If Coach, a luxury goods marketer, would like to study the consumer perceptions of global luxury brands, what would be the best approach since there are several competitors?

What will be an ideal response?

Consumers may differentiate one designer brand from another in various ways, such as how easy it is to purchase each brand, how visible each brand is, whether or not the brand offers diffusion lines, etc. A study can be conducted to study the perceptual dimension of "ubiquitous verses rare." A five-point similarity judgment scale of selected designer brands can be developed. The responses achieved help marketers understand which brands in a particular category are in direct competition with each other and which are not. The responses can be analyzed using an MDS program; the perceptual mapping. The perceptual map will show the differences such as between ubiquity and rarity; or exclusivity and accessibility. The position of Coach, thus can be studied from the map. This type of study could help Coach to respond to new industry realities, which include a shift in the perception of what constitutes luxury and the increasing fragmentation of consumer tastes. Such a map will be helpful in knowing up-and-coming fashion designer hoping to launch a new line.