如果你在營銷領域工作,你在接受采訪時可能會禁不住誘惑,高談闊論一套生搬硬套的推銷言論。而采訪東京上市公司迅銷(Fast Retailing)的全球創意總裁約翰·杰伊卻給人耳目一新的感覺。迅銷是日本休閑服裝零售連鎖店優衣庫(Uniqlo)的母公司。杰伊作為該公司的營銷專家,在接受《采訪》雜志采訪時,坦率地談論了優衣庫的業績、定位和在全球快消服裝行業占據主導地位的計劃,偶爾也會有一些批評的意見。 優衣庫在1984年成立于日本廣島,目前在18個市場有超過1,900家門店(美國有47家)。全球每周就會新開一家優衣庫門店。優衣庫是亞洲最大和全球第三大服裝連鎖品牌,它的目標是成為全球第一。該品牌的全球增長正在給其母公司 帶來回報: 在周四公布的業績報告中,迅銷集團宣布在截至8月份的財年,其營業利潤達到創紀錄的1,764億日元(15.7億美元),主要原因是優衣庫的海外收入增長了95.4%。 優衣庫連鎖品牌來自其億萬富翁創始人兼CEO柳井正的創意。他曾獲得2013年“時代百大最具影響力人物”提名,據《福布斯》報道,柳井正的個人財富為164億美元,目前在日本排在第二位。 杰伊曾擔任耐克(Nike)創意總監。他在采訪中分享了公司建設全球時尚品牌的四個原則。 1. 確立經營理念 優衣庫(原名“獨特服裝倉儲式商店”(Unique Clothing Warehouse))銷售時尚、實用和技術創新的服裝(被稱作服適人生),包括男裝、女裝、童裝和嬰兒服裝。但杰伊認為,更重要的是,“優衣庫創立的根本是‘民主’。 “‘造服于人’[優衣庫的廣告語]是我們的理念。我們的目標是將所有服裝民主化,為所有人提供耐用、經濟實惠的服裝。” 民主超越了價位。優衣庫創始人的商業理念,究其根由是“同工同酬”的信念。柳井正已經提出了統一薪酬制度,該制度規定全球所有門店經理將獲得相同的薪酬(目前已經在優衣庫高層中實行)。 2. 講真話勝過講道理 真話具有普世的吸引力 — 在倫敦可行的話在洛杉磯同樣行得通。所以,在優衣庫的全球品牌講故事配方中,炒作和廣告宣傳所占的份額可以忽略不計。 例如,優衣庫的廣告語“造服于人”不只是一句象征性的話。公司為所有人提供休閑服飾的理念(不論任何年齡、性別、種族、殘疾和其他定義特征),在優衣庫業務的其他方面都有切實的體現,例如公司選擇的模特、全球品牌大使等等。該時尚品牌贊助的運動員包括戈登·雷德,他是溫布爾登具有統治地位的輪椅網球冠軍,在2016年里約殘奧會上奪得了冠軍。 杰伊堅信品牌建設的關鍵是:“從真話開始。作為一個品牌,你要問自己:‘我們存在的意義是什么?別人為什么要關注你?我們如何為人類和社會做出好的貢獻?’然后,你需要發揮創造力,有力量、有情感、清晰明了地講述你的故事。” 3. 為善,行善 杰伊說道:“只有當你堅持成為一家偉大的產品制造商,并且你作為地區和全球公民的行動得到人們的信任和欽佩時,你才能得到品牌信任。” 柳井正也認同這樣的觀點。他在三十歲時就開始寫下了后來的23條管理原則,他將這些原則形容為優衣庫的“靈魂”。這些原則中最重要的都是一些基本的宗旨,例如客戶至上和貢獻社會等等。 尤其是在最近幾年,柳井在不斷踐行貢獻社會這條原則。今年8月,紐約市全球非盈利組織亞洲協會(Asia Society)公布了亞洲創變者獲獎名單,優衣庫創始人榜上有名。該組織表示,柳井正獲獎的原因是通過“打造一個熱衷于回饋本地社區的全球零售帝國”,“讓慈善變成時尚”。例如: 自2007年以來,Uniqlo Recycle與聯合國難民署(United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,UNHCR)合作,為全世界的難民、疏散人員、災民、孕婦和哺乳期媽媽以及有需要的人捐贈了2,030萬件衣服。 4. 選好位置 杰伊表示,與房地產一樣,一個品牌的全球價值取決于它的位置。遵循這個原則,優衣庫希望其研發中心在戰略上對應全球的時尚中心 — 紐約、倫敦、米蘭、巴黎、東京等。 杰伊表示,3月份成立的Uniqlo City Tokyo全球創意中心,將作為公司目前和未來創意研發工作的中心。但他表示:“倫敦也有一支小型研發團隊,服務于迅銷的GU品牌。這里最終將發展成優衣庫的創意研發實驗室。” 優衣庫的快速時尚未來 2016年,優衣庫的品牌價值為70億美元,在《福布斯》全球最具價值品牌排行榜中名列第91位。 杰伊承認:“優衣庫排在第91位證明我們還有很長的路要走……作為一個全球品牌,我們才剛剛起步。”有零售分析師批評優衣庫缺乏在線影響力并且沒有針對非亞洲市場做出調整,對于這些批評的聲音,杰伊坦然接受。他表示:“這是事實,[補救這些問題]是我們的數字戰略的一部分。我們的目標是成為一家全球數字零售公司,Uniqlo City Tokyo是實現這個目標的第一步。” 優衣庫是全球第三大服裝零售商,僅次于瑞典跨國品牌H&M和Zara的母公司、西班牙跨國公司Inditex。有零售分析師預測,只要優衣庫在全球增長發動機亞洲有大幅增長,它就有可能成為全球最大的時尚品牌,即使它不是美國的第一名。 但杰伊對優衣庫的定位非常明確: “重要的不是我們如何取得第一的位置。如果不能贏得美國人民的心,我們會非常失望……休閑服裝很大程度上來說是西方/美國人的發明,而作為一家誕生于日本文化和匠人精神的公司,我們希望能夠續寫這個傳奇。 我們希望成為第一,根本原因不在于我們想要變得更大。我們希望成為第一是因為我們想要變得更好。”(財富中文網) 譯者:劉進龍/汪皓 |
When you work in marketing, it’s hard to fight the temptation to regurgitate promotional spiel in an interview. So it was refreshing to connect with John Jay, president of global creative at Tokyo-listed Fast Retailing, the parent company of Japanese casual wear retail chain, Uniqlo. In an interview with Fortune, Jay, who is essentially the company’s marketing guru, was candid and occasionally critical about Uniqlo’s performance, positioning and plans for world domination in the fast-fashion clothing and apparel industry. Founded in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1984, Uniqlo today counts more than 1,900 stores (47 in the U.S.) across 18 