What do you think when you see someone running past you wearing Lorna Jane (LJ) clothing? When I see the LJ clothing line and image above, a number of words and phrases come to mind: Sporty, strong, focused, never give up, determination, quality, durability, fun and loving-life. Lorna Jane has been operating for 20 years and has 100+ stores across Australia. The brand is now one of the most sought after and trusted women's clothing brands in the country.
Women wear the LJ brand for a number of reasons. Perhaps for those getting back into exercise, the inspirational words on the shirts encourage them to keep persisting and working hard in their training. For others like myself, the durability and comfort that the clothes provide when I’m exercising are two of the main reasons for my partiality and loyalty to the brand. However, there are a number of characteristics of Lorna Jane, which make it such an appealing brand.
1. Commitment (organisation’s internal commitment to the brand): Lorna Jane as an organisation, is committed to providing high quality clothing for women of all shapes and sizes. The different company departments that promote and operate the brand are all closely aligned with one another in the way that ensures the image of Lorna Jane, a reliable and fun-loving brand, is upheld.
2. Protection (how secure it is): As Lorna Jane has been operating for over 20 years, the brand itself is seen as quite secure.
3. Clarity (clear articulation of brand’s values): Lorna Jane has a sponsorship programme which aims to support community and charity events in addition to cross-promotional activities. These support programs enable Lorna Jane’s image and values to be upheld and presented to the wider community.
4. Relevance (how well it fits in with customers needs and desires): Due to the wide variety of clothing available at Lorna Jane, customers are bound to find something that suits their taste and style. Furthermore, leading an active and healthy lifestyle will continue to be a highly talked-about topic, and customers who are concerned with looking and feeling comfortable when exercising often find Lorna Jane to be a suitable option.
Whether developing the brand image at a corporate or retail level, advertising plays an integral role in the overall success of the product or service being exchanged. “It informs consumers of the functional capabilities of the brand while simultaneously imbuing the brand with symbolic values and meanings relevant to the consumer” (Bhiwandi, 2011). Another reason I think Lorna Jane products are so sought after is due to the emotional connection consumers have with the brand. Furthermore, the attractive tangible components of the brand include the vast range of sizes available and the taste and design of the clothing in general. The intangible attributes of the brand are the values, personality and reputation of Lorna Jane and characteristics of a strong brand as discussed.
The brand’s personality is clearly articulated through their website, stores and community involvement, not to mention the inspirational phrases printed on their clothing. On their website you can find links to healthy living, eating, community events and press releases.
According to (Tyler, 1957) there are three kinds of images in advertising. The first is known as the subjective image, which is the emotional feeling you experience when associating with the brand. The next image is the objective kind, in which the advertisement tries to make you purchase the product without having you go through the process of self-identification with the brand. The last kind of image is the literal image, being the actual visual image of the brand as a picture. Lorna Jane does a very good job at establishing these three kinds of images in order to connect on an emotional and physical level with their target audience - women interested in a healthy and positive lifestyle.
If you wish to see Lorna Jane is the press, please visit this link
References:
Bhiwandi. (2011). Role Of Advertising & Communication In Corporate Image Building. Retrieved from
Canal-Luxe. (2011). The Sexualisation of Young People in Fasion!. Retrieved from
Focal Attractions. (2011). Supre Ads Banned for Sexualising Tweens. Retrieved from
Ham. (2011). Sony PSP Racist Advertisement: White is Coming. Retrieved from
Reed Business. (20111). Steggles dispels chicken myths with new ad campaign. Retrieved from
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Tyler, W. (2011). The Image, the Brand and the Consumer. Retrieved from
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