• by John Gaffney , November 7, 2002

If this were a self-help tutorial, it might be called “When Bad Things Happen To Good Brands.” Lately several high profile brands have found themselves hitting a target audience they weren’t aiming to reach, and seeing mixed consequences as a result. Media experts say the problem represents a new challenge for media planners and buyers.

“Advertising needs to be clear and it needs to match your company,” says California design consultant and fashion designer Maureen Erbe. “Some of what we’re seeing right now is that some brands find a different audience as a result of happenstance and some get lost due to poor messaging and ad placement.”

The most significant example of brands going off track is Tommy Hilfiger. In the 80s and early 90s it represented the young, monied and active demographic. It was dueling with Ralph Lauren as the king of activewear at Sax, Bloomingdale’s and other high-end retailers. Then in 1994 the hottest thing in rap, Snoop Dogg, showed up on Saturday Night Live wearing oversized Hilfiger clothes and the game was on. Hilfiger was the hottest urban band, and rode a wave of sales because of it. But when the kids stopped buying, Hilfiger had to recast itself. That effort is currently underway. Part of it can be seen in tighter fitting rural scene print spreads in GQ and The New York Times Sunday Magazine.

Nick Wreden, CEO of consultant FusionBranding said the Hilfiger brand was driven more by poor product quality than lack of shelf space at high-end retail. Brands like TH need to be ready for anything, and adjust accordingly, he said.

“Ultimately, brands get what they deserve,” Wreden said. “If I was at Hilfiger the hip-hop thing wouldn’t trouble me a bit. You see, brands think they can control themselves and it’s my contention that customers define brands. This brand stopped bringing something special to the table.”

For Wreden, Hilfiger needs to concentrate on making better clothes. He sees other brands losing value and in danger of losing their core customer. Among those: RCA electronics, CNN and Microsoft. CNN, he believes, is losing quality and individuation where rival Fox is gaining on those points.

Courvoisier is another brand that stands to find a new audience that it hadn’t planned on. A top-shelf cognac, it too has been co-opted by the hip-hop generation. Busta Rhymes has a new hit song called “Pass The Courvoisier” which is diametrically opposed to the quieter, elegant position you’ll find for the brand in Esquire. Lynn Parker, author of “Integrated Branding” and a consultant at BrandForward says brands like Courvoisier should embrace new fans without ditching their image.

“What the market is telling them is that their basic market is expanding,” she said. “It has a broader appeal to more demographic groups. Maybe they should come up with a sub brand to address that, like Courvoisier Blue. On the downside it means your market research didn’t get close to the street. Brands should never be surprised by a new audience.”

Some brands are even playing offense in a move to protect the high-end flank. Mercedes has launched cross-promotions with The Ritz Carlton, and ultra-high-end fashion accessories. Coach has upped it s annual research budget to $2 million annually. “You can keep a brand on track,” says Wreden. “But there’s a lot to it these days.”