I think Urban Outfitters is one of the best stores you should visit when you want to get a really good picture of how a company sets up a store and merchandises in contribution to branding efforts. Every store has the same vibe when you walk in; the fixtures might not all be the same but they relay the same message. The colors that are used throughout the store are the same store to store. If you are expecting to receive a top notch customer service experience then Urban Outfitters isn’t going to be your store. In every store they are very consistent about the environment being self-service. The only time anyone talks to you is if you ask them a question first. But it doesn’t put you off because the way the product is merchandised, everything is very accessible to the customer. There is a very specific style of product that Urban Outfitters carries, therefore the mannequins are outfitted to entice the customer and also to give him/her different ideas on how to wear clothing.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
EOC: Chapter 5 Exercise
It is time for some self – reflection by answering the following questions: What are your professional plans for the future? How do you intend to make those plans happen? What stumbling blocks do you think you will have to clear along the way? How long do you think it will take to reach your goals?
As of right now I’m in the process of transferring schools from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. The fashion market in Los Angeles has more opportunity in what I’m interested in, I also want to graduate with a Fashion Marketing & Management degree oppose to the one I’m pursuing now. I’ve always loved visual communications so I know I want to do something in that field. Anything in marketing, public relations, advertising, styling, or merchandising I would love. I have experience already in merchandising so I’m going to try to get a couple more internships when I transfer to Los Angeles in the field of marketing. The only thing I can see getting in my way is the competition, but I’m not too worried about it. I’m ready and well qualified for any position I would apply for. I would never apply for a position I know I don’t have the knowledge or capacity of doing. I know that I will be the best at whatever I do; I will work harder, smarter, stronger, and faster than my competition. My goals are constantly growing and expanding to encompass more things I see attainable for myself so I never think of establishing a stopping point, more of a stepping point.
As of right now I’m in the process of transferring schools from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. The fashion market in Los Angeles has more opportunity in what I’m interested in, I also want to graduate with a Fashion Marketing & Management degree oppose to the one I’m pursuing now. I’ve always loved visual communications so I know I want to do something in that field. Anything in marketing, public relations, advertising, styling, or merchandising I would love. I have experience already in merchandising so I’m going to try to get a couple more internships when I transfer to Los Angeles in the field of marketing. The only thing I can see getting in my way is the competition, but I’m not too worried about it. I’m ready and well qualified for any position I would apply for. I would never apply for a position I know I don’t have the knowledge or capacity of doing. I know that I will be the best at whatever I do; I will work harder, smarter, stronger, and faster than my competition. My goals are constantly growing and expanding to encompass more things I see attainable for myself so I never think of establishing a stopping point, more of a stepping point.
EOC: Chapter 5 Discussion Questions
1. In what way is Vera Wang a great example of the ever – changing career path of an individual?
Vera Wang’s career is a great one to look at no matter what industry you are in. By looking at the choices she made and the cause and effect situations she was in you can learn a lot. She went from being an editor at one of the most powerful magazines in fashion to creating her own wedding gown and establishing an empire based on a thought and theory.
2. Go to www.verawang.com. What changes have occurred in the company since the writing of this chapter? Has the brand expanded into other products?
Vera Wang now offers luggage, shoes, flowers, tabletops. Also, she offers a service where you subscribe to get a daily email from the company offering tips, advice, and her own personal secrets of the industry.
3. In your own words describe the Vera Wang brand. How does this brand differ from others, such as Ralph Lauren or Dolce & Gabbana?
The first word that comes to mind when I think of Vera Wang is elegant. Dolce & Gabbana is very about being edgy and fashion forward with their designs and theory in branding. Ralph Lauren is very refined with a hint of edginess. Vera Wang is very feminine and womanly compared to these two brands,
Vera Wang’s career is a great one to look at no matter what industry you are in. By looking at the choices she made and the cause and effect situations she was in you can learn a lot. She went from being an editor at one of the most powerful magazines in fashion to creating her own wedding gown and establishing an empire based on a thought and theory.
2. Go to www.verawang.com. What changes have occurred in the company since the writing of this chapter? Has the brand expanded into other products?
Vera Wang now offers luggage, shoes, flowers, tabletops. Also, she offers a service where you subscribe to get a daily email from the company offering tips, advice, and her own personal secrets of the industry.
3. In your own words describe the Vera Wang brand. How does this brand differ from others, such as Ralph Lauren or Dolce & Gabbana?
