Final Project: Name and Logo

 A logo is something that when someone sees it you want him or her to know what he or she is looking at.  “What makes fashion brands more special than other?” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 138.  The thing that makes is special is having a logo that everyone can recognize.  “Fashion branding is the context that surrounds the garment as well as the image that designers, retailers, manufactures, and promotional consultants crate in order to encourage consumers to buy new items.”  Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 5.  When first thinking of my logo I though of a W with golf clubs crossing them I though what do I need the golf clubs for just have the W that way men and women can wear my polo shirts for more than just golf.  The logo on the outside of every shirt will be a W and the name on the inside will say Womack’s.

W

There is nothing that special about it, but everyone will be able to read what it is that is the most important part.  “Fashion, according to Agins, is not about products, but rather about how they are marketed and sold as a brand image, or what she calls lifestyle merchandising.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 29.  She makes a really good point.  You can have the best logo and the best product, but you have to be able to market it.  This is why my logo has classy writing and is real easy to understand what it is. “Fashion branding is a mixture of many elements and strategies that are generated to create product identity.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 32.  Most important part about a logo is to crate you own product Identity, this will set me aside from any other company that I am competing with.  

Final Project: Create What you Would Want Them to Look Like

The new thing with golf is all about the materials that you use.  "The men's line is also advertised in typical Dolce and Gabbana style." Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 68.  Its all about making something that you would wear, and what your style is.  People play golf in all different temperatures all over the United States and all over the world.  If you are playing golf in Las Vegas during summer time you don’t want to wear something that is 100% cotton cause it wont be able to breath and you would be really hot.  If you are playing in Carmel on a cool winter day you don’t want something that does not keep you warm.  It’s all about having the right clothes at the right time.  “Like many entrepreneurs, Pauwels, Theobald, and Woolcott continually examine their business strategy.”  Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 138.  I have very breathable clothes for summer wear and warm clothes for winter wear.  You can wear my clothes in any temperature.  “Giving you the opportunity to wear your confidence.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 161.  This is what people want when they golf.  Golfers want confidence when they golf and there is no better way to start then with what you are wearing.  I want to go with all the new colors.  The colors that are in style right now are cool bright colors.  Blues, green, orange, red and even pink many golfers want to stand out and that is what I am going to give them.  “Although dreaming is wonderful and everyone needs goals, it should be kept in mind that it might take some time to attain them.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 138.  Understanding that you need to start out slow but, make a great product is really good information.  But I have to make something

Final Project: Define Your Market and Also your Identity

When thinking about my symbol I wanted to think about something that stood out, but is classy so that any golfer can wear.  "All of Johnny's fashion branding has been implemented through self promotion, work of mouth, or by using electronic methods such as e mail and the internet." Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 109.  ITs all about understanding how you will get your product out in the open eye and what people use these days.  Internet is huge!  What I want my symbol to look like is an uppercase W with two golf clubs crossed over the W.  Not too much but just enough that the consumer knows what the clothes are used for.  The most important thing about selling golf clothes to golfers is that you have to be able to make them feel that they can’t live without your product.  “One objective of most retailers is to create stories, narratives, or myths that are reflective of popular culture, to entice consumers to purchase their products.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 94.  Gofers are all about stories making them believe that they need something to make them better at what they are doing.  I have to be able to get my product out there and have to get people to start seeing my logo on clothes.  The sooner I get it out there the more people are going to see it and want to buy it.  “By definition, fashion branding is especially important in luxury retail.  The consumer looks for characteristic consistency of product, which includes quality, image and what the brand stands for and represents.”  Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 95.  Once I have a solid product and it has great quality that is how I get my product going.  “Johnny’s branding strategies have included the use of a blog where he shares his personal experiences and relates them to his brand.”  Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 109.  Any way that you can get people to view your company blogging is a great free idea.

Final Project: Who am I Aiming These Clothes At

I have a high-end golf product.  I already have an advantage because golf is already an expensive game.  “Lauren recognized that this market had a big spending power.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 44.  Golf is one of those games where I can target my clothes to any age.  "Johnny is an avid fan of popular culture and is influenced by symbols that influence youth and signify Americans." Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 111.  Looking at the small things all around me should influence my style on what I want to see on the golf course.  Working in the golf industry and going to golf school has showed me that there is a huge market from ages 15-25.  All of these young kids want to look great and have all the new expensive things that can make them look and play better.  This is not only a hard game to understand but anything that can make you play better you do.  People think if you look good, you can play good.  “In other words, the goal is to question what each fashion brand is about, why the companies advertise the way they do, and to learn not to take advertisements and brands at face value.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 9.   This is going to be really important to my business this just tells me that I am going to have to get my name out there.  Advertising is what will get me started!  “The Abercrombie brand associates, as the retailers refers to its sales people.”  Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 101.  If you are going to sell a product to a certain kind of person you have to be able to represent that product. 

