NOMIS
http://www.nomisdesign.com/
Nomis is a snowboard outerwear company that is based just outside of Vancouver. This company prides itself on designing specialty clothing specifically aimed towards snowboarders and those involved in the sport. The reason that I have chosen Nomis to study is because I have followed this company since it was created in 2004 by pro snowboarder Simon Chamberlain. Although this brand is still relatively small, it has become very successful in the snowboarding community, due in large part to their unique designs and an impressive professional team.
1) I feel that Nomis meets the needs of the golden question. The name Nomis is memorable, because it is the name of their creator and biggest team name spelled backwards. This makes the name memorable for the customer who is involved in the industry. The reason that that Nomis is important is because in an over saturated market these designs stand out when you are out on the hill. There is yet to be another company that creates graphics the way that fit the style in snowboarding currently.
2) Although Nomis meets has passed the first test, I feel they have some work to do on the number two rule. Many companies in the snowboard industry are trying to set themselves apart from each other in a saturated marketplace where everyone and their grandma are starting their own “unique” clothing line. Until this study I did not realize Nomis had a tagline. I found it in fact does, Listen, support, and reflect. Pretty weak in my opinion. Although this is a positive message that Nomis is trying to send, it does not remotely tell me what it is that they do and how they are different from every other clothing company out there. They do not even suggest that they may be in the snowboard industry. This leads me to believe that they fail the number two rule.
3) I feel that many brands in the action sports industry would fail the number three rule when put to the test. Often print ads in snowboarding feature a team rider performing a difficult trick, while wearing the company’s product. This is where Nomis fails again. In these ads, the rider becomes the “star” of the ad instead of the product. However, this raises an interesting question. These ads are featuring someone who is a direct extension of the brand. Although many people admit that one of the main reasons that they choose certain brands throughout the action sports industry has a direct relationship with the members of that team. So is this an immediate problem for these companies?
http://www.hanger94.com/images/manufacturers/nomis_banner.jpg
Although Nomis fails two of the three questions that make up a good brand, I will continue to be a proud supporter of the brand due toothier ideas on creating a specialized brand that is built from the ground up by snowboarders for snowboarders.
Pabst Blue Ribbon
http://pabstblueribbon.com/
The second brand that I have chosen to examine is Pabst Blue Ribbon. I have chosen PBR because it seems that in recent years has made a considerable comeback with young people. It seems as though you cant to a bar without seeing somebody with a PBR in their hand. I am curious to see if these rules reveal that their branding had anything to do with the overall staying power of this product.
1) Pabst Blue Ribbon makes the claim that they make the best beer on the market. Although this may have been true back in the mid 1880’s when they originally earned their blue ribbon status, I can tell you right now that this is no longer the case. This portion fails the believable part of the question, because anyone that has ever tasted a PBR can tell you that there are better beers on the market. Although they have claimed the Blue Ribbon status which makes them memorable and important among other beers.
2) Pabst Blue Ribbon is the only brand to my knowledge that has claimed to have won a blue ribbon; even it was back in the 1880’s. It simply would not be the same if any other brand tried to attach their name to the “blue ribbon” label.
3) It is hard to find a PBR ad out there unless you are really looking. Most of the ads that I see around town consist of neon PBR signs in liquor store windows. These signs do a great job of making their product the star, simply because there is no fluff involved, just the fact that they make a good beer.
http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/11d/4/AAAAAo5DLXIAAAAAAR1HGA.jpg
It seems that Pabst Blue Ribbon fails the first rule, which in fact proves that people simply like PBR because it is a cheap, decent beer, not because it is a great brand.
Audi
http://www.audiusa.com/us/brand/en.html
Audi has become one of the premiere automakers in the industry. From an outside perspective they seem to do this by producing elegant designs that are backed by a quality product. The reason that Audi was chosen as one of my brands to examine is because they produce an elegant and functional product without having to go over the top with flashy and unnecessary design features in order to get the viewers attention.
1) Audi: Truth in Engineering. Audi’s message is saying that they are the brand that has truly discovered how to build a car the right way. Although I am not economically fortunate enough to own one of these machines, they have been able to maintain the reputation of a premiere if not the premiere car brand in the industry. The reliability of these cars shows that they. Their name is elegant, memorable and most importantly they are able to back up their message through their reliable product.
2) Many companies may be able to say that they have found “Truth In Engineering”. Although I don’t feel that many other car companies claiming this would hold much water. The reliability of an Audi has shown that they have found a way to effectively engineer their cars.
3) Audi has always made their car the star of the ad. These ads often feature the car light in a way that brings the viewers attention straight to the car. Here are a couple of examples:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6rj5jisB7g
http://ronyoder.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/audi-ad.jpg
DVS Shoe Company
I have always loved DVS shoes. They make some of the most comfortable and reliable shoes that I have found on the skate shoe market. These shoe are very stylish yet also low profile and not overly flashy. Since DVS began in 1995 they have continued to adapt to the ever-changing market of skateboarding without losing sight of what their brand is about.
1) This is another brand that is built upon the model of a skateboarder driven company. Built from the ground up by pro skateboarders in order to create the shoes that the skateboard industry was missing. They have become important by creating some of the most comfortable, durable skate shoes that are being produced on the market while remaining true to their audience. Their concepts are still believable because in a market where the style seems to change everyday they have managed to maintain a positive image throughout the skateboarding community while producing quality products.
2) Unfortunately for DVS, man other skateboard shoe companies such as Etnies or Lakai also can make the claim that they have the best skate shoe on the market while also maintaining a rider driven company that has remained true to the sport and its ideals throughout the years. So DVS fails the substitution question.
3) The third question rides the same lines as the third question for Nomis. DVS ads also often feature riders from their team performing a trick that does not necessarily make the product the “star” of the ad. This again says that DVS fails the third piece of criteria.
http://www.redbullskateboarding.com/articles/zered_bassett_dvs_new_york_flip.jpg
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