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« Finding Personality Early On | 37signals' Internal Compass »
July 7, 2008
VF's Soul Searching
Posted by Brad Abare | Filed under: Brand & Identity
The VF Corporation, owner of fashion brands like 7 For All Mankind, The North Face, Vans and Eastpak, went through some soul searching in its quest to figure out who it was as a company. The 100-year-old VF, formerly Vanity Fair Mills--they changed their name in 1969--has a story not unlike many companies these days who are wrestling with their identity. In a recent Fortune Magazine feature, Suzanne Kapner tells the story of VF's dilemma and determination to figure out who and what they were all about.
One of the temptations for companies like VF who buy and own a variety of different brands is to eliminate overlap for the sake of efficiency and profit. Fortunately, VF is very aware of the individual personality that each of their brands have and they attempt to guard that as much as possible. For example, writes Kapner, "Reef executives typically start the workday catching waves near their Carlsbad, Calif. office. The Vans headquarters in Cypress, Calif., boasts a halfpipe ramp and concrete floor so that employees can skateboard to meetings."
Another reason for VF's success, writes Kapner, is that before they acquire a new brand, they "often spend years examining [it] and developing a relationship with management before signing on the dotted line."
Soul searching... protecting and promoting personality... sounds like a winning combo!
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