Originality Is In…
Sing your own song… Beat your own path… March to the beat of your own drum. Chances are you have heard those sayings before. Now, more than ever, advertisers are playing up those themes of individuality and originality in their campaigns. Brands now recognize the transition from generalized to specialized. Today, consumers do not want to all look alike—instead, originality is in!
Like the concept behind NIKEiD, where consumers can personalize and design sneakers from scratch, New Era too, has embraced a similar approach. New Era’s “Fly Your Own Flag” campaign encourages its customers to express their own unique styles through its hats. In order to make that possible, New Era offers a variety of different styles—estimated to be in the billions—in an approach known as mass customization or personalization. As a diehard Boston Red Sox fan, this is hard to do, but I will use the NY Yankees as an example. For the NY Yankees alone, New Era offers 128 different hats with some designed in plaid, metallic cotton, and intergalactic styles. No matter whom you are or what you do, New Era has a hat for you.
Similarly, Adidas’ new advertising campaign and New Era’s campaign are also alike. In Adidas’ new TV commercial, a nerdy kid asks a waitress for the “freshest” thing they’ve got. At the end of the ad, after being served the “freshest” Adidas shoes, it has the line: CELEBRATE ORIGINALITY. Click here to view the entire commercial.
For both New Era and Adidas, their customers define their brands. When products can be customized, consumers are more likely to rally around those brands, become loyalists and generate positive viral buzz. Especially in the fashion industry where competitors are offering essentially the same products, it is important to stand out. Involving consumers in the design process is a great way to do just that.
What brand or product would you like to be able to add your own unique style to?
Source: NYTimes.com
Jenaleigh Landers is a recent graduate of Saint Anselm College and is an Account Coordinator at Griffin York & Krause.
