| In terms of brand awareness, your money would | | | | functionally effective and manufactured to a high |
| probably be safe if you bet that more people were | | | | quality. They also frequently contain a certain ‘je |
| aware of MG than Alessi. So why then is the later a | | | | nais c'est quai' that can cheer the soul, not in an |
| highly regarded and profitable organisation | | | | ‘afluenza' manner, but because they have been |
| demonstrating European design flair and quality, while | | | | created by people who wish to enrich the world with |
| the former spent years as an object of ridicule until it | | | | beauty and compassion. |
| finally went to the wall a few years ago? | | | | The team behind Alessi are fiercely protective of their |
| It comes down to brand integrity and the fulfilment of | | | | brand and do not shamelessly throw the Alessi logo |
| the unwritten contract between customer and | | | | on anything that doesn't move in order to increase |
| manufacturer that ‘you continue to produce the | | | | profits. The same cannot be said for some of those |
| great designs and I will continue to buy them and | | | | prestigious car manufacturers out there, who are in |
| promote them.' | | | | progressively diluting their brands. Alessi are also very |
| MG were one of the originators of the great British | | | | careful about choosing their retailer network and |
| sports car and produced affordable designs that | | | | constantly monitor to make sure that their precious |
| offered a good helping of fun wrapped up in a | | | | brand is not being exploited. This allows their loyal |
| seductive little body. Dating back to the 1920's this | | | | customers to continue to buy with confidence and |
| adventurous little company produced a series of | | | | promote the brand further. |
| designs that won the hearts of many a young | | | | There are many ways to damage brand integrity and |
| character on both sides of the Atlantic with a sense of | | | | the current infatuation with celebrity culture has |
| ‘joi de vive'. | | | | created an intriguing twist to the theme. |
| The MG brand was still thought of affectionately by | | | | Celebrity endorsement is nothing new and clearly an |
| the motoring public in the main until the unwritten | | | | effective marketing tool. Joe Public can purchase the |
| contract began to be terminally broken through the | | | | associated product with a desire to obtain a small |
| 1970's. By this time the ill-fated goliath of British Leyland | | | | piece of the celebrity's lifestyle and associated |
| had swallowed up MG and this gem of a brand | | | | caché. A good example of this effect is the |
| became a victim to the industrial insanity that was | | | | dramatic increase in sales for Police sunglasses |
| inherent in the system. | | | | following their association with David Beckham. |
| The UK manufacturing sector of the 1970's was as | | | | However, there has been a recent trend for high |
| effective as a one legged long jumper. The once great | | | | quality home ware manufacturers to produce designs |
| manufacturing base was poisoned with years of bad | | | | that have supposedly been created by celebrities. This |
| management, lack of investment, seditious unions and | | | | could be a range of high quality kitchenwares by a |
| a general malaise from the majority of people involved. | | | | celebrity chef, or a range of designer bedding by a |
| The British car industry was the jewel in the crown of | | | | popular TV personality. |
| this sector of ineptness and the MG brand was left | | | | The problem is that these designs carry a premium |
| hapless and helpless. | | | | price tag and have more often than not had no more |
| A succession of designs followed that had the | | | | contact from the celebrity than signing on the dotted |
| capability to sting like a butterfly and float like a bee. | | | | line to receive their 10% royalty payment on every |
| These designs possessed all the charm of your Great | | | | item. To add the name of current celebrities to a |
| Aunt Millicent's yapping terrier and were just as likely to | | | | product for a premium price tag, without adding any |
| leave an annoying puddle. No amount of good will can | | | | discernable improvement, seems at best shallow and |
| protect a company from such incompetence and | | | | at worst a rip-off. |
| customers began to reluctantly leave this cherished | | | | A former ‘Changing Rooms' designer (and I use the |
| brand in a mass exodus. | | | | term loosely) recently quipped that he would be happy |
| Even the renowned German efficiency of a BMW | | | | to endorse anything, so long as he received a royalty |
| takeover wasn't enough to save what had eventually | | | | payment. |
| evolved into MG Rover. BMW decided to cut their | | | | People are not stupid and the extra costs involved for |
| losses, jumping ship with the Mini brand and selling Land | | | | designs with no discernable advantage over the |
| Rover and Jaguar to Ford. The remaining designs and | | | | opposition are frequently left on the shelves, ready for |
| brands at MG Rover were as appealing as a mangy | | | | the sales to begin and prices slashed. |
| old cat with asthma and a bladder problem - and the | | | | It is clear that the only people to benefit from this |
| company lasted barely as long. A Chinese company | | | | situation are the celebrities that show a far greater |
| now owns the name and it remains to be seen if they | | | | ability for self-publicity than design talent. |
| understand the need for brand integrity. | | | | Thankfully, Alessi, Menu, Louis Poulsen, Design E etc |
| The Alessi and MG brands date back to a similar time | | | | have not fallen into this trap and credit genuine new |
| period and with origins just as humble and innovative. | | | | design talent for their design ranges. This approach |
| However, Alessi have always remained true to their | | | | fulfils the unwritten contact for the customer and |
| original ideals and honoured the unwritten contract with | | | | nourishes the new generations of designers for all to |
| their loyal customers. The Alessi brand is renowned | | | | enjoy. |
| for creating designs that are visually appealing, | | | | |
