Wife and husband team, Margarida and Andr Oliveira founded the now respected Brazilian denim company "Oliveira" in 1957. Margarida was a talented fashion designer who worked for other brands, and felt it was time to launch her own brand. She was also very creative and wanted to launch her brand around clothing that was not normally considered for bespoke or couture fashion.

She began working with Brazilian cotton farmers to manufacture denim cotton that was supple and strong. Margarida designed three styles of women's jeans and two for men and then customised every garment to suit individual clients' body shapes and denim colour preferences. Husband Andr turned out to be a talented salesman and they grew the business into a thriving local endeavour. Margarida and Andr Oliveira were recognised by the Brazilian Government for hiring local employees and for their business efforts with two entrepreneurial awards in 1981 and 1982.

Daughter Francisca, formalised the firm's relationship with the Brazilian Association of Cotton Growers and expanded the Oliveira brand nationally, in the early 1990s. While still retaining the bespoke foundations, Francisca capitalised on a national marketing campaign, through traditional marketing channels, which highlighted that each garment was meticulously handcrafted and locally produced with local materials and employees, and every item was still personally signed by Margarida (even though she had retired). Customers loved the campaign, but the impact on sales was stilted.

In the 2000s, the company began to suffer through changing demands. Casual loungewear had exploded and these were typically made from wool, lightweight cottons, terry cloth and linens. Fashion trends included pleated, bubble and mini-skirts, cut out dresses and Capri pants. Oliveira responded by launching a new product line of bubble skirts, made from their softest denims, but the fashion trend was short-lived and the product line was never popular. The attempt to shift product lines cost the company dearly in terms of reputation, brand strength and financial investment.

In early 2021, granddaughter Juliana took over Oliveira as the new Chief Executive Officer. While young, Juliana has worked in the fashion industry her entire life. She has seen the importance of sustainability and recognises the important role that slow fashion will play in the next decade. Juliana describes slow fashion as manufacturing which respects people, environment and animals and the opposite of fast fashion. She has set her sights on generating growth through innovation, and longer term, wants Oliveira to become a top 10 bespoke jeans brand in the world. To achieve this goal, Juliana began looking for a marketing communications expert to analyse the brand, with the view to launching a new product in early 2022. As part of RMIT's LinkedIn involvement, Juliana became aware of the significant positive impact that Marketing Communications students were having on the product development and marketing communications environment in Australia and she was impressed by your resume. Congratulations, you are the newly appointed "Marketing Communications Manager" for Oliveira.

After undertaking a thorough analysis of the situation facing Oliveira in the jeans brand category, you realise that bespoke jean customers are particularly brand loyal to their favourite brand, once they find a brand they like, they tend to stick with it. They can also be loyal to a particular style. Existing Oliveira customers (75% of whom are women) love and have a deep connection with the brand, in part due to Oliveira's country-of-origin and family-oriented emotional advertising.

However, Oliveira customers have not had much of a product choice. The company has always produced three main styles for women, high waisted, relaxed fit and flared. For men, they make two styles, straight leg and slim cut. Apart from their brief, unsuccessful, foray into bubble skirts, they have only made jeans, no other denim garments.

In your first meeting with Juliana, she tells you she has been working directly with several Brazilian cotton farmers, experimenting with the twill weaves to create unique diagonal ribbing patterns. This means that patterns could be combined with customised dying to create some truly one-of-a-kind jeans. Juliana has named this product line Padro Estilizado" (loosely translated as styled or changed pattern).

To capitalise on the growing trend for environmental sustainability and responding to customer demand for ethically sourced materials and products, Juliana also has an idea that customers can bring in their old Oliveira jeans, that either no longer fit or are worn and the team will turn them into patchwork jeans using both the old jeans plus new, sustainably produced, material. Juliana has named the patchwork jeans idea, Estilo Sustentvel (loosely translated as sustainable style).

Juliana and her team are looking to trial both new products, including any necessary rebranding work, in Australia first. You realise that Oliveira needs move fast. With this in mind, you begin the process of briefing a panel of respected full-service agencies with the aim of selecting an agency to assist you to formulate the appropriate campaign strategy and develop an integrated campaign idea. As part of this process, you must clarify the thinking that will form the foundation of the work. It is especially important to you that the successful agency fully understands integrated

QUESTION

A well designed launch campaign for each new product line is going to be critical for success.

a) Both Padro Estilizado (styled or changed pattern) and Estilo Sustentvel (sustainable style) can be seen as 'new', therefore, successfully communicating adoption related characteristics is important. With regard to the strategic adoption factors, which one would you recommend highlighting with priority in appropriate and ethical marketing communication activities. Explain why you chose that factor and how you would recommend utilising it in a campaign for either Padro Estilizado or Estilo Sustentvel. ?

The marketing communication mix involves all the tools that can be used to communicate with both current customers and potential customers. In looking through Oliveria's marketing materials, you realise that no one has ever applied the marketing communication mix to this firm.

b) Describe and define the marketing communication mix. Apply the marketing communication mix elements to Oliveira. What marketing communications mix tools do you think are important, not as important, not important at all, for both the new jeans product proposals (Padro Estilizado and Estilo Sustentvel). Be sure to explain and justify your reasons. What further work is needed to fine tune your suggested communications mix tools?