case study on burberry

How Burberry reclaimed its brand by selling luxury, content and a piece of history

As a silent activist of simple design, I always thought of the beige Burberry trench as the perfect apparel piece. Luxury brand Burberry’s Weekend fragrance also happened to be my first bottle of ‘grown-up’ perfume as a teenager, which I loved and used sparingly, for special occasions. Passing the Burberry HQ on my way to work often lifts up my spirits. Maybe it’s just about being in proximity to an icon.

The first time I was convinced of Burberry as an innovator was after noticing its video ads. Take a look at this one, wouldn’t you want this to be a full length movie?

Burberry’s charm was a result of the most intensive business, brand, product, and marketing strategy overhaul in luxury. 

Burberry was on the brink of being forgotten in 2005, with a growth rate of just 2% per year in a booming luxury market. The genericness of its products put off the cult following. They were even designed in different studios worldwide for each market due to a wide licensing model. The trademark Nova check was being used on everything from hats to dog accessories(!) and became associated with ‘low culture’ in Europe. Knocking off the check was not too difficult either.

In 2006, newly appointed CEO, American executive Angela Ahrendts oversaw a complete transformation of Burberry using the right set of business and marketing strategies. Within six years, Burberry doubled its revenue (despite a financial crisis).

Hint? Some inspiration from technology companies like Apple and Google. Let’s dig deeper.

A recap – why should you read on?

Founded by 21-year-old Thomas Burberry in 1856, the iconic British luxury brand came from humble beginnings in making outdoor attire from Basingstoke in England.

Burberry is credited with inventing gabardine in 1879, a water-resistant yet sturdy fabric, which has since been immortalized in ‘the trench coat’ . 

According to Wikipedia, “the trench coat was born during the First World War due to it being worn by British officers in the trenches.” 

From the 1920s to the sixties, Burberry dressed explorers on expeditions, the well off and movie stars in its outdoor attire.

From the 70s to the 90s, the brand grew fast, with expanding lines to suits, trousers, shirts, sportswear, accessories, for men, ladies, and children. 

Today, the Burberry trench coat is a timeless must-have; from New York to New Delhi. 

How did Burberry turn its fate around in the mid-2000s? Lessons learnt :

Making the burberry experience consistent.

Ahrendts made the first change by centralizing the design process. In a Harvard Business Review article, she recalls going around the US, UK, and Hong Kong to see what the design teams created and what the stores looked like. 

As part of its rejuvenated business strategy, Burberry’s each store had a completely different layout, price bracket, style, and range of products. The American market was getting classic British trench coats with a ‘Made in the U.S.A.” label, sold at half price compared to Europe. In Hong Kong, the collection was shirts with checks, no trench coat in sight.

From Apple to Starbucks, I love the consistency—knowing that anywhere in the world you can depend on having the same experience in the store or being served a latte with the same taste and in the same cup. That’s great branding. Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry (2006-2014)

To gain back its stature, Christopher Bailey was appointed as the Creative Director in 2004. Later in 2006, anything that the customer saw would have to pass through his office in the London headquarters. All weaving of the gabardine fabric and manufacturing of heritage trench coats was moved to the U.K. 

From then on, Bailey went on to oversee products that represented Burberry’s new, fresh face with colors and patterns to match.

Kill your darlings 

Burberry’s overseen, overused check was the brand’s trademark but it needed to go. Since it was on almost everything and was cheaply available , it came to be associated with lower class Brits. You could see it on kilts, dog leashes, ties, scarves, and many products that don’t warrant a triple dollar price.

It’s no surprise. The ultimate nightmare for any luxury brand is to become ‘mass’ and widely available. Would you dream of owning a Rolex if the bracelet band was separately available to buy for $30? Probably not. Do Check out “ What brand strategy of Rolex ensured its success? “

In the mid-2000s, the brand removed the use of the trademark check from all its products except just 10% and regained its exclusivity.

Take risks, target millennials and embrace digital 

Even though the commission would be much better than selling shirts, the sales teams were clueless on how to sell a $1000 luxury coat.

With videos to demonstrate Burberry craftsmanship, the sales team became equipped with iPads and were educated on the brand. To show this content the stores were given audiovisual technology.

Burberry understood what made millennials tick and went after them while their competitors dismissed the generation altogether.

Online, Burberry was one of the first luxury players to create a single website that showcased the brand’s offerings with movies, music, and storytelling. The brand also partnered with Google for an interactive campaign. It used digital shows and virtual experiences to capture the visitors’ attention.

The content strategy connected to its new customers. More people visit the Burberry platform in a week than all of its global stores combined.

Tell a story 

When you buy a luxury product, you don’t just buy it for its intended use. You buy it for its history, heritage, and quality. 

The Chanel 2.55 bag is the perfect example of this. 

Career women all over the world want to own the 2.55 quilted Chanel shoulder bag. Why’s that? Coco Chanel was the first to create a luxury bag that rested on the shoulder rather than carried in the hand. The bag isn’t just practical, it represents the freedom of women as they entered the workplace. That’s why the bag costs upwards of $4000 today. You pay a premium for the story. Building a legacy: Chanel’s Luxury Marketing Strategy

By reinforcing its place in the luxury world as a true British heritage brand, Burberry regained its prominence. It represented brave officers going to the frontiers in World War I. It was the brand that dressed explorer Roald Amundsen on his journey to becoming the first man to reach the South Pole. When A. E. Clouston and Betty Kirby-Green broke the world record for the fastest return flight from London to Cape Town, it was in a sponsored airplane named ‘The Burberry’.

With time, the trench coat became the core product again. It currently exists in over 300 styles in a plethora of colors, materials, and silhouettes. Burberry routinely hosts grand fashion shows often with live music by British musicians and a full-blown orchestra.

Fun fact: Burberry is known for only using British models in its campaigns. 

The brand went on to attain 60% of its revenue from apparel where outerwear contributed to half of that by 2012. 

Let’s wrap this around

Burberry is a luxury brand, b ut the lessons in marketing & business strategy its overhaul brought could be applied to any brand looking to innovate in its space. The brand opened 132 stores in a short time span by identifying markets with this question: is this a city where two competitors exist already? If yes, it was a good incentive to set up shop. In 2016, 77% of sales came from its own stores. 

When luxury giants were shying away from becoming ‘too accessible’ via tech, Burberry grew by rethinking its branding and taking strides in digital. The once cliché brand is now commonly referred to as “the innovator” . And it’s arguably the only British heritage brand known worldwide.

Burberry is now as much a media-content company as we are a design company. Christopher Bailey, Chief Creative Officer (2009 – 2014), CEO (2014 – 2017), Burberry

-AMAZONPOLLY-ONLYWORDS-START-

Also, check out our most loved stories below

Why did Michelin, a tire company, decide to rate restaurants?

Is ‘Michelin Star’ by the same Michelin that sells tires, yes, it is! But Why? How a tire company evaluations became most coveted in the culinary industry?

Johnnie Walker – The legend that keeps walking!

Johnnie Walker is a 200 years old brand but it is still going strong with its marketing strategies and bold attitude to challenge the conventional norms.

Starbucks prices products on value not cost. Why?

In value-based pricing, products are price based on the perceived value instead of cost. Starbucks has mastered the art of value-based pricing. How?

Nike doesn’t sell shoes. It sells an idea!!

Nike has built one of the most powerful brands in the world through its benefit based marketing strategy. What is this strategy and how Nike has used it?

Domino’s is not a pizza delivery company. What is it then?

How one step towards digital transformation completely changed the brand perception of Domino’s from a pizza delivery company to a technology company?

BlackRock, the story of the world’s largest shadow bank

BlackRock has $7.9 trillion worth of Asset Under Management which is equal to 91 sovereign wealth funds managed. What made it unknown but a massive banker?

Why does Tesla’s Zero Dollar Budget Marketing Strategy work?

Touted as the most valuable car company in the world, Tesla firmly sticks to its zero dollar marketing. Then what is Tesla’s marketing strategy?

The Nokia Saga – Rise, Fall and Return

Nokia is a perfect case study of a business that once invincible but failed to maintain leadership as it did not innovate as fast as its competitors did!

Yahoo! The story of strategic mistakes

Yahoo’s story or case study is full of strategic mistakes. From wrong to missed acquisitions, wrong CEOs, the list is endless. No matter how great the product was!!

Apple – A Unique Take on Social Media Strategy

Apple’s social media strategy is extremely unusual. In this piece, we connect Apple’s unique and successful take on social media to its core values.

-AMAZONPOLLY-ONLYWORDS-END-

Vona Roberta is a digital marketer and fashion journalist with global experience across fashion, sustainability, and content. She has formerly contributed to Elle and Conde Nast in India and Europe. She was also the youngest executive team member at two of India's biggest fashion retail events. On lighter days, she likes to visit the latest art exhibit, read books on business and practice yoga or boxing (depending on the caffeine level!).

Related Posts

Dior Marketing Strategy: Redefining Luxury

Dunkin-licious marketing mix and Strategy of Dunkin Donuts

Healthy business model & marketing strategy of HelloFresh

Twist, Lick, and Dunk- Oreo’s Marketing Strategy

Nestle’s Marketing Strategy of Expertise in Nutrition

How does Vinted make money by selling Pre-Owned clothes?

N26 Business Model: Changing banking for the better

Sprinklr Business Model: Managing Unified Customer Experience

How does OpenTable make money | Business model

How does Paytm make money | Business Model

How does DoorDash make money | Business Model

Innovation focused business strategy of Godrej

How does Robinhood make money | Business Model

How does Venmo work & make money | Business Model

How does Etsy make money | Business Model & Marketing Strategy

How does Twitch make money | Business Model

Write a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Advanced Strategies
• Brand Marketing
• Digital Marketing
• Luxury Business
• Startup Strategies
• 1 Minute Strategy Stories
• Business Or Revenue Model
• Forward Thinking Strategies
• Infographics
• Publish & Promote Your Article
• Write Article
• Testimonials
• TSS Programs
• Fight Against Covid
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and condition
• Refund/Cancellation Policy
• Master Sessions
• Live Courses
• Playbook & Guides

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Complete Marketing Strategy of Burberry with Company Overview

By Aditya Shastri

This luxury British fashion house makes, designs, and distributes ready wears, accessories, perfumes and is very famous for its trench coats. It is none other than Burberry. 

It has been associated with numerous contributions that have made it a leading name in luxury ready-to-wear clothes. Today, the name Burberry is synonymous with excellence and quality in the fashion world. 

In this case study, we would go through learning about the marketing strategy of Burberry in greater detail by going through its 4Ps of the marketing mix, its marketing and campaign strategies, along with digital marketing strategies. So, let us start by understanding about Burberry as a company in the coming section.

About Burberry

Burberry is a luxury fashion brand that offers personal accessories, footwear, clothing, etc. It was established in 1856 by an Englishman Thomas Burberry. The company has come a long way from its manufacturing of waterproof fabrics to designing a luxurious, high fashion clothing line.

The luxury fashion house sells accessories, apparel, shoes, jewellery, small leather goods, handbags and also has other beauty businesses. 

It caters to the luxury market and manufactures, designs, and distributes its products all around the world. Its products satisfy almost all age and gender demographics. 

Headquartered in London, the company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE100 index.

Now that we know about the company, let us go through Burrbery’s business activities further by going through its 4Ps of the marketing mix in the coming section.

Marketing Mix of Burberry

A marketing mix is the set of four different components that a company uses to promote its products to its target market in order to generate sales. The marketing mix is often referred to as the 4Ps, because of the four parameters: Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.

Let us see how Burberry has formulated its marketing mix strategy in the coming sections.

