Downward Progression (a.k.a. My Consumer Snobbery)
Last Christmas, I purchased Fresh candles as presents from the Hitchcock-era classic SF Gump’s. This year Fresh products are for sale at Bath and Bodyworks
and there’s a cross-promotion with Memoirs of a Geisha: the
Movie. I may never spend another dime if this mass adoption rate
continues to speed up (it’s the same efficient pattern: (1) get
products into small, hip boutiques; (2) give products away to celebs;
(3) work out deal with celeb publicist and fashion/entertainment mags
to mention product in print; (4) get product into highend store; and
(5) move product down to mass retailer –> all in 18 months tops).
Wait, B&BW now carries Molton Brown
products? Geez, the Limited Corp. is reinventing the brand away
from my associations of it with teenage girls smelling of trips to the
mall.
Do I need to go to b school to become a brand manager?
**
Oddly, I hated Goldin’s Memoirs of a Geisha, when I read it, but I may see the film thanks to its intriguing trailer.
@nna
October 25, 2005 @ 8:53 pm
i read memoirs of a geisha years ago and thought it was just okay. but definitely want to see the movie.. alwways curious to see how people turn a book into a movie…
Saheli
October 26, 2005 @ 1:39 am
You hated the book? I’m curious why. I thought it was pretty good, but not great. The male authors ability to play female was overhyped, since I thought he got something obviously crucial ludicrously wrong, but I thought it was decently written and nicely entertaining, if maudlin in its editing.
I am indeed very curious about the film.
A N N A
October 27, 2005 @ 5:21 pm
you must live near a nicer BaBW. the one which is half-a-mile from where i sit, has nothing “fresh”. just the usual duplicate product lines for whatever six fragrances i inevitably don’t like. however, just down the freeway, sits wealth-suck Tyson’s Corner. THEIR BaBw carries all that you mention and more (Fekkai haircare?!) b/c it’s the biggest, baddest, poshest mall in the area. they brag about it, too. apparently not all BaBW are deemed good enough for molton brown et al.
here’s my useless theory: i think they are trying to differentiate their fake brands. i went to a store in the Tyson’s expansion called “Ruehl” with an enthusiastic friend who had raved about this amazing, “indie” store, but lost his purchasing woody as soon as i firmly but gently interrogated the Ruehl greeter as to whether or not they were affiliated with abercrombie, a store i dislike. the greeter blurted out “yes!” and after thanking him and wheeling away on my heel, he ran after us, declaring, “no, i mean no! we’re like, totally separate. weeeeee’re not abercrombiiiiie!”
now that victoria’s secret has a whole room devoted to lotions and potions (and makeup, oh my!), perhaps this is the Limited’s way of making sure their two cloned offspring aren’t competing for the same girls?