Mareting and design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mareting and design - Essay Example des the customer with a quality product which satisfies his needs, making it as one of the key reasons that brands still enjoy the popularity amongst its customers and at the same time, attract fresh clientele. The paper would be discussing the ways The Body Shop uses its brand to gain leverage against it competitors in the market and create a niche market position. The Body Shop was founded in 1976 by Anita Roddick, a social activist and environmentalist, who believed that using the natural ingredients are the best way to take care of the body and remain beautiful. It makes a huge range of body care products from natural ingredients from across the world and caters to people of all strata. There are around 700 products under different categories such as: facial skin care; make-up; bath and body; hair; fragrance; gifts and accessories (BodyShop). The products can further be categorized as per the natural ingredients like aloe Aloe Vera cream, musk oil etc. The company was taken over by L’Oreal in 2006 but has retained it brand name. The company prides in using natural products from all corners of the world and contributes to sustainable business practices by ensuring that the ingredients used in the products are from sustainable source where deforestation is not involved or cruelty to animals has not been part of business process. It subscribe to humane cosmetic standard and works towards the welfare of animals and community. Brand can broadly be defined in terms of name, symbol or design that identifies product and services of particular company which can be clearly differentiated from other products in the same category. Brand delivers value and provides the companies with competitive advantage to gain a niche market position. Kotler asserts that in the contemporary environment of highly competitive business, ‘brand building is needed because products are the same’ (Kotler, 2005). Brands ensure that they meet the changing requirements of the people.