Brooks Brothers' Bizarre Blue-Serge Letter

T - Posted on October 29, 2009
Denny,

After having read other reader?s comments regarding the brooks brothers? letter, I was somewhat surprised and disappointed. There is a time and place for offers and hard sales pitches, and clearly that was not the intent of this particular letter. In some cases, a company may wish to inform their customers of updated services, namely the improvements to their website, without at the same time, bribing them to see those changes. While this surely is the kind of economic times to be creative about discounts and sales incentives, it is not always necessary to do so on every single ad campaign or piece of information or advertisement that a company distributes.

What it appeared to me was more an acknowledgement of you as a previous customer that they are personally informing you of what they see as value added features that will enrich your shopping experience, and they are expressing it to you in a non-sales low key approach.

In some cases, a storefront can entice with a personal invitation, to enter their store to see more of what you have come to expect from them of high quality products, that meets the exacting standards of their discriminating customers. While discount come-on?s may perk up a customer?s interest in purchasing products, there is also the danger of over saturating customers with incentives as well as cheapening the product with what in many cases, are simply transparent attempts to dump old, low performing product.

Responses to discount offers and/or coupons don?t always paint a reliable picture of those that were sent the letter, nor of customers, and it certainly can distort the information and message of the letter itself.

And criticizing for 2 signatures as opposed to one, is simply nitpicking. There are plenty of company newsletters that contain more than one signature. It doesn?t in any way diminish the personal style of a letter, but actually may enhance it, indicating that more than one person is interested in you as a customer and has communicated to you to inform you of new product enhancements. What actually detracts more from supposed ?personal? letters usually is the use of the term ?customer? in place of the person?s name. They addressed you personally by using your first name only, which sets the tone of the letter as one of distinct attention to you, which can cause the recipient to think of themselves as a select and privileged group. Again, nothing at all wrong with this method. Perhaps in reality what is happening is that some readers have clearly been marketed to death, over-saturated with response mail offers and now always expect that ?coupon offer? or incentive without which the sales pitch loses effectiveness and subsequently loses the attention of the customer. And while discount offers that may assist is tracking purposes, it?s not always accurate, and can detract from both the company?s purpose for the letter and for the information they are attempting to convey.

In my opinion, it?s refreshing to see a retail establishment simply inform, without bribing which as a result, may indeed make a better case to encourage me to visit their website. After all, when no coupon exists, doesn?t it plant the seed of higher quality, stronger reputation, and a more reliable product line?

Perhaps there is some customer psychology that succeeds without a discount!

However, they might want to work on the style of their signatures though. Diane and Brian?s handwriting is an absolute train wreck. It looks like a child?s scribbles.

D. Amkraut - Posted on October 27, 2009
I note that the physical format of the letter--- long chunky paragraphs with no starting indent--- well fits the letter's irritating tone.

I realize there are so many things wrong with the letter that you can't mention all, but I was also struck by the pretentious tone and the big words and long sentences where small words and short sentences would have been better.

Addressing people by their first name without leave to do so is presumptuous and offensive to many people. I remember Ed Mayer Jr. saying this 40 years ago! This isn't a rock club for teenagers, it is supposedly a gentlemen's store.

P.S. Say, whatever happened to using a P.S. to strengthen a letter. Whoever writes Brooks Bros' letters never heard of that trick, I guess.

I have shopped at the Brooks Bros. store in downtown L.A. The service and goods were excellent. Brooks' salespeople deserve better support from their marketing dept.

David - Posted on October 27, 2009
Denny, good stuff.

I am not precisely as venerable as you, however, I still recall when brands stood for something.

Disregarding the goners, Brooks Bros., Saks, FAO Schwarz, The Plaza, Abercrombie & Fitch--those names used to have meaning.

Now, like Bumble Bee tuna (which used to stand for quality), they have all slipped repeatedly through various owners--Japanese, Arabs, private equity funds, and so forth.

The brands' value to traditionalists is lost; perhaps the new owners can maximize the value of their investments by appealing to new markets, in the same manner that Abercrombie & Fitch now appeals to those of "urban" or those who like viewing pictures of youngsters in come-hither poses.

Seems like sort of a shame, though...

Bob Paroski - Posted on October 27, 2009
Denny:

Wow.

Thanks for sharing the Brooks Brothers' letter with us.

Another example of a company which feels that their customers are there to serve them rather than that they exist to serve their customers.

I agree with you that Brooks Brothers' days may be numbered if they continue this type of marketing. The sad thing is that the demise will be blamed on the economy rather than poor decisions being made by senior management.

Bob Paroski
www.wordcrafterscopywriting.com

Jack McCarthy - Posted on October 27, 2009
Thank you for sharing that unfortunate letter. More than being just terrible, it appears that whoever wrote it doesn't understand Brooks Brothers' branding at all.

From the unwelcome familiarity of the salutation (there are still a few places where you should expect being addressed as "Mr. Hatch" and Brooks Brothers is one of them), to the dopey double signature at the close (why do you need anyone else when you are being written to by the President), this is a mess.

You can boil the letter down to "we've got some new merch, we fixed the website and if you want any of our evergreen products, don't hold your breath waiting for the catalog cause they're only online now."