Week Ten EOC: Exercise

You have been hired by a fashion consultant to help solve an argument between a social morality group and the Ginch Gonch marketing department. The morality group feels that Ginch Gonch should not be allowed to have a billboard of their new advertisements next to a major freeway and 100 yards form a high school.  However, the marketing team at Ginch Gonch feels they are within their rights to market their products anywhere they want.  You job is to discuss the pros and cons of each side and make a decision on what should happen.  My first argument would be that there are adults in high schools.  They are old enough to see what it out there in the world.  Anyone at any age can go online and look at many worst things on the internet.  That is why it’s not bad to put something like that up.  I think that there are way too many people in this country that think that their kids don’t need to see anything, and they don’t realize that they are already seeing it.

Week 10 EOC: Discussion Question

1.        What key characteristics of Ginch Gonch’s advertising makes them unique?  Why do you think consumers buy Ginch Gonch products?  I think the things that makes them different from everyone else is that, they have something that so many people want and it is something that no one else offers.  People like different things. 

2.       Do you think it is ethical to use sex to sell products?  Can you think of other retailers who do this?  How does it make their products more desirable?  I totally think that it is ok to use sex to sell something.  If it works don’t change it.  It makes people want it more because they want to look like that. 

3.       Why do you think Jason Sutherland decided to market to the gay community?  Do you think there are a lot of gay consumers?  Why?  He noticed that there was a huge demand for his underwear in the gay market so he went after it like he should of.  Sell you anyone that gets your product out there.

4.       It you were in charge of Ginch Gonch’s next fashion assortment what would you call it?  Why?  I would not change anything, like the old saying goes if its not broke don’t fix it.  This is something that people like and something that people are buying so keep making it work. 

Week Nine EOC: Exercise

Ben Sander branded himself as Brini Maxwell.  How would you create

your own personal brand?  What would your logo be?  How would you

design business cards?  What would your theme song be?  What would you

sell?  And who would your target audience be?  Finally, where would

you show your brand?  On television, in a store, or on the Internet?

Write and design a project that reflects the ideas of developing your

own personal brand.  Use the previous questions as an outline.  This is almost the exact same thing that we are doing for our final project in class this quarter and I really don’t know what I would do.  Then I finally came up with idea to sell high-end golf clothes and I calling it Womacks.  I think that it has a strong name and it is for a market that I can do so much with.  I have not yet picked out a symboel or any kind of sign but I know that I will be able to come up with something even if it’s just a big W.  The place that I really want to sell my brand if it ever were to happen is in golf shops and sports stores, I think that is the best place to start on my way to fame.  

Week Nine EOC: Discussion Questions

1.       What makes the Brini Maxwell television personality unique?  How

does her personality benefit the brand?  The first thing that makes it unique is that she is not a she, she is a he.  And that there is nothing else like it and that is what made I work I think. 

2.      What were the steps taken by Ben Sander to develop his character,

Brini Maxwell?  Was he successful? Why or why not?  Yes I think that he is very successful, but this is a very sore subject on many different people but he has done a good job.

3.      Why do you think Brini Maxwell made it into the national spotlight?

on television?  What was her brands message?  Well I feel that having the money that his parents gave him was a huge step.  Then it says later on that he recied money from NPRit must be nice when you just get money sent to you to help with what you are trying to do in your life. 

4.      What do you think Brini Maxwells target market is today?  Why would

baby boomers be drawn to watching Brini Maxwell?  I am not a fan of what he does just because of the way that he does it.  That is why I have never heard of him before and I really don’t want anything to do with it. 

5.      Why were the iTunes podcast and the reproduction of her old shows?  As vidcast a smart step toward rebranding Brini Maxwewll?  Would you have done anything differently?  It looks like to me that Brini know what he was trying to do and that is why he has succeed because he knows what he wants and how to get it done. 

