EOC: Week 8 Exercise

Many of us have an idea for a branded fashion product that is missing in the world.  Design and brand a fashion product that you think is missing from the market place.  Before you start you will need to conduct research to see if it already exists. Also, you should figure out if there is a need for the product.  Use current periodicals such as Women's Wear Daily or WWD Accessories to help you with your research.  Explain your findings to the class

A very neat and progressive concept that I had in mind is the "Sun-Contact Lens".  The sun contact lens lies under the accessory's category and it principally consists of a combination of sunglasses and contact lenses.  It erases the boundaries of having to remove glasses from your face, of avoiding an extra carry-on item, of avoiding face tanning lines, of even letting people know you are even wearing sunglasses. 
The ideal prototype would only need an ultraviolet protecting shade on the pupil area and the rest of the lens is clear for a normal look
Not more need for uncomfortable shades when their purpose are sprightly utilitarian

EOC: Week 8 Discussion Questions

1. Why do consumers feel such a close attachment to their bags?
Bags in our current society are not only utilitarian items, they have become a fashion accessory as well. The primary reason why consumers, normally women, show a personal attachment to theirs bags is because its their first accessory of choice and in which they will carry most of their personal / valuable stuff.
 
2. What is your favorite brand of bag, briefcase, or backpack, and why? How does this brand reflect your personality? Do you think you will ever switch to a different brand?
At this point in time, I do not have a bag of choice but for many years I was a Jansport consumer and wouldnt trade for the world.  It reflected my appeal to outdoor activities plus it held a "belonging" meaning behind it because most of my circle of friends at the time were Jansport customers

3. Now that you have read this chapter, go to www.dantebeatrix.com and explain how has the company evolved.  What is the latest news? How do you think the line reflects current fashion?
First of all, the website is no longer called www.DanteBeatrix.com; it is currently found under www.BeatrixNY.com  At first glance, the main element that pops out is their celebrity sponsorships.  This celebrities are being photographed with their children and sporting the Beatrix bags while doing their everyday activities.  The site offers an interactive kid-friendly legend/design map component which I think is pretty neat since it details info regarding the animal(design) of your choosing.  Their site structure seems pretty navigable for both kids and adults, yet still holding a professional and presentable look.  Under the news category, its important to notice how Beatrix is monthly featured in editorials through company ads or spotted on a celebrity and their child. The designs are pretty simple, on my personal opinion, however, the fabric colors are pretty up to trend

4. Why do you think Dante Beatrix is so successful with the company's ideas to pursue graphic design instead of just focusing on bag design? Is branding the key element that drives you to purchase a bag, briefcase, or backpack? Look at a bag you have now.  Is it designer? What is the brand? What features really make it special, or is it really just the name that makes it unique? Describe your answer in detail
Personally, I believe her sales are a product of her branding strategy.  I'm currently using an Adio backpack.  Adio is primarily known for casual apparel with a distinct popularity in the skater and punk rock culture.  The backpack is quite utilitarian and ergonomical by design.  Plenty of pockets and zippers. It expands and constricts depending on your liking

EOC: Week 7 Exercise

You are the new designer of a product line of fashion goods.  Using Johnny Cupcakes as a model, how would you promote this product to your target market? You have a very limited advertising budget and have to do most  of the work yourself, so how would you spread the word about your product? How long do you think for your product to reach the national or international markets? Why?

First, I would try to target a concept in which I could directly relate with and that complimented my persona.  By doing so, my circle of friends and acquaintances will seem compelled to be part of my first advertising wave.  I would use my personal social media outlets to promote traffic to my brands site, blog, and company's social media pages.  I would later focus on stores, boutiques, and department stores which target this same audience, in a strategic manner (location, product assortment, price points, etc).  With consistency and perseverance the brand could take off in no time.  I would also make sure my production facilities could fill in the orders in a timely manner before setting up accounts with merchants.  As the brand grows, it is vital to recruit help since a "one man team" approach isn't always favorable.