Product Strategy of Burberry

Burberry’s product strategy includes many business segments that cater to all age groups. Broadly, it sells apparel, handbags and small leather goods, shoes, and jewellery.

They have an extensive product line in different categories like women’s, men’s and outerwear, handbags, fragrances, sunglasses, etc.

All their products are manufactured by them at their Burberry factory keeping in mind the company’s aesthetic and fashion style. Each product the brand produces has its own story behind it.

The company is known in the international market because of its quality, durability & intricate designs and so it develops its products accordingly.

Price Strategy of Burberry

Burberry prides itself on its product-development culture. It invests heavily in research, development, prototyping, and production in order to make the best apparel for its customers.

It follows a premium pricing policy because they cater to a high-class elite zone as all the products are luxurious, based on excellent craftsmanship and innovative designs. The company is among the most expensive retailers in the world and they certainly know how to price its matters. This is how Burberry plays around its price strategy. 

Place and Distribution Strategy of Burberry

Talking about the place and distribution strategy of Burberry, being a multinational company, it operates on almost all continents except Antarctica. With 421 stores across the world, the luxury fashion brand has a strong presence in Europe and Asia. Its stores operate on the lines of providing the luxury store experience and elevate customer service. 

The company has also shifted its focus on selling through e-commerce mediums. The Covid – 19 pandemic has clearly shifted the focus of consumers towards digital channels and forced Burberry to rethink its physical distribution touchpoints.

Promotion Strategy of Burberry

Burberry’s promotion strategy revolves around conducting consistent promotional activities. It uses both traditional and modern methods to market its products and its name. Talking about its traditional marketing approach, it uses advertisement commercials, print, and outdoor advertising. 

However, over the years, Burberry has been focusing primarily on promoting itself via digital channels. The company regularly comes up with new campaigns and events. 

It has also signed country-wise brand ambassadors to promote its products and increasingly focuses on extensive digital campaigns.

Now that we understood how Burberry presents its offerings to the target audience, let us now go through the marketing strategies of Burberry that it has undertaken over the years to market itself.

Want to make your luxury brand as successful as Burberry? Watch this video on the top digital marketing strategies for luxury brands –

Marketing Strategy of Burberry

Marketing Strategy is a set of approaches to communicate with the target market, develop a strategy, and determine the company’s goals.

Burberry, being a global brand, has incorporated many different marketing strategies in order to reach its goal of getting customers to purchase its products. So, let us go through the marketing strategies it has implemented to promote its luxury products.

Brand Ambassadors of Burberry

Brand Ambassadors are the stars of any successful brand. We live in a faster, more mobile world. Communication is instant and very personalized. Brand Ambassadors act as a bridge between a company and the customers. They also help drive traffic, create buzz, and build trust in their niche communities.

In Burberry’s brand ambassadors strategy, the company has signed young artists and sports celebrities at the country level. These influencers promote their products to the masses, and it has proven to be a successful move.  

The celebrity team consists of Manchester United’s star forward Marcus Rashford, Korea’s Lucas Wong, and popular Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu.

Video Games – Digital Marketing Strategy of Burberry

Burberry’s growth strategy has always been rooted in the core of its culture, which is to continuously challenge itself and others. A key element of this strategy has been the ability to innovate – both on-premise innovations and on digital campaigns like the launch of mobile games. This concept was a part of Burberry’s digital marketing plan.

These games, B Bounce and RatBerry have accelerated the consumers’ engagement with the brand both, at retail outlets as well as interacting online with friends, family and fellow consumers throughout the world through this game.

Pop Up Store Strategy of Burberry

When a brand opens pop-up stores, it serves two purposes. Firstly, the popups offer brands the chance to engage with customers and inform them about their products and services. Secondly, it provides a way for brands to show off new products without requiring physical store space. 

Burberry’s trendsetting pop-up stores are using a unique kiosk-like rollout to introduce their products to consumers in select locations. As usual, they strive to be the best in class when it comes to delivering the perfect customer experience.

Marketing Campaigns of Burberry

There is nothing more powerful than a brand that is marketing to increase its brand awareness and brand preference. In a very short period of time, any company can see its market popularity and reap benefits from getting involved with various campaigns and events. 

In Burberry’s case, the company takes an active part in creating new campaigns, both digital and offline, for its audience at the country level. 

Voices of Tomorrow – Burberry x Marcus Rashford Campaign

Burberry has introduced a unique campaign called “Voices of the future” to encourage young people to speak their minds. Through this campaign, the brand hopes to create a change in the youth culture and bring communities closer. 

It has collaborated with Marcus Rashford to promote this campaign. With this campaign, Burberry represents the longstanding importance of supporting the community as the luxury fashion house pledges to support the voices of tomorrow to build a better future. 

Burberry has recently undergone a logo redesign, and here’s a glimpse of the same –

With this we have come to an of this case study, let us summarise everything in the final section of this case study.

Burberry is one of the most influential fashion brands in the world. Since the company’s creation, it has been a prominent name among fashion critics and buyers, setting its niche really into the high-end customer.  

However, in this rapidly digitizing world, the company has been doing its best to adapt to newer and newer changes with the passing. From recently being in the news for setting up digital stores to incorporating creativity with artificial intelligence, Burberry has all bases set in the right places.

Liked our work? Interested in learning further? Do check our website for more. Also, if you’re interested in Digital Marketing, you can check out our Free Digital Marketing Masterclass by Karan Shah.

Let us know your thoughts on this case study in the comment section down below. Thank you for reading, and if you liked our then do share this in your circle. 

Until then, see you next time!

Aditya Shastri

Lead Trainer & Head of Learning & Development at IIDE

Leads the Learning & Development segment at IIDE. He is a Content Marketing Expert and has trained 6000+ students and working professionals on various topics of Digital Marketing. He has been a guest speaker at prominent colleges in India including IIMs...... [Read full bio]

The blog was really insightful and I found it interesting knowing they blended the traditional and digital approach towards marketing. I’m curious about the reason they rebranded and redesigned their logo though.

I have learnt a lot of things from this blog that enhance my knowledge and skills, and it is so informative.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Related Posts

Marketing Mix Of Uniqlo with Updated Company Overview and Explanations

by Aditya Shastri | May 15, 2024

Uniqlo is a Japanese clothing brand known for its high-quality essential pieces formed from the...

In-depth Marketing Strategy of Bata India – India’s Largest Footwear Company

In this article, we will learn about the marketing strategy of Bata India, the largest footwear...

Airtel: Case Study on its Business Model and Marketing Strategy

Bharti Airtel is one of the three telecom giants of India, known for its distinct and engaging...

" * " indicates required fields

I’m Interested in This Masterclass

By providing your contact details, you agree to our Terms of Use & Privacy Policy

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

Burberry’s CEO on Turning an Aging British Icon into a Global Luxury Brand

• Angela Ahrendts

Photography: Getty Images The Idea: Before Angela Ahrendts became Burberry’s CEO, licensing threatened to destroy the brand’s unique strengths. The answer? Centralize design and focus on innovating core heritage products. When I became the CEO of Burberry, in July 2006, luxury was one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. With its rich history, centered […]

Reprint: R1301A

As her top 60 executives arrived in London for the first strategic planning meeting after Ahrendts took the helm, she noticed that not one of them was wearing a Burberry trench coat, despite the damp, gray weather. It was a sign of the challenges the company faced. Even in a burgeoning global market, Burberry was growing at only 2% a year. It had lost focus in the process of global expansion: Each of the 23 licensees around the world was doing something different. Ubiquity was robbing the brand of its luster.

Ahrendts realized that if Burberry was going to be a great, pure, global luxury brand, it needed to have one design director—a “brand czar”—and it needed to capitalize on its historical core: the trench coat. The company decided to innovate at the core to attract the luxury customers of the future: millennials.

• Angela Ahrendts is the CEO of Burberry.

Partner Center

For a better experience, please use a modern browser like Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge.

London Business School Publishing

• Create a profile

• Browse cases
• How to order

Preview case

Click Preview case to review the first page of this case

Main case New

Burberry’s Digital Strategy

By donald sull , stefano turconi , sanam zanjani.

The case analyses how Burberry developed and executed a strategy centered on millennial consumers, British appeal and distinctive digital capabilities, transforming the sesquicentennial brand into an international luxury powerhouse. Burberry’s digital transformation was spearheaded by CEO Angela Ahrendts and Chief Creative Officer (CCO) Christopher Bailey. Between 2006 and 2014, the duo launched a multitude of initiatives, such as innovative social media campaigns, livestream fashion shows, and a new e-commerce platform, enabled by a state-of-the-art technological infrastructure and a closely connected organisational culture. When Ahrendts left to join Apple, Bailey assumed the position of CEO and CCO at Burberry. In May 2015, 10 months into his new dual role, Bailey prepared to report mixed results for the last financial year and reveal his plans to address the challenges presented by the changing competitive landscape.

Learning objectives

• Developing an actionable strategy.
• Quantifying and tracking strategy execution.
• Assessing whether a resource or a capability is strategically valuable.
• Integrating resources and capabilities to sustain performance.

Other cases in Strategy

• Entrepreneurship
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Management Science and Operations
• Organisational Behaviour
• Organizational Behaviour and Strategy’
• Sustainability

Privacy Overview

• Harvard Business School →
• Faculty & Research →
• October 2003 (Revised January 2004)
• HBS Case Collection
• Format: Print
• | Pages: 20

About The Author

Youngme Moon

More from the authors.

• Faculty Research

Reimagining Enel: Enabling Sustainable Progress

Reimagining enel: enabling sustainable progress (b).

• February 2024

Shore Capital Partners: The Next Ten Years

• Reimagining Enel: Enabling Sustainable Progress  By: Michael L. Tushman and Kerry Herman
• Reimagining Enel: Enabling Sustainable Progress (B)  By: Michael L. Tushman and Kerry Herman
• Shore Capital Partners: The Next Ten Years  By: Boris Groysberg and Kerry Herman

More From Forbes

Burberry's blurred lines: the integrated customer experience.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

During a keynote talk I delivered in London last week, I was asked the question: “What brands really ‘get it’ when it comes to customer experience today?” This wasn’t a naïve question. It came from one of the 100 senior marketers from the strongest global brands in the world. The question extends beyond great digital customer journeys—Zappos, Peapod, Travelocity or AirBnB— and great physical customer spaces— Nordstrom , BMW, Southwest or Virgin.

What company has so seamlessly integrated its online and offline experience that it never feels like two different companies? I’m looking right at Burberry.

Sure, Nike has combined its products and digital applications into a singular holistic experience, allowing you to track your athletic endeavors big and small, and Dove and Tide drive as many consumers to the website as they do to the shelves they live on. The Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas helps you feel like you’re there even when you are shivering in Chicago, while AMC’s The Walking Dead allows you to participate in the zombie apocalypse online while your heroes take care of “live” walkers on Sunday nights.

But the brand that is truly doing the best right now at blurring the physical and digital worlds is Burberry.

The historic transformation of Burberry is well documented in many interviews, case studies and the like, including HBR’s “Burberry’s CEO on Turning an Aging British Icon into a Global Luxury Brand.” In a nutshell, Burberry underwent a seven- year transformation from an underperforming, marginalized, over-licensed, decentralized brand, to becoming one of the most beloved and valuable luxury brands in the world, tripling sales in five years. It transformed from a stodgy, beige trench coat company to one of the leading voices on trends, fashion, music and beauty, all while redefining what a world class customer experience should be, digitally and physically.