Final Project: What You Want To Produce

My product is called Womack’s I make men and women’s golf apparel.  I make shirts, pants and over coats for winter time or early morning.  “We are what we buy, so for some of us fashion is a way to express identity.”  Brand Story Joseph Hancock page 3.  I want people to look at my product and have them look at it as something that is comfortable and make them feel good about themselves no matter what their handicap is and where they play at.  “Fashion branding has been defined as “The cumulative image of a product or service that consumers quickly associate with particular brand, it offers an overall experience that is unique, different, special and identifiable.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock page 4.  The first thing that people are going to know about my brand is that it is very comfortable very durable and everything that I produce is water resistant.  "But lack of space did not mean a lack of style, to create the perfect look."  Brand Story Joseph Hancock Page 146.  Just cause I am starting out small does not mean that i cant make a great product and get my logo out there.  People are going to start associating with the brand Womack’s.  People are going to start thinking that they look better and feel better about their game.  “Although many people have written about brands, few have really examined fashions brands and looked at those who sell fashion brands as storytellers.” Brand Story Joseph Hancock page 7.  This is what Womack’s need.  It needs a story.  We are not just a golf apparel brand but we are a golf apparel lifestyle.

Week Eight EOC: Exercise

Many of us have an idea for a branded fashion product that is missing in the world.  Design and brand a fashion product that you think is missing from the marketplace.  Before you start you will need to conduct research to see if it already exists.  Also, you should figure out if there is a need for the product.  Use current periodicals such as Women’s Wear Daily or WWD Accessories to help with your research.  Explain your finding to the class.  The first thing that came to my mind is golf clothing.  The reason that I thought of golf clothing is because the only real companies that make it are ex golfers or companies that make golf clubs.  I want to call it Womack’s it is my mother’s maiden name and it is a very rear name.  It is something that stands out and everyone will know what it is.  I want to make shirts and pants just the main thing that every golfer needs in his or her life.  It will be for men and women and it will be the new fabric that everyone wants and everyone will want to have. 

Week Eight EOC: Discussion Questons

1.        Why do consumers feel such a close attachment to their bags?  I think consumers today feel so close to their bags because it is an attachment.  It is something that you can spend a lot of money on and you want to enjoy it. 

2.       What is your favorite brand of bag, briefcase, or backpack, and why?  How does this brand reflect your personality?  Do you think you will ever switch to a different brand?  There are so many great brand of bags out there today it is hard to name just one.  For men it has to be LV, but for women it would have to be Dior. I think they make fun great bags that everyone can enjoy. 

3.       Now that you have read this chapter, go to www.dantebeatrix.com and explain how the company has evolved.  What is the latest news?  How do you think the line reflects current fashion?  The first thing that I can see is that it looks like it is for a lot of kids.  A lot of backpacks things that I really don’t like and things that I don’t think that I ever could enjoy. 

4.       Why do you think Dante Beatrix is so successful with the company’s ideas to pursue graphic design instead of just focusing on bag design?  Is branding the key element that drives you to purchase a bag, briefcase, or backpack?  Look at a bag you have now.  Is it designer?  What is the brand?  What features really make it special, or is it really just the name that makes it unique?  Describe your answer in detail.  I think sometimes this is just what some people want.  I think that branding is the most important thing that she can do and is one amazing thing that she needs to keep doing.  Yes I have a designer brand it is Armani and I love it not only cause I love the brand but because I love how durable it is. 

Week Eight BOC: Trend Forecasting

Right from the first question I already knew what she was talking about when it came to trend forecasting.  Someone that has worked in the industry and keeps up to date with fashion can always know some sort of fashion forecasting, especially since she has been working in the in industry since 1981.  The second question is about how important is it?  I want to know how it is not important and that is exactly pretty much what she says.  People who work in the industry know how important it is to know what is going to be popular next and how you have to be on top of what people want.  That is how you get your business going is by making and selling things that are in style.  I love how she looks for next trends.  She said that she looks all over the world what people are wearing and makes a decision on what her next trend is going to be.  I also love how she talks about other big companies like Ralph Lauren and Tommy to see what styles they are coming out with.  These are some of the biggest designers in the world and they usually always have something good.  I love when she talks about how it is all logo overkill.  It is all about consumers remembering what they are buying, and someone else seeing what they bought.  This statement is so true.  Consumers can be free advertising for your brand. That is what you want as a company, well that is what I would want as a company. 

Week 7 EOC: Exercise

You are the new designer of a product line of fashion goods.  Using Johnny Cupcakes as a model, how would you promote this product to your target market?  You have a very limited advertising budget and have to do most of the work yourself, so how would you spread the word about your product?  How long do you think it would take for your product to reach the national or international markets?  Why?  The first thing that I would do is give all of my products to my friends for free and people that I just knew.  This is a way to get your product out there for people to start seeing.  I think the only way to really get something started is by word of mouth.  If you don’t have that you really don’t have anything.  Depending on how big that I wanted to grow I think that it would take my product a long time to get that big.  The reason being is I have a small budget and would be hard for people to know what my product is outside of my city.  I am not saying that it wouldn’t be nice to have a product to go that big I just can’t see it happening too quickly.  I would have to put in a lot of hard work and have everything devoted to my business.

