Alba

: repositioning brand strategy through distribution channel

Abstract

Alba is a Portuguese brand in the industry of socks and tights which has started the implementation of a new strategy for its distribution channels in 2006. Since the beginning of the 2000s the constant and unavoidable market challenges that emerged led the brand managers to rethink its strategy and dive into the opportunity that was on their horizon: to sell Alba’s socks and tights at the Chinese stores. This dissertation aims to provide an overview of how Alba evolved through the years since its foundation, primarily based on the historical evolution of the brand’s distribution channels’ model: from being sold at supermarkets and local/traditional commerce stores to be distributed for the Chinese stores. To give a broader understanding of the brand’s strategy, this study also contemplates the analysis of the social and economic context in which Alba competed in the early 2000s, and how that affected the decisions that were taken in that period. This case study culminates with the current strategy of the brand: Throughout the repositioning process new opportunities have appeared and today the internationalization of the brand is a successful – although challenging – reality. The trade-offs of the decisions taken require a careful analysis of the risks incurred as well as the appropriate brand management. This dissertation presents information about the factors that led to Alba’s new strategy with the objective of providing a real-life example of brand repositioning and an uncommon method of search for competitive advantage in the market.

Date of Award	20 Jan 2014
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Pedro Celeste (Supervisor)