Angela Ahrendts , CEO of Burberry and soon-to-be head of Apple Retail , articulated this best when describing Burberry’s London flagship store. "Burberry Regent Street brings our digital world to life in a physical space for the first time, where customers can experience every facet of the brand through immersive multimedia content exactly as they do online. Walking through the doors is just like walking into our website. It is Burberry World [ their website ] Live." Chief Creative Officer/Brand Czar (and incoming CEO) Christopher Bailey also recently declared that Burberry is as much a content-driven company as it is a leading fashion icon.

I will leave the rest of the storytelling to others, but what Burberry has done with its customer experience is definitely worth teasing out. Where do great brand-driven customer experiences start? Here are five steps to consider, using Burberry to illustrate each:

Declare what your brand will stand for . This one was easy for Burberry’s new leadership team, led by Ahrendts back in 2006. It all tied to getting back to the glamorous fashion roots that had movie stars and the rich and famous in the 50s and 60s proudly showing off their Burberry trench coat and, in effect, selling the coat for the company—what we call “earned media” today. Trench coats represented less than 20% of their sales in 2006 and the “coat as fashion” trend exploded in the mid-2000s. Harking back to the romance of Burberry in a modern world became the brand’s mantra, and “being the leading, globally relevant, luxury British brand” became the brand’s aspiration. When you choose very purposeful words like leading, globally, relevant, luxury and British, you have, in effect, chosen the hallmarks of what your experience has to deliver upon.

Choose a target wisely . When Burberry began to relaunch their brand and truly own their new positioning, it would have been easy to choose the middle-aged man who probably already owned an old trench coat as a target. If they had gone that route, though, 2% annual growth would have continued to be the norm.

However, Ahrendts and Bailey broke free of tradition and declared they would build a brand, product and experience aimed at Millennials. Bailey stated, "Most of us are very digital in our daily lives now. Burberry is a young team, and this is instinctive to us. To the younger generation who are coming into adulthood now, this is all they know." While it can be unfair to group them all together, more often than not Millennials are the influencers, tastemakers, official critics and reviewers in society today. They also happen to be incredibly brand loyal as a collective whole, with an increasingly attractive level of disposable income. If delivered well, this target would pay dividends to Burberry for years to come.

Design an experience that delivers your brand promise to the target audience . Once the first two objectives were in order, developing an experience became directionally straightforward. It’s not a simply a matter of fixing broken links in the customer journey, it is about understanding the customers’ needs and motivations and designing an experience that best meets that need. For the most part, high-end fashion had been about the fashion house telling you what the latest fashions were and ordering you to like it/buy it.

Burberry looked at the target customer and realized that Millennials are more influenced by peers than by anything that a fashion house might have to say. And discovery, advocacy and sharing among communities do a lot of the heavy lifting of brand-building. While a company can make a potential customer aware of its brand, current consumers and advocates help sell it.

One customer journey innovation is Burberry’s The Art of The Trench , described as “a living celebration of the Burberry trench coat and the people who wear it.” This platform successfully positions the customer as a hero, and provides a forum for him or her to proudly show off their trench coats and individual styling via selfies posted on Instagram or Pinterest. Thousands of selfies have been posted, with comments, likes and dislikes and the opportunity to shift any one of those pictures into a purchase.

Burberry also recognized that music is so interwoven into customers’ lives that it created Burberry Acoustic , a platform for new British bands looking to get a break. A few years ago, you might have seen Jake Bugg before he made it big or The Daydream Club posting videos on the Burberry Acoustic website that streamed to Burberry stores around the world. Burberry’s authentic dedication to giving young British bands an opportunity to break through, using all of its multi-media platforms, is not only on-brand but plays right into the Millennial sweet spot of getting access to music in unique and innovative ways.

Create a branded experience, branded signature touchpoints and the organizational alignment to empower employees to bring the brand to life in unique and surprising ways.

Online, Burberry created Burberry Bespoke , which allows you to design your own customized coat by choosing from hundreds of different options, from the buttons on the outside to the lining in the inside. In the store, many products are lined with an RFID tag that, when triggered, will launch a video about its craftsmanship. A dress taken into the changing room may trigger a runway video showing this jacket/dress combination on a model.

Can’t afford a Burberry jacket yet? How about throwing a Burberry Kiss to a loved one? Burberry Kisses is a collaboration with Google that allows users to kiss their touch screens and send their lip prints to loved ones—no purchase necessary. It’s a valuable entry point that whets consumer appetites that will be satisfied immediately or down the road with a Burberry purchase. Music and kisses are free of charge and build good will for a loyal customer down the road.

Internally, Burberry invests in organizational alignment and brand engagement, sending out monthly webcasts, weekly videos and previews of ad campaigns before they launch. According to Ahrendts, "Knowledge is power. So the more the associates know about the strategy, about what's coming, the better. Everyone talks about building a relationship with your customer. I think you build one with your employees first."

Continue to innovate the experience and the brand

Last Fall Burberry launched its first ever men’s cologne called Burberry Brit Rhythm in a totally non-traditional way—through global music events and digital media. “Inspired by the energy of live music” helped propel Rhythm to become one of Burberry’s most successful new product launches.

And in January, Burberry launched The Burberry Beauty Box in Covent Garden, a new concept space where shoppers can enjoy an exclusive collection of beauty products and accessories. Inside, you can go to the Digital Nail Bar to help virtually select the right nail shade for your skin tone while Burberry Acoustic music is playing in the background and a Millennial sales person helps you put together your perfect Burberry Gift Box .

I wonder if, for just one day, we can rename Burberry to Blurberry, to teach others how to get it right?

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

A case study of two leaders at Burberry: Synergy or separation?

This case explores the background and leadership styles of two of Burberry’s leaders – Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry from 2006-2014, who was instrumental in bringing a clearer strategic focus to the luxury company and tripling profits and revenues during her tenure, and Christopher Bailey, designer extraordinaire and Chief Creative Officer between 2009-2018 and CEO between 2014-2018. In focus are the complementary roles these two leaders played in Burberry’s digital transformation and how they collaborated and leveraged each other’s’ strengths and talents.

• Comparing different leadership profiles, especially in the context of digital change within the organization
• Exploring the importance of partnerships (internal and external) and leveraging one another’s strengths and compensating for weaknesses
• Leveraging the power of digital for strategic and operational change.

IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services .

Research Information & Knowledge Hub  for additional information on IMD publications

Growing numbers of executives are stuck in survival mode – and risking exhaustion. IMD's Susan Goldsworthy reflects on how CHROs can work with seni...

There is much that organizations can learn from artists and designers, from turning ideas into innovation to creative problem-solving and better de...

With the pressure to innovate only growing, along with the epidemic of digital distractions, our experts offer a mindful leader’s toolkit packed wi...

The case study examines recent aviation safety concerns at Boeing, focusing on manufacturing issues, leadership decisions and regulatory oversight....

Margherita Della Valle tells IMD President Jean-François Manzoni how she is delivering radical change to reenergize Vodafone and paving the way for...

Women often step back from their careers because caring responsibilities usually fall on them by default, thanks to outdated societal norms.

Technology and digital media allow information to continuously cascade through our lives, so it is no wonder that many of us can miss tiny data poi...

Ralph Herbst, Chief Strategy Officer at gene therapy company AskBio (an independently operated subsidiary of Bayer), tells Misiek Piskorski how he ...

IMD's Niccolò Pisani examines how a combination of clear-eyed analysis and a strong sense of purpose allowed the French biopharma to change course.

Although most managers believe that they give each of their team members equal attention, respect, and consideration, four decades’ worth of empiri...

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Chief Learning Officer - CLO Media

Chief Learning Officer is a multimedia publication focused on the importance, benefits and advancements of a properly trained workforce.

Case study: When science meets luxury: How Burberry is reinventing leadership, powered by their past

Combining creativity and science, Burberry is leading the way for developing world class leaders equipped for today’s volatile business world.

by Jermaine Haughton

January 27, 2023.

The past few years have been filled with unprecedented challenges. The pandemic and global recovery fundamentally changed the way we work, and many companies are still struggling to navigate the new normal.

Burberry is meeting these challenges head-on, by doing what it does best: innovate. 

As well as pioneering new experiences for their customers, the luxury brand is also using a trailblazing approach to nurturing leaders through science-based learning and development. 

A close-knit industry stretched to its limits  

Leadership has always been critical to a company’s success, but it is getting harder as the pace of change accelerates. That’s why 70 percent of managers across different industries say they feel overworked and overstressed.

For leaders in fashion, the shift to remote working posed a unique and profound challenge. 

Behind every fashion show, launch or event, there is a global team of event managers, marketers, logistics experts, legal specialists, designers, stylists and other creatives who work, hand-in-hand for weeks at a time, to transform ideas into masterpieces. 

As lockdowns swept across the world, closing offices, shops and studios, once close-knit teams were now far apart, and luxury retailers were forced to accelerate the growth of their ecommerce channels. 

With hard deadlines still to hit, managers were tasked with sparking the same magical energy of face-to-face teamwork through Zoom chats and Slack messages — during a growing public health crisis. 

Give leaders the freedom to flourish  

Amid the uncertainty sparked by the pandemic and the fluid changes to the business landscape, Burberry launched its purpose and values inspired by its illustrious history and pioneering founder Thomas Burberry. 

Thomas founded Burberry at just 21 years old in 1856, designing clothes to protect people from the British weather. For over 160 years, the brand has empowered pioneers and explorers to discover new spaces.

Whether designing trench coats or building L&D programs, Burberry aims to empower others through abundant creativity to grow beyond their boundaries and expectations. 

Empowering leaders’ growth and development 

The onset of COVID and the launch of Burberry’s new purpose and values presented an opportunity for the company to provide a more consistent leadership development experience.

To equip their senior leaders with the critical skills to help them thrive, Burberry joined forces with behavioral science specialists MindGym to enhance their Executive Development Program this year. 

Together, the global cohort of emerging executives discover science-backed ideas, tools and concepts through a series of live, digital and personalized learning experiences — to provide a consistent, impactful experience that could slip smoothly into the hectic schedules of the modern leader. 

Catherine Finley, vice president of talent and learning at Burberry, says the flexible, bite-size nature of the sessions allows leaders to learn within the flow of their working day. 

“Our product is our lifeblood, so we have to be flexible around our show calendar. We also want to ensure learning grounds us in our values to achieve our strategic ambition while being practical and accessible to our leadership community,” Finley says. “I think the learning experience for us is well-balanced. It gets into the depth of the science behind leadership and learning with dynamic facilitators — with practical, impactful actions that participants could do in between.” 

Beyond just teaching the core competencies of leadership, the program goes a step further by helping leaders to unlock the power of “attunement” — the critical meta-skill the world’s most successful leaders use to consistently get the big decisions right in difficult, ever-evolving circumstances. 

Kristin Bagnetto, director of global learning and development at Burberry, says it has offered a valuable opportunity for executives to reflect together on how they can grow.  To date, 90 percent of participants rated the EDP workshops from “Very good” to ‘Excellent.”

“It’s been beneficial for the leaders to have this unique, productive space to openly discuss their leadership challenges. I have heard from several in the cohort that it’s been an enlightening and validating experience, as they’ve learned that many share the same goals and challenges,” Bagnetto says.

“It also encourages leaders to think, ‘OK, given the circumstances, what do we do about these challenges? How do we move past them?’ They feel empowered as a group, and then they turn collective ideas into individual action through coaching — which has been extremely exciting to see.”    

Science-backed coaching turns learning into action 

Dedicated one-to-one coaching is a crucial part of EDP that makes the learning truly stick. 

