Challenger Brands

22 Sep 2010, Posted by Rupam in awareness,brands,lifestyle, 0 Comments

The world’s economic landscape is evolving. Corporate giants are either changing the way they work…or being edged out of business by a new breed of brands. These challengers may differ in what they sell—and the approaches they use to sell it—but one thing they have in common is that they are all led by visionaries who have sincere passions underpinned by intelligent common sense. Here are three of our favorites:

Eclectic, unassuming, locally flavored…these are just a few words used to describe Ace Hotels, a brand that is redefining the urban-hotel experience. Ace Hotels are consciously designed for the well-traveled explorer. They are hotels for guests who enjoy cities, who are curious about the history of a place and the quirky little haunts that define a local destination. Like the men behind the brand, Ace guests are always on the lookout for something fresh and different—without sacrificing the comfortable luxury they’ve come to expect.

With locations in Seattle, Portland, Palm Springs and New York, Ace Hotels mark a change in the hospitality world. Alex Calderwood, Wade Weigel and Doug Herrick designed a hotel experience with their friends and acquaintances, the “creative types,” in mind. The Ace team is a fascinating hybrid: romantics with an unswerving business savvy, easygoing yet professional. They weren’t interested in making cooler-than-thou design statements; they wanted to make a hotel with ‘soul.’ In doing so, they’ve tapped into exactly what a growing market of cultural influencers and opinion leaders want—a genuine experience rooted in sincere passion—and inadvertently created their own marketing machine.

John Varvatos has two driving passions: fashion and rock ‘n’ roll. And while his menswear collections reflect the attention to detail inherent in old-world tailoring, they also draw inspiration from the creative spirit and edginess of his rock ‘n’ roll icons, which all adds up to luxurious, comfortable clothing created to be lived in.

John Varvatos grew up in Detroit—the music melting pot of America. The electricity and personal style intrinsic to musicians like The Who, Led Zeppelin, MC5, Alice Cooper, Bog Seger, and The Stooges inspired John at an early age and influenced his eclectic sensibility. It seems only appropriate then that Varvatos was responsible for rescuing New York City’s landmark CBGBs (a rock ‘n’ roll mecca) from becoming a generic corporate bank and transforming it into a retail space for his sartorial brand.

If you ask his team, they’ll readily admit that John Varvatos is not just the designer, he is the visionary behind the brand. He’s always on the go, whether it’s finding furniture for his new stores or discovering new bands, he is not afraid to get his hands dirty. And he knows more about rock than anyone possibly could.

So strong is his passion and love for the music that, if you’re lucky, you may find John Varvatos performing with a band on a Thursday night at his Bowery store.

While over the past few years, several retail brands have been struggling to keep their doors open, the J. Crew label tells a very different story. Led by legendary CEO Mickey Drexler, this brand has tripled in stock value and continues to be one of the most popular fashion retail brands. Not only has the “J. Crew look” evolved under Drexler’s visionary helm—from all-out preppy to an edgier, vintage vibe—but Drexler has ensured that the business practices have grown to reflect the changing landscape as well.

The Wall Street Journal Magazine did a great feature on Mickey Drexler, providing an intimate look into the life and mind of this Bronx lad turned merchant prince. Like many other successful visionaries, he is a man of paradoxes—driven yet open-minded. A risk-taker but shrewd.

And such is Mickey Drexler’s passion for J. Crew, he personally answers emails and phone calls from shoppers, and makes routine visits to the stores—almost five a week.

Sources: Ace Hotel PR, John Varvatos PR, Tor Caracappa, J Crew photography, Wall Street Journal magazine