Eucalyptus' international expansion marketing

How to market a brand? With the numerous options companies have today, making choices is not easy. FashionUnited contacted Eucalyptus and got some interesting answers. Eucalyptus is essentially a womenswear British label, based in London. The

brand was officially launched in 2001 by Sonia Au-Yeung, founder designer and Managing Director. The company has been enjoying a steady expansion, growing from a local market (Camden Town) to supplying fashion boutiques, independent shops and trendy websites across the UK and now wider Europe and Japan. Eucalyptus participates of Europe’s fashion calendar at Bread and Butter (Berlin) and Pure (London). The label’s distinctive, feminine and contemporaneous designs have gained a strong following that keeps growing, thanks to a consistent and well articulated expansion plan.

FashionUnited: How would you describe the roll of marketing in your company?
Sonia Au-Yeung: Marketing is applied in addition to the commercial activities developed by the company. The business is
developed organically and careful consideration is taken when promoting expansion and marketing activities. Eucalyptus believes in sustained growth and takes extra care in expanding activities, especially on the current economic climate.

FU: What is your expansion plan into new markets the coming year?
SA: We first stared working with a distributor in Italy in 2007. We have appointed distributors in Germany in 2008 and a
distributor for the BENELUX area in 2009. We feel that it is important to develop our markets through sustained growth, allowing time for us to build a strong and lasting working relationship with each distributor and country before moving on to develop another area. We are in the process of looking at representation through distribution in Spain and Scandinavia for 2010 and 2011.

FU: What are your expectations for the coming year?
SA: I expect trading in the coming year to be quite tough, but with the right strategy in place, we will be able to stabilize and grow our markets.

FU: What marketing tools do you implement to reach international clients?
SA: Eucalyptus international activities and clients are a result of trade shows that the company takes on a regular basis, being part of its budget calendar. The brand also employs international distributors (well structured and trusted companies), which are in part responsible for sustaining contacts in those countries.

FU: What tools do you use to build relationships with buyers both in the UK and abroad?
SA: Eucalyptus has recently been introduced to the social media tools, in addition to the brand’s website. They are fantastic in facilitating contacts and keeping costumers and admirers up to date with our events, news and launches. The press in the countries we operate are contacted on a regular basis and activities intensify according to the fashion calendar in those countries.

FU: How would you define your focus, online vs offline?
SA: Eucalyptus is essentially, a wholesale company, therefore, the brand does not sell directly online. Our focus online is strictly for brand awareness purposes, building costumers and press relationships.

FU: What do you need to increase brand awareness in oversees markets?
SA: We are currently working on celebrity placements strategy, as we believe it is the next step forward in reaching larger audiences.

FU: How do you manage culture differences?
SA: Eucalyptus’ designs are very wearable and easily translate to the contemporaneous woman. Being an independent and modern woman is an embedded global effect so; geography is not a barrier to how this specific woman sees our designs. We do however notice that certain styles are preferred in determined regions and countries. Whenever that is detected, the company prepares a suitable selection and adaptations if required. That way, we keep in tune with our markets.

FU: Can you tell us a little more about your latest success story (a milestone)?
SA: Eucalyptus has had a very successful story so far, with sustainable, firm and small steps. The latest achievement for the brand was to launch its sister label “Friday On My Mind” this year. S/S 10 has seen the 50s inspired clothing range to quickly take its own identity within Eucalyptus branding. It has been particularly important to the company to spot this market within its costumer base and successfully attend to the demand. Also, launching a new brand when many companies are retreating is an important factor that sets the brand apart from its competitors.

FU: What kind of marketer are you? Are you an inventor who uses their intuition to accomplish wonderful product innovations and designs? Or someone who successfully combines existing products and services to consumer wants and needs?
SA: I think we are very individual in what we do. We have a consumer pattern that we attend to and always take in consideration when creating and marketing our products. We implement innovations every season, being a new sister label, being the introduction of denim for the first time; however, we never loose sight from our faithful consumer base. Generally, our  designs have broad appeal and being based in a culturally diverse city such as London, we are aware of the many cultural differences, but feel that this is not generally an issue with our designs.