Just finished looking through, and then actually reading, cover to cover, a brilliant marketing piece received from Brooks Brothers. Don’t believe I’ve ever seen a more masterful blend of brand imaging and communication of actual product attributes. So often in our discussions, even with highly respected industry executives, their views on brand building are focused exclusively on advertising, marketing, PR, etc., with little if any attention to the attributes and features of products to be sold under the brand. While the imaging throughout the Brooks Brothers “1818 Lifestyle Magazine” was beautiful and compelling, it was the combination of the imaging and real product information about real product attributes which I’m convinced would ring the bell of both current and prospective customers. What made it all work was that the product attributes were as bull’s eye brand appropriate as the imaging.
-The authenticity of Brooks Brothers’ Scottish Tartans, the cashmeres from the oldest fabric mill in Scotland
– The wet finishing of the sweaters, the use of Saxxon wools from a unique breed of sheep in Australia and New Zealand
– The use of Supima cotton in the dress shirts
– Unbreakable buttons that really don’t break
– Pattern matching of shirt pockets
-The classic tailoring which is quintessentially Brooks Brothers, but updated while maintaining the essence
All express the brand in product just as the imaging expresses the brand in photos.
I had the opportunity to speak with Claudio Del Vecchio shortly after he acquired the Brooks Brothers brand and was incredibly impressed with his passionate commitment to restore the brand to greatness and to earn the respect and loyalty of its target customers. We had a rich discussion about all the stories embedded in the brand’s life and the delicate nature of respecting its heritage without being a slave to its history. This is exactly what the Brooks Brothers team has done so well, embracing the iconic styling while injecting a little Thom Browne, telling the story of dressing 30 of 42 US Presidents while launching the contemporary Flatiron shops and collections, calling out on the same page, John Kennedy and Stephen Colbert as Brooks Brothers Devotees. The marketing is brilliant but the stories are real and the product delivers the same message. Without brand being actually built into the product, there is no “there” there.
Brooks Brothers isn’t the only brand to consistently inject brand into its product. We often cite Harley Davidson as one of the strongest brands in America. So strong that brand enthusiasts actually tattoo the brand logo on their bodies. Granted, Harley’s marketing to its audience is impressive, but imagine a Harley without the pop, pop pause sound generated by the unique piston, crankshaft setup of the Harley engine. The product itself oozes the brand through the sound and the macho architecture of the bikes. Apple’s marketing is also obviously brilliant, but imagine Apple products with Apple technology, without the design, look, and feel which ultimately makes them so “cool”. Cool is what Apple is ultimately about, and it’s that “cool” that lifts it out of the brutally competitive game of selling new technologies. And “Cool” is clearly designed into every Apple product.
Most brands which achieve the first stages of success fail to recognize that specific product attributes led to that success, and future success is most likely to be maintained by ensuring that new products are not only brand consistent, but actually contain brand in their design, materials, and make. There is a huge difference and the challenge of injecting real brand content into products can be daunting. However the success which can be attained and sustained by doing so is well worth the effort. Hats off to those who have done it and strong encouragement to do so to those who haven’t.
