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Note that this file contains text enclosures only, hence not all enclosures from the exam paper.

Enclosure 12 - An unequal discount for an unequal world

On average, Danish women are paid 14.2%* less than their male colleagues, which is not only unfair, but also higher than the average European pay gap of 12.7%.

Due to this, we will give a discount of 14.2% with the code ‘unequal discount’.

The code applies to all shoes except sneakers and the Maria Mena collection and can be used online and in all stores until November 26, 2023, at 8pm.

Will this make a giant difference in the fight for equal pay?

No. But, it might start a debate about the issue.

*Source: Eurostat 2021

Source: Roccamore.com, November 2023

Enclosure 11 - Press release: Campaign in connection with International Women’s Day

It’s March 2023

#SHOWSOMERESPECT

Every fourth woman regularly experiences sexist comments at work. And just as many experience the fact that their authority is overridden solely due to their sex. And far too often it is women who expose other women to prejudiced and sexual comments.

It is March 8, 2023, and yet far too many women are spoken to as if we lived in 1923.

Even strong and successful women such as Annette Heick, Ellen Hillingsø, Gun-Britt Zeller, Rikke Hertz and Aida Sowe experience stupid and sexist comments from men as well as women.

Along with ALT for Damerne we now sound the alarm against the many prejudices and stereotypes women are met with at work and privately every day. We do not just talk about the direct sexual and sleazy remarks, but also very much about the many condescending questions and comments women at all ages are exposed to.

Let us celebrate International Women’s Day by showing each other respect and sisterhood.

ANNETTE HEICK

Entertainer, writer, singer and #RoccamoreRebel

“Media-whore!”

“Aren’t you too old for that?”

“Aren’t you ashamed of your parents?”

It is not trifles Annette Heick has had to listen to through the ages. And it is not only men who have had a hard time showing the versatile woman some respect. Just as often it has been other women who have met her with prejudices and sexist remarks.

Luckily, Annette has never limited herself by the nastiness she is met with. On the contrary. She readily fights back and replies with surplus energy and generosity. She shows all of us – that women, known as well as unknown, young as well as old – should not be put in boxes and met with prejudices.

We are really proud to celebrate International Women’s Day with Annette. Let us show her and all other women respect and sisterhood. It is March 2023.

GUN-BRITT ZELLER

Stylist, CEO and #RoccamoreRebel

“Stylist – what is that?”

Not many people took it seriously when Gun-Britt Zeller as a young woman announced that she wanted to do business as a stylist. They believed that women and business were two different things that did not belong together at all. But time has shown that Gun-Britt was right and that the doubters were wrong.

However, the success has not shielded her from prejudices and wearisome comments, from both men and women. When she had children, many believed that this had to signify a farewell to her career. But once again, Gun-Britt showed that they were wrong.

Even though we live in 2023, she is still met with prejudices. Now it is her age that is picked on. “I don’t want your hair colour” and “When will you retire?” Luckily, she does not listen to them.

We are proud to celebrate International Women’s Day with Gun-Britt. She shows all of us that women are the strongest and most beautiful when they are themselves. Respect!

Source: Press release, Roccamore, 2023

Enclosure 10 - The fight for colours

To shoe designer Frederikke Antonie Schmidt, colours are a foregone conclusion. They have always generated joy and results.

Given the fact that this year she is selling 50,000 pairs of beautiful shoes compared to the 700 she sold eight years ago — and has leaped many heights from starting her business with crowdfunding to now turning over millions and having more than 60 employees — one can safely say that there is reason to take Frederikke Antonie Schmidt seriously.

Besides the fact that vibrant colours put her in a good mood, there is also a political statement in them. Because she finds it absurd that some people do not believe you can be an intelligent and driven businesswoman when you are wearing a pair of high heels that sparkle.

Strong colours not only put Frederikke Antonie Schmidt in a good mood. They also contain a political statement.

In this year's March 8-campaign (International Women's Day, ed.) from Roccamore, Anette Heick appears, among others.

She experienced that it was women who struck the hardest blow on her in connection with the campaign.

Annette Heick is a Danish television host, journalist, singer and voice actor for animated films. She is the daughter of the two well-known entertainers Keld and Hilda Heick.

In this year's March 8 campaign, therefore, there are well-known women on the poster. Women who are leading in their industry, but still experience being looked down upon. Like Anette Heick with a miniskirt and long boots with the text 'Aren't you too old for this outfit?'

“Roccamore wants to focus on how women speak to each other. We hold each other down instead of lifting each other up. That is what we need to change," says Frederikke Antonie Schmidt.

