Converse v. Banana Republic Outline

For my paper, I plan to explore the role that music has played in advertising campaigns, specifically in the most recent efforts of Converse and Banana Republic. By comparing the execution of the campaigns, as well as the artists involved in each, I hope to gain insight on what kind of experience each brand was trying to create for their customers. I will also try to gauge the effectiveness of the two campaigns based on what was done and how compatible these actions were with the brand's image.

Note: I had some problems with formatting, so something is off with the font size and the outlined numbering system.

1. Music in Advertising (1-2 pages)
   
   1. Role of music
      
   2. Differences in high-involvement and low-involvement products
      
   3. Classical conditioning paradigm
      
      1. Gorn's experiment
         
      2. Other conclusions
         
   4. The ELM (Petty and Cacioppo)
      
      1. Changing and creating attitudes
         
         1. Central route
            
         2. Peripheral route
            
      2. Support from other studies
         
   5. Idea of musical fit (MacInnis and Park)
      
   6. Author's study on the effect of different but congruent musical styles
      
2. Celebrity Endorsements (1-2pages)
   
   1. Definition of "celebrity"
      
   2. Reasons celebrities are used for endorsements
      
   3. When they are most effective (products with high social risk)
      
   4. Processes of social influence
      
      1. Compliance
         
      2. Identification
         
      3. internalization
         
3. Converse (3-4 pages)
   
   1. Company background
      
      1. Wholly owned subsidiary of Nike, Inc. (My)
         
      2. Established in 1908
         
      3. Brief mention of financial data
         
      4. Converse as "heritage brand"
         
      5. Overview of product lines
         
      6. "Role in disrupting the status quo over the last 100 years" ("Advertising")
         
      7. Past cultural icons used
         
   2. "Connectivity" Campaign
      
      1. "My Drive Thru"
         
         1. Song downloads
            
         2. Music video
            
      2. Overall purpose
         
         1. Quotes from CMO
            
         2. "catalyst for creativity"
            
      3. Target market
         
      4. Agencies used
         
         1. Cornerstone
            
         2. Anomaly
            
      5. Paper doll graphics
         
      6. Artists in campaign
         
      7. Media outlets
         
         1. Television
            
         2. Outdoor/Transit
            
         3. Digital/Web
            
         4. Cinema
            
         5. Print
            
      8. Sense Experiential Modules
         
         1. Sensory
            
         2. Emotional
            
         3. Intellectual/Cognitive
            
         4. Physical/Behavioral
            
         5. Relational
            
      9. Benefit to musicians involved
         
      10. Reactions from music blogs (positive and negative)
          
          1. Stereogum.com
             
          2. Pitchfork.com
             
          3. PostAdvertising.com
             
      11. Survey results
          
          1. Demographics
             
          2. Familiarity with artists involved
             
          3. Perception of Converse brand
             
          4. Shortcomings of survey
             
4. Banana Republic (3-4 pages)
   
   1. Company Background
      
      1. Gap Inc.
         
         1. Founded in 1969 in San Francisco, CA
            
         2. Historical milestones
            
         3. Financial data
            
         4. Acquired Banana Republic in 1983
            
      2. Banana Republic
         
         1. Started as two-store safari and travel clothing company
            
         2. Accessible luzury brand
            
         3. "elevated design," "luxurious fabrications," "uncomplicated style"
            
   2. "City Stories" Campaign
      
      1. Overall purpose
         
         1. Tradition of city style
            
         2. Quote from CMO
            
      2. Focus on New York City and Brookyn
         
      3. Target market
         
         1. "the modern soul"
            
         2. Shoppers between 25 and 49 who "aspire to a city lifestyle"
            
      4. Agencies used
         
         1. AR
            
         2. Starworks: artist casting support
            
         3. Rock River Music: music aggregation and marketing
            
      5. Artists in campaign
         
      6. Media outlets
         
         1. Print
            
         2. Outdoor
            
         3. Online
            
         4. Direct Mail
            
         5. In-Store
            
         6. Virgin America's RED: first-ever branded channel for in-flight entertainment system
            
      7. Sense Experiential Modules
         
         1. Sensory
            
         2. Emotional
            
         3. Intellectual/Cognitive
            
         4. Physical/Behavioral
            
         5. Relational
            
      8. Reactions from music blogs (positive and negative)
         
         1. Stereogum
            
         2. Pitchfork
            
      9. Survey Results
         
         1. Demographics
            
         2. Familiarity with artists involved
            
         3. Perception of Converse brand
            
         4. Shortcomings of survey
            
5. Converse v. Banana Republic (2-3 pages)
   
   1. Successes
      
   2. Failures
      

Concerns:

