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Posts Tagged ‘branding’

After much planning and preparation the website development is underway!   Here’s where I stand:

1.  I’ve written all the web copy and its in the hands of the copy writer.  The one section that I believe will be a work in process is the FAQ section.  Once the site is live, I’ll have a much better understanding of questions people frequently have.

2.  The large fashion illustration is done!  It’s pretty much exactly what I envisioned.  Love when that happens.

3.  Right now, I have place holder image of the bag that my friends in China have taken.  Real images will be taken in the coming weeks, but in the meantime the place holders will help me move forward.

4. Stitch has already finished my logo, packaging and several other design elements.  They know my brand intimately.  Now they’re working on the last piece – the website.  To say I’m excited is the understatement of the month.

5. Once the design is done we’ll add the functionality.

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Sunday is the Big Game….for advertisers!  While I love football as much as the next midwestern, the marketing geek in me can’t help be a little more excited about the advertisers.  In alphabetical order by company, here are my previews and predictions:

Audi
Ad: The “first ad” with a hashtag in it will feature a sweepstakes viewers will enter via Twitter.  (Its already promoted on Twitter now.)  Also, they are teasing “luxury prison” ads.
Prediction: Audi’s customers aren’t on Twitter.  They’ll get big results, but all the wrong ones.  The lux prison ads aren’t funny, aren’t relevant and even Kenny G. can save what will be a colossal waste of $3 million.

Bridgestone Tires
Ad:  They’ve got two teasers running – one about a groundhog and one about the “reply all” function.
Prediction:  You haven’t really lived until  you’ve had a “reply all” incident!  It will rate very well and hit audiences just right.

CareerBuilder.com
Ad:  The chimps return for yet another big game appearance.
Prediction:  These primates have out stayed their welcome.  This will be the last year you see them.

Doritos
Ad:  Their “Crash the Superbowl” campaign is going strong in its third year.  Here’s the commercial that is leading the voting right now.
Prediction:  A cute pug that makes the mean man look stupid?  This ad will stay on top and run during the game.

General Motors
Ad:  Transformers, muscle cars and mascots…can you say “Nail on the Head”?
Prediction:  Love that Chevy makes fun of itself but still manages to get the message across.  This ad will be one more reason why Detroit is proud to call itself the Motor City again.

Go Daddy
Ad: They’ll introduce the new Go Daddy Girl.
Prediction:  The front-runners seem to be Pamela Anderson and Adrianne Curry.  Though I hope it is Katy Perry.

Groupon
Ad:  Very little is know about the ad since they are a last-minute addition after someone else backed out.
Prediction:  With so little time to prepare, I’m betting a graphic intensive ad featuring (what else?) a Groupon for Groupon.

Homeaway.com
Ad: A cheeky skit with a James Bond theme.
Prediction:  Too complicated for a new company.  If you can get everyone in the room to shut up, you might actually figure out what the commercial is about.

Mars
Ad: New Snickers spot featuring Richard Lewis and Roseanne Barr in the 2nd quarter.
Prediction:  While you’d think Roseanne would be the one getting more attention, Lewis will actually steal the show.  He’s funnier.

Motorola
Ad:  The teaser shows them obviously going after the iPhone, Apple and their “1984” commercial.
Prediction:  SIGH.  Don’t try to out-cool the coolest kid in school.  And for the LOVE, 1984 is epic.  No one is ever going to beat it.  Not even Apple!  And certainly not Motorola.

PETA
Ad:  While one of their ads was “too racy” for the primetime, I hear a toned down version will run.
Prediction:  Women in bikinis will cause straight men to pause in between bites of their buffalo wings, but none will actually put the meat down.

RIO
Ad: Play Angry Birds?  (Yeah, like every spare second you have?) Then you’ll recognize these birds in their new starring movie role.  The ad will give gamers a secret code to advance in the game.
Prediction:  The birds will be really angry when their movie flops.  This is the beginning of really bad marketing decisions for the company.

Skechers
Ad: Kim Kardashian will bare all some for their shape-ups shoes.
Prediction:  Women want to be her, men want to be with her – Ms. Kardashian will get the job done.

Staples
Ad:  Flying computers.  Walking iPads.  Um, yeah.
Prediction:  Not cool + Not Funny + Not Edgy = Not Memorable.  The agency that created this terrible spot will get fired.

Teleflora
Ad:  Faith Hill will debut her new flower collection.
Prediction:  Great timing.  Perfect audience.  Not flashy, but it will produce the desired results.

Volkswagen
Ad:  They’ve already released not one, but two spots.
Prediction:  I could watch the Darth Vader spot again and again and again.  It will be one of the top rated of the night.

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Now that we’ve covered The Good and The Bad from the Golden Globes, let’s look at who branded themselves the best.  Who’s using their dress to attract more than a flash bulb.  Who’s using it to project their personality, their image, their brand.

You won’t soon forget January Jones in this red Versace dress.  Her hair and perfect red lips remind you that she’s in the über successful Mad Men.  The exposure says “I’m still hot though”.  And the dress is classically Versace – did I mention she’s their latest model?

Many a fashionista has already criticized Michelle William’s Valentino dress.  They’re missing the point.  This dress is who she is – whimsical, pretty, a little bit avant-garde.  A modern-day flower child!  Don’t make her hit you over the head with it…again.

Emma Stone was nominated for “Easy A”.  Not exactly Shakespeare.  Her Calvin Klein gown, understated jewelry and demure hair is all telling you “But I can be a serious actress too!”  Its classy.  Its refined.  Its getting her the next big part.

Now you’ve seen how the Hollywood stars do it.  What about you?  How are you using clothing to brand yourself?

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You can tell when its not high quality.

This week I had a hard choice to make.  The leather costs came in higher than expected.  Not just a few dollars more, but 27% more.  Times hundreds of bags.  Ouch.

Wendy and I looked at other leather samples.  Of course, to get a lower price, we had to look at leather of a lower quality.  From the very beginning Wendy wasn’t happy with it.  The texture wasn’t the same.  The colors weren’t the same.  And to top it all off, we’d have to put an extra finish on it to try and fake the quality.

After crunching the number and cringing a little, I passed.

This first line a bags is so important because they are my first impression to the world.  I’m not going to start out with anything but high quality, high end leather.  I don’t want to be known as anything less!

And frankly, I’m sure you’re not expecting anything less.

 

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We’ve talked about branding by color, now let’s tackle by pattern.  Again, there are patterns you know without any words at all.

For instance…

That pattern couldn’t be anything other than Burberry plaid.

Maybe it doesn’t even have to be one certain pattern for you to know the brand.  Whether its old or new….

on a rack…

or even in make-up…

You’d know those bright pink and green patterns anywhere right?  Of course, its Lilly Pulitzer.

Now, this doesn’t just apply to established brands.  To all my Project Runway fans, will you ever forget these patterns? From the winner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And from the designer we all wish was the winner…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its clear you can get branded by pattern – better make sure its a good one.  Do you have a signature print? Let me know, everyone would love to see your favorite polka dot or argyle.

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