Using MindGym’s Performa platform, each person works with their own “precision” coach to address specific leadership challenges they are experiencing — from improving communication to making more inclusive decisions — and master the art of attunement to steer their teams to success. 

The Performa platform is based on a science-based precision coaching methodology that combines solution-focused coaching, mastery-oriented learning and behavior enablement to set up leaders to hit their goals quickly and unblock the pathway to sustainable behavior change. 

Through precision coaching, Burberry’s participants report a 70 percent increase in their ability to attain their goals.

“The formula for this new approach to EDP is working successfully because it follows up the live virtual learning with one-to-one coaching, where you can practically apply what you’ve learned with an added layer of guidance and accountability,” Bagnetto says. “We have heard delightful stories from the cohort, who have made great strides in just three or four sessions. They’ve quickly identified their leadership challenge, made and executed a game plan with their coach and are seeing real-time results.” 

EDP is the first of a growing pipeline of new, science-backed L&D initiatives at Burberry, with more programs in the works. 

Jermaine Haughton

Related articles.

Learning Insights: Jeneane Becker embodies lifelong learning

by Elizabeth Loutfi-Hipchen

Exploring the impact of education assistance programs

Podcast: Voices of CLO: Kevin Lowell

From the editor: Lessons from a dramedy

Immersive Experiences: TD Bank Shares Insights on The Future of Learning Beyond eLearning

5 Critical Drivers of Learning Organization Performance

Avoid the Development Desert! 5 Reasons to Focus on Managers Right Now

Bridging the Gap: Aligning L&D Programs with Business Priorities and Measuring Impact

From Resistance to Resilience: Bridging the Digital Skills Gap with Workflow Learning

How Burberry’s Digital Transformation is Driven By Consumer Experience

Burberry can’t predict the future, but it can build an agile, nimble architecture and culture to be ready for it. So, how is this iconic brand leveraging digital transformation to accomplish this and drive growth? According to its VP of digital technology Rajeev Aikkara, Burberry has remained focused on redefining and elevating the consumer experience.

According to Aikkara during NRF 2021, “The industry has been going through profound changes, even before 2020.” We live in this era of consumer technology that already was moving at an unprecedented pace (through the internet, mobile and social media platforms, for example).

Even before the global health pandemic hit, you could see patterns emerge from the speed of tech:

• It is consumer-led. The bar is being set higher and higher through personalized, elevated experiences .
• The technology changes have enabled any aspect of business processes to be optimized, more efficient, more agile, and nimble.
• The regulatory policies all over the world are still catching up with these technologies, bringing challenges along the way.

Most businesses (unless they are a brand-new startup) also have a legacy suite of some sort within their tech, process, etc. Considering all this, Aikkara poses the question: How do we make sure we’re adapting, making use of technology, making use of the power of brand (digital story of the brand) – consistently, in order to get to a place to provide consumers with an elevated and personalized experience?

Fortunately for Burberry, the brand has always been a pioneer in the space of digital according to Aikkara. He notes that the company was in a good place to further accelerate that journey for consumers who are using digital channels, and it was already moving to get all its physical channels connected with those digital ones.

Regardless of the channel, Burberry has turned to the cloud in order to remain agile. And, while it is driven by its consumers to elevate their experiences, Aikkara explains that this drive also has to provide colleagues with the best tools to serve those consumers as well.

Quite often companies make the mistake of having a good website, but the marketer has an inferior solution for example – so you want to make sure that you can adapt, and part of that is making sure all your team members have all the right tools, he adds. “Have a good stack of data and analytics that you can use to serve the consumer and serve your colleagues.”

Some other advice offered includes:

-- Time and money are limited, so you must figure out how to balance your best on what you get from your legacy system, and where to go for a new piece of tech, where to focus your engineers, and where to buy off-the-shelf solutions (Saas). Burberry believes in owning the full consumer experience, so its engineers focus on building a great website as well as the integration from out of the box, cloud tools from various vendors for example. That way, they make sure everything is integrated well to provide a unique experience for consumers that also can be localized.

-- IT used to be a big expense that oftentimes would cause great repercussions if it failed. Now, IT is talked about as a shorter conversation … meaning you can fail smaller and try new things faster. “It’s a collaborative, cross-functional, consumer-obsessed, data-driven approach,” Aikkara says. This will succeed more than operating in silos.

-- When approaching the creation of your foundation, figure out where the most friction is being caused, and go attack that with the technology. You don’t want to have too many failures in your checkout funnel. That’s the place where customer is ready to give you money, so you can’t have the credit card function failing. Whereas, when it comes to the user experience for example, you need to experiment a lot so you can learn.

“Be clear on this distinction – make sure the operational functions are robust and working well. Whereas when it comes to the experimental place, make sure you’re allowed to do that with technology as well as culture (where you can ideate),” says Aikkara, but he warns, “Be careful about not overcomplicating things.”

Related Topics

• Technology Innovation
• Sales & Marketing
• Consumer Engagement
• Cloud Architecture
• Data & Analytics
• Digital Transformation
• Latest News

• Business Today
• India Today
• India Today Gaming
• Cosmopolitan
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Aajtak Campus

• Budget 2024
• Magazine Cover Story Editor's Note Deep Dive Interview The Buzz
• BT TV Market Today Easynomics Drive Today BT Explainer
• Market Today Trending Stocks Indices Stocks List Stocks News Share Market News IPO Corner
• Tech Today Unbox Today Authen Tech Tech Deck Tech Shorts
• Money Today Tax Investment Insurance Tools & Calculator
• Mutual Funds
• Industry Banking IT Auto Energy Commodities Pharma Real Estate Telecom
• Visual Stories

INDICES ANALYSIS

Mutual funds.

• Cover Story
• Editor's Note
• Market Today
• Drive Today
• BT Explainer
• Trending Stocks
• Stocks List
• Stocks News
• Share Market News
• Unbox Today
• Authen Tech
• Tech Shorts
• Tools & Calculator
• Commodities
• Real Estate
• Economic Indicators
• BT-TR GCC Listing

How Burberry capitalised on the social media revolution

In 2009, british luxury brand burberry, like its competitors, was still unsure of how to build a valuable presence in social media. this case study looks at how it eventually capitalised on the new medium - without eroding the exclusive, aspirational qualities that are core to the world of luxury..

• Print Edition: Feb 03, 2013

Burberry introduced the gabardine, a water-resistant but breathable fabric, and started producing the trench coats that would make them famous in England and around the world

In the year after the launch of the art of the trench in november 2009, burberry's facebook fan base grew to more than a million, the largest fan count in the luxury sector at the time.

Related Articles

• Luxury retail giants eyeing a new keystroke for growth
• Burberry reinvented itself by combining the traditional with the digital

TOP STORIES

• Advertise with us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Press Releases

Copyright©2024 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today

Add Business Today to Home Screen

Technology and Operations Management

Mba student perspectives.

• Assignments
• Assignment: RC TOM Challenge 2018

Burberry: Digitizing Luxury Retail with Machine Learning

Advances in machine learning (ML) are tilting the playing field in consumer retail. On the one hand, tech-savvy pioneers like Amazon and Glossier are leveraging ML to captivate Millennials and Gen Z consumers with ever more engaging and personalized online shopping experiences. On the other, traditional retail brands, especially luxury labels, hesitate to embrace ecommerce for fear of losing their exclusive, white-glove service experiences delivered through the brick-and-mortar channel. Using Burberry as a case study, this article discusses why luxury retail brands must develop a robust ecommerce strategy to stay relevant, and how leveraging ML can help them win over online shoppers without diluting brand equity.

Positioning Luxury Retail for a Digital Future

The world is becoming increasingly digital. Luxury retail is no exception. By 2025, nearly 20% of luxury sales will occur online, and 80% of the purchase decisions will be influenced digitally 1 (Exhibit 1). Tech-savvy Millennial and Gen Z consumers will account for 45% of the global luxury market then 2 . Research on purchasing behavior of this group suggests that their key purchase criteria include: personalization, resonance with brand value, and experience over possession 3 . These trends hold two important implications for the future of luxury retail. First, having a robust ecommerce presence will not be optional, but a must-have. Second, to win, brands must not only know a great deal about their consumers, but they must also translate that consumer knowledge into products and services that are personalized, responsive and relatable . This is where ML comes into play.

Machine Learning in Retail

In its simplest form, ML algorithms identify patterns in large datasets and use them to generate predictions. In the world of retail, the most common applications are personalized product recommendations and marketing campaigns. Amazon generates 35% of total sales from personalized recommendations 4 , which are created based on browsing and purchase histories of both the individual shoppers and those with similar shopping patterns. Similarly, digitally-native beauty brand Glossier mines fan comments on its beauty blog to inform new product development and launch decisions 5 . Tumi, a high-end luggage brand, uses ML to customize its outbound marketing campaigns (e.g., emails and 1-on-1 chats) based on a connected database of emails, social media activities and browsing across the web 6 . Across these businesses, ML creates a competitive advantage in how they acquire, retain and increase lifetime value of consumers.

Burberry: A Case Study

Pathways to Just Digital Future

Whereas most luxury brands hesitate to fully embrace digital, Burberry has made deliberate decisions to invest in and integrate ML into its digital strategy.

Since 2006, the British fashion label has been offering data-driven personalized product recommendations, both online and in-store 7 . These programs had allegedly led to 50% increase in repeat purchases by 2015. Burberry launched Facebook chatbots during the 2016 London Fashion Week. Like Amazon’s Alexa, these “smart assistants” offered dynamic 1-on-1 interactions with patrons, with key functionalities including selling products from the latest collection and showing behind-the-scene inspirations 8 . Though rudimentary, the chatbot exhibited abilities to respond to user-generated phrases beyond pre-set buttons, indicating integration of natural language processing capabilities (See Screenshot in Exhibit 2).

Looking ahead, continuous improvements to the ML algorithms require large amounts of high quality training data. To elicit voluntary data sharing from its online community, Burberry has developed an advanced data platform integrated with Facebook and Twitter, to which consumers are encouraged to upload photos of themselves in Burberry products 9 . These data will enable the brand to further customize the products and experiences they offer. For the longer term, Burberry has announced plans to continue investing in ML across front- and back-end functions. The company’s SVP of IT discussed plans to use ML to automate supporting functions (e.g., development and operations, testing), improve scenario modeling for planning and logistics, and improve security and fraud prevention through ML applications 10 .

Beyond these planned initiatives, I would argue there is space for Burberry to think outside the box even more with regards to potential ML applications. Some considerations below:

• Ideation: Similar to Glossier, use user-generated data to guide and inform new product development pipeline.
• Immersive ecommerce: Combine chatbot technology with VR/AR applications to create a 100% personalized, immersive digital store, where virtual shopping assistants can replicate the in-store service experience for consumers at home.
• Full product personalization: Based on personal dimensional data and expressed historical preferences, create demos of unique, individually-designed products. Offer exclusively to high-spenders. Produce on a made-to-order basis.
• Supply chain management: Forecast demand at the SKU level to limit inventory pressure and better manage vendor relationships. Wayfair has demonstrated success in this regard 11 .
• Pricing: Pricing is another obvious area of ML application. However, since luxury brands generally adopt a no-discount strategy, I would deprioritize this lever.

In light of the trends and ideas suggested so far, the following questions merit more thought:

• How should luxury retail brands decide whether to develop ML capabilities in-house or outsource to a 3 rd party? If outsourced, how to mitigate concerns about data privacy (both to protect consumers and to preserve brands’ competitive advantage)?
• How to accelerate the process of data collection for training and improving algorithms without compromising data quality (e.g., personal, interconnected, comprehensive, accurate)?

