
 Are customers happy?
 Yes: Who doesn’t love a “Fabulous Find” at a “Fabulous Price”?
 Marketing concept has universal appeal to the widest demographic in retail

17. Evaluation
What’s working well?
 Strong, competitive positioning with off-price concept
 Value/off-price messaging- universal appeal during current
economic times and beyond
 Messaging is consistent and very well integrated on and offline,
in-store displays and by employees
 Customer engagement through social media to spread brand
awareness and build customer in-store traffic
What’s not working?
 Need fresher, more integrated content on YouTube channel
 Oct. 2011 was last posting
 Not in sync with current Spring themed messaging and
media buzz spots

18. Recommendations
Continue use of integrated social media to boost brand
awareness, customer loyalty and engagement
 Freshen up YouTube content
Continue seeking opportunities for corporate
partnerships/sweepstakes/publicity in fashion circles
to further brand awareness
 Guiliana and Bill shopping in HomeGoods
 HGTV mentions and other media buzz is buried on
website and not integrated into social media
channels

19. Appendix:
http://www.tjx.com/investor_annualreports.asp
http://www.tjx.com/files/pdf/TJX-BoAML-Handout-3-8-12.pdf
http://www.homegoods.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/behomegoodshappy
http://www.facebook.com/Homegoods
http://twitter.com/#!/homegoods
http://www.homegoods.com/media-buzz/category/print/
http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/advertising/11534.html
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/laras-list-hot-home-decor-trends-50/story?
http://www.worldmarket.com/home/index.jsp
http://www.pier1.com/