Week 10 EOC: Exercise

You have been hired by a fashion consultant to help solve an argument between a social morality group and the Ginch Gonch marketing department. The morality group feels that Ginch Gonch should not be allowed to have a billboard of their new advertisement next to a major freeway and 100 yards from a high school. However, the marketing team at Ginch Gonch feels they are within their right to market their products anywhere they want. Your job is to discuss the pros and cons of each side and make a decision on what should happen.

Put the ad right next to a high school may not be the best idea only because alienating potential customers is not something the brand would want to do. The saying " any publicity is good publicity" is not always the case. I don't really think the market that the product is aimed at is going to necessary see the ad in that particular area either. Looking for a new spot to put the billboard may make more sense. However, on the other hand the company is within its rights to advertise anywhere through any medium it sees fit. The advertisement is easily found on the internet by the same high school students or is seen in a magazine that they may be looking at anyway. Just because the ad isn't right next to the high school doesn't mean the students aren't going to see it. I would say that if by putting the ad in the spot next to the freeway makes the most sense based on the amount of the target market that may see it, then it should just go there no matter what the group is saying because it is completely legal.

Week 10 EOC: Review Questions

What key characteristics of Ginch Gonch’s advertising makes them unique? Why do you think consumers buy Ginch Gonch? “These ads are about personal expression and freedom. Ginch Gonch ads signify this ideology both in written word and visual spectacle, creating a connection with human emotions through original marketing and innovative ideas that push the boundaries of traditional apparel branding and advertising. Such forward advertising has helped this company to create a niche for itself as the ‘brat’ of the industry.” (Brand/ Story, p. 164) Consumers buy the product because it is so different and well made. It appeals to the child inside of us all.

Do you think it is ethical to use sex to sell products? Can you think of other retailers who do this? How does it make their products more desirable? I think it is necessary to use sex to sell adult oriented products. It makes so many companies so much more successful. Dolce and Gabanna, Calvin Klein, Victoria Secret, Abercrombie and Fitch, and True Religion are just a few of the brands that use sexual innuendo to sell products.

Why do you think Jason Sutherland decided to market to the gay community? Do you think there are a lot of gay consumers? Why? “Gay men have traditionally shown an interest in their appearance and the latest developments in clothing and fashion. Gay men have also traditionally been involved in the fashion industry, as designers, stylists, and retailers.” (Brand/ Story, p.165) Gay men love things that are unusual and have a sexual spin so this is an obvious choice to market to. Also, it is an underserved market.

If you were in charge of Ginch Gonch’s next fashion assortment what would you call it? Why? I would create the next line based on extreme sports, like skateboarding and snowboarding. It would be “Underwear to the Xtreme.” It can still have that sexual reference and make since and be something that lots of people will relate to. The company wouldn’t want to do regular sports so the extreme sports would be a great alternative for the alternative audience that the company boasts as customers.

Final Project: Name and Logo

"Leading professionals in the field agree that fashion branding will increase in importance as consumer goods and fashion markets become more homogenous through globalization. Logos, distinguishing characteristics, great advertising, merchandising, and even thorough employee training are going to be crucial for the survival of mass fashions." (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 185)

Final Project: What I Want It to Look Like

The designs are going to be hip and modern with a twist that will incorporate the concept of the line and each season's predetermined myth origin. The skirts will be shorter for small sizes and a little longer for the larger sizes so as to flatter all shapes. All garments will have some kind of body control factor, kind of like built in Spanks. The larger sizes will have features such as stomach control and the smaller sizes will have things like bottom lifting emphasis. The pictures here are from the line based on myths and stories from the time of Tudor England. The tee shirts and jeans will have embellishments like pocket stitching, buttons, and embroidery details that will tie the pieces into the story of the line. "To succeed, cultural brands must reflect an appropriate market and develop a product's identity. They must also be consistently reinvented when the marketplace changes as a reflection of popular culture. The marketplace determines the eventual success or failure of any brand." (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 187)

