Week 3 EOC: Exercise

The Burberry brand has been around for a very long time. Thomas Burberry opened his first shop at the age of 21 in England in 1856. “A commitment to quality and innovation in fabric and outwear design earned Burberry a loyal following. By 1870, the shop had grown to an ‘emporium’.” – Burberry History www.burberry.com Burberry was and still is known for its trench coat which was first adopted by British officers during war in 1895 “Burberry developed the Tielocken, the predecessor of the trench coat, which was adopted by British officers during the Boer War.” The signature Burberry Checkered print was first introduced in the lining of the trench coats in the 1920’s

Looking at the advertisements that Burberry has had throughout their existence it is clear that the target market for the company has changed. When the trench was first introduced the ads were targeting military men and latter on in the 50’s the ads were targeted towards wealthy men wanting fitted suits. Today’s Burberry advertisements are targeting both men and women and are very fashion forward. The target market seems younger and trendier than in the past where even 10 years ago the though of a young person wearing Burberry seemed far fetched, it was thought of as the “old lady” brand. “by the 1990s the brand started to look like your grandmother’s pocketbook. Burberry turned to Rosemary Bravo (then President of Saks Fifth Avenue) to become Chief Executive Officer. Under Bravo’s watch the brand revamped, broadening its line further and surrendering to less conservative items like the Burberry bikini.” –Burberry Square by Diane O’Brien The brand stated “Since the arrival of a new management team, commencing in 1997, we have been repositioning the Burberry brand in line with its luxury heritage."

EOC: Week 3 Apple Juice Scandal

Apple Juice Arsenic Scandal: In 2011 Dr. Oz went on his television show in front of a national and a live audience and informed views that the apple juice they were giving to their children, contained arsenic. “Dr. Oz pinpointed which brands contained the most amounts of the chemical, and displayed his efforts to get in contact with the FDA.” – The Apple Juice Arsenic Scandal by Emma Koonse. The FDA stood behind the fact that there was nothing dangerous about apple juice, with this statement posted on their website “There is no evidence of any public health risk from drinking these juices, and FDA has been testing them for years.” They continued to argue that Dr. Oz did not differentiate between harmful and organic arsenic. Tim Sullivan a spokesperson for the show said “We did the tests. We stand by the results and we think the standards should be different.” The overall stance seemed to be that organic or not, certain levels of arsenic can be dangerous, especially in children. The spokesperson for the FDA Stephanie Yao said “We’re concerned that people are going to start thinking their juice is unsafe when that’s not the case.” Pediatrician Dr. Gordon then stated that children should only be drinking a certain amount of juice per day anyways due to its empty calories. He sided with the FDA over Dr. Oz on this one. I for one can say that as a child I could never drink apple juice without getting awful stomach aches, to the point where I was hunched over, on the ground and unable to have fun however apples never bothered me at all. Perhaps the doctor is right and people should in fact be concerned with what the FDA allows in our food.

Week 3 BOC: Women's Professional Swim Suit

As a professional women invited to a company pool party, you may be asking yourself, "what do I wear?" First thing to remember, you are going to a company function, not lounging out with your girl friends so first and foremost remember to keep it appropriate and professional. This is a "pool party" so you do want to show up appearing ready to jump in, without actually having the intent to do so. I would suggest an age appropriate bathing suite either a one piece or a two piece that covers your mid section, those tankini style tops are ok for this occasion as they cover you up. Once you have picked the appropriate suit you should pair it with a sarong wrap around your waist or other cover up. A wedged heel or flat sandal would be ideal for this look and you can top it off with a summer hat and tote bag. It is crucial that you still appear successful and classy even though you are outside of the office.

EOC:Week 2

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

Prior to the 1950's fashion advertisements targeted one kind of woman rather than having different types of advertisements aimed towards different styles and different people. It was more common for the designer to be featured in the advertisement rather that hiring a model to do the work. In the 1950's fashion ads aimed more towards adding hype to more simple items and int he 60's there was a development of a "fashion language".


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 Hamilton, BeBord, Agins, Gobe, and McCracken relate to those of Barthes and Baurdillard?

They believed that fashion was a form of postmodernism and that it was a form of hyper reality,the sense that what is real and what is perceived is blurd. A woman can put on a beautiful bra that immediately transforms her into a confident and sexy being. She instantly feels like a stronger person, her self perception has changed yet on the outside no one else can see what has transformed her. Fashion is about a feeling, a state of mind, putting on a "uniform" that suites you best.