Word count: 741

References:

1. Achille, A., Marchessou, S. and Remy, N. (2018).  Luxury in the age of digital Darwinism . [online] McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/luxury-in-the-age-of-digital-darwinism [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

2. D’Arpizio, C. (2018).  Spring Luxury Update . [online] Bain. Available at: https://www.bain.com/about/media-center/press-releases/2017/global-personal-luxury-goods-market-expected-to-grow-by-2-4-percent/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

10. AI Business. (2018).  Where are Burberry with AI? Exclusive Interview with David Harris, SVP of IT . [online] Available at: https://aibusiness.com/where-are-burberry-with-ai-exclusive-interview-with-david-harris-svp-of-it/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

3. Woo, A. (2018).  Understanding The Research On Millennial Shopping Behaviors . [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2018/06/04/understanding-the-research-on-millennial-shopping-behaviors/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

4. MacKenzie, I., Meyer, C. and Noble, S. (2018).  How retailers can keep up with consumers . [online] McKinsey & Company. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/retail/our-insights/how-retailers-can-keep-up-with-consumers [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

5. Milnes, H. (2018).  How Glossier uses data to make content and commerce work . [online] Digiday. Available at: https://digiday.com/marketing/glossier-uses-data-make-content-commerce-work/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

6. Milnes, H. (2018).  How Tumi is using AI in marketing campaigns, online and in stores . [online] Digiday. Available at: https://digiday.com/marketing/tumi-using-ai-marketing-campaigns-online-stores/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

7. Marr, B. (2018).  The Amazing Ways Burberry Is Using Artificial Intelligence And Big Data To Drive Success . [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2017/09/25/the-amazing-ways-burberry-is-using-artificial-intelligence-and-big-data-to-drive-success/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

8. Maruti Techlabs. (2018).  Chatbots as your Fashion Adviser . [online] Available at: https://www.marutitech.com/chatbots-as-your-fashion-adviser/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

9. Mittal, S. (2018).  How To Leverage Digital Tech To Drive Revenue Growth . [online] Forbes. Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/10/02/how-to-leverage-digital-tech-to-drive-revenue-growth/ [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

11. Supply Chain 247. (2018).  Machine Learning Steps Up Retail Performance . [online] Available at: https://www.supplychain247.com/paper/machine_learning_steps_up_retail_performance [Accessed 10 Nov. 2018].

Student comments on Burberry: Digitizing Luxury Retail with Machine Learning

I believe that Burberry should develop ML capabilities in-house. The retail landscape is drastically changing and digitization and personalization are necessary to compete in the market. Since this skill set is something that will be imperative to Burberry’s success in the future, I think they need to invest in bringing talent in-house that can help give them a competitive advantage. This reminds me a lot of Walmart’s decision to buy digitally native companies such as Bonobos and Jet.com. Walmart realized they needed to embrace e-commerce in order to succeed and so they acquired digitally native e-commerce companies—they then can learn from these companies about their e-commerce strategies and apply them to Walmart. Outsourcing the ML job may help in the short term, but for long term success I would advocate for in-house ML at Burberry.

Great article Charlotte – and the question you posed regarding whether to develop ML in house is really interesting. I would argue that Burberry should invest now in developing capabilities to develop ML in-house as opposed to outsourcing. Two reasons – first, the Company would be able to react real time to data as it flows in, and developing the ML muscle will allow the company to utilize the algorithm and data collected more effectively. Second, more than ever, competitors are trying to gain an edge on collecting the right data to improve their customer segmentation and increase revenues; the possibility of outsourced ML data falling into the wrong hands is not worth the risk.

Regarding your second question, I do think quality is incredibly important, especially to a luxury retail brand. Accuracy of the data is also key, as these luxury retail houses don’t subscribe to constant change in styles and collections that are created in a Fall or Spring collection have much slower turnovers. Burberry’s margin of error that it can afford is much smaller than those of fast fashion houses as well. I would encourage Burberry to focus on increasing accuracy and quality over speed instead of finding ways to accelerate ML data collection.

Charlotte – I really enjoyed reading this article. It is clear that is has been very beneficial for Burberry to integrate ML into its digital strategy, and you laid out a clear and convincing argument. In response to your second question regarding accelerating the process of data collection vs. maintaining high data quality, I would argue that the Company should prioritize quality at the cost of speed. Given that Burberry is a luxury brand, any perceived deterioration in quality could have a significant negative consequence on its brand image. For this reason, I would encourage the Company to continue to expand its ML applications, but in a slow and controlled manner.

One additional question I had for you is in response to your proposal for the Company to include immersive e-commerce. Do you think creating a digital store where virtual shopping assistants replace the in-store service could have a negative impact on its perceived luxury brand? Do you think the virtual assistants would truly be able to replicate the in-store service currently offered?

Thanks for the interesting article Charlotte! Regarding your question, I agree with some of the comments above that Burberry should continue to develop its machine learning capabilities in-house. Given the data and knowledge they have of their customers, they are in the best position to tailor to their specific needs, and in the competitive industry they are at, they need unique sources of comparative advantage. One of my concerns if Burberry continues to move to machine-learning for customer interaction is whether it will start losing its luxury appeal? In a more and more digitilized world, personal interactions can become more valuable. People who buy luxury brands are also buying into the experience, and receiving impersonal messages might deter from this.

This is a great piece on a retailer successfully integrating machine learning techniques into their business. Burberry is in the special spot of being digitally forward, while many others do not have this choice. This article talks about how digital is built into their culture and is not just projects they pursue for short term change: https://digiday.com/marketing/burberry-became-top-digital-luxury-brand/ .

Your question about the security of third parties holding data also merits a lot more thought. Retailers have traditionally faced the challenge of having many digital initiatives they want to take on while not being able to hire enough technical talent in house. Thus, in order for most retailers to succeed at truly personalizing the purchase experience, they need to really invest in understanding security requirements and bringing on the right external expertise to help them accomplish their goals. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the great read Charlotte! Your first question is particularly thought provoking as every company that is considering utilizing machine learning must be wrestling with the tradeoffs between developing internally and outsourcing to a 3rd party. Personally, I would outsource the development of the machine learning algorithm to a 3rd party for a few reasons: (1) Burberry’s core business is product design and it would be difficult to structurally change the organization to become a technology company, (2) 3rd party vendors have likely completed multiple machine learning algorithm implementations and can leverage prior experience, and (3) the war for talent (particularly for data scientists and engineers) is fierce and I struggle to believe that Burberry would win this battle.

One additional question that came to mind for me was – how can machine learning be used to drive traffic to physical stores? With approximately 240 retail locations[1], Burberry is still highly levered to physical retail and I wonder what applications could be developed to make the in-store experience more interactive and personalized. Do you know of any competitors focused on machine learning applications in stores (as opposed to online)?

[1] https://www.burberryplc.com/en/investors/annual-report.html

Leave a comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

To read this content please select one of the options below:

Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, emotionally engaging customers in the digital age: the case study of “burberry love”.

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management

ISSN : 1361-2026

Article publication date: 11 July 2016

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how companies can design digital channels to evoke desired emotions.

Design/methodology/approach

The successful business case of retailer Burberry has been examined to understand the strategy and customer engagement of digital channels implemented by decoding the emotional intensions.

Results illustrate that the ability to create engaging interactions via digital channels with customers has a significant impact on growth, revenue and brand advocacy. Findings from this study provide a new empirical support for the proposition that emotions can be utilised to guide company digital strategy for building digital channel relationships with customers.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the relationship between digital channels, emotion and customer responses to digital engagements. The inclusion of an emerging theory model is outlined to explain the successful process of reformulating business strategy through a dynamic and creative process of intersecting emotion, strategy and digital channels.

• Digital channels
• Customer relationships
• Design and emotion
• Digital behaviour

Straker, K. and Wrigley, C. (2016), "Emotionally engaging customers in the digital age: the case study of “Burberry love”", Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management , Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 276-299. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFMM-10-2015-0077

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles

All feedback is valuable.

Please share your general feedback

Report an issue or find answers to frequently asked questions

Contact Customer Support

Burberry Case Study about Consumer Behavior

15 Pages Posted: 10 Feb 2020

Chenoy Ceil

Independent

Date Written: May 12, 2018

Consumer behavior is an essential part of the marketing for brands that are trying to influence the purchasing behavior of consumers. Burberry as a brand has been able to influence the purchase decisions of consumers by utilizing motivational, perception, personality and lifestyle strategies. This paper looks at the various factors that are utilized by Burberry that act as marketing stimulus for influencing the purchasing decision of their consumers. Some recommendations dealing with the brand perception of Burberry are also provided to help Burberry improve their sales and create a unique fashion brand for itself. Motivation, personality and emotion are important factors that affect consumer decision making, especially in the case of high fashion products. Looking at all these various factors in detail, this paper concludes that motivation, perception, personality and lifestyle have been carefully utilized by Burberry to reposition its brand for the modern age.

Keywords: chenoy ceil, consult corportes, consumer behaviour, purchasing decision, fasion brand

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Chenoy Ceil (Contact Author)

Independent ( email ), do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on ssrn, paper statistics, related ejournals, microeconomics: intertemporal consumer choice & savings ejournal.

Subscribe to this fee journal for more curated articles on this topic

Decision-Making in Economics & Finance eJournal

Decision-making & management science ejournal, social & personality psychology ejournal, cognitive psychology ejournal.

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

A comprehensive analysis of Burberry's rebranding strategies; 1854-2014

Being in the age of the consumer; staying relevant in any industry is becoming more and more of a difficult task. The success of any business, which has a positive correlation with brand loyalty lies in the company’s ability to adequately satisfy the needs of the consumer, therefore, in achieving this, rebranding strategies which are made up of evolutionary (minor) and revolutionary (major) changes becomes just as important as any other strategy implemented in a company. This study therefore sought to discover how rebranding strategies affect company performance, how past successes or failures of a company’s rebranding strategies shape its future strategies and the role of customer perception in determining the success or failures of these strategies. In carrying this out, the study used Burberry as a case study, because it is a heritage brand, popular for its ‘bust and boom’ periods that are tied to the strategies taken on. The study therefore looked at Burberry’s rebranding strategies from 1856-2014 and discovered that the effects of rebranding strategies cannot be predicted as the short-run and long-run effects often differ. The study also showed how companies leverage on their past successes and failures by incorporating these into new rebranding strategies to be taken on, and finally it showed that rebranding strategies adopted exclusive of its consumers, irrespective of its brilliance, would inevitably yield negative results.

Related Papers

Sarah Alosaimi

Christine Tamms

This paper analyzes Burberry's global 'Art of the Trench' campaign, specifically related to the U.S. and Brazil markets.

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

• Mobile Site
• Staff Directory
• Advertise with Ars

Filter by topic

• Biz & IT
• Gaming & Culture

Front page layout

Fantastic beasts and where not to find them —

The mythical griffin was not inspired by a horned dinosaur, study concludes, the mythological creatures are instead "chimeras of big cats and raptorial birds.".

Jennifer Ouellette - Jun 25, 2024 7:42 pm UTC

The gryphon, or griffin , is a legendary creature dating back to classical antiquity, sporting the body, legs, and tail of a lion and the wings, head, and front talons of an eagle. Since the 1980s, a popular "geomyth" has spread that the griffin's unique appearance was inspired by the fossilized skeleton of a horned dinosaur known as Protoceratops . It's a fascinating and colorful story, but according to the authors of a new paper published in the journal Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, there is no hard evidence to support such a connection.