It's clear the writer thought the letter's high-falutin' tone would carry the day. No dice!

This could have been an excellent opportunity to make a powerful statement about how the customer will find exactly what he or she is seeking and in an environment of respectful personal service that everyone else has long abandoned (of course in more subtle and elegant language).

In fact Mr. Hatch, if that letter had done its job, you would have been transported back to those days when there was no question that Brooks Brothers would be your destination when it came to buying a new dinner jacket or just a package of underpants. I think that's what you wanted, and they disappointed you.

Anyway, thank you for your newsletters...they always remind me of the value of thinking and of the good marketing habits I sometimes forget (like our friends at BB). And isn't it too bad that there's no more Rogers Peet!?

Jack McCarthy

Michelle - Posted on October 27, 2009
Hello!

The first thing that struck me when I clicked on the Brooks Brothers letter is that you were addressed by your first name. That being their only attempt at a personable tone left me feeling particularly empty as I read their formal prose. The fact that they did not extend an offer added further insult to injury as it showed an unwillingness to truly connect to you, their customer. I suppose they were simply too busy gloating about their new website to notice they had stepped right over you.

Thank you for yet another insightful commentary. I always look forward to your articles and greatly appreciate your personal stories wrapped up with a common sense bow.

~Michelle

Mat Weller - Posted on October 27, 2009
I'll just say right out that I work for a BB competitor, so take anything I say with that salt.

That being said, while this letter is not the way I would have done it and in my opinion does not take full advantage of the opportunity, I would not call it a total wash for a pair reasons.

First, if you don't think offer-less marketing sells, you need to spend some time with BB's marketing department and understand their demographic better. I can't speak for them, but for us the best selling catalogs of almost any season are the first and the last, and the first has no offer attached to it.

Second, BB is a luxury brand with a luxury image sponsored by a luxury price. Meaningless mailings and frills are what make their clothing cost more. It's not like every article of clothing is lovingly handmade by tailors with no less than 30 years experience who all live in a secret monastery in the hills of Kentucky. They source from the same vendors everyone else does, they just charge you more so they can send you stuff like this letter as part of their image-building.

I'm not saying you're altogether wrong, I'm just saying there are several reasons you are not accurate. Though your impassioned rant should leave you comfortable that there is always a spot on Glen Beck's writing staff.

Dave Busch - Posted on October 27, 2009
Denny

I subscribe to a number of marketing newsletters and e-zines. Your columns are the only ones I save.

With apologies to Ed Mayer, direct mail is 50% the offer 40% the list, and 10% we'll never know.

T - Posted on October 29, 2009
Denny,

After having read other reader?s comments regarding the brooks brothers? letter, I was somewhat surprised and disappointed. There is a time and place for offers and hard sales pitches, and clearly that was not the intent of this particular letter. In some cases, a company may wish to inform their customers of updated services, namely the improvements to their website, without at the same time, bribing them to see those changes. While this surely is the kind of economic times to be creative about discounts and sales incentives, it is not always necessary to do so on every single ad campaign or piece of information or advertisement that a company distributes.

What it appeared to me was more an acknowledgement of you as a previous customer that they are personally informing you of what they see as value added features that will enrich your shopping experience, and they are expressing it to you in a non-sales low key approach.

In some cases, a storefront can entice with a personal invitation, to enter their store to see more of what you have come to expect from them of high quality products, that meets the exacting standards of their discriminating customers. While discount come-on?s may perk up a customer?s interest in purchasing products, there is also the danger of over saturating customers with incentives as well as cheapening the product with what in many cases, are simply transparent attempts to dump old, low performing product.

Responses to discount offers and/or coupons don?t always paint a reliable picture of those that were sent the letter, nor of customers, and it certainly can distort the information and message of the letter itself.

And criticizing for 2 signatures as opposed to one, is simply nitpicking. There are plenty of company newsletters that contain more than one signature. It doesn?t in any way diminish the personal style of a letter, but actually may enhance it, indicating that more than one person is interested in you as a customer and has communicated to you to inform you of new product enhancements. What actually detracts more from supposed ?personal? letters usually is the use of the term ?customer? in place of the person?s name. They addressed you personally by using your first name only, which sets the tone of the letter as one of distinct attention to you, which can cause the recipient to think of themselves as a select and privileged group. Again, nothing at all wrong with this method. Perhaps in reality what is happening is that some readers have clearly been marketed to death, over-saturated with response mail offers and now always expect that ?coupon offer? or incentive without which the sales pitch loses effectiveness and subsequently loses the attention of the customer. And while discount offers that may assist is tracking purposes, it?s not always accurate, and can detract from both the company?s purpose for the letter and for the information they are attempting to convey.

In my opinion, it?s refreshing to see a retail establishment simply inform, without bribing which as a result, may indeed make a better case to encourage me to visit their website. After all, when no coupon exists, doesn?t it plant the seed of higher quality, stronger reputation, and a more reliable product line?

Perhaps there is some customer psychology that succeeds without a discount!

However, they might want to work on the style of their signatures though. Diane and Brian?s handwriting is an absolute train wreck. It looks like a child?s scribbles.

