Beyond Stereotypical Fashion Campaigns

[DressMeUp]

So ladies, I was wondering if you'd be able to help me out. I have to look at a few fashion campaigns that focus more on the brand than what is being sold.

Examples of this are benetton and diesel, where the focus is more on the message being given out by the brand rather than what the clothes are all about.

So I need to look at and show source material of promotional campaigns (in the design realm - Fashion/Industrial design etc) that are beyond stereotypical -

These need not be current, they can be in the past.

If people could please post some fashion campaigns and explain the intention behind the campaign and how
the different collateral backs up the campaign in a conceptual way and what the brand essence is behind each of these campaigns.

I look forward to seeing what all you ladies can share with me

Benetton:

Diesel:

 

[Crying Diamonds]

Try looking at any Ralph Lauren ad campaign, especially earlier ones, Ralph Lauren tries to promote this almost sickly sweet image where the whole family are dressed in matching outfits and are very healthy, wealthy and comfortable.
This drains into interiors and everything designable.

 

[DressMeUp]

Try looking at any Ralph Lauren ad campaign, especially earlier ones, Ralph Lauren tries to promote this almost sickly sweet image where the whole family are dressed in matching outfits and are very healthy, wealthy and comfortable.
This drains into interiors and everything designable.

Oh yes, I will check out Ralph Lauren campaigns. I just find this topic so interesting.

Btw, I forgot to source my images, one of them is from a friends facebook and the other is from adsoftheworld.com

 

[mikeijames]

branding campaigns

so much advertising these days remains about bolstering the "brand" vs. selling actual products or services. i'd argue many frangrance ads attempt to convey a mood about the "brand"....with respect to fashion advertising, the marc jacobs ads often times convey a mood or an idea about marc jacobs more than the clothes. also, abercrombie and fitch (for the other end of the spectrum).

 

[Maxxierie]

Most often than not, I think the ads nowadays are all subtle in getting their messages about the brand or collection across. Nowadays, the fashion industry is adapting to the ever-changing mind and perception of the people because nothing shocks the generation of this century anymore. We've seen what's there to be seen and everything. Sublety is now a dramatic message. But I actually prefered it when the fashion ads changes our perception of what we see as a norm instead of conforming to what we know and believe.

 

[snowqueen]

Ok so not designers but I feel American Apparel does this there clean cut image of plain simple basics but advertised in a highly sexed way, dont know if this is what you ment but this is the first one that poped into my head

That's American Apparel
+81

Nahoko Mori
Summer 2007

Over the last few years, many culture and fashion magazines (including our own) have taken notice of American Apparel. Their colorful, simple items and cute but slightly erotic advertisements and visuals are loved by many, and the brand continues to gather immense popularity. This issue we stop in the American Apparel archive located in the brands' birthplace of downtown L.A.

American Apparel was founded ten years ago in 1997. At first they didn't have any original items or flagship stores like they do now, and focused instead on wholesale fabrication for other apparel brands. That's why nowadays if you look at tags of some hand-printed art or graphic t-shirts you will see that the actual shirt was made by American Apparel. The turning point came in 2003, when their first shop in opened in L.A.'s Echo Park neighborhood and received a big response. Since then, by offering basic items that anyone can wear, as well as a large number of products in a wealth of colors, they have matured into a global brand beloved by people worldwide. Now they have 7 stores in L.A. alone, as well as 148 more locations in 12 countries around the world.

Though American Apparel grew rapidly, all of their planning, design, manufacturing and visual work is still done at their large factory in downtown L.A. Compare this to the way most major mainstream brands employ planning and creative and rely on outside labor for production, this is pretty unbelievable. Also, though it isn't widely known, American Apparel's business concept places great importance on the environment, and they practice a thorough environmental protection policy. They have developed a Sustainable Edition product line that uses only organic cotton, and their L.A. factory utilizes solar power systems in order to reduce electrical consumption. Also, all of the fabric scraps from producing their goods is recycled.

Having distinguished themselves from other apparel brands in both practices and design, it only follows that American Apparel's visual advertising also makes use of their own original techniques. The impact this advertising has had on their brand image these last few years is large. Their visuals don't make use of fantastic locations or detailed graphic processing, and their models, though portrayed in a cute manner, are still very easy to relate to and natural. Suitable for a down-to-earth brand yet overflowing in originality, these visual presentations were started when CEO Dov Charney started taking pictures of his girlfriend and friends at his home or their company-owned housing. Though they have taken on many amateur photographers since then, Charney himself still serves as the main photographer.

from
http://americanapparel.net/presscenter/articles/200706plus81-eng.html

 

[snowqueen]

also alot of the more eco friendly green labels focus more of the ethical issues and purity surounding the clothing production etc. rather then the actual clothes i findthey use there brand image to sell more then the designs and the actual clothes sometimes, but maybe thats just me

 

[Spike413]

The first thing that came to mind for me was Tom Ford-era Gucci. Those campaigns were selling so much more than a pair of shoes or a dress. You could look at them and know right away what it was that Gucci was all about. Ford, Roitfeld and the photographers that they worked with truly did use those campaigns to build an image, the same way that Ralph Lauren did with Bruce Weber, and that's what caught and kept people's attention (and money). It was never just about the products, and each campaign built upon the glamorous, hedonistic image that came to define the label.






mariotestino.com, macollectiondepubs.com

 

[ultramarine]

I thought of Sisley and McQueen ... Sisley is mostly Terry Richardson stuff and its clearly very graphic and oversexed, still I kinda like it because its young and playful ...