"Everything about griffin origins is consistent with their traditional interpretation as imaginary beasts, just as their appearance is entirely explained by them being [mythological] chimeras of big cats and raptorial birds," said co-author Mark Witton , a paleontologist at the University of Portsmouth. "Invoking a role for dinosaurs in griffin lore, especially species from distant lands like Protoceratops , not only introduces unnecessary complexity and inconsistencies to their origins, but also relies on interpretations and proposals that don’t withstand scrutiny.”

There are representations of griffin-like creatures in ancient Egyptian art dated to before 3000 BCE, while in ancient Greek and Roman texts the creatures were associated with gold deposits in Central Asia. By the Middle Ages, griffins were common figures in medieval iconography and in heraldry. The hippogriff named Buckbeak in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a related mythical creature, the product of a griffin and a mare.

It was the legendary link to Central Asian gold deposits that intrigued classical folklorist Adrienne Mayor in the 1980s. Drawing on Greek and Latin texts and related artworks, she suggested (beginning with a 1989 paper in Cryptozoology) that nomadic prospectors stumbled across fossilized skeletons of Protoceratops and brought tales of strange beaked quadrupeds to other regions as they traveled southeast along ancient trade routes. The dinosaur's bony neck frill might have been interpreted in early illustrations as mammal-like external ears, with its beak indicating a creature that was part-bird, leading to the eventual addition of wings.

Over the last 30 years, Mayor's hypothesis has gained traction in the popular media and within certain academic circles; it's now one of the most famous and widely touted examples of geomythology. It's not an entirely crazy idea, even if its origins lie in the pseudoscientific field of cryptozoology . After all, people as far back as Paleolithic times certainly used fossils as decorative ornaments or talismans, and there are bona fide cases of such "geomyths": For example, British ammonites were modified into "snake stones"; shark teeth were interpreted as snake tongues; and "winged" brachiopods became "stone swallows" in historic China.

The case for skepticism

But Witton and fellow Portsmouth paleontologist Richard Hing were skeptical because of the lack of any material evidence to support the connection between the griffin and Protoceratops . And they weren't alone. Paleontologist Paul Sereno once dismissed Mayor's claims as "sophomoric" and questioned her understanding of how fossils are found, identified, and interpreted, per the authors. So they set out to conduct the first detailed assessment of Mayor's claims, re-examining historical fossil records—including the distribution of sites where Protoceratops fossils have been found—and classical sources, as well as consulting with historians and archaeologists about the supposed link.

“It is important to distinguish between fossil folklore with a factual basis—that is, connections between fossils and myth evidenced by archaeological discoveries or compelling references in literature and artwork—and speculated connections based on intuition," said Hing . "There is nothing inherently wrong with the idea that ancient peoples found dinosaur bones and incorporated them into their mythology, but we need to root such proposals in realities of history, geography, and palaeontology. Otherwise, they are just speculation.”

reader comments

Channel ars technica.

Retraction Watch

Tracking retractions as a window into the scientific process

Journal retracts redundant case study of same patient from different authors

Cureus has retracted a 2024 case study after learning it had published a piece about the identical patient, by authors from the same institution, just months earlier.  

The paper, “Lipoma Growing on the Back for 26 Years: A Bizarre Case Report,” was published March 26 and retracted June 17. Three of the four authors are affiliated with Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, in Wardha, India. The corresponding author, Samiksha V. Gupta , was a medical student at the institution but has since received his degree. 

The notice states: 

This article has been retracted by the Editor-in-Chief after it has been discovered that this case was already presented and published in Kher C, Chakole S (January 26, 2024) Giant Lipoma: A Case Report. Cureus 16(1): e53000. doi:10.7759/cureus.53000 .

“It was discovered” is doing a lot of work here. 

We asked Springer Nature, which now owns Cureus , how the editors of the journal managed to publish the case study twice, given the distinctive topic and the fact the authors came from the same institution – Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences. 

Graham Parker-Finger, director of publishing and customer success for Cureus, told us:

We understand that the assistant surgeon on the case shared details with physicians who cared for the patient post-op without realizing that the attending physicians were going to publish this case. As a result, the case was submitted and published twice. Both papers went through the review process and the overlap was not identified at the time as the case was written up by two different groups and thus there was no text overlap/duplication flagged by ithenticate.  Additionally, although of the same subject, the photos are different. As soon as we became aware of the issue, we investigated, leading to the retraction of the later report.

In fact, the photos of the tumor, which are available online, are not so very different after all. The only apparent difference is that the colors are more vivid in the retracted image, which also is rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise. (The caption on one of the images reads: “A swelling of 10 cm × 12 cm x 7 cm was present over the left scapula;” the other “depicts a giant lipoma over the right suprascapular region” – which clearly is incorrect.) The articles also show the tumors after removal, and again, they are obviously identical. 

We asked Parker-Finger if the episode has prompted any changes in process at the publication. He told us: 

The articles were submitted 12 weeks apart with different authors and, as they were written independently, did not contain textual similarities that would be picked up by ithenticate, so identifying the overlap was not possible. It may be worth noting that we receive more than a thousand submissions each week.

We asked Gupta about the duplicate submission, and why he and his colleagues chose Cureus as a home for the paper: 

I sincerely apologize for any confusion caused by the submission of the case. To clarify, I was not aware that my colleagues at Datta Meghe had already submitted the case for publication.  Regarding your question about why Cureus was chosen over other journals, our decision was based on several factors. Cureus was selected because we believed it offered a suitable platform for the dissemination of our research findings, aligning well with the scope and objectives of our work. I understand the importance of addressing this issue promptly.

We were, well, curious how Gupta’s group got the image for their paper. He said: 

I actually reached out to my senior for assistance, and he provided me with all the information and pictures related to that particular case.

Like Retraction Watch? You can make a  tax-deductible contribution to support our work , subscribe to our free  daily digest   or  paid weekly update ,  follow us  on Twitter , like us  on Facebook , or add us to your  RSS reader . If you find a retraction that’s  not in The Retraction Watch Database , you can  let us know here . For comments or feedback, email us at [email protected] .

Share this:

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Texas' anti-abortion heartbeat law aimed to save babies, but more infants died.

Texas lawmakers touted their heartbeat law as an effort to save lives , but the state's near-total ban on abortion appears to have triggered an increase in infant deaths, according to a new study published Monday . 

The findings in JAMA Pediatrics show that infant deaths rose after Texas’ Senate Bill 8, which banned all abortion after about six weeks from conception. S.B. 8 became Texas law in September 2021 and U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion just over nine months later, on June 24, 2022. The high court ruling in the Dobbs case prompted more than a dozen states to issue near-total bans on abortion. Observers speculate that evidence will also show increases in infant deaths in those states, akin to what Texas has seen, the study said.

“It just points to some of the devastating consequences of abortion bans that maybe people weren't thinking about when they passed these laws,” Alison Gemmill, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health who authored the study, told USA TODAY. She called the deaths following the Texas heartbeat law its “spillover effects on moms and babies.”

Abortion bans: More than 171K patients traveled out-of-state for abortions in 2023, new data shows

In the wake of the law's passage in Texas, more babies died before their first birthday, likely due to birth defects or genetic problems that wouldn't have allowed them to live, the study found. These pregnancies would typically have been terminated by abortion, according to researchers. The Texas heartbeat law does not provide exceptions for pregnancies involving such conditions. Mothers are legally obligated to carry these babies to birth under state law.

In the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association, Gemmill and researchers from Johns Hopkins and Michigan State University wrote that the Texas law was linked to "unexpected increases in infant and neonatal deaths" between 2021 and 2022. Prior research drew a correlation between the uptick in infant deaths and anti-abortion laws taking effect, however, no studies until now have attributed the fatalities directly to the laws prohibiting the termination of these pregnancies.

"Abortion care is an essential component of comprehensive healthcare, and when it is restricted, the human impacts are devastating," Wendy Davis, a senior adviser for Planned Parenthood Texas Votes, said in a statement. Davis, who filibustered for abortion rights when she was a Democratic state senator, noted that the study only covered 2022, not the results in 2023 and 2024 in the wake of a more restrictive abortion ban that came with the Dobbs decision. This "likely means the situation on the ground today is even more dire," Davis said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's office did not dispute the study's findings but defended the Republican-controlled state's anti-abortion record. This effort included the 2021 heartbeat law "to save the innocent unborn, and now thousands of children have been given a chance at life," Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesperson for Abbott, said in a statement to USA TODAY. He said the governor has taken "significant action to protect the sanctity of life" and offered resources to expectant mothers "so they can choose life for their child."

Anti-abortion advocates also didn't contest the uptick in infant deaths cited in the study. Advocates for the heartbeat law and other legislation to restrict abortions say such bans protect life. They say terminating a fetus with a terminal illness is “choosing to kill that child intentionally.”

The overwhelming majority of such abortions happen before the fetus is viable. In Texas, legislation has dramatically reduced the number of abortions performed in the state.

Amy O’Donnell, a spokesperson for Texas Alliance for Life, said the study’s findings didn’t come as a surprise. She said babies born with disabilities and even fatal anomalies deserve a chance at life, even if that means a newborn dies after birth from a condition doctors anticipated would be lethal. The death of a child is not easy, she acknowledged. She noted that her nonprofit offers resources for families grieving from such losses.

“In Texas, we celebrate every unborn child's life saved. We treasure the fact that our laws are protecting women's lives,” she said. “We don't apologize for the fact that we don't support discrimination against children facing disabilities or fatal diagnoses in or out of the womb. And that's the line that we just believe should not be crossed.”

Gemmill, of Johns Hopkins, said babies that died shortly after being born with birth defects "probably caused a lot of unnecessary trauma to families."

Maternal health: Chronic hypertension has soared among pregnant women. Treatment is not keeping pace

The researchers examined death records beginning after the heartbeat law went into effect. The study created a “synthetic Texas” that simulated outcomes that would have happened had the law not been in effect and compared the numbers to national trends during that period. In 2021, 1,985 Texas infants died before their first birthday. The next year, with S.B. 8 in effect, the fatalities jumped to 2,240, a 12.9% increase that came as the U.S. experienced an overall increase of less than 2%. Deaths attributable to congenital anomalies or birth defects spiked nearly 23% in Texas compared to a 3% decrease nationally.

“It suggests that, really, this policy was responsible for this increase in infant deaths in Texas,” Gemmill said.

The study is significant because of Texas’ role as a conservative state with urban and rural areas that may reflect what happens in the rest of the U.S., according to Dr. Tracey Wilkinson, an associate professor of pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Texas has been living under restrictions longer than other states that enacted abortion bans after the Dobbs ruling.

“When people ask me why this is happening, it’s really simple,” said Wilkinson, who was not involved with the new study. “When you take away people’s ability to make decisions (about) if and when they have pregnancies, you’re going to see outcomes like increasing infant and maternal mortality.”

The study did not examine the effects of infant deaths on the health of mothers who were legally required to deliver dead babies to term, nor did it look at the mental health effects of carrying infants and delivering them, only to see them die. The study also raises but does not tackle questions about the financial cost to families of carrying and delivering terminally ill newborns. 

Gemmill is now working to understand the impact of abortion restrictions on parents of different races and ethnicities. Prior research has shown that Black mothers and babies face higher death rates than other groups.

The study reflects what Molly Duane, a senior staff attorney at the abortion rights advocacy nonprofit Center for Reproductive Rights, has seen in the courtroom arguing against Texas' laws. She recently represented women who sued the state after they were denied medical abortions. One of her clients, Samatha Casiano, was required by law to carry a child that developed without a brain. In late May, the Texas Supreme Court ruled pregnant patients must have a “life-threatening condition” in order to terminate a pregnancy.

