Week 4 Chapter 4 Discussion Questions

Chapter 4

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

Luxury brands “demonstrate and establish the lifestyle status and proposed image of the brand, compensate for lack of history and heritage in the case of new brands, create social awareness, which makes owning of luxury more meaningful, and combat economic downturns” (Fashion Branding Unraveled pg. 138).    

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

“A lifestyle successfully identifies itself with a lifestyle and a marketing segment to the point that its name or image is mentally triggered when the segment is mentioned” (Fashion Branding Unraveled pg. 118).  Most luxury brands sale a social status or elegance that people want to achieve in life.  Owning these things makes people feel that they have achieved a certain social status amongst regular people.  A luxury brand assists in defining the lifestyle people wish to live or portray to others.

3.      Explain how luxury brands seem to defy traditional marketing principles.  Luxury brands usually use different outlets to advertise than regular brands.  Marketing or advertising a non-luxury brand is seen on tv, heard on the radio and seen on billboards.  Most luxury brands will use celebrities as their live advertisement.  They give the celebrities a fee to say they use the product or asks that the celebrities make public appearances with the product in view.   “The Internet, iPhones, and other electronic devices and platforms are new channels that have been tapped by luxury brands as well” (Fashion Branding Unraveled pg. 139).  Social media is used by the brands as well as the celebrities where they post pictures of themselves with the items or post a picture of the item and offering a reason why one should use this brand.  This creates buzz and popularity of the item amongst the general public.

Week 3 Chapter 3 Discussion Questions

Chapter 3

1.      Explain the VIP concept, and compare it to the traditional Four Ps.

VIP stands for value, identity, and product mix.  The VIP “model acknowledges the Four Ps as an integral part of the product mix but not the sole driver of the communication strategy and marketing effort for a brand” (Fashion Branding Unraveled pg. 79).   “If you examine the VIP concept closely, you will realize that it does embody the definition of the brand as being the sum of an identity and a value added to the product and its mix of attributes” (Fashion Branding Unraveled pg. 79).

 

2.      Explain the concept of co-branding; give examples.

Co-branding is “the practice of using multiple brand names together on a single product or service” (Fashion Branding Unraveled pg. 85).  H&M is one company that does a lot of co-branding.  They have co-branded with the likes of Karl Lagerfield, David Beckham, and most recently, Beyonce.   It is a good way for both to get exposure and increased profits.  A percentage of profits go to each brand.

3.      How do licensing and brand extensions compare as growth strategies?  

Macy’s is example of brand extension they house many brands in their stores.  Brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Michael Kors can be found at a Macy’s department store.  Licensing is “simply defined as an agreement through which the legal owner of a brand or a trademark (the licensor) gives another party (the licensee) the legal rights to use the brand's name and identity (or know how or their trademark), in return for a compensation often known as a royalty fee” (Fashion Branding Unraveled pg. 88).  It allows growth for the brand as far as exposure in other places besides its own retail operation.  It offers more traffic into Macy’s where consumers may come for a certain brand or item and end up purchasing from Macy’s own collection.  It is a win-win situation for both brands.    

Hawaiian Tropics Bikini Pageant

Known for its sun products, Hawaiian tropics has decided to re-evaluate some of its dealings.  Since 1983, Hawaiian Tropics has held an annual Bikini Pageant.  The pageant was to pick the hottest bikini clad girl with the best tan.  This was 100% based on looks.  But as the world changes, so does the mind-set of the people living in that world.  In the past, women hasd no rights and were encouraged to "look pretty".  After e womens rights movement, women and men alike are realizing that women can do more than look pretty and be seen.  The realization has come to the light that woman have brains too and should not be objectified because of looks or beauty.  Women have proven that they can and will do some of the same jobs that men do and that they do have more to offer society.  Hawaiian Trpoics has noticed this movement, a little late might I add, but they noticed and are making changes.  So, instead of women parading around in skimpy bikinis with tanned bodies, women are going to be evaluated in a different way.  Hawaiian Tropics is looking for the “woman who best embodies everything Hawaiian Tropic now stands for — beauty, confidence, style, enjoying the sun and keeping skin healthy.” Hawaiian Tropics wants a "face" of the company, and not a "body". "Facebook users will choose a winner who will get a vacation to Hawaii and be featured as a spokeswoman in an advertising campaign."  Hawaiian Tropics will allow their followers on Facebook to choose who this woman will be and she must be a woman of substance.  “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. We will see how this goes and if it assists the company in achieving a higher profit margin and a more positive image. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/23/business/media/that-hawaiian-tropic-scent-no-bikini-required.html?_r=0

Pampers (Midterm)

www.amazon.com
"Pampers flexes for snug and comfortable fit and has 3 layers of absorbency verses 2 layers in other leading brands.  Diapers feature favorite Sesame Street characters on every diaper.  There is an extra absorb core for outstanding leakage protection.  Pampers are wrapped in Certified Frustration-Free packaging. Overall: 4 out of 5 stars"
(http://www.amazon.com/Pampers-Baby-Diapers-Economy-Count/dp/B004Q8FFJS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366240932&sr=8-1&keywords=pampers+diapers)