Week 7 EOC: Discussion Questions

1.       What is viral fashion branding?  How did this form of branding make Johnny Cupcakes a well-known product line in the youth market?  Viral fashion branding is things that you do on your own meaning no one else had to help you.  I think that this helped to sell you the youth because he knew what they wanted to buy and what they wanted to see.

2.      Why is viral fashion branding a good method for promoting product?  Can you think of other brands that are currently using this process?  This is a good reason in my mind to brand something because you don’t have to pay anyone else to do it.  You know exactly what you want to do and what you want to sell.   The only other thing that I can think of that would use this method would be another small retail place, but I don’t know of any of the top of my head.

3.      How does Jonny Cupcakes allow customers to feel like they are special?  Is the important and why? He makes them feel special by only making limited quantities of all of his shirts so it makes people feel that they are getting something great for limited time. 

4.      Do you think the Johnny Cupcakes brand relates to older customers like the baby-boomers and generation Xers?  Why or why not?  How does his use of nostalgia and popular culture influence his ability to reach different audiences?  I don’t think that his brand relates to older customers.  I think that is just mainly a younger crowed thing, but it is working out fine for him. 

5.      In your opinion, is Johnny Cupcakes a unique brand?  What other items would you include in his product line?  Yes he is a very unique brand I can’t think of any other thing out there like this.  This is what makes his product do so well in the first place. 

Week 7 BOC: Johnny Cupcakes Interview

I think that the interview was good.  I think that she asked her questions to the wrong person though.  She was asking questions like she was talking to this super famous person.  I understand that he has done well for himself and that he will continue to do well for himself, but just let the man be and let him sell his T-Shirts.  The question about personal style and brand image the one that I liked the best, because this is what he did with his brand.  He turned something from nothing into everything.  Like he said in the chapter once you have an idea stick with it and you will do just fine.  The next question she asked about fashion branding was a good question as well.  All he has is a cupcake on a shirts and people line up around the block.  He has done so well by just putting is product out there and being in the right place at the right time.  Taking things like Jaws the movie and turning it into a well selling product is just amazing.  The last question that she asked about PR I really wanted to know if he was being honest or not.  Yes, it is really hard to be in PR but I think it is a lot harder to do what he has done.   The last question do you think that you have to look a certain way and the answer would always be yes only because he is trying to sell a product and he has to look like the product that he is trying to sell.

EOC Week Six: Exercise

How do retailers convey their brand image through their retail stores?  Visit a retail store and observe its atmospherics, store marketing, fixtures, customer service, and sales associates.  Does the retailer convey a specific brand image to the customer?  What is it?  Is a story being told?  How does the store space influence your opinions about the products being sold?  The retail store that I went into is A and F the reason being cause we talked about them in this chapter.  They have a very different retail store.  The music is super loud when you walk in and you can’t even hear yourself think, and don’t even dream about answering your phone in there.  The customer service is horrible no one wants to help you what so ever.  They act like you should be privileged to shop in here and you are lucky if you can wear our clothes. The one thing that they did have going for them was that the store does look just like the brand they are trying to sell.  Everywhere you look it is the A and F lifestyle all over.  Good looking models and good looking people working there too.  I have always liked that store.  I like that they don’t make clothes for fat people.  If you can’t fit in them don’t buy them.  It’s almost like they are saying if you don’t fit in our clothes then you need to go do something about it.  I don’t mind someone that steps up to the plate and says what they think.  Good for them.

EOC Week Six: Discussion Questions

1.       Does A and F reinvent its brand strategy every year through its product assortment?  Is it successful?  Why or why not?  No I don’t think that they reinvent their brand.  They almost never do it at all.  I think that they found something that works and have tried to stick to it.  I don’t think that is has worked out for them the last couple of years.

2.      How does A and F brand its products?  Do you think its brand practices are successful?  They use other people to wear their product.  Every person that buys and A and F shirt or piece of clothing are branding their product.  It has worked very well in the past, but I don’t think that it works well any more. 

3.      How do retail store atmospherics such as music, fragrance, lighting, store props, and retail brand associates strengthen a brand message?  How do they weaken it?  I think that this can be a make it or break it for a store.  This is something that A and F has done really well in the past.  They have a store that everyone wants to go into because they know what to expect and what they are going to get. 

