From the Editor

From the Editor
Brand power

By Alison Embrey Medina, Executive Editor
June 01, 2009

There is a reason you’ll often find me chomping on a piece of Trident gum. As a child, my great-grandmother used to give us cases of the stuff at a time, and I find the minty-fresh taste and gummy texture to be a comforting remembrance of car rides home from her house in Maryland. There is also a reason I carry a bottle of Purell hand sanitizer with me at all times. No, I’m not over-obsessive about potential Swine Flu contraction—I just don’t like sticky hands, and Purell has never failed me. I unapologetically drink Splenda in my coffee every morning, wash my face with Neutrogena, drive an Acura and tend to have an affinity for Coach handbags and New Balance sneakers. I also dye my hair with L’Oreal products, in case anyone was interested.

Some of these brand loyalties are rooted in nostalgia, some in a sense of cool independence and others are just plain cost-effective. Regardless, they are my brands. They have established a trust with me, the consumer, and therefore, I am naturally inclined to magnetize toward them in the store aisle. Even in light of the economic downturn, these brands are tried-and-true staples of what makes me…me.

But what stores am I buying these products in? This, my friends, is where the pendulum begins to swing.

I, as any consumer, have my favorite retail stores. But a penny pinch here and purse-string tightening there, and soon the retail brand becomes only as important as the discounts it offers that day. (A sad, but very true fact of life for the average American.) The dissuading factor and argument here, however, is the alluring power of a strong brand. There are retail brands out there that, despite what my inner savings-motivated conscience tells me, own my avid love and loyalty and will never lose me. The contents of my closet, pantry and home are all masterpiece collections of what these beloved stores have given to me (my wallet had a small part too, admittedly).

Retail stores are only as relevant as the consumer experience they create. Without allowing the customer some memorable brand experience within the store space, a store is just a store—and no different from the store down the street. Take Apple for instance: their unfathomable reign of consecutive double-digit increases may have finally slowed, but I don’t see people trading in their iPods and iMacs for cheaper models. Customers don’t walk into an Apple store simply with the intent to buy—they go to browse, chat with the associates, learn a new application or simply “hang.” Apple has established that “brand cred” with its loyal patrons (feverishly loyal, in some cases).

A compelling brand goes a long way with the consumer. In this issue, DDI explores the world of marketing and branding , and the powerful effect it can have in the retail environment. From the influx of standalone, offshoot beauty concepts popping up in recessionary times, to Liz Claiborne’s renewed brand package and store experience with the introduction of Isaac Mizrahi’s new collection, retail has many new brand stories to tell. We also explore the world of department reinvention, a look at retail logos (then and now), and how Starbucks is going about trying to get its customers, brand experience and overall groove back.

The power of the brand and the marketing messages that ensue, both in-store and out, provide a path for the consumer to follow when times are tough. Perhaps this is why we’re seeing such a flux of nostalgic advertising campaigns, giving consumers a comforting glimpse into good times past and better times ahead. Leverage the strength of your brand, both its history and its future, in this age of uncertainty. Give your customers their stick of Trident.

Alison Embrey Medina
Executive Editor
aembrey@ddimagazine.com