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https://martinroll.com/resources/articles/strategy/uniqlo-the-strategy-behind-the-global-
japanese-fast-fashion-retail-brand/
https://www.fastretailing.com/eng/ir/library/pdf/ar2023_en_sp.pdf
1. Official Website
 Uniqlo Global Website: uniqlo.com
o Sections to Explore:
 About Us: Corporate history and mission statement.
 Sustainability: Initiatives like their recycling programs and ethical
sourcing.
 Press Room: Latest news and press releases.
2. Annual Reports
 Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.: Fast Retailing Investor Relations
o Data to Extract:
 Revenue growth year-over-year.
 Market expansion strategies (e.g., entry into new countries).
 Segment performance (e.g., how Uniqlo performs in different regions).
3. Market Research Reports
 Statista: Search for "Uniqlo market share" or "fast fashion trends."
o Example Data: Market size, consumer demographics, and growth forecasts.
 IBISWorld: Look for "Fast Fashion Retailing in the US" or similar reports.
o Insights: Industry challenges and competitive landscape.
4. Business News Articles
 Bloomberg: Search "Uniqlo earnings report" for financial updates.
 Reuters: Look for articles covering "Uniqlo's expansion in the U.S." for insights on
strategic moves.
 The Wall Street Journal: Articles on "Uniqlo's response to sustainability trends" or
similar topics.
5. Digital marketing
Being one of the first brands to successfully launch the digital marketing campaign ‘Uniqlock’
back in 2007, Uniqlo is definitely one of the forerunners to use this brand communication
channel. The viral marketing project, designed to build brand awareness internationally,
featured a clock with spliced clips of well-choreographed dancing and catchy lounge music all
timed to match the ticking. It ran all year round – in summer, the girls dancing wore polo shirts;
in winter, cashmere; and at midnight they slept.
The web tool, Uniqlock, was designed to include a blog widget so the clock could be embedded
into blog sites. By January 2008, more than 27,000 widgets from 76 countries were circulating,
and the widgets and website that accompanied the campaign had been viewed 68 million times
in 209 different countries. Uniqlock won the brand a multitude of major advertising awards,
including a Grand Prix at Cannes Lions Festival. Dasuke Hase, Uniqlo’s public relations and global
marketing communications spokesman explained that the campaign was all about
communicating with customers in a way that travels around the globe.
More recently, the brand’s 2019 international campaign #UTPlayYourWorld also followed in
Uniqlock’s footsteps, partnering with short-form video giant TikTok to encourage customers to
show off their Uniqlo UT range outfits in short videos, which are screened on in-store monitors.
 Instagram: Check Uniqlo's official account (@uniqlo) for recent campaigns.
o Metrics to Analyze: Engagement rates on posts (likes, comments).
 Twitter: Monitor conversations around customer service experiences and product
feedback.
6. Fashion Industry Publications
 Business of Fashion: Search for articles like "How Uniqlo Became a Global Brand."
 Vogue Business: Articles discussing Uniqlo’s collaborations or marketing strategies.
7. Consumer Review Sites
 Trustpilot: Analyze user reviews focusing on product quality and customer service.
 Reddit: Subreddits like r/malefashionadvice or r/femalefashionadvice often discuss
Uniqlo products.
8. Academic Journals
 Google Scholar: Search for "Uniqlo marketing strategy" or "Uniqlo brand positioning" for
scholarly articles.
 Example Articles: Look for case studies analyzing Uniqlo’s unique retail approach.
9. Podcasts and YouTube Channels
 Podcasts: Listen to episodes from "The Business of Fashion Podcast" that discuss fast
fashion and retail insights.
 YouTube: Channels like “Best Dressed” may have videos reviewing Uniqlo's clothing lines
or styling tips.
10. Competitor Analysis
 H&M and Zara: Compare their business strategies against Uniqlo’s through market
reports.
 Market Reports: Use platforms like Mintel or Euromonitor to access detailed
comparisons.
Uniqlo brand communication strategy
Until the digital age started to gain rapid global momentum, Uniqlo has traditionally relied on
marketing flyers and TV commercials as its primary means of advertising. Today, it uses a
plethora of methods to communicate its brand position and ideals, including its unique in-store
environment, celebrity brand ambassadors (called Uniqlo Global Ambassadors), digital
marketing, collaborations with designers and brand campaigns.
In-store environment: One of Uniqlo’s main brand communication methods is its in-store
environment. Through its wide aisles, bright lights, neatly stacked shelves and beautifully
presented displays creating a comfortable and welcoming shopping experience, Uniqlo
communicates its ideal of simplicity and essential basics. Although the brand intentionally limits
the number of designs it produces, it compensates for this and distracts consumers from the
lack of choice by stacking its apparel from floor to ceiling, creating an illusion of choice and
plenitude.
It also has many digital screens in-store explaining the practical benefits of its fabrics and
apparels. Compared with other fast fashion competitors whose stores are jam-packed with
clothes, lack order and do not have a specific focus on customer service, Uniqlo’s in-store
experience stands out and contributes heavily to effective communication of its brand
philosophy.