4.      What feelings or emotions do you experience when you enter an A and F store?  Do you think A and F tries to intimidate its customer by using extremely attractive models?  This is something that A and F has always done.  They have always had really good looking people to model their clothes.  You have to be a certain kind of person to wear their stuff as well.  This has always given A and F you have to be good looking to wear these clothes. 

BOC Week Six: Why Jeans Cost $300

Jeans are the new thing and they have been for a few years know.  I think that jeans are that things that people can afford to say that they have a designer product.  These people can’t afford to buy a runway outfit, but they can save up their money and buy a pair of Gucci jeans just to say they own something Gucci.  Jeans are a huge market.  Guys can put on a pair of True Religion jeans and a sport coat and be considered looking good when we go out.  You don’t have to put on slacks any more.  The first reason that I can see is some of the really good jeans today are made right here in the United States.  If it cost $150 to make them then you at least have to charge %50 markup I can totally see how they can go for $300 or even more than that.  This is just a classic case of cost and demand people want them so we mark them up and sell them.  “Denim has gone from a casual to dressy, highly stylized item, “Sari Sloane, head buyer for Intermix stores, tells Us. “Trendy skinny-leg styles are more expensive to produce because they require additional attention to fit.”  http://www.californiastyleonline.com/2006/08/why-jeans-are-so-expensive.html.  People all over the fashion industry are seeing what jeans are doing to people all over the world.  Everyone wants them and everyone needs to get them.  I don’t see them going anywhere to soon.  Like I said as long as the demand keeps up they will not go down in price.  

Week 5 EOC: Exercise

It is time for some self- reflection by answering the following questions:  What are your professional plans for the future?   How do you intend to make those plans happen?  What stumbling blocks do you think you will have to clear along the way?  How long do you think it will take to reach your goals?  My goals for the future are to finish school within this next year and to find a job that I really can do well at.  I have always wanted to work for Oakley and that is the company that I currently work for.    I really don’t see that as being in my near future.  I have really given this a lot of thought over the last few months and I think that I really want to work for a beer company.  I want to sell to different kinds of people and I want to be with a company that I don’t see going anywhere.  I think it is time for me to try something new and different, and I think that this is the direction that I need to choose in my life. 

Week 5 EOC: Discussion Questions

1.        In what way is Vera Wang a great example of the ever- changing career path of an individual?  I think that she is a great example of this because she has changed so much over time.  She is one of those people that can overcome anything that is put in front of her.

2.       Go to www.verawang.com.  What changes have occurred in the company since the writing of this chapter?  Has the brand expanded into other products?  When going to her website you can see how many more things that she has added.  She is totally in my mind turning into a Ralph Lauren of our time.  She makes everything you can live the Vera Wang lifestyle if you choose too.

3.       In your own words describe the Vera Wang brand.  How does this brand differ from others, such as Ralph Lauren or Dolce and Gabbana?  Like I said in the question before she is the Ralph Lauren of our time.  The thing that makes her different is that she does it in her own way.  She has been around for not that long and so many people know who she is and what she does.  These other companies have been around a lot longer, so they have had longer time for people to know who and what they do.  She is already there in half the time. 

BOC: Midterm Disney

The Walt Disney Company was founded by Roy and Walt Disney in 1923.  From 1923 to 1928 they made many silent era films in L.A. California.  During WW Two Walt and his brother wanted to make everyone around the United States happy by making fun movies. “In 1937, Disney's innovative first full length animated feature, SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, was released to critical acclaim and worldwide success. In order to expand and meet the expectations of his audience, Walt saw a need to increase the size of his studio. With profits from SNOW WHITE, he made a deposit on 51 acres of land in Burbank and began designing a modern studio specifically for the purpose of making animated films http://studioservices.go.com/disneystudios/history.html. 

After Walt had a dream of making people happy through movies.  He had a dream to make people happy in a different way.   In 1953 Walt bought 160 acres outside of LA in farmland that is now Orange County.  He had an idea of water, mountains, waterfalls and much more. “When the real designing came around, Walt was met with inevitable questions. How do you make believable wild animals, that aren't real? How do you make a Mississippi paddle ship? How do you go about building a huge castle in the middle of Anaheim, California? So, Walt Disney looked to his movie studio staff for the answers. The design of Disneyland was something never done before. There would be five uniquely different lands.” http://www.justdisney.com/disneyland/history.html.  At the time there was nothing like this anywhere, but he wanted it done and he said that it could be done.  On opening day there was 6,000 invitations that were given out and 25,000 tickets were sold.  Walt was 53 on opening day.  Today there are four different parks around the world.  Disneyland, Disney World, Disney Tokyo and Disney Paris, they are the most profitable theme parks in the world. 