A theme that is in strict continuation of the philosophy Roccamore has practiced since the first commercial collection was launched in 2016.

“Roccamore is about empowering women. You do that when you step into a pair of high heels. And when you are a part of a community. That is also why I have spent a lot of energy creating a community around Roccamore. And that is why we present a new rebel every month - a woman (wearing Roccamore shoes, ed.) who has done something cool, and who we should celebrate," says Frederikke Antonie Schmidt.

 

Customers are involved in designing

All Roccamore’s designs and choice of colours are also made jointly – that is, in direct cooperation with the customers.

"So, I do not know best. My customers do. That is why there are three pillars in our design wheel. The first pillar is the puzzle, where we look at our collection and take stock of what sells and what is missing. The second pillar is to look at trends and colours. We travel and visit different fairs, but in reality, macro trends are dictated by film and music. The third pillar is customer involvement. We have a Facebook group with 10,000 customers with whom we design our shoes."

She believes that it is this working method that has made Roccamore known for combining beautiful design with high comfort in high-heeled shoes. She is proud of this, even though the very client-driven process also means that it takes more than a year to design one single shoe.

Source: SN Magasin, March 24, 2023

Enclosure 9 - Morten Strunge rocks stilettos in a new equality campaign

Among others, Podimo founder Morten Strunge, Børsens chief editor Bjarne Corydon, and former Minister of Justice Brian Mikkelsen, have all donned high heels in a new campaign, in the name of equality.

The elegant businesswoman Mia Wagner in high heels is not a rare sight. But Morten Strunge, Brian Mikkelsen and Bjarne Corydon in high heels, that is not something you often see.

Tuesday, March 8, is International Women’s Day and that occasion is every year used by the Danish shoe-brand Roccamore to make a special shoe collection – and support a select cause.

This year, the cause is striking a blow for a greater diversity on Danish boards, and for that Roccamore gets help from the above-mentioned profiles.

"The creative idea is quite simple: Instead of sending women alone to the barricades, we asked a number of prominent businesspeople to step up for the good cause," writes Jakob Staalby in an email to Markedsføring.

He is, through his one-man agency, Staalby Solo, the creative mastermind behind the concept and campaign, which has been developed in close collaboration with Roccamore's founder, Frederikke Schmidt.

"On Danish boards, there are four men for every woman. Therefore, we asked four men and one woman to participate in the campaign. Naturally, wearing high heels," writes Jakob Staalby, who cannot reveal the campaign's budget but emphasizes that the five well-known participants have appeared in the campaign without charge.

The campaign runs in newspapers, on outdoor and on social media starting today and ends with a free 2-day board training on March 19 and 20, where women - and men - can learn more about what it takes to be on a professional board.

The shoes portrayed in the campaign are available in the name of equality in sizes ranging from 35-46, so few adult feet will feel stepped on.

Source: Dansk Markedsføring, March 8, 2022

Enclosure 8 - Roccamore’s marketing (video)

Roccamore founder and CEO, Frederikke Antonie Schmidt

Source: Videncenter for Digital Handel, www.youtube.com, August 2022

Enclosure 7 - Traceability on products (video)

Roccamore founder and CEO, Frederikke Antonie Schmidt

Source: Videncenter for Digital Handel, www.youtube.com, August 2022

Enclosure 6 - The shoe company Roccamore lands a million DKK deficit

The company, which produces and sells high heeled shoes and boots with ergonomically designed soles, presented a 3.3 DKK million deficit in 2022. A notable decrease compared to 2021, when the company’s surplus was just below 1 million DKK.

Already back then, the result was an economic downturn for the ‘shoe comet’, which was able to present a 4.5 million DKK surplus in 2020, when Roccamore was also crowned the winner of Børsens High-Growth Company Prize in the capital. Thus, it was one of the country’s fastest growing companies.

In 2021 Roccamore opened a store in Norway, which Frederikke Antonie Schmidt emphasizes as the reason to her company’s deficit.

“We rented a fantastic (and fairly expensive) store and hired cool people to get us started. We are not at all done in Norway, but we have become much wiser on the ‘go to market’, both here and in our next markets. It costs us to learn something, and that is why we now have red numbers in our accounts,” she says.

The negative result should be seen in the light of the significant changes in the world economy, such as increased inflation, rising interest rate level and a historically low consumer optimism, which have caused generally lower sales for a lot of consumer brands, including Roccamore.