Best diaper on the market for the past decade!, March 17, 2009

By 

Luzu

Amazon Verified Purchase      

"I am a stay at home Mom with 4 children. I have been buying diapers for the past almost 11 years and Pampers Baby Dry is hands down the best diaper on the market, and believe me I have tried them all! These diapers way out perform any other brand including major brands and department store brands."
(http://www.amazon.com/review/R1358UWX914W3O/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R1358UWX914W3O)

Huggies VS Pampers
When it comes to purchasing infant diapers and baby diapers (sizes newborn and 1), Pampers diapers come in a larger quantity, at a cheaper price. BUT the heavier the baby gets, the larger diapers (sizes 2 and up) come in a smaller quantity for a larger price.  Huggies offers a larger quantity at a more reasonable price for the bigger sized diapers (sizes 2 and up).  Huggies also has a variety of 6 styles of diapers, two pf which, Pampers does not have a type of diaper for.  Both have diapers for premature babies and infants, toddler sizes, potty training and bed wetting diapers.  Huggies has an over night style and a leak lock style that Pampers doesn't have.  Huggies stops at size 6 (35 lbs), while Pampers actually goes up one more size (7). Pampers was created in the early 1960's and Huggies was launched by Kimberly Clark in 1968 and initially took away the market share from Pampers. However, as of 2012 P&G's share of the global market with Pampers is in the mid-30s (around 35%) and KC's share with Huggies is around 22%.
(http://www.diffen.com/difference/Huggies_vs_Pampers#Controversy)
Pampers are also sold in over 50 countries worldwide, including in Europe, North and South America, Asia and the Middle East. In the US, they are sold by a variety of retailers, including CVS, Walmart and Babies R Us. Pampers are not sold at Costco.
(http://www.diffen.com/difference/Huggies_vs_Pampers#Controversy)


Pampers Diapers (www.pampers.com)

Pampers was founded in the 1950's when Proctor & Gamble worker Victor Mills wanted to create a disposable diaper; he used his own grandchildren as test subjects. This first diaper started out with pins, but the 1970’s the pins wre removed and tape was added to clost the diapers. Premature, infant, and toddler sizes were introduced as well.  An absorbent gel was inserted into the diapers creating more absorbency, as well as softer lining inside of the diaper, elastic legs and waists, and a Velcro-like closure replaced the tape closure were innovations added in the 1980's. Value packs with a larger diaper count could be seen on the shelves in stores everywhere that sold Pampers branded diapers. Ultra Dry thin diapers were introduced to the public in the 1990’s. The diapers also evolved to a stretchier diaper for comfort and fit.  There’s the breathable diaper which allows air to flow into the diaper, sensitive skin diapers and wipes for babies with allergies, there’s also a moisturizing diaper with oils and lotions fused into the fibers inside of the diapers for a smoother baby’s bottom.

On the Pampers website there are tabs for parents to click on which include baby names, breastfeeding, development, diapering and skincare, feeding and nutrition, assistance during every trimester of pregnancy, safety tips, play tips, sleep tips and a week-by-week guide of baby care. There is help and information for parents from pregnancy up until 24 months (2 years old). Pampers offers a skin care guide, a you tube channel that parents can watch, and a list of the best health care providers for your baby. Pampers goes above and beyond diapering to offer tips and assistant to parents new and old.
"Pampers is #36 on the Forbes 500 Most Powerful Brands List" (https://www-staging.forbes.com/companies/pampers/)

https://www.facebook.com/Pampers/photos_stream


 www.thecouponbible.com

 

Apple Juice Scandal

How did Beech-Nut Corporation trash their brand with this scandal?

Beech-Nut was found guilty of as well as plead guilty to 215 counts of violations of Federal Food and drug laws.  The fine for this violation cost the company $2 million in fines.  The company has "sold millions of bottles of ''apple juice'' that they knew to contain little or no apple juice at all - only sugars, water, flavoring and coloring. The consumers of this bogus product were babies."  The normal process for creating apple juice starts with the use of apples.  Beech-Nut consumers were enraged and a lot of parent were disgusted with this issue.  One prosecutor of the case, Thomas H. Roche, had summed up Beech-Nut's behavior as ''a classic picture of corporate greed and irresponsibility.'' The corporate executive on Beech-Nut at the time was Niels Hoyvald who was sentenced to a year and a day in jail and a $100,000 fine.  Beech-Nut advertised that the juice was nutritious, 100% natural, with no sugars added, which was a lie.  Parents and babies love apple juice because of the flavor and the fact that it is easy for babies to digest.  The reason behind Beech-Nut taking this shortcut in making their apple juice was their company's effort to save money. "The savings would never amount to much more than $250,000 a year, out of a $50 million-plus manufacturing budget". Out of $50 million in profits they only saved $250,000.  At the time, Beech-Nut was a widely used brand and people are very familiar with it.  This lost the lots of followers and customers as well as angry parents who were giving their babies this “non-apple juice”.  This was a disgrace and the company has been bought out by several different companies in attempts to save the "good name" of the brand.  Resuscitation of the company has not yet happened and it struggles to keep its head above water. 

