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| August 24, 2010 |
| Fashion PR Unleashes "Preemptive Product Placements" |
| By Kevin McCauley |
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Delightfully snarky Simon Doonan dishes about a possible secret PR weapon used by fashion houses -- "preemptive product placement" or "unbranding" -- in his Aug. 23 must-read column in the New York Observer.
The "wicked new marketing strategy" is "deliciously dirty," writes Doonan, a creative director at high-end Barneys New York and author of gems such as "Eccentric Glamour."
The focus (and trepidation) of high design's attention these days on on none other than "Jersey Shore's" Snooki, the epitome of all that is crass and low-class. Doonan recalls how Snooki, "whether drunk or sober," was once never caught without a Coach bag dangling from her arm. Those days, mercifully, for students of PR are now over.
Ever a man for detail, Doonan noticed that Snooki recently started toting different designer purses. That got him to wondering if she was "trading up" or "vomiting into her purses and then randomly replacing them."
Fashion insider, Doonan has his own theory on Snookums' new sense of style. He believes the luxury houses are gifting her with free bags. The shocker: They are not sending her their own bags. They are sending her each other's bags. Competitors' bags! It is nothing but a grand PR breakthrough. It's fashion playing hard ball.
Doonan calls the placement strategy brilliant, and one that makes total sense. "As much as one might adore Miss Snickerdoodle, her ability to inspire dress-alikes among her fans is questionable. The bottom line is nobody in fashion wants to co-brand with Snooki."
Doonan believes as Snooki's lucrative career builds, she won't need free bags. She may soon be able to buy her own Birkin, "thereby precipitating a mass suicide over at Maison Hermes," according to Doonan.
Fall-out from Snooki's designer bag choice may soon come home for Doonan. The super-exclusive Belgian Delvaux bag makes its U.S. debut in Barneys this fall. Imagine what would happen to the image of one of the world's most elitist brands if Snooki has a Delvaux bag swinging from her arm the next time she is arrested. Simon would certainly have a fit. He also would enjoy the sweet irony. |
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