March 22, 2007

The World According to Karl

The creative process is fascinating. Who among us isn't curious as to how it works?

There's a wonderful article on fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in the current New Yorker magazine. At one point it mentions that Lagerfeld "only rarely touches fabric." Instead, he makes sketches and directs others who work with the fabric itself. He is so completely comfortable with the realm in which he works. He knows what he does best, and he does it. No need to go beyond that.

His fear is boredom. And so he sets out to read and see everything. He aggressively stays in touch with the latest trends in the arts and popular culture. He has that most valuable of assets: curiosity. As Lady Amanda Harlech - who is called Lagerfeld's "muse" - says, "The curiosity is endless."

And Lagerfeld succeeded in doing something that we are all challenged with every day: He took a brand that was languishing, and he breathed new life into it and made it hotter than ever.

When he took over at Chanel, the founder (the legendary Coco Chanel) had been dead for 11 years and the brand was really on the skids. Lagerfeld took the brand's history and re-presented it in an over-the-top excitingly sensational way. It was a creative explosion.

What's interesting is that the Lagerfeld's makeover of Chanel was then mirrored by new designers energizing other staid fashion brands. Gucci brought in Tom Ford, Vuitton got Marc Jacobs, etc.

Lagerfeld opened these brands' eyes to the possibilities. And, in each case, they found a new creative force that could unlock their potential. When those of us not in the fashion industry take a look at Lagerfeld, he may appear to be a bizarre dress-up. But read about his life and extraordinary accomplishments, and you'll come away in awe...reminded again of the great power of curiosity, intellect, creativity, and courage.

Key Questions

I like this. From Entrepreneur, four key marketing questions:

1. Where do your prospects look first?

2. Which media touch your prospects most often?

3. Where will your message be best remembered?

4. Can you stick with it?

March 21, 2007

What a Great Idea

Our friend Valorie has a store in East Hampton called the Monogram Shop. During the last presidential election, she decided to get some very attractive plastic glasses monogrammed....some with Bush/Cheney, and some with Kerry/Edwards. They started to sell briskly right away. Then she came up with the idea of putting a scorecard in the shop window, showing how many of each had sold. Then it became competitive. Those nice well-heeled Long Island summer folk were darned if their candidates were going to be losers...even if it was only about plastic glasses. I just love how clever she was!

First TV Spots, Now Magazines

We have seen the viewer generated TV spots. And now we're about to see the reader generated magazine. In Style has announced a quarterly publication called Your Look. Its content will be uploaded by style-conscious 16-20 year-olds. Talk about having it your way.

While I do like the idea of consumers being in control, I'm not sure they couldn't use a little editing and edification every now and then.

Pop Quiz

What's the fastest growing advertising medium?

That's easy. The Internet.

OK...what's the SECOND fastest growing advertising medium?

Not so sure?

It's billboards.

Makes perfect sense when you think about it. You can't change the channel or turn the page on billboards. They are there. And you are going to pass them. And see them. Like it or not. In fact, marketers will spend an estimated $7.2 billion on outdoor this year, vs. $6.7 billion last year.

Ray Nasher

Ray Nasher died at 85 last Friday. He and his wife Patsy developed what is arguably the most important collection of 20th century sculpture in the world. What does he have to do with marketing? Authenticity. Ray Nasher was the real thing. And that's what made him so very appealing. He was passionate about art. He had a great eye and fortunately made enough money to be able to act out his passion. But he wasn't flashy about it. He just plain loved it. And he lovingly created - with the brilliant Renzo Piano - an elegant jewel box of a museum to showcase much of it. The museum is a big success. Visiting it, one is struck by the attention of the visitors. They don't act as though they are in a building that happens to have a lot of great art. They act as though they are sharing the passion of an individual collection, reflected in the entire presentation...building, personnel, selection and arrangement of art...it is a total experience...totally authentic. And, boy, does it stand apart from and (for me) above everything else. Ray Nasher, a rather short man, did too.