Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration. But for all the female Brewers fans out there, I have some bad news. Doris Hajewski (@dhajewski) of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that the Brewers did not make the cut for a new Victoria’s Secret line of Major League Baseball inspired clothing. Here’s a link to the official release.
Who was chosen?
For the most part the “beautiful” cities:
- Chicago Cubs
- Chicago White Sox
- Boston Red Sox
- Los Angeles Angels
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- New York Mets
- New York Yankees
- San Diego Padres
Sure, there were a few oddballs - like the Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies – but all the cities are in larger DMAs with a seemingly larger selection of “beautiful” women.
I’m not sure what Victoria’s Secret criteria was for picking MLB cities, but it seems to me that they should have included fan loyalty in their decision-making process. Sure, L.A. is a huge market, but how many females really care about the Angels or Dodgers?
On the other hand, the women of Milwaukee (and the entire state of Wisconsin for that matter) are pretty fanatical about the Brewers. I’d wager that Milwaukee women would at the very least match the sales of the two L.A. teams. Heck, we’d probably wear the apparel more too.
What do you think? Am I out of touch with the female baseball-lovin fans of L.A.? Maybe I’m just blinded by my Brewer pride?
As one JSOnline commenter said, “Like I want panties with the Cubs logo on them. Then again, a well placed Cubs logo could be a great expression of the disdain I feel for them or the Yanks.”
Better luck next time, Milwaukee.
Last night I had dinner with my Mom and Aunt who were in town for a choral conference. Since they live in Wausau, Wis. we chose to go to PF Chang’s at Mayfair Mall so they could shop afterwards. In an effort to save money I have been trying to avoid malls, so I was shocked when I walked into Bath and Body Works and found a selection of Victoria’s Secret products.
Let me clarify, they were not selling lingerie in Bath and Body. Instead, they had an entire table dedicated to Victoria’s Secret PINK beauty products.
I understand that Limited Brands (who owns both companies) has been having a hard time in this economy. Who hasn’t? But is it really necessary to start combining brands?
I have to wonder if there’s a better way to promote Victoria’s Secret’s beauty line. Bath and Body has always been a kid friendly store. Often times they carry products for young girls. Victoria’s Secret on the other hand is not. I wonder how Mom’s feel about introducing young girls to a brand that is clearly more naughty than nice. Is it ok because the Victoria’s Secret PINK line is more cute than sexy?
Instead of merging brands, I would rather Victoria’s Secret expand their beauty line. The beauty line has grown in recent years from a few perfumes and lotions to include candle
s, lip gloss, body wash and a range of cosmetics. Why not create a Victoria’s Secret Beauty store similar to the ALDO Accessories stores? If Victoria’s Secret wants to promote their beauty line they should work to become a true competitor in the beauty market.
Selling some of their products in Bath and Body just feels cheap. While their price points are similar, it still feels a bit like Vera Wang* trying to sell clothing at Kohl’s. It just doesn’t fit. Perhaps I’m a brand purist, but if I’m buying a Vera Wang dress I want to get it from Vera Wang. If I want to buy sexy beauty products, I want to buy them from Victoria’s Secret not her cute 12-year-old sister. It’s a fine line to walk. Too much merging and brands will start to lose their unique selling proposition. It’s hard to have a Victoria’s Secret experience in a Bath and Body Works store.
What do you think? Is Limited Brands making a smart move by cross-selling brands and products? Or are they confusing consumers with different brand promises?
Connect with me on Twitter @sarahsoczka.
*Note: The cheaper Vera Wang line at Kohl’s has been doing well.
This weekend I helped do my part to jump start the American economy by visiting the mall. While making a purchase at Victoria's Secret I noticed the extremely personable woman behind the counter dropping a business shaped card into my bag. I assumed it was some kind of coupon and remembered to look for it once I was home.
To my surprise it was more then just a coupon. The text on one side of the card read:
NEW!
- It's a great way to grow your mobile list. As a Victoria's Secret credit card holder they could have easily added me to their mobile list without my knowledge. Instead, they gave me a chance to opt-in before bombarding me with messages.
- They gave me a quick and easy way to opt-out at the beginning. I don't have to call Victoria's Secret, visit a store or even check out their web site to opt-out. They included the option in their very first message to me. This tells me that they value my time and business.
- They gave me a good reason to stay. Not only do I want to remain on their mobile list to get the first special offer, but they also made it clear that my loyalty would be rewarded with more offers and information that I will get before the general consumer.
Assuming this mobile list does not turn into weekly or monthly spam I will be happy to stay on it and sing their praises. This has me wondering. How many other companies are jumping on the text message bandwagon? Do you know of any? It's a smart move considering there are more text messages sent and received every day than the total population of the planet.*
And in case you're wondering what the "Perfect One" looks like. I found it (a bit early) on the Victoria's Secret web site. Enjoy.
*Taken from Richard Sander's presentation at the Sony BMG annual Global Marketing Meeting
