EOC: Week 3 Discussion Questions

1.  Is Ralph Lauren a designer? why or why not?
 Yes, he is a designer of garments,  of a brand, and of a lifestyle.   

2.  Where did Ralph Lauren work prior to working for himself?Why do you think this experience was beneficial to his career?
 He worked as a salesman with a Boston based tie manufacturer, Rivetz.  Even though he was considered an average salesman, he was noted by his wardrobe and his philosophy towards his dressing style.  He believed that by dressing up in a particular style would boost self promotion and consequently stand above his peers and get attention from clients.


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?
 Men, women, fragrances, accessories,  home furniture and furnishings.  The target audience has evolved throughout the years and it slightly varies depending on the division

4.  What is your favorite division of Ralph Lauren? How does that division emulate your personal lifestyle?
 A personal favorite division would be Men's Polo.  Its portraits a parallel essence to a clothing line I'm currently working on.  

5.  How has Ralph Lauren built on his original brand to create an empire and almost unparalleled career in fashion? Can you think of someone else who compares to him? 
 He has successfully re branded himself  to accommodate and appeal to distinct generations, lifestyles, and price zones.  His method of adaptation has paid off tremendously but the dynamics of this hyperreality mastered by Ralph Lauren have been adopted by the advertising and fashion world.  A similar resemblance could be noted to Calvin Klein

EOC: Beech-Nut Corporation Apple Juice Scandal

Success, profits, and competitiveness are great part of the business dynamics but how a company or corporation go about achieving their ultimate goal may come at a great price for some.  This is the case for Beech-Nut Corporation who in the 1890's had established itself as a meatpacking company but transitioned in the 1960's into the baby food market place in which Gerber Corporation at the time had been leading. From its origins as a meatpacker in 1891 to its modern status as a diversified food manufacturer, the company had built a reputation for pure, natural, high-quality products. In an effort to save money the Beech-Nut Corporation switched to a new juice concentrate supplier, who provided a less expensive apple juice concentrate. The new supplier would eventually become known as Universal Juice. The disproportion between Beech-Nut’s 1977 manufacturing budget of over $50 million a year and the meager $250,000 saved per year due to the decision to switch suppliers may seem extreme, but the repercussions that followed this executive decision would serve as a major turning point in the world of white-collar crime. When Beech-Nut was found to have marketed apple juice that contained virtually no apple juice, the scandal caused the company long-term damage. More importantly, perhaps, the actions of the managers at Beech-Nut were called into question.  On July 29, 1982, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified Beech-Nut that samples taken from supermarket shelves had been found to be adulterated. In August 1982 the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets came to the same conclusions as the FDA.  In September 1982 Hoyvald orchestrated the shipment to and eventual sale of 26,000 cases in the Caribbean  . Approximately 23,000 cases had been trucked from the company’s San Jose, California, plant to Galveston, Texas. In Galveston the cases were loaded on ships and shipped to the Dominican Republic and subsequently sold at a 50 percent discount  . The sale of the appleless apple juice product earned the Beech-Nut Corporation approximately $60 million over a ten-year period 

http://socyberty.com/crime/the-beech-nut-apple-juice-scandal/#ixzz1TFXfCWoz

http://socyberty.com/crime/the-beech-nut-apple-juice-scandal/#ixzz1TFWecAD8

http://socyberty.com/crime/the-beech-nut-apple-juice-scandal/#ixzz1TFG5MYeQ

BOC: Branded Consumer Item "Dell, Inc."

