The Limited

Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign

Jamila White
Public Relations Management

Fall 2014

The Limited: UnLimited Style for Todays Professional Woman

Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign
Description of Organization: The Limited is a national retail clothing store. The Limited is
owned by the private equity firm Sun Capital Partners. The company is known for its limited
selection of womens clothing. In its national chain stores The Limited sells dresses, wear-towork pieces, suits, tops, skirts and pants. The Limited was opened in 1963 Bella Cabakoff in
Columbus Ohio. In 2007 The Limited was attained by Sun Capital Partners and released its
ownership of the Limited Brands and closed all of its U.S. locations. In 2009, The Limited
began to open new stores within the United States. Currently The Limited has 259 stores in the
continental United States. The Limited has an online catalogue, traditional format stores and a
few outlet stores. Additionally, with its new ownership The Limited has become a privately
owned company and it is not listed on the NYSE. The CEO of The Limited since 2013 is Diane
Ellis.
Statement of the Situation: In Fall 2014, The Limited launched a new styles and lines for its
wear-to-work collection. CEO Diane Ellis announced that this new line and styles would be
geared towards their most valued costumers which are the modern professional woman. The
Limited has the opportunity to increase sales with its new line and styles for its wear to work
collection. The Limited reopened its stores in 2009 and it is still trying to reestablish itself as the
go to retailer for wear to work clothing. The store sells very expensive, but very good quality
suits, jackets and wear to work pants. These types of clothing are some of The Limiteds
bestselling products and can help move the company forward and gain momentum among its
competitors. Due to the ongoing efforts of the company trying to reestablish its brand and image,
we will create an Integrated Marketing Communications campaign to help raise awareness of
The Limited and spike the interests of customers in hopes to increase brand loyalty and
recognition.
Key Publics:
1. Employees. The Limited has over 2,000 employees in its national U.S. chains.
Employees are the most critical key public within any organization because without
them, the organization could not be successful. It is up to the employees to be behind the
opportunity to take it to its full potential, especially in re-establishing the brand. The
employees should believe this campaign will bring benefits for them and the company.
2. Customers. Customers must become of the re-established brand The Limited, as well as
the new styles and designs it has for its wear to work collection and other products. In
order to effectively execute tactics, the customer base much be segmented into
manageable categories.

Public Relations Management

2
a. Frequent customers of The Limited. These are the customers that have remained loyal
to the company and brand even after The Limited reopened its stores in 2009.They do
not need to be influenced to shop at The Limited, but they do need to know that their
business is appreciated and The Limited respects their loyalty to the company.
b. Past customers of The Limited. These are the customers that have strayed from The
Limited after the company closed its stores in 2007 and reopened their stores in 2009.
Past customers are the shoppers that the company is trying to win back. The new
strategy will show past customers that The Limited still holds the same quality
clothing, price and shopping experience that made them want to shop at The Limited
previously.
c. Prospective customers of The Limited. The Limited would like to encourage todays
modern professional to shop at their stores. This new marketing strategy will show
these prospective customers that The Limited clothing and products appeal to the
moderns professional wardrobe and shopping needs.
3. Shareholders. The Limiteds shareholders which are Sun Capital Partners should feel
involved and be informed throughout the campaign. They invest in shares to be provided
with knowledge of what goes on within the company. They give their own input to what
they want to see improved and change in for the brand. These shareholders have to be on
board with the campaign so that they will support financial and other aspects in order to
take full advantage of The Limiteds new opportunity.
Integrated Message Platform
1. The Limited is a classic and sophisticated brand that has unlimited style for the modern
working professional woman.
i.
The line has professional apparel and accessories for all sizes including tall,
petite and plus size.
ii.
The Limited has recently partnered with the highly popular Television Show
Scandal to create a line and apparel inspired by the show.
iii.
The line has highly priced suits, wear to work pants and dresses that have better
quality than competitors clothing.
iv.
The Limited has recently started community outreach events that allow a group
of local women to shop at The Limited stores with a discount.
2. The Limited cares about its customers and aims to help them enjoy great quality products
by doing their best to make purchases easy and comfortable.
i.
The Limited trains their sales associates and store managers to help customers
pick styles and pieces of clothing that are the right fit for their body type.
ii.
The line is located online, in store and customers are able to complete online
orders if the product is unavailable in store.
iii.
The Limited has find in store online application for items that are online and
in store.
iv.
The Limited encourages their customers to give feedback on their shopping
experience and products by leaving suggestions and comments after making a
purchase.
3. Increasing brand visibility and awareness is essential for The Limited because it would
boost sales and potential customers for the company.
Public Relations Management

3
i.
ii.
iii.

