Two companies are using current affairs and a top show to raise their brand profile in the media. Abercrombie and Lacoste are both seeking free media space by attempting to ban their own brands.
Lacoste’s actions have more potential for self harm so I’m going to cover Abercrombie first.
Travelling west from my base in Leeds, Abercrombie and Fitch are offering to pay Jersey Shore star NOT to wear clothes with their logo on, stating in a press release that the ‘association is contrary to the aspirational nature of our brand, and may be distressing to many of our fans. We have therefore offered a substantial payment to Michael ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino… to… wear an alternate brand’.
Personally, I think this is a cynical attempt to put the brand in the forefront of consumers’ minds, as to my way of thinking there is not a massive conflict here and it’s hard to believe the target audience will shift away from this label as a result. Perhaps the downward trend is already occuring and A&F are attempting to raise their profile with a new audience as their original targets move on to different brands.
In the opposite direction, over the North Sea, the situation with Lacoste is somewhat different. They have written to Norwegian police to request that Anders Breivik does not wear clothes bearing their logo again during his trial for killing 77 people in July, having been photographed twice on his way to court wearing the clothing.
The question has to be asked as to whether consumers would have made the association if the company had not deliberately done so themselves. Are they attempting damage limitation of association by default by publicising their concern? The natural follow on from this is are they shooting themselves in the foot (metaphorically speaking of course) by highlighting Breivik’s fashion choices.
If Lacoste think any publicity is good publicity, they are playing a dangerous game in this case. They run the risk of far right element adopting the brand and making it their badge of honour, thus seriously damaging the company’s image.
Either way, in terms of raising the brand profile, it must be working, for good or for bad – or I wouldn’t be blogging about it.