markets. Every week, there’s a Uniqlo store opening somewhere in the world. It’s the largest clothing chain in Asia, and the third-largest globally, with an eye on becoming number one. The brand’s global growth is paying off for its parent company: In an earnings report on Thursday, Fast Retailing announced that its operating profit hit a record high of 176.4 billion yen ($1.57 billion) for the year that ended in August, thanks in large part to a 95.4% increase in Uniqlo’s overseas earnings. The Uniqlo chain is the brainchild of billionaire founder and CEO, Tadashi Yanai – a Time 100 nominee in 2013, and currently Japan’s second-richest person, with a net worth of $16.4 billion, according to Forbes. Jay, a former creative director for Nike, shared the company’s four principles for building a global fashion brand. 1. Establish your “why” Uniqlo (formerly the “Unique Clothing Warehouse”) sells fashionable, functional and technologically innovative clothes – called LifeWear – for men, women, children and babies. But more importantly, according to Jay, “Uniqlo was founded on being ‘democratic.’ “‘Made for all’ [Uniqlo’s slogan] is our philosophy. Our goal is to democratize all clothing by making it durable, accessible and affordable for everyone.” Democracy extends beyond price point. Its founder’s business philosophy is underpinned by the belief that “an equal amount of work deserves an equal wage.” Yanai has proposed a universal pay system in which shop managers worldwide would receive the same salary (this is already in place for high-ranking Uniqlo executives). 2. Truth-telling trumps storytelling The truth has universal appeal – what works in London will work in Los Angeles. So, hype and advertising “puff” play little or no part in Uniqlo’s global brand storytelling formula. For instance, Uniqlo’s slogan, “Made for all,” isn’t just a token statement. The company’s philosophy of providing casual clothes that are made for all people (irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, disability and other defining traits) is genuinely reflected in other parts of Uniqlo’s business, such as its selection of models, global brand ambassadors and so forth. The fashion brand’s sponsored athletes include Gordon Reid – the reigning Wimbledon wheelchair tennis champion and a Rio 2016 Paralympic Games gold medallist. When it comes to brand-building, “Start with the truth,” Jay insists. “As a brand, ask, ‘Why do we exist? Why should anyone care? How do we contribute to the good of people and society?’ Then, you need creativity to tell your story with power, emotion and clarity.” 