Midterm - Glacéau

Glacéau

Glacéau is a water company that plays by a different set of rules than it’s other corporate competitors. This is evident when one first opens their corporate information page and is greeted by simple text in all small letters with an opening sentence that states, “glacéau’s boring history”. From this very first encounter one might be able to see why Glacéau’s products have become so popular among the younger, athletic demographic.

Glacéau was founded in 1996 when Darius Brikoff created SmartWater. SmartWater is a “zero-calorie, vapor-distilled, electrolyte-enhanced water. Just the purest, cleanest water possible with added electrolytes.” (Glacéau) What started off as just a new way to offer water quickly grew into a small company that was selling water to health food stores and specialty retailers in the New York area. In 1998 FruitWater was added and by the year 2000 Darius added the now famous VitaminWater to his company and the waters began to be sold nationwide.

The new VitaminWater is a “great-tasting, healthy enhanced water that is packed with nutrients. In addition to providing the perfect compliment to everyone’s less-than-perfect diet, each VitaminWater variety has a unique combination of nutrients to deliver a specific benefit to get you through your day.” (Glacéau) The VitaminWater brand was what really helped Glacéau to get on the map. The water was first promoted by rapper 50 Cent and afterwards every young 20-something was enamored with the brand and began drinking it. Today VitaminWater, with it's many different flavors and kitschy names, continues to market heavily to the younger demographic with their fun advertising campaigns and prevalently placed ads in magazines such as US Weekly, GQ, Vogue, and sports magazines.

After the success of SmartWater, VitaminWater, and FruitWater domestically, Glacéau launched their products internationally in 2008 by introducing them into the UK, Australian, and French markets. The continued success both domestically and internationally has helped Glacéau to “experience triple digit growth for five straight years and according to industry reports (no we didn’t write them) is poised to become one of the biggest brands in the history of beverages.” (Glacéau)

Today the Glacéau brand and it’s products are created and distributed by Energy Brands, a company created by Darius and his partner Mike. Another beverage giant in the industry has also taken notice of Glacéau’s prominence as Energy Brands is now a privately held subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Co.

Midterm - Colgate

Colgate

In 1806 William Colgate began a small starch, soap and candle business in New York City. Many years later in1873 Colgate introduced toothpaste in a jars and finally in collapsible tubes in 1896. Colgate won top honors for its remarkable soaps and perfumes at the World’s Fair in Paris in 1900 and a global brand was born. This success has continued for over 200 years and the brand has become an American standard. As Ian Cook (Chairman, President, and CEO) says “For more than 200 years, Colgate people and Colgate values have been at the heart of our success. We are proud of the powerful strategies and sharp focus which drive our success today. Thanks to all Colgate people, our consumers and business partners for their contributions in helping us to become strong, focused and truly global company we are today.” (Colgate)

After 100 years of business (in 1906), to celebrate their success, Colgate distributed two million tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes to schools around the US and provided hygienists to demonstrate how to properly brush teeth. By the 1920s, Colgate began establishing business in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Near the end of the 1920s, Colgate merged with Palmolive and was first listed on the NY stock exchange in 1930.

Colgate-Palmolive is now a highly valued, award winning company, “today, with sales surpassing $15 billion, Colgate focuses on four core businesses: Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. Colgate now sells its products in over 200 countries and territories worldwide.” (Colgate) In 1996, Colgate’s program “Bright Smiles, Bright Futures” spread to 50 countries and now reaches over 50 million children each year. Colgate-Palmolive has also received many domestic and international awards including; “100 Best Companies to Work For,” “Best Companies for Minorities,” Top 50 Employers” and “Global Most Admired Companies” from Fortune Magazine and Equal Opportunity Publications.

Colgate prides itself on being a diverse, caring, always improving company. “Our three fundamental values — Caring, Global Teamwork and Continuous Improvement — are part of everything we do.” (Colgate) Colgate cares about their customers, shareholders and business partners, all alike. Colgate believes that “by better understanding consumers' and customers' expectations and continuously working to innovate and improve products, services and processes, Colgate will ‘become the best." (Colgate) This mantra has helped them to continue to grow their business both domestically and internationally.

