John Varvatos - Finally Someone Does It Right!!!

Okay, I'm not sure how many of you ever went to CBGB's when it was around. It wasn't a Danceteria or Area in the 80s, but let's just say from a marketing perspective, it definitely had a very strong brand and a well defined position in the market [read - more than just a few very late nights, and more than just a few very shaggy mornings at Burson Marsteller as a young AAE in the 80s]. In fact, CBGB's created such a strong brand for itself, that its cache remains to this day - call it Graceland for a non-Elvis crowd.

Which makes John Varvatos' move into the old space even more brilliant than just cool. You see, Varvatos did it for all the right reasons. He did it to preserve the space. He did it to keep the CBGB name alive. He did it for the same reason he had Alice Cooper appear in his print campaign. Because it was the physicalization of his brand image, and because it was real.

The only thing that is better than John Varvatos taking the old CBGB space, is the way he has kept it true to itself and true to himself. When I went in on a recent walk-by, I was greeted by this hip [read, not overly hip to be nauseating, nor some faux shop-person trying to appear hip], young, stylish guy that looked like he'll be rocking out in whatever club they go to these days. The guy was knowledgeable, got me to try on this leather and shearling jacket that was just the right blend of rocker, without being over board - call it the perfect edge for a 40 year old PR guy who's not into suits.

When I finally left, it dawned on me, from his product to his advertising, from this store design to his sales staff, it all says exactly the same thing - John Varvatos. There is no guessing as to what he's about. There is no question as to who he is or who his customer is. It is branding at its very best - clear, clean, consistent, and powerful.

John Varvatos does what so many people and companies try to do - communicate a consistent brand with one voice, one look and one feel - across every consumer touch-point in a way that feels so natural, you don't even know it's being done. Why? Because it's real!

So if you want to see killer branding. If you want to see a company who has truly taken their brand off the drawing board and brought it to life in a very real way - check out John Varvatos.

What's the worst that can happen? You walk away actually looking great?