Big Brands Creating Buzz
There’s been a lot of buzz in the media lately about big brands who are taking to advertising and social media as a way to express their corporate viewpoints and opinions. Many might argue that these big brands are participating in risky behavior. When you have millions of fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter alike and are broadcasting advertisements for millions to see, chances are high that your brand will generate both applause and dissent. In an age where breaking news is never further then a click, share, and post away, can creating controversy be considered a marketing tool? Let’s look into two brands who are exploring this very question.
On the night of Monday June 25th Oreo surprised their 26 million Facebook fans by posting a photo of an Oreo cookie stuffed with seven layers of rainbow frosting in honor of Gay Pride Month. The caption with the photo read, “Proudly Support Love!” In the four days that the photo has been present on Oreo’s timeline it has received 276, 727 likes, 53, 646 comments, and 86, 542 shares. “Kraft Foods has a proud history of celebrating diversity and inclusiveness. We feel the OREO ad is a fun reflection of our values. There has been a lot of buzz about the image, and it shows how relevant OREO is to people even after 100 years,” said Basil Maglaris, associate director of corporate affairs for Kraft. The feedback on the photo has been greatly mixed, receiving comments such as “I’ll never buy Oreos again.” to “Awesome! I’ve decided to go on an Oreo diet!” Regardless of negative feedback, analysts at Radian 6 reported that 81% of the responses across all social media sites were positive. Oreo’s page has also gained another one million Facebook fans in the four days since the picture was posted.
Another brand creating waves over expressing their opinion is Denny’s. In a recently run television advertisement, the company set out to explain some of the reasons why America is so great. Among these reasons they mention the right to bear arms, otherwise known as the hotly debated second amendment. The advertisement has a lighthearted and fun tone which has some speculating that they aren’t entirely serious; however conservatives and gun enthusiast alike are thrilled with Denny’s. The YouTube video of the spot has been flooded with positive feedback praising Denny’s and promising to eat there more often. “Awesome ad! I just heard you guys are actually supporters of my rights, I'll be coming to Denny's more.” one commenter wrote. However, there is no doubt that those with a negative viewpoint of the second amendment will soon put up a fight against the advertisement.
Although there is no shortage of controversy when it comes to brands publicly making a bold social or political statement some would argue that this type of attention, be it good or bad, can essentially be spun into a marketing strategy. Both of these brands released materials that quickly gained a lot of attention and thrust their brands in the spotlight. The exposure came with loads of support and thousands of consumers swearing to be faithful to these brands because of the opinions they expressed. Brands in this position would be smart to take advantage of the limelight while they have it to further re-enforce their value to consumers. Although it’s impossible to please your entire fan base and you are sure to encounter resistance along the way, big brands that stand up for what they believe in are sure to gain respect and maybe a few more fans along the way.
Contributed by Nicole Juliano
Good Things Come in Great Packages
In a society driven by the importance of looks, package design is vital when it comes to brand image and is the best chance to make a sale based on looks alone. How many times have you been faced with a decision between two different products and let your decision fall on the design of the product or its packaging alone? I know I have been guilty of this more than once, which led me to consider just how important package design really is.
According to Marketing Week, up to 70% of purchase decisions are made in stores and are heavily influenced by package design and marketing. Product design involves form and can be used for a variety of functions. Some of these functions include differentiating your product from your competitors, giving a physical aspect to your brand’s personality, and to serve as a brand identity tool so that consumers are able to recognize it anywhere. Also, for many consumers bonding with package design marks the beginning of an experience with a brand and can spark product loyalty. The design of a product can be a very powerful marketing tool, argues Mike Smart, design strategist for Design Council. “Design gives form to the idea and the role of the designer is very much to understand and position themselves between the ideas world and the physical product on shelf. Designers have a focus on the craft of making something but maintain the integrity of the research behind that brand.”
One of the best examples of successful package design is Chanel No. 5 perfume. Now in its 90th year of production, Chanel No. 5 is the best-selling fragrance of all time all thanks to its classic and timeless bottle. The most important aspect of the perfume, the bottle, has remained largely unchanged since its conception in 1922. Back then the bottle was actually made of delicate crystal and featured a rounded top. But that container proved to be much too fragile for shipping. It was then that Coco Chanel made some modifications to the neck and stopper of the bottle. Her idea was to produce clean, simple lines and to feature the perfume itself with a translucent bottle. The simple white label with black type, which has also remained unchanged since 1922, it is a strong representative of simplicity and functionality.
