March 08 Case Study: FredPerry.com / Subculture

Karen D’Silva

At first glance, you might wonder why preppy polo shirt designer Fred Perry is using such a creative looking image for his most recent campaign. Most Americans see Fred Perry as the Wimbledon champion who introduced the world to the classic look of the polo shirt. So why does this image look more like a Jimmy Hendrix album cover than a Ralph Lauren ad? The answer to this question lays in his audience. Like many of the advertisements we use for our Spark articles, here is another example of a product successfully creating a lifestyle in which to exist.

The Fred Perry ad illustrated here is of course to sell their shirts, but if you look closer, you will find a reference to their alternative music site - subculture. Marketing to Gen Y is a completely different ball game than past demographics. Studies have shown Gen Y sees themselves as a member of a clan, a community. In order to connect with this demographic, you must make a deeper emotional connection to their world. If you want to reach this group, you need to take a risk and incorporating creativity is essential. Thinking outside the traditional sell shows the young customer you understand what is important to their world and that you can speak their language. Just look at the companies who host pages on myspace and facebook.

Fredperry.com is an ecommerce catalog at your fingertips, but it is also an alternative music community acclaimed for bringing young talent as well as classic British artists to your ears. Subculture showcases songs, videos, live performances as well as promotes and sponsors music gigs. To give Fred Perry props, since the 50’s his clothing has been intertwined with British youth culture and music. One could even say he’s had street cred since the British Mods. His success in generating a creative community doesn’t end with music. For eight seasons, Fred Perry has collaborated with avant-garde Japanese clothing designer Comme de Garcons, and his Blank Canvas project is just one more example showing his commitment to supporting both new and established design talent.

Getting back to the image, photographer Julian Hayr and agency DeFacto have done a fabulous job of flying below the radar of mainstream and speaking to their targeted audience. It’s a difficult job to shoot and market an image to Gen Y. As seen in the details of this image, it’s the subtle nuances and treatment of the image that brings out it’s youthful rebellious attitude. The ad as well as “the Fred” brand embodies the spirit and energy of creativity. Now who wouldn’t want to be a member of this club?

 
Meg Asaro

I remember when the country club lifestyle was equated with clean, crisp tennis whites.  My, my, how the preppy look has changed with the times. Fred Perry’s sports brand was popularized in the 1950’s while he commentated tennis matches in this now iconic top. 

To speak to Karen’s point of marketing to youth culture, this image was created more in the vein of an iTunes ad than Tretorn.  The first thing I notice is how this image is saturated with color.  It is electric, crackling with potent energy.  So much so that her hair emanates blue and her shirt has a black sheen that highlights both the fabric and the logo. (Turns out this top she has on is made of silk.  What a unique way to illustrate that fact.) This is done to capture the attention of today’s youth, where a game of cool chasing is usually in play.  The image has a feeling of computer generation, like a human character you would find in a video or online reality.  Marketers have to work hard to attract this technocentric audience today.

In order to differentiate themselves from other sports lifestyle brands like Puma or Adidas, Fred Perry is taping into their lineage of being the first ‘sportswear to streetwear brand’.  Subculture - the website that this ad is driving viewers to - was founded by music legend Paul Weller in September of 2005. Capitalizing on this history of youth culture co-opting Fred Perry for street props, this site is more of a cool seeking destination then a clothing manufacturer storefront. It is chock full of sounds, emerging artists, videos and gig dates to keep any cat in the musical now.  Meshing fashion, sports and music is not new but, Fred Perry wears it’s crown tight as the leader in this type of marketing integration between industries. 

The choice of model speaks to the audience they are trying to attract. She is strong, contemplative and individual.  By casting this ‘look’ they are accomplishing two tasks simultaneously. 1.  She is her own person.  Not only does she have a unique beauty, visual tricks are also incorporated - such as making her hair look ‘painterly’ - so that she appears ‘one of a kind’.  2.  By selling individuality, Fred Perry is welcoming you to join a hip clan that comes with it’s own sound track and central online meeting place.  The word alone - subculture - sounds subversive.  A place your parents won’t find you.  A place where you will be accepted.  A place where you too can be mod, just by visiting.

Click here to view larger featured image.
 

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