Saturday, April 27, 2013

Week Four EOC: Discussion Questions

Chapter Four

Explain the social element of luxury and explore how this concept relates to some of the challenges facing luxury brands, such as counterfeiting and parallel markets.

Since the beginning luxury has been an identifier of social status, it defined aristocracy and royalty and it was easily identified as how fast wealth spread. Luxury has mostly always been identified as good craftsmanship and high quality it is why up until the 19th century, luxury was identified as custom made. Luxury brands have been described as "brands that no one really needs, but everyone desires" (Hameide, 111). A luxury brand is associated with social elements like wealth, success, sophistication and so on. Part of the social element of having others perceive and appreciate your purchase as well. Counterfeiting  comes with the territory of a luxury brand, because they are so high in demand their exclusivity and high price points make it impossible to be purchased for the mass-market thus creating counterfeits at affordable prices but not with the same value and quality.  Parallel markets or grey markets are items that are are originally purchased to later be sold in a different market usually at higher prices.

What is the meaning of a lifestyle brand? Why are most luxury brands described as such?

A lifestyle brand is a brand produced by marketing different products within the same brand that can range from apparel to jewelry and perfumes. "Lifestyle brands rely on an enormous marketing machine to establish a convincing story and an identity strong enough to overcome the need for a historical reference" (116) . They lack the history and craftsmanship that a luxury brand was founded on as well as the heritage of the lifestyle from those times. A lifestyle brand is a brand that promotes a certain lifestyle and many luxury brands promote a wealthy lifestyle.

Explain how luxury brands seem to defy traditional marketing principles.

Luxury brands defy traditional marketing principles in many ways for instance they aim at a higher price point not only for the cost of the manufacturing process but to maintain an exclusivity in the market. Luxury brands are not meant to satisfy needs but to try and shape them. They are expected to be harder to acquire and purchased from the market, they are not mass-marketed. A luxury brand will never advertise sales and promotion but to promote the lifestyle instead of the product and its price. "The role of advertising is totally different. There is usually no sales proposal in luxury advertising. It is usually minimalist with a photo and logo and not much to say. Even more interesting, most of the ads may not be really targeting the luxury customer who is already aware of the brand, its products, and where to find it. In many ways, these ads target the “others” who are meant to be aware of the brand—even if they cannot afford it" (150).

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Week Four BOC: Hawaiian Tropic

Hawaiian Tropic has been using the famous “bikini pageants” for thirty years to market their products and attract customers. The Hawaiian Tropic bikini pageants was introduced in 1969 but it has just announced that it will be retiring this contest, which since 2008 has been held in Australia. The company has been focusing on replacing this contest with a new search to attract their target market, which is women ages 18-34. This new contest will be held through their face book page. In this contest, contestants will be asked to fill out a character profile, in an aim to find the “woman who best embodies everything Hawaiian Tropic now stands for — beauty, confidence, style, enjoying the sun and keeping skin healthy.” The face book users will choose the winner who will win a vacation to Hawaii and be the spokeswoman in an advertising campaign.
“Bikini contests as a tactic just don’t resonate with our consumer and don’t fit with who the brand is now,” said Danielle Duncan, the brand manager for Hawaiian Tropic. The brand is trying to establish themselves as more than the bikini contest and focus on the qualities that their customers are looking for in a product. They have also started working more on the product to find benefits that will help with skin care like antioxidants and anti-aging ingredients especially their products that deal with sun care.



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/business/media/that-hawaiian-tropic-scent-no-bikini-required.html

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Final: Chanel classic flap handbag






Chanel's classic flap handbag is very popular among women all over the world it  has been reinvented many times to adjust to modern times and the fast pacing change in fashion. "The first flap handbag was introduced in February 1955 and was named 2.55 or 255 because of the date of its creation". When Karl Lagerfeld took over of the Chanel house he reinvented the flap bag by introducing the interlocking CC turnlock and later on introduced different sizes, leathers and fabrics to accommodate every season and fit the need of every woman.
"Alongside the Hermes Kelly, this is the most infamous, recognizable, chic and elegant piece of accessory history. Buying one is an investment not only financially but from a style perspective: this bag will never date and will always make you feel like a million dollars".
 -Louise Roe, Fashion Editor at Large, Glamour Magazine
"This bag speaks to women of all ages. Chanel's flap bag is essential in establishing yourself as a style icon. It's soft and sexy structure are everything!' -
Erica Domesek, Founder & CEO, P.S.- I Made This 
"To own a Chanel classic flap makes you feel that you are a part of something bigger than just a handbag. There is a sense of elegance, heritage and timelessness that you don't get from other brands. One must understand and appreciate the art form of this particular piece; I know I will have it forever"
-Kristy Rogerson, Founder & CEO, Operation Style
The pricing of this timeless handbag varies from country and fabric but expect to pay a good amount for the quality and significance it has to the fashion world. In my research I discovered that they are many options when wanting to buy this classic handbag. It has 6 different variations of size that ranges from: the mini Mine, Mini, Small. Medium/Large, Jumbo and the Maxi. "If you compare the prices from 2011 to the prices from 2012 you will see that almost every bag has had a price increase around 600-700 USD". The type of leather they use in creating these handbags is also important when you want to purchase one, for example there are two types of leather used lambskin and caviar. Of course because lambskin leather is super soft it is also very fragile and not as sturdy as caviar making it the more expensive. 

