3. Be good, do good “Brand trust can only come if you are consistent as a great product-maker and if your actions as a local and global citizen are trusted and admired,” Jay says. Yanai subscribes to the same school of thought. While in his thirties, Yanai started writing what would eventually become 23 management principles, which he collectively terms the “soul” of Uniqlo. Foremost among these principles are fundamental tenets such as putting customers first and contributing to society. Yanai has honed in on this latter principle, particularly in recent years. In August, the Asia Society – a New York City-based global non-profit – publicized the list of recipients of the Asia Game Changers award, which features the Uniqlo founder. According to the group, Yanai was made an awardee for “making philanthropy fashionable” by “building a global retail empire that gives back to local communities.” One example: In partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Uniqlo Recycle has delivered 20.3 million clothing items to refugees, evacuees, victims of disaster, expectant and nursing mothers and others in need around the world since 2007. 4. Plan your location, location, location Like property, Jay says, a brand’s global value is determined by the mantra “location, location, location.” With this principle in mind, Uniqlo wants its research and development (R&D) centers to strategically mirror the fashion capitals of the world – New York, London, Milan, Paris, Tokyo and the like. Uniqlo City Tokyo: Global Innovation Center, which opened in March, serves as the central location for the company’s current and future creative R&D efforts, Jay says. But he notes that, “London has opened with a small team of researchers for Fast Retailing’s GU brand. This will eventually grow into a creative R&D lab for Uniqlo.” Uniqlo’s fast-fashion future In 2016, with a brand value of $7bn, Uniqlo ranked 91st on the Forbes list of the world’s most valuable brands. “The fact that Uniqlo ranked 91 is evidence of how far we have to go…we have only just begun as a global brand,” Jay acknowledges. When reminded of the criticisms retail analysts level at Uniqlo – that it lacks online presence and has failed to adjust to non-Asian markets – Jay takes them on the chin. “This is absolutely true and [remedying these problems] is part of our digital strategy,” Jay says. “Our goal is to be a global digital retail company, and the launch of Uniqlo City Tokyo is the first step towards that objective.” Uniqlo is the third-largest fashion retailer in the world – behind Swedish multinational H&M, and Zara’s parent company, Inditex, a Spanish multinational. Some retail analysts forecast that, if Uniqlo wins big in Asia – the world’s growth driver – it could become the number one fashion brand, even without becoming number one in the U.S. But Jay is unequivocal about Uniqlo’s position: “That is not how we would like to achieve the number one position. We would be disappointed if we could not win the hearts and minds of the American people…Casual apparel is largely a Western/American invention, so we want to add to that legacy as a company born from Japanese culture and craftsmanship. “Ultimately, we want to become number one not simply because we are bigger. We want to become number one because we are better.” |