Lifestyle Branding Essay

1968 Words8 Pages
{02} What is “lifestyle branding”? When did it develop and why? What is the fundamental difference between lifestyle branding and past forms of branding? What is more important in the consumers' minds, the product or the brand itself? Life style branding is whereabouts through marketing, brands are able to convince their target consumers that the merchandise bearing their hallmark, will fortify the consumers social identity, culture and ethos. This method of branding has the ability to determine a company’s overall success within the market, as through brand names like Ralph Lauren, Dior and Armani etc. we can see clear evidence that if a brand can become associated with a luxury lifestyle (like that of Ralph Laurens life style which includes fancy yachts and polo ponies) then consumers will be drawn into purchasing a product on the basis of that particular item representing a piece of the high life. The functionality and qualities of the item then become secondary to the purchaser as by bearing that specific hallmark alone bestows a special status upon the consumer. However a ‘lifestyle’ brand may not always need to be that of opulence, as any factor that leads the consumer to feel that they belong to a group or culture can represent a lifestyle brand. Lifestyle branding came about roughly around the 1970’s when ‘Ralph Lauren King of Lifestyle’ –Lesley Scott (26 January 2007) founded Polo Fashions. ‘My goal in design is to achieve the best reality imaginable. I believe in design that has integrity, design that lasts, and whatever it is, it must be part of the lifestyle and become more personal with time.’ – Ralph Lauren (Reference 2) Ralph Lauren chose the name Polo Fashions, as he liked Polo as a sport and felt that the title represented a sense of power and style, the same types of aspects he wanted his clothes to undertake. By developing this image

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