Not all brands have been lucky enough to experience the same success as Chanel and are constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to get a leg up on their competition. Package designers have recently taken into account how popular social media has become and have started to integrate it into their packaging. In the United States you can now use an iPhone application to scan a special barcode on the packaging to receive information about the product. Previously brands were limited on what could be put on packaging by its size. Now, these barcodes will direct consumers to Facebook, Twitter, or others sites linking them directly to promotions, comments, reviews, as well as inviting real-time feedback.
Are you able to recognize your favorite products just by their packaging alone? Whether it’s the bright red and sliver of a can of Coca-Cola, the sleek and modern design of Apple products, or the distinctive styles of your favorite automotive brand, package design is among the first things that consumers notice about a potential purchase. For many brands package design is the deciding factor on whether or not their brand stands out or fades into the background.
Contributed By: Nicole Juliano
Twitter Changes the Game With Sports Partnerships
Twitter Changes the Game with Sports Partnerships
Twitter is now aiming to change the meaning behind the hashtag for sports fans everywhere. If you’re a sports fan then you are probably up to date on the latest scores, news, and announcements in the sports world. You might even follow your favorite athletes and teams on Twitter for this very reason. It was this segment of users that Twitter was focusing on when they decided to partner with NASCAR, ESPN, and other major sports leagues to co-produce social experiences around major sporting events.
The partnership between Twitter and ESPN marks the first time the social network site has signed a contract with a television network. The deal will allow advertisers to buy spots on both ESPN and Twitter in a single, two-for-one buy. “Working together, ESPN and Twitter are giving marketers a clear and powerful way to link on-air and online social conversations around sports. It’s the first time advertisers can engage the audience around ESPN’s premier content across screens and where the conversation is happening on Twitter.” said Joel Lunenfeld, Twitter’s Vice President of Global Brand Strategy.
On Twitter, the hashtag’s basic function is to serve as a content filter. But through partnerships with sports leagues, Twitter is turning the hashtag into more of a content destination for users everywhere. Up until now, when users click on a hashtag they are shown a variety of tweets from other users with the same hashtag.
But that will change for various sports events, when Twitter will curate tweets from the sponsorships so when clicked on they will give users more of an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the event. The tweets will be monitored and organized by Twitter in order to show a variety of selected tweets pertaining to the sporting event, instead of just one account of unfiltered, unrelated fan posts. After the event, the hashtag will resume its normal function as a content filter.
Starting with NASCAR and the Pocono 400 race, which aired on TNT on June 10th, Twitter promoted the hashtag #NASCAR to create buzz around the race. During the event Twitter ran its first official television advertisement which promised a more unique and connected experience if you went to their website during the race. Whether it was a picture from within a racecar, a photo snapped by a VIP onlooker or a tweet from a mechanic or car manager, Twitter could show you more than what you would see just watching the race on television.
Twitter and ESPN also teamed up for the NBA Finals to promote the “game face” hashtag. Fans are encouraged to upload pictures of their best game face throughout the finals and attach the #Gameface hashtag. At the conclusion of each game, NBA Tonight analysts will share their favorite photographs on-air and feature some in a photo gallery on their website, before revealing the final winner who will receive a grand tour of ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut.
The partnership between Twitter and big name sporting events is a win-win situation aimed to show other brand marketers that Twitter's hashtag pages are capable of driving traffic. “When sports fans around the world see a hashtag displayed on the air during a game or race, that’s a signal to them that there is a bigger conversation happening on Twitter,” said Twitter CEO Dick Costolo. Future events will offer a similar interactive experience, with new themes and dedicated hashtags to drive the sports conversation on Twitter. Some of the events on the horizon for Twitter and partners include The X Games, Road to the BCS National Championship.
Contributed By: Nicole Juliano
Facebook and Brands: A Match Made in Social Media Heaven
It’s the year 2012, and Facebook has acquired nearly 901 million users worldwide. That means that if Facebook users made their own country, they would be the third largest in the world! According to Search Engine Journal, users upload nearly 250 million photos, click the “Like” button 2.7 billion times, and spend roughly 20 minutes per visit every day on the site. As a brand, there is endless potential to reach current customers and their friends when your content is shared, liked and commented on. With so much user activity, it’s no wonder brands are spending a lot of time and money on their social media efforts. In an age where social media rules, Facebook helps businesses promote their brand more effectively by encouraging interaction with users – something that has become a must. Let’s take a look at a couple of different things Facebook is doing to make the site more brand-friendly.
