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43-974: Urban Outfitters, Inc. ( URBN ) is a multinational lifestyle retail corporation headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Operating in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, select Western European countries, Poland,soon to operate in African countries. the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar, the Urban Outfitters brand targets young adults with a merchandise mix of women's and men's fashion apparel, footwear, beauty and wellness products, accessories, activewear and gear, and housewares , as well as music, primarily vinyl records and cassettes . The company

86-424: A yoga company but has had great success in developing a lifestyle brand, which has allowed it to move into other markets as varied as solar power and green building supplies. Nautica started out as a collection of 6 outerwear pieces but built itself into a global lifestyle brand by having collections for men, women, kids, home and accessories. A company's status as a lifestyle brand isn't achieved by providing

129-451: A consumer and that consumer's desire to affiliate him or herself with a group. Lifestyle brands are one of the possible ways of consumer self-expression: customers believe that their identity will be reinforced or supplemented if they publicly associate themselves with a lifestyle brand or other symbol-intensive brands . Consumers continually face multiple decisions with regard to product choice due to many competing products. Aspects such as

172-454: A consumer desire to be affiliated with a particular group or brand. The consumer will believe that their identity will be reinforced if they publicly associate themselves with a particular lifestyle brand, for example by using a brand on social media. As individuals have different experiences, choices, and backgrounds (including social class, ethnicity, and culture), an organisation must understand to whom it directs its brand. By constructing

215-555: A former executive of Chinese descent with 40 years at the company sued it for ethnic and age-based discrimination. In 2021, the company only received a score of 11-20% in the Fashion Transparency Index, they also have no evidence of ensuring paying living wages to their employees. Lifestyle brand A lifestyle brand is an ideology created by a brand. An organisation achieves a lifestyle brand by evoking an emotional connection with its customers, creating

258-441: A good understanding of the brand and the lifestyle that it could offer. Home furnishing companies use lifestyle merchandising to promote brand extension. Furthermore, the brand is communicated to consumers through using a designer who is associated with also creating fashion-apparel products. Therefore, this creates a connection between the fashion and homeware brands for these consumers are already associating with or are familiar with

301-476: A lifestyle brand ideology, an organisation's goal is to become a recognised social phenomenon. Lifestyle brand marketing uses market research to segment target markets based on psychographics rather than demographics . Lifestyle brands operate from the idea that each individual has an identity based on their choices, experiences, and background (e.g., ethnicity, social class, subculture, nationality, etc.). Lifestyle brands evoke emotional connections between

344-475: A lifestyle they want to obtain. It is important for an organisation to understand its brand's role amongst consumers. To achieve this, an organisation must use the following aspects of the lifestyle brand model. This is defined as a consumer sorting products or brands into categories, based on their past experiences with that brand. It is used to avoid confusion, as consumers may be overwhelmed when comparing one product with an extensive range of other brands of

387-470: A part of a group of healthy, motivated fitness fanatics. This is defined as the strong symbolism that a brand transmits to its consumers, which is adopted for its social benefits. It allows consumers to feel as though they can express themselves through a form of identity, whilst being provided with a sense of belonging to a group. For example, Tiffany & Co . are a jewellery brand which offer affordable and expensive, high-quality jewellery products. When

430-464: A person sees a consumer wearing its product in public, that person may aim to own a piece of Tiffany & Co. jewellery themselves, with the aim to seek social benefits or fit into a particular group. Attachment is brought about when people form an emotional connection between themselves and a brand. For example, Coca-Cola uses advertisements to portray its happy lifestyle to consumers. These advertisements are used to form an emotional connection with

473-429: A positive effect on his/her willingness to pay for a luxury, top-end brand. In order for a lifestyle brand to be successful and dominate market share it needs to enhance customers experiences and provide more than just a product. Consumers are more willing and likely to purchase a brand that establishes itself as to value and satisfaction. Brand value is defined as comparing focal brands with unbranded products that have had

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516-534: A preppy, young, Ivy-League lifestyle. Their retail outlets reflect this lifestyle through their luxurious store environment, attractive store associates (models), and their black and white photographs featuring young people "living the Abercrombie & Fitch lifestyle". In doing so, Abercrombie & Fitch has created an outlet for those who lead, or wish to lead or wish to dream about leading this lifestyle. Companies like home furnishing associate themselves with

559-503: A product's attributes have been shown to be involved in the consumer decision process. A number of factors affect a consumer's choice of product brand, which influences their lifestyle. Consumers choose a brand that is acceptable to their self-image that they are trying to portray. Companies have to re-establish and reposition their products to ensure they meet the lifestyle a consumer is trying to obtain. They have an opportunity to refine their target market which would limit competition due to

602-502: A reduced number in consumers who would be attracted to their specific brand because of the way they might perceive their lifestyle. Consumers evaluate product attributes as opposed to a case by case assessment. There is the need for brands to be understood and how they can be influential with regard to consumer's decision making considerations. Three processes are intertwined in choice behaviour: psychological, sociological, and economic processes. Within these three processes lifestyle of

