Business Chief Europe Magazine March 2016 | Page 11

DRESSING UP
checks periodically . Smiffys ’ wigs used to be made in the UK , but with other developments in the industry has come issues of cost : “ It ’ s become more about price . Unfortunately – inevitably – it means that consumers are chasing a cheaper price , so the manufacturing has to go to cheaper areas .”
In the UK , fancy dress is a yearround business . While it may spike over Halloween , Brits will grasp at any excuse to dress up : pub sports matches , hen and stag weekends , birthday parties , Sports Relief , and major holidays are all reasons to celebrate . Thanks to the slow but steady popularisation of Halloween in Europe , along with carnival season , Smiffys has since become popular in Germany , France , Spain , Sweden , Denmark , and many other European nations . “ Our export sales have really gathered apace over the last few years and that ’ s something that we ’ ll continue to focus on – maintaining brand awareness in the UK and in the export market .”
Remarkably , Smiffys has managed to maintain its positive brand image without the benefit of an online presence : “ Until recently you would have to buy from an intermediary . We ’ ve launched an online platform , smiffys . com , which will allow us to reach consumers , get feedback , and engage with people to better understand their needs . We still support our intermediaries , but in this day and age it ’ s very rare for a brand to not have direct access to the consumer . A lot of people still like to research online before going to the physical shop . It allows them to see the full breadth and range of our products , which bodes well for the future of the business .”
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