EOC - Week 10 Discussion Questions

1. What key characteristics of Ginch Gonch’s advertising makes them unique? Why do you think consumers buy Ginch Gonch products?

Through the use of sexually risqué branding techniques aimed at diver lifestyles, unique styles, and the company motto “Live Like A Kid,” Ginch Gonch demonstrates that if you have a premium product, great advertising, a market niche, and a passion for innovative branding, sales will follow. They have sexually explicit advertising and it works for them. They are marketed towards a market that wants to feel like a kid again but still be open with their sexuality.

2. Do you think it is ethical to use sex to sell products? Can you think of other retailers who do this? How does it make their products more desirable?

I think if it is right for the company and their brand image, then it is ok to use sex to sell their products. Abercrombie & Fitch use sex to sell their products, their advertisements are borderline explicit. Although you never see them in a questionable position like Dolce &Gabbanas ads, but it portrays that image to the consumer. It does in a way make their products more desirable because it has the consumer thinking “If I buy these jeans, or this dress, it will make me more desirable to men/women.”

3. Why do you think Jason Sutherland decided to market to the gay community? Do you think there are a lot of gay consumers? Why?

I think he targeted the gay community because some gay men love the nostalgia of their childhood. There are a lot of gay consumers because gay men and women have more money to spend on themselves then straight men and women. They don’t have families or children so there is a lot more money saved up.

4. If you were in charge of Ginch Gonch’s next fashion assortment what would you call it? Why?

I would probably do something along the lines of mechanics, and have it be called “Clean My Pipes.” People can take anything now a days and make it dirty, so it wouldn’t really matter what you decided to call it and it will still be sexually explicit.