Stylish British department store Harvey Nichols is going to the dogs. Well, a man and his dog, to be precise. Harvey Nichols recently announced that it is teaming up with the animated team of Wallace & Gromit, the claymation stars of “The Wrong Trousers,” “A Close Shave” and “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.”
This might mean little to readers not familiar with British culture, but imagine “The Simpsons” meets Saks Fifth Avenue and you will have some idea of this unlikely combination.
U.K.-based Harvey Nichols promotes a very cosmopolitan and upscale identity, but they have decided to feature a very local and down-at-heel duo in its latest advertising campaign. Am I ever going to feel the same about Harvey Nichols ever again? Or Wallace & Gromit for that matter?
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Wallace & Gromit personally. I love the humor and the fantastic animation. Check out the video below to get an idea of what they are like.
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And while I may not be posting mash-ups on YouTube like this one:
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I am not going to miss the new movie, “A Matter of Loaf and Death,” when it comes out.
But come on, do these two have what it takes to advertise a fashion store? That green vest! Those trousers! That tie! And you are lucky if Gromit is wearing anything at all. It just seems such a weird match, like chalk and cheese. (Of course, Wallace would insist on Wensleydale cheese.)
And I guess that’s the point. Harvey Nichols are suggesting that they can make even this unlikely duo look good. Click here to see them dressed in garments by Dolce and Gabbana, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen and more.
But will it work, I wonder? Or could the association backfire on Harvey Nichols? I just read this article in Time Magazine that descirbes work done by Andrea Morales and Gavan Fitzsimons, instructors of marketing at Duke and Arizona State University, respectively. Their research found that when food, even food that is sealed and wrapped, touches something that has “disgusting” associations (like a package of toilet paper or a bag of kitty litter), people find the food less desirable
Intriguingly, the article concludes by suggesting that the opposite effect can occur. Morales states, “It turns out that if male customers see an attractive woman touching a garment, like a T-shirt, the men are more likely to want it.”
Now what does that mean for Harvey Nichols new ad campaign? Will potential shoppers shy away from a store that aligns itself with a duo better known for tatty clothes, sheep and brown wallpaper? Your guess is as good as mine. Please let me know what you think.
(9 votes, average: 4.22 out of 5)
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September 1st, 2008 at 12:49 pm
No bloviations from me on this one - but I did shoot a link across the pond:
http://www.20plus30.com/blog/2008/08/is-this-age-neutral-advertising.html
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:53 am
Thanks Chuck, Google alerts notified me of the pass. Thanks!
September 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm
I’m not very familiar with the Harvey Nichols brand, however I have been a fan of Wallace and Gromit since it’s entry into the American market (thanks to a great art teacher) and have always found them whimsical and clever.
When I first read that Wallace and Gromit was teaming up with an upscale British clothier, my initial thoughts were that it made perfect sense. Maybe it’s my American mentality that all things British carry with them an air of refinement and class, but I don’t think that you can equate Wallace and Gromit with the Simpsons. Whereas the Simpsons utilizes crude humor and revolves around the troubles of a beer-swigging father and his mischievous adolescent son, Wallace and Gromit are simple characters with a penchant for getting caught up in grand adventures.
Likewise, even though Wallace and Gromit may not emanate the same refinement that one might expect from Harvey Nichols, I don’t think that they present as big of a leap as you suggest. Though once again this may be more of a cultural issue, I think that the implications of Wallace and Gromit advertising fine clothing are different from more “lowbrow” characters who might cause disternation amongst consumers. While they undoubtedly don’t fit the part, I don’t think they will have a negative effect on the clothing. The real question is whether or not they will increase sales.
On a separate note, I wonder if through this campaign the company intends to draw in new customers. By utilizing a character who is easily accessible, it may entice customers who previously never associated themselves or their lifestyle with Harvey Nichols. One industry I have noticed doing this a lot lately is the car industry, in which luxury automakers such as Lexus have been promoting the idea that a Lexus is for “everyone” and not just for the typical rich crowd.
Though a luxury brand such as Harvey Nichols will obviously want to target affluent consumers, there are always those who have the money but don’t consider themselves a part of the traditional rich crowd. This is particularly true for younger generations, or those with newly acquired money, and I would be interested to see if Harvey Nichols had this group in mind when designing this campaign.
September 9th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Here’s an explanation for the combination: Harvey Nichols used the creative in a range of print ads to launch a new store in Bristol - the city is the place where Wallace & Gromit were created by Nick Park and Aardman animation. A great reason for “going to the dogs”
September 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
Bristol is a city? And I thought she was Sarah Palin’s daughter.