Pringle of Scotland and their changing marketing strategy

FashionUnited recently had a "minute with" Benoit Duverger, Director of Global Communications at Pringle of Scotland. The interview led to an inspirational story about the way they changed their marketing strategy.

Pringle of Scotland is one of the oldest names in the scottish borders, the birthplace of the british knitwear industry. Founded in 1815 by Robert Pringle , the company began as a manufacturer of hosiery and underwear. It became one of the first luxury knitwear manufacturers in the world, having expanded throughout europe, the us and japan during the 19th and 20th centuries.

FashionUnited: How wou

ld you describe the role of marketing in your company?
Benoit Duverger: Marketing is integral part of everything Pringle of Scotland undertakes to explain our positioning in the context of our 195-year heritage. There is closest-possible interaction between design, sales and marketing with the aim to implement all programs simultaneously. At any smaller business there are many added marketing functions so at Pringle a lot of positive energy is generated through the relative creative freedom marketing has within the company.

FU: The past decade the media channels have changed radically, how did/are you adapt(ing)?
BD: Print media will always play an important role but campaigns are now going way beyond photograpy if they want to be truly innovative and maxise the brand message in an interesting way. Video, illustration and contemporary art is now the creative way of expressing our direction and online media offers more options constantly.

FU: What is your vision, which media will you be using in 2020?
BD: All is and will remain work in progress and nobodyt can truly predict. A more fragmented brand campaign, adapted to smaller social media and targeted online channels will be critical as will be to entertain the consumer on all levels while still being very clear abouts ones positioning.

FU: How would you define your focus, online vs offline?
BD: Offline / online is completely interlinked and co-exist on the same level and priority

FU: Can you tell us a little more about your latest success story (a milestone)?
BD: The most wonderful experience was to sign and work with Tilda Swinton. And our brand agency that helped us collaborate with a string of fantastic Scottish artists for the serpentine gallery including Tilda. All coming together in one collaborative campaign - first with Tilda for s/s 10 now with turner prize winner Douglas Gordon for a/w 10-11.

FU: What is your short term focus?
BD: Further strengthening the Pringle brand. Implementing the exciting Pringle archive project with professor louise wilson at central saint martins with her students and the fashion history course at the same time.

FU: What is your long term focus?
BD: Remaining relevant and working with exciting artists and designers. Work with meaningful brands.

FU: Marketing: art or science?
BD: Neither - always a mix of both

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?
BD: Hopefully both. First come the products and services and communicating these relevant to the consumer. From this creative projects are derived that ulimately lead to innovation and inspired design.