Dell, Inc began its cosmic rise in 1984 when Michael Dell used a mere $1000 dollars to found PC’s Limited. Working in a college dorm room at the University of Texas, Michael Dell had a goal to produce IBM compatible computers from stock components to suit individual customer needs.  In other words, custom made computers.  This direct business model eliminates retailers that add unnecessary time and cost, or can diminish Dell's understanding of customer expectations.  A year after, Michael Dell dropped out of school and requested a family loan for $300,000 dollars and focused on the development of the new company. 
Later the same year the company introduced its first company designed computer, the Turbo PC.  The computer boasted an Intel 8088 processor that ran at an impressive speed of 8MHz. And it sold in the United States for $795 dollars. The computer systems, which were advertised in computer magazines nationally, were purchased through direct sales. Given a list of options, the customers choose the components they wanted and the computers were built as they were ordered. By ordering the components wholesale, the company was able to provide great pricing, which proved to be much lower than their competitors’. The company’s business formula proved to be a great success and the first year of trading they grossed more than $73 million dollars.
Although the company attempted to market their computers via warehouse club stores and superstores, the public, now used to having the ability to choose and build as they wanted, did not respond as hoped and the company returned to direct sales.
The company its widely known for selling the popular computer systems directly to the customer though Dell’s own website. When the company acquired Compaq in 1999 they became known as the top seller of personal computer systems in the United State
When the global PC industry fell into its worst slump ever during 2000, Dell responded by initiating a price war to which its rivals were slow to respond, providing Dell with a chance to further increase its market share
Dell markets desktop personal computers, notebook computers, network servers, workstations, handheld computers, monitors, printers, high-end storage products, and a variety of computer peripherals and software. The firm also has moved into the consumer electronics arena, offering LCD televisions, projectors, and other products. Dell manufactures most of the products it sells, maintaining six production facilities worldwide. 
While true that Dell Inc. has experienced some trouble spots in the past few years, the company continues to be one of the largest computer manufacturers due mainly to the long record of customer satisfaction. While others have adopted the model of direct sales, Dell Inc. continues to be the most successful and the most popular.

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Dell-Inc-Company-History.html

http://www.webhostingreport.com/learn/dell.html

http://retailindustry.about.com/od/topusretailcompanies/p/dellincprofile.htm

EOC: Week 2 Exercise

Trace the history of the fashion brand Burberry. Examine its ads today and those from past campaigns. What are the differences? Has the target market changed? Did this fashion company follow its target market clients as they aged? Back up your research with clear examples

Founded in 1856, Thomas Burberry had established Burberry by focusing on the development of outdoor attire.  The brand became legendary by Roland Amudsen, the first man to reach the south pole. During the early 1900’s, the War Office custom ordered coats to suit warfare conditions, giving birth to the trench coat

During the 70’s the brand grown to be popular with the British cult which lead into their first prole drift. During the past few decades, it has tried to rebrand itself through celebrity endorsements, popular media resources, and Ad campaigns.  Below you can see how Burberry’s propaganda has evolved throughout the years and how a hyperreality has been applied to shift the brands identity 

EOC: Week 2 Discussion Questions

1.  How has fashion advertising changed since the mid-twentieth century? What are some of the differences between ads that appeared before 1959s and those from 1950s, 1960s, and today?

 The turning point for fashion advertising came with the development of mass media and the popularity of ready-to-wear garments during the 1920s.  During the end of modern period, functionality and value were of main focus for fashion.  The post modern advertising dynamics (1960s to modern day) took on a more psycho logic approach, a term refered to as hyperreality.  This hyperreality appeals to our emotional and neurological senses which consequently re-programs a consumers perception, or in other words, re-associates the actual product with the story the ad campaign is trying to convey

2.  What are some of the theories related to fashion branding (i.e., Barthes and Baurdillard)? 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?

 The post modern era brought along new ideas and perception towards fashion and its branding dynamics. “French philosopher Roland Barthes believed that a garment is presented in the fashion system at three distinct levels: the real garment or actual garment itself, the terminological garment which signifies the word, and the rhetorical written garment which includes how the clothing is described through words”.   Jean Baudrillard, an influential theorist, had a similar theory which highlighted on the principles of rhetorical descriptions and how a hyperreality had the power to rewire consumer’s buying analysis, create surreal life scenarios, and present them to consumers as real.  Contemporary studies from Hamilton, DeBord, Agins and Gobe complimented the idealist of the postmodern era but added a variety of interesting points in regards to advertising and its psycho logic impact on society

3.  What types of meaning 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

 Another interesting research made by Grant McCracken emphasizes that “studying clothing is essential to understanding the cultural evolution of society”.  His research model proposes that a brands meaning is based out of a combination of demographics, psychographics, and sociographics such as:  gender, lifestyle, decade, age, class and status, occupation, time and place, value, fad, fashion and trend meaning.  I personally agree 100% with McCracken, all factors play a major role in the consumer’s buying decision.  Ex. Appealing to a consumer’s lifestyle is a powerful tool since the product isn’t only viewed as functional but it is also multi-utilitarian

EOC: Week 1 Exercise

Find a fashion advertisement.  Identify any historical, social, or cultural icons in the ad and share the story the ad is trying to sell the viewers.  How does this ad make the consumer want to purchase the product?

