Teacup

Recently, I met with an intellectual property trademarking agency who explained to me how important it is to trademark your product and your brand in order to protect your IP. However, in fashion, I’ve learnt that although you can trademark your brand name and all that is associated with it, it is nearly impossible to trademark the designs of your garments themselves. If artists, musicians, writers, photographers, business owners and even software coders can all get copyright protection, why then can’t fashion designers? And what benefits do you get by having no protection of your IP?

What is Intellectual Property (IP)?

If you’re like me, you would have little to no knowledge of the legalities that are actually involved in fashion. So first, lets look at what IP actually is.

The Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) defines IP as “an umbrella term used for human innovations and creativity that are capable of being protected under national law and international treaties”.

This means that and invention, asset or idea that you create can be copyrighted to prevent competitors from copying or closely imitating your products, technical processes, or business services so you. It gives you legal protection and exclusive rights for your creative work to create and distribute copies, create similar works, and perform or display the work in public.

What protection do designers get?

In fashion, copyright law will not protect the “reverse engineering” of a garment; that is, the clothing pattern itself for the garment. However, designers can use trademark law to protect their logos, brand names, as well as any distinctive features of their product, says Dr. Tabrez Ahmad.

For example, “Bettina Liano has registered the distinctive pocket stitching on her garments as a trade mark, while British fashion house Burberry holds trade mark rights in both the trade mark “Burberry” and the Burberry check pattern. Burberry has enforced its trade marks in many jurisdictions against counterfeits including a recent action in the US District Court.”

Designers can also copyright “one-off fashion designs, such as an haute couture item and jewellery items if they can be shown to be ‘works of artistic craftsmanship’ that cannot be replicated”. Designs cannot be copyrighted however, if “it is intended to be mass-produced, make multiple copies of the items or use the items on a commercial scale”.

Why doesn’t the fashion industry have IP protection?

Author Elizabeth Mills for the Shidler Journal of Law, Commerce & Technology says “intellectual property distinguishes a protected work’s aesthetic value from its functionality. In so doing, intellectual property law prevents fashion designers from asserting their rights over entire garments.”

“Clothing and accessory designs have long been categorised as useful articles, which serve a functional purpose rather than artistic,” says Daliah Saper from Saper Law Offices. “Because of this functionality, a clothing or accessory pattern can’t be copyrighted, even if it has a unique shape, cut, or design. Only the features that can be identified separately and can exist independently of the utilitarian aspects of the article can be copyrighted.”

Thus, design patents, like copyright, do not protect tailoring because the aesthetic and useful value of tailoring are legally indistinguishable.

Design Piracy Prohibition Act

To get around the copyright law, Design Piracy Prohibition Act was introduced in 2007 which offers designers copyright protection for 3 years for the appearance of an article of apparel as well as its ornamentation and prevent others from copying and disseminating their designs without consent, says Legislative Attorney Brian Yeh. In order to be protected though, design registrations must be made within 3 months of making the design available to the public.

Under this Act, the designer may claim remedies against the infringer in damages (maximum of $250,000 or $5 per copy – which ever is greater, or the infringers profits on the product), attorneys fees of the winning party, injunction or destruction of infringing materials.

However, Johanna Blakley, Deputy Director of the Norman Lear Center, says that the Design Piracy Prohibition Act is there, many designers have chosen not to use it.

Designers “don’t register their garments generally, and there’s not a lot of litigation. It turns out it’s because the novelty standard is too low. A person can come in and take somebody else’s gown, cut off three inches from the bottom, go to the E.U. and register it as a new, original design. So that does not stop the knock-off artists. If you look at the registry actually, a lot of the registered things in the E.R. are Nike T-shirts that are almost identical to one another”.

Can fashion survive in an open source environment?

“I don’t think the legislation is going anywhere,” says Johanna. “It is so hard to tell the difference between a pirated design and something that’s just part of a global trend. Who owns a look? It takes lots of lawyers and lots of court time to answer that question designers have decided that would be way too expensive”.

Although some designers are concerned about the risks of knock-offs and counterfeit goods, as Tom Ford puts it: it’s a very different demographic. “We found after much research that, the counterfeit customer was not our customer.”

“A Knock-off is never the same as an original high-end design, at least in terms of the materials, they’re always made of cheaper materials. But even sometimes a cheaper version can actually have some charming aspects, can breathe a little extra life into a dying trend. There’s lots of virtues of copying. One that a lot of cultural critics have pointed to is that we now have a much broader palette of design choices to choose from than we ever have before. And this is mainly because of the fast fashion industry. And this is a good thing. We need lots of options.”

Outside of fashion, there are also many other industries that have no copyright protection and yet are booming: food industry (can’t copyright the look of a dish or a recipe), automobiles (can’t copyright the sculptural design), magic tricks, hair styles, comedy routines, tattoos, firework displays, perfume smells, open source software (who decided they don’t want copyright protection), and more.

Given the nature of the fashion industry, having no copyright protection has many benefits that are often overlooked. Fashion designers have the freedom to draw their inspiration where ever they like and explore their creativity without boundaries. It pushes them come up with new designs that are difficult to copy forcing then to be innovative. And, it gives us, the consumers, a wider basket to choose from when it comes to style, cut, colour, price, status and design.