Uniqlo Global Ambassadors: Similar to many global brands, Uniqlo also uses celebrity
endorsements to extend the brand’s image and connect with the masses. For Uniqlo, the most
important attributes it looks for in its brand ambassadors are great resilience and strong
character to overcome adversity. Uniqlo currently has 6 Global Ambassadors:
 Japanese international snowboarder Ayumu Hirano
 Swiss professional tennis champion Roger Federer
 Japanese global tennis medalist Kei Nishikori
 Japanese international wheelchair tennis champion Shingo Kunieda
 Scottish international wheelchair tennis champion Gordon Reid
 Australian world-class pro golfer Adam Scott
The Uniqlo Global Ambassador partnership typically lasts for 5 years with the aim of having the
ambassador promote the Uniqlo brand and its clothing worldwide, as well as collaborating on
future product lines and co-developing functional wear.
Uniqlo’s global sustainability approach

Sustainability has been a hot topic in business for the last decade and is now quickly becoming a
must-have hygiene factor for companies that want to resonate with and win the loyalty of its
global customers.
One of Tadashi Yanai’s 23 Management Principles is to contribute back to society. The brand
strongly believes that company’s value is intrinsically linked to the value it brings to society as a
whole and that successful companies must serve society. It believes that companies that only
focuses on profit will not survive. Its corporate statement “Changing clothes. Changing
conventional wisdom. Change the world.” reflects the company’s desire to transform society
and enhancing the environment and lives of all its stakeholders.
Fast Retailing’s sustainability approach and efforts comprise of 6 pillars:
 Create New Value through Products and Services: By procuring raw materials
responsibly with concern for animal welfare, the environment, and cotton farmers, Fast
Retailing strives to produce clothing which are sustainable even after they are no longer
worn
 Respect Human Rights in Our Supply Chain: Fast Retailing forms strong partnerships
with supplier factories and requires them to comply with its Code of Conduct for
Production Partners to safeguard human rights and working conditions in our supply
chain. Its Responsible Procurement Policy also requires production orders to be made
following procedures to avoid sudden increases in production volume that would result
in excessive overtime hours at its partner factories
 Respect the Environment: Through stakeholder collaboration and technological
innovation, Fast Retailing is committed to eliminating waste in its operations and supply
chain. It is committed to reduce water use by 15% and greenhouse gas emissions in its
Uniqlo stores by 10%, by 2020
 Strengthen Communities: Fast Retailing supports communities in three ways –
communities where it operates its stores, communities surrounding its partner factories,
and communities providing shelter to refugees and displaced persons. In fiscal year
2018, 30.29 million items were donated to 65 countries and regions through its All-
Product Recycling Initiative
 Support Employee Fulfillment: Fast Retailing has established an Employee Engagement
Policy with three pillars: equal opportunity and diversity; education and development;
and healthy, secure, and safe workplaces. Almost every Uniqlo store in Japan hires at
least 1 staff member with disabilities, and is targeting to even the employee gender ratio
after achieving its goal of filling 30% of its management roles with women in 2018
 Corporate Governance: Fast Retailing strives to build an effective corporate governance
system based on its Code of Conduct which includes a corporate auditor governance
model to enhance the independence of its Board, and an executive officer system to
enable timely decision-making and operations
Financial Performance
 Revenue: For the fiscal year 2022, Uniqlo reported revenues of approximately ¥2.3
trillion (about $20 billion).
 Operating Profit: The operating profit for FY2022 was around ¥280 billion (about $2.5
billion).
Market Position
 Global Market Share: Uniqlo holds about 1.7% of the global apparel market.
 Store Count: As of 2023, Uniqlo operates over 2,300 stores worldwide, with a significant
presence in Asia, North America, and Europe.
Sustainability Initiatives
 RE.UNIQLO Program: Since its launch, the RE.UNIQLO recycling program has recycled
over 50 million items.
 Sustainability Goals: Uniqlo aims to achieve 100% sustainable cotton by 2025 and is
actively working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Consumer Insights
 Customer Ratings: On Trustpilot, Uniqlo generally holds an average rating of around 3.9
out of 5, with reviews highlighting quality and pricing.
 Social Media: Uniqlo has approximately 3 million followers on Instagram, showcasing
their marketing engagement and brand loyalty.
Supply Chain and Production
 SPA Model: Uniqlo's SPA (Specialty Retailer of Private Label Apparel) model allows for
rapid inventory turnover, with the average lead time for production reportedly around
six months.
 Product Range: Uniqlo offers a diverse product range, including essentials like HeatTech,
Ultra Light Down jackets, and AIRism clothing.
Global Expansion
 U.S. Market Entry: Uniqlo entered the U.S. market in 2006, opening its flagship store in
New York City.
 European Expansion: Uniqlo has steadily expanded in Europe, opening its first store in
Paris in 2009 and continuing to grow its footprint in major cities.
Key Collaborations
 Uniqlo x JW Anderson: This collaboration has been notable for its seasonal collections,
which often sell out quickly due to high demand.

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