Colgate as an oral hygiene brand has many competitors, though their biggest competition is Crest. These two oral hygiene companies have been in competition since the 1940s, when Crest was introduced. Colgate believes that by their being in business for over 100 years their “reputation has been built upon the quality and safety of our products. Our commitment to quality and safety is essential to the continued growth and success of our Company.”(Colgate)

Midterm - Grey Goose

Grey Goose

Grey Goose vodka was Sidney Frank’s (his company was made famous for introducing Jagermeister and making it a huge success) answer to the new surge for super premium vodkas in the United States during the late 1990s. The surge was brought on by the introduction of Polish vodka brand Belvedere into the market in 1996. Shortly after Frank decided that his company needed to import a high end vodka into the market as well. He quickly dispersed his team to France where they began to create and distill what is now one of the most highly regarded and well-known vodka brands in the world.

In 1997, Frank chose France because “the notion of French manufacturing having an inherent link with high perceived quality” (Wikipedia) made him think that the brand would be able to be successfully marketed to the US premium liquor market. The team chose for the vodka to be created in the Cognac region of France, north of Paris. “For centuries the most respected experts in spirits distillation have practiced their craft in the region, which is renowned for its luxury foods, wines and spirits. It's these craftsmen whose expertise and vision led to the creation of a spirit so exceptional that it redefined vodka.” (Bacardi) This also proved to be a highly useful marketing tool in order to help the brand launch.

Grey Goose’s quality is monitored and ensured by “the watchful eye of an expert, the GREY GOOSE maître de chai (cellar master), the spirit is closely monitored so as to ensure that every drop of its production exceeds expectations.” (Bacardi) In addition to a very high attention detail in order to make sure that each bottle is reflective upon the built up cache of the brand “only the finest ingredients are used, such as the golden fine French wheat and the naturally filtered spring water that creates the superior nature” (Bacardi) of the Vodka.

Such a scrutinized process must have it’s rewards and it in fact has. “In its first year of production, GREY GOOSE was hailed as "The World's Best Tasting Vodka" by the Chicago Beverage Testing Institute and was also awarded a Platinum medal at the World Spirits Championship in San Francisco, California.” (Bacardi) The success of the Grey Goose brand (so successful that Frank was able to sell it to Bacardi in 2004 for $2.2 billion [the largest single brand sale ever]) is due to having a high quality product along with the perfect mix of marketing and brand story when introducing a new brand into the marketplace.

Midterm - Orbit Gum

Orbit Gum

Wrigley was a small family owned company that started in 1891 that sold baking powder and soap to the people of Chicago. Today however Wrigley has grown into a “company (that) is a recognized leader in confections with a wide range of product offerings including gum, mints, hard and chewy candies, lollipops, and chocolate." (Wrigley) They have grown from a small brand to one that has operations in over 40 different countries and distributes goods in more than 180, no small feat. One of Wrigley’s best-known products is Orbit gum.

In 2008 Wrigley was purchased by and has now become a subsidiary of Mars, Incorporated. Mars in and of itself is quite a success story, it has grown to become one of the “world's largest food companies, generating global revenues of $30 billion annually and producing some of the world's leading brands in six segments that include Chocolate, Drinks, Food, Petcare, Symbioscience and Wrigley." (Wrigley)

Orbit gum was first introduced in 1944 when the company began shipping all of their most famous flavors of gum (Juicy Fruit, Wrigley’s Spearmint and Doublemint) to the troops stationed overseas in an order to support the war effort. Since these brands were now “no longer available on the civilian market, Wrigley began production of a new gum called Orbit. After the war had ended and the three established brands returned to the market in 1946, Orbit was discontinued.” (Orbit)