Final Project: Defining My Market and Identity

My clothing line will stay current in its’ design and continue to grow with its’ customers because the design team will stay ahead of the curve. Women will pick the line to wear over others because they want to be a trendsetter, not a follower. “In Emotional Branding, Mark Gobe points out that successful fashion brands are those that can capture the emotions and personal convictions of their customers. Gobe states, ’Corporations clearly need to fine tune their focus on the consumer psyche and understand the importance of the constantly evolving trends in their consumers’ lifestyles.’ Gobe believes that it will be the norm for retailers to brand according to the needs of their specific target markets; companies that make emotional ties to consumers will rise to the top, whereas those who do not will fail.” (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 30) The team will constantly be evaluating current trends by examining pop culture, celebrities, all forms of media entertainment, and going out to the places that the target market will be to see what colors, shapes, lengths, widths, trims, and clothing structure women are wearing. This information that is gathered will be incorporated in the current season. The main competitor for the line is the brand Affliction, a privately traded company out of California that is affiliated with the UFC fighting organization. The clothing is priced similar to what my clothes will be priced. However, one of the strengths of my line is that Affliction cannot boast the organic qualities and environmentally friendly manufacturing procedures. Another strength of the line is that it is constantly changing in terms of decorative elements so if customers aren’t relating to the current season, it will change quickly, thus constantly creating new opportunities for a new customer base. Affliction looks the same from season to season and the line doesn’t release new designs very often. Affliction has a fashion forward design that is rock and roll inspired and often features religious symbols such as crosses and angels in an ornate, vintage way. This design element has the potential to alienate some potential customers. My line will also feature symbols but won’t necessarily be religiously affiliated. They will come from the culture that the current season’s myth is inspired by. "Vincent defines a brand myth as: a traditional story of ostensibly historic events that serves to unfold part of the worldview of people or explain a practice, belief, or phenomenon. The occidental mythology of ancient civilizations served to explain the mysterious workings of the natural world through stories about the struggles and conquests of God and heros. Today, brand mythology serves a similar purpose. Brand mythology has curiously interceded. Like ancient mythology, it works through narrative devices." (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 193) Therefore, the brand shouldn’t have any reason to offend any potential buyers. Also, my line with fit a wider variety of customers by offering plus sizes. Sizes will go all the way to 3X and will only vary in style slightly in order to be the most flattering design for the larger body type. The materials will be forgiving and comfortable in nature. The belief is that larger sized women should not have to sacrifice comfort and style just because they are not a size 6. Having a larger size range will open the brand up to be bought by a whole other market that the competition is completely ignoring. This creates a huge opportunity for the brand to fill a niche in nightclub appropriate clothing for the larger woman. It will also make the brand appeal to buyers from more stores, such as Torrid. Affliction is constantly making advances through their sponsorship with very famous UFC fighters such as Randy Orton. My line will have the opportunity to be seen on the members of some very prominent bands that tour the world. UFC is primarily an American past time whereas rock and roll is followed all over the world, thus leading to more exposure. One weakness of the brand is that it relies heavily on an abundant nightlife presence in the city it is offered in. It will probably not do very well in a place that doesn’t have this feature. To overcome this hurdle, the brand will become established and then start making more conservative clothing that will be appropriate in a wider variety of venues. "Ginch Gonch is the story of an underwear company that went from being an idea to a global retailer in just a short time. By taking chances with a unique product line, creating risque advertising, and being loyal to an established market niche, this brand has grown larger each year." (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 170)

Final Project: Who Am I Aiming These Clothes At?

The target market for this clothing line is a woman, ages 20 to 35, most of which like to go out on the town and party. The market includes misses sized women and plus sizes as the brand will be made in larger sizes. Women who wear the line will probably make $30,000 to $60,000 a year with a large portion of it available to spend as they wish. They will not have children and thus probably will be single or married with no children. “A consumer may become enchanted with finding what appears to be an original item. Retailers appeal to these consumers using terms such as real, authentic, and sometimes even vintage, to describe their products that are actually knock-offs or brand new.” (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 23) They read magazines like Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Lucky, and Vogue in order to stay current with the trends and find out what’s hot to wear to the nightclubs. These women like rock and roll and watch shows like True Blood and Game of Thrones on HBO. They like horror movies that give them a thrill, but rarely have time to go. They have hobbies like snowboarding, surfing, drinking and partying with their friends, shopping, traveling, and even dirt bike riding. They work hard and play as hard as they work. "Teri Agins reveals in her book, The End of Fashion, that the survival of designers and retailers is dependent on their proficiency in branding their products. Fashion, according to Agins, is not about products, but rather about how they are marketed and sold as a 'brand image,' or what she calls lifestyle merchandising. " (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 28) They shop often and buy new outfits to go to the happening hot spots of their city. When they go shopping, it’s usually to stores like Bebe, Scoop NYC, Nordstrom, Impulse at Macy’s, Stash, and other unique local boutiques where they can find clothes that no one else will have. They are edgy, daring, risqué, like to be noticed, and are usually the happiest when they are the center of attention. “The connections between the consumer and product are made by providing a structure, method, and function for using a product. These connections generate associations of identity and status in consumer culture.” (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 25)

Final Project: What I Want to Produce

“The communication between a particular clothing brand and the consumer is a special connection. Through some method, the retailer, manufacturer, or designer label reaches out and grabs an individual’s interest.” (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 3) The product I am creating is line of urban club wear for women that is inspired by ancient myths. A myth is a story that is often shrouded in mystery, romance, adventure, and history. They exist in every culture in the world and have been taught to generations of people. Super natural beings and beloved heroes have come from myths throughout the age of man. We as humans have looked to these stories for hope and inspiration for centuries. "The consumer listens to the story and begins to relate to the item. The item begins to have a meaning associated with it, and the consumer feels the need to add it to his or her collection. This collection of goods serves to establish an individual's identity. " (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 26) Inspiration was provided by these myths for this new clothing line for fashion forward women that aren’t afraid to take a risk. "What is significant about DeBord's contextual analysis is his ability to recognize a retailer's talent to create meanings and fantasy associated with mass apparel for selling to consumers." (Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 27) The clothes are daring, sexy, and fun to wear. Made from mostly organic materials, the clothing is an upscale line of urban and club wear that will make heads turn as they tell their stories. The line will be washable and easy to wear and take care of. Comfort will not be sacrificed in the pursuit of beauty. Each season will be inspired by different historical myths from different cultures like Egypt and ancient Greece. These ideas will be put into a modern design that retains its cultural inheritance. With this seasonal change so will differ the way the label is written so that it matches its origin. The product will include dresses, tops, denim, pants, skirts, and a few accessories. “Fashion branding has been defined as ‘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.’”(Brand/ Story, Hancock, p. 4) The concept of the line will easily create a branding experience for the consumer.