Page Features
Many brands think that committing to a Facebook page will be too tedious of a task; however Facebook recently announced a few new features that businesses can use to help make managing their profile page easier once you get it set up. One new feature allows you to schedule future posts. Up until now, the only way to schedule a post was through a third-party application. Now you simply just click the clock icon in the status box and you can schedule a post, photo, or video up to six months in advance. Also, businesses can now pay a fee to have a post promoted. This means that the post will be shown in news feeds of the people who “Like” your page as well as anyone they are friends with, even if they haven’t “Liked” your page. Finally, businesses can now assign administrative roles to the people who help manage the page. There are five different roles you can potentially assign: manager, content creator, moderator, advertiser and insights analyst. All of these are added benefits to helping manage your page and maximize your exposure.
Display Advertising
If you’re thinking about advertising online, Facebook has to be one of the first considerations. It is the number one publisher of display advertisements, larger than Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, and AOL combined. Also, more than one million different websites are integrated into Facebook, making it the go-to site for consumers seeking ease and accessibility. Display advertising on Facebook can be extremely efficient due to the fact that it lets you specifically select your target audience by customizing important location, demographic and user interest information in order to ensure you reach the right people. Your ad will be shown regardless of what Facebook page they are viewing, which means greater exposure to those who will actually be interested in your brand.
Sum up
In today’s social media obsessed world, the question isn’t why you need Facebook; it’s why in the world aren’t you already on Facebook? Although your brand’s Facebook page is essentially a professional profile page, it should be treated as more of a social tool than if it were simply your regular website. Users and fans alike are able to ask questions, interact with content, see photos from behind-the-scenes, and watch cool videos related to your brand. Show fans a different and more interactive side of your business and Facebook will no doubt be a contributing factor to your success.
Contributed By: Nicole Juliano
Why Marketers are Borrowing Instagrammer's Photos
Everyone has heard the old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” at least once or twice, but nowadays don’t be surprised if you hear it more often. It was this old proverb that inspired Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger to launch a free photo sharing program called Instagram in October 2010. Instagram allows users to take photos on their mobile devices, edit them, apply cool filters, and then upload them to a variety of social media networks including Instagram’s own. Shortly after its launch, Instagram was made available in Apple’s app store for download on all Apple products. By December of 2010 Instagram had already acquired one million users and by June 2011 they had grown to five million users. More recently, in April 2012 Instagram was launched on the Android platform had acquired 30 million registered users. That’s a lot of photos!
Now with more than 50 million users, Instagram is not just another advertising strategy for big brands. Since the site is advertisement free, brands must come up with authentic and engaging visuals to convey their message and inspire fans. More so than advertising, brands on Instagram are essentially storytellers trying to show viewers what their brand stands for or what they wish to convey, whatever that might be. That’s one of the greatest parts about Instagram; your pictures are worth a thousand words.
Instagram’s popularity plays heavily off of the unique and creative way people can share their lives with each other through visuals. And the simple fact is that people love taking pictures and sharing them with their friends. So how can big brands take advantage of this to market their products and services? Not only are big brands hiring active users on Instagram but they are also creating their own Instagram streams for customers to follow. Brands such as Barney’s New York, Volvo, and Delta are just a few who have hired Instagram users with large followings to help them promote their brand. These companies will offer incentives such as cash, trips, or their products to these users in exchange for images of given products or events.
An example of this is when Delta invited six Instagrammers to take pictures of the playoff hockey game between the New York Rangers (which the airline sponsors) and the Ottawa Senators from Madison Square Garden. Not only were the Instagrammers paid but they were also given access to Delta’s Sky360Club while they were at the game. After all was said and done it was estimated that Delta had made more than 5.6 million impressions, the total number of photos broadcast by the Instagrammers multiplied by their total number of followers. This type of marketing with Instagram helps create intimacy with followers of the brands who wouldn’t normally be able to attend these events or see the images in the photos for themselves.