The gum sat dormant for 30 years until in 1976 it was reintroduced overseas in the German, Swiss, and Dutch markets. “This marked the first time that a sugar-free gum was marketed under the Wrigley name.” (Orbit) The brand was first reintroduced in the American market in 2001 and “the brand quickly gained in popularity and became the fastest growing brand in the gum category.” (Orbit)

In 2007 “Orbit, along with Extra® and Eclipse®, became the first chewing gum to receive The American Dental Association's Seal of Acceptance, with nearly 20 years of research demonstrating that the products help to fight cavities, strengthen teeth and reduce harmful plaque acids.” (Orbit) The smooth and refreshing flavor of sugar free Orbit was said to leave your mouth with a just brushed clean feeling and so the now famous advertising campaign featuring a British spokes model toting the line “For a Good Clean Feeling, No Matter What” was introduced and Orbit has continued it’s immense growth in popularity both domestically and internationally.

Week Four EOC - Exercise

The ad that I chose for Dolce & Gabbana was their ad from 2003. There was a controversy at first with Puma because there was a fake ad being spread around of a girl wearing her Puma shoes and was kneeling down in a suggestive manner facing a guy, giving off the impression she was giving him oral pleasure. Another notation that she was giving him oral sex was the fact that there was a white sticky looking substance on her knee. Puma then sued over this ad saying it was completely fake and was not their ad. With Dolce & Gabbana however, being the controversial brand that they are did a similar campaign. They were paying homage the Puma ads by having a gentleman kneel in front of another guy who has his pants around his ankles. With Dolce & Gabbana ads, you never really know what it is they are trying to sell. It could be the shoes, the jeans, the guys’ shirt in the back or even the underwear that you get a little peak of at the top of the ad. Being that they are a very provocative brand with their controversial ads, this advertisement wasn’t as ridiculed as Pumas was, simply because that is who they are.

Week Four EOC - Discussion Questions

Currently, how many divisions do Dolce and Gabbana have in their company? Has it grown since this chapter was written? If so, how?

The Dolce and Gabbana company has remained the same since the writing and publishing of this book. The company still features Dolce and Gabbana, D&G, and D&G Junior. However after the Spring/Summer 2012 collection, D&G is being phased out and the company will only run Dolce and Gabbana and D&G Junior.

Do you think Dolce and Gabbana cater to the fashionistas that the rest of the design world has rejected? Why do you think they have dressed women like Isabella Rossellini, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Brooke Shields? Do you think these women are risqué? Why or Why not?

I think that when the brand was first created that it did in fact serve the fashionistas that the rest of the (then conservative) design world had neglected. Dolce and Gabbana were two of the first designers to realize that not all those who appreciated fashion wanted to dress like their grandparents, they realized that many of them had a unique point of view and that they wanted to express that. However since the introduction and success of this brand many others have begun to follow suit with brands such as Dsquared2 and Betsey Johnson also coming to prominence for this glam individuals. I don’t think that Dolce and Gabbana chose these particular women because they some them as ‘risqué’ per se, they chose them more because they saw them as women who fit the brand image and were trend setters, women who could get their brand seen. It worked for both parties involved in that the women in the ads were very ‘Dolce and Gabbana’ and so they looked good and liked the clothing and helped promote it successfully.

Do you think gay and lesbian consumers purchase different fashion brands than heterosexuals? Do you think it was smart for Dolce and Gabbana to target this market? Why or why not?

As a gay consumer myself I can confidently say that I do not think that we as a community purchase different brands than our heterosexual counterparts, especially when it comes to fashion. While we may be more apt to try fashions that are considered risqué, avant garde, or downright outlandish, there are straight consumers that do as well (even if most are in fact singers and other public figures). Also the gay community purchases the more ‘conservative’ brands such as Ralph Lauren and Carolina Herrera.

Week Three EOC - Exercise

Tom Ford

Over the past few years Tom Ford has become one of the top fashion designers not only in America but in the world. His name has become synonymous with sex, glamour, and the ultimate in luxury. Not only has he become extremely successful in the creation of his own Tom Ford brand selling clothing and accessories for men and women but he began his career revamping and reinvigorating two of the worlds most influential design houses.