Week Three EOC: Discussion Questions

Chapter 3 Questions

Explain the VIP concept, and compare it to the traditional Four P's.

The VIP concept stands for value, identity and product mix. Value is the most important as it is the main proposal and ultimate reason for the purchase and existence of the product/entity. The identity refers to the brands personality and or visual identities or signals of the brand/entity. The product mix is the product and its attributes. The VIP is like the Four P's they both endorse the product as the core of the brand but the VIP adds the emotional values added to the product. Just like the Four P's its product mix is an integral part of the product but not the most important. "Evidently, the concept totally ignores the “brand” component and the emotional value created by the branding process" (Hamiede, 78).

Explain the concept of co-branding; give examples.

Co-branding is the practice of using multiple brand names to promote one single product or service. It is an alliance to promote the product or service by having two well-known brand names come together. "It can enhance a brand's image and allows the brand to appeal to a new market through its association with other successful brand's" (86). A few examples are Stella McCartney for Adidas, Diane Von Furstenberg for Roxy, and Versace, Roberto Cavalli and Karl Lagerfeld have all co-branded with H&M in the past years.

How do licensing and brand extensions compare as growth strategies.

Both licensing and brand extensions enhance the popularity of a well-known brand further. The licensing can achieve the same way brand extensions can just under a different way. Licensing is just allowing your name, logo, trademark to be put on a product or service. Brand extension is offering different products and services under the same brand umbrella. "This introduces new sources of revenue and market expansion when the licensor might not otherwise have had the expertise or financial capability to enter such markets" (88).

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Week Three BOC : Beech Nut

How did Beech-Nut Corporation trash their brand with this scandal? About 300 words Demonstrate your understanding


In the year in the mid 1980’s Beech-Nut was part of the biggest scandal in food history when it was found that the corporation was adulterating the apple juice for their company. Beech Nut Corporation Nutrition is the third largest baby food manufacturer in the United States. It produced baby food ranging from juices to food for young children. In the mid 1980’s there was speculation that their apple juice was being adulterated with corn syrup and other artificial products. The company had just signed with a new apple concentrate supplier called Universal Juice Co. Their was a possibility that the company used corn syrup in their concentrate but the John F. Lavery head of operations decided to turn a blind eye. As Universal Juice Inc. would sell its concentrate at up to 25% below the market. Beech-Nut was saving the company millions of dollars by buying the apple concentrate from Universal Juice Inc. that switching to another one even though they knew their was a problem with the product would have cost a lot. According to Funding Universe, “Both Lavery and the company president Hoyvald refused to take action”. But in 1982, a private investigator hired by the Apple Processors Trade Association found out that the company was not only adding sweeteners to their mix, but they were failing to add apples into their concentration. “The plant’s dumpsters revealed that the so-called apple juice was in fact nothing but water, sugars, flavoring, and coloring”. After the news broke about the products used in making the “natural apple concentrate”, the company instead of recalling their product shipped it out across the country. The company was indicted in 1986. After that Beech-Nut racked up near-record losses in 1987. Beech-Nut has never been able to recuperate from such a big scandal.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Week Two EOC: Discussion Questions

Chapter 2 Questions

Describe the relationship between branding and marketing.

Branding is the process that builds a product/service. It is the responsibility of all aspects that go into building the entity. It has a strategic significance and links all activities within the organization, making it the focus of all functions and decisions. Marketing is the actions that build of the brand to its value. Both are in a relationship without one another the entity would not succeed. Marketing offers the chance to identify market needs in order to produce entities for each opportunity. Branding involves multi functions that incorporate marketing, management, finance and design in one process. Marketing supports the development of the brand in all stages. "Marketing supports the development of brands in all of its stages; it plays an integral role in the creation of the emotional value through the shaping of the brand personality and then communicating it to the outside world through its various communication channels" (Hameide, 44). 

How does the decision-making process differ between that of luxury brands and mass-market brands?

