"Live In These Jeans" Campaign

This summer, AE started the "Live in these jeans" campaign, complete with facebook-posted video and jeans giveaway sweepstakes. I think they made an interesting video depicting their vision of AE values and young lifestyle personality. I think PacSun will have a lot more to offer than people falling though the air and girls posing on male models, but it's a little food for thought.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=823035049143

Style advice from The Situation: Be you

"No matter what T-shirt you select, whether it’s fitted, graphic, sequined, bedazzled, crew-neck, deep-V, wifebeater, or what-have-you, it’s about being proud of who you are. If you want to bust out a deep-V that’s safety-cone orange because you think that’s your color, then wear the hell out of that fruity shirt so everybody in the club knows that nobody owns it like you do. Set the trends, don’t follow them. I wear what makes me feel good because I’m at the tip of the spear—the cutting edge of fashion that’s fresh to death. When I see something I like, I grab it. My only system when I shop for fresh apparel is my own primal reaction to what I see, the moment I see it. When I enter a store, I trust my eye to zero in on what’s mint. That’s the single most effective system I have for knowing when to pull the trigger on a purchase. If I find myself hemming and hawing, that’s a clear indication that the garment in question is not destined to make my rotation. I walk away from the rack because I’ve failed to make a connection to those threads. On the other hand, if I know from the moment I see it that that particular piece is going to make me look awesome, I trust my instinct completely and it comes home with The Sitch." - from his new book

How-To Branded "Viral"

Yes, that's the correct term nowadays, isn't it? " "Viral" "? Not that there's a checklist for how to make branded video that people love and rapidly share, but if there were... it might look something like these keen recommendations from Mashable.

Read in the spirit of having fun and getting the most, for the least.

Slouch in Trends

A surprising look (based on your fashion background) that's creeping up is, according to All The Rage blog on LAtimes.com, sweats. The comfortable and sporty look is being compared to velour and terrycloth leisure suits of ole. You can expect the new look to feature tailored fitting, drop crotch, drawstring waist, and slim ankle opening. Celebs like Gwen Stefani are rocking them and the style can be seen on the runway. Something tells me this one's gonna be popular with the kids.

Brands Are Part of Millennials' Core Values

Earlier in our branding exploration we were tossing around the importance of creating a PacSun initiative that our Millennial customers could get behind. While we haven't acted on it yet, Edleman recently published a study indicating that "taking action on behalf of brands" is part of Millennials' (born 1980-1995) core values. "Taking action" includes sharing brand experiences with others, joining online communities, and posting reviews online. According to the study, more than 8 in 10 have acted on behalf of a brand they support. Here are the study's key findings:

Brand relationships are a form of self expression: Brand preference ranks with religion and ethnicity as top personal identifiers that 8095ers are willing to share about themselves online.

Information is a key to influence: In addition to 8095ers that use four or more sources of information to help them make brand purchase decisions, thirty-one percent use seven or more sources of information.

Taking action on behalf of brands is a core value: Fifty-seven percent of 8095ers would volunteer to try new products from a preferred brand and most would post an online review of the experience.

Reverberation is online, offline and increasingly mobile: For those brands that Millennials love, 68 percent have recommended their products to friends and family and 44 percent have friended/followed that brand on their social network

• 
  

I wonder, in the ever-evolving brandscape, what acting in support of a brand can mean in a myriad of ways. What about sponsor or partnerships? For example, I love Tour de Fat, I've been in San Francisco, I'll go in LA. I love bikes and I love festivals. But, as the Tour is sponsored and promoted by New Belgium, does it also mean that I'm acting on behalf of the brand? How conscious of our "brand actions" do we need to be in order for it to count in a study? Does it help or hurt the brand when people are lured to support something they're not aware of? Well, I don't think Edleman answers these questions, but there's more information about the study here.

Happy ponderings!

PacSun now available globally!

PacSun is now available ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD thanks to a partnership with a new, Israeli-based company called FiftyOne. While US culture, brands and entertainment have been exported to the four corners of the world, until recently, American retailers have had a hard time exporting their wares - despite the longing by tens of millions of people to shop the websites of American retail legends like Bloomingdales, Macy's, the Gap, and many others. FiftyOne, which enables online sales of US retailers, is a way to get around this. PacSun's international Facebook fans can finally rejoice!

What the Kids are wearing

Some street style from BTS fashion at USC courtesy of the LA Times Image Section.

Prices SLASHED.