After growing up in Texas Tom moved to New York to study interior architecture at Parsons The New School for Design. It wasn’t until his last year in school, when he was interning at Chloé in Paris that he fell in love with fashion. When he returned to school after the internship he studied fashion but nevertheless finished school with an architecture degree. After school he had brief stints at American design houses Cathy Hardwick and Perry Ellis but soon began to grow impatient with American fashion. He was famously quoted in the New York Times (after his burgeoning success) as saying “If I was ever going to become a good designer, I had to leave America. My own culture was inhibiting me. Too much style in America is tacky. It's looked down upon to be too stylish. Europeans, however, appreciate style.” It is at this point that we come to the beginning of his greatness. In 1990 Tom moved to Milan to take over as head of women’s ready-to-wear for Gucci, a brand that at the time no one would have been caught dead in. Within years Tom had revamped the brand’s lackluster appeal and made it the ‘it’ brand that was seen on celebrities and socialites around the world. In 1994 Tom became Creative Director of Gucci and his role expanded even more, this is when the true revamp of the company came with a new advertising campaign and a whole new feel. Shortly after he also became Creative Director for Yves Saint Laurent which Gucci Group had recently purchased and helped bring new life to the stagnant brand. Tom left Gucci Group after 14 years, and the company which was nearly bankrupt when he joined was then valued at nearly $10 Billion.

After his time at Gucci Group, and a short time off, Tom Ford launched his own fashion brand beginning small with fragrances and accessories, then designing menswear, and now finally culminating in women’s ready-to-wear. The brand is highly successful and Tom is expanding his portfolio now in other ways; he directed the movie A Single Man for which Colin Firth was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Tom Ford is a man of many talents and I am sure that we have yet to see the last of his enormous contributions to the fashion world.

Week Three EOC - Discussion Questions

Is Ralph Lauren a designer? Why or why not?

No, I do not think that Ralph is necessarily a fashion designer; I think it would be more accurate to say that he is a purveyor of fashion. While most designers do not oversee the creation of each individual item that they show Ralph has openly said that he has assistant designers and creators who create the actual clothing that is being shown, and while he most likely approves the final looks, he is not engrained wholly in their creation.

Where did Ralph Lauren work prior to working for himself? Why do you think this experience was beneficial to his career?

His first retail job at Brooks Brothers I think is an important stepping-stone in Ralph’s career. It was here that he would have gotten a first hand look into the world of fashion and retail and no doubt gave him some vision of how a successful store/brand would be run for when he later opened his shop. The luxury status of the brand Brooks Brothers itself was also somewhat helpful for Ralph because he was previewed to the lifestyle that the people who wore the suiting had and that gave him somewhat of an idea of what to emulate when he created Ralph Lauren.

Currently, how many divisions does Ralph Lauren operate under his name? Can you identify the target market of each division? Are they homogenous or diverse?

The main divisions of Ralph Lauren are men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, footwear, and accessories along with a home line. Each of these divisions are also broken down into more categories and styles. On the women’s side of Polo Ralph Lauren there are seven different lines to choose from, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Black Label, Ralph Lauren Blue Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Pink Pony, Ralph Lauren RLX Woman, and Ralph Lauren Golf Woman. Ralph Lauren Collection is the collection that is shown on the runway twice a year at New York Fashion Week. The Collection line is the highest price point for women’s clothing with accessories ranging in price from $250 (sunglasses) to over $16,000 (alligator handbag). The accessories are available for purchase online however the clothing is only available at select Ralph Lauren stores around the country (not available at the Las Vegas Palazzo store). All of the remaining lines are available for purchase both online and at Ralph Lauren retail stores across the country. The next line, Ralph Lauren Black Label, is the next line down in price point. This line is still for a more discerning customer and is where more formal Resort and Cruise collections as well as a special holiday collection are sold. Clothing in this line ranges from $300 (button up tuxedo shirt) to $3000 (dress). The next line, Ralph Lauren Blue Label, and is about the same price point as Black Label. The only difference between the lines is the formality of the clothing. Black label produces the gown that one would wear to opening night at Lincoln Center in the city. Whereas Blue Label is the line that one would wear while lounging or riding their horse at their country estate. Lauren by Ralph Lauren is the next line down in price point. This line is also available at select department stores as well as online and in select Ralph Lauren stores. Lauren by Ralph Lauren also has a petites and woman’s line. The price point is much lower here, ranging from $500 (wool coat) to $60 (button up shirt) obviously making Lauren the most easily accessible line for most Americans. The remaining three lines are specialty lines. Pink Pony offers all types of apparel from athletic to casual wear and a portion of all the proceeds from the sale of Pink Pony items is donated to the Pink Pony Fund for Cancer Care and Prevention. RLX Woman produces athletic wear for women, including workout attire and sports relating clothing (tennis skirts, etc). Golf Woman focuses on producing athletic wear for the sport of golf where the attire is more like everyday clothing as opposed to athletic wear. Golf Woman produces skirts, polo shirts, sweaters and other miscellaneous items pertaining to the sport.