Duane questioned the claim by anti-abortion activists that Texas is a “pro-life” state, given the study's findings. “Women are hurting, families are hurting, babies are dying, and no one in the state is taking responsibility for any of that real human suffering,” she said.

In late 2023, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found increases in infant deaths for the first time in more than 20 years. The states identified in the report with increased fatalities were states that restricted abortion access, however, experts cautioned at the time that they could not say what had caused the spike in fatalities.

The Texas study went one step further, finding one state where abortion restrictions resulted in more deaths.

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

HHS Publishes First Round of Inflation Reduction Act Case Studies on Health Sector Climate Investments

The HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity highlights safety net health care providers using Inflation Reduction Act funds and tax credits to decarbonize their communities and protect patients

The HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) published two case studies today highlighting how Boston Medical Center and OhioHealth, a pair of nonprofit safety net health care providers, are using the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to reduce carbon emissions. The case studies are meant to offer health organizations in similar situations a roadmap to use the IRA to serve their core mission, reduce climate-related health impacts and advance health equity.

One case study explains Boston Medical Center’s creation of a pilot program providing solar energy credits to patients. The other highlights OhioHealth’s decision to use IRA tax incentives to fund electric vehicle charging stations that offer free charging to residents in a rural area.

The case studies are part of OCCHE’s Catalytic Program on Utilizing the IRA, an ongoing effort to connect safety net health care providers to the billions of dollars the IRA makes available for energy efficiency, sustainability, and environmental justice. IRA funding opportunities help providers make investments that allow them to stay open before, during, and after emergencies and reduce their own pollution levels.

The case studies explore Boston Medical Center’s Clean Power Prescription and OhioHealth’s charging station infrastructure to help providers consider how they might successfully plan a project leveraging IRA funding to support their community. Both providers also share key lessons learned from their processes and advice for pitching a similar project to organizational leadership.

In addition to the new case studies, the Catalytic Program features more than two dozen hours of rewatchable, free-to-access webinars with experts from across the federal government and health sector, as well as a Quickfinder tool summarizing key IRA programs and policies.

“Boston Medical Center and OhioHealth are showing their peers the power of the Inflation Reduction Act to save hospitals money and reduce environmental health burdens at the same time,” said ADM Rachel L. Levine, MD, Assistant Secretary for Health. “The law offers unprecedented opportunities for health care providers and other nonprofits to make long-term investments that reduce their climate impact and protect public health. OCCHE’s work to educate safety net health care providers is vital to meeting our overall climate goals, and I look forward to seeing many more success stories in the months and years ahead.”

“The IRA is the most significant climate legislation in our country’s history, but it didn’t come with a roadmap telling the health sector where to plug in,” said John M. Balbus, MD, MPH, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Climate Change and Health Equity. “The health sector offers crucial support for frontline communities and also contributes about 8.5 percent of US carbon emissions, which is why it needs to reduce its own impacts as much as possible. The Catalytic Program is crucial to promoting health equity and a green energy economy, and I hope more health care providers take advantage of these opportunities.”

Many providers, including Boston Medical Center and OhioHealth, presented on their plans to use the IRA as part of the Catalytic Program’s webinar series over the summer. All previous sessions are recorded and available online. OCCHE will roll out new case studies over the course of this year.

Sign Up for Email Updates

Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases

Subscribe to RSS

Receive latest updates

Related News Releases

Hhs announces cost savings for 64 prescription drugs thanks to the medicare rebate program established by the biden-harris administration’s lower cost prescription drug law, hhs releases new data showing over 10 million people with medicare received a free vaccine because of the president’s inflation reduction act; releases draft guidance for the second cycle of medicare drug price negotiation program, biden-harris administration furthers medicare drug price negotiations, releases new data on how the president’s historic law lowers health care costs for women, media inquiries.

For general media inquiries, please contact  [email protected] .

Opinion: I study disinformation. This election will be grim.

Universities that catalogued election lies and disinformation are being targeted with the same tactics they sought to uncover..

Vivek Thakker for The New York Times

In 2020, the Stanford Internet Observatory, where I was until recently the research director, helped lead a project that studied election rumors and disinformation. As part of that work, we frequently encountered conspiratorial thinking from Americans who had been told the 2020 presidential election was going to be stolen.

The way theories of “the steal” went viral was eerily routine . First, an image or video, such as a photo of a suitcase near a polling place, was posted as evidence of wrongdoing. The poster would tweet the purported evidence, tagging partisan influencers or media accounts with large followings. Those accounts would promote the rumor, often claiming, “Big if true!” Others would join and the algorithms would push it out to potentially millions more. Partisan media would follow.

If the rumor was found to be false — and it usually was — corrections were rarely made and even then, little noticed. The belief that “the steal” was real led directly to the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

Within a couple of years, the same online rumor mill turned its attention to us — the very researchers who documented it. This spells trouble for the 2024 election.

For us, it started with claims that our work was a plot to censor the right. The first came from a blog related to the Foundation for Freedom Online, the project of a man who said he “ran cyber” at the State Department. This person, an alt-right YouTube personality who’d gone by the handle Frame Game, had been employed by the State Department for just a couple of months .

Using his brief affiliation as a marker of authority, he wrote blog posts styled as research reports contending that our project, the Election Integrity Partnership, had pushed social media networks to censor 22 million tweets. He had no firsthand evidence of any censorship, however: his number was based on a simple tally of viral election rumors that we’d counted and published in a report after the election was over. Right-wing media outlets and influencers nonetheless called it evidence of a plot to steal the election, and their followers followed suit.

Here’s what we actually did: Teams of student analysts identified social media posts that were potentially misleading the public about voting procedures, or which tried to delegitimize the outcome of an election. Sometimes a nonprofit clearinghouse that included state and local election officials shared with us posts that concerned them. In some cases, if a post we examined appeared to be going viral, and appeared to violate a social media platform’s election policies, we let the companies know. Most of the time, the platforms took no action; when they did act, it was primarily to label the post as disputed, or to attach a fact check.

The real impact of the rumors about us came offline. After the House flipped to Republican control in 2022, the investigations began. The “22 million tweets” claim was entered into the congressional record by witnesses during a March 2023 hearing of a House Judiciary subcommittee. Two Republican members of the subcommittee, Jim Jordan and Dan Bishop, sent letters demanding our correspondence with the executive branch and with technology companies as part of an investigation into our role in a Biden “censorship regime.” Subpoenas soon followed, and the investigations eventually expanded to requesting that our staff submit to closed-door video-recorded testimonies. That included students who worked on the project.

It was obvious to us what would happen next: The documents we turned over would be leaked and sentences cherry-picked to fit a pre-existing narrative. This supposed evidence would be fodder for hyperpartisan influencers, and the process would begin again. Indeed, this is precisely what happened, albeit with a wrinkle. Material the subcommittee obtained under subpoena or in closed-door hearings ended up in the hands of a right-wing group that had sued us, which was led by Mr. Jordan’s longtime ideological ally Stephen Miller. We do not know how.

This brings us to the present, when another election looms. The 2024 rerun is already being viciously fought. Since 2020, the technological landscape has shifted. There are new social media platforms in the mix, such as Bluesky, Threads and Truth Social. Election integrity policies and enforcement priorities are in flux at some of the biggest platforms. What used to be Twitter is under new ownership and most of the team that focused on trust and safety was let go.

Fake audio generated by artificial intelligence has already been deployed in a European election , and A.I.-powered chatbots are posting on social-media platforms. Overseas players continue to run influence operations to interfere in American politics; in recent weeks, OpenAI has confirmed that Russia, China and others have begun to use generative text tools to improve the quality and quantity of their efforts.

Offline, trust in institutions, government, media and fellow citizens is at or near record lows and polarization continues to increase. Election officials are concerned about the safety of poll workers and election administrators — perhaps the most terrible illustration of the cost of lies on our politics.

As we enter the final stretch of the 2024 campaign, it will not be other countries that are likely to have the greatest impact. Rather, it will once again be the domestic rumor mill. The networks spreading misleading notions remain stronger than ever, while the networks of researchers and observers who worked to counter them are being dismantled.

Universities and institutions have struggled to understand and adapt to lies about their work, often remaining silent and allowing false claims to ossify. Lies about academic projects are now matters of established fact within bespoke partisan realities .

Costs, both financial and psychological, have mounted. Stanford is refocusing the work of the Observatory and has ended the Election Integrity Partnership’s rapid-response election observation work. Employees including me did not have their contracts renewed.

This is disappointing, though not entirely surprising. The investigations have led to threats and sustained harassment for researchers who find themselves the focus of congressional attention. Misleading media claims have put students in the position of facing retribution for an academic research project. Even technology companies no longer appear to be acting together to disrupt election influence operations by foreign countries on their platforms.

Republican members of the House Judiciary subcommittee reacted to the Stanford news by saying their “robust oversight” over the center had resulted in a “big win” for free speech. This is an alarming statement for government officials to make about a private research institution with First Amendment rights.

The work of studying election delegitimization and supporting election officials is more important than ever. It is crucial that we not only stand resolute but speak out forcefully against intimidation tactics intended to silence us and discredit academic research. We cannot allow fear to undermine our commitment to safeguarding the democratic process.

Renée DiResta is the former research director of the Stanford Internet Observatory and the author of “Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality.” This article originally appeared in The New York Times .

Donate to the newsroom now. The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity and contributions are tax deductible

Why the Utah Jazz waited for USC’s Isaiah Collier to fall to them in the NBA Draft

Weber state’s dillon jones taken in the first round of the nba draft, utah jazz draft colorado forward cody williams at no. 10 in nba draft, a plan to build housing to replace a drive-in theater and swap meet moves closer to reality, primary race between rep. celeste maloy and colby jenkins in utah’s 2nd district narrows — but too close to call, featured local savings.

share this!

June 26, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

trusted source

New study reveals comet airburst evidence from 12,800 years ago

by Sonia Fernandez, University of California - Santa Barbara

Researchers continue to expand the case for the Younger Dryas Impact hypothesis. The idea proposes that a fragmented comet smashed into the Earth's atmosphere 12,800 years ago, causing a widespread climatic shift that, among other things, led to the abrupt reversal of the Earth's warming trend and into an anomalous near-glacial period called the Younger Dryas.

Now, UC Santa Barbara emeritus professor James Kennett and colleagues report the presence of proxies associated with the cosmic airburst distributed over several separate sites in the eastern United States (New Jersey, Maryland and South Carolina), materials indicative of the force and temperature involved in such an event, including platinum, microspherules, meltglass and shock-fractured quartz. The study appears in the journal Airbursts and Cratering .

"What we've found is that the pressures and temperatures were not characteristic of major crater-forming impacts but were consistent with so-called 'touchdown' airbursts that don't form much in the way of craters," Kennett said.

The Earth is bombarded every day by tons of celestial debris, in the form of tiny dust particles. On the other end of the scale are the extremely rare and cataclysmic impacts like the Chicxulub event that 65 million years ago caused the extinction of dinosaurs and other species. Its 150-kilometer-wide (93 miles) impact crater can be found in the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

Somewhere in between are the impacts that don't leave craters on the Earth's surface but are nevertheless destructive. The shockwave from the 1908 Tunguska event knocked down 2,150 square kilometers (830 square miles) of forest, as the roughly 40-meter (130 ft) diameter asteroid collided with the atmosphere almost 10 kilometers (6 miles) above the Siberian taiga.