Upper-end retailers are cutting prices wayyy back this holiday season to create what they call "trip-driving items", purchases that will get people out of the house and into the mall. Some popular sale trends are "bogo", 40-80% additionally marked down from sale prices, changing bargains throughout the day and additional 20% off your purchase of $2,000+ [Macy's].

Despite these outrageous sales, retailers are still focusing attention on their seasonal campaigns promoting specific brands or products. Here's the full article from the New York Times.

Burbank Fashion

Apparently downtown Burbank is a place we need to scope when rounding up our style icons.

Here are some street style photos from Brand X.

Lessons in Logo Redesign

Though The Gap is not a direct PacSun competitor, this whole logo redesign debacle is worth watching closely. People are LIVID.

In a nutshell:

The Gap redesigned their classic blue box and serif logo. It now looks like American Apparel and looks like a 10-year old did it in about 8 minutes. In response, Gap's President issued a rather unenthusiastic statement explaining the redesign and standing by the new logo, but acknowledged that they need to foster this energy and engage in dialog with their consumers by offering a chance for consumers' to submit designs. At the outset, that seemed like a "save," but it seems to be backfiring. On their Facebook Page, hundreds of designers are expressing their outrage over this crowdsourcing experiment calling it "spec work" and lazy.

Watching this unfold will be amazing. One for the history books, no doubt.

Read all about it:

From Fast Company: Gap's Retro Redesign Incites Flaming Logo Rage
From AdAge: Gap Introduces New Logo, Mass Criticism Ensues

Sooooooo....

Lesson #1: Don't let your 10-year old redesign your logo in Microsoft Word.
Lesson #2: When the entire design community and consumers at-large erupt in outrage, don't try to turn it into some crowdsourcing experiment.

The Buckle Net Sales Jump 8.7% in September

While we've established that PacSun doesn't really consider The Buckle a primary competitor, they're doing something right. While net sales improved by 8.7% in September, comp store sales grew 3.0%. They're also up 1.5% in the first 35 weeks of the year.

The Buckle Net Sales Jump 8.7% in September

The Perfect PacSun Summer Day...

On a beautiful summer afternoon, this is where we would find the PacSun "Action Sports Guy" and "Cali Girl." To them, action sports aren't about performances; they're just an organic part of the Left Coast lifestyle. This is the equivalent of east coast kids playing pick up basketball or street hockey.

Have I ever mentioned...

...that Forever21 has a wide range of Jesus wear?

Left Coast Feelin

I was perusing one of our office issues of Spread, Art and Culture magazine for some Left Coast inspiration and, lo and behold, found it in this great photography. The images all share a sense of present, a lack of fear, and that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when something special is about to happen, like Christmas morning when you were 5 years old.

The first three are images are from the series called "Lakes" by Michael Schnabel, a photographer well known for landscape. I love the intrigue, exploration, but at the same time, familiarity.

This night-to-day photography by Stephen Wilkes also blew my mind. I find it representative of youthful confidence, ownership. The city is your playground, both day and night.

And this last one, well it's just beautiful. (Matthew Monteith)

Malcolm Gladwell on the social media revolution

Not tied to retail per se, but...please, please read Malcolm Gladwell's recent New Yorker article on how a well informed and structured group can be much more effective at creating change than even a network of people who outnumber them by ten fold. It’s a social media critique on the age old question of, which is more important, “quality or quantity?”.

Winner of O'Neill teen design competition to be sold at PacSun

O'Neill's third annual "Generation Next" runway show is taking place on Oct 9 in LA. Generation Next is a six-month design competition that gives high school girls a chance to design a look from start to finish with the help of O'Neill's design and marketing team. Each of five finalists create a line including a dress or romper with handbag, and assemble a team of 15 peers to help with production, marketing and showing their look. The winning design - chosen by live/online audiences via txt voting - will be sold exclusively at PacSun stores as part of O’Neill’s Spring 2011 collection. The winner also receives a design scholarship, O'Neill wardrobe and feature in Teen Vogue. Sort of Idol meets Project Runway.

The Left Coast Guide to This Weekend.

Watch what you wish for. Here’s a list of ways to get your Left Coast on this weekend. Each provides a sideways experience that’s fun, a bit experimental, and has the potential for a great story. LA with a twist.

THURSDAY, SEPT 30th
1. Villains Tavern Opening

Awesome new steampunk-themed bar in the Downtown Arts District.