With the fall 2014 Scandal Collection launch, The Limited brand is moving
towards a reinvigorated, renewed and refocused image.
Head designer Elliot Staples states that the brands new collection is aimed to
stimulate conversations about the companys products and apparel.
The company has invested a large amount of money in social media to raise
awareness of their new styles, collections and apparel being offered for every
season.

Key Public Relations Strategies: The Key Strategies of The Limited: Unlimited style for
Todays Professional Woman campaign include, but are not limited to:
1. Create awareness among key publics about The Limiteds online store and traditional
store locations.
2. Educate key publics on the wear to work collections, accessories and more expensive
products that The Limited sells.
3. Establish a brand perception for The Limited as being a retailer that the modern working
professional woman identifies with and being a brand that appeals to her lifestyle.
Strategic Public Relations Objectives:
1. Achieve a 35% level of positive brand awareness among key publics of the online and
traditional stores of The Limited and the type of products it sells.
2. To establish 35% level of positive recognition among key publics of the organization.
3. Achieve a 25% level of increase of positive brand perception within the brands
category.

Public Relations Management

Brainstorming Grid
Public(s)
Employees

Value(s)
-Integrity of the
company
-Job Retention
-Increased Salary

Customers

-Quality Products
-Equivalent Price
-Exceptional
Customer Service

Shareholders

-Annual Sales

Message(s)
-Employees are the
most important key
public
-They are always in
the thoughts of the
organization
-They must support
the awareness
campaign
-Trendy, modern and
classic professional
styles
-The Limited
appreciates customers
feedback

-Growth and Earnings

Media
-Newsletters
-Direct

-Print and Broadcast

Media
-Social Media
-Brand Press Releases
-Pitch Letter
-Product Placement in
popular Television
Shows
-Television Interviews
-Media Investor
Relations
-Annual Meetings

Public Relations Management

Key Marketing Strategies: The Key Marketing Strategies of The Limited: UnLimited Style for
Todays Professional Woman campaign include but are not limited to the following:
1. Increase sales revenue by the end of the fiscal year ending in 2015.
2. Increase market share in womens professional work wear and lifestyle fashion retail.
High quality and established wear to work styles, accessories and customer service
gives The Limited a competitive advantage.

3. Gain a share of mind for those interested in purchasing high quality wear to work
styles. Do this through increasing promoting brand identity.
Strategic Marketing Objectives:
1. Achieve a 25% increase in sales revenue by promoting the high quality wear to work
collection and modern fashion styles The Limited offers to the clients.
2. Establish a 25% market share in professional work wear and lifestyle fashion retail. This can
be done by increasing sales, and brand recognition to key publics.
3. Achieve a promoted brand identity increase of 25% so that The Limited can become one of the
first sites searched when customers search for wear to work clothing.

Key Advertising Strategies: The Key Advertising Strategies of The Limited: UnLimited Style
for Todays Professional Woman campaign include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Generate an award winning advertising campaign.
2. Create a Direct Response Strategy through the generation of digital media leads. This requires
lower monetary expenses.
3. Achieve high rates of recall through an expertly launched advertising campaign.

Advertising Objectives:
1. Win a Clio award in the Strategic Communication/Public Relations category. As a result, sales
revenue should increase because the campaign is successful.
2. Generate 300 leads per 500 internet clicks on a social media/digital media site.
3. Achieve reader/viewer recall scores of 85% per each 1,000 impressions.
Public Relations Management

Integrated Tactical Plan: The following is a list of strategic public relations and marketing
tactics that will reach key publics in the integrated campaign.
Public Relations Tactics:
Newsletter: This tactic will be utilized once every month to manage the relationship between the
company and its employees. Employees are the most important key public to The Limited. In
order for the campaign to be successful, the employees need to be in-the-know and on board
about what is going on in the company. It also can be used to give recognition to individual
employees who are going above and beyond what is expected of them.
Annual Meetings: This tactic will be used to manage the relationship between The Limited and
its shareholder Sun Capital Partners. It will provide readers with information about all aspects of
the company, such as the company vision and mission, products, and financial information. This
will be produced once a year, at the end of the fiscal year.
Advertising: An innovative and creative advertising campaign must be made to emphasize the
array of quality products that The Limited carries. This will include visual media tactics such as
product placement in Television shows and Television Interviews. This will be most heavily
utilized around the back to school season and holiday, which is when the company earns a large
amount of its profit. Smaller ads will be present throughout the rest of the year, but the most
money will be spent on advertising around the holidays and back to school season.
Pitch Letter: This tactic will be used to secure placement in important media sources, such as a
newspaper or magazine. The Limited wants to show consumers their new brand awareness
strategy to make their quality merchandise and important investment in ay professional womans
wardrobe. A media story will help them achieve this. The Limited will send their pitch letter out
two months before they want their story to appear in the media.
Evaluative Research: Research must be conducted throughout the campaign to ensure its
success. In regards to public relations, this research will be primary and secondary.