The men’s lines are broken down in almost the same manner with five lines, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Black Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren RLX Man, and Ralph Lauren Golf Man. Purple Label is reminiscent of British haberdashery and therefore cut in a more classic silhouette whereas Black Label is more modern and therefore cut trimmer than Purple Label. Purple Label suiting is custom made to order through exclusive Ralph Lauren Stores (the Palazzo shop does carry Purple Label) making it a sort of couture version of menswear and also features footwear and accessories. The Black Label line is available online and at retail locations across the states. Black Label is priced at the standard $1500-$3000 per suit that seems to be the standard of high quality suiting and also offers accessories and outerwear for men. Polo Ralph Lauren is the line that is often found in department stores nationwide making it the equivalent of the Lauren women’s line. Again, it is the most easily accessible with a price point of $1000 (merino wool peacoat) to $35 (waffle crewneck). RLX man and RL Golf are built upon the same basis as the women’s lines of the same collection as well, offering athletic wear for men at various price points to target the most discerning as well as the common buyer.

Polo Ralph Lauren, Inc also launched the Rugby line in 2004. This is the newest of the clothing labels and it carries casual wear that is still polished and meeting the Ralph Lauren standards. It seems to be targeted more towards college students with it’s array of henleys, knit tops, and sweaters, most of which can be custom designed for the buyer through the website rugby.com and also a new iPhone/iPod touch application. Prices for the collection seem to be about standard for a luxury brand’s casual division, with polos coming in around $65 and the rugby shirts coming in at $150.

Polo Ralph Lauren, Inc also has a home collection. Featuring an array of paints, wallpapers, furniture, bedding, and accessories, it is the perfect way for the Ralph Lauren enthusiast to get the same look of their favorite clothes in their home. Ralph Lauren Home stores are the easiest place to get all of the merchandise but many items like bedding, and accessories can also be purchased online. The price point is that which makes the home collection for the privileged buyer. A standard sofa starts at $6000 and will range up to $15,000. However Ralph Lauren brand paint is available at Home Depots across the country at about $45 per gallon making this small luxury available to middle America.

What is your favorite division of Ralph Lauren? How does that emulate your personal lifestyle?

My favorite division of Ralph Lauren is definitely the menswear division, particularly the Purple Label line. I love all of the luxury accessories that are offered as well as the custom tailoring for the suiting. I prefer the slimmer, more modern silhouette of the Black Label collection but in general I think that Purple Label is my favorite. As a young 23 year-old student the Purple Label collection may not be the way I fashion my lifestyle right now but it is definitely the way I will be living when I am ‘older’.

How has Ralph Lauren built on his original brand to create an empire and an almost unparalleled career in fashion? Can you think of someone else who compares to him?