Week 10 BOC: Exercise

Ben Sander branded himself as Brini Maxwell. How would you create your own personal brand? What would your logo be? How would you design business cards? What would your theme song be? What would you sell? And who would your target audience be? Finally where would you show your brand? On television, in a store, or on the internet? Write and design a project that reflects the ideas of developing your own personal brand. Use the previous questions as an outline.

Week 9 EOC: Discussion Questions

1. What makes the Brini Maxwell television personality unique? How does her personality benefit the brand?
Brini Maxwell is unique because it is a man delivering style, cooking, and homemaking advice that is so well received that the audience forgets or doesn't even realize that she is not a she at all. "I think I represent a certain type of woman that strikes a chord with people of a certain age because they remember women like me from when they were children- their mother, an aunt, or a teacher that had a distinct sense of style, a flair for decorating, and a knack for entertaining. "( Brand/ Story, p. 148)
2. What were the steps taken by Ben Sander to develop his character, Brini Maxwell? Was he successful? Why or why not? The character started out as a different woman named Tigs Vanderveer, but it was decided upon that she was too stuffy. The character was to be the star of Sander's cooking show, which his parents funded by establishing V.R.U.S.P Productions. The new character he came up with was modeled after Stephanie Power's character Sabrina from the 1985 miniseries Deceptions. "Brini Maxwell was the iconic branded symbol, while the androgynous voice of Ben Sander reflected his knowledge of retro fashion, style, cooking, home improvement, and everything he knew that related to home advice." ( Brand/ Story, p. 146)
3. Why do you think Brini Maxwell made it into the national spotlight on television? What was her brand's message? "With each broadcast of her show, Brini Maxwell demonstrates a new recipe, home repair, fashion segment, or interview. In the process, she creates a brand that is distinctly hers. Her reinvention of a bygone era pays homage to her predecessors while maintaining a contemporary sensibility, and exceeds the creative efforts of her current competition." (Brand/ Story, p. 143)
4. What do you think Brini Maxewell's target market is today? Why would baby boomers be drawn to watching Brini Maxwell?" My target market is primarily young and urban. There is also a little cross over into nostalgic baby boomers. Cities are the destination for making your own mark, which is what these young people want to do, ergo, our target market is young urbanites. The boomers find my brand appealing for a different reason. They see the nostalgia of what I do and find it comforting." (Brand/Story, p. 148)
5. Why were the iTunes podcast and and reproduction of her old shows as vidcast a smart step toward rebranding Brini Maxwell? Would you have done anything differently? The podcast and reproduction of old shows was a smart step because it allowed Brini to stay in the spotlight after the show on E! was cancelled. I wouldn't have done anything differently. The internet is the best way to reach a huge audience and taking advantage of it is the only way for the brand to expand and be successfully relaunched.

Week 9 BOC: Most Expensive Real Estate Transaction Ever Made

Inditex, a Spanish corporation, recently made the largest retail deal in Manhattan at 666 Fifth Avenue. They spent $324 million, about $8,361 per square foot. This space will be made into a 39,000 square foot flagship store for the Zara retail chain, adding to the 7 other Manhattan store locations already in business. The decision to buy rather than to lease was based on the rates of Fifth Avenue property and the increases that would equal a 15 year lease on the area. Thus it saved the company money by buying the property. On Wednesday, the company is launching its online sales website in the U.S. The company only has 49 stores nationwide, so why spend so much on a huge flagship in a city that already has 7 stores? This is the nation’s fashion capital and the company wants retailers to know they mean business. This is just another example of how globalization is working its way into every aspect of the world’s economy. It’s expected that the company is going to end up making most of its revenue from online sales. Last year Inditex roughly made $353 million from its U.S. locations, a small chunk compared to the 12.5 billion Euros in global sales. This purchase is an important step to those in the fashion and retail industry because it’s a foreign company taking over a large amount of domestic retail sales. They are competing directly with American companies like Gap on price and style of clothes. The manufacturing and production all happens outside of the U.S. and as more and more international companies move into large retail positions in this country, it will inevitably keep affecting the domestic economy. The company’s fast turnaround of conception to production and delivery as an advantage when it comes to showing more profit than its H&M and Gap competitors. The control over inventory makes it possible for Zara to ship twice a week to stores and easily deliver packages to online shoppers.

(http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903895904576546651628934210.html?KEYWORDS=Inditex)