It has been said “there is no such thing as bad publicity”.
Or is there? There has been much public outrage over a clothing store in India called “Hitler”. The owners of the store claimed to be previously unaware of the atrocities committed by Hitler and that they had only recently learned about Hitler. Many argue that the owners were only too knowledgeable of its implication and that Hitler was just a marketing ploy, which I agree with. It’s hard to feign ignorance when you emblazon your brand with a swastika logo.
The internet coverage of this store name has sparked global offence, and as a result of the backlash, the store has agreed to change its name. There was quite a battle however, in changing the name, as the owners complained that they had spent a considerable amount of money on the banner, visiting cards and branding activity. One of the owners also stated: “I’ve been getting a good response with the Hitler name; sales are good. I’m concerned that business could drop off once I change it,”
What concerns me is that kind of actual branding that could have been accomplished with the Hitler name. What kind of consumer would be drawn to this? Surprisingly enough this consumer group is not exactly that scarce. There is an emerging demographic of youths who admire Hitler. In fact there is a sizeable subculture that is enamoured with his commanding personality and charisma.
This Hitler marketing gimmick is hardly revolutionary in terms of marketing strategies. There have been a number of shock campaigns over the years, a recent one being the Urban Outfitters (UO) Christmas campaign. UO released their 2012 catalogue which was peppered with profanity, inclusive of such gems as “Merry Christmas Bit—” and “Carpe F— Diem”. While this is a less extreme case, this UO campaign targeted hip youths that were “trendy” and “edgy”.
Personally, I find this Hitler case absolutely sickening, and frankly also rather ridiculous in its reverse exploitation. It is completely unethical for companies to make a profit from glorifying a monster. The fact that this even appeals to some people makes me lose a little faith in the world.