Establishing your brand isn’t as simple as thinking of an idea and telling people about it and this is where brand PR can really help. Not only do you have to give people the story of your brand, you have to continually update them with information to give them confidence and also to keep them coming back. Another reason for clear communication is that if something can go wrong, it can escalate quickly. One company which has had to change public perception of its brand is Burberry, which went from high-end fashion brand to hooligan-chic and back again. It’s never too late to reinvent yourself! Here are five things you didn’t (possibly) know about Burberry!
- Burberry was founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, an outfitter and businessman who wanted to expand the use of waterproof materials from the working classes to the upper echelons of society.
- His waterproof material was immediately popular but he recognised the need for wider promotion and secured Lord Kitchener and Lord Baden-Powell as adopters of his clothing.
- His invention, the material ‘garbardine’, was patented in 1888 and its light weigh yet waterproof, thornproof and warm qualities led to it being used by those involved in country pursuits and even explorers like Sir Ernest Shackleton, who wore it exclusively on some of his most famous expeditions. It was so popular that the British War Office approached Burberry to create a light-weight coat for the military. The trenchcoat was born!
- First appearing in the 1920’s, the distinctive ‘Burberry check’ design became omnipresent on clothing of all kinds during the 70s and 80s before a re-branding exercise – reducing the pricing to compete with cheaper brands – led to its adoption by football hooligans and ‘chavs’.
- In 2006, this trend was reversed by cancelling several sub-licenses and using the check far more subtly on their products. The company no longer uses real fur in its designs. Burberry has just announced that one of the characters in China’s biggest video games, Honor of Kings, will have the option to buy skins featuring their classic designs.
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