Another way that brands are utilizing the site is by simply creating their own streams on Instagram. Brands such as Red Bull, Starbucks and General Electric have taken to creating their own streams to share their very own photos with their followers. For example, you'll see more than light bulbs on GE’s Instagram account. Its main objective is to show off GE's work in different industries. Fans get to see larger than life images of trains, plane engines and, of course, their employees. Starbucks focuses their stream on highlighting in-store experiences around the world and showing how new coffee flavors are developed and tested at Starbucks headquarters. Red Bull shows fans pictures of extreme sports in action all over the world. Brands with their own streams are able to create and control the content and can paint a picture of the brand that fans haven’t seen before. From behind the scene exclusives to everyday happenings, fans will appreciate the creativity of big brands on Instagram.
Contributed By: Nicole Juliano
For Your Best Night Ever, The Secret is Clear
If you are anything like me, you love the scoop on the latest and greatest hair and beauty products. Or maybe you enjoy relaxing by catching your favorite show on T.V. or browsing the internet. Either way regardless of your interests or media consumption preference, you have probably heard or seen some type of advertising for the new premium hair care brand Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy. Recently launched by Unilever, Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy is already sold in 42 different countries and has just recently made its way to the United States market, and already it’s making a splash.
One of the first things that came to my mind upon discovering this new line was wondering how exactly a new brand of shampoo and conditioners distinguishes itself from their abundance of competition. If you’ve been down the hair care isle at your local store lately, you know that it can be overwhelming with the large variety of options there are to choose from. To combat this issue Unilever is taking a new (and extremely interactive) approach to promote their brand and get the consumer’s attention. In their promotion for Clear, NBCUniversal’s Integrated Media along with Creative Partnerships & Innovations Group and Mindshare Entertainment have created one of the largest social television advertising campaigns to date. “In today’s crowded marketplace, it is more important than ever to rise above the clutter with breakthrough creative that engages audiences in new and unexpected ways” says John Shea, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of integrated media at NBCUniversal.
Advertising for Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy is focused around a multi-part mini-series that will air across several different TV networks including NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, and Style as well as their online websites. Named “The Best Night Ever,” viewers follow two club-goers on their quest to gain access to the VIP room and have, well, their best night ever! Jane Krakowski, Giuliana Rancic, Andy Cohen and Tim Meadows are among the characters within the commercials. “Ultimately as our characters and celebrities prove, the secret to having your best night ever is not befriending the bouncer or getting to know the bartender, it’s about the confidence that great hair brings” says David Rubin, U.S. haircare marketing director for Unilever.
Viewers can tune in to watch segments of the series air during different programs on different networks and are then directed to go online to Clear’s Twitter or Facebook pages. Once there, viewers can gain access to an online video platform that allows viewers to make choices that affect the course of the series in real time. While viewers are there they can check out the latest information on the product and leave their comments and questions as well. “This is audience engagement at its best. By infusing entertainment into the Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy message, the campaign becomes a fun, shareable, impactful experience,” notes Barbara Biangiardi, Senior Vice President of Creative Partnerships and Innovation.
Marketing your brand this way allows access to direct consumer communication and allows your company to be more attuned to the ever changing trends in the market. Only time will tell how successful Clear Scalp & Hair Therapy will be in the United States, as the last part of the mini-series is set to air June 11th. With such an innovative marketing strategy where viewers are engaged with multiple screens yet exposed to only one product, it would be hard to imagine anything other than success for Unilever. As their campaign suggests, you can accomplish anything as long as your hair looks great!
Contributed by: Nicole Juliano
Red Bull is Killin’ It
As someone who holds a deep passion for the branding and marketing industry, I tend to informally monitor a brand’s progression over time. Just like most people in the business, I’m a bit of an industry critic – some brands I naturally root for and some I root against. Today, however, I want to talk about a brand that I’ve always been pretty unbiased towards… that is, until recent years. The other night while I was cooking dinner, watching television and browsing my iPad (welcome to 2012), my attention was briefly apprehended by Red Bull’s new TV spot. Not only was I impressed by the production value – impactful, dynamic clips of the Red Bull Team overlaid with an emotionally charged, motivating melody and voice-over – but it also caused me to say out loud to myself, “Wow. Red Bull is really killin’ it.” And here’s why.
Progression
Red Bull has been a pretty interesting brand to follow over its relatively short life. It was first developed and sold in Austria in 1987. It didn’t make it to the U.S. until 1996, and by that time Red Bull was starting to establish itself globally. And not only establish itself, but establish an entirely new product category. Red Bull was really the first to pioneer the global energy drink marketplace, which anyone would describe as courageous, risky and bold. So even at its pioneered essence, Red Bull was founded on characteristics it has spent so much time, money and effort trying its best to embody.