Soft-open 10PM, 1356 Palmetto St; Downtown

2. Go eat a bacon wrapped hotdog. I will if you will. Rumor has it, the best are in downtown and Hollywood. But also outside Bigfoot West (on Venice) if you want one closer.

3. Evening Farmers Market

Every Thursday in South Pasadena, "farmers string their stalls with lights as if it were Christmas." A downhome event to relax with chill company, good food, and ad hoc concerts.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1st

4. Neon Indian @the Music Box
"Chillwave" electronica band has been praised by Rolling Stone Magazine and Pitchfork media, alike. The band originated in Denton, TX but strongly represents LC values. The music is generally about drugs and teenage ennui.

$22.50, Music Box

5. Santa Monica Critical Mass

Critical Mass is a monthly bike mob to further cyclist awareness. It happens monthly in cities around the world.

Cannon by Santa Monica Pier, 6:30PM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2nd

6. Eagle Rock Music Festival

Non-profit festival for emerging local music on Colorado Blvd. Awesome.

$5, 4-11PM, Eagle Rock

7. Venice Beach Drum Circle

Some people say the Saturday crowd is a little friendlier. If you're interested in making noise, dancing, and getting on a first-name basis with someone who would ask you for money, this is the place.

Venice: 1833 Ocean Front Walk

8. Point Break Live

At each interactive, loud and wet show, one member of the audience gets to play Keanu Reeves's character from the blockbuster hit POINT BREAK.

$20, 8PM, Hollywood: 6510 Santa Monica Blvd

9. LA Derby Dolls bout

This Saturday. Our very own LA Derby Dolls Flight Crew vs. the Sirens. This is a highly anticipated bout with a strong rivalry. And

women's contact athletes take their rivalries very seriously. Tickets here.

$18-$40, 6PM, Silverlake

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3rd

10. Sweaty Sundays
You dance. You sweat. Youdress up like Richard Simmons in an American Apparel ad.

$10, 12PM & 1:30PM, Silver Lake: 3327 SUNSET BLVD. LA 90026

11. Montana LA

Check out the beautiful and comprehensive spray paint shop that's already sparked a little controversy.

1528 1/2 W. Sunset Blvd.

12. 181 Bike Polo

FREE at the price of FUN. It looks like this.
3PM, North Hollywood: Magnolia & Tujunga

WEDNESDAY, OCT 6th

13. Coreyoke

Rock out with LA renowned live karaoke backed by 80's music band, the Coreys. "The best 80's Karaoke band ever."

(Every Wednesday) 10PM, The Happy Ending: 7038 Sunset Blvd.

WWD shines a light on PacSun's turnaround

Check out this must-read WWD article on Gary's vision for PacSun. I must say, this got me extremely excited for the year ahead. A few highlights:

• The turnaround blueprint includes pumping up the fashion quotient in juniors, reviving its shoe category and offering more exclusive items from vendors.
• Three key areas of focus: product, customer relevance and engaging shoppers in stores.
• Both Men's and Women's is targeting an older, more fashion-minded customer that has less to do with core action sports and more to do with a casual, culturally-aware lifestyle.
  
• The phrase “something special” came up a few times in terms of what they customer wants, and what PacSun will now deliver. Also a clear emphasis on speed and fashion.

Guys: Costner! Girls: Gibson...

PacSun is ironing out some kinks in its business, from customer service to inventories to real estate. But it's certainly not all doom and gloom.

Check out the commendable rebound performance for Guys in Q2. Their strategy to bolster, collaborate with and celebrate "heritage" brands appears to be paying off. Costner!


For Juniors, the story is not as pretty (Gibson)...but not surprising. Christine Lee has just begun to work her magic, and her impact won't be fully felt until Spring 2011. If Guys is an evolution, Juniors is the revolution.


Post glossary:

• Comps: short for Comparable Store Sales, the standard measurement of retail productivity. It reflects the revenue of 1+ stores today vs. that same set of stores one year ago today.
• Gibson = bad
  
• Costner = good
  

Nordstrom's Revamped Website is Less Catalog, More Social

Great find, Alex S!

From Apparel News: Nordstrom's Revamped Website is Less Catalog, More Social

Nordstrom really stepped things up with their latest website redesign, making a very serious commitment to building community through social media features built into the site. It's quite impressive. Judging by the number of comments and likes throughout the site, people seem to be taking to it.

The "Conversation" tab is the most intriguing. It features a forum, a blog, and an impressive amount of high-quality original editorial content. Very similar in principle to PacSun's Community Page.

Explore and get the full rundown of the new features here.