3.) What types of meanings 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.

He states that to understand the cultural evolution of society, we must look at fashion and how it has changed over time. The meanings that McCracken associates with fashion products are gender, lifestyle, decade, age, class, status, occupation, time and place.

I agree with McCracken because looking at how fashion has evolved over time and the history of each decade, there is a direct correlation between the two. You can also look at the fashion pendulum that shows how fashion changes with the change of a strong to weak economy.

EOC; Exercise Chapter 1

"A disturbing image from one of the fashion industries most respected fashion houses. Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani's vintage Valentino advertisement was published across the globe and still raises eyebrows today because of its implied violence against women." - Controversial Advertisements: Violence in Fashion Ads, Christopher Turner Nov, 12, 2012 www.fashionist.ca

This image protrays a very old fashioned mindset where men were dominating and women had no voice and no rights. The Valentino Advertisement depicts a controlling husband possibly abusing his wife. His tight grip around her neck and her unwillingness to fight him is shocking to most consumers these days however these were very common issues faced by women at a point in time and still today. Abuse has always been a silent "personal" problem that people dont speak of and this advertisement puts it right in your face. In the book Brand Story the author quotes "The advertising medium, context, and style, should reflect the brand."- Ch 1 Page 6 The book also states " Branding is also about creating a clear vision and strategy for a company. Branding gives everyone involved a clear direction and focus." -Ch 1 page 7

Does this advertisement reflect the Valentino brand? I have always viewed Valentino as elegant and catering to a womans needs and beauty, this ad doesnt reflect Valentino's brand image which is what made it stand out. The thing about controversial advertisements is that they grab consumers attention, like it or not you know have noticed this brand and know who the designer is if you didnt know before. It may even intrigue you to want to know more about the brand and the advertising campagin. Personally I am drawn in to ads like this one, I find them racy in an exhillerating way. It makes me want to see more.

EOC, Week 1

1. What is fashion branding? How does branding establish a product's identity?

Fashion branding is "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." - Youn-Kyoung Kim, Pauline Sullivan, and Judith Cardona Forney, Experiential Retailing: Concepts and Strategies that Sell.

Branding establishes a product's identity through "brand storytelling". The way a company brands a product will determine how the product is perceived in the mind of consumers.

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?

Companies are able to sell basic items at high prices through "brand storytelling". They are essentially selling the idea of a lifestyle to the consumer and now putting on a pair of sunglasses doesn't just protect your eyes from the sun, it makes you feel a certain way, a certain feeling that was evoked through advertisements, marketing and branding. Putting on a particular brand can transform a persons mood and perception of themselves. "A T-shirt, pair of jeans, sweatshirt, khaki pants, baseball cap, and even a pair of shoes can be dull and indistinguishable without the help of fashion branding." -Brand Story, Ch 1 Page 5.

Cell phone cases are now sold in the luxury market which before were never considered a luxury good. You would go into your service providers store and pick up a basic case to protect your phone, now they are fashion statements and a common accessory in a fashion collection.

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

Three consumer groups that are different from me would be African Americans, Homosexuals, and Senior Citizens. I don't fit into these consumer groups therefore advertisements and marketing which targets each of these groups may not be appealing to me. This isn't to say that all marketing towards these groups would be a disinterest to me, just that it's not targeting my consumer group making it a large possibility that I wouldn't identify with or connect with these advertisements and marketing. In the book Brand Story, the author speaks about identifying with a particular advertisement "The nostalgia and sheer genius of its advertising logo, the Modern Eye
Guy, created an instant connection for me as a customer because I understood the story that was presented in the ad." - Ch 1 page 1-2
You must be able to identify with the advertisement and in order to identify with it, you have to understand the story that is being told. With that being said each of these consumer groups that are different from myself are also different from each other in regards to the purchases they make. The exception would be a homosexual, black, senior citizen who then would be able to identify more with advertisements towards each of the consumer groups I listed. Even so this person would feel a disconnect to an ad targeting 18 year old African Americans. This goes to show just how much research must go into an advertising campaign or marketing plan, once you have your target market you have to look at sub markets and create a story that they will understand and be able to relate to.