Sketchers Claim

My editor at Entrepreneur asked me if I'd like to write about the recent class-action lawsuit brought against Sketchers, and the recent $40million settlement.  I passed on it, because honestly I wasn't sure what I had to say about it.  I stumped myself, because rarely do I not have a point of view.

But then I really got to thinking about it.

While I don't know many details about the case, I realized that this is why there are regulations in place ... to protect the consumer and to protect the brand quite honestly.  We work in many regulated industries including healthcare, spirits, OTC products, etc.  All of them have their own sets of regulations that we must follow, or we potentially get ourselves in trouble.  Those regulations are there to protect us too!

Now claiming that a sneaker in and of itself can "help people lose weight, and strengthen and tone their buttocks, legs, and abdominal muscles" does seem a little out there.  That's a lot to put on a pair of shoes, and I would think you'd have to put a whole lot of sweat into it to get those results.  I remember seeing the advertising with Kim Kardashian and thinking, "oh, come on!"  But that was probably more about her than about the sneakers!

Either way, it's easy to get caught up in marketing and lose sight of what messaging you're putting out there.  The FTC, FDA, and all the other regulations keep us in check.  So at those times when we scratch our heads and try to make sense of them all, I'm going to remember Sketchers and be thankful for the guidance.

What's your experience?  Jim.

Jim Joseph
- President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
- Author, The Experience Effect series
- Professor, NYU
- Contributor, Entrepreneur

#FitchTheHomeless

Never before have I gotten more "Hey Jim, have you seen this?" messages in one day.

And never before have I seen a consumer (a consumer!) take over a brand quite the same way.

I talk all the time, as do many others, about how consumers are taking control of brand messaging, and influencing brand activity as a result.  Sometimes it's incredibly positive (ala JCPenney), and sometimes not so much.

Well in response to Abercrombie & Fitch's CEO recent comments about "cool kids," one consumer took the matter in his own hands.  He made a video encouraging people to donate their Abercrombie & Fitch clothing to the homeless.  A video that has now gone viral.

And as only can be done "now a days," he's making a movement of it through social channels and his hashtag #FitchTheHomeless.  Love how it turned it into a verb!  A movement, of sorts!

Now there is a little bit of uncomfortableness here, which makes me wince to tell you the truth.  Not sure that I like the idea of "using" the homeless to prove a point, but I do admire this man's efforts.  And I do love the idea of donating clothing you no longer want to the homeless as well.  In that effort, it's a win-win.

The marketing point I'm trying to make here, though, is that we see once again consumers responding to a brand "platform" and either supporting it or negating it ... and using their individual power to influence others.  While consumers have always had the power to purchase, they've not quite had this level of ability to communicate and persuade.

From that perspective, I say Bravo!

What's your experience?  Jim.

Jim Joseph
- President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
- Author, The Experience Effect series
- Professor, NYU
- Contributor, Entrepreneur

Child Abuse's Two Faces

There's an incredible organization in Spain called ANAR who is fighting child abuse in a very creative way.

The company just launched a new transit advertising campaign showing two faces of child abuse ... one from an adult's pov and one from that of a child.

As an adult, you can see the face of a young child with messaging geared towards adults to get them to understand child abuse.  But if you are in fact a young child who is much shorter, you see a very different ad from that vantage point.  This view shows a young child who has been obviously abused, with messaging on where to call if you need help.  Where a child who is being abused should call for help!

It's a very creative use of lenticular printing, and a very creative messaging approach. 

The cool part is that neither party knows that the other party is viewing a different message.  Clever indeed, and let's hope effective.  Ironic because often adults don't know that it's happening and children are afraid to tell adults.   I guess that's the point.


What's your experience?  Jim.

Jim Joseph
- President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
- Author, The Experience Effect series
- Professor, NYU
- Contributor, Entrepreneur

The University Look

In writing yesterday's post about Abercrombie & Fitch, it occurred to me that I was once a devotee and even wrote about it in my first book.  The only reason I stopped is because I got too "old" for the brand and my teenage kids didn't get into the brand essence.  Interesting.

But even more interesting, as we see perhaps the allure of A&F fade, is how other brands are coming into play.

I believe that the "University Look" is still relevant, it's just how it gets executed.  Now Ralph Lauren also recently shut down it's "Rugby" brand, but I think that was more about the company's own portfolio management as it was anything else.  Just my bet.

We've seen other brands take on the look recently with what appears to be great success.

The UK brand Jack Wills is hitting the US by storm, popping up with stand-alones in major markets where there are large university bases.  Brooks Brothers has also reinvented a new line appealing to a much younger, college-age crowd.

The looks are all very similar, although admittedly less "athletic" than A&F, but still in the same space. So as a brand or two go "out," there appears to be room for a brand or two to come "in."  Now this is probably particularly true in fashion, but I think it's a key component of any marketing.  If you have a core idea that resonates, you need to keep it alive and keep it ownable, or it will quickly fade or be taken over by someone else.

I think that's what we are seeing with the "University Look."

What's your experience?  Jim.

Jim Joseph
- President, Cohn & Wolfe NA
- Author, The Experience Effect series
- Professor, NYU
- Contributor, Entrepreneur