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Bench: A Global Fashion Journey

Bench began in 1987 as a small men's t-shirt store in the Philippines and has since expanded to include various product lines and over 678 stores nationwide and internationally. The brand is owned by Suyen Corporation and led by founder Ben Chan, who pioneered the use of celebrity endorsements and large-scale advertising to promote affordable, high quality fashion. Chan attributes Bench's success to creativity in marketing, adaptability to industry changes, and having a sense of perfect timing for new ideas and products. Going forward, Chan sees continual growth and adapting to evolving global tastes as key to keeping the brand fresh and thriving.

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Ryan Dreje
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309 views2 pages

Bench: A Global Fashion Journey

Bench began in 1987 as a small men's t-shirt store in the Philippines and has since expanded to include various product lines and over 678 stores nationwide and internationally. The brand is owned by Suyen Corporation and led by founder Ben Chan, who pioneered the use of celebrity endorsements and large-scale advertising to promote affordable, high quality fashion. Chan attributes Bench's success to creativity in marketing, adaptability to industry changes, and having a sense of perfect timing for new ideas and products. Going forward, Chan sees continual growth and adapting to evolving global tastes as key to keeping the brand fresh and thriving.

Uploaded by

Ryan Dreje
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Bench Success Story

In 1987, with a small store selling men’s t-shirts, Bench has grown to include a
ladies’ line, underwear, fragrances, house wares, snacks, and a wide array of other
lifestyle products, with the distinction of being present in virtually every retail space in
the Philippines, and with a worldwide network of stores and outlets, reaching as far as
the United States, the Middle East, and China. There are a total of 678 stores
nationwide. Spreading out its wings has been continuous owning to the viable franchise
partners they choose, people who really understand business and are knowledgeable
about the same industry.

Ben Chan is the man behind the Bench brand, founder of what is now the
Philippines’ largest clothing chain, under Suyen Corporation. His style is world class
fashion and his work ethics impeccable, after learning the definition of “hardworking”
from his Chinese forebears. Because of his vision and aggressive but strategic moves,
he has expanded the Philippine clothing chain into international markets. Bench is in Al
Khobar, Saudi Arabia; Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xian, China; Kuwait; Bahrain; and
Los Angeles, California. Chan’s philosophy goes far beyond getting inspired, one has to
turn inspiration into something commercially viable. He identifies three cornerstones of
his success: creativity, adaptability, and timing.
On creativity, Chan explains, Bench became successful because we took
unusual creative risks in the way we marketed and presented the brand. It gave off a
creative vibe from the start. Our packaging, our stores, our advertising, were all
considered maverick at that time. People liked it because they could see that we made
the effort to do things creatively, even artistically. Our first TV commercial was really
cinematic and was beautifully executed, it won so many awards and is now considered
an iconic classic in the advertising world. To boost Bench’s growth, it pioneered in the
use of celebrity endorsers, television and giant billboards to create awareness for a
fashion brand that offers premium quality products at affordable prices.

On adaptability, Chan notes, ‘In the last 15 years we have seen an enormous
change in the retail industry because of a combination of several factors, mainly, the
rise of the manufacturing industry in China, the preponderance of information
technology, and globalization. We had to adapt to all these massive changes quickly
and decisively, with no turning back. Had we decided to cling on to the old ways of
doing things, we probably would not have made it this far. Everything is global now,
everything is instant and instantaneous. We are working at a completely different pace
and speed than we did 15 years ago.’
Finally, on timing: ‘In fashion, timing is everything. You can’t be too soon or too
late. The right idea can end up a complete failure if you put it out at the wrong time. The
art of perfect timing is the biggest lesson I have learnt, and it is still a work in progress.
You have to go with your intuition, be fearless, and be brave.’
In the long run, Chan sees no signs of slowing down. He is always eyeing for one
thing ‘To keep growing, to keep adapting. The company must not merely survive, it must
thrive. We have to stay fresh and keep refreshing. In order to do that we need to be on
the leading edge of the global lifestyle. We need to keep maintaining and updating our
vision of what that global lifestyle is, which is continuously being shaped and reshaped
by technology, world culture, individuality. The core of the company now is how to cater
to that global customer whose tastes and preferences are constantly evolving and
improving with every Instagram post, every trip overseas, and every new purchase.’

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Technological advancements have revolutionized the retail industry by altering how businesses interact with customers and manage operations. Technologies like e-commerce platforms and social media have globalized consumer reach, requiring Bench to improve agility and technological responsiveness. This shift ensures that products and marketing strategies align with the fast-evolving digital landscape, where customer preferences are influenced by online trends and global connectivity .

Bench's marketing and advertising strategies, such as the pioneering use of celebrity endorsers and giant billboards, created significant brand awareness and positioned it as a fashion brand offering premium quality at affordable prices. The brand's early cinematic TV commercials, which won multiple awards, helped establish a creative and artistic brand identity, making it stand out in the marketplace .

Globalization impacted Bench's business strategy by necessitating quick and definitive adaptation to global trends and the fast-paced communication environment. Ben Chan notes that everything has become global and instantaneous, prompting Bench to evolve from traditional methods to maintaining a competitive edge in a global market, thereby allowing them to cater to the ever-changing tastes of a global customer base .

Cultural adaptation is crucial for Bench to stay relevant internationally, as consumer tastes are shaped by diverse cultural contexts. Understanding and integrating cultural nuances into product offerings and marketing efforts ensures that Bench resonates with local sensibilities. This involves continuous assessment and updating of the brand's global lifestyle vision to reflect a blend of world cultures, individuality, and evolving consumer expectations .

'Timing' is critical in the fashion industry because it determines the relevance and reception of products. According to Ben Chan, a great idea can become a failure if launched too early or too late, implying the necessity of aligning product rollouts with market readiness and consumer demand. Successful timing requires intuition and fearlessness, as demonstrated by Bench’s strategic international launches, which capitalized on market opportunities at optimal moments .

Bench differentiates itself by adopting an innovative approach in marketing and product presentation from the onset. Through creative advertising, a unique brand identity characterized by artistic TV commercials, and the strategic use of celebrities for brand endorsement, Bench carved a niche in the crowded fashion industry .

Ben Chan identifies creativity, adaptability, and timing as the key factors contributing to Bench's global expansion. Creativity involved taking creative risks in marketing and branding, such as using cinematic TV commercials and celebrity endorsements, which helped establish the brand's unique identity. Adaptability required adjusting to massive changes in the retail industry caused by the rise of manufacturing in China, the information technology boom, and globalization. Timing, or the art of launching ideas at the precise moment, is considered crucial to avoiding failures associated with being too early or too late .

Ben Chan's business philosophy, centered on transforming inspiration into commercially viable actions, drives Bench's success. By emphasizing creativity, adaptability, and strategic timing, he encourages a proactive approach to market demands. His ability to innovate marketing strategies, adapt to industry shifts like technological globalization, and successfully time market entries has allowed Bench to thrive amidst challenges .

Ben Chan emphasizes that entrepreneurial success requires creativity, adaptability, and timing. Creativity allows a brand to stand out through unique marketing and innovative strategies. Adaptability ensures a business can respond to industry changes such as globalization and technological advancements. Lastly, understanding timing helps launch products when they are most likely to succeed in the market, combining intuition with courage to seize global opportunities .

Bench's fashion branding approach evolved by adopting global lifestyle trends and integrating them into its product lines and marketing strategies. This involves continually refreshing the brand's vision to align with technological advances, world culture, and the individuality of modern consumers, thereby catering to global tastes influenced by new media and travel experiences .

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