Argos creates head of brand role to drive growth
Argos has appointed Nokia global brand identity director Joanne Savage to the newly created head of own brand role briefed to strengthen Argos’ own-brand ranges across all categories to grow the appeal of Argos to a broader range of customers.
Argos sees its own label ranges as “critical” to its success and a way to encourage shoppers to buy more regularly.
The retailer has ambitious plans to double the penetration of exclusive brands to a third of total sales by 2018 to differentiate itself from the market. Parent-group Home Retail Group, acquired the Habitat brand in 2011 and the brand is part of Argos’ strategy to focus on fewer “more powerful” brands.
It aslo has a range of household and furniture own-brand products.
The move is part of managing director John Walden’s five year transformation plan to modernise the business. It is also reducing its store numbers and to become a more digitally focused retailer.
Walden, who joined the retailer last year from US electricals chain Best Buy, is conducting a review of all aspects of the business including its brand and marketing after several consecutive quarters of falling sales.
Argos reported a 2.1 per cent increase in like for like sales to £3.9bn in the year to 2 March 2013.
