Read this one not the other one that are my notes please. Les Is More: STP Strategy at Full Throttle 🏁 Fiona van Iersel MSc Marketing — King's College London Module: Marketing Strategy and Planning (7QQMO515X) Date: 28 March 2025 https://keats.kcl.ac.uk/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=749214 Read this one not the other one that are my notes please. Les Is More: STP Strategy at Full Throttle 🏁 Submitted: 28 March 2025 7:18 PM Engines are revving, legacy is purring — and my mate Ollie Leston is racing down the track with craftsmanship so classy he probably wears racing gloves to brunch. His STP strategy deserves a look under the hood because this isn’t just about steering wheels; it’s about legacy, style, and serious grip. The Les Leston brand is carving a place in the classic car world, producing handcrafted wooden and aluminum steering wheels. These aren’t just built for function — they’re built for feeling iconic. 🟥 Segmentation – Who’s on the Grid? Les Leston’s products aren’t for everyone with a license. They’re aimed at a refined group of car lovers who appreciate style, history, and the art of driving. Demographically, the brand appeals to drivers aged 35 to 70+, predominantly male, with high disposable income. Psychographically, the audience splits into three key personas. First, the Gentleman Restorer, who’s restoring a vintage vehicle and treats WD-40 like an aftershave. Next, the Heritage Collector, who might not even drive with the wheel — just displays it like a sculpture. Finally, the Neo-Vintage Modder blends old-school soul with modern builds (Wedel and Kamakura, 2012; Solomon, Marshall, and Stuart, 2020). This is a benefit and lifestyle-based segmentation — it targets identity, emotion, and self-expression. 📣 Targeting – Precision Over Volume Ollie Leston doesn’t shout through mass advertising. He speaks directly to his niche — like a team radio message to the right garage. His audience includes Pole Position Drivers (classic car restorers seeking authenticity), Mid-Pack Racers (style meets substance), and Wildcard Collectors (who admire, not install). This is a textbook example of a differentiated targeting strategy (Kotler and Keller, 2016), supported by emotional branding (Thompson, Rindfleisch and Arsel, 2006). Like Magritte’s pipe — “Ceci n’est pas un volant” — this isn’t just a wheel. It’s a symbol of legacy. 🛠️ Positioning – Dialling in the Handling Les Leston is positioned as “the original wheel of racing legends” — perfect for those who steer with both style and soul. It offers functional value (lightweight, handcrafted), emotional value (nostalgia and identity), and symbolic value (connection to racing heritage). This is an example of value-based and heritage-driven positioning (Treacy and Wiersema, 1993; Beverland, 2005). Not just a product. A talisman. 🧑‍🔧 Final Strategy Sync 🏁 Les Leston’s STP strategy is firing on all cylinders. Segmentation is sharp, targeting is focused, and positioning is premium. To keep the momentum? Ollie could Introduce limited edition wheels like the Monza Series or Silverstone ‘58, tell customer stories, offer a custom configurator, and collaborate with vintage car events and builders. 🏁 The Final Lap Ollie isn’t just reviving his grandfather’s brand — he’s putting it in pole position for today’s market. In a world of plastic paddles and touchscreen dashboards, Les Leston proves that craftsmanship still corners with style. “The car may age. The driver may retire. But a Les Leston wheel? That lives forever.” LES. IS. MORE. And yes — I have a “friends and family” deal at £800. Yes, I plugged it. References Beverland, M. (2005) ‘Crafting brand authenticity: The case of luxury wines’, Journal of Management Studies, 42(5), pp. 1003–1029. Kotler, P. and Keller, K. L. (2016) Marketing Management. 15th edn. Harlow: Pearson Education. Les Leston Ltd. (n.d.) Les Leston Official Website. Available at: https://www.lesleston.uk/ (Accessed: 28 March 2025) Solomon, M., Marshall, G. and Stuart, E. (2020) Marketing: Real People, Real Choices. 9th edn. Harlow: Pearson. Thompson, C. J., Rindfleisch, A. and Arsel, Z. (2006) ‘Emotional branding and the strategic value of the doppelgänger brand image’, Journal of Marketing, 70(1), pp. 50–64. Treacy, M. and Wiersema, F. (1993) ‘Customer intimacy and other value disciplines’, Harvard Business Review, 71(1), pp. 84–93. Wedel, M. and Kamakura, W. A. (2012) Market Segmentation: Conceptual and Methodological Foundations. 2nd edn. New York: Springer.