An analysis of brand and line extensions strategies as a marketing tactic. The case of Giorgio Armani.

The purpose of this study is to fulfill the research objectives and expand on previous research into the topic of brand and line extension strategies used by luxury brands. A case study analysis of the luxury brand Giorgio Armani will be the focus of this study as the company now has a high-street presence, as well as a luxury market presence. This study will investigate what effect the brand and line extensions have had on the brand, and consumer perceptions of this reform. This study provides previous literature on extensions within luxury brands. This study shows that in the case of Giorgio Armani, brand and line extensions are significant in order to keep up with competition. However, the company could improve upon their branding and positioning strategies in their lower-end lines in order to sustain their luxury brand appeal. The limitations of this project were mainly time constraints and finding an equal number of participants for both the focus groups and survey questionnaires. As the project was based upon Giorgio Armani, literature on their brand and line extensions was somewhat limited. The study could have had more depth to it if the researcher conducted more focus groups and used them as a qualitative tool, as opposed to using a small number of focus groups and questionnaire surveys. However, this project could be used to form the basis of further research in this field.