Ralph successfully built on his original Polo brand simply by being true to the idea behind the brand that he originally had and never fluctuating from that vision. Most fashion brands give in to the hot and trendy and therefore fall prey to becoming irrelevant in a few short seasons. However Ralph saw his brand as a lifestyle and has always offered a variety of clothing that fits that lifestyle and that has helped him build his loyal customer and strong empire. I think that currently Tom Ford is on much the same path as Ralph was at his age with the creation of his über luxury brand Tom Ford. Tom much like Ralph has used himself in advertising campaigns and engrained himself completely as part of the brand image since the very beginning. Tom’s empire may never get quite as large as Ralph’s but I also do not think that that is what Tom would want, he likes the exclusivity of his line the way it is now and has no desire to have a diffusion line at the local Dillards.

Week Three BOC - Beech-Nut Apple Juice

"The sale of the appleless apple juice product earned the Beech-Nut Corporation approximately $60 million over a ten-year period." (Socyberty)

Beech-Nut which started out as a meatpacking company had expanded and began producing other products, one in particular being apple juice. The scandal arose when Beech-Nut decided to change producers of their product in order to lower cost. They found that if they sold something that looked and tasted similar to apple juice, that in fact had no actual apple product in it, then many people wouldn’t know the difference and they could make a larger profit. However this became an issue when the company still marketed the product as apple juice and thus the issue of false advertising.

This had been going on for about 10 years until an investigator became curious and decided to look into the brand. His research lead him to find that Beech-Nut was in fact cutting corners in the creation of their product and marketing it falsely to consumers and so he sued the company and it’s executives. The trial took two years but found both the CEOs of Beech-Nut and the chemical company providing the artificial flavoring in jail and the companies both paying fines.

During the investigation period Beech-Nut still chose to sell their product in other countries at a discount in order to earn some money. When consumers found out about this their idea of the company became even more tarnished. In a few short years a well respected company was completely diminished in the eyes of the consumers and it will take a long time to heal this wound.

Week Two EOC - Exercise

Thomas Burberry opened his first Burberry store in 1856 in England. Throughout the early years Burberry became known as a brand that provided excellent outdoor gear and clothing. This reputation was cemented in 1880 when the brand created the gabardine fabric (an extremely weather resistant fabric due to it’s waterproofing of the yarn before being weaved into a garment) and then furthered in 1911 when it was the official outfitter of Admiral Amundsen and his team as the explored the South Pole. Later during the first World War the British War Office enlisted Burberry to adapt their current design for an officer’s coat to be more suitable for the new type of trench warfare that was being waged and thus, the ‘trench coat’ as we know it today was born. In the following years the Burberry brand became somewhat lost in the world of ‘high fashion’ due to its lack of focus and clarity. This all began to change in early 2001 when Christopher Bailey was brought in as Chief Creative Director. He was brought in and asked to reinvigorate the storied English brand and bring it into the modern era, a task that he has accomplished most successfully. Today, Burberry has been transformed into a brand that is coveted by everyone for their signature Haymarket and nova check handbags; and by the young fashion conscious consumer for it’s youthful take on military inspirations and keen attention to tailoring and fit. Bailey not only revolutionized the clothing offered by the brand but also the way the brand was perceived by the public by creating all new advertising campaigns featuring young, stylish British celebrities and models such as Emma Watson and Agyness Deyn. These new advertising campaigns are extremely youthful and modern while still referencing the company’s storied history by almost always including the phrase ‘Established 1856’.

Week Two EOC - Discussion Questions

1. How has fashion advertising changed since the mid-twentieth century? What are some of the differences between ads that appeared before the 1950s and those from the 1950s, 1960s, and today?

Advertisements before the 1950s were clearly meant to only inform the consumer about a product. They listed things such as specifications and price, not much thought was put into creating an elaborate campaign. That all began to change in the 50s and 60s when advertising and branding became a mainstream thing for brands to help them sell their products. With the creation of more competition companies had to find a way to stand out from the competition and thus they created interesting and new advertising campaigns that were fun and kitschy, and in a lot of cases sex based, in order to make them stand out of the crowd. This has continued and become even more pronounced today with the creation of extremely elaborate campaigns that are featured in all media forms including print, television, and online ads.

