Hi everyone! Not sure how best to organize this, but the following 2 brands really delivered on a lot of points discussed in our reading. I’ve taken quotes and headings from the book, and filled in examples – this is a work in progress! Please add, and comment if you’d like J

American Apparel

• Dov Charney: “His life's great cause--which is to produce the world's finest T-shirt for between three and four dollars wholesale” (http://www.gladwell.com/2000/2000_04_24_a_tshirt.htm)
• Adopt the attitude that everything matters (83)
  • (after trying his shirts on strippers at a club near his 1^st factory – fitting models in the industry are usually paid about 100$ / hour) “What did I learn today?" he asked, as he strode out the door. "I learned that my sleeves are perfect. But I see a quality problem with the collar." He thought for a moment. "And I definitely have to add an inch to the garment."
  • Softness also comes from the way the fabric is processed before cutting, and Dov is stickler for that kind of detail. "I have a lot of secret ingredients," he says. "Just like K.F.C. There is the amount of yarn in one revolution, which determines the tightness. There's the spacing of the needle. Then there's the finishing. What kind of chemicals are you using in the finishing? We think this through. We've developed a neurosis about this."
• Create a distinctive voice (86)
  • American Apparel did this w/ it’s photography:
    http://www.americanapparel.net/
• It has a passionate and charismatic leader: Dov Charney is a nut. He’s passionate, charismatic & controversial: (58): http://www.montrealmirror.com/ARCHIVES/2003/082803/style.html
• It’s employees believe in the brand (57):
  http://www.americanapparel.net/gallery/galleryCulture.html
• The early market is after a subculture made up primarily by unconventional thinkers or opinion leaders….to primary motivators: the quest for authentic products or a desire to display their social knowledge (183)
  • American Apparel (sweatshop free / targeted socially conscious hipsters / no professional models / did his earliest fittings on strippers): http://www.americanapparel.net/mission/

Cliff Bar

• The early market is after a subculture made up primarily by unconventional thinkers or opinion leaders….to primary motivators: the quest for authentic products or a desire to display their social knowledge (183): scroll down and check-out the people writing the reviews! -- http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0787973653/ref=dp_proddesc_0/002-5151993-8832038?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
• Once you’ve nailed the idea it’s time to nurture your early market. These innovators and early adopters will be the first to realize the potential of the brand and help lower the barriers of adopting for the main market. They will define the brand by incorporating it into the very fabric of the tribe. (183)
  • They created their own blog (2005-2007), RSS & PodCast feeds:
    http://www.clifbar.com/blog/
  • CliffBar presence at the Marine Corps Marathon: http://www.marinemarathon.com/training/training_tips/trainingtips_cliffbar8df7.htm
  • The ‘Play’ section of the website has links to Events, info on “Team Cliff”
    • http://www.clifbar.com/play/events.cfm?location=events
  • It creates an air of exclusivity / It’s employees believe in the brand / It’s employees believe in the brand
    • Real Life Stories from CliffBar employees: http://www.clifbar.com/live/adventures.cfm?location=adventures