EOC: Week 7 Discussion Questions

What is viral fashion branding? How did this form of branding make Johnny Cupcakes a well known product line in the youth market?

In Johnny Cupcakes scenario, the viral branding component came into play with the cupcake design being applied to every single tee shirt theme and later on, to every product.  He also utilized the symbol association between cupcakes and bakeries to provide his customers the full package, the atmospheric shopping experience.  Many factors dictated Johnny’s success primarily in the youth market.  For example, the tee shirt industry normally targets a younger generation, its contemporary cartoony designs are quite popular within college students, and the exposure he was able to provide his brand through his band’s US tours were also crucial.  The brand is pro-active in the net and with its customers.

Why is viral fashion branding a good method for promoting product? Can you think of other brands that are currently using this process?

Viral branding is a marketing tool which tends to spread among people quickly through catchy concepts or designs.  It normally revolves around iconic symbols, themes, places, even dates which provide the product with part of the hype wave.  In my opinion, a brand knows when viral branding has been achieved when people willingly submit into purchasing your product just because of the associated feeling of belonging within their social circles.  Sometimes these “submissive” customers do not necessarily like the product, it strictly comes down to fitting in.

How does Johnny Cupcakes allow customers to feel like they are special? Is this important and why?

Unlike many other figures behind viral brands or products, Johnny Cupcakes is known for his personable characteristics and his direct involvement with his customers.  Either by attending every Set-Up shop, by daily blog updates featuring customer’s pictures, even by scheduling kickball games with customers and staff.  Is it very important since it continuously fuels the viral effect which ultimately contributes to the success of the brand.

Do you think the Johnny Cupcakes brand relates to older customers like the baby-boomers and generation Xers? Why or Why not? How does his use of nostalgia and popular culture influence his ability to reach different audiences?

As Johnny grew, his brand strategically started developing designs with themes that targeted different audiences.  Once the buzz is going and everyone wants a piece of it, then adjust to the conditions and provide the consumers what they want, something Johnny has been able to manage quite proficiently.  Also, the areas and physical Johnny Cupcakes store are normally been traffic by people of all ages and cultures.

In your opinion, is Johnny Cupcakes a unique brand? What other items would you include in his product line?

In my opinion, the brand’s concept is original but the artwork concept and use of repetitive symbolisms is something I’ve seen within many other brands.  In Johnny Cupcakes position I would probably license an actual cupcake business, maybe using organic or healthy ingredients. 

EOC: My Pitch

Label:  NOSTRUM CONSILIUM
Age Group:  18 - 30 (males)
Style:  Casual Luxury (t-shirts)
Logo:  Laurel leaf crown of seven leafs
Designs:  Photoshop files

Concept: 
 
The apparel industry, it is attempts to enhance from within has supported a variety of humanitarian and eco-conscious movements, such as opposing to animal cruelty and working children, defending workers right, and innovating new manufacturing techniques
We as brand will contribute to the universal efforts not only by making consumers sensitive to its production but by also appealing to consumers intellect through the conceptual art of our designs.
The product will be The intent is to portrait constructive and objective philosophies through the use of stylized photographic images and momentous quotes which target controversial and contemporary themes
The NOSTRUM CONSILIUM consumers appeals to a casual luxury taste and lifestyle, values independent thinking, embraces open mindedness and individualism.  He tends to view himself as a humble leader and knows that the life is much more than the status and social quo

