Branding

Ralph Lauren is making a bold statement on its homepage, but it's backing it up. In golden letters, the site reads "Legendary Customer Service." And, given its performance in Stella Monthly Benchmarks, that may be the case. The retailer topped the rankings for the first time, unseating J.Crew, which led all retailers for the past three months. J.Crew was still strong, ranking third, while L.L.Bean ranked second overall. Ralph Lauren was particularly strong in phone support, with an average total time to live agent under 30 seconds and 100 percent issue resolution. 

Brands have long had a symbiotic relationship with music, but as radio streaming via mobile devices continues to gain in popularity, some are finding opportunities beyond simple advertising as they look to cement relationships with millennials. Macy's last week launched its own radio station, mstyleradio, that will be available via the iHeartRadio mobile application and is intended to help the brand stay in touch with younger consumers throughout their day. The challenge Macy's will face is providing the kind of meaningful content that will make consumers want to listen in.

Many of you may know lululemon as the ultra-trendy vendor of uber-hip yoga apparel. For business journalists, lululemon is simply the gift that keeps on giving. That's because of the repeated and stunning capacity for ineptitude demonstrated by its leaders. Exhibit A: Founder Chip Wilson, who last week said his company's yoga pants just don't work for some women's bodies. I first wrote about lululemon back in March, when the company came under fire for the sheerness of its yoga pants. Customers complained that they were basically see-through. The result was a recall of 17 percent of its pants inventory.

The Company Store hasn't sent many flash-sale emails. In fact, among the 133 emails captured by Who's Mailing What! this year, only one recent email used the flash-sale strategy. However, The Company Store clearly did its homework.

Each company's founding myth is important, but the story matters more if it's bundled up in the sales pitch. Filson makes heavy wool jackets and hearty bags and other assorted outdoor gear from a bygone era (no Gore-Tex or Velcro here). Company founder Clinton C. Filson began in 1897, in Seattle, as an outfitter to prospectors headed to the Klondike for the gold rush. The story is central to what Filson is and the company's appeal. People — men, almost exclusively — have trusted C.C. Filson's product for more than 100 years for hunting, fishing, prospecting, logging and other outdoor pursuits. 

This past week, Uri Minkoff, co-founder of fashion apparel retailer Rebecca Minkoff, sat down with Refinery 29 Co-Founder and CEO Phillppe von Borries for a fireside chat at Fashion Digital NY. During the candid conversation, Minkoff shared what "growth hacking" is, how the brand connects with its millennial audience and what it's like working with his sibling.

J.C. Penney is reverting to its classic logo in a move to appeal to loyal — and likely lapsed – customers. Under former CEO Ron Johnson, the logo and company name was updated to simply jcp. That logo, introduced to much fanfare in early 2012, featured a square red frame, with "jcp" in a blue box in the top, left-hand corner — reminiscent of an American flag. The frame was used throughout J.C. Penney's stores and marketing. Scrapping the logo is just the latest attempt to roll back the former CEO's initiatives. 

Brooks Brothers, the "Makers and Merchants" of fine American suits and ties since 1818, is turning its talents on another Yankee Doodle favorite — steak. The legendary apparel emporium plans to launch a huge steakhouse, branded "Makers and Merchants," at 11 E. 44th St., around the corner from its flagship store at 346 Madison Ave., sources told the New York Post. The beefery will take over the three levels that Brooks Brothers acquired from J. Press in 2008 and used for several years for its women's line. 

There's a sense of alternate reality built in to each of URBN Inc.'s (owner of Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, BDLHN and Terrain) stores. Now URBN is taking this experience to the next level by building a branded village where ladies (and men) can live its ethereal lifestyle and buy it, too. Our sister site Racked Philly reports that the company purchased 6.5 acres in Devon, Pa. (about 30 minutes outside the heart of Philadelphia as the Google Maps flies) onto which they plan to erect a Terrain garden center, an Anthropologie, a boutique hotel, a couple farm-to-table restaurants, and more.

Luxury brands by their nature must approach digital marketing in a far different manner than brands that appeal to the masses. This includes everything from targeting to customer service. Luxury brands must be able to take the services their customers expect in-store and provide them in the digital space.