Carol Spieckerman's Brain On...Barneys' Benign Neglect

Today, Retail Wire asked whether Barneys should survive. In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol wonders how they could.

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Here's what she had to say...One of Barneys' weaknesses is that it has been passed around to companies that couldn't help but treat it as an afterthought. Jones Group's history as a wholesale powerhouse made it a dubious choice for a parent back in 2004. Jones is still trying to figure out its future and was certainly not equipped to drive Barneys' upscale brand destiny at acquisition time. Dubai-based Istithmar World's diverse portfolio of holdings and inherently at-a-distance perspective isn't doing Barneys any favors either.

Barneys is a limited-location boutique concept that has been treated as a scalable commodity.

Carol Spieckerman's Brain On...Does J.C. Penney's Plan Forget the Rank and File?

In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol posits that Ron Johnson may not have left people out his plan for J.C. Penney (or perhaps they will be beside the point).

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Here's what she had to say...It remains to be seen whether Mr. Johnson's strategies left out the seventh "P" (people) as the article suggests, or if the other six (Price, Promotion, Personality, Product, Presentation and Place) intentionally obviate the need for a talent topgrading plan. On the surface, Penney's new scheme would seem to simplify rather than further complicate in-store execution and customer interaction.

Nikki Baird's original article is a terrific read, by the way, and a spot-on depiction of J.C. Penney's previous pricing and promotion "strategy."

Carol Spieckerman's Brain On ... Ralph Lauren's Relevance

In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol lauds Ralph Lauren for keeping it real and relevant.

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Here's what she had to say ... Ralph Lauren is the quintessential global lifestyle brand(s) and it has enjoyed an enviable run of success through retail's roughest waters. The company has done a fantastic job of mixing tradition with modernity (although I still see Burberry as setting the standard in that regard), and its carefully-curated brand portfolio addresses multiple generations and demographics without (too much) cannibalization. You won't find digital touch screens and DJs at the flagship Rhinelander mansion re-do on Madison Avenue, for example, yet you can design your own Rugby shirt on the brand's website. The next generation (David) is ensuring that the brand portfolio stays head of the digital times.

The only major misstep seems to have been the company's creation of its Global Brand Concepts division a few years ago which promised to leverage RL's extensive design, production and marketing capabilities to create Lauren-esque brands for retailers. When GBC launched its first (and to-date only) lifestyle brand with J.C. Penney (American Living), it seemed to be Penney's big brand move but alas, many more came after (including its mega-deal with Liz Claiborne), diluting the brand's impact. American Living also fell victim to Penney's on sale-out-of-the-starting-gate antics which killed the value proposition from the get-go (too bad they didn't get in post-Ron Johnson, but I digress). Ralph may not have one upped Li & Fung on that one but the rest of his record speaks for itself.

I see many good years to come.

Planning your 2012 sales, marketing or licensing event? Want to schedule a meeting with Carol to discuss your 2012 retail and brand strategy? Carol is currently scheduling meetings in the following cities:

New York area

Denver, CO

Atlanta, GA

Charlotte area, NC

Las Vegas, NV

Berlin, Germany

Contact Carol directly at carol@newmarketbuilders.com for details.

Carol Spieckerman's Brain On ... The Pall of the Mall

In her latest contribution as a Retail Wire panelist, Carol sounds off on the fate of shopping centers and proposes a cure for the cavernous cubes left behind when big boxes bail out.

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Here's what she had to say ... The downsizing of big boxes and the slow-but-steady expiration of long-term mall leases presents a big opportunity for malls to reinvent space. When it was announced that Bloomingdale's was departing the Mall of America, I posited that sub-dividing the space would make sense (especially since the list of potential non-tenant takers was sitting at zero). Lo and behold, that's exactly what is going to happen -- five to-be-announced retailers are set to move in at a cost of $30 million. Two are said to be major international fast-fashion retailers which I see as a move in the right direction. Sub divide cavernous spaces, give it to those who would otherwise show their wares in major urban flagship locations, pull from across the pond, and repeat.