For luxury brands offer a higher quality in their products and entity so they must set high prices as where a mass-market brand must have a standard price point to reach the mass-market. The same concept goes into the distribution of each of these products, a luxury brand has an exclusive distribution, it distances itself from its top competitors and adds value to the product. A mass distribution is centered to target the masses  and generate high volume prices and can be found in almost any retailer. "They follow the footsteps of luxury brands and are meant to sell to a larger market at a more moderate price" (51).

Explain the meaning of "brand identity" and highlight its role in the positioning strategy.

The brand identity is one of the most important aspects of the brand. It can be described as the meaning of the brand. Finding the brand identity consists of realizing the positioning strategy, by the image it has established and by how the consumer sees the brands identity and value. The image can take various forms, "such as a name, logo, color and packing design. A strong visual identity makes it easier to visually identify a brand in a market full of competitors, make it easier to recall from memory, make it easier for consumers to buy a product, and make it easier for sales personnel to sell a brand" ( 61).








Week Two EOC: Midterm Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
















The iconic tube was originally inspired by Lily Pulitzer’s designs, bright color print dresses were the main reason Maybelline New York choose pink and green colors to represent their mascara packaging. Around that same time Lily Pulitzer was the newest up and coming designer to enter the fashion industry. I believe this product was designed for the mass-market fashionistas, the company created the packaging inspired by a very important American designer who had such an influence in the fashion world. In creating this product they wanted their customers to feel they had purchased a very fashion inspired product for everyday use. What is known to be America’s favorite mascara conditions as it thickens your eyelashes, it has a waterproof formula that glides on smoothly to give you smudge proof lashes without clumps or globs. This mascara has been known for being contact lens safe and hypoallergenic also being the first water-based mascara in the marketplace.
Great Lash celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2011 and had three famous designers design a special tube for their Great Lash 40th Anniversary limited edition collection that was sold only at Target for a limited time. Max Azria, Tracy Reese, and Vivienne Tram were the designers selected for this limited edition collection. Each designer was to design their own version of the pink and green tube to represent their most recent collection. "The designs of Max Azria, Tracy Reese and Vivienne Tam represent the spirit of the Maybelline New York woman -- modern, confident and chic," said David Greenberg, president of Maybelline New York-Garnier-Essie.  Each designer added their own touch but maintained the essence of timeless quality that is Great Lash.  The limited edition mascara was sold only in Target for a retial price of $6.99 the average price of Great Lash can be between $3.00-$6.00 it depends on what kind of Great Lash edition you purchase.

Great Lash was introduced in the market to replace Ultra Lash, and throughout the years Maybelline New York has come out with different versions of Great Lash mascara. The Great Lash colored mascara featured the mascara in four different colors; Pop of Purple, Totally Teal, Go Go Green and Blink of Blue. Also the Great Lash limited edition BCBG Max Azria, and the Great Lash "lots of lashes" mascara which features a heart-shaped brush to reach the inner and outer corner of your lashes with just one sweep.  Maybelline is always looking for ways to reinvent the popular mascara either by partnering up with a fashion designer to create a new packaging or just by enhancing a certain technique in the mascara to create a different effect.
"T.I Williams found Maybelline Company in 1915 when he introduced the first modern eye cosmetic, with the help of his sister Mabel whom he got the idea of a product to darken the lashes and the name which is his sister's name Mabel and Vaseline joined together". Maybelline is known in the world for its amazing innovated products and that is why it has been Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week cosmetic sponsor for the past 40 years. It produces many products for any women to focus on eyes, cheeks, lips, nails, and face. Maybelline is known not only for its innovated products but by its famous taglines "Maybe she's born with it, maybe its Maybelline". Thanks to famous models and celebrities they have been able to advertise their products to the mass market. A lot of famous celebrities are known to use Great Lash mascara. Great Lash mascara is constantly being purchased nationwide and Maybelline has never seen a downfall in purchases, only in 1933 did they suffer sales by the Lash Lure scandal but they were able to improve sales after the scandal.  "Maybelline's availability and affordability not only means that the average women can look and feel like a million dollars, but also she can afford to update her makeup looks more frequently", according to Monica Patrick a certified makeup artist.  You can find their products in any drugstore, online and specialty retail stores. 




















http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases-test/maybelline-new-york-unveils-great-lash-40th-anniversary-limited-edition-mascaras-127928198.html
http://eyelashesinhistory.com/20th_century_III.html
http://www.marieclaire.com/hair-beauty/beauty/great-lash-limited-edition
http://cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/maybelline.php
http://makeup.lovetoknow.com/Maybelline_Makeup
http://www.maybelline.co.nz/ABOUT_US/Our_History.aspx

