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Everybody knows Bench.
You know, that fashion store with a lot of items for the young (and young-at-heart)…But unknown to many, the moving force behind its success in the mass retail market is Suyen Corporation.
The phenomenal growth of Bench is definitely outstanding. Today, clothing, accessories, undergarments, private home collection, bed, bath and body, as well as stationery items carry the Bench brand. After conquering the local milieu, Suyen brought the well-loved label abroad. Today, Bench is sold in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Singapore, Taiwan, Saipan, Malaysia and Japan. Boutiques have opened in Singapore, Japan and Saudi Arabia, which also has a franchise outlet. Adding to Suyen's list of commendable feats is the fact that the Bench trademark is registered in 17 countries, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Middle East, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK, US and Vietnam. Suyen is currently finalizing its Master Franchise Program to launch an aggressive marketing of its Franchise Program abroad. In fact, it invests heavily in promotions and advertising materials like mailers, flyers, leaflets, catalogues and billboards. What's more striking is that Suyen has been able to penetrate non-quota markets! To keep up with the tight competition abroad, the company has institutionalized a research and design structure. It is composed of a team of creative designers who work closely with marketing people to develop a full range of Bench products attuned to the demands of the market. Breaking into nonquota markets and promoting an original label is no mean feat. For these achievements, Suyen Corporation is accorded the Golden Shell Award for Marketing Excellence.
(This article was written for the brochure of the 2000 Golden Shell Awards) |