Do you think by having no copyright protection on fashion design, we are helping the industry evolve? Or do we give the designer no power to protect their creative ideas from imitations?

Fashion and celebrity trends has had an immense impact on people and the cultural norms of society affecting both men and women and the way that their bodies are perceived by each other. Depending on your geographical location and beliefs, cultural views will also assert a level of liberalism or conservatism on what is ‘appropriate behaviour’ and overtime, trends in ‘breast-fashion’ have changed to keep up with the norms.

Demand for breast enhancements have been growing since the late ’90s

Since 1997, surgery for breast enlargement (including breast lifts) has grown by 257%, reaching 432,403 patients in America in 2005, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

Dr. Scott Spear, professor and chief of plastic surgery at Georgetown University in Washington, says that women were undeterred by health concerns over silicone implants and the fact that it was not covered by insurance.

“Breast operations are just part of a larger picture,” he says. “All types of plastic surgery were on the upswing during that period of time, partly because a surge in the economy means that people can afford the operations.”

In those days, you got breast implants to make a statement adds Dr. Roxanne Guy, a plastic surgeon in Melbourne, Fla. “It was like getting a tattoo or pierced eyebrow; women felt more empowered,” she said.

However, Dr. Diana Zuckerman, a psychologist and board member of the National Women’s Health Network, was not convinced. “In many cases”, she said, “they reflect an urge to conform to an image of sexiness defined by magazines and lingerie catalogues full of models with implants”.

We have a pathological desire to improve our self-image

Although this trend in surgical enhancement has drastically dropped, even in modern times, we are still bound together by insecurity, with an almost pathological will to “improve” our own self-image, says author and political photographer Zed Nelson.

“The worldwide pursuit of body improvement has become like a new religion,” he says. “Perhaps in the future generation, we will see a point in history where the abnormal will become normal, or at least normalised.”

“Globalisation hasn’t just given us Starbucks in Beijing and shopping malls in Africa,” he said. “It is also creating an eerily homogenised look.”

With  digital alteration becoming so accessible, anyone can create pictures of what we should look like

Author, psychologist and relationship counsellor Alisa Miller agrees that in recent times, with the increased accessibility of digital alteration of images, it is easy to see alteration done by both the media and public in almost every picture to create an idealistic image of what we ought to look like.

“We see digital enhancements in every billboard to the point that we think women in their underwear have bodies made of sleek, taut, fiberglass without an inch of flesh to spare, luminous eyes, flawless skin, legs which go on forever and breasts which defy gravity.”

“Even with Facebook’s stringent rules regarding nudity in photographs there is hardly a girl profile out there where you will not see its owner in her smalls (or without) or low-cut tops leaning into the camera for that bird’s-eye look to a girl’s cleavage.”

In many western countries, breasts are considered taboo

Author Maria Miller writes that in many western countries, a woman’s breasts are a taboo; they are supposed to be hidden and it is because of this that we are so obsessed by them to a point that is unhealthy.

“If young girls and boys continually see this propaganda without a balancing view of natural naked breasts, it is no wonder that women start seriously worrying about the size and shape of their own breasts and that men become conditioned to see breasts purely as objects of sexual arousal and play that automatically ‘clicks’ their brains to the ‘turn-on’ mode”, she said.

Nudity does not equal sexuality

“Naturists from all over the world always emphasise how sexuality does not equal nudity. Nudity is not sexually stimulating if the atmosphere and attitudes are non-sexual.”

“We have a vicious cycle on our hands: the less acceptable it is for women to feel more open about their breasts, the less people get to see the image of real breasts. At the same time media everywhere constantly tout the perverted view of female breasts, which makes people view them as purely sexual,” says Maria.

What type of breasts are acceptable?

It seems that is not only whether to see or not to see breasts we have issues dealing with,  we also have distorted views on what kind of breasts should be publicly seen.

In early 2010, Australia outrightly banned pornography featuring women with small breasts and (putting my prudishness aside) female ejaculation, claiming that such images encourage pedophilia. “This law is not only obscene, it’s insulting,” says adult industry blog Ms Naughty. “Not only does this encourage women to have breast augmentations, it characterises men who think small boobs are sexy as ‘perverts’.”

Recently this month, US television networks Fox and ABC were also publicly criticised for resisting to air a lingerie ad featuring busty plus-sized women claiming they showed too much cleavage.

The label of the lingerie ad Lane Bryant wrote on their blog “while it’s no secret that Victoria’s Secret ‘The Nakeds’ ads are prancing around on major networks leaving little to the imagination, our sultry siren who shows sophisticated sass is somehow deemed inappropriate. Does this smack of a double standard? Yep. It does to us, too.”

Real breasts are becoming fashionable

Although in the past the fashion industry has not been the prime role model for advocating a healthy body image, trends show that the times are changing.

