#3 Hang Ten, Your Style

In recognizing Hang Ten Singapore's popularity among mature consumers, a possible strategy to overcome the challenges Hang Ten currently faces is to realign itself to cater to mature consumers instead of the young. This new positioning would target mature middle income Singaporeans aged 30 or above to provide them with comfortable & affordable casual apparel for their recreational activities.


In order to address the communication problems previously experienced (i.e. lack of differentiation, negative perception), marketing communications for this new positioning should be targeted and consistent. 


To this end, a campaign adopting a "Your Style" theme will be implemented. The campaign will champion a shift from the perception of 'style' as equivalent to designer fashion or having trendy, edgy tones. Style can be simple, affordable and comfortable, and at Hang Ten, consumers are entitled to just that.


With such a re-positioning, the disjoint between Hang Ten's projected identity and perceived image would be reduced without running the risk of alienating a large portion of current consumers. 

Risk Factor: 7 out of 10 toes (moderate risky)

Despite the slight changes required in terms of product design (e.g. more emphasis on nude colors than bright flashy colors) and marketing communications, this move presents a drastic departure from Hang Ten Group Holding's overall positioning, which targets youths instead of middle-aged adults. Its implementation may thus be challenged by the Group, although to a lesser extent than it would if the US brand-image were to be replicated. The change in target consumers, meanwhile, would also further weaken the link between the Hang Ten heritage, as it was initially conceived as a surf-wear brand for Californian youths.


Bringing Hang Ten's competitive alignment towards the mature market also brings it into direct competition with other long-established brands such as Arnold Palmer and Polo. Given Hang Ten's limited experience in catering to this market may thus present it with comparative disadvantages in terms of consumer knowledge, such as their reactions to certain marketing communications or pricing/promotion strategies. In-depth research and market testing needs to be done to appropriate the best marketing mix thus making this solution more time-consuming and costly.