Cognitive Dissonance: "Polo = Prole/hiphop/Outlet brand" vs. "Ralph Lauren/RLPL is not"

[Reevolving]



A few years back, I read an article in a financial newspaper (remember those?) about branding and logos. I've tried to find an online version of this article before, but I just can't find one. (I reckon it may have been published pre-GFC, that's how old it is).
The upshot of the article was that the entry level items in a luxury goods maker's range tend to be heavily branded, whereas their more expensive lines were far more subtle. The reasoning was because those buying the entry level gear were keen to be seen as being able to afford the brand; those buying at the top end were buying more for the underlying quality of the product. It was also suggested that another reason entry level heavily branded goods were less expensive is because the owners of the brand are getting publicity; the built-in advertising provided by a logo may subsidise a portion of the product's cost.
They cited Mercedes-Benz as an example: their low-end cars (A Class, B Class) had enormous three pointed stars on the front, whereas - at the time the article was published - their mid-range and high-end cars (E Class, S Class) had more subtle badging. They also cited Louis Vitton as another example of a company whose products carry different levels of branding depending on price. For the purposes of this article, Ralph Lauren probably would have been a better example.
Basically, the article was full of research to back up what everyone already knows: brand whores like brands.
As an aside, there are certain PRL products I am a big fan of. I find their chinos fit me better than most other brands and are good quality. Only one pair of these carries any branding - I do have a pair of 'Andrew' chinos that have a small PRL label on the back (not a pony, though). I am reluctant to wear PRL polo shirts and dress shirts because they have a bit of a wanky vibe (in Australia at least). My favourite polos are Brooks Brothers: very well made and (where I live, at least) the logo has no brand recognition so most people think it's some no-name polo from Target.

Thanks, tone76.
E Class
S Class

Wish I could find that article, Tone76.
Man, I am seeing this a lot, now that I'm looking for this.

 

[w.o.e.is.me.]

Btw did you ever specify what it was about this person that made you ascertain that he was "lower class"? I assume you didnt inquire as to his net worth?

 

[Reevolving]



Btw did you ever specify what it was about this person that made you ascertain that he was "lower class"? I assume you didnt inquire as to his net worth?

Well, he sort of looked like this so I assumed he wasn't a doctor or lawyer.

 

[ethanm]

Well, he sort of looked like this so I assumed he wasn't a doctor or lawyer.

Yea, because this guy wasn't worth anything

 

[mktitsworth]



Yea, because this guy wasn't worth anything

Let's avoid the subject of his branded ties...

 

[F. Corbera]

[VIDEO][/VIDEO]

 

[Nicola]

Not that I expect a lower class person to know what one of these is.

 

[RSS]

From the highest income earner to the deep discount outlet shopper, you’ll find at least one Ralph Lauren item in their homes.

Not one item of RL at any level in my home. Not one. Oh damn ... wait a sec ... a pair of trousers. Oops ... and there is a tie ... well, maybe two.

 

[Fuuma]

Not one RL item in my home, it is certainly my least favourite brand.

 

[RSS]



Not one RL item in my home, it is certainly my least favourite brand.

I really wanted to be able to say that.

But to be honest, I don't shop where brand names are offered ... unless one considers the shop name a brand.

 

[MikeDT]



Not one item of RL at any level in my home. Not one. Oh damn ... wait a sec ... a pair of trousers. Oops ... and there is a tie ... well, maybe two.

I did have some RL aftershave once, think it was a Christmas present.

 

[JubeiSpiegel]

To put this Mercedes branding theory to bed, here are some other examples of "lower class" mercs with big star grills

 

[MikeDT]

With those Mercs and their large grille branding, is that they don't have the distinctive Mercedes grille, which is a brand trademark itself.

If it wasn't for the two huge inverted 'V's, would anyone know what brand this vintage car is?

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Citroën 11B Traction Avant.

The thing is cars have always had obvious branding on them, some large and some not so large.

 

[tone76]



Wish I could find that article, Tone76.
Man, I am seeing this a lot, now that I'm looking for this.

I was really hoping to find an online version of this article. I read it about 3 or 4 years ago in one of the financial papers here (I'm thinking either the Australian Financial Review or the business section of The Australian). Either way, if the article is online, it's probably behind a paywall. The article was more about LV than M-B, but it still illustrated the point that aspirationals like heavily branded luxury goods, and certain manufacturers heavily brand their entry level lines to cater for this demand, whilst keeping their traditional high end lines more subtle.

I'm guessing they didn't use RL as an example in the article because in Australia, very few are aware that RL has any lines other than PRL.

 

[SteG]

Isn't RL's multi-label strategy simply a pricing policy tool to 'skim' as many potential customers (incorporating their respective bugdets) as possible?

menswear (selection):

Purple Label - top level, English-countryside-style designer clothing, Made in England items, highest price
Black Label - Italian-style business wardrobe, narrow silhoutte, Made in Italy items (and import), high price
Black Label Denim - jeans-based extension of the Black Label brand
RRL - vintage-inspired cowboy-style denim brand, limited availability, signature stores, upper medium price
Polo - original brand, main label, better sportswear, full range of clothing and accessories, most available brand, medium price
Polo Big & Tall - extenstion of the Polo brand for irregular sizes
Polo Create your own - semi-individual extension of the Polo brand (online store)
RLX - professional-style sports clothing (successor of discontinued leisure sports clothing label Polo Sport), medium price
Polo Golf, Polo Tennis - specialized sports clothing labels
Pink Pony - cancer charity clothing collection, limited range, exempt from price reductions, medium price
Denim & Supply - casual, denim-inspired sportswear for younger customers (successor of discontinued Polo Jeans Co. label), lower price
Lauren Ralph Lauren - lower medium priced, conservative business line for department store distribution
Ralph by Ralph Lauren - lower-priced business line for Dillard's department stores

Rugby Ralph Lauren - college-style sportswear for younger consumers with signature stores, separate operation, lower medium price
Chaps - low-priced full range collection for department store distribution
American Living - low-priced full range collection for department store distribution

Club Monaco - contemporary sportswear, owned by Ralph Lauren Corporation, medium price