“Boyish figures and clothes that ignore the female figure have long been all the rage among high-fashion designers,” reports fashion and culture website Tressugar. This last season we saw some (relatively) voluptuous catwalkers with brands as high up as Prada flaunting the natural curves of women. Disney Films also made headlines when recently starting their casting for the next Pirates of the Caribbean instalment with casting calls requesting that applicants “must have real breasts” so that they look real when they jiggle (although whether they are trying to actually promote a natural ideal or just want more ‘jiggly’ breasts is still up for debate). Young women of France, traditionally renowned for their summer topless sunbathing, have  also taken a more modest turn shunning the idea of public nudity saying that “the practice has become common, and therefore less compelling as a fashion”.

From the curvaceous, to the natural to the prude, the fashions of the breasts are in deed changing in all directions. What may be appropriate in one culture is never to be sure to be ok in another. What is important though, is that we keep an open mind and no matter big, small, or curvy, breasts will always be a beautiful organ in the female body.

Do you think making public nudity acceptable will change the way we look at bodies? Would men will still find breasts attractive if its association with sexuality was removed? Do women even find it offensive that breasts are objectified and instead find it empowering that they have power over a man through their breasts?

Last week, Spain announced that advertisements for beauty products will be banned from airing on TV before 10pm in order to tackle increasing numbers of eating disorders among young Spanish women. Although eating disorders and body image issues have for a long time been associated with the beauty industry, it begs to question whether advertising is really the root cause of this problem and if banning the promotion of it will have a drastic effect on the pressures faced by women of today.

Advertising tells us who we should be

“Advertising tells us who we are, and who we should be in society,” says Jean Kilbourne, author, filmmaker and critique on issues surrounding women in advertising.

“Advertising is a statement of what it means to be a woman in today’s culture. This ideal image influences women’s self-esteem and also influences how men feel about the real women that they are with.”

Only 5% of women the ideal body depicted by the media

According to a research study by BBC’s Money programme, one in three women believe that media images portraying unrealistic, beautiful women make them feel overweight and unattractive.

According to Jean,  statistically only 5% of women have the body type most portrayed in the media - the only one seen as desirable and acceptable.

“This is genetic,” she says. “You cannot diet yourself into this body any more than you can make yourself taller. It is no wonder there is such terrible stress on young girls.”

Beauty products aren’t the only culprits

But beauty products aren’t the only culprits in having negative impacts on body image. From movies to music videos, women are being flooded with depictions of what is meant to the ideal shape.

Dr. Helga Dittmar, a psychologist at the University of Sussex, says music videos in particular have a very big influence on poor body image in young girls.

“Female models in music videos help to promote thinness as desirable – and are often depicted in ways that emphasise this physical ideal. Given that 12-19-year olds are by far the biggest consumers of such videos, now omnipresent in shops, clubs and in the home, through channels such as MTV, it is against this ideal that young girls come to measure themselves, often unfavourably, which can lead to body dissatisfaction and, in turn, unhealthy eating behaviours.”

Should other forms of media have restrictions?

If this is the case, then shouldn’t other types of media, such as music videos, too have some sort restrictions placed upon them? In Australia, a motion to individually rate music video with a PG or M rating is already in progress to highlight those videos with women being portrayed as sex objects during children’s viewing hours.

“It’s more than just sex (being suggested in music videos),” said South Australian MP Amanda Rishworth, also a trained psychologist. “It’s about the role women play in them.”

It’s more complicated than simply blaming the media

Although it is tempting to blame today’s media for perpetuating and glorifying unrealistic standards of physical beauty, the truth is far more complicated says researchers Dr Jennifer Derenne and Dr Eugene Beresin.

“Throughout history, the dominant cultural ideals have always shaped the public’s perception of the ideal female body type. However, today’s culture is unique in that the media (including television, Internet, movies, and print) have a far more powerful presence than ever before.”

In reality, “the standard of female beauty often has been unrealistic and difficult to attain throughout history.”

Banning of Tobacco Advertising

In a similar case, the Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act was brought about in 1992 banning all tobacco advertising and sponsorships to stop youth smoking and reduce the health burden of tobacco use in Australia. The Cancer Council of Victoria argued that by prohibiting public promotion of tobacco, it will “reduce tobacco use in both the prevalence and initiation of smoking, and ‘denormalise’ tobacco products”. The tobacco industry argued back saying that they had the ‘freedom of speech’ protection to inform their clients about their products, their product was legal and therefore it should be legal to promote it and that the role of advertising in the tobacco industry was merely to sway customers to switch brands.

Education and parental behaviours a key role

Whether this will be the same story in the beauty industry is yet to be seen. However, Drs Jennifer and Eugene has this bit of insight:

“The media is a formidable force, and one that is not going to change easily. However, it is not the only culprit; parental behaviours and family values play an important role in shaping children’s development. The onus is on adults to find a way to harness media power for good instead of evil.”

Further Information
Jean Kilbourne’s talk on  Advertising’s Image Of Women entitled Killing Us Softly:
Killing Us Softly – Part 1
Killing Us Softly – Part 2
Killing Us Softly – Part 3
Killing Us Softly – Part 4
Killing Us Softly – Part 5

What are your thoughts?

Do you think banning beauty advertising will have an effect on women’s body image? Is it even possible to make a beauty ad that promotes healthy body image?