“Roccamore is not a baby, it is a #business (tag on LinkedIn, ed.), and it must become huge. However, that will not happen if we do not dare think big and take some risks along the way.” The expansion in Norway, which has cost on the bottom line, according to the CEO, is the first of several that the company plans. In October, Børsen revealed that the shoe company had secured a 6 million DKK investment which was to be used on a growth push when the world economy turns for the better again.

The money came from several of the company’s existing investors, among others the Dutch venture fond Forward Venture Capital, which increased its ownership share to more than 5%.

“We will get out of this crisis in a good way, and then we must enter new markets.

We would like to be ready for that,” Frederikke Antonie Schmidt said to Børsen back then.

Source: Børsen, June 6, 2023

Enclosure 5 - Excerpt from social media

Source: Roccamore’s Facebook-page, December 21, 2022

Source: Roccamore’s Facebook-page, September 30, 2023

Source: Roccamore’s Instagram profile, September 2023

Source: Roccamore’s Instagram profile, September 2023

Enclosure 4 - Excerpt from Roccamore’s website

Source: Roccamore.com, 2023

Enclosure 3 - Roccamore’s products (video)

Roccamore founder and CEO, Frederikke Antonie Schmidt

Source: Own production, August 2023

Enclosure 2 - Facts about Roccamore

• Roccamore was founded in 2015 by Frederikke Antoine Schmidt and makes high-heeled shoes with distinctive soles.

• All Roccamore shoes are designed in Copenhagen and handmade in Italy. Each pair passes through 22 steps and gets through 17 different shoemaker’s hands.

• Roccamore’s shoes were tested in 2016 by Hvidovre Hospital, which assessed that the shoes support the arch 44% better than ordinary stilettos and ease the pressure on the foot with up to 26%.

• The shoes are handmade in factories in Italy from leftover materials from fashion houses. The brand also has a certified sustainable shoe line.

• Roccamore derives from the Italian words ‘roccaforte’ (fortress) and ‘amore’ (love).

• Roccamore celebrates women and each month appoints a so-called rebel.

• Frederikke Antoine Schmidt has declined to present the award Female Entrepreneur of the Year because she believes that it is sexist towards women having their separate category when men do not.

• The shoes are sold online and at Roccamore’s six physical stores in Lyngby, Roskilde, Copenhagen, Aarhus, Aalborg and Oslo.

About Frederikke Antonie Schmidt, Roccamore founder and CEO:

• Educated shoe designer, Polimoda¹ Florence.

• Professional bachelor’s degree in marketing, Copenhagen Business Academy.

• Worked as a shoe designer abroad for several years for brands such as Ferragamo, Prada and Icon Shoes.

• Former Creative CEO, Mermaid Frontier.

Source: Børsen, December 10, 2021, and SN Magasin, March 24, 2023

Enclosure 1 - The Roccamore company (video)

Roccamore founder and CEO, Frederikke Antonie Schmidt

Source: Own production, August 2023

Enclosures

Enclosure 1 - The Roccamore company (video)

Enclosure 2 - Facts about Roccamore

Enclosure 3 - Roccamore’s products (video)

Enclosure 4 - Excerpt from Roccamore’s website

Enclosure 5 - Excerpt from social media

Enclosure 6 - The shoe company Roccamore lands a million DKK deficit

Enclosure 7 - Traceability on products (video)

Enclosure 8 - Roccamore’s marketing (video)

Enclosure 9 - Morten Strunge rocks stilettos

Enclosure 10 - The fight for colours

Enclosure 11 - Campaign in connection with International Women’s Day

Enclosure 12 - An unequal discount to an unequal world

Tasks

This exam paper consists of 5 tasks and various enclosures to be used when completing the tasks.

Some tasks specify which enclosures are to be used as a minimum in your response. Other tasks give no such specification. In these cases, you are to use the enclosures that you consider relevant.

You are not required to state in your response which enclosures you have used to complete the individual tasks.

Task 1

Characterise the company Roccamore’s target group(s). Base your response on enclosures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Your answer must not exceed more than 2,400 characters including spaces.

Task 2

Analyse Roccamore’s value chain. Your answer must not exceed more than 2,400 characters including spaces.

Task 3

Analyse Roccamore’s promotion. Include among other things, the campaign #showsomerespect.

Task 4

Discuss the following statements. Your answer must not exceed 2,400 characters including spaces.

	a.	Indirect distribution is an advantage for Roccamore.
	b.	Roccamore’s export motives are proactive.
	c.	Roccamore’s positioning is based on ESP (emotional selling proposition).

Task 5

Taking your starting point in your answers to tasks 1-4 and relevant enclosures, you are to identify a challenge for Roccamore

Discuss potential solution(s) to the challenge selected.