Uniqlo, the Japanese fashion retailer, is currently cruising almost effortlessly through the economic gloom while most of its competitors are lowering the life rafts. Sadly we don’t have one in South Africa yet but I have fond memories (and a rather fetching flat cap) from visiting the London store. This is my take on their success.

The stores:

Cool but often quite simple products, sold in a clean, minimalistic environment with great Japanese style service (even the stores not in Japan).

Product innovation:

Uniqlo recently launched the Heat Tech range of clothes including thermal underwear which converts moisture into heat. This not only gives the company unique products but also great PR value from inventing something that simultaneously sounds like the future and makes something as dull as thermal underwear sound cool.

Quirky marketing:

Uniqlo have really got the power of PR and appealing to the blogosphere with some fun off the wall marketing activity.

Robot assistant:

Uniqlo recently “employed” a robot store assistant in its New York branch. Ok so its a bit of a gimmick but one with immense PR appeal – and besides he does look damn cute. The little guy even writes his own blog (bless).

Human vending machine:

Just as whacky but also a very successful PR stunt Uniqlo in New York created a human vending machine to launch the new Heat Tech range. It’s basically a big box with (slightly bad) mimes inside it giving out free products.

And some ads:

Their ads have the same playful, slightly crazy feel to them.

They’re so The Gap of the noughties…