Welcome back from the holiday season to the start of a brand new year and new decade! I’ve just back from Gold Coast, Australia (which is always so beautiful) and now it’s back to business as usual

To start the year off, I want to talk about the ‘buy local movement’ where consumers have started straying from corporate giants to support the smaller guys. Over the years, through expansion and franchising, big-brand national chains have developed a presence almost anywhere we travel. However, consumers are saying enough is enough – they want to support small independent retailers that offer a unique experience and a sense of community.

Why is buying local so popular?

According to the Think. Shop. Buy. Local. campaigners, buying locally from independent retailers directly helps to maintain your local economy. “For every $1 spent at local businesses, 45¢ is reinvested locally. Non-local purchases [through national chains] keep, at most, 15¢ in your local community,” they say.

They also point out that while local businesses engage in many other services in the community (such as accountants, printers and couriers), corporates tend to concentrate these services at one single source for all of their stores via the head office. Buying locally is also better for the environment as many products are sourced from within the community instead of being shipped over from across the country and overseas.

Consumers don’t want to fill up corporate pockets

Senior fashion editor of WGSN Sue Evans also agrees that local shops are making a comeback, but perhaps not only to support the local economy. “Customers are really recoiling at the idea of lining corporate pockets,” she says. “They’re turning to independent retailers in tune with locals and the local area” to support businesses that are still growing.

Corporates having a go at being Local

Big businesses are also realising the rising popularity of this trend  and are not about to give up without a fight. In July 2009, coffee giant Starbucks opened it’s first pilot ‘localised’ store, named 15th Avenue Tea & Coffee, disguised as a local coffee shop without any association to the household Starbucks brand. While other small businesses were outraged at their efforts to portray themselves as being local, Starbucks isn’t alone.

“The International Council of Shopping Centers, a global consortium of mall owners and developers, is pouring millions of dollars into television ads urging people to ‘Shop Local’ — at their nearest mall,” reports Stacy Mitchell for Boulder Weekly. “This represents desperate bids by shopping malls to survive the recession and fend off online competition.”

According to the studies done by the firm Civic Economics, money spent at chain stores, such as those at shopping centres, provides less that one third the amount that money spent at locally owned independent stores would provide back into the community.

Department store chain Macy’s have taken a subtler approach through their ‘My Macy’s’ localising initiative to bring in products that are tailored to the needs of the community of it’s existing stores. However, critics still claim that although they may be altering their product mix in hopes of more targeted sales, the chain is still carrying out their ordering, merchandising, shipping and all other operational tasks from their head office, thus still not contributing any more to the local communities.

Localising: easy route to social responsibility?

Critics have claimed that although chains have learnt that consumers are increasingly motivated to support companies that they perceive to be acting responsibly, companies are tossing around the word ‘local’ into their marketing as a cheaper alternative to convey true ethical responsibility.

“Local is one of the lower-hanging fruits in terms of sustainability,” says Michelle Barry, senior vice president of the Hartman Group. “It’s easier for companies to do than to improve how their employees are treated or adopt a specific sustainability practice around their carbon footprint, for example.”

Consumers want authenticity

Writer and business consultant Joseph Pine says that authenticity is the new level of economic value to the consumer. Their desire for the authentic goods become one of the key buying criteria in which consumers chose what they are going to buy and who they are going to buy from. However, according to Joseph “no one can have an inauthentic experience, but no business can supply one that is truly authentic.”

Although a business may claim to be 100% local, there will always be a certain degree of big business involved. The machinery they use, the bank they do business with, the telecommunications the business uses. All those things contribute to being inauthentic.

Is being Local really that big of a deal?

According to market research company Mintel, an average of one in six adults (17%) try to buy local products and services as often as possible. “These ‘True Locals’ are willing to pay a higher price and they’ll even buy local if competitive products are better,” says Mintel researchers.

But the overwhelming majority of shoppers don’t feel so strongly. Mintels research showed 30% of shoppers would purchase locally but don’t know where to find them, and 27% of shoppers don’t care where their food and services come from.

“We found that although the ‘buy local’ mantra has gotten strong media coverage and government support, most people haven’t yet incorporated it into their lifestyles,” says senior Mintel analyst Krista Faron. “Nonetheless, local products offer unique benefits and are more accessible than ever before, so we think the local movement has relevance with today’s consumer.”

Is buying national better?

Despite the many benefits of buying local, national chains aren’t without their perks. Chain stores offer the advantages of convenience, low cost and consistency.

“One way corporations can be ‘local’, too, is to stock a token amount of locally grown produce, as Wal-Mart has done in some of its supercenters,” says Michelle.

“The chain’s local food offerings are usually limited to a few of the main commodity crops of that particular state — peaches in Georgia or potatoes in Maine — and sit amid a sea of industrial food and other goods shipped from the far side of the planet.”

“Yet, this modest gesture has won Wal-Mart glowing coverage in numerous daily newspapers, few of which have asked the salient question: Does Wal-Mart, which now captures more than one of every five dollars Americans spend on groceries, create more and better opportunities for local farmers than the grocers it replaces?”

