Fashion Marketing and Branding: A Comparative Analysis

by Hei White Heiwhite

The Manager in Training position I held at Hollister provided me with an opportunity to learn everything I know about fashion and branding. By engaging directly with customers, receiving branding guides from corporate, and understanding my own unique experiences, I explored the field of marketing and branding for fashion and developed my own cycling clothing business as a result.

When I think back on Hollister, my first impression was that the store was a Southern California brand. In fact, the name itself reflects the city of Hollister in California. The store front is washed in a style that reminds you of a beach house along the coast of California. In spite of where you are in the world, the flooring, spotlighting, and shelving all reflect an authentic southern California experience. As a college student, I stayed at a hostel in San Diego that looked very similar to the dressing rooms at Hollister when I was in college. Their style is very authentic and true-to-nature for the branding. The store is darkly lit with spotlighting and there are not many windows to see in through. Clearly, their brand is exclusive and very narrow in their perspective of who the clothes should appeal to - the southern Californians.

The marketing for Hollister tends to target teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18. As a result of the brand's even style approach, it attracts both men and women. There are signs at some locations that read 'Bettys' for women and 'Dudes' for men at the entrance. The brand uses fragrance in store to appeal to this younger age group. It is part of the brand's purpose to recreate the authentic southern California experience, which their fragrance helps to create, especially for teenagers.

The Target Market of Hollister, which I served as Manager, is teenagers, male or female, with the desire for an endless summer feeling that can be achieved by the storefront, clothing, fragrance-filled air, and marketing in-store. Considering the overall brand of this store marketing strategy, I would say that both the employees and the customers reflect the same values as the advertisements. This brand has a strong understanding of the image it wants to portray and how it wishes to attract that customer, and this makes it a successful brand. Get more info about fashion brand analysis.

Research into the American Eagle Outfitters fashion brand

As a smart consumer, I decided to switch brands. I wanted to expand my style and outlook, so I got a job at American Eagle Outfitters.

There was a noticeable difference between American Eagle's store front and advertisements from Hollister's. There was wooden flooring throughout the store and spotlights in a brightly lit store with large windows. The entire store was much more inviting and open — a lot more inclusive. There were no male or female entrances to the storefronts. It had a large layout that both sexes could comfortably enter.

A young American consumer looking for a modern day Americana look is the target market for American Eagle, which is between 15 and 25 years old. Its products are marketed to men and women who embody the American image — travelers, students, goal-oriented achievers. Adults who are older are able to achieve the American Dream by shopping their brand.

With American Eagle jeans, quality fabrics and a tailored fit are of great importance. This is a company that stands out more for their bottoms than their tops. As a result of my experience, I learned about the wide range of fabrics available and how they are designed to fit each customer. Each pant was also designed for a different purpose based on the wide range of American shoppers — festival jeans, work pants, casual daily pants, etc.

While American Eagle captures much of the same fun-loving attitude as Hollister, it is not bottled into the Southern California style. It encompasses the style of all of America, thus expanding the target audience and market range of its products. Click here

The conclusion

It is important for fashion brands to target their marketing and branding. This article focuses on how Hollister's advertising, marketing, storefront design, and company vision interact with each other. With my unique experience as a manager at both locations, I know more about brand design for each market than the average shopper. Be sure to choose your target market audience when designing your business.