JERSEY COUTURE: LEARNING ABOUT BRANDING AND DIVERSIFICATION

After I realized that most of reality shows were scripted I have started reducing the amount and type of reality shows I watch. So when I stumbled on 'Jersey couture' today I watched it because i was drawn to it as it was a show that centered on a family that specializes in selling in prom dresses.

At first I thought that it was just the mum and daughters working in the shop, Diana and co. but I later found out it was the whole family. The dad and brother were also involved. They don’t have much to do with the clothes but running the shop. The brother works the reception desk and seems to be the customer care guy (not sure, I just watched 2 episodes). And the shop seemed to be like a community kind of shop, it seemed they have a lot of customers who had grown up with them and their staff feel like a family. In one of the episodes some of the high school students who were leaving to college also got their prom outfits and I have to say they looked gooorgggeeooouss. Made me wish I had gone to prom but as I was tiny then (I am still skinny) and didn’t have a high level of self esteem then so I doubt I would have gone. Besides we didn’t do prom in Nigeria at that time.

While I was getting caught up in the whole glam affair of girls and women trying out prom and ball dresses I began to think about the way the family was handling their business.

It was obvious that every one of them loved the business and was interested in making it work. In one of the episode the girls had an argument but when it came down to it, they worked together and made a fantastic representation of the company and their mother who started the business 32 years ago (as of 2010 when the episodes were made) just stood on the sideline and allowed the girls to shine.

That has made me realize one of the reasons why some family owned businesses don’t survive in Nigeria. The owners are so intent on making money and giving their children to spend without involving them in the business. Yes, not every child would want to go into the family business but it would make them appreciate where all the money they spend is coming from and how much of an impact is being made in the lives of the workers. This can help when the founder is not able to run the business and even though they might not be interested in it they might be able to get the best people to run it hence continuing a legacy and helping to provide for people.

The store was majorly centered on the clothes but they also added an accessories section in which they stock shoes, bags, jewelries and also bras. I was impressed because they diversified but didn’t go off their main aspect. They also have a service called ‘fluffy me’ in which someone from the store does hair and make-up and assists you on the day you are wearing the dress.

And I like that. They diversified to areas that make the boutique 'a one stop' shop. You can walk in and get everything that you need for that day to be glam. I guess why it impressed me was because lately my mother and I were talking about companies who when I was younger used to produce just one item and now are producing other items because of competition. I particularly have a problem with some companies that are now producing items that are way off from their pioneer product.

Diane and her daughters

Let me state an example, 'Soul mate' hair cream used to be incredible popular when I was younger. It had menthol and a lot of hair stylists used it but lately there are now a 1001 hair products now so they diversified and produced some other hair creams which is okay but lately I saw their advert (a very horrible one I must say, don’t get me started on it) of their body creams and I am like ‘What the heck?!’. Like what do they know about body products? I would have preferred they concentrate on hair products. They just produced a bunch of petroleum laden hair creams, it would have been nice for them to produce hair products that are petroleum free, hair oils, masks, sulfate free shampoos, conditioners, protein treatments, moisturizing deep conditioners and so much more. With the recent trend of healthy hair journey both for natural and relaxed hair it would be nice if a Nigerian company taps into that industry. Most of the local companies that produce such are small and medium businesses and most of their products are expensive (let us admit it). You don’t expect someone who earns less than 10000 naira to buy a mask for 800 or 1200 naira and also buy other things for her hair. And everybody is entitled to healthy hair i think.

Anyway that is what I feel and when I looked at companies like Coca cola, Pepsico, Indomie noodles I feel like what I think is right. They stayed true to what they were known for but then again I am not a business analyst so what do I know? I just decided to pen down some of my thoughts. Hope I didn’t bore you guys. 

How was your Sunday? I have spent my day sleeping (I pity for you Mowunmi…), I just wish I would gain a bit of weight. I am realizing that I am as short as quite a number of people but they look bigger because of the extra weight they have that I am lacking. And I know I have the potential to gain weight, heck my mother just told me that I weighed 4kg ( that would be around 8 lbs) as a newborn (I was a big baby….*smiles*) and was in labor for more than 14 hours (yikes! No child of mine should punish me like that).

Hey, does it feel like Christmas at your side? Christmas is in 3 days time and I am still waiting for it to feel like Christmas. It is not even cold yet, it is hot and rain is still falling.

Okay, rant over! Thanks for stopping by.

Luv ya,

Petite Diva….