Is it unethical for big businesses to try portray themselves with a degree of ‘locality’?

With my recent interest in smart phone technology, I thought it was about time I explored how to make myself more mobile-saavy.

Thanks to the help of the developers at Crowd Favorite, my blog Teacup is now fully mobilisized so you can view it anywhere, anytime.

Along with making your reading experience easier on many of the current smartphones (iPhone, Blackberry, Nokia phones), I can pleasantly surprised to say that you can also enjoy your marketing gospel on your Wii, Playstation Portable and the HipTop along with various others.

If you have a phone or gaming devise with internet access, please do give it a test run by visiting the normal blog URL at:

www.teacup.topstitched.com.au

The site will automatically detect your browser type and switch viewing modes accordingly. Although I am still figuring out how to improve functionality of my mobile website, feedback and suggestions (good or bad) are all welcome!

After holding back from all hype for so long, I finally decided to treat myself to a new iPhone. After all, what kind of marketer would I be if I did not know the benefits (and downsides) of this latest trend first hand?

Although I will leave it up to you to make up your own mind about the iPhone itself given that there are many new high tech gadgets emerging with similar features, what I do want to explore is this move towards mobile marketing. Many would think that mobile marketing is simply limited to text message campaigns. But as I’ve discovered with the iPhone, there is a complete new level of engagement with companies being able to stay connected to their customers where ever they go.

What are Smart Phones?

With the new generation of Smart Phones, not only do they have the traditional mobile phone functions of calling, texting, photo messaging and video calling (yes, they are traditional now or at least becoming), with access to wireless internet connection, the smart phones will enable you to check emails, send files, edit documents, browse the web, purchase and use custom build mobile applications, instant message, update your social networks (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter), and more! As consumers gradually switch over to Smart Phones whether by choice or simply for the need to upgrade their phones, they are becoming very mobile, very fast.

Mobile customers want utility

Mobile Marketer Amy Mischler says “your mobile customers are very different from your regular day-to-day customers. Users are really interested in useful sites – they want utility. You don’t have a lot of time and your devices are limited. You need access to information quickly and you want access to things that will simply help you manage your life better.” This may include things as simple as making a reservation, checking-in to your flights or something that helps you fulfil a business transaction.

Mobile media enables you to interact with your client almost 24/7

“While it may not have the same reach as broadcast or online media, with mobile marketing, once you have connected with the customer, you have an opportunity to really interact with them and create a dialogue literally almost 24/7.”

You need to make the content relevant to the way people use mobiles

Michael Becker, Managing Director of iLoop Mobile, says although mobile media provides many benefits, you must be conscious of the amount of information you give to the consumer. Many businesses replicate their entire online website onto a mobile phone, says Michael. “That’s absolutely the wrong thing to do. Think about what it is your customer needs and what sort of value they are looking for.” In that context, make the right content available to them in the easiest possible way to access, he says.

How is the fashion industry using mobile marketing?

In the fashion and beauty industry, although we are not renowned for being the most technologically innovative, there are companies that are making some great process in moving into the mobile media market. I’d like to share with you some of my finds for the iPhone on how fashion, beauty and luxury industries are making use of mobile marketing:

ShopSaavy

This application allows you to scan the barcode of any product and it will give you a list of both online and local retailers that stock your product as well as their contact details and prices so you can compare. You can send the details of the new location to a friend or get directions on how to get their via Google Maps. If it’s an online shop, it also gives you a link so you can go their directly and buy the product.

Style.com

Style.com’s application gives you a comprehensive guide to the latest runway shows. You can view information about the designers, their collections and see close ups of each individual outfit from their show as well as being able to watch fashion videos, access their ‘Style File’ blog and participate on their ‘Look of the Day’ polls.

Victoria’s Secret

Victoria’s Secret application gives you all the information you want about the Angels, show coverage, back stage photos, videos and special events. You can also participate in their search for new models and vote for your favourite upcoming Angels.

Tote

Tote showcases clothes and accessories from a variety of shops in a gallery style. Users can save their favourite items into their Wishlist and be notified when there are price discounts or special offers available for those particular products from the selection of shops.

Coach

Coach’s new iPhone application is just in time for the holiday season helping you find gifts for your loved ones by answering a few questions (all Coach gifts of course). Once you have found the perfect gift, the app will direct you to the nearest Coach store to make your final purchase. Although this is similar to their ‘Gift Finder’ online, it certainly is a step up from simply offering a product catalogue.

Out of over 100,000 mobile apps, only 20% are actively being used. How do you stand out?

The mobile media is no small market. In fact, Apple was proud to announce that just this October, the iPhone App Store reached a grand 100,000 approved apps mark. But don’t think it is easy creating a success story in seconds. Like any media, the mobile medium is already becoming increasingly competitive. According to research from Appsfire Application developers, only 20% of applications are actively being used. When there are so many choices available to consumers, what will make your brand stand out?

I’d like to finish off with a video of a brand that did stand out for me for the Verizon Droid Smart Phone. The makers of the video has thought about what differentiates them from their competitors, what messages are relevant to their target market and how best to communicate it. And, it’s entertaining to watch.

