Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

A Breakthrough Idea For An Apparel Brand

Posted by rjohnni on 1/19/2007 at 9:31 AM ET 555 Points
Hi:

A client of mine is into apparels for men. Casual clothing for working adults/executives. In a very competitive arena, they broke ice with the positioning of 'the enabling apparel', creative strategy was irreverence coupled with achievement. The creative style decided was like a legend getting unfold.

1st series of Ads went the Axe/Lynx route: man making out with women with the help of the brand. It was all about winning... At places all men fantasise: elevator, loo, car, golf course, ladies room, garden, my....you name it. Very risqué, but market just loved them. Awards came with excellent sales records. From nobody to a trophy brand.

After playing around with the same idea for around 2 years, studies threw light into a problem: that the buyer is 30 plus, mostly married and as a work wear overt sexuality might make the brand tough to be flaunted in a conservative work environs.

Client got chicken feet. SEX became taboo. But winners wear 'this' was the theme that had to be communicated, the breakthrough idea happened, the legend continued: It showed superheroes in their normal lives wear our clothes, before they change into their masquerade.

The results for this campaign is mediocre, and that is the problem. The next campaign is due.

The brand owners are very clear, they need a creative campaign that talks of the advantages of the brand, that that of enabling our man to do/become unnatural things. All routed in a corporate/successful lifestyle. AND there should be a twist in the tale...a visual or interesting surprise hidden.

The point is 'the apparel' enable people to become extremely...efficient, virile, etc....but the person is not a soccer player, he is into golf. he is not a beer drinker, he likes his Cabernet, he does not travel 1st class, he owns the Airline. Something like Richard Branson start looking like Pierce Brosnan, and start wearing Armani instead of Diesel Jeans. All in all 'setting' of the ad becomes uber class, but the act in the ad can have a touch of irreverence.

Can you help with a creative, clean Ad idea? I would love my Gurus to really pitch in...take up this challenge!





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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 1/19/2007 at 11:57 AM Accepted
    Couldn't you work around the same idea that the guys received "special favors" because of the clothes they were wearing?

    Going to the casinos and being offered their best suite, sit at the high rollers table. On the golf course, the pros seek him out as companion for the course. Pilot calling him in to fly the craft, etc. Invited to the press box at sports outings, etc., etc., etc.

    Move away from the sexuality but still give the guy his fantasies of success and adventure, the one who is "counted on and counted in."

    Donna
    Marketing Riot
  • Posted by Harry Hallman on 1/19/2007 at 12:57 PM Accepted
    Client got chicken feet. That is a problem. When they used sex to sell clothing they did well. When they used super heroes they did bad. Ummm. Do you buy close clothes to impress other superheroes or your significant other or someone you want to be your significant other. Go back to selling clothing with sex. Clothes are all about sexy. You can do it in a more sophisticated way.

    The new James Bond Movie comes to mind. As I remember he was always dressed to the hilt with suites etc in the previous movies and in the new one there was an emphasis on casual wear and abs. Every woman I know who has seen it was more impressed with that than in his ability to shot a gun.

  • Posted by Giselle on 1/19/2007 at 2:30 PM Accepted
    As I read your description the word that comes to me is CONFIDENCE! Confidence is key and those names you wrote exude confidence.
    I would center it on confidence rather than sexuality or any look alike. With confidence comes all the rest, including well.. that.
    How about a man, flying, driving race cars for fun. Always VERY well dressed, very quite, strong confident smile. Go for the men with a square jaw line.
    As he is doing all these activities demo the product, repeatedly with him taking actions and attitudes of confidence. Maybe he could be seen sitting at a cafe reading a book, as people walk by and stare, as if seeing a celebrity. He could then have that shy smile, peek up and return to his book reading while sipping coffee. All very casual and chique... and oh so confident. :)
  • Posted on 1/19/2007 at 3:55 PM Accepted
    I first thought of "The Emperor's New Clothes." You could reverse it where townspeople (aka office workers) see this man, maybe whisper, make shocked faces and only show the man's head at first. Audience will think he is wearing nothing at first. Then, at the end the janitor says, "He wearing XXX apparel!" Show him in the clothes then.

    Another idea is to have him doing extreme sports like skydiving, motorcross, bull fighting, etc. in his xxx apparel. Then, show him going home to his wife.

    Good luck in whatever you decide.


  • Posted by charles.stannard on 1/20/2007 at 1:49 AM Accepted
    Could you do something where women see the man in action (work, train, exercise, etc.) and are very interested / intrigued, and then are crestfallen when the camera shows the wedding ring? He has that look where he's flattered, but happy with the woman he has? True confidence? Nothing better than having a solid relationship, but still being a catch? Showing that he's still got it?
  • Posted on 1/20/2007 at 3:55 PM Accepted
    I think fantasy is a central theme to fashion. Because "the clothes make the man," we want to be seen by others as our best possible self and so we must dress the part (or even better than that - dress like our fantasy of our best self).
    Maybe the reason Superheroes missed the mark is because it recalled memories from childhood when, as boys, these men wanted to be superheroes. Mature adults have fantasies more often linked to sexual themes, which is clear from the popularity of the first campaign.

