Someone was asking for a topic like this, so here it is.

Let's talk about brand-o-phobies.
As someone said before, everybody has it somehow. But what I mean here is: do you know any brand that, whatever the reason is, you just avoid it?

I can't remember anything specific right now, but what I really don't like and would make cry for happiness if don't exist anymore is those tiny brands at the left side of the chest. Li La Coste does.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JackSmith,

what about brand symbols that obsess us. I can't stop drawing the Wu-Tang "W"

Guess and Marciano

I've always been so offended by their advertising that I would never consider buying any of their products.

I once touched something by Guess on a sale rack, and I felt like washing my hands afterwards.

What is it in their advertising that offends you?

does Guess still use skeezy broads to sell their stuff? It could just be a general fear of VD's from looking at their ads

quote:

Originally posted by Architect:
does Guess still use skeezy broads to sell their stuff? It could just be a general fear of VD's from looking at their ads

Architect hit it right on the head.

Their advertising is sort of a "fuck-me-now" view of women seen through a hypermasculine optic.

Even worse, is that some of their ads have been of women with minimal clothing, legs spread and fear in their eyes. As if the camera is going to rape them.

Very distasteful.

Strange that I don't recall seeing much of Guess in stores lately, here in the states.

Thankfully, neither have I (in the US or Denmark).

There are websites, so apparently they are still selling their wares.

Probably in middle-america to girls named Lerlene and Brandine. The kind that are constantly adding their two cents on the local news. Then the camera pulls back and you see that they're riding their dog around the yard.

Actually I remember seeing a Guess store on Michigan Ave. in Chicago (pilgrimage for Lerlene and Brandine). There was a huge photo of Paris Hilton, and no matter what you think of her, you can't help being drawn in by her amazing blue eyes. And then I realized it was a Guess ad and quickly looked the other way.

I once pissed off another board member by e-mail who had written very excited that she had found a lot of Guess clothes on sale. She didn't like my reply.

(Am I the Fashionpolice or not?)

I've also been boycotting Ann Wiberg for a number of years. I was a steady customer of hers from 1996-1999 (she called me Cybergirl!) and then there was a production problem with some of the pants I bought.

I went in to complain about the problems: broken zipper, interfacing was streched when ironed on to pocket flaps causing wrinkles, use of pointed needle instead of rounded needle which caused the lycra fibers to break and come out at the seams (little white hairy bastards), and instead of acknowledging the problems, they only offered to fix the broken zipper.

Really pissed me off, and I haven't bought anything since. (But do admit to going into the store a couple of times during the past years to check out the collections)

that's why I only wear clothes made of potato sacks

There was a Danish comic, Jacob Haugaard, who was elected to Parliament. On his first day, he wore a suit made out of coffee sacks.

A prominent billboard here in the Valley often features a giant ad for some jeweller selling a particular brand of high-tone watch. The copy reads: 'Precision Movements' and the image is one of ballet dancers, all of whom but one are male -- the lone female is usually placed as if she'd been thrown on the floor. The men are all in mid-leap, and look as if they're collectively placed to land on her. I can't believe I never graffitied that bastard.

I'm happy to say I couldn't tell you what color that Hilton woman's eyes are. I turn away from her image at every opportunity.

i generally approve of any apparel(sic?) made of sacks.

quote:

Originally posted by Fashionpolice:

Their advertising is sort of a "fuck-me-now" view of women seen through a hypermasculine optic.

Even worse, is that some of their ads have been of women with minimal clothing, legs spread and fear in their eyes. As if the camera is going to rape them.

Very distasteful.

I've been amused from the reactions a few people I know as well as mine have had over American Apparel's ad imagery. 'Don't get it', most say; 'the girls are not attractive'. But others, as well as I, find their overexposed, snapshot-like pictures of giggling teenagers in awkward postures strangely alluring, if only in a can't-avoid-looking-at-this-accident way. 'They look just like... amateur porn!'. Right.

In my opinion, ads don't seem as raunchy as they once were. What I do notice is a general appeal to the "spoiled brat" demographic that didn't seem as prevalent when I was younger. It seems like the youth culture is the only one that gets marketing dollars, and the youth culture has its values firmly entrenched in the superficial, MTV, Reality TV, instant gratification mindset. I'm sure it dates me, but I remember when the Real World on MTV at least tackled some controversial topics (like racism). Now all they do is give the participants booze and wait for the hook-ups to ensue, which seems to sum up the over-riding anti-intellectualism. I just seem to remember being more aware of what was going on in the world than "kids these days". Then again, it could just be that I'm out of touch or not looking in the right places. It could also be a uniquely American thing.

/usual rant

Got to start harvesting them young. Any teeen and pre-teen kid today needs a lot of 'disposable income' to keep up with their peer's interests. Games, toys, clothes; they keep getting pricier, and brand names are more sough after. Nothing like some well-tuned product placement in certain segments that will grow to develop brand loyalty.
So it's not so much as 'dumbing down' the kids, but rather 'capturing their eyeballs and wallets' early on.

I hear you, Fuldog!

http://www.brandchild.com

quote:

Originally posted by Fashionpolice:
Guess and Marciano

I've always been so offended by their advertising that I would never consider buying any of their products.

I once touched something by Guess on a sale rack, and I felt like washing my hands afterwards.

GAH EXACTLY!!!
When ever I see one of those smarmy adds I, I, oh man they tick me off.. I get W or vouge sometimes see what people are calling fashion out there in the world... and the Guess stuff just leaves me cold. I would tear the pages out or write "this is WRONG!" on them before letting my teen girls have the magazines.
Yeah I wanna wash my hands having read this and typed about it. Arg.