Retailers Rely On Known Names To Bring In Customers, But Few Women Know Which Store Sells Which Brand

It’s possible to wake up under an Eva Mendes comforter while in a Cindy Crawford bed and move downstairs to drink hot chocolate made in a Hershey’s chocolate drink maker from a Martha Stewart mug, all while wearing Jessica Simpson pajamas. Licensed apparel and products have become so prevalent that even C-list celebrities, such as Heidi Montag, and lesser-known brands, including Real Simple magazine, are introducing their own collections at retail.

Yet despite — or perhaps because of — the pervasiveness of licensed products, relatively few women can correctly identify which branded product line sells at which retailer, according to “EPM’s Women’s Retail Brand Awareness” study. For instance, only 7% correctly know that Kmart exclusively sells Fisher-Price children’s apparel. Even star power is relatively useless in aiding in recall. Only 1% correctly identify Dillard’s as the place to purchase Sheryl Crow’s Bootheel Trading apparel.

While women may be unaware of who sells what where, their lack of awareness isn’t stopping companies from unveiling more branded product lines.  Why? Because the 20% of women who do, on average, know which brand sells where, say that the availability of a preferred brand at a particular store greatly increases the frequency with which they shop at that store, how much they spend there, and how likely they are to recommend that store to family and friends.

Jessica Simpson’s $500 Million Collection

Jessica Simpson has 21 licensees to date, including a new intimates line by Vandale, three Parlux fragrances including Fancy and Fancy Love, and a new denim line licensed to Jones Apparel Group. According to Camuto Group, which represents Simpson for apparel and accessories licensing, the line generates $500 million a year in retail sales of apparel at accounts including Macy’s.

Macy’s is also the exclusive partner for Material Girl, an upcoming collection from Madonna and her daughter, Lourdes. The line, in collaboration with Iconix Brand Group, includes clothing, footwear, handbags, and jewelry, all priced under $40. Perfume and beauty products will follow in 2011.

Denim lines have become one of the more popular licensed categories for women, primarily because women are always up for buying another pair of jeans. In addition to Simpson’s upcoming collection, Playboy Jeans, which already sells in hundreds of stores internationally, is entering the U.S. market for the first time. “They have been selling out in Latin America, and we are extending the line to the U.S. market” through licensee Denim Revolution, says Claudio Pinto, Playboy, though some question whether too much licensing of the Playboy logo/name will devalue it in the eyes of consumers.

The tattoo-influenced patterns trend is dying down but still evident in Ed Hardy’s new wallets and related accessories.

A new line and brand from Harley-Davidson, Juneau Ave., includes high-end T-shirts in tattoo-influenced washed prints embellished with studding, at $90-$150, targeted to Harley dealers and boutiques.

Leather handbags retail from $150 to $350 under Juneau Ave., named for the street where Harley-Davidson was originally located. “Our core brand is Harley-Davidson, but Juneau Ave. gives us a way to reach a fashion-forward female consumer,” says Joanne Bischmann, Harley-Davidson.

No Logical Licensing Connection

The majority of licensing deals aimed at women make sense, at least abstractly. Given their expertise as caterers and chefs, it’s logical that Martha Stewart and Rachael Ray each have their own lines of kitchenware. Likewise, it’s easy to foresee a Harley-Davidson logo on a leather handbag. Beach homes now have a simpler way to decorate as a result of an exclusive deal with Garnet Hill and Lilly Pulitzer to launch a new home collection reflecting Pulitzer’s Palm Beach prints.

It’s a more intriguing situation when there’s no logical correlation between a brand, celebrity, and product. For instance, the acting resume of Eva Mendes provides no insight into her expertise in home décor. Yet, Macy’s offers Vida, a collection of bedding, curtains, and kitchenware under her name. Similarly, while it’s not a stretch to see Cindy Crawford designing jewelry, as she is doing with JCPenney, her proficiency at designing couches and chairs for Raymour & Flannigan is a little tougher to understand.

The prevalence of branded lines, including those that have a logical connection and ones that don’t, is the primary reason why women are unlikely to know which brand is sold where, say analysts. When something becomes too widespread and cluttered, it loses its importance. They recommend retailers scale back to focus on a few exclusive lines and offer ones with a set end date.  Otherwise, women shoppers will just see these licensing deals as a crude marketing tactic that relies more on image than quality. [Apparel/Licensing]

Contacts and Connections: Camuto Group, Leah Wahba, VP Licensing, 411 W. Putnam Ave., #260, Greenwich, CT 06830; 203-413-6532; leah.wahba@camutogroup.com; www.camputogroup.com.

Celebrity Fashion Group, Bruce Ross, President, 20 W. Kinzie St., #1600, Chicago, IL 60654; 312-644-5970; bross@celebrityfashiongroup.com; www.celebrityfashiongroup.com.

Christian Audigier (Ed Hardy), Maria Maniatis, Licensing, 8650 Hayden Pl., Culver City, CA 90232; 310-945-3232; maria@christianaudigier.com; www.edhardyshop.com.

“Women’s Retail Brand Awareness: A Survey Of Private Label Fashion, Food, and Cross-Category Brands,” EPM Communications, Ira Mayer, Publisher, 19 W. 21st St., #303., New York, NY 10010; 212-941-1633, x27; imayer@epmcom.com; www.epmcom.com.

Harley-Davidson, Joanne Bischmann, VP Licensing and Special Events, 3700 W. Juneau Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53208; 414-343-4597; joanne.bischmann@harley-davidson.com; www.harley-davidson.com.

Iconix Brand Group (Madonna), Yehuda Shmidman, SVP Business Development, 1450 Broadway, 4th Fl., New York, NY 10018; 212-819-2078; yshmidman@iconixbrand.com; www.iconixbrand.com.

JCPenney, Ruby Anik, SVP/Director Brand Marketing, 6501 Legacy Dr., Plano, TX 75024, 972-431-5348; www.jcpenney.com.

Kmart, Tracy VanHoven, Director Brand Development/Softlines, 3333 Beverly Rd., D3-263B, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179, 847-286-7605; tvanhov@searshc.com; www.sears.com.

LIM College, Dudley Blossom, Chair Marketing and Marketing, 12 E. 53rd St., New York, NY 10022; 212-310-0647; dudley.blossom@limcollege.edu; www.limcollege.edu.

Macy’s, Martine Reardon, EVP Sales, Promotion, Marketing, 151 W. 34th St., 17th Fl., New York, NY 10001; 646-429-5200; martine.reardon@macys.com; www.macys.com.

Playboy, Claudio Pinto, Global Licensing Consultant, 67 18th St., Hermosa Beach, CA 90254; 310-750-9312; claudio@cxprojects.com; www.playboy.com.

© Copyright 2011, EPM Communications, Inc. May not be reproduced without written consent of publisher.

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