Disney also owns ABC.   The biggest step that ABC made was EPSN in 1984.  They are now considered the worldwide leader in sports.  In 1995 there was a up and coming movie studio that started by making movies with only computers and Disney bought them and they are Pixar.  They had their big brake through in 1995 with Toy Story.  “Nine for nine. Nine movies, nine hits. Since they created the first entirely computer animated feature film in 1995, Pixar Animation Studios have been on an unparalleled winning streak. In addition to grossing over $2 billion domestically, Pixar has won ten Academy Awards, including last month's Oscar for Best Animated Feature for "WALL-E." http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/need-to-know-pixar-history.html.  

Disney is not only one of my favorite companies in the world, but I love everything that they do.  I think they are a company that does everything the right way and they try their best at everything they do.  

Midterm BOC: Ford

Ford Motor Company was started in 1903 by Henry Ford at age 40 in Detroit Michigan.  It was one of the only companies to survive the great depression of the 1930’s.  Henry Ford is most known for being the first company to start a car assembly line.  Their first car was and still is a famous called the model A that sold for $2000.  Ford has been one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world.  They are also the biggest family ran company in the world.  In 1917, “Ford begins offering $5 per day for eight-hour work days and 15,000 job seekers clamor for 3,000 jobs at the Model T Plant in Highland Park. The previous pay rate was $2.34 per day for nine hours.” 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5168769.  This happens right after Ford passed Olds and Buick in sales and that was just unheard off at the time.  In 1922 Ford bought Lincoln it was a way for them to compete against giant Cadillac.  It was a way for Ford to sell cars not to just the working class, but the wealthy as well.   The next biggest thing that happens to Ford was in 1963 when they realized that they needed a new kind of car that was cheap and fun to drive.  At the time Ford had a car called the Falcon.  It was a four door small car that many people could afford.  Ford decided to make it smaller and get rid of two doors and call it a Mustang. “To make the Mustang affordable it needed to share much of its engineering with an existing Ford product. That product was the smallest Ford of the time, the compact Falcon. In fact, the first Mustangs were built in the same Dearborn, Mich., plant as the Falcon.” http://www.edmunds.com/ford/mustang/history.html.  

The thing that many people don’t know is that the Falcon and the Mustang had the same exact frame and all the same parts just a different name and top body.  The Mustang blew up and has become one of America’s best selling cars since the 1960’s.  The next big move was in 1986 when Ford started to pursuer Austin Martin. 

             “Then in 1986 Ford bought 75% of the company and the future of Aston Martin started to look a bit more promising. In 1993 Ford finally bought the rest of the company from Victo Gauntlett and took over complete control of the operations. http://www.amlvantage.com/history.shtml.  

Ford sold their Tractor line to Fiat to be able to purchase British monster Austin Martin.  Ford biggest competitor in the US is Dodge and Chevy.  But they compete all over the world.  The car industry is just too big anymore to only have one competitor; you have to be able to compete all over the world.   

Midterm BOC: Nike

When people think about sports in the United States they think about football, baseball, basketball and so on, but when we think about a sports brand we think about Nike.  Nike is all around us all the time.  We grow up playing sports and think that Nike is the only thing that we can wear when we play these sports.  How did Nike get like this and where did they come from.  Blue Ribbon Sports was created by Phillip Knight and Bill Bowerman in 1964.  In 1978 the name was changed to Nike from the Greek God word victory. The SWOOSH logo is a graphic design created by Caroline Davidson in 1971. It represents the wing of the Greek Goddess NIKE. Caroline Davidson was a student at Portland State University in advertising. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company. Phil Knight asked Caroline to design a logo that could be placed on the side of a shoe. She handed him the SWOOSH, he handed her $35.00. In spring of 1972, the first shoe with the NIKE SWOOSH was introduced.....the rest is history! http://xroads.virginia.edu/~class/am483_97/projects/hincker/nikhist.html.

The first things that they made were running shoes for their track team at The University of Oregon.  They wanted to make a shoe lighter and could make the runners run even faster.  Nike still has its headquarters in Oregon. “Basketball star Michael Jordan signed an endorsement deal with Nike in 1984. In 1985, his shoe, the "Air Jordan," was released, and profits from its sales exceeded a billion dollars by 1986. Nike expanded into sports apparel in 1987.” http://www.ehow.com/facts_5002826_history-nike-shoe-company.html.

This was the first time Nike expanded into sports apparel.  I think that this is the best move that Nike has ever made.  They saw this young star out of North Carolina College and I think it paid off for them.  