Further Reading

iPhone Application Marketing: What every developer needs to know

iPhone Application Marketing: Reviewing current websites

The Future of the Mobile Web

What apps would you like to see in the future? What features can companies in the fashion, beauty and luxury markets use to offer value to their customers through mobile marketing?

In a world where women are filled with such diverse needs, one of the biggest challenges faced by marketers it to try understand their target market. From there, trying to understand the needs of the modern man seems almost near impossible. Gone are the days where men were considered simple. Men’s marketing in today’s world is as intricate and complex as women’s as men become increasingly concerned with their personal image.

Male grooming industry is estimated to grow up to $84.9 billion by 2014

Research by Reportlinker.com found that the market for men’s grooming products valued at $US19.7 billion worldwide in 2009, expected to grow up to $US28 billion by 2014. The report also notes that men tend to use grooming products that are ‘non-male-specific’ as well estimating their total consumption to skyrocket to somewhere between $61.3-$84.9 billion in the next five years.

Men wearing makeup? Evolution or unnatural?

One sector that is surprisingly showing growth is the men’s make up sector. While traditionally the make up cabinet has solely been reserved for women, both business and consumers are showing a fashionable rise in men embracing the world of makeup. From Johnny Depp’s captivating looks from Pirates of the Carribean to the decadently seductive Russell Brand, you only have to look to our celebrities to see the rise in men’s make up and beauty market.

Grooming not just for metrosexuals

This trend is not just for the appearance conscious metrosexuals, says make-up artist Nathan Johnson. With more of the Average Joe men ready to cross the gender divide, brands are happy to fill their needs with products specifically designed to meet men’s demands and make them feel comfortable while doing so.

Emasculation of men or a Liberal conspiracy?

UK Guardian’s Paul MacInnes compares men wearing makeup to the likes of ‘a toddler having a mortgage’. “It’s unnatural and likely to end in disaster,” he says.

But why is this change taking place? Some may see this as the eminent emasculation of men. However, Paul suggests that this is due to the liberal and consumerism movement of Labour governments.

“By presiding over an unprecedented period of economic growth which put money in people’s pockets and encouraged them to believe the good times would just keep on rolling, men took their eyes off the ball. They were encouraged to spend, to live, to dream – and when people start dreaming funny things happen. They start joining gyms, they start eating healthily, they start mentally reconstituting 1950s cigarette adverts showing beaming nuclear families, only it’s their mug on the poster. Only their mug looks a bit blotchy. So they reach for the blusher.”

The men’s market in an unsaturated niche

Whether this is actually true or not, the niche does exist, says Caroline Wilde, head of retail at brand consultancy Live & Breathe. “It’s an unfulfilled market. Nivea had some success so the market is there but it is not saturated like the female market.” Shower gels and deodorants tend to be a safe entry point to the men’s market to test your products, she adds. Although there is a market for face creams and other beauty products, it is more difficult to penetrate the market with those product lines.

Men don’t want to be associated with the ‘f-word’

“The problem with the word fashion is that most guys associate it with girls,” says Jay Fielden, editor of Men’s Vogue, who reportedly calls fashion the “f-word” to his staffers. “Here we talk about style, personal style.”

“The idea of fashion triggers off a response of ‘change,’ and men don’t like change,” says menswear designer John Varvatos for article in theBigMoney.com. “So menswear has to be about evolution, not revolution.”

“Modern men are much more sophisticated than some brands think they are and will ultimately see through this superficial approach” says Aniko Hill from The Kitchen Collaborative.

Making men feel comfortable

New Zealand based  men’s only spa and salon Manscape is trying a different approach as they try to push men to feel more comfortable with looking after themselves, claiming that is not just for girls.

Service Options

Haircut – A Manscape haircut is an experience you’ll look forward to every month! Sit back and enjoy a complimentary beer, O.J or coffee while your stylist works their magic. Your hair will be washed at the start and end to get rid of those annoying hairs. Your cut & style also includes a scalp and shoulder massage.

Eyebrows - Shape & tidy – there’s nothing girly about this! Stray hairs removed, hairs trimmed to leave your brows looking and sitting tidy.

Massage – Relax with a half or full hour Swedish (relaxation) style massage. Don’t knock it till you’ve had one and when you’ve had one you’ll want another!

Handy Work – (Man I cure) Nail soak & shape, cuticle removal, hand & arm massage and buff to a high shine. Finishing off with cuticle oil and hydrating hand cream.

Foot Maintenance - (Manly pedicure) Peppermint foot spa exfoliation. Toenails clipped & shaped, cuticles removed, foot & leg massage, finishing with cuticle oil to nourish and protect.

Groom Grooming – For you and your mates to relax, look and feel your best for the big day

Does this trend change what it means to be a man in todays society?

Like the female market, the men’s market is growing increasingly more complex and segmented. But does this era in appearance-awareness showing the beginning of the end of traditional masculinity? What effect will this have on what it means to be a man?

