Communicating the positively negative

There is an old expression in the communications world that there is no such thing as bad publicity. This, of course, is not true and we've seen this time and again with social media missteps by politicians, celebs, athletes and corporate executives. Still, it's an interesting question, especially in light of a recent move by a major clothing brand. And it brings to the surface an interesting question: Can you create a positive outcome from a negative statement that you made purposefully and that you attempt to control?

In a nutshell, I'm talking about an unusual intersection betewen reality pop culture and fashion branding. Specifically, the somewhat niche reality programming from MTV titled "Jersey Shore" and the clothing brand Abercrombie & Fitch. One of the most visible cast members of the show, who calls himself "The Situation" appeared on the show wearing A&F branded clothing. A&F, in an unprecedented move, publicly offered to pay The Situation to NOT wear their clothing. This is the negative that was mentioned at the beginning of this post.

But when you look at this move, it is an extremely clever, if audacious, move for A&F to make. Their market niche is clearly upscale casual clothing for a youthful and fashion-conscious market. MTV audiences fit into that demographic and are a large part of the A&F target market, so are they risking alienation of their prime market? The answer is no because the watchers of Jersey Shore, along with most other reality shows that are similar in nature, are purely voyeuristic, and viewers are more likely to see themselves as apart from the cast rather than associating themselves with those lifestyles.

In fact, A&F Chief Executive Mike Jeffries was even quoted as saying “We’re having a lot of fun with it” when asked about the offer to pay The Situation. And it is fun. If they alienate anyone, it will be those who are not truly aligned with their brand anyway. And those who feel themselves above the cast of Jersey Shore will feel more comfortable with the differentiation that they receive from wearing A&F clothing. And, when all is said and done, back-to-school sales for A&F have been just fine, even in this uncertain economy.

This is smart marketing and well executed communication by a company who really knows who is loyal to their brand. Ironically, it was never about being negative.

I'd love to hear your feedback, please take a moment to tell me what you think.