2. What are some of the theories related to fashion branding? What do they say about fashion branding as a means of communicating with consumers? How do the contemporary ideas of Hamilton, DeBord, Agins, Gobe, and McCracken relate to those of Barthes and Baurdrillard?

Some theories about fashion branding include the division of the garment into three distinct levels by Barthes, the postmodernism of Baurdrillard, and the studies of how culture and fashion arbiters influence consumers’ interpretations of fashion ideas by Hamilton. Though all of these studies and theories are based upon different sections and different ideas of how fashion branding works, they all point out that through some way, shape, or form a fashion brand is trying to communicate with a customer in a way in which they will influence them the most and convince them to purchase their brand over any other. It would seem that the older theories by Barthes and Baurdrillard are very concerned with the actual garment itself and how the consumer may interact with garments in certain ways. The more contemporary ideas of Hamilton, DeBord, Agins, Gobe and McCracken however seem to focus more on the portrayal of certain fashion brands to contemporary consumers and this portrayal’s effect of how the brand is seen and reacted to by the consumer.

3. What types of meanings does Grant McCracken associate with fashion products? Do you agree or disagree? If you disagree, what would you add to or delete from his list? Give an example of one of the meanings.

Grant McCracken suggests that there are nine different types of meanings that are targeted by companies: gender, lifestyle, decade, age, class/status, occupation, time/place, value, and fad, fashion, and trend meanings. (Hancock, 30) For the most part I believe that these nine meanings are the basics that are in fact targeted by companies in order to sell their products to the consumer. However I feel that our modern times may have produced a new example in that of sexual orientation. We are beginning to see now that many brands are creating advertising campaigns not only for their straight clientele but also for the LGBT community who are quickly becoming and extremely large part of America’s high spending consumer base.

Week Two BOC - My Voice

I am THE fashion enthusiast. I watch every runway show and salivate at the opportunity to produce them. With my business background I hope to run and operate my own fashion show production and PR company Haute Productions. I relish in the opportunity of being offered new challenges and creating exceptionally unique answers to those challenges. I offer design houses a new way of looking at the traditional runway show by turning the show into an all encompassing event including lighting, video, music, and food in order to make their show memorable in the minds of some of the greatest magazine editors in the world, but without compromising the design houses’ unique brand identity. Each year I also hope to partner closely with IMG to produce and help ensure that all the shows at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York as well as the others around the world are scheduled, planned, and completed successfully to the designer’s wishes as well as the company’s expectations.

Week One EOC - Exercise

St John has introduced a new advertising campaign for the Fall/Winter 2011/2012 season. The ads feature a stunning Kate Winslet in various outfits that highlight the new look for the company. I think that it was as good choice for St John to choose an actress such as Kate in their efforts to revamp the image of the company. Previously they had chosen Angelina Jolie to be the new face of the brand but it just wasn’t the right fit. The brand is now aiming for a younger, more urban professional market segment, while still trying to retain the older brand loyal customers. Kate was the perfect choice in order to do this. The actress has much in her own right transformed into a more mature woman and I think that that resonates with the younger clientele St John is hoping to gain. Her last few films, particularly The Reader and Revolutionary Road, have cemeted her place as a serious actress in Hollywood, she also spends time with numerous charities and raising her daughter. She is a strong role model for anyone to look up to, and looks amazing in the clothes to boot. Kate helps to keep the sense of refinement that the current St John customer is looking for while being young and fashion forward enough to wear the clothing in a way that catches the eyes of a younger generation who would have normally shied away from a company that they perceived to be too stodgy for their taste. The clothes not only look amazing but Kate does an amazing job of representing that brand and what they want to become and hopefully the company continues to use her in future advertisements in order to build a sense of stability and continuity which they desperately need.