Flash forward to present day and a completely saturated (and regulated) marketplace, and Red Bull is still the world’s #1 energy drink company. In 2011, Red Bull pulled in $471 million in U.S. sales and held 44% of the energy drink market share, according to SymphonyIRI. But how do they continue to stay on top in such a crowded market? Well, the simple answer is branding. Red Bull has managed to create something that reaches far beyond its product offerings and even its industry. It has created a movement, a culture, and even a world – the world of Red Bull.
Here are a couple of ways Red Bull got there:
Vision
From the beginning, Red Bull realized how you market a product is just as important as the product itself. That’s why it invested in relationships – with people and brands that reflected similar characteristics. In 1989, Red Bull sponsored their first Formula 1 driver. Now, it’s hard not to see a Red Bull sponsorship at a sporting event - they even own a professional soccer team. And within the sporting world, they absolutely own the extreme-sports segment. Skateboarding, skydiving, wakeboarding, cliff diving, rock climbing, surfing… you name it, and Red Bull has some sort of stake in it. But it doesn’t stop at sports. Dance, music, film and gaming are just a few other categories that Red Bull is exploring. Its vision spreads far and wide, and there are no signs of slowing down.
Consistency
Consistency is what develops reputation. Red Bull has remained consistent at a high level for the majority of its existence. Red Bull’s messaging focused more on functionality in the early years as the product was introduced, and now has switched to a much more emotional approach. But even with the shift, its overall positioning has remained consistent. Just ask any consumer about Red Bull and their response will most likely leave you with, “It gives you wings.”
Execution
You can have a great idea, but if you can’t execute, nothing will ever come of it. Fortunately Red Bull knows how to execute, which might be its strongest attribute. Its efforts began with animated sketch-art advertising, to help showcase the product in an amusing, but functional manner (who can forget the “Pigeon” ad). Red Bull’s more recent marketing efforts have become wildly interactive and social, focusing more on the lifestyle it has created that surrounds the brand. Consumers are regularly visiting its website to explore and discover the world of Red Bull, looking for opportunities to hang with the brand. Red Bull even has its own media company, Red Bull Media House. So not only is Red Bull the content feature, they are also the content producer. Pretty amazing.
The remarkable thing about Red Bull’s brand is the fact that it has matured in such a short period of time. It went from a new product in a new category, to a cultural influencer in less than 25 years – not many other brands can say that. Without Red Bull, it’s hard to say where extreme-sports would be today. And I’m excited to see what’s in store for the future.
Smellvertising
Have you ever walked into a store and been overwhelmed by a particular perfume (think Abercrombie & Fitch)? If so, then you’ve experienced scent advertising first-hand. Yes, scent advertising. And this can include everything from perfume samples in magazines to freshly baked cookies in a grocery store. Traditionally, brands tend to capture audiences through sight and sound, but not with “smellvertising”, as some industry experts are calling it. And lately scent advertising has been elevated to an entirely new level.
McCain Foods, a snack food company, has developed an innovative advertising campaign for their “Ready Baked Jackets,” – baked potatoes that cook in just 5 minutes. Their campaign targets hungry customers at bus stops by way of scent. The company has placed artificial potatoes at bus stops around the UK. With the touch of a button, the smell of a freshly baked potato fills the air. McCain is hoping that the smell of its baked potato will resonate in people’s minds (and stomachs), and in turn make them curious enough to pick up a box next time they’re at the grocery store.
Scent is a powerful vehicle. How many times has an aroma replayed a certain memory in your mind? It happens to everyone, and nostalgia can be a commanding sensation. But is the smell of a baked potato while waiting in a crowded, dirty bus stop while you’re running 10 minutes late for your morning meeting really going to make people run out and buy it?
Time Magazine points out that some people may associate the baked potato with these bus stops and not want to purchase it. After all, bus stops don’t exactly induce any warm, fuzzy feelings. Also, McCain is using smellvertising for a product that is not readily available to people at a bus stop. If people are hungry, they might choose a product that is readily available and that can be easily consumed while waiting for the bus.
To use smellvertising successfully, your company should be conscious of the surrounding environment. If the product is not readily available, the impact of the smell may be lost in a consumer’s daily routine If the smellvertisement is placed close to the store or supermarket where the product can be purchased, there is a good chance customers will go purchase the product after they smell it.