• I will be deploying a survey after this outline is approved, so I will need someone to proof the survey. Also, like with all other surveys, the number of respondents is a concern. In addition, I do not know very many individuals that fall in Banana Republic's target demographic (ages 25-49), so my results may favor the Converse campaign, since more of my peer group falls into that target market and will probably be more familiar with those artists.
  
• Another concern I have with the survey is whether or not I need to form hypotheses before beginning. Should I wait to discuss the survey until after I summarize the two campaigns?
  
• I need to find another academic article about celebrity endorsements. The one I currently have may be outdated.
  
• I originally had the idea to incorporate some other campaigns into my paper, but after doing this outline, I feel like I have enough information to fill the required 10-15 pages. If not, I will use Adidas' current "House Party" campaign as a third example.
  

Sources:

"Advertising Campaigns: Converse 'My Drive Thru.'" UTalkMarketing. 7 April 2009 <http:// utalkmarketing.com/Pages/CreativeShowcase.aspx?ArticleID=11101&Filter=0&Keywords=&Order=LATEST&Page=1&Title=Converse_%E2%80%98My_Drive_Thru%E2%80%99>

"Banana Republic Celebrates Spring with Music-Inspired 'City Stories' Campaign." Press Release. Gap Inc. Jan. 2009. 4 April 2009 <http://www.gapinc.com/public/Media/Press_Releases/ med_pr_BRSpringAd012309.shtml>

"Company Fact Sheet." Gap Inc. 12 April 2009 <http://www.gapinc.com/public/About/abt_fact_ sheet.shtml>

"Converse Launches New Advertising Campaign Built Around the Hit Summer Track 'My Drive Thru.'" Press Release. Reuters 15 July 2008. 7 April 2009 <http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease /idUS116362+15-Jul-2008+BW20080715>

"Drivin' Thru Summer in My Chucks." Post Advertising. 11 July 2008. 7 April 2009 <http://www. postadvertising.com/post/2008/07/11/Drivin-Thru-Summer-in-My-Chucks.aspx>

Kamins, Michael A., Meribeth J. Brand, Stuart A. Hoeke, and John C. Moe. "Two-Sided Versus One-Sided Celebrity Endorsements: The Impact on Advertising Effectiveness and Credibility." Journal of Advertising 18.2 (1989): 4-10.

"Milestones." Gap Inc. 12 April 2009 <http://www.gapinc.com/public/About/abt_milestones.shtml>

"Our Brands- Banana Republic." Gap Inc. 9 April 2009 <http://www.gapinc.com/public/OurBrands/ brands.shtml>

Ben-Yehuda, Ayala. "Banana Republic to Kick Off Artist Ad Campaign." Billboard. 10 Feb. 2009. 9 April 2009 <http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/industry/e3i73b3660e2c6025e6cdb460b9fd283859? imw=Y>

My Drive Thru- Converse. 9 June 2008. 7 April 2009 <http://mnr.onthescene.com/converse/ mydrivethru.html>

Parpis, Eleftheria. "Converse Turns Up the Noise." Adweek. 14 July 2008. 7 April 2009 <http:// www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/agency/e3i5dab627a6e5e9f67f6c2ff46aaef1efe>

Polikarpov, Yana. "Banana Republic Tells 'City Stories.'" Adweek. 10 Feb. 2009 9 April 2009 <http:// www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/creative/new-campaigns/e3id86b3c6480b9377f51f2c980 c9a50817>

Zander, Mark F. ""Musical influences in advertising: how music modifies first impressions of product endorsers and brands." Psychology of Music 34 (2006): 465-480)