 

MLife Magazine (volume 9 - Issue 2 - Spring 2011)

Stellam McCartney Fashion Ad

It is a colorful and eye catching ad that focuses on Stellam McCartney’s Spring Handbag Collection and which portraits a naked woman on a pastel color background with an oversize image of a signature handbag that covers her mid-torso.  The floral print, fabric color and backdrop color used for this ad are traditional Spring identifiers.  The story depicts how a handbag can dress a woman up or down.  It’s NOP (Neuro-Optic Programming) which is the term that defines what Ads intend to trigger in the consumer’s brain, aggressively uses sex and the woman body to compliment its message, it sparks curiosity, but most importantly, it narrows the consumer’s vision on the construction details of this oversize handbag

EOC: Week 1 Discussion Questions

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

 It is the combination of tools and dynamics which help define, establish, and distinguish brands as well as their consumers from one another.  This process entails vital steps such as creating brand identity, building brand awareness, igniting product demand, and crop customer loyalty.  A products identity could be establish by a series of methods such as emotional attachment or involvements, socioeconomic belonging, quality and performance orientation, or simply price placement.  However, the most effective branding strategies utilize a combination of these tools

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?

 Everyday non-luxury items have the potential of retailing at high-end prices due to a strong brand presence, by mass merchandising and licensing iconic brands, or by the third party endorsements it posses.  Other inexpensive goods such as hats, sox, and sandals have had the opportunity to retail in the luxury market 

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 fashion and the types of brands they purchase? Why or why not?

 Three separate groups that differ from my purchasing decisions in regards to fashion styles and brands are the Amish (religion), the Transvesty (sexual orientation), and the Emo (sociocultural).  These individual groups do differ from one another for various reasons in addition to their religion, sexual orientation, or race.  These purchasing decisions may even be different within the same subcultural groups due to their social status, economic status, or simply, brand preference.

BOC: Week 1, Slip Slap Slop

During the mid eighties, an Australian campaign dramatically shifted and re-invented a global awareness towards an universal epidemic, Melanoma, through a catchy but yet effective slogan “Slip, Slap, Slop”.  Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 2 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed each year, while more than 68,000 people develop melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer.

http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/MoreWaysACSHelpsYouStayWell/acs-skin-cancer-prevention-activities

The phrase reminds people of the 3 key ways the general public could protect themselves from UV radiation:  Slip on a shirt, Slap on a hat, and Slop on sunscreen.  The Society promotes this message through media and education activities, as well as through membership in the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention, a collaborative group of more than 45 organizations dedicated to skin cancer prevention in the United States. This collaboration supports the Society’s nationwide objective of improving behaviors that can prevent skin cancer, and being a trusted, unbiased source of cancer information.  

http://www.cancer.org/Healthy/MoreWaysACSHelpsYouStayWell/acs-skin-cancer-prevention-activities

The behavior and attitudes of the general public towards skin cancer have considerably improved in the past two decades thanks to the use of this mild and indirect approach.  Along with the principles of sun safety, profit and non-profit organizations have invested a great amount of time and effort into educating people and offering other important tips such as: 

-Certain medications increase your photosensitivity, or sensitivity to the effects of the sun. Check with your prescribing physician to see if your medication(s) are in this group. A partial list is provided under Medications that Increase Photosensitivity.   

-Herbal remedies such as St. John's Wort also cause photosensitivity. Always check the labels of complementary and alternative remedies and medications for possible side effects.

-Pregnancy can increase your sensitivity to the effects of the sun.  

-Reflective surfaces such as snow, water, sand, and concrete increase your exposure to UV radiation.  

 http://www.melanomacenter.org/prevention/slipslopslapwrap.html