Sexy for ME
Rebrand Project - choose a brand that have either lost relevance or have fallen out of favor with their audience,
Client
SVA in Branding - Victoria's Secret
My Role
Brand Strategy Development + Research
Team
Year
2020
Chelsea Carlson
Courtney Duggan
Debbie W Huang
Sae Hoon Jang
Ricardo Saca
Detail
Victoria's Secret has lost touch with cultural shifts & sales have declined. A series of PR issues (accusations of sexual harassment in work culture, transphobic comments from former exec) have damaged their reputation.
Now it is time to make a bright shift repositioning what VS stands for - Fantasy. But not a fantasy for the male glaze anymore, not sexy for them, but Sexy for ME.
Research
7 weeks
Desktop Research
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News and Industry Reports
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Journals, Papers
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Consumer Review
Methodology
The Arc of Brand
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Brand & Rebrand Objectives
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Brand Character
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Competitive Arena, Audiences, and Drivers of Choices
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P.I.E and Brand Positioning
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Optimal Brand Experience
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Brand Identity
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Activations
Rebrand Objectives
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To regain the position of top lingerie brand for VS.
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To update the fantasy of VS to be women-centric & not sexually objectifying.
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To build VS as a community of empowering self-love.
Main Problems
The brand has lost touch with cultural shifts & sales have declined. A series of PR issues (accusations of sexual harassment in work culture, transphobic comments from former exec) have damaged their reputation. Despite some attempts in the last two years to change their image towards the new model of inclusivity, consumers remain wary that the brand isn’t sincere in its new messaging.
Current Brand DNA
Glamorous
Iconic
Powerful
Current Brand Promise
“An iconic specialty retail brand, Victoria’s Secret needs no introduction.
Our name is synonymous with all things feminine, including our celebrated supermodels. We are also famed for being the best at bras and offer the world’s most supportive styles. This is Victoria’s Secret.”
Market Share
VS has lost 8% of the market share since 2013
Research
Victoria'Secret started with the idea to create a shopping environment where men would feel comfortable shopping. But, to his surprise, over 70% of shoppers were women.
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Allegations of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement, shifting taste in bras, the decline of malls, the impact of COVID on retail, rising environmental concerns in fashion… all have popped up in the last few years and created a moment where this brand is ripe for a reinvention.
Shift in Culture and Market
Define Sexy
The definition of sexy today has evolved into how a woman feels and less how she looks.
Lifestyle
There’s a growing demand for comfort in every area of fashion. The interest in bralettes in particular is quite strong.
Diversity
A huge appetite for plus sizes in lingerie, which Victoria’s Secret has been slower to add than some of their peers.
Inclusion
People want to see themselves reflected in their brands.
Inclusion sells.
2019 Coresight report
“Gone are antiquated images and stereotypes of 'sexy' women wearing lacy lingerie”
@Joshgondelman, Twitter
“I have been wearing hoodies and sweatpants for so long I think I’ve forgotten how to operate buttons.”
Ed Razek, Former VS CMO
“Shouldn’t you have transsexuals in the show? No. No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy.
Competitive landscape
Arena
*Feminine the concept
Instead of always emphasizing that VS is for women, we’d like to focus on the idea of femininity.
Femininity is what’s core to the VS brand. That shouldn’t change.
The key shift here is that VS is for people (of any gender) that identify with & enjoy.
Feminine Lingerie, Loungewear, Beauty & Swim
Persona
Meet Vicky
Lifestyle: Busy social butterfly
Age: 33
Hobbies: Yoga, brunch, the beach
Career: Creative director
What kind of person: Looking for unique (instagrammable) experiences & a date for her friend’s wedding
Guilty pleasure: In-N-Out Burger
Meet Tori
Lifestyle: Free spirit lives in New York
Age: 25
Hobbies: Clubbing, traveling, writing, festivals
Career: Fashion and Beauty Influencer
What kind of person: Confident, loves herself , good friend, Caring, trendy, modern
Drinks: Blue Bottle Coffee
P.I.E Analysis
Sleepers
Gender Identity Inclusive
Activist Models
Personalized Experience
Custom Fit Free Home Trial/Try on Subscription Service
Seedlings
Improving Worldwide Women’s Health Data Driven Fit
Committed to Gender Equality
Athlete Models
Influencer Models
High Tech Fitting Room
Winnders
Welcoming Environment
Better Fit & Comfort
Push Up Bras
Empowering Women
Celebrating Body Diversity
Customer Service
Wider Range of Sizes
More Human Photography Styles
What Drives Choice
Positive, inclusive & empowering feeling
Products that are comfortable & stylish
Great interactive brand experiences
Character defines our personality
FEARLESS
Victoria’s Secret basically invented sexy confidence. We’re bold & we aren’t afraid to make the first move.
FEARLESS
PLAYFUL
We’re youthful, fun & just a little bit cheeky.
PLAYFUL
We’re your wingwoman, here to help you chase your dreams (oh, and of course, make a great bra too).
SUPPORTIVE
SUPPORTIVE
Positioning gives us a mission
We support women finding their own sexy, making the first move, being fearless and having fun while doing it. We celebrate living a life full of unapologetic passion and zero regrets.
We thrive when women feel empowered to express their own vision of sexy. Because the new sexy is defined by me, for me.
In Short & Sweet version
Sexy for ME
Old
Sexy for them
One ideal body
Wait for the first move
Looking sexy
Their pleasure
Male gaze
Flirty
New
Sexy for me
All bodies are ideal
Make the first move
Feeling sexy
Your pleasure
Female gaze
Bold
What we won't change
Women still want to feel great in their underwear: that hasn’t changed. Victoria’s Secret is still glamorous & sexy.
Create a brand where women’s feelings, sexuality, joys & passions are at the center of the conversation.
What will change
Keep what is iconically VS but change the feeling for the sexy for me era
Brand Expression
"We will come out of this, like we come out of a war. We will want two things: security and to dance."
Li Edelkoort, Trend Forecaster
Our work has revealed that despite the dire headlines, Victoria’s Secret isn’t going anywhere. This brand evolution is about taking what is truly iconic about Victoria’s Secret — the glamour, the spectacle, the sex and updating it where we’re at in culture.
Sexy for me, not sexy for them.
What if instead of a fashion show...
It 's an fashion festival?