D. Amkraut - Posted on October 27, 2009
I note that the physical format of the letter--- long chunky paragraphs with no starting indent--- well fits the letter's irritating tone.

I realize there are so many things wrong with the letter that you can't mention all, but I was also struck by the pretentious tone and the big words and long sentences where small words and short sentences would have been better.

Addressing people by their first name without leave to do so is presumptuous and offensive to many people. I remember Ed Mayer Jr. saying this 40 years ago! This isn't a rock club for teenagers, it is supposedly a gentlemen's store.

P.S. Say, whatever happened to using a P.S. to strengthen a letter. Whoever writes Brooks Bros' letters never heard of that trick, I guess.

I have shopped at the Brooks Bros. store in downtown L.A. The service and goods were excellent. Brooks' salespeople deserve better support from their marketing dept.

David - Posted on October 27, 2009
Denny, good stuff.

I am not precisely as venerable as you, however, I still recall when brands stood for something.

Disregarding the goners, Brooks Bros., Saks, FAO Schwarz, The Plaza, Abercrombie & Fitch--those names used to have meaning.

Now, like Bumble Bee tuna (which used to stand for quality), they have all slipped repeatedly through various owners--Japanese, Arabs, private equity funds, and so forth.

The brands' value to traditionalists is lost; perhaps the new owners can maximize the value of their investments by appealing to new markets, in the same manner that Abercrombie & Fitch now appeals to those of "urban" or those who like viewing pictures of youngsters in come-hither poses.

Seems like sort of a shame, though...

Bob Paroski - Posted on October 27, 2009
Denny:

Wow.

Thanks for sharing the Brooks Brothers' letter with us.

Another example of a company which feels that their customers are there to serve them rather than that they exist to serve their customers.

I agree with you that Brooks Brothers' days may be numbered if they continue this type of marketing. The sad thing is that the demise will be blamed on the economy rather than poor decisions being made by senior management.

Bob Paroski
www.wordcrafterscopywriting.com

Jack McCarthy - Posted on October 27, 2009
Thank you for sharing that unfortunate letter. More than being just terrible, it appears that whoever wrote it doesn't understand Brooks Brothers' branding at all.

From the unwelcome familiarity of the salutation (there are still a few places where you should expect being addressed as "Mr. Hatch" and Brooks Brothers is one of them), to the dopey double signature at the close (why do you need anyone else when you are being written to by the President), this is a mess.

You can boil the letter down to "we've got some new merch, we fixed the website and if you want any of our evergreen products, don't hold your breath waiting for the catalog cause they're only online now."

It's clear the writer thought the letter's high-falutin' tone would carry the day. No dice!

This could have been an excellent opportunity to make a powerful statement about how the customer will find exactly what he or she is seeking and in an environment of respectful personal service that everyone else has long abandoned (of course in more subtle and elegant language).

In fact Mr. Hatch, if that letter had done its job, you would have been transported back to those days when there was no question that Brooks Brothers would be your destination when it came to buying a new dinner jacket or just a package of underpants. I think that's what you wanted, and they disappointed you.

Anyway, thank you for your newsletters...they always remind me of the value of thinking and of the good marketing habits I sometimes forget (like our friends at BB). And isn't it too bad that there's no more Rogers Peet!?

Jack McCarthy

Michelle - Posted on October 27, 2009
Hello!

The first thing that struck me when I clicked on the Brooks Brothers letter is that you were addressed by your first name. That being their only attempt at a personable tone left me feeling particularly empty as I read their formal prose. The fact that they did not extend an offer added further insult to injury as it showed an unwillingness to truly connect to you, their customer. I suppose they were simply too busy gloating about their new website to notice they had stepped right over you.

Thank you for yet another insightful commentary. I always look forward to your articles and greatly appreciate your personal stories wrapped up with a common sense bow.

~Michelle

Mat Weller - Posted on October 27, 2009
I'll just say right out that I work for a BB competitor, so take anything I say with that salt.

That being said, while this letter is not the way I would have done it and in my opinion does not take full advantage of the opportunity, I would not call it a total wash for a pair reasons.

First, if you don't think offer-less marketing sells, you need to spend some time with BB's marketing department and understand their demographic better. I can't speak for them, but for us the best selling catalogs of almost any season are the first and the last, and the first has no offer attached to it.

Second, BB is a luxury brand with a luxury image sponsored by a luxury price. Meaningless mailings and frills are what make their clothing cost more. It's not like every article of clothing is lovingly handmade by tailors with no less than 30 years experience who all live in a secret monastery in the hills of Kentucky. They source from the same vendors everyone else does, they just charge you more so they can send you stuff like this letter as part of their image-building.

I'm not saying you're altogether wrong, I'm just saying there are several reasons you are not accurate. Though your impassioned rant should leave you comfortable that there is always a spot on Glen Beck's writing staff.

Dave Busch - Posted on October 27, 2009
Denny

I subscribe to a number of marketing newsletters and e-zines. Your columns are the only ones I save.

With apologies to Ed Mayer, direct mail is 50% the offer 40% the list, and 10% we'll never know.