So will smellvertising become the next big trend? Well, it’s hard to tell. Without any measureable return, it’s going to be tough for brands to adapt the tactic. Regardless, here are some general pros and cons.
Contributed by: Keena Classen
The Flip-Flop Games of 2020
On September 13, 2012, the International Olympic Committee will decide which city gets to host the 2020 summer Olympic Games. Although it is over half a year away, many of the bidding cities are already campaigning for a bid. Last week, Madrid revealed its logo for the 2020 Games, but the outcome wasn’t exactly gold-medal worthy. The disappointing logo design has sparked conversations all around the world, which has left the city of Madrid with a lot of flak.
Madrid held a national contest where Spanish citizens could submit ideas for the potential Madrid 2020 Olympics logo. Luis Peiret, a 22 year old student, won the competition with his design that is supposed to read “M20,” with a play on the 5 Olympic rings behind it. Since its release, the logo has faced a swarm of criticism. The lettering on the logo is confusing. The “M20,” (standing for Madrid 2020) is oddly cropped, which gives the impression that the logo reads “20020”. The five oval shapes behind the white writing do not look like the original Olympic rings which are Blue, Yellow, Black, Green, and Red. Instead, all of the colors have been brightened and a purple ring has replaced the original black ring. Many people have also suggested that the colored ovals overlapped by the white text look like a group of flip-flops. The Flip-Flop Games of 20020 anyone?
Take away:
The logo is very important for Madrid, and as the city’s icon it would be included on everything related to the Olympics, including millions of dollars in merchandise. Something of such importance should not be done by a graphic design student. Madrid paid Peiret $7,964.44 for the logo, which is certainly a deal saying that London paid $633,138.94 for their 2012 Olympic logo. Although it can be tempting to choose an inexpensive option, it’s not worth it! A bad logo can ruin a brand. In order to be effective, a logo needs to be legible and understood by many different people, especially an Olympic logo. It needs to be memorable and leave an impression in viewer’s minds. A logo is something that is the face of your brand and represents its values. If a logo is unoriginal, unappealing, or if the logo’s message conflicts with the values or your brand, it is going to reflect poorly on your brand. Customers will not take your brand seriously and may choose a competitor with a more attractive logo (in this case, the International Olympic Committee). Madrid’s logo goes to show that it’s worth spending the extra money to have your brand’s logo professionally designed. Avoid being your industry’s Flip-Flop Games of 20020 representative.
Contributed by: Keena Classen
Louboutin's Defense Brings Color Branding into Question
Considered one of the most interesting fashion intellectual property cases in history, French designer Christian Louboutin filed a suit in August against French fashion house Yves Saint Laurent in an effort to protect his signature red-soled shoe. Back in court on January 24th after appealing the decision made in August, Louboutin now must wait for the decision that will determine the fate of the brand equity associated with his red-sole trademark. The identity of Louboutin’s brand hinges on his use of red soles. Those who buy Christian Louboutin shoes know that to don a pair of red-soled shoes is to show your sense of fashion and your appreciation for luxury.
The case calls into question the universal legitimacy of trademarking colors. If a designer can own a name, a signature print, and a logo, then is a color any different? Louboutin was given a 2008 trademark on the use of “China Red” for the soles of his shoes, which is now being called into question. Not the only company with a trademarked color, Louboutin has gotten support from Tiffany & Co. who owns the famous robin egg blue of all its packaging.
In August of 2011, U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero denied Louboutin’s request that YSL be prohibited from continuing sales of its monochromatic red-soled shoes on the basis that, in fashion, color does more than identify the commercial source of a product; it serves a creative purpose. On Tuesday, January 24th, Louboutin was amongst a very well-dressed audience in court in Manhattan where his lawyer argued to appeal the ruling by Judge Marrero.
Without red soles, Louboutin has nothing but nicely made, beautiful shoes, which may be worth hundreds, but not the thousands of dollars they currently sell for. Taking his red soles away would be like taking away Polo’s pony logo or telling Lacoste that their green alligator was fair game for anyone. Color is a crucial element of brand identity and recognition. Why should an iconic placement of color be treated differently than a logo or name when it is just as essential to brand recognition for Christian Louboutin as the swoosh is for Nike?
Contributed by Christy O'Keefe