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Week One EOC: My Voice

"Not all those who wander are lost" ...But because I like to wander I can identify myself with many different fields in life.  One of my goals is to make the world a prettier place, using art, fashion, inspiration, and motivation. I am a business person in fashion with an artistic mind looking to prove the world of fashion has so much more to offer than just clothing, its art. I want to make the world beautiful even when it can be so ugly; there is always that sense of seeing beauty in the darkest of places. To me fashion is not just about the clothes you wear its about how you perceive life and how it reflects on your clothing and why. That is my job and I want to love my job each and everyday as long as I am here!  I can overcome any obstacle put in my path so long as I have the strive to succeed and I know I do. I am intrigued by people and their behavior and reaction towards life and fashion. How they interpret their own ideas is important to me. I am a people person, I ask questions that I want an answer to even if it means I have to find that answer on my own.  I surround myself with creative minds that are open to anything,  in my life there is no room for negativity.  We can all dream but only a few of us can make them a reality, I choose to make them a reality!

Week One EOC: Discussion Questions

Chapter 1 Questions

Explain in your own words why we need brands?

Branding has become such an important aspect in our world today since the beginning but it became popular in the nineteenth century with the birth of mass production and mass marketing. This gave way to consumer brands, and we need brands because with mass production came large quantities of products being produced. Each product had a sameness, and they needed to distinguish each individual product to serve a purpose and gain customer satisfaction and loyalty as well as success in its field this began the creation of brands. We need brands to serve each individuals' needs and desires in their aspect of life. Having a product being produced from a certain brand is not really a necessity but because many of us feel the desire to own a certain brand it becomes a necessity. We need brands to fulfill our desires and necessities in our social lives to help us feel better and maintain ourselves in the right light buy a lifestyle provided to us by that certain brand.  "The reality remains that branding is a major force in business, and brands play a very important role in our lives" (Hameide, 4).

The promise of the value is an important element of any brand. Explain its concept and its relevance to the brand.

 Not only is the brand itself important it is the value of the brand that makes it successful, if the brand was only successful because of the name on it, it would fail to live its brand life cycle and fail because the consumer wants good quality for the money they are spending, and the value of the product depends on the quality and what the brand has promised to its customer. If that promise is not met, the value of the brand will fail and its customer loyalty as well. Each brand has to offer a certain aspect other competitors cannot, in doing this it will meet its customers' needs and when that brand offers a different aspect not relevant to that target customer it may fail in keeping the customers loyal. An example given to us in the book is from Harley Davidson, who tried to expand the brand in different segments such as a cologne and aftershave and also included ties. According to the book "Because of its disconnect with the brand's personality, the attempted brand extension failed. The proposed products did not fit with the Harley Davidson personality and values of rugged, strong masculinity" ( 9). They did not fit with its loyal customer base and failed to meed their needs and expectations from the brand.


Innovation and consistency may seem to be two contradicting notions. What does each term mean in relevance to the brand, and how do these two terms work together in defining it?

Innovation means to renew, redefine, enhance existing features, introduce new ones and become more creative within the brand to enhance the success and promote the value of the brand. Consistency of the brand is that each time a product or service is being offered from the brand the same value and promise is delivered each time, never changing for the worse and that the customer is always satisfied with the expectations of the brand as before. Both terms define the brand because without both of  these the brand would fail, in order for a brand to be successful it has to meet its customers's needs even in those are changing due to technology, world issues, economic issues, etc. but it has to be able to maintain the value and promise of the brand in each product and service it offers without losing its value and customer loyalty. "A brand needs to be in tune with the times, and in sync with customers' needs and aspirations. It needs to respond to economic, technological, and generational needs and developments" (18).


Week One BOC: Slip Slap Slop

The Slip! Slop! Slap! advertisement was created by both the Cancer Council Victoria when they approached Phillip Adams a broadcaster, who was then a creative director for an ad agency to come up with an ad that would aware Australians of the protection of skin. It was a huge hit with children and adults because of its catchy tune with was a cheerful seagull. It was released in 1981 and throughout the 1980s there have been variations of the advertisement, but its core message still remains the same as Slip! Slop! Slap! it has been one of the most successful health campaigns and has become apart of Australian language and culture.  Not only did it show awareness do the importance of sun protection when at that time link between UV radiation and skin cancer were being found but over the past years there has been a dramatic change. According to Canobolas Pure Health, it has become too successful, even though it had a 95% succession rate of skin cancer treatments. There has been a rise on Vitamin D defiency, according to the Boston University, it also has become the most common medical condition so far. Even in the sunniest places there is a lack of Vitamin D. There are many ways to balance sun exposure to the best of your health, one of them is to cover your face and expose your arm and legs. It is also recommended that you spend no more than 3-5 minutes of Vitamn D  sun absorption.