Question

Topic: Taglines/Names

Emotional Catchphrase For Online Fashion Store

Posted by Anonymous on 11/21/2014 at 11:10 AM ET 250 Points
I'm having a hard time coming up with the right catchphrase for an affordable online fashion store I'm launching in December. It's primarily for Africa's mostly ignored fashion market. I was stunned to discover on a recent visit there (after 25 years away), that only a minuscule percentage of the population can afford consumer goods - and usually low quality at exhorbitant prices! It's disappointing that the fashion industry has continued to ignore the region even though it often gets inspiration for its collections from there.

My objective is to find and take high quality fashion at affordable prices to a global community of underderserved peoples, particularly in Africa. We eventually plan on developing our own line of fashion and beauty products. I'm originally from Africa and I see it as my way of giving back.

How do I make 'Who says you're not worth it' convey that we are a global fashion store with a social conscience? The domain name is namikataranewyork.com (I'm open to changing it).

Thank you for your suggestions.

To continue reading this question and the solution, sign up ... it's free!
SUBSCRIBE
Or, SIGN IN

RESPONSES

  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 11/21/2014 at 12:53 PM Accepted
    Generally, starting with a negative message ("Who says you're not worth it?") isn't a good idea. It sets the wrong tone. Instead, begin with something aspirational - connecting with the desires of your audience and the proper value/benefit statement. If people can't afford basic consumer goods, then I'm also concerned that the concept of "high-quality fashion" isn't a good business concept (since "high-fashion" connotes a luxury, where basic needs aren't adequately being met).

    As far as your domain is concerned, what do people you're targeting think of the name? Are they interested in "New York" type things? What does the rest of the name connote?
  • Posted by saul.dobney on 11/25/2014 at 4:44 AM Accepted
    You'll need some care over positioning as you have several dimensions at play. Firstly for fashion/beauty products, some people buy because there's a certain cachet to more expensive products - eg because of style, design, uniqueness etc. For this group 'cheap' and 'fashion' don't go together.

    However a second meaning might be 'quality clothing/clothes'. This is easier to target for the lower income groups. "Quality clothes at Affordable prices" or "Quality clothes at African prices" etc.

    The third challenge you have is that your specified target group may not be too well connected - mobile phones and possibly some internet connection, but payment facilities like credit cards for instance? And how are you going to deliver and what will be the cost of delivery? Which language do they use? How do they know how to trust sellers with their hard-earned money? These add substantially to the challenge of purchase.

    So by going for an online option you may already be outside and away from your stated target market. Perhaps if the target market is connected, professional/urban Africans that will give you a better demographic - but then will you really need to lead on price?

    I'd nail down the targettiing with some proper research. Firstly narrow down to one max two countries - Africa is too big and too diverse to be treated en bloc - then start talking to people in your target market and explore how the proposition might work - logistics, tax-rules/duties, warehousing, competition etc and then build the tagline from this work.
  • Posted on 12/3/2014 at 7:00 AM Author
    Thank you both for your thoughtful contributions, I appreciate.

    To Saul: I agree with your comment that a negative tone is not the way to go. I have a few alternatives I'm refining. The domain name has a personal connotation but our logo is a universal West African sign for brotherhood. I have since dropped New York from the domain name and it's just namikatara.com now. I think I was appealing to their sense of vanity by letting it be known we were not local. Thank you again

    To Jay: Thank you for your keen insight. I understand how I may appear to have too many dimensions but my use of Africa in the post is deliberately generic. My principal target market are the three or four countries with the strongest steady growth as emerging consumer markets in sub-saharan Africa. I expect there will be things I won't discover until I go live, but I have done extensive research on doing business in those places, and I know them well. Thank you again.
BACK TO TOP

Post a Comment

Related Discussions

Community Info

Top 25 Experts
(Taglines/Names)