Marketing blog for COMM296

If you like reading fashion magazine and following fashion trends, there is no chance that the word Christian Louboutin is not in your memory. Louboutin is the most famous shoe brand which is known as its red-sole pumps which range around $500 to $22,000 a pair. Louboutin is also the king of brand strategy. When we talk about creative marketing, we think like fancy, sexy, flashy. Christian Louboutin interpreted creative marketing as, “less is more.”

Louboutin won its trademark for the red-sole heels in 2008 that means only Louboutin can make red-sole heels shoes for “women’s high fashion designer footwear”. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office also states that only Louboutin has this exclusive right. After that Louboutin sued YSL, the french fashion house in April 2011 over allegations that the label has copied its signatured red-sole. Christian Louboutin finally won its case at September 5th,2011.  During this whole case, Louboutin not only won the compensation but also make its brand  more unforgetable and famous. This is a pretty smart move.

A single red-sole pair of shoes has become an unique image and highly associated with fashion. After this case, competitor can not even dare copy its concept, especially now that it’s legally trademarked. Now red-sole shoes will forever be the brand identity of Christian Louboutin.

When you see a woman wearing one of these classic red-sole shoes walking down the streets, she is instantly connected with being classy and fashionable. It’s undeniable that the quality of product sells the shoes, but there’s something more than just quality. The strategic marketing campaign behind the brand make Christian Louboutin successful.