1. What, in particular, makes the company’s brand that you’ve chosen for your campaign project unique from the others (What is the differentiating factor, “zag,” or USP)? What could you do to increase the differentiating factor?
Having done further research on the companies in my chosen sector, I have decided to go in a different direction for my thesis project. I found that the 4 companies that I was focusing on were very similar, and they all seem to be moving in the same direction or zigging. Instead of Hurley, I have decided to go with another company that I feel is truly on a zag.
The company that I’ve chosen is M. Nii. Their design concept is based on the M. Nii boardshorts that were created originally in a tailor shop in Hawaii in the 1950’s. Local surfers would bring in their shorts for repairs, which led M. Nii to launch their own shorts that could deal with the wear and tear of surfing. Word spread, and soon surfers who came to Hawaii for the competitions would leave with several pairs. Current designer John Moore has revived the original M.Nii brand. M.Nii is focused on recreating the same quality as was had back in the 50’s and 60’s, staying true to even the smallest of details.
According to Moore, “Reviving M. Nii’s is the antithesis of the current surf industry. No matter where you look designs all have brand logos or flashy graphics slapped on them, and are just products thought of in terms of PR and sales. But the M. Nii’s that used to exist were different. They were very simple, but had individual appeal with varying color schemes and stripe pitches, and were pure items that were for true surfers.” (Moore 2013)
2. “Brand strategy is the process where the offer is positioned in the consumers mind to produce a perception of advantage. ” (Levens 88). In considering the companys USP, list three ideas that might produce a perception of advantage for your companys brand over its competitors in the minds of the target audience (also see “Big Idea,” pages 16– 17 in Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler).
Billabong, one of Australia’s most iconic surf brands confirmed that the brand is basically worthless. Like Billabong, public surf company Quiksilver has reported declining revenues. Privately owned Rip Curl has also experienced huge profit loss. Each of these three grew up in the 1970’s with the rising popularity of the beach and surfing. The people running each business were surfers themselves and the brands established strong credibility within the surfing subculture. Ironically commercial success has also been the source of their troubles. As the big surf brands grew so did a disconnect between global commercial ambitions and maintaining local subcultural credibility. The problems being experienced by the big companies have actually created space for the growth of creative, independent surf brands.
Despite the troubles in the Australian market, the global demand for surf-styled apparel is expected to remain strong. This creates opportunities for a new, focused company like M. Nii to establish a strong subcultural credibility. “If the purpose of design management is to identify and communicate the ways in which design can contribute to a company’s strategic value, then identifying opportunities for design is first step towards this.” (Borja de Mozota, 2003). (Best 2013 p. 29)
According to Lecturer Andrew Warren “The big three have lost their ‘cool’ with young people – their core demographic.” (Warren 2013). This target audience is looking for authenticity. M. Nii has its history and Hawaiian heritage to establish its authenticity and a strong local subcultural credibility. The board shorts that started in a tailor shop have a legendary existence in surfing.
By focusing on the simplicity of design in the retro clothing styles, M. Nii can produce a perception of advantage. As Russ Meyer explains, “We like to think of simplicity as really shortening the distance between a brand and the customer.” (2013)
References:
Designer John Moore (12/12/2012). The Miraculous Revival of the Legendary Hawaiian Brand M. Nii. Beams. Retrieved fromhttp://www.beams.co.jp/pickup/detail/929?lang=en
Best, K. (2013). Design Management: Managing Design Strategy, Process and Implementation. AVA Publishing, 10/2006. VitalBook file.
Warren, Andrew. (September 25, 2013). Regaining their “cool”: can the big three surf brands recover? The Conversation. Retrieved fromhttps://theconversation.com/regaining-their-cool-can-the-big-three-surf-brands-recover-18406
Russ Meyer (2014). Siegel & Gale. Retrieved from http://www.siegelgale.com/services_detail/brand-development/