The closing case discusses the recent reinvigoration of Burberry’s brand from the late 1990s to 2016. Initially begun by Rose Marie Bravo, she saw tremendous hidden value in the Burberry brand that was not being leveraged when she joined the company in 1997. Through her work, as well as that of Angela Ahrendts, Burberry was able to appeal to younger, well-heeled, fashion-conscious consumers internationally and pursue a retail strategy that did not include licensing as had been done previously. Instead, the company gained control of its brand and developed a strategy both with brick-and-mortar stores and a considerable online presence.
(A) Is it time for Burberry to focus more intensely on markets outside its core 25 wealthy cities? What about its demographic focus on well-heeled, younger, fashion-conscious set?
(B) Should Burberry’s be focused on new brick-and-mortar stores, as new CEO Christopher Bailey did with the opening of Burberry’s largest store, 121 Regent Street in London, or should they focus on more online sales worldwide?