The first word that comes to mind when I think of Vera Wang is elegant. Dolce & Gabbana is very about being edgy and fashion forward with their designs and theory in branding. Ralph Lauren is very refined with a hint of edginess. Vera Wang is very feminine and womanly compared to these two brands,
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Midterm: Halston
When discussing Halston it’s hard to not think of his rise to becoming known as the Best American Designer in the 60’s and 70’s. The infamous designer is known for many things but in relation to Branding, he is the first designer to realize the potential in licensing his name.
Before that, lets get into a little history on Halston. The first job he ever had in fashion was as a window dresser in Chicago while attending the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Halston always had a knack in sewing, soon he was designing his own hats. After the local newspaper ran a story about his hats he opened his first shop. When Halston relocated to New York City he worked for Lilly Dache, a famous American milliner. During his time at Dache, he began to meet and establish relationships with important editors in the industry. After his time at Dache, Halston moved to Bergdorf Goodman to become the Head Milliner. It was during this time when he really began to understand the name you can create for yourself in the industry. Halston then began thinking about how he could make money off of his name as a brand, he knew had to expand but didn’t know how.
“Out went the girly patchwork-hippie styles and in came a virtually opposite refined minimal look. That look was defined almost single-handedly by one man who, to glimpse him in the early years of his career, you wouldn't think would define much of anything except good looks and good style. But define he did. Even if you can't name any politician or broker or financier of the time, you will remember Halston.”
http://www.januarymagazine.com/artcult/halston.html
After he established himself as one of the top milliners in the country he decided to try his skills in designing women’s ready to wear. His designs were loved by several style icons of the era such as Bianca Jagger, Liza Minnelli, Elizabeth Taylor, and Babe Paley. This was when Halston realized the opportunity to expand, he realized whom his customer was and where he could make more money. He sold his name to Norton Simon who then used it to sell the 2nd most successful fragrance ever. Then, Halston and Norton Simon partnered with JC Penney’s in order to come out with a diffusion line so that women of all different incomes could wear well-crafted clothing.
“Halston, who introduced U.S. women to the pillbox hat, slinky jerseys, tunics and Ultrasuede, who dressed Betty Ford, Liza Minnelli, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Elizabeth Taylor, and who partied hard with the best of the jet set, had succumbed to AIDS.”
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,969773-1,00.html#ixzz0wyzOX8oi
At the time, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren were in New York designing their lines but Halston still reigned supreme. The two competitors were a premier company while Halston was looked at as the luxury couture line of America. The downfall of Halston came when his addictions and partying starting taking over his life. AIDS began claiming many names in fashion and it finally took Halston in 1990 when he was pronounced dead after being in the hospital. The Halston brand is still alive and today but can only be seen primarily on those who are socialites or high society.
Midterm: Axe
Remember in high school, when you would walk by the guy’s locker room after every gym class and all you could smell is the stench of what you knew was Axe. After a while you might have got headaches every time you smelled it and it just reminds you of the guys you went to high school with. This is exactly what Axe intended to happen, which is why I chose to profile the company. After I started learning about Advertising and Marketing, I would think back to certain products and wonder what kind of marketing they did and see if it ever had any effect on me. Axe was certainly one that did. The company is owned by Unilever and actually started out in France, which kind of surprised me. The first product was the fragranced aerosol body spray, it was a hit and soon Unilever wanted to expand into the whole European market but ran into problems when they tried going into The United Kingdom. Trademark problems forced Axe to be released as Lynx in the United Kingdom and also in Ireland. When the brand was launched in the United States, it was the most success they had yet.
From 1983 to 2010 there were more than 30 different fragrances released each year. Some of them are only released in certain countries where the marketers have done research and know that the fragrance will have appeal.
“A recent radio report dealing with AXE’s environmental problems in California (AXE was forced to reduce the quantity of propellants in its sprays to comply with clean-air standards)”
[1] http://www.nstperfume.com/2010/04/21/axe-twist-fragrance-review
Axe has had some Public Relations nightmares in their past. Because the product was created before the Green Movement started they’ve taken some blows about having an aerosol can as their main seller and not switching it. Also, in 2008 a 12-year-old boy died in a hospital in England. The coroner said that it was a result of spraying large amounts of Lynx in a confined space.
“It's supposed to be used to make you smell clean and fresh, but instead it's got many teens smelling smoke. In a phenomenon that's growing, teens are using Axe Body Spray to light themselves, their friends and objects on fire.”
[2] http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20070928/axe_spray_070928?hub=EdmontonHome
I personally have seen boys that I went to school with do this and fortunately it didn’t end with injuries. But a lot of teens weren’t so lucky, there were numerous accounts of people being injured from the “mini flamethrower.”
