B4942 - OMNICHANNEL FASHION MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

Learning outcomes

By the end of the Course the student will have learned the concepts of strategic management and will be familiar with related techniques. Specifically, the Course has three main objectives: 1) gain an understanding of the appropriate conceptual tools available to managers to analyse the industry s structure and to compete in its markets; 2) understand how to create value for the market and the company; 3) introduce the characteristics of the fashion system and the basic management tools of fashion companies.

Course contents

OMNICHANNEL FASHION MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY Course Description

The course introduces the theoretical and operational tools necessary to understand and manage marketing and distribution strategies within the contemporary fashion system.
Its goal is to provide an integrated vision of the processes that connect the consumer, communication, and channels, highlighting how information, relationships, and experience have become the true pillars of omnichannel marketing.

Through lectures, guided discussions, practical exercises, and case studies, students will acquire the ability to analyze consumer behavior, design value-driven strategies, and interpret the information flows that connect marketing, distribution, and the supply chain.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Understand the structure and competitive logic of the fashion system.

• Analyze information, communication, and conversation processes as the foundation of omnichannel marketing.

• Apply consumer analysis models (Buyer Persona, Customer Journey) to design value-based strategies.

• Recognize the role of data, CRM, CDP, and marketing automation in building brand visibility and managing customer relationships.

• Integrate the marketing mix levers (4Ps → 4Es) within a brand experience and omnichannel distribution perspective.

Course Content Foundations of Fashion Marketing

• The fashion system: actors, cycles, and competitive dynamics

• Information, communication, and conversation as the pillars of omnichannel marketing

• From production to experiential value: functional and symbolic consumption

• The 4Ps of marketing and their evolution toward the 4Es (Experience, Exchange, Evangelism, Everywhere)

• Data, CRM, and marketing automation: visibility, relationship continuity, and consumer insights

Buyer Persona and Customer Journey

• Segmentation and insight: focusing on the consumer as an informational hub

• Construction of the Buyer Persona

• Mapping the Customer Journey and managing touchpoints

• Conversion funnel and RACE Framework (Reach, Act, Convert, Engage)

• Tools for measuring and analyzing the customer experience

Omnichannel Strategies

• From multichannel to fully integrated omnichannel systems

• Channel architecture and coherence in brand experience

• Data, platforms, and automation in marketing and distribution processes

• Value Proposition Canvas: aligning perceived and offered value

• Information Fulfillment Matrix: integrating marketing and supply chain

Distribution and Retail Evolution

• Fashion system distribution channels: wholesale, retail, digital, and hybrid

• The store as a medium: visual merchandising and phygital experience

• Channel integration strategies and unified customer experience

• KPIs and performance metrics for omnichannel management

Value Creation and Performance

• Brand equity and competitive positioning

• Customer lifetime value and performance metrics

• Innovation, sustainability, and traceability as differentiation drivers

• Measuring and optimizing omnichannel performance

Readings/Bibliography

Required Reading

• Palmatier, R.W., Sivadas, E., & Stern, L.W. (2019). Marketing Channel Strategy: An Omni-Channel Approach – International Student Edition. Taylor & Francis Ltd. 

Recommended Reading

• Kotler, P., & Keller, K.L. (2022). Marketing Management. Pearson.

• Kapferer, J.-N. (2015). The Luxury Strategy. Kogan Page.

• Vecchi, A. (2017). Fashion Marketing. Egea.

• Osterwalder, A., & Pigneur, Y. (2014). Value Proposition Design. Wiley.

• Chaffey, D. (2022). Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. Pearson.

Teaching methods

Teaching Methodology

Lectures, guided discussions, case study analyses, individual and group exercises, and practical applications of strategic models (Value Proposition Canvas, Buyer Persona, RACE Framework).

Assessment methods

Assessment Methods

Attending Students:

• Group project work focused on developing an omnichannel strategy for a fashion brand.

• Oral presentation and discussion of project outcomes.

• Additional questions related to the project topic, aimed at verifying theoretical and applied knowledge.

Non-Attending Students:

• Written exam based on the textbook Marketing Channel Strategy: An Omni-Channel Approach – International Student Edition by Robert W. Palmatier, Eugene Sivadas, and Louis W. Stern (Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2019).

• The test will consist of two questions out of three, covering the main topics of the volume.

Teaching tools

• Course materials provided by the instructor (lecture notes, articles, and case studies).

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Verdinelli