    You say that the clothes enable the target to do/become unnatural things routed in a corporate/successful lifestyle. So, building on the theme of fantasy...

    Why not show a man on his private corporate jet, but skydiving to his destination?
    Or seemingly hard at work at his comupter, but actually playing online games?
    The fantasy scenarios are limitless - from everyday, to extreme, even sexual - all depending on your consumer insights

    As far as the twist in the tale...you could just tell it in such a way as to make the "daring" part of the story (when he's wearing the brand's clothes) a dream he's having while wearing more boring attire.

  • Posted by Mushfique Manzoor on 1/22/2007 at 8:13 AM Accepted
    Hi Rajesh

    indeed a juicy assignment ;-)

    you have mentioned, owners want the advantage to be communicated. whats that?? whats the consumer insight behind this brand?? and what is the USP based on that consumer insight for this brand?? what is the brand personality and personification?? what do the users feel when they wear this brand?? please share those to come up with better ideas.

    here are my 2 cents...

    how about using the Lifestyle theme, based on the brand personality. Like you have said, He plays golf, drinks Cabernet, files in the Executive Class, drives BMW and wears your brand of apparel yet own an airline, this guy is not flambouyant as Vijay Malaya, but more like a Geroge Clooney owning KingFisher Airlines. this guy is Suave, successful, confident, sexy and whatever HE wears is symbol of success/fashion; its HIS lifestyle. i hope u get what i mean.

    apart from resorting to sexuality only theme again, you can also layer it with the theme of "Confidence and Sexuality", "Living Life to the Fullest" and "one apparel for all occassion"

    show that the the person easily gets the tough deal done from the enemy and relaxes by smooth talking a girl. with this you can show that the person is an achiever and confident person and has a slight layer of sexuality. Confidence layered with Sexuality, is the theme i am currently preferring most.

    you can also show the person is enjoying with his family and friends even after a tough day of work, underlining the theme of apparel for all occassion or living the life to the fullest.

    thats all for now, hope this helps. if you share with us more then we will be able to help you better.

    cheers!!
  • Posted by rjohnni on 1/23/2007 at 2:10 AM Author
    Hi:

    Enough silence from my side. And good guidance from my friends. Thanks.

    First and foremost, this will be a print campaign because the cost of production for a product like this will hinder me from buying national media. And hence, like most apparel bands, sticking to print: mags most, general reading and men's.

    As for the ideas, the biggest problem or challenge I am putting forward is not a marketing problem, its a creative problem. And the ad should be easy to the eye, of a global achiever with a neutral, more caucassian look, and the situation will be different than your day to day. "If you have really noticed the Axe/Lynx route...there is a sexual oriened surprise...and here the surprise should be without sex, or sensual...it should be about achievement, yes. An example can be drawn into this brand> wallis>sexy woman leads into dayto day live's accidents>car goes off road, lawn mower over the park visitor, barber cut the throat of the client ...all because she distracts. Or the VW polo ads...CREATIVELY INSPIRING, EDGY, FUNNY IF POSSIBLE...

    The guy is succesful, irreverent and still sticks to good things in life that are conventional...he does not go skiiing, he go golfing; he does not go sushi sake regime, he go moet hennessy...the idea here is the person is unconventional in winning over, but not unconventional in his social situations. HE WILL NEVER DO BASE JUMPING, But Yatching in the high waves are a AYE!

    (This ad might be to a person who actually live a low life, dreams of big things, and knows its tough to achieve them in normal ways, find unconventional ways, at least in this ad fantasy do it, and brand claims that he can start living that upper end life...The brand enables this. So the brand communication creates this imagery)

    Hope this threw some light.

    Waiting for inputs...thanks
  • Posted by rjohnni on 1/29/2007 at 1:30 AM Author
    Hi Guys:

    Thanks a lot for the support provided.

    marketingriot, thanks for pushing the envelope, is in the right directions.

    harry, for the parallels.

    rbsmg, for tellingme that I' may not be keeping track.

    gdrouill, you just hit IT ON THE HEAD...thanks

    jjj, u definitely creative

    charles, thank you

    mrb26, your head started making me think

    sdsondhi, pretty nice creative narration, loved it

    Mushfique Manzoor, thanks man for trying to go closer, and thinking

    PetePallett, for pete's sake understand that I'm from advertising and brand consultancy...and trying to get external views on thing....

    But all in all, great time spend, thanks to you all.



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