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/24/magazine/into-the-mouths-of-babes.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm   

Week 2 Chapter 2 Discussion Questions

Chapter 2

1. Describe the relationship between branding and marketing.

“Branding is a multifunctional process that highlights a proposed value for a product and transforms it into a real consumer experience.” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 39) The brand is created and products are created under the brand.  There is a perceived value that goes along with the brand.  Marketing gets the brand out to the consumers and creates a familiarity between the brand and the consumer.  “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.” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 44)

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

“The concept or idea needs to be fresh and unique enough to convince potential customers of its role and significance in their lives. It is true that well-orchestrated marketing campaigns play a significant role in the process; however, a brand with no substance is doomed.” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 46)  It is up to the brand and marketers to establish whether a brand will be luxury or not.  Both must paint that picture of its consumers so that they will understand and know what type of brand that they are dealing with, and whether they want to be loyal to it or not.

3. Explain the meaning of “brand identity” and highlight its role in the positioning strategy.

“Positioning is a process and a strategy, which may or may not succeed, whereas the position is the actual mental slot where the consumer places the brand relevant to others, based on all the factors we mentioned earlier. Position is translated into a mental image the consumer creates for the brand.” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 50)

The Voice:

When you LOVE to do something, you don’t need
the recognition. The looks of awe and excitement on the faces of people who watch the final result is acknowledgement enough for me. I love to put things
together. I love to create a plan. I love the stressful process of making that plan come to life. I love the feeling I get when all of that hard work from that plan pays off. I love to create. I LOVE FASHION. In the past I have made things for friends and family that they loved. I made things for myself that I loved. Fashion is happiness to me and I love using fashion to make others happy. At this point in my collegiate career, I am looking to one day become a visual merchandiser. I want to be the person who picks what people love and show them ways to wear it. I
want to eventually create an emotional attachment to those things; to a brand. I want to do something that will impact others, as well as something that I am passionate about. Happy people make me happy, and beautiful things make people happy. I want to make beautiful things for people.

Week 1 Chapter 1 Discussion Questions

Chapter 1

1. Explain in your own words why we need brands.

“Brands are also built on the premises of differentiation and bringing something new and different that other competitors in the market cannot, such as a new idea or concept packed with a mix of offerings and features that are different and unique.” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 6)  Brands are needed to differentiate one product or service from another product or service.

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

Value is what gives a brand its reputation.  If a brand is known for poor value, people will not want to purchase it.  If a brand or product is known as to have high value it will create the reputation of a great product.  The goal of a brand is to create great products with a great reputation and of unmatched value by its competitors.  It must always be better than the competition.  “A brand is a promise. It is a promise that it will deliver a value in the best, most efficient way and will always do so. A promise is a contract, a guarantee, and a reducer of risk.” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 9)

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

“A successful brand needs to be a dynamic entity that evolves” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 18) Innovation is the evolving of a brand.  A brand must consistently reinvent itself in order to remain fresh and new.  “Consistency is another key factor for the success of any brand. If a brand is a promise or a contract that guarantees delivery of a specific value to the consumer, then the consumer needs to see that the brand is serious about its offerings and will consistently deliver the promise. Without consistency there is no customer loyalty, which at the end of the day is the ultimate goal for any brand and a measure of good performance.” (Fashion Branding Unraveled Pg. 18) 

Slip! Slap! Slop!

Slip, Slop, Slap!
It sounds like a breeze when you say it like that
Slip, Slop, Slap!
In the sun we always say 'Slip, Slop, Slap!'

Slip, Slop, Slap!
Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat
Slip, Slop, Slap!
You can stop skin cancer - say: 'Slip, Slop, Slap!' (http://www.sunsmart.com.au/news_and_media/media_campaigns/slip-slop-slap/)

Cancer is NO FUN! We all know someone or has lost someone to this horrible disease. The Slip, Slop, Slap campaign was created in 1982 by the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria (Cancer Council Victoria) to create awareness of what the uv rays from the sun can do to one's skin. As beautiful as the sun is, the uv rays can be harmful to the skin and cause skin cancer. The Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, wanted to warn people of this and offered them a solution of preventing this from happening by using sunscreen to protect themselves. It encourages people to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, and slap on a hat.  This is a very effective campaign because it has a very memorable jingle and the animations of the original commercial are cute and memorable.  It is a fun way to remind people to be careful and protect themselves while having a good time in the sun.  “Cancer Council believes its Slip! Slop! Slap! campaign has played a key role in the dramatic shift in sun protection attitudes and behavior over the past two decades.” (http://www.sunsmart.com.au/news_and_media/media_campaigns/slip-slop-slap/)