645-409: A subscription clothing rental service. Following that, the company launched Nuuly Thrift, a resale platform for buying and selling women's, men's and kids’ apparel and accessories from URBN labels and other brands. As of 2020, Urban Outfitters does not publicly disclose which factories produce the brand's clothing. It also has no human resources department. In December 2022, Urban Outfitters announced

688-548: A wide range of products but by the benefit and symbolic value that the customer associates with the brand. Psychographics Psychographics is defined as "market research or statistics classifying population groups according to psychological variables" The term psychographics is derived from the words "psychological" and "demographics" Two common approaches to psychographics include analysis of consumers' activities, interests, and opinions (AIO variables), and values and lifestyles (VALS). Psychographics have been applied to

731-526: Is a proprietary framework created by Strategic Business Insights that separates US adults into eight distinct types by evaluating their motivations and resources to understand anticipated consumer behavior. Psychographics is often used for market segmentation and improved target marketing. Psychographic segmentation is also applied to other fields and across cultures in order to understand motivations and behavior including in healthcare, politics, tourism and lifestyle choices. Psychographics are applied to

774-758: Is often confused with demographics , in which historical generations may be defined both by demographics, such as the years in which a particular generation is born or even the fertility rates of that generation's parents, but also by psychographic variables like attitudes, personality formation, and cultural touchstones. For example, the traditional approaches to defining the Baby Boom Generation , Generation X , or Millennials rely on both demographic variables (classifying individuals based on birth years) and psychographic variables (such as beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviors). Infusionsoft published an article arguing that customer psychographic segmentation

817-496: Is the way in which retailers refine their products or services to interest lifestyles in specific market segments. Examples of lifestyle retail brands include the now defunct Laura Ashley , GAP and Benetton . These retailers offer a distinct and recognised set of values to consumers. Over time, a number of retailers have come up with their own brand strategies and are now seen as lifestyle retail brands because they are targeting consumers who adopt their brand to align themselves with

860-437: Is their way of tapping into new markets that have not yet been reached. Companies that have celebrity names associated with them provides a certain degree of guarantee to the brand. A company called Doman Home Furnishings launched a campaign about food and kitchen products to enhance its brand as a lifestyle choice. The campaign used models which had a caption along the lines of 'a slice of life'. This allowed consumers to gain

903-452: The 2016 US presidential election and the opposing campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump , with the latter using them extensively in microtargeting advertisements to narrow constituencies. Psychographics is utilized in the field of marketing and advertising to understand the preferences of consumers and to predict behavior. Private research companies conduct psychographic research using proprietary techniques. For example, VALS

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946-399: The surfing community. Some lifestyle brands align themselves with an ideology. Patagonia proposes an environmentally friendly way of life. Volcom , with the promise "Youth Against Establishment", gives a label and a sense of belonging to those who are "against" the world of adults. One popular source for lifestyle brands is also national identity . Victoria's Secret purposely evoked

989-470: The English upper class in its initial branding efforts, while Burberry is recalling the hip London culture . Social or personal image is also a reference point for some lifestyle brands. In the 1990s, Abercrombie & Fitch successfully resuscitated a 1950s ideal —the white, masculine "beefcake"— during a time of political correctness and rejection of 1950s orthodoxy, creating a lifestyle brand based on

1032-797: The National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the Urban Outfitters Corporate Office Campus located on the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard . In 2011, it agreed to sell limited editions of Polaroid ONE600 instant cameras and Type 779 instant film in partnership with the Austrian entrepreneur Florian Kaps, who acquired the rights to manufacture 700 copies of

1075-536: The Vetri Family restaurant group. Much of the merchandise is designed and produced by the company's wholesale division on these multiple private labels. In the 1970s, Dick Hayne opened a store and called it Free People in West Philadelphia , Pennsylvania. As the store eventually grew from one to two storefronts, the name was changed from Free People to Urban Outfitters. In 2007, the company received

1118-403: The audience. Through the use of the "Open happiness" slogan, consumers may believe that by purchasing and consuming a Coca-Cola drink, they will feel like they are happy and having fun. While some lifestyle brands purposely reference existing groups or cultures, others create a disruption within the status quo and propose an innovative viewpoint on the world. The driving force may be the product,

1161-526: The company for describing the item as an “anti-war woven scarf". On November 27, 2009, URBN drew the attention of the Swedish press for denying collective bargaining rights to employees at their Stockholm store by making all 38 workers redundant and re-hiring them through employment agency Academic Work. In response to the move, ombudsman Jimmy Ekman called for tougher laws to prevent other firms denying collective bargaining rights in this way. In 2019,

1204-440: The consumer also becomes intertwined with consumers tending to choose a brand they feel is congruent with their self-image, their identity – who they feel they are and what they connect with the most. P Vyncke suggests that a consumer's values, goals, and vision for their life, along with aesthetic style all reflect individual lifestyle. Consumers use brands to express their identity. The need for self-expression can be related to

1247-535: The defunct product. In January 2013, it hired the Abraham & Roetzel lobbying firm, led by former Republican Sen. Spencer Abraham , to advocate on its behalf in Washington, D.C. , regarding retail industry policy. In Q4 2015, the company announced plans to acquire the Vetri Family, a Philadelphia restaurant group. As the company was facing declining same store sales and foot traffic, the acquisition illustrated

