generAEtionMiami UniversityJordan Biagini, Lindsay Brewster, Cat CirinoJoe Lee, Daniela Santisteban, Tyler Taylor

SWOT

Opportunities

• Utilization of new music strategy to enhance current brand

• Deeper engagement with target market

Threats

• Wasting resources on weak execution

• Stagnation

Strengths

• Classic clothing essentials that are “Made to Last”

• Well-known jeans

Weaknesses

• Brand not resonating with target market

• Unfocused music strategy

Initial Research• Pared down music genres • Most popular genre of music: Classic Rock

• 42% of net generation respondents said they liked Classic Rock

• 20% of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin albums sales: Teens 13-17

• Technology: younger generations can tap into tunes of the past

• Focused future research on Classic Rock

Research:

• Online Survey:  240 Responses

• Personal Interviews:  6

• Focus Group:  7 Individuals

• Secondary Sources:  Miscellaneous

Methods

Research:

Music Type

Research: Music Type

Research:

Music Type

Research: AE Perceptions

OPPORTUNITY: Strengthening AE's identity

• Difficult to identify AE's primary theme and messaging

- Elements, but lack competition’s concreteness of brand

• Could not easily identify AE's music

• AE needs anchoring brand cornerstones - Undefined connection to "American"

OBJECTIVE: Build definitive, encompassing theme into AE

Research: Our IdentityPROBLEM: How to connect with college students

• Our Generation:- Music and identities “chosen for us”- No great “movements” in our time- “Autotune” Generation

• “Classic” Generation- Had substance, purpose,involved- Messages in music- Feels defined

SOLUTION: Draw from the heritage of music’s past

Research: Our Identity

Big Ideas

• The soul of generAEtion:  Classic Rock

(60s 70s 80s)

• Not a promotion, but an attitude

• Create a culture, a movement; a

unified

brand

Mission:  

“Instill the spirit and vitality of classic rock and

the resilient heritage of vintage Americana as

the inherent and natural roots of American

Eagle”

Agenda

• generAEtion• Our Vision

• Execution• Brand enhancement• Official Launch

• Specifics• Timeline• Budget• Measurement Tools• Outcomes & Summary

Introducing…

Why GenerAEtion?• We are looking to define our

generation

• Creating a culture- This is our heritage,

“4th of July”

- This is how we can define

ourselves- AE is part of this story

The Meaning:1. Spirit of past generations

2. Generation: Proactive, living

3. Define our Generation

Store Integration

Capture classic American feeling, “bring the attitude”

American Eagle = too clean, hard to define theme

American, Vintage, Rustic"Jean Philosophy":  worn in, rough,

classic

Pittsburgh, New York, ChicagoExecution:

Primary Themes:

Research:

Objective:

Store Integration: Decor

• Signage: Album covers, famous pictures of artists

• Darken lights

• Paint:- Replace whites with dark name, maroon- Stain lighter woods to walnut/cherry

• Vintage American décor

• Polaroids: Small snapshots of models integrated into table displays and signs

Store Integration: Heritage Wall

• What is American heritage, and how can it be implemented into AE?

• American Timeline and History:- Denim “1853: Levi Strauss invents denim, blue jeans.”- Cars “1964: Ford introduces the first Mustang model.”- Music “1971: Don McLean releases legendary song ‘American Pie’.”- History “1963: MLK Jr. delivers ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.”

Jean Re-Branding

• Changing the jeans to famous artists- Stevie Skinnies- Bruce Bootleg

• “Jeans threaded with the genes of legends”

• “Our music and our jeans fade at the same rate – never. Grab a fresh pair of Stevie Skinnies at 40% off.”

Playlists: Pandora/In-Store

1. Purple Haze- Jimi Hendrix

2. Jaded- Aerosmith

3. American Woman- Guess Who

4. Born To Run- Bruce Springsteen

5. Revolution- The Beatles

6. My Generation- The Who

7. Paint It Black- The Rolling Stones

8.  Don’t Stop Believing- Journey

9.  Go Your Own Way- Fleetwood Mac

10. Sweet Home Alabama- Lynyrd Skynrd

11. Money- Pink Floyd

12. It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me- Billy Joel

13. Another One Bites the Dust- Queen

14. Benny and the Jets- Elton John

15. Billy Jean- Michael Jackson

Grunge

Rebellion

Grunge

Rebellion

Feel Good

Timeless

Feel Good

Timeless

Anthems

Anthems

Classic PopClassic Pop

I am AEMade to Last Blog

Social Media

Mobile

Objectives:

• Reinforce AE’s

new look and feel

• Generate

engagement

across relevant

media outlets

• Switch to tumblr

• Home base for promotions

• Message integration

• Vehicle for contests

• 4square/twitter/Instagram

• Add tab that links to music

Website

• Match look & feel to the new theme

• Link to Made to Last

• Have music tab that links to Pandora playlist

• “I am AE”

Photo Contest• AE fans recreating famous music pictures/album covers

• Upload pictures to Facebook & Made to Last Blog

• Featured on various social media sites; Weekend in the Chicago for 2 to attend the Tribute Band Concert

• Drives participation in social media

• Integration into our own lives, “bridging the gap”

• Utilization of product

WHAT

WHERE

PRIZE

WHY

CRM

• Objectives: Encourage traffic to website and store, build awareness of changes

• Promote new loyalty program and photo contest

• Link to blog, social media, and Pandora

• Integrate Heritage Wall

Today in music history…

AE Rewards

Number of iTunes accounts owned by those 34 or younger

Percent of survey respondents who responded positively to the idea of free playlist promotions

Number of people who have AE Rewards Cards

•Average purchase of $42.

•Cost of a 10 song playlist is $7.50 per download

•@30% - Cost = $12.60 for average sale.

•Savings is $5.10

•@40% - Cost = $16.80 for an average sale.

•Savings is $9.30

Tribute Festival• The Bootleg Beatles

• Chicago’s Millennium Park

- Public Transportation

- Large, Midwest, relaxed urban area

- AE Presence

• Summer, Saturday Afternoon thru Late Evening

WHO

WHERE

WHEN

Tribute Festival• T-Shirt & Other Classic Merchandise Sales

• Art Installations and Sales (partnerships with local artisans)

• Local food & drink featured

• Patio feel, tables & seating available

• Professional photographers/videographers

- Use in AE CRM & Social Media

OTHER ASPECT

S

Campus Outreach

• Objectives: Encourage active participation with AE’s new music culture, integrate into the college experience

• 1. Battle of the Bands

• 2. Homecoming Event a. Celebratory Cook-Out

b. Free Food and AE Freebies

c. Band Performance “Classics”

Outcomes

• Stronger, more relevant branding towards college students

• Unique, leveragable music feel

• Engaging interactions

• New perception of product

• Ultimately re-attract original target market

Timeline• Months 1-7

• Design: Aesthetics and Messaging

• Develop digital integration and iTunes partnership   

• Month 8• Flagship stores remodeled

- Jean names changed

• Polaroids introduced into all stores

• Month 9• Official Launch of generAEtion

• Album Cover Sweepstakes

• Months following• Tribute Band Concert

• Campus outreach plans in place at 48 colleges

Conceptual Budget

Measurement Tools

• ROI Metrics (in-store)

• Website traffic

• Social Media and blog participation

• Tribute concert turnout

• Surveys

• Conversion rates

Summary/Overview

“Instill the spirit and vitality of classic rock and the

resilient heritage of vintage Americana as the

inherent and natural roots of American Eagle”