“The Nike slogan, "Just Do It" was created in 1988. A store called NikeTown opened in Oregon in 1990.”  http://www.ehow.com/facts_5002826_history-nike-shoe-company.html.  The saying “Just Do It” has to be one of the best sayings ever created.  Because no one knew what it meant.  Just do what?  Nike said whatever you want to do, and the saying just blew up and is still used today!  Nike is a company that people not only have to have, but they have made it so you seem like you cant live without them.  You can think of any major sport in the world and Nike has the best or the highest paid player on their payroll.  As far as competitors go you can say Adidas and Puma, but they have always been in second place because Nike is in first.  Nike has gone from running shoes in Oregon to a lifestyle all over the world, and there is much more to come. 

Week Four EOC: Exercise

In this chapter you discovered that Dolce and Gabbana are known for their unique advertising campaigns.  How well can you reads (or analyze) one of their ads or any other fashion ad?  Find a fashion ad that and share with your colleagues all the innuendos you find hidden in the ad.  How does this ad reflect culture or history?  Does the ad say anything about the particular brand?  What is subliminally suggested?  Back up your thoughts with reasons from history, culture, or contemporary ideas.  The ad that I chose to use is the one in the book where he is lying on his bed with no pillows and with his gold sheets and with high heals on.  He is waiting for someone to come and be with him.  Saying that everything is okay, all of the ads that they have done say a lot about gay and lesbian.  I think that they have changed the way that people gay and not have looked at clothes and how we all look at each other.  Just by certain ads D and G have changed so many things and I think that they will continue to do so as time goes on. 

Week Four EOC:Discussion Questons

1.        Currently, how many divisions do Dolce and Gabbana have in their company?  Has it grown since this chapter was written?  If so, how?  They have three different divisions that they still use today.  They have not introduced anymore divisions, but they have expanded on their line a lot.  They are getting bigger and bigger all over the world.

2.       Do you think Dolce and Gabbana cater to the fashionistas that the rest of the design world has rejected?  Why do you think they have dressed women like Isabella Rossellini, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, and Brooke Shields?  Do you think these women are risqué?  Why or why not?  I think they are fashionistas because they have changed the way that people look at them and the way that people dress.  It is a lifestyle that they offer and it is a lifestyle that people receive. I think they use famous people in their ads to wear their clothing because it shows that everyone wants to wear what they make and sell.   

3.       Do you think gay and lesbian consumers purchase different fashion brands than heterosexuals?  Do you think it was smart for Dolce and Gabbana to target this market?  Why or why not.  I think that the two groups depends on the person, but I really think that they all purchase the same type of clothing.  No I am not talking about cross dresses that are in a different field.  But they people that don’t cross dress, yes I think that they purchase the same type of clothing.  Only because I think that everyone likes nice things and likes to feel good with what they have on. 

EOC Week 3: Exercise

Most designers and merchandisers that have an established name have been working for a while in the retailing, manufacturing, or design industry.  Identify someone who you feel reflects the type of fashion brand you would develop and write a 750 word essay on his career.  How has each of that person’s experiences helped them develop a successful brand?  What do you think the future of their brand will be?  Fashion Designer Giorgio Armani was born on July 11, 1934, in Piacenza, about 50 miles south of Milan, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. He attended medical school for two years, dabbled in photography, fulfilled his military obligations in 1957, and then worked in a prestigious department store, as a window dresser. He joined Nino Cerruti as a designer from 1961 to 1970. Armani began a free-lance design business in 1970 with the encouragement of his close friend Sergio Galeotti, and established his own men's wear label in 1974. He gradually adapted his designs for women and added a women's wear line in 1975, in partnership with Galeotti who passed away in 1985. His sister Rosanna Armani teamed up with Armani as head of communication activities of the company.  The main reason that I chose do this on Armani was because when I was a little kid I was walking by his store in San Francisco, and my mom told me that he is best known for his blacks and whites.  Even still to this day I still think that Armani makes the best Black things for men and for women.  The colors that he uses I think are just amazing and he is wonderful with what he does with every aspect of this designing.  There are really three levels of Armani there is Armani Exchange, Emporio Armani and just Giorgio Armani.  That is the order it goes form cheapest to most expensive.  The second two are just really great things that he does and are true runway things that he will sell to the public.  I know that Armani is getting up there in age, but I really cant see his brand going anywhere in the near future it is just way to strong of a name to just fade away.  I see this brand going far into the future even after his death.