1290-486: The departure of its president, Francis Pierrel, from the company. Urban Outfitters' products have also been the subject of multiple complaints and criticism, largely from religious, ethical, and ethnic pressure groups including a local chapter of the NAACP , Anti-Defamation League and Navajo Nation for some of their products. In January 2007, URBN stopped selling keffiyehs after Jewish blogging site Jewschool called out

1333-420: The extra mile to offer organic foods products that suit that particular consumer's needs. This is when a brand encompasses a consistent set of traits in which the consumer can relate. For example, Crossfit is a lifestyle brand which encompasses the idea of pushing yourself for your fitness. This idea is consistent on a global level. Through this lifestyle, consumers or participants have the opportunity to feel

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1376-461: The fashion-apparel products. One key indication that a brand has become a lifestyle is when it successfully expands beyond its original product. For example, Nike used to be a product-based company, focusing on making running shoes. But over time, the company and its logo has become associated with the athletic subculture. That has allowed Nike to expand into related athletic categories, such as sports equipment and apparel. Gaiam started out as

1419-430: The need for acceptance within society and the societal view on brands and how different brands portray income or wealth. Lifestyle brands allow customers to express themselves and portray their identity and lifestyle. Lifestyle brands in particular portray a type of meaning that allows a particular reference group to attach themselves based on their lifestyle, values or beliefs. If a consumer loves fashion this will have

1462-435: The rest. Social value is an aspect that relates to consumers' desire to obtain luxury brands that they hope will offer them a symbolic part of a group or culture. There are emotional factors that are connected to the consumption of a luxury brand: for example those that bring pleasure or excitement. Consumers who purchase luxury brands tend to have a strong social function within their social class. Lifestyle retail branding

1505-513: The retailer's shift in strategy. This includes restaurants Amis Trattoria, Bar Amis, and Pizzeria Vetri. There are two Pizzeria Vetri locations in Philadelphia, with other locations in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania , Devon, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. In 2019, the company drew attention by announcing the sale of used VHS tapes for $ 40. In the same year, Urban Outfitters launched Nuuly,

1548-420: The same level or same ways of marketing to consumers, as well as adopting the same product attributes. Luxury brands target those that have an extreme lifestyle. Price is never a factor. Three categories are identified as measuring brand value: brand loyalty, perceived value and brand awareness/association. Consumers associate themselves with luxury fashion brands to portray their lifestyle and separate them from

1591-418: The same product. Categorisation helps consumers evaluate the quality of the product. For example, a consumer may choose to purchase an Apple iPhone over a Huawei mobile phone, as they may believe that the iPhone has a better camera quality. This aspect is defined as the effect or influence a brand may have upon an organisation and its consumers. For example, Whole Foods can affect a consumer by going

1634-491: The shopping experience, the service, the communication or a combination of these elements. These are often result from visionary goals of the CEO or founder. Early on, Apple's founder Steve Jobs sought to integrate the company's innovations into the industries of music, entertainment, and telecommunications. In 2002, he gifted each 7th- and 8th-grader in the state of Maine with a laptop, in an effort to show that it wasn't "about

1677-743: The study of personality , values, opinions , attitudes , interests , and lifestyles . Psychographic segmentation is a technique for grouping populations into sub-groups according to similar psychological variables. Psychographic studies of individuals or communities can be valuable in the fields of marketing , demographics , opinion research , prediction, and social research in general. Psychographic attributes can be contrasted with demographic variables (such as age and gender), behavioral variables (such as purchase data or usage rate), and organizational descriptors (sometimes called firmographic variables), such as industry, number of employees, and functional area. Psychographic methods gained prominence in

1720-436: The study of cognitive attributes such as attitudes, interests, opinions, and belief , as well as the study of overt behavior (e.g., activities). A "psychographic profile" consists of a relatively complete profile of a person or group's psychographic make-up. These profiles are used in market segmentation as well as in advertising . Some categories of psychographic factors used in market segmentation include: Psychographics

1763-409: The technology, it's about what people can do with it." Lee Clow—the chairman of Omnicom Group's TBWA Worldwide and Apple marketing partner—said that Jobs had "a very rigorous view of Apple's tone of voice and the way it talks with people," calling it "very human, very accessible." Burton has built its lifestyle brand by drawing on the snowboarding subculture and Quiksilver has done the same with

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1806-502: The term "lifestyle branding" when they are developing their brand portfolio. A furniture company is likely to align new product lines with lifestyle collections that are associated with fashion icons, celebrities and well-known interior designers. For consumers this is reassuring and entices them to purchase home furnishings to be like these iconic influencers. Furniture companies have said that it helps them connect with those consumers who associate other categories with these celebrities. It

1849-455: Was founded as the retail store Free People by Richard Hayne , Judy Wicks and Scott Belair in 1970 as a project for an entrepreneurship class at University of Pennsylvania . It was renamed to Urban Outfitters and incorporated in 1976. Urban Outfitters, Inc. (URBN) carries multiple stores within the URBN portfolio of brands, which also includes Anthropologie , Free People , Terrain, BHLDN and

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