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Tag: brand makeover

Kate Spade Knew Its Audience

Kate Spade Knew Its Audience

February 28, 2019July 15, 2022 Clairemont InternBlog, Fashion, Social Media + Influencer EngagementBrand Evolution, brand makeover, Fashion marketing, fashion prLeave a Comment on Kate Spade Knew Its Audience

“Our new logo. Our new label. Our new pink,” read the caption of a recent Kate Spade Instagram post alongside a photo of its new tag color. One spade motif at a time, Kate Spade dropped its spring 2019 line — and longtime fans sprang up with vocal feedback as they noticed the striking changes. But Kate Spade became a shining example of a brand that knew its audience and had a plan in place to ensure a successful debut.

As public relations practitioners, we know that a crisis with a strategic, thorough plan is always manageable. But in the age of social media, customers expect businesses to respond online with unprecedented speed. Kate Spade led a master class in customer advocacy, as the team anticipated questions its audience would ask ahead of time and was therefore adequately prepared with responses for each during the roll out of the campaign. Comment after comment, the brand tackled each fan’s issue with ease, consistency and aplomb on social media.

Here are some examples:

1. Fan: @rancatburtanog wrote, “I feel like ‘re-imagined’ is a word for ‘we’re phasing it out.’ I love KS and I have loved it for a long time but please do not turn this brand into a bunch of ‘signature’ collections like Coach and MK. They are everywhere and it makes the handbags look cheap and ordinary.”
Kate Spade: “@rancatburtanog we promise we are not phasing out the spade. You’ll see it featured in lots of products throughout the collection ♠️. We are excited to show you!”

Lo and behold, not long after, Kate Spade posted a few Instagram images featuring the use of the spade, such as the following:

2. Fan: @breeflan wrote, “I liked the green. It was more unique. Everyone associates pink with being girly, I’m sad to see this change. I really valued the fact that everything wasn’t pink pink pink. That’s Victoria’s Secret.”
Kate Spade: In a follow-up post, the brand captioned, “Our new gift boxes. They’ll have our new tissue paper inside, too. Each box has a different combination of our brand colors—the ones we call pink kiss (bright pink) to clover (dark green), cherry blossom (light pink) to honey bee (yellow). 5 days until we share all the newness that’s coming on January 28th. We can’t wait.”

3. Fan:@denise_caskey wrote, “Where is Kate’s trademark♠️? “
Kate Spade: “@denise_caskey hi! you’ll see the spade featured throughout the collection in new and exciting ways. we can’t wait to show you!”

There is a stronger feeling of loyalty that grows when a brand responds to you directly as an individual in a public forum. Remember, your brand is not your logo, colors or name. As author Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Your brand is simply how you make people feel, which in turn generates how they feel about your brand.


See the complete Kate Spade New York Spring 2019 collection!

Ultimately, being handed the reins of a big lifestyle brand like Kate Spade is a tremendous responsibility. But will the brand’s loyal fan base follow the newly appointed creative director Nicola Glass as she continues to push forward with Kate Spade? No doubt her goal is to bring new customers into the fold while still keeping those die-hard Kate Spade fans happy. It may be a high-wire balancing act, but Glass is acing it so far.

Brand revolutions can take many forms. For tips on approaching your own rebranding efforts, check out our Miss America: Brand Revolution? blog!

Written by Clairemont Intern Ru Wolle, a senior at NCSU.
Photos from @katespadeny [Instagram]

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REI’s Bold Move: Brand Suicide?

REI’s Bold Move: Brand Suicide?

November 19, 2015July 15, 2022 Cherith AndesBlog, Marketingbrand makeover, branding strategy, consumer PR, media coverage, pr strategy, retail PR, strong brandLeave a Comment on REI’s Bold Move: Brand Suicide?

Recently, REI rocked the internet with its shocking holiday announcement: not only will the retailer remain closed on Thanksgiving, it won’t open on Black Friday. At all.

Commentaries from heavy hitters like Forbes, CNN Money and USA Today grappled with the impact of this corporate decision. Why would any exec in his or her right mind voluntarily sacrifice the sales from one of the largest shopping days of the year? And what about the brand’s life-long loyalists? REI runs the risk of frustrating its core customer base and losing sales not just on Black Friday but into perpetuity.

But a closer look reveals a pay off in REI’s brand strategy.

1. The Right Timing

First, the rule that touts “location, location, location” should actually promote “timing, timing, timing.” For visibility, REI couldn’t have selected a more prominent day. A chain of only 143 stores is by no means a Fortune 500 powerhouse, but yet with that one decision, REI garnered nationwide attention from almost every major news outlet. The sheer juxtaposition of expectation versus execution hooked the media.

2. The Right Reasons

REI applied a foundational marketing principle that may increase brand value over time. According to Fast Company, the top thing that customers want from a brand is not good service or quality products. Consumers want honesty. They crave a company that livesJerry Stritzke quote about REI's brand strategy out its values—a concept known as brand authenticity.

REI is closing its doors to encourage its employees (and fans) to enjoy the outdoors, a principle upon which the company was founded. In theory, true REI fans will recognize this gesture as a valid commitment to core values, including an active, healthy lifestyle. The behavior matches the promise; this must be a brand I can trust. And since brand trust positively correlates to purchase intention, REI may even make up those lost sales–and then some–in the next few quarters.

3. The Right Execution?

So far, so good. The CEO and president, Jerry Stritzke, nailed the talking points in interviews. Feedback on social media has proved to be largely supportive, and the website’s count of #OptOutdoor supporters climbs by the minute. REI even provides options for outdoor activities—albeit far from comprehensive—to foster options. With tweet to REI about Black Fridaygoodwill stockpiled, REI now must execute and leverage its brand strategy. Photos and visuals of staff enjoying the outdoors on Friday or a welcome-back experience for refreshed fans on Saturday would seal the deal and drive home the message.

Let’s watch how REI navigates its bold commitment that will either boost (or blow) its popularity. Tweet us your thoughts @clairemontcomm.

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Copy Cat — Talbots & Our Favorite Feline

August 3, 2011July 15, 2022 Dana PhelpsBlog, Copy Catbrand makeover, copywriting, PR, TalbotsLeave a Comment on Copy Cat — Talbots & Our Favorite Feline

We were just talking in the office today that the Clairemont team is definitely made-up of dog lovers, but that doesn’t stop us from admiring a good cheetah print when we see one. The photo from Talbot’s August email newsletter definitely caught my eye.

And then… I read the copy and fell in love. “Call of the Styled.” What a great play on words, followed by the equally clever caption under the photo that read, “There’s a print for every personality this month. Pair them with a little black pant or fall-ready sweater, and you’ll see why cheetahs always win.”

Meow, Talbots copywriters! We like your work. The playful copy is a nod to the company’s efforts to be trendier and to reach a younger demographic while retaining existing loyal customers. My recent Talbots purchases have received the thumbs-up of our younger team members, and an intern wore the most adorable Talbots dress to our office last week.

The marketing efforts are apparently working, and we are certain the copy has something to do with it.

 

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