In today’s day and age, many would agree that the myth of the gender gap is far from reality in modern society. With the feminism movement pushing for equal rights and pay for women in the workplace, women have many opportunities available at their disposal and yet the gender gap is still a debated topic in many industries, especially at management level.

Fashion: a gay man’s profession

In fashion and beauty, being a female dominated area, one would seemingly think that women would be paving the way in exemplary career moves but this is not the case, accordingly to reporter Eric Wilson for the New York Times. In now days, writes Eric, fashion “is a gay many’s profession” and women, although making up majority of the fashion consumers, face barriers in career advancement in the creative side.

Men’s average salaries are increasing while women’s are decreasing

Does this argument have any merit? Research conducted by Meetingsnet.com found that the salary gap has grown even wider from 2003 to 2005. Where average salary for males in executive management grew from $99,327 in 2003 to $109,042 in 2005, female counterparts’ salary has decreased from $75,129 in 2003 to $71,561 in 2005.

Research from Fortune also showed that from their top 25 best compensated male executives, the highest earning male topped at $350.7 million annually, whilst from the top 25 female executives, the highest earning woman earned a mere $38.6 million. A gap of $312.1 million.

Men have a quicker rise to stardom

In Eric’s article, knitwear designer Liz Collins quotes “There are some really deep-seated tensions and resentment that has existed for a long time about gender in fashion and who gets things. A lot of those things are not necessarily real, or true, and they may be just suspicions. But you can look at certain examples of people who have had a faster rise to stardom, and the percentage of gay men is higher.”

Men receive more recognition and more publicity

Although difficult to prove true, many females designers believe that several of their male counterparts have been presented with more industry awards and been given more prominent coverage in the media. “The Council of Fashion Designers of America, a trade group that vets those who apply for membership, is made up of 121 women and 156 men. Since 1986 its annual Perry Ellis awards for young talent have been given to 8 women and 29 men (20 of them openly gay),” writes Eric.

Women prioritise their life at home over their career

However, some of the differences in career outcomes for men and women results from different lifestyle choices for each gender. “Women still prioritise getting married and having babies,” says influential fashion designer Norma Kamali. “There are fewer women willing to give up the time that is required for this kind of career. It’s about passion, about being so focused that nothing could distract you.”

Men are more objective, Women are more empathetic

Designer Michael Vollbracht, believes that gay men are simply better at designing for women because their design visions are formed by the fantasy of the ideal women, whereas female designers tend to focus on practicality and are “trapped by their own views of themselves”. However, female designers are quick to argue back that if men are more objective in their designs, women were definitely more empathetic. “I wear my own clothes,” says business owner Dana Buchman. “I have lived the life of my customer.”

Women face barriers that men just don’t face

Jeanine Prime, author of a study on women in the workplace by Catalyst in Eric’s article, says ”We can’t explain the gender gap away by differences in qualifications, ambitions or success strategies. A lot of it still has to do with the perception that women don’t have the right leadership stuff. There are a lot of barriers that men just don’t face.”

Men and women face different lifestyle pressures

For many men, including gay men, it is easier to prioritise their career. They have the pressure of being seen as the ‘bread-maker’ in the family. Naturally, they are determined to advance in their career faster to secure an easy lifestyle for their loved ones. Women, on the other hand, although they can focus all of their energy on their career should they wish to, majority de-prioritise their work once they have had children wanting to become good mothers, and thus there are less women entering management level positions as their careers progress.

Is it a fair comparison? Does it really exist?

Although it is easy to compare pay levels and see a drastic dissimilarities between genders, Is this a fair comparison given the difference in proportions of number of people continually determined advance for each gender?

Magazines have always had a major role in the lives of consumers and marketers. But in this era of new media with so many tactical options at our disposal to entice consumers and such demand for constant reporting, do these big fish still have room in the pond to swim in? Can magazines still provide real value for consumers and companies in such dynamic times?

The need for integrated approaches

According to writers at New Media Knowledge (NMK), both corporates and consumers are looking for integrated approaches. With the rise of accessibility in high speed internet, users can interact and engage with companies on a level that was never possible before. Through flash media, videos, social networks, users can completely surround themselves with the brand to experience it to the fullest.

The rise of online media portals

The internet gives way to other types of magazine content as well: blogs, newsletters, social networks. There is also the rise in Online Magazines available both free and through paid subscriptions and at such a low cost to distribute for publishers.

However, Monique Talbot, chief executive at Tempest Media who manages sales for well-known beauty portal Shesaid.com.au says that although online media is making some progress, it still isn’t recognised by the major companies. “I flick open a glossy and the first 10 pages are these massive advertisers. It drives me crazy, I have 75,000 women on my Shesaid.com.au database, with 15,000-20,000 women opening the newsletter each week, I mean, where do you get that in offline land?”

It is no secret that the sheer accessibility of online media, the speed or distribution, ease of response and higher evaluative methods makes it a lot more attractive to marketers. Online media can provide almost everything that a print magazine can cheaper, faster and to more people.

New media provides engagement in a different way

Although new media is changing consumer attitudes towards magazines, it will not cause the industry to collapse, writes Online Journalism Review. “Instead, innovation in long-form magazine journalism online is coming from the edges, in the shape of thoughtful audio podcasts, on-the-scene video blogs and in the plethora of thoughtful essays on Weblogs maintained in academic and professional realms.”

