Ana Andjelic, Chief Brand Officer of ESPIRIT Holdings Limited, discusses the process of brand revival and the challenges of restarting a neglected European brand in North America. Topics also include the rise and fall of ESPIRIT, the importance of brand heritage and aesthetic confidence, and the connection between sociology and brand building.
Reviving the Esprit brand involves tapping into the brand's heritage and using vintage items to spark conversations and attract both Gen X and Gen Z customers.
Aspiration plays a crucial role in brand building as brands become a way for individuals to signal their desired roles and social standing, going beyond the physical clothes to communicate values and cultural meaning to customers.
Deep dives
Reviving the Brand of Esprit
Anna and Jellick, the Chief Brand Officer at Esprit, discusses the process of reviving the Esprit brand. She highlights that brand revivals don't happen overnight and require setting up the organization to support the new way of operating. The challenge involves bringing back nostalgia for Gen X customers while also attracting Gen Z customers. To achieve this, they tap into the brand's heritage and use vintage items to spark conversations and attract both generations. The goal is to modernize the brand inside and out, focusing on the brand's aesthetic world and recognizing that rebranding is more than just marketing.
The Role of Aspiration in Brand Building
Aspiration plays a crucial role in brand building according to Anna and Jellick. People strive for belonging and differentiation, seeking status within their communities. Brands become a way for individuals to signal their desired roles and social standing. Clothing brands, such as Esprit, connect with customers by going beyond the physical clothes and communicating the brand's values, social and cultural meaning to customers. The brand's heritage and history provide a framework for brand building, allowing it to evolve and stay relevant while still connecting with customers' aspirations.
Connecting Sociology and Brand Building
Anna and Jellick highlights the value of her background in sociology for brand building. She discusses the interplay between sociology and brand building, including the study of influence spread in society, the shaping of views through technology, and the connection between individual behavior and social behavior. Her expertise in sociology informs the importance of aspiration, understanding the role of social, cultural, and economic capital, and how brands can tap into customers' desire for status and self-expression.
Ana Andjelic is Chief Brand Officer of ESPIRIT Holdings Limited and the author of the book The Business of Aspiration. Specializing in building brand-driven modern businesses, Ana is one of Forbes’s The World’s Most Influential CMOs. We discussed all of this and more this week on the On Brand podcast.
About Ana Andjelic
Ana Andjelic is a brand executive, author of “The Business of Aspiration” and one of Forbes’s The World’s Most Influential CMOs. Ana specializes in building brand-driven modern businesses. Most recently, she led the rebrand of Banana Republic and is now the Chief Brand Officer at ESPRIT. Ana earned her doctorate in sociology and is a widely read columnist, speaker, and advisor.
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