Week One EOC - Discussion Questions

1. What is fashion branding? How does branding establish a products identity?

Fashion branding is “the cumulative image of a product or service that consumers quickly associate with a particular brand, it offers an overall experience that is unique, different, special, and identifiable.” (Hancock, 4) Branding establishes an identity for a product by giving the consumer a way in which to view the product. For example, there are a myriad of black leather handbags on the market, but a handbag that is quilted and bears the double c logo of Chanel makes the bag stand apart from all the others because consumers are quickly able to recognize the brand and understand that a brand such as Chanel means high quality and high fashion.

2. How are companies able to sell items like T-shirts, jeans, and sunglasses at high prices? Can you give an example of another item sold in the luxury market that might not have been traditionally perceived as a luxury good?

Companies are able to sell these goods at such high prices because they have done an extremely effective job of branding. Take for example Dolce and Gabbana, the Italian fashion house has been able to sell underwear and denim to the more affluent crowd at higher prices because they ARE Dolce and Gabbana. The brand has built itself up to represent a sexy Italian attitude and it caught the eyes of fashion editors enough to be written about in magazines and put in movies and thus became a very well known brand that is able to charge almost anything they would wish for their garments. Another item that may not have been seen as a luxury good that is now emerging is cell phones. Years ago Dolce and Gabbana licensed their name to Motorola to make a gold RAZR, then came the Dior Phone, the Prada Phone, and most recently (Oct 7) the Jill Sander Phone will debut in Europe.

3. Race, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation play a part in purchasing decisions. Identify three consumer groups that are different from you. In your opinion, do they differ from each other with regard to fashions and the types of brands they purchase? Why or why not?

One obviously different consumer group than myself would be females, two others include the elderly as well as individuals who consider themselves straight. I think that all consumer groups purchase differently from all others. I mean I obviously purchase differently than those three named above (I do not purchase dresses like females would, I do not spend much time in the pharmacy aisles of stores like the elderly, and unlike straight males I spend much more money on beauty products) but each of those groups while different from me are also different from each other. I think that each group needs and wants certain things from companies that the other groups do not need or want. There are some overlaps of course (I buy foundation as well as straight women) but for the most part many purchasing decisions vary greatly between all different consumer groups.

Week One BOC - Slip, Slap, Slop

Slip-Slop-Slap is the iconic and internationally recognized sun protection campaign prominent in Australia during the 1980s. (Wikipedia) The campaign originally consisted of a television commercial in the form of a PSA that featured ‘Sid Seagull’ singing a jingle that urged Australians to Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat. The campaign, which was launched by Cancer Council Victoria in 1980, was created in the effort to help curb the growth of skin cancer and inform citizens how using proper sun protection could aid in the process. Since this campaign was introduced along with advertisements and a jingle, the incidence of the two most common forms of skin cancer in Australia has decreased. However, the incidence of melanoma - the most lethal form of skin cancer - has increased. (Wikipedia)

It is interesting that a public service campaign has helped reduce the risk of skin cancer in such a large country that has an overwhelming number of sunny days. The simple effectiveness of the ad and the cute character no doubt adds to its effectiveness. Since the creation of this campaign (it has been revamped a number of times to make the commercial more modern but still features the slip, slop, slap slogan) some other similar campaigns have been launched hoping to continue the success of slip, slop, slap. One of the other most prevalent ones is sponsored by the New South Wales Government (also in Australia) and is titled ‘The Dark Side of Tanning’ which features small 30 seconds ads that discuss the risk of tanning and how tanning can cause skin cancer (they seem to focus on melanoma). The ads are a lot more graphic than their cheery slip, slop, slap counterpart; they show how tanning can cause a single cell to turn cancerous and the how it can spread throughout the body. It would seem that ‘The Dark Side of Tanning’ campaign would hope to follow in the footsteps of slip, slop, slap and continue to help lower cancer rates, especially the occurrence of the much more fatal melanoma. The experience of more than 25 years of skin cancer prevention in Australia shows broad-based multifaceted public education programs can have an impact on improving a population’s sun protective behaviors and reducing sunburn, a short-term marker of skin cancer risk. (Wikipedia) Hopefully through further action the rate of skin cancers can be reduced throughout the world.