Anne-Christine Ayed

Leveraging on-line consumer clubs to identify innovation white spaces

January 26, 2009

Copyright DBA Apparel – All rights reserved

DBApparel : The company



Global Designer, Marketer and Manufacturer of Branded Women's and Men's Apparel Products.



International group created from the acquisition of Sara Lee Branded Apparel Europe by Sun Capital Partners (2006).

 

3 categories including:

  

Intimates (50%) Underwear (20%) Hosiery/Socks (29%).

The 14 brands are:

aca – jan 09 2 24/04/2020

DBApparel : The company

– – – 

DBApparel is and wants to stay the European leader With strong brands - Focusing on customers and consumers - Known for its ability to Innovate.

aca – jan 09 3 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Innovation

When related to lingerie and hosiery technical products, the criteria for innovative offerings are: - new materials/processes - new product construction - new presentation/packaging that

- do not exist in competitive products - bring added value to consumers - could be protected by intellectual property

aca – jan 09 4 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Innovation Board

IDEA MANAGEMENT TOOL BOX Brainstormi ng SHAPING / PROPOTYPING PRODUCTS CONCEPTS PORTFOLIO Screening Gate 0 EXECUTION TECHNICAL PROJECTS PORTFOLIO Incubate ideas Development Ship Products

1. Trends 2. Market needs studies

Outsourced if no IP Autun or Manila if IP Comfort Support Shaping Aesthetic

Removable cups Disposable Underwear Glued edges Flexible wires Silicone for stay in place Silicone to replace elastic trimming Crinoline cup/Corolla and spiral cups Up new generation “PUD coating” Pantograph back/back with folds Elastomer for flexible shaping Elastomer to provide better long lasting fabric properties

High Sponsored by the CEO and composed of business VP’s, Operations VP, R&D and Brands Directors



Provides a forum for firmwide exchange of innovative ideas



Tracks and cultivates innovative ideas across the BU’s



Undertakes R&I product portfolio management and sets new product development strategy Low Medium Complexity

aca – jan 09 5 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Board

“The Consumer Board is a company wide forum that integrates consumer insight and understanding into the heart of what we do”



Key cross business ‘players’ primarily but not exclusively from marketing or retail



All have a passion for the consumer and are open, collaborative and willing to embrace change



Look also at external inputs

aca – jan 09

Hugues de Talhouet DBA Véronique J acquat DBA Antoine de la Celle DIM Sandra Keller NUR DIE Fabienne Morvan DIM Sonia Migallon DBA Cris tina Polini Lovable Olivier Leroy DBA Sharon Harris on DBA UK Limited Anna Ricotti Lovable J ane Richards on DBA UK Limited Frances co Durante DBA Manon Turlan DIM Veronique Lombard DIM

6 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Board

Its role:



Develop a learning culture by providing a forum for sharing commercial successes and failures through the company



Drive deeper insights and intelligence across the Brands and optimise total company spending



Develop new ways to raise consumer observation and listening skills



Benchmark our consumer research process and keep us up-to-date with new methodologies and segmentations

aca – jan 09 7 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club

Online community of women who log on weekly to a dedicated site to complete “Activities”

    Semi Structured questionnaires and open forum discussions Activities are planned and directed by us Around 500 women registered Actual participation 75-150 members a week aca – jan 09 8 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club Bras & Women Who wear them

Our Goals:

 Increase our understanding of what women want their bras to do for them  Engage in a dialogue with consumers to • • • - Explore unmet needs and pain points - Generate universal insights  Uncover innovation white spaces for DBA brands - New Product ideas - Marketing and communication messages aca – jan 09 9 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club Bras & Women Who wear them

The kind of women have been we talked to: Keen to share preferences and pain points

        Age 20 – 60 Full range of bra sizes Mix of shoppers Department stores Marks and Spencer Online Grocery Multiples & Chains #

Comments are frank, uninhibited and full of humour!

Duration : 6 months

Aug Dec Jul Club set up and recruitment

aca – jan 09

Sep Oct Club is live for 5 months Nov

10

Jan Final report from BIG Analysis and implementation

24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club

“

Le Club des Collants”

Our Goals:

– Understand women’s hosiery use, preferences, and priorities – Find and explore pain points and possible white spaces

The kind of women we talked to:

       Women from France Ages 15-59 1-6 pantyhose size 35-41 shoe size 1.5-1.85 meters height 40-95 kg weight Purchased hosiery in last 12 months Duration: 3 months aca – jan 09 11 24/04/2020

aca – jan 09 12 24/04/2020

Your Club Stats Activities Completed Current BIG Bucks Total View My Club Profile Review Your Activity History 3. Have you discovered knickers that are so fabulous, you want to tell the world (or at least your friends)? Tell us what they are and why you like them.

*

Description (brand, cut, fabric, and any other feature important to you):

*

Why I like them: More Information About the Club How to win prizes 7. Tell us everything that influences what knickers you choose to wear for the day. For example, are there habits or outfit coordination rules that you generally stick to? Do you wear different types/styles knickers during the week and at weekends? aca – jan 09 13 24/04/2020

aca – jan 09 14 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club Bras & Women Who wear them

They told us…

  On bras in general, their emotional and psycological connections with their underwear, basics things that are still a problem On bras of the future aca – jan 09 15 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club Bras & Women Who wear them

Topics we have explored…

       Bra choices ( drawer inventory, favourites and regrets, priorities, bra diary, fashion) Comfort and Support (general issues, comfort and adjustment, forum discussion on price) Shaping and enhancing, (physical, psychological and emotional dimensions) New ideas, disposable underwear, sleepwear … Health Eco-bras Shopping aca – jan 09 16 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club

“

Le Club des Collants”

They told us…

  On their basic hosiery habits and preferences Their Weekly Wardrobe: weekday vs. weekend outfit choices aca – jan 09 17 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Club

“

Le Club des Collants”

Topics we have explored…

    My Shape and My Pantyhose (Likes/dislikes about their lower bodies and what they hope pantyhose will do for their shapes) Control pantyhose and shapewear Assessing hosiery fabric and features Shoes (Discomforts wearing different types of hosiery)     The Right Size: Usefulness of current hosiery sizing system Special Effects Change of Season Laundry Basket  aca – jan 09 Recycling Hosiery 18 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Clubs

Results:

Major areas of opportunities identified including white spaces and several opportunities for product and packaging improvement aca – jan 09 19 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Clubs

Encouraging loyalty – engaging with and influencing consumers online

  

Set up a DBA online community for customers

– Women are passionate about their bras and keen to engage in dialogue

Register and win 2 way information exchange

– Email alerts on new intros and updates to their favourite style – Real information: “Did you know all our bras

have…”

– Consumer feedback on purchases – Questions to the Experts aca – jan 09 20 24/04/2020

DBApparel : Consumer Clubs

Next Steps Turn these insights into new products, services and capabilities as quickly and efficiently as possible Criteria used for measuring the opportunities:

- Speed - Resource investment needed - Impact (market, revenues, competitive advantage) - Importance to DBA’s strategy and constituents aca – jan 09 21 24/04/2020

aca – jan 09

DBApparel : Open Innovation

 We define what internal/external resources we need to meet our objective  We leverage design firms, network of inventors, suppliers, universities, non competing companies (co-branding, JDA), communication agencies ….

 We assign dedicated project teams in charge of the partnership (s)  We are currently managing at least 5 projects emerging from the clubs and involving external partners 22

DBApparel : Innovation

The key is to sustain momentum on opportunities uncovered and build on our success in employing new technology and open source to identify whitespaces aca – jan 09 23 24/04/2020

ACA 18-10-2007

Thank you

24