Now, about McQueen ... there was this oooold campaign ...I think twas for his Kingdom perfume .. loved it to bits!

 

[mikeijames]

really, the entire stable of brands under the gucci group -- gucci, ysl, bottega veneta, alexander mcqueen, boucheron, stella mccartney, and sergio rossi -- all do this sort of brand-building advertising quite well. we all know about the explosion of the balenciaga bag, but it's fascinating that that bag never appeared in advertising until years after it's "it" status. in fact, most balenciaga ads did a better job at conveying mood than showcasing any product during it's initial stages. and their stores did -- and do -- much of the same.

source: nymag.com

and who can forget sophie dahl for ysl opium....talk about evocative without so much as a product anywhere in sight.

site: vogue.com

 

[mikeijames]

so much advertising these days remains about bolstering the "brand" vs. selling actual products or services. i'd argue many frangrance ads attempt to convey a mood about the "brand"....with respect to fashion advertising, the marc jacobs ads often times convey a mood or an idea about marc jacobs more than the clothes. also, abercrombie and fitch (for the other end of the spectrum).

this marc jacobs ad says it all....

source: nymag.com

 

[tatouejeremie]

or take a look at helmut lang..

http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f79/helmut-lang-campaign-archive-55968-1.html
http://forums.thefashionspot.com/f79/helmut-lang-campaign-archive-55968-2.html

 

[lucy92]

you might also want to check out the french connection ads from 4 years ago with the women slapping each other in the face. the mayor tried to ban them in my city.

 

[YoninahAliza]

The YSL Opium ad was way more then a typical fashion campaign, since it didn't have any perfume bottle in sight yet at the same time it was able to get people to by the scent. I think adverts are much more then just clothes/perfume/whatever they are selling now days, its about selling a lifestyle. More highend brands obviously want to cater towards the rich and fabulous life, whereas eco/fair trade brands are trying to get people to be sustainable and ethical. Its interesting to see the shift which has happened recently I think.

 

[elixe]

im not sure if this is what you meant, but here's a super current example; Alexander Wang's new video campaign was meant to deliver a message about the brand and not exactly sell the collection. he said " Rather than saying, ‘Here’s the product,’ this is more about expressing ourselves.”
http://www.fashionologie.com/Preview-Alexander-Wangs-Two-New-Fall-2010-Campaigns-10117497

if you look around theres more quotes from Wang, going more in depth!
hope this helped!

 

[ultramarine]

On the same note, Ive loved DIESEL's campaigns most of the time but this "Be stupid" one ... I dunno. I find no rhyme nor reason on it ... there isnt a thing I personally like from it.

Is it possible that you have to be so far disconnected from "reality" and the fact that its not another ad selling jeans but something else completely which makes it work?

Most of the people who really like it are the GOAL audience for the brand, but they're not people who are the shiniest pennies on the bag, if you know what I am saying ..

 

[ssgghh]

Its an old thread but i just wanted to post this lovely video for Eckhaus Latta. How great do the clothes look on these old ladies! And it doesnt have the in your face we used unusual models, were cool vibe. I love the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndiCFa18-HE

 

[fashionista-ta]

On the same note, Ive loved DIESEL's campaigns most of the time but this "Be stupid" one ... I dunno. I find no rhyme nor reason on it ... there isnt a thing I personally like from it.

Is it possible that you have to be so far disconnected from "reality" and the fact that its not another ad selling jeans but something else completely which makes it work?

Most of the people who really like it are the GOAL audience for the brand, but they're not people who are the shiniest pennies on the bag, if you know what I am saying ..

I remember well how offended I was by that "Be stupid" campaign ... I guess they'd done their market research well?

No one's mentioned Kenneth Cole ... his ads are the best contemporary example of Benetton-like advertising in my mind.

 

[ssgghh]

No one's mentioned Kenneth Cole ... his ads are the best contemporary example of Benetton-like advertising in my mind.

Not feeling his ads, some of them just feel like sticking a provocative quote to some very average looking clothes and nothing else behind it (even though hes got the foundation and everything, its still very bluntly there just for the sake of selling the clothes). Like this one for example http://hschoegler.files.wordpress.c..._womans-right-e1314557172542.jpg?w=1024&h=662 , or maybe its just that they dont look as nice as the benetton ones so they feel a bit lazy

 

[Scott]

one name....helmut lang. 90's-early 00's to me was the master of unconventional campaigns.