Marketing Tactics:
Special Events: The Limited will utilize special events and promotions to reward loyal
customers and encourage new customers to shop at their stores. For the purpose of this
campaign, loyal customers will be those who have a Limited credit card. The Limited will have
four events a year, at the beginning of each season, which gives card holders 30% off to reward
customer loyalty, and gives all customers 15% off in order to generate new business. Also, as a
way to turn new customers into loyal customers, The Limited will give a new customer a 15%
discount, but add another 10% discount if he or she opens a Limited Card. These events will let

Public Relations Management

7
current customers know that their business is appreciated, and will show prospective customers
that The Limited should be their fashion retailer of choice.

Social Media: Social media will be an easy and cheap tactic that will greatly help the The
Limited: UnLimited Style for Todays Professional Woman campaign take gain traction. Using
social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, The Limited can provide viewers with
information about their campaign and their company with the click of a button. The Limiteds
Facebook page will include information about special events, coupons, promotions,
advertisements and new products. Integrating social media into The Limiteds campaign will
also promote participation, openness, conversation and connectivity between key publics.
Advertising: An innovative and creative advertising campaign must be made to emphasize the
array of quality products that The Limited carries. This will include visual media tactics such as
product placement in Television shows and Television Interviews. This will be most heavily
utilized around the back to school season and holiday, which is when the company earns a large
amount of its profit. Smaller ads will be present throughout the rest of the year, but the most
money will be spent on advertising around the holidays and back to school season.
Evaluative Research: Research must be completed for a thorough and effective campaign. In
regards to marketing, this research should focus on the customer wants and needs, satisfaction,
and the companys market share. Research must be conducted before the campaign, during, and
after for evaluation.
* These tactics should be evaluated before launch and every three months thereafter to measure
effectiveness and appropriateness. Research should take place before the tactics are launched
and throughout campaign.

Public Relations Management

8
Budget:
The The Limited: UnLimited Style for Todays Professional Woman campaign aims to raise
awareness, recognition and loyalty of the iconic reestablished fashion retailer. Since the initiative
is based on a national scale, the plan is to spend $1 million on necessary resources, meetings and
advertising materials in order to achieve the best possible results. The first half of the budget will
be spent on the first year of the campaign and the second half (plus additional expenses that will
be necessary) will go into the campaign after the beginning of Fall 2014 until the desired set date
(2015).
Tactic

Evaluative Research (4
Times)

La Force + Stevens
Agency Hours
$200
20

Newsletters (12)
Social Media (Daily
Updates)

5
12

Features (3)
Pitch Letters (3)
Annual Meetings (1)

20
6
20

Advertising

Outside Costs

Notes

Phone Surveys: $2
Each

Phone Surveys:
Survey 1: 50,000
people=$100,000
Survey 2: 50,000
people=$100,000
Survey 3: 10,000
people=$20,000
Survey 4: 30,000
people=$60,000
Updates for free on
social media but
company must
compensate in house
personnel for hours.

Reprints:$288/1K
Production Costs:
Printing, Color:$480
1 Page Major Daily
Newspaper:$25,000
60 Sec Primetime
TV:$45,000
Magazine
Ad:$10,000
1 Page Trade
Pub:$5,000

Add 10% Production

Public Relations Management

Summary of Research
The Limited teams up
with Scandal for
collection

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2014/06/25/limitedteams-up-with-Scandal-for-collection.html

Kerry Washington Talks

The Limited Scandal
Collection

http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/kerrywashington-talks-the-limited-scandal-collection-7760971

Diane Ellis joins Limited as

CEO after stint as Brooks
Brothers president

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2013/08/07/ellis-joinslimited-as-ceo-after-stint.html

Bulletproof CEO joins

The Limited

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2013/08/07/thelimited-names-new-ceo.html

Scandal Inspires
Clothing Line at The
Limited

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/15/business/media/scandal-inspiresclothing-line-at-the-limited.html?_r=0

The Limited.com: Our

Company

http://www.thelimited.com/customer-service/our-company/ourcompany.html

Public Relations Management