BOC: Interview

Why do you think a good fashionable image is important to have in the eyes of the public?
Building and maintaining a good fashionable image is quite important since your consumers are not only buying your products, they are also buying you.  Your appearance must compliment or at least be consistent with the image of your brand.  Ultimately, it is the visualization and association your customers have with you and your product what could promote or dilute your branding efforts. 
Do you think that celebrities need to have a strong personal style?
The media is the number one promoting tool for any product, service, or individual.  I strongly believe that personal style should stay genuine and not molded by what is accepted and what isn't.  Unfortunately, it is a personal view that is not too common in our society and we as individuals normally feel the urge to give in to the mainstream visions to simply fit or concur with a larger audience and at a successful rate.
Do you think personal style and brand image are the same thing?
Personal style and brand image are not necessarily the same thing.  It depends on what are you specifically trying to brand. If an individual is his own brand then yes, by all means it is.  However, if an individual is promoting a product which is associated with them, then they are co-related elements that compliment each other but are not the same.
In the future, do you think fashion branding is going to be come more important or less significant?
With the growth of fashion brands and market competitors, the fashion branding element is not likely to go away but rather to become more significant. It is crucial to stand out and maintain uniqueness. Imagine a world with no branding efforts, regardless of the product, it would difficult to create brand awareness, cultivating brand  culture, and impossible to establish customer loyalty, consequently leading businesses

EOC: Week 6 Exercise

How do retailers convey their brand image through their retail stores?  Visit a retail store and observe its atmospherics, store marketing, fixtures, customer service, and sales associates.  Does the retailer convey a specific brand image to the customer?  What is it?  Is a story being told?  How does the store space influence your opinions about the product being sold?

For this exercise I choose to visit H&M at Town Center.  H&M is known for their up to date trends, their good quality garments, and their affordable prices.  There isn’t much of an atmospheric element which might be just what the H&M brand wants to portrait.  Their product assortment is constantly changing, which keeps their niche audience coming back regularly.  Their friendly and casually dressed staff makes this store a pretty enjoyable place to shop.  There aren’t sales associates trying to sale you anything or asking you if they can help you find a particular item, which I personally think is great. 

The brand story conveyed is pretty much based on all the above mentioned elements.  No lifestyle marketing or emotional triggering cues, just simple and straight to the point. 

EOC: Week 6 Discussion Questions

1.       Does A&F reinvent its brand strategy every year through its product assortment?  Is it successful? Why or why not?

I believe their product assortment remains unchanged and for a while have included the same basic items such as cargo shorts and pants, t-shirts, polo shirts, woven shirts, fragrances, denim, etc.  However, they have adjusted some of these items to compliment a more body-conscious fashion silhouette.

2.       How does A&F brand its products?  Do you think its brand practices are successful?

Their major branding tool is the lifestyle connection triggered on consumers by their marketing and ad campaigns.  From the in-store dynamics (smell, music, employees, visuals, store aesthetics) to their out-store mechanics (catalogs, ads, word to mouth).  It is quite successful and profitable. 

3.       How do retail store atmospherics such as music, fragrance, lighting, store props, and retail brand associates strengthen a brand message? How do they weaken it?

The combination of these tools is what sets A&F above its competitors.  The reason being is that they are not only appealing to consumers through their products but also through a psychological and emotional medium which are conveyed by the above mentioned elements.  The brand has only been exposed to a multi cultural weakness by only advertising with Caucasian models, however, the company started employing multiracial associates

4.       What feelings or emotions do you experience when you enter an A&F store?  Do you think A&F tries to intimidate its customer by using extremely attractive models?

I’m not personally an A&F consumer or fan.  I normally feel clustered in their stores.  Even though this strategy has worked for them for many years, I personally believe that the brand is a deceiver of reality.  I don’t think consumers feel intimidated by their models, they only feel curious to look, to experiment, or to copy.

EOC: Week 5 Exercise

It is time for some self reflection by answering the following questions:  What are your proffesional 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?

Personally, I’m on the verge of launching my own clothing line, Nostrum Consilium.  It is a project I have dedicated nearly 6 months to and to which I conceptualized and developed all elements and business dynamics of such.  These include: business plan, financial projections, market research, manufacturing connections, creative artwork, logo, designs, website, etc.

I pitched a few investors for a couple of months and sealed the deal on a 70/30 ownership with a $15k initial investment.  Corporation, trademarks, and copyrights have been filed.  Currently, I’m dealing with production and finalizing my distribution channels.  I designed a marketing strategy which is ready to be applied once production is ready.