Media guru Mohammad Jangda also agrees that although online media provides useful sharing tools and increased engagemet through social networks and video content, having digital replicas of print magazines is still not the same as the hard copy experience. An “online magazines do not provide any additional affordances to the user, making it dead experience.”

The Magazine Experience

In fact, the magazine experience is one of the key differentiating factors keeping the industry alive, writes Jason Fell for Folio (print and online publication for the media industry). “The magazine experience is one of the last remaining opportunities to enter a hermetically-sealed world, an edited experience of our culture created by someone else. And, more importantly, it’s an experience that encourages you to stay in it rather than constantly bounce in and out of it.”

Magazine Industry: steady for now but uncertain about the future

According to the MediaPost, almost 80% of people surveyed through their research still subscribe to magazines. However, only 45% believe that newspapers and magazines will still exist in 10 years, with another 40% being uncertain about the future of the print industry. Although magazines may be surviving for now, their continued success will be a struggle. Is the magazine experience simply enough to warrant it to maintain its current status or will see the slow demise of the media giants giving way to new emerging technologies that are faster, more convenient and more connected? Only time will tell.

The beauty industry has always maintained an intimate relationship with the consumer. Even in the tough times of the recession, consumers can’t resist the urge to look and feel their best. In fact, research commissioned by L’Oréal showed that 9 out of 10 women has not made any change in their make up usage despite the economic crisis. However, this does not mean we can sit back and relax. Now more than ever, we need to listen to what our customers are wanting, and yes, their needs are changing.

Why do women buy beauty products?

Reporter Alisa Marie Beyer for the Global Cosmetic Industry writes “contrary to popular thinking, most women seem to feel good about how they look and who they are”. If women already feel good about themselves, why then are they purchasing all these products to change their face and body? According to Alisa it’s to relax and relieve stress. Shopping for beauty products is like an escape from daily life for women where they can solely focus on their needs and making themselves feel better.

How can we market beauty products effectively?

When it comes to our advertisements that try to entice women to connect with our product, 92% of women believe that companies just do not understand them. Women want to see realistic depictions of women like themselves. “Attractive women, women of diversity, a mom, a CEO, a diva, an artist,” says Alisa. “Women also view advertisements as an opportunity to aspire, whether it is a new look, a new way to wear lipstick or a new beauty secret. Women love to look and feel beautiful.”

For those of us who are in need of guidance, Global Cosmetic Industry gives these tips on creating great marketing campaigns for beauty products:

Great advertising does not have to be flashy

A good ad does not need to feature flashy celebs or supermodels. However, it does need to portray your product and brand in a way that is clear and easy to digest. An example of this is adverts by Clinique – although not extravagant, the ads shows off the product and provides information on what the producy actually does.

A great advertisement knows itself

A great ad needs to convey what it is that the brand stands for – this helps consumers relate to the brand and build a connection. Make up product MAC is a good example of this because of their creative advertisements. Although it is not a mainstream product, it shows that the brand is hip, young and innovative.

A great advertisement is easy to understand

Women really want to understand an ad. They buy from brands they understand. No matter how great a product you may have, if your message is not communicated clearly, your customer will not understand nor relate to it. Although Neutrogena (below) was shown to be ‘easy to understand’ by a market study, in 2008, the brand did run into some trouble with the industry watchdog NAD (National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus) for making individual products look like they were the ‘#1 recommended product by dermatologists’, when really it was the brand as a whole.

A great advertisement connects to emotions

It’s a wide known fact (whether we like it or not) that women live in an emotional world and our decisions are primarily driven by what we feel. For a brand, establishing a connection on an emotional level is what can transcend it to becoming part of the consumer’s daily life.

One of my personal favourite brands for doing this is Dove with, first, their infamous Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004 and then their Pro Age Campaign in 2007 which got banned from TV in the US by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for showing too much skin and implying nudity. Despite them being banned, Dove is still one of my top brands as all of their marketing really tries to connect with people. Now, they are even making short films to challenge what the norms really are of beauty – very interesting to watch.

Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty (2004)

Dove Pro Age Campaign (2007) – banned in the USA for showing too much skin

Dove short film on what women’s first impressions are of other women (2009)

Although some would say otherwise, the beauty industry is great industry to be in – you get to make people feel good about themselves, more confident, more relaxed with their appearance and give them the ability to become who they want to be in the eyes of the world. We are very privileged as marketers to be able to connect on such a deep level with people, and it’s a role we should not take for granted or take the easy route out of. By understanding what it is your customer really wants, you can offer them something that is unique and valuable and gain a devoted customer for life.

If you want to know more about beauty marketing, here are some interesting reads:

Living Brands: Where the Future of Beauty Begins
By Raymond Nadeau for Professional Beauty (2008)

In Dove ads, normal is the new beautiful
By Jack Neff for Advertising Age (2004)

Savvy Beauty Marketers Can Thrive in Challenging Times
By Alisa Marie Beyer for Global Cosmetic Industry (2009)