Axe’s explains their competitors as Old Spice and also designer colognes that have fragrances or body washes sold at a lower price such as Marc Jacobs and Versace.
The identity and target market of Axe are very specific to young teen’s, they captivate the audience by showing campaigns about lame guys not being able to get any girls until they get the “Axe Effect.” In essence the marketers for Axe are using sex in order to capture their customer.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
EOC Exercise Chapter 4
In this chapter you discovered that Dolce & Gabbana are known for their unique advertising campaigns. How well can you read (or analyze) one of their ads or any other fashion ad? Find a fashion ad and share with your colleagues all the innuendos you find hidden in the ad. How does this ad reflect culture or history? Does this ad say anything about the particular brand? What is subliminally suggested? Back up your thoughts with reasons from history, culture, or contemporary ideas.For the exercise I chose a Balmain ad from the 2010 Spring Campaign, there was a lot of hype about this campaign after the collection was shown in the previous months. I feel that this ad engulfs what the Balmain brand is, its cutting edge, fashion, androgynous, womanly, strong, and rugged. The collection was inspired by military and also by the outdoors so the setting is perfect. The face of the Balmain collection is a supermodel named Daria, she is perfect for the role because her face is very boyish yet she has long feminine brunette hair. The setting is a jungle and it looks like she is either stranded or jus parked waiting for something… it’s night time in the jungle. She is leaning back on the vehicle in a very laidback, “what’s up fellas” kind of stance. This is perfect because it goes back to what the essence and image of the brand is. It also leaves the viewer of the message wondering not only about the clothes but about the advertisement itself, it creates the perfect story. The military theme is reinforced by the camouflaged seats of the jeep.
EOC Discussion Questions Chapter 4
1. Currently, how many divisions do Dolce & Gabbana have in their company? Has it grown since this chapter was written? If so, how?
The company has 3 different brands: Dolce & Gabbana, D&G, and D&G Junior. They haven’t grown to have different lines but the company has expanded with their 3 current lines.
2. Do you think Dolce & 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 they were definitely the forerunners in having some risky and cutting edge fashion that other more contemporary and elegant designers of the time would have never even thought of coming out with. They dress these women because in the public eye, they were exactly what D&G was, different and risky. I think it was a branding strategy, by dressing these particular women, it helped to create a certain image around Dolce & Gabbana. For their time yes I believe that they are risqué, they did things that went against what people thought was ok and didn’t care.
3. Do you think gay and lesbian consumers purchase different fashion brands than heterosexuals? Do you think it was smart for Dolce & Gabbana to target this market? Why or why not?
Most of the time, gay people like to think of themselves as fashion forward, so targeting that market was a very smart idea for the company. This was a market that needed to be filled and also needed a voice in the fashion industry, D&G helped to curve the straight line that fashion had been taking since its inception. The gay community felt a personal emotional connection with the brand, at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about.
The company has 3 different brands: Dolce & Gabbana, D&G, and D&G Junior. They haven’t grown to have different lines but the company has expanded with their 3 current lines.
2. Do you think Dolce & 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 they were definitely the forerunners in having some risky and cutting edge fashion that other more contemporary and elegant designers of the time would have never even thought of coming out with. They dress these women because in the public eye, they were exactly what D&G was, different and risky. I think it was a branding strategy, by dressing these particular women, it helped to create a certain image around Dolce & Gabbana. For their time yes I believe that they are risqué, they did things that went against what people thought was ok and didn’t care.
3. Do you think gay and lesbian consumers purchase different fashion brands than heterosexuals? Do you think it was smart for Dolce & Gabbana to target this market? Why or why not?
Most of the time, gay people like to think of themselves as fashion forward, so targeting that market was a very smart idea for the company. This was a market that needed to be filled and also needed a voice in the fashion industry, D&G helped to curve the straight line that fashion had been taking since its inception. The gay community felt a personal emotional connection with the brand, at the end of the day, that’s what it’s about.
EOC Exercise Chapter 3
Most designers and merchandisers that have an established name have been working for a while in the retailing, manufacturing, or design industry. Identify someone who you feel reflects the type of fashion brand you would develop and write a 300 word essay on his or her career. How has each of that person's experiences helped them develop a successful brand? What do you think the future of their brand will be?