The comet thought to be responsible for the Younger Dryas cooling episode is estimated to have been 100 kilometers wide (62 miles)—much larger than the Tunguska object, and fragmented into thousands of pieces. The sediment layer associated with the airburst stretches across much of the northern hemisphere, but can also be found in locations south of the equator. This layer contains unusually high levels of rare materials associated with cosmic impacts, such as iridium and platinum, and materials formed under high pressures and temperatures, such as magnetic microspherules (cooled-down metallic droplets), meltglass and nanodiamonds.

Shocked quartz and amorphous silica

The researchers are particularly interested in the presence of shocked quartz, indicated by a pattern of lines, called lamellae, that shows stress great enough to deform the crystal structure of quartz, a very hard material. This "crème de la crème" of cosmic impact evidence is present in impact craters, however linking shocked quartz to cosmic airbursts has proven to be more of a challenge.

"In the extreme form, such as when an asteroid hammers into the Earth's surface, all the fractures are very parallel," Kennett explained. In the realm of cosmic airbursts, different variables are present in the realm of cosmic airbursts. "When you think about it, the pressures and temperatures that produce these fractures will vary depending on the density, entry angle, altitude of the impact and the impactor's size.

"What we found—and this is what is characteristic of the impact layer, called the Younger Dryas Boundary—is that although we do occasionally see in the quartz grains examples of the 'traditional' shocked quartz with parallel fractures, we mostly see grains that are not parallel," he said. These fractures are seen in an irregular, web-like pattern of intersecting, meandering lines and surface and subsurface fissures, in contrast to the parallel and planar deformations of impact-associated shocked quartz found at craters. These subparallel and subplanar deformations are due in large part to the relatively lower pressures caused by explosions that occur above the ground, the researchers assert, as opposed to impacts that make contact with the Earth.

What these sediments do share with the shocked quartz at crater sites is the presence of amorphous silica—melted glass—in these fractures. And that, the researchers say, is evidence of the combination of pressure and high temperatures (greater than 2000 degrees Celsius) that could have come from a low-altitude bolide airburst. Similarly fractured quartz grains and meltglass have been found in more present-day samples of above ground explosions, such as at the Trinity atomic bomb test site in New Mexico. The roughly 20-kiloton bomb was detonated atop a 30.5 meter (100 foot) tower.

These lower-pressure shocked quartz grains join a growing suite of impact proxies that together make a case for a fragmented comet that not only caused widespread burning, but also abrupt climatic change that resulted in the extinctions of 35 genera of megafauna in North America, such as the mammoths and giant ground sloths , and led to the collapse of a flourishing human culture called Clovis, according to the researchers.

"There's a whole range of different shocked quartz , so we have to make a well-documented case that they are indeed significant for interpreting cosmic impact, even though they're not reflecting a traditional major crater-forming event," Kennett said. "These are from very-low-altitude 'touchdown' airbursts almost certainly associated with cometary impact."

Provided by University of California - Santa Barbara

Explore further

Feedback to editors

Early childhood problems linked to persistent school absenteeism

8 hours ago

Researchers find genetic stability in a long-term Panamanian hybrid zone of manakins

10 hours ago

Detective work enables Perseverance Mars rover team to revive SHERLOC instrument

NASA's Juno probe gets a close-up look at lava lakes on Jupiter's moon Io

Simple new process stores carbon dioxide in concrete without compromising strength

Surprising phosphate finding in NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample

11 hours ago

First case of Down syndrome in Neanderthals documented in new study

Understanding quantum states: New research shows importance of precise topography in solid neon qubits

Time-compression in electron microscopy: Terahertz light controls and characterizes electrons in space and time

13 hours ago

Sharing false political information on social media may be associated with positive schizotypy, research suggests

Relevant physicsforums posts, early universe massive black holes question.

14 hours ago

Galaxies as systems extended from the solar system

18 hours ago

Questions about dark matter/energy

Jun 25, 2024

Interstellar navigation to Proxima B with an unmanned probe

Some photos of antares and sigma sagittarii (nunki).

Jun 23, 2024

Why is the CNO Cycle considered catalytic in stellar nucleosynthesis?

More from Astronomy and Astrophysics

Related Stories

A prehistoric cosmic airburst preceded the advent of agriculture in the Levant

Oct 4, 2023

Evidence that a cosmic impact destroyed ancient city in the Jordan Valley

Sep 20, 2021

Researchers find evidence of a cosmic impact that caused destruction of one of the world's earliest human settlements

Mar 7, 2020

Examining an asteroid impact in slow motion

Feb 7, 2023

Did an extraterrestrial impact trigger the extinction of ice-age animals?

Oct 25, 2019

Geologic evidence supports theory that major cosmic impact event occurred approximately 12,800 years ago

Mar 13, 2019

Recommended for you

New warm sub-Neptune exoplanet discovered with TESS

20 hours ago

Jupiter's upper atmosphere surprises astronomers

Detecting intelligent life that's light years away: Greenhouse gases could signal alien activity

Let us know if there is a problem with our content.

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

Purdue University - Extension - Forestry and Natural Resources

Forestry & natural resources, got nature blog, case study: maple tree pests – purdue landscape report.

Purdue Landscape Report: Recently a homeowner in Hamilton County posted on the Indiana Native Plant Society Facebook page with concerns about aphids, mites, and apple scab in her maple and oak trees. She asked for a second opinion and treatment options for these pests. I reached out to the homeowner and requested permission to collect samples from the trees. Let’s look at what I found (or didn’t find) and discuss when and if these issues should be treated.

Apple Scab on Maples? First, we can eliminate the concern about apple scab because maple and oak trees are not hosts for this pathogen. Apple scab is caused by the fungus  Venturia inaequalis , and hosts include apples, crabapples, hawthorn, mountain ash, firethorn, and loquat. There are other fungal diseases which cause leaf spotting in maples, such as Anthracnose, tar spot, and Phyllosticta leaf spot. To diagnosis these diseases, homeowners can submit a sample to the  Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab , or hire a certified arborist to assess the tree. However, all these diseases are primarily aesthetic issues. A healthy tree will not die from these pathogens and does not require treatment. You can find more information about maple diseases in this publication:  Diseases in Hardwood Tree Plantings . You can also find a previous article on  Tar Spot in Maple  in the Purdue Landscape Report (Issue 18-12).

Fig. 1. Severe spider mite damage on maple leaves. (Photo: S. D. Frank, North Carolina State University)

Spider Mites The next pest concern on these trees is spider mites. Out of the dozens of leaves I collected, I found only two immature mites on a couple of maple leaves I examined. This is a very small mite presence, and it is not recommended to treat for spider mites unless the populations threaten the health or appearance of the tree. Limiting pesticide usage will conserve the natural enemies, which are vital to keeping mite populations in check. In fact, improper pesticide applications can kill these important natural enemies and worsen mite infestations.

When do you know if the mite population is large enough to merit intervention? Check your trees for signs of heavy feeding damage, such as leaf stippling (Fig. 1), or dense webbing on the leaves. Mites can also be monitored by placing a sheet of paper (8.5×11”) beneath a branch and striking the limb. Chemical treatments should be considered when you count ≥24 mites per strike. You can find detailed management recommendations and a full list of pesticide options in this Purdue Extension publication:  Spider Mites on Ornamentals .

Fig. 2: Adult painted maple aphids found on maple in Hamilton Co, Indiana. (Photo: Andrew Johnston, Purdue University).

Aphids The aphids I found on the homeowner’s maple trees are  Drepanaphis acerifoliae , or the painted maple aphid (Fig. 2). This species only feeds on maple trees, and is not a threat to the oak tree on this homeowner’s property. Painted maple aphid is a very common aphid in our region. I found only a few aphids on one of the maple trees I sampled, which is not enough to require treatment. In addition, one of the aphids was a “mummy”, or a carcass left behind from a parasitoid wasp. This indicates that natural enemies are already at work managing the aphid population. Aphids may rarely require chemical control if their numbers grow large enough to produce significant amounts of honeydew, which can result in sooty mold outbreaks.

Fig. 3: White-marked tussock moth caterpillar. (Photo: John Obermeyer, Purdue University).

Tussock Moth The only insect I found on the oak tree was a white-marked tussock moth caterpillar,  Orgyia leucostigma  (Fig. 3). This is the likely culprit for the minor feeding damage I noticed. These are not significant pests and do not require treatment. Don’t touch them, though! The setae of this caterpillar are irritating and may cause allergic reactions.

Overall, the pests I found were minimal and non-threatening to the trees. It’s normal to find some insect pressure in the landscape. Knowing when and if to treat requires accurate diagnosis and monitoring of pest levels. Check out  PurduePlantDoctor.com  for an easy-to-use diagnostic aid and treatment recommendations.

Original article posted: Purdue Landscape Report .

Subscribe and receive the newsletter:  Purdue Landscape Report Newsletter .

Resources: Large Spots on Maple Leaves that Look Like Tar , Purdue Extension News Find an Arborist , International Society of Arboriculture Diseases in Hardwood Tree Plantings , The Education Store, Purdue Extension’s resource center Fifty Common Trees of Indiana An Introduction to Trees of Indiana Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest , The Education Store Tree Installation: Process and Practices , The Education Store Forest Improvement Handbook , The Education Store Invasive Species , Playlist, Purdue Extension – FNR YouTube Channel Report Invasive Species , Purdue Invasive Species What are invasive species and why should I care? , Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources Indiana Department of Natural Resources: Invasive Species Indiana Invasive Species Council ID That Tree , Purdue Extension-FNR YouTube playlist Tree Defect Identification , The Education Store Tree Wound and Healing , Got Nature? Blog, Purdue Extension – Forestry and Natural Resources

Alicia Kelley , Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Coordinator Purdue Extension – Entomology

RELATED POSTS:

Recent Posts

• Case Study: Maple Tree Pests – Purdue Landscape Report Posted: June 26, 2024 in Disease , Forests and Street Trees , Plants , Spiders , Urban Forestry , Wildlife , Woodlands
• Woodland Management Moment: Oak Regeneration – Protecting Seedlings Posted: June 24, 2024 in Forestry , Urban Forestry , Wildlife , Woodland Management Moment , Woodlands
• Stories in the Bark – Patterns and Growth Posted: June 22, 2024 in Forestry , Forests and Street Trees , Wildlife , Woodlands
• Indiana’s Surprise Onion Plants Emerge Posted: June 20, 2024 in Forestry , Forests and Street Trees , Plants , Urban Forestry , Wildlife , Woodlands
• Celebrate Pollinator Week With Flowers of June Tour Posted: in Forestry , Gardening , Wildlife
• Leaf Curl and Blister Due to Wet Weather – Purdue Landscape Report Posted: June 7, 2024 in Forestry , Forests and Street Trees , Urban Forestry , Wildlife
• Learn How to Support Oak-Hickory Ecosystems Posted: June 4, 2024 in Forestry , How To , Urban Forestry , Wildlife
• Turtle Traffic: Save Turtles From Roads – My DNR Posted: June 3, 2024 in How To , Wildlife
• Spongy Moth in Spring Time – Purdue Landscape Report Posted: in Alert , Forestry , Forests and Street Trees , How To , Invasive Insects , Urban Forestry
• Cottonwood Seed Storm Posted: May 31, 2024 in Forestry , Urban Forestry
• Aquaculture/Fish
• Aquatic/Aquaculture Resources
• Ask the Expert
• Christmas Trees
• Community Development
• Forests and Street Trees
• Got Nature for Kids
• Great Lakes
• Invasive Animal Species
• Invasive Insects
• Invasive Plant Species
• Natural Resource Planning
• Nature of Teaching
• Publication
• Timber Marketing
• Uncategorized
• Urban Forestry
• Wood Products/Manufacturing
• Woodland Management Moment