EOC Week 3: Discussion Questions

1.       Is Ralph Lauren a designer?  Why or why not?  Well this makes me feel really bad about this question.  Because I think that he is one of the best designers in the world.  I feel that he has changed the way that Americans wear clothes and how the word preppy really is and what it means. 

2.      Where did Ralph Lauren work prior to working for himself?  Why do you think this experience was beneficial to his career?  He is from the Bronx in New York and his family worked in the fashion district, so he has been around it all from a little kid.  I think that this was very beneficial to his career because it made him who he is today. 

3.      Currently, how many divisions does Ralph Lauren operate under his name?  Can you identify the target market of each division?  Are they homogenous or diverse?  When I worked for Ralph Lauren I could not believe how many things that they make.  They make everything from candles to bedding and a lot more. 

4.      What is your favorite division of Ralph Lauren?  How does that division emulate your personal lifestyle?  My favorite division of Ralph Lauren is his purple label.  Not only because it is expensive but it is made so good and it really shows what Ralph Lauren is.  Someday I hope to own a lot of purple label clothes only because of what Ralph Lauren is to American and what he is to me.

5.      How has Ralph Lauren built on his original brand to create an empire and an almost unparalleled career in fashion?  Can you think of someone else who compares to him?  Ralph Laruen is the best American designer because he changed how people look at clothing.  The only person that I can compare to him would have to be Tom Ford who is another amazing designer and is American as well.  I can totally see him becoming the next Ralph Laruen. 

EOC Week 3: Apple Juice Scandal

I have never heard of an apple juice scandal before but I guess it is really true.  When we first started to talk about it I thought that he was lying.  I cannot believe that a company that makes juice for children would make apple juice that has no juice in it just to save money.  All that it had in it been water sugar and artificial flavors that make it taste like apple juice. “In August 1982 the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets came to the same conclusions as the FDA. Fearing that their product was about to be seized by authorities, the executives at the Canajoharie plant moved the entire inventory (26,000 cases) of tainted juice to a warehouse in Secaucus, New Jersey, which fell outside the state of New York’s jurisdiction.”http://socyberty.com/crime/the-beech-nut-apple-juice-scandal/#ixzz1TFDpmZQc.  This is just really sad.  This just shows that there are companies out there that just want to make a dollar no matter how they can make it.  It does not matter if it hurts someone as long as they are making money. “Top executive knew
about the fraudalance for four years and did not respond. They were too focused on profit margin and market gain to think about how they
were deceiving the public.”http://www.shannonwiki.net/index.php?title=Apple_Juice_Scandal_1986.  Just like this last quote said.  That the companies top people did not even say anything about it.  I bet they loved driving the new cars they were buying because of it though.  After all of this happening I am really surprised that Beach Nut ever got back on their feet.  This is something that never should of happen but it did.  I hope this was an eye opener for many other companies out there.

BOC Week 3: Midterm Oakley

History about Oakley is it started in 1974 by Jim Janard.  He started out by making bike grips in the back of his car.  The special things about the grips is that they sucked up all the sweat from your hands so that you have better grip on the bike.  It was a huge success.  After doing that for two years he started to make goggles for people that rode dirt bikes.  He called them eye shades it was the second Oakley product of all time.  After a few years in the late 80’s he was driving in his convertible to San Diego and had on a pair of Rey Bans Wafares and realized that there is no protection on the side of your face from the sun.  The only protection that there was if you were looking right at the sun.  He wanted to come up with something that gave you protection all the way around your eyes so you can look out the side if you have too.  He came out with something called the blade.  It was a pair of glasses that wrapped all the way around your face so that you had amazing protection and the sun could not come in from any direction.  

The name Oakley comes from his dog.  Right when he stated to make the Blades people started to really like the concept of what his glasses were and that they actually protected your eyes from the sun all around your face not just from the front.  Sports people from all over the world stated to wear his glasses for baseball, biking and many other sports.  This is how he really got his name out there.  Going into the mid to late 80’s this is what everyone used and became the leader in sunglasses not only in the United States, but many countries all over the world.  Oakley makes all of their glasses by the edge of their seats and still do it today.  

Oakley has made many glasses that have changed the industry to day and they still continue to do so.  They have contracts the US government and the police force.  Because all of Oakley are safety glasses and not only do they not distorted your vision they are the safest things to put on your face.  Oakley's number one compeditor is Maui Jim.  Just a funny story about Oakley is their headquaters is in Orange County California.  Oakley flies a skull and crossbone flag at headquaters to say that they are differnt from everyone else.  They were told by the county to take it down, because it is not something that you should fly.  They were charged $10,000 to take it down and they continue to pay $10,000 a month just so they can be differnet and still fly it!