A brand that I think has done a really good job at creating a name for themselves in the fashion industry is Los Angeles based company, 7 For All Mankind. Although they were not the first to have premium denim, they were the first to sell quality denim at a luxury price. They approached celebrities with endorsements and soon we started to see celebrities all over in sevens. I believe that this is one of the best kinds of promotions a company can do, if they can actually get the celebrity to do it. Now, 7 For All Mankind has it’s own stand-alone stores that are few and far between, they are weary on not opening too many stores in a short time which I think is a good idea so the market doesn’t get too saturated. If you walk into one of their stores, it is merchandised very unique and unlike any other denim store I’ve seen. Everything is placed very strategically and the fixtures are very luxury-like. The one thing I love about Seven is that even though they come out with different collections every season, they always have the basic cuts and washes that they started out with. Nothing they have is ever too crazy or trendy, this is in order to make sure that no matter where or when you wear your Sevens, they will always be in style.
A brand that I think has done a really good job at creating a name for themselves in the fashion industry is Los Angeles based company, 7 For All Mankind. Although they were not the first to have premium denim, they were the first to sell quality denim at a luxury price. They approached celebrities with endorsements and soon we started to see celebrities all over in sevens. I believe that this is one of the best kinds of promotions a company can do, if they can actually get the celebrity to do it. Now, 7 For All Mankind has it’s own stand-alone stores that are few and far between, they are weary on not opening too many stores in a short time which I think is a good idea so the market doesn’t get too saturated. If you walk into one of their stores, it is merchandised very unique and unlike any other denim store I’ve seen. Everything is placed very strategically and the fixtures are very luxury-like. The one thing I love about Seven is that even though they come out with different collections every season, they always have the basic cuts and washes that they started out with. Nothing they have is ever too crazy or trendy, this is in order to make sure that no matter where or when you wear your Sevens, they will always be in style.
EOC Discussion Questions Chapter 3
1. Is Ralph Lauren a designer? Why or why not?
-Ralph Lauren is not a traditional designer, he is a merchandiser and in essence not only the CEO but the Chief Branding Officer. Without Lauren’s ideas on how to merchandise and brand the garments, they are nothing.
2. Where did Ralph Lauren work prior to working for himself? Why do you think this experience was beneficial to his career?
-Lauren worked at Rivetz, a manufacturer of ties. This helped Lauren to understand the importance of networking and also becoming iconic and unique in an industry where thousands are willing and qualified to work.
3. 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?
-Ralph Lauren has 3 divisions under his name; they are Polo Ralph Lauren, Rugby Ralph Lauren, and Club Monaco. Club Monaco is aimed towards an older clientele, they use mostly natural tones and blacks and whites. Rugby Ralph Lauren has a preppy style, a hint of British style aimed towards a younger demographic. Polo Ralph Lauren is targeted to the middle-aged person who likes a more tailored look that still has a bit of an edge.
4. What is your favorite division of Ralph Lauren? How does that division emulate your personal lifestyle?
-Personally, I wouldn’t buy anything from any of the divisions. The brand isn’t exactly my style, but if I had to choose I would pick either Polo or Club Monaco because I love wearing natural colors, and I like the put together edge of Polo.
5. How was 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 Lauren learned at an early age that making yourself unique among others is crucial. He saw gaps in the American fashion market that needed to be filled and did so. He is also very good at recognizing where there is opportunity for growth and uses his brand to his advantage.
-Ralph Lauren is not a traditional designer, he is a merchandiser and in essence not only the CEO but the Chief Branding Officer. Without Lauren’s ideas on how to merchandise and brand the garments, they are nothing.
2. Where did Ralph Lauren work prior to working for himself? Why do you think this experience was beneficial to his career?
-Lauren worked at Rivetz, a manufacturer of ties. This helped Lauren to understand the importance of networking and also becoming iconic and unique in an industry where thousands are willing and qualified to work.
3. 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?
-Ralph Lauren has 3 divisions under his name; they are Polo Ralph Lauren, Rugby Ralph Lauren, and Club Monaco. Club Monaco is aimed towards an older clientele, they use mostly natural tones and blacks and whites. Rugby Ralph Lauren has a preppy style, a hint of British style aimed towards a younger demographic. Polo Ralph Lauren is targeted to the middle-aged person who likes a more tailored look that still has a bit of an edge.
4. What is your favorite division of Ralph Lauren? How does that division emulate your personal lifestyle?
-Personally, I wouldn’t buy anything from any of the divisions. The brand isn’t exactly my style, but if I had to choose I would pick either Polo or Club Monaco because I love wearing natural colors, and I like the put together edge of Polo.
5. How was 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 Lauren learned at an early age that making yourself unique among others is crucial. He saw gaps in the American fashion market that needed to be filled and did so. He is also very good at recognizing where there is opportunity for growth and uses his brand to his advantage.
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