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| Mike Jeffries Is a Jerk & Other Things That Don’t Matter Posted: 22 May 2013 05:00 AM PDT
In case you haven't heard, Mike Jeffries is a jerk. A big one. Robin Lewis was recently quoted claiming Jeffries, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, "doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people. He doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the 'cool kids'." So, Jeffries basically wants to hang a sign in front of every Abercrombie & Fitch store that reads: "No Fat Chicks". Twitter is still aflutter with girls and guys claiming they'll never, ever, ever shop there. Here's the thing though: Jeffries is a jerk, but it doesn't matter. Like, at all. In fact, here are some things that matter more than the fact that Jeffries is a jerk: 1. What you ate for breakfast this morning. If anything, the fact that Jeffries is a jerk is going to do wonders for the brand. Do I think what Jeffries has said in the past about plus size women is offensive? Yes. Do I think he's overcompensating for some deep-seated high school insecurities? Definitely. Do I think he's a fantastic marketer? Hell yes. How to Make Sales & Alienate PeopleHere's a universal truth: As a marketer, you need to know your audience. And Jeffries definitely knows his audience. He wants good looking, skinny, popular people wearing his clothes (in case you missed that the first time).
Tell me something I don't know, Internet. Here are some equally shocking revelations: 1. Chanel is a fashion brand for rich people. The only difference is Chanel, Addition Elle, and Axe don't come right out and say it. Or, at least not in the polarizing way Jeffries has. What matters is that Jeffries has an opinion. It's not an opinion everyone agrees with, but it's one those popular, attractive, skinny teenagers agree with. And that's his audience. Wake up! He doesn't care that people who have never shopped at Abercrombie & Fitch are vowing to never, ever, ever shop there. He cares that he's empowering those popular, attractive, skinny teenagers. He's focused on the people who belong (and the people who want to belong). Everything else is just free press. Not Everyone Is Going to Like You. Get Over It.This is what all marketers need to be doing. We need to have real opinions (and we can't apologize for them like Groupon). We need to make statements that will resonate with our audiences… even if they will alienate others (ahem, Chick-Fil-A). Don't be afraid of the controversy that will arise from having an opinion – it’s worth it. It's hard to make a brand relatable. Big executives invest millions in marketing teams that can help make their brands relatable to as many audiences as possible. Jeffries is pulling us in a different direction, a better direction. We need to be more like Mike Jeffries (Yeah, I said it). Stop trying to be relatable to everyone. Focus! Work on being relatable to one audience. Skinny people, overweight people, men, women, rich people, poor people, smart people, dumb people, black people, white people – whatever.
If you do it right, you'll create some controversy. You'll alienate people. You'll even piss some people off. You might be slammed by Kirstie Alley. And that's ok. In fact, it's a good thing. Because if you're alienating someone, you're simultaneously telling someone else that they belong. You have to alienate to create a sense of belonging. You have to alienate to excite your customers. It's only when you risk being polarizing that you can be truly relatable.
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