It is a project I take an enormous pride upon since I built it all by myself and for which I have sacrificed so much for.  Within the next few weeks, pre production samples will be arriving and upon approval, I will be officially in business.  Nostrum Consilium will be available in the next month or two

EOC: Week 5 Discussion Questions

1. In what way is Vera Wang a great example of the ever changing career path of an individual?
Vera Wang is a great example of an ever-changing career path individual due to her success story.  Unlike many other designers, her passion for designing evolved as her career made its twists and turns, starting as an aspiring Olympic figure skater, later a editor for Vogue magazine, a merchandiser for Ralph Lauren, and finally leading to a world renowned designer and holder of license agreements for everything from couture wedding gowns to bridesmaids dresses, lingerie, china, stemware, flatware, barware, home décor, fine paper products, fragrances, and even a book

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?
First off, her website is phenomenal. The only new additions I noticed were shoes, luggage, flowers arrangements, and eyewear. She has also added features such as newsletter updates and a company blog

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 Vera Wang brand is multinational conglomerate which targets different products, audiences, and lifestyles.  She has been quite fortunate to have a team of employees that understand her vision, aid in bringing it to live, and properly execute the necessary strategy that make the Vera Wang brand what it is today.  She has mastered the skill of diversification and may have room for more.  Personally, I believe that there isn’t much difference between the business and vision dynamics within all luxury brands.  Designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, and Vera Wang understand that in order attain a greater market share, their products have to be accessible to multiple audiences either by price placement, diversification, and mass production.

2

Midterm: Branded Consumer Item, Jif Peanut Butter

Jif Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is an $875 million dollar business at retail. It is eaten in 75% of U.S. households. This household penetration is down 5% in the last decade, a decline that is attributable to the introduction of a host of new lunch and snack products.  Peanut butter consumption is primarily on sandwiches. About 85% of all consumption is as a spread on bread. Although peanut butter and jelly make up about 46% of the consumption, many consumers eat peanut butter without jelly. 

The Jif peanut butter brand is currently owned by The J.M. Smucker Co., which purchased the brand from Procter & Gamble in 2001.  The original Creamy Jif peanut butter was introduced in 1958.  

Along with Jif, there are two major players in the peanut butter category: Skippy, owned CPC International, and Peter Pan by Conagra. These brands hold over 60% of the category.  However, private label brands have shown to be strong competitors with about 23% of the market share.  Unlike Jif, Peter Pan is a price brand. This strategy is manifested in the lower price points taken by Peter Pan. Both Peter Pan and Skippy make much more extensive use of consumer promotions than does Jif

For the past 20 years, Jif has been the category leader in United States. During this period, Jif has been positioned consistently as the brand with superior taste

It seemed obvious that the majority of Jif’s consumption was sourced from mothers. But it was less certain whether the focus should be on all moms or moms with younger kids who were entering the market and thus likely to be decisional about the brand of peanut butter to select. On the other hand, a substantial amount of the category’s consumption is made up from people over 50, but are these consumers worth attracting? Kids also seemed like a reasonable target since they consumed the vast majority of peanut butter and seem to influence parents with buying decisions. 

For many decades, its TV commercials have ended with the tag-line, "Choosy mothers choose Jif" which in the 90’s changed to “choosy moms choose Jif”.  It has been a successful campaign but studies found that this was no longer growing Jif’s market share.  It became questionable if Jif’s advertising had worn out, if it required a new campaign, or whether modest changes would enhance Jif’s performance in the marketplace.  During the 2000s, the tagline was again updated, now being said as "choosy moms, and dads, choose Jif."

There are now eight different kinds of Jif Peanut Butter: Creamy, Extra Crunchy, Simply Jif (low sodium and sugar), Reduced Fat, Reduced Fat Crunchy, Peanut Butter & Honey, Natural Jif, and 100% Organic Peanut Butter. Jif is also available in a sixpack of individual servings of Jif Peanut butter, sold under the name "Jif to Go."

All variants of Jif are produced at a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, which is the largest peanut butter production facility in the world

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/sterntha/htm/module3/8.html

http://www.jif.com/About/