EOC Chapter 2 Questions

1. Advertisements changed drastically during the 20th century. Before the 1950s, advertisements focused on showing the consumer the practicality of the product they were attempting to sell. After the 1950s, however, advertisements began to focus on a fantasy life of the consumers as opposed to a real one. Since the 1950s advertisements have become more risk-taking and sometimes sexual to appeal to the desires of the consumers. “After World War II … To capture this new consumer dollar, what became important for retailers, manufacturers and designers was the inclusion of meanings and lifestyle in advertising to relate products to the American dream.” (Brand/Story, Joseph Hancock, Page 16)

2. Some of the theories related to fashion branding are The Barthes theory, the Baudrillard theory, the Williamson theory, the Hamilton and DeBord theory, the Agins theory, the Gobe theory and the McCracken theory. All of the theories discuss fashion branding as a means of communicating with consumers. Each theory expresses a different way(s) to relate a brand to its target customer. Each theory discusses how effective fashion branding and how to branding can be come successful. “The work of each of these researchers in the area of fashion branding can be combined to conclude that meaning, associations, emotions and storytelling are all key ingredients or building fashion branding success.” (Brand/Story, Joseph Hancock, Page 31)

3. McCracken’s theory suggests several meanings that are generally targeted by companies. He also suggests that without branding towards these meanings, a brand will not be able to achieve success. McCracken states that there are nine basic meanings that are targeted. These include gender, lifestyle, decade, age, class and status, occupation, time and place, value and fad, fashion and trend meanings. “For McCracken, these meanings are determined by the company, its competitors and collaborators, customers, marketing segmentation, product and service positioning, marketing mix and price of each consumer item.” (Brand/Story, Joseph Hancock, Page 30) I completely agree with all of these meanings because they all describe demographic and psychographic information which is ALL used by brands in early stages of determining their market. Once all of these meanings are established, the brand knows who its market is and can brand and advertise to that specific market. An example of the meaning class and status would be Chanel. Chanel brands to a market based on social class and status. Chanel’s high end products are incredibly expensive and only purchasable by those who can afford high-end designer fashions.