Competitive Intelligence

Burberry’s Signature Check Hijacked by Tribal Hooligans Clad in Plaid

If you’re unfamiliar with Burberry’s signature check, then you’re not very well-schooled in the fashion world, as the brand has become fantastically popular of late.

But as I read in this interesting story from The (Glasgow) Herald, Burberry has earned taboo status in bars and nightclubs throughout Scotland and, increasingly, in England and Ireland as well. While it might appear the company has no control over who might decide to clad themselves in plaid, it looks like a bit of shortsighted product strategy to me:

…efforts by Rose Marie Bravo, the brand's chief executive, to make the label more accessible may be fuelling a Burberry backlash, as an increasing number of bars, restaurants, and nightclubs across Scotland ban its designs.

Previously aspirational – it was good enough for Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast At Tiffany's", the 1961 cinema classic, while Daniella Westbrook, the actress, and her child were pictured wearing matching Burberry outfits – the brand has evolved into an anarchic uniform adopted by football hooligan culture and other troublemakers. Like Aquascutum, Evisu, and Stone Island, Burberry has fallen foul of tribal hijacking – the moment when a brand becomes the badge of belonging to a particular group that is not part of its target market. An Internet joke doing the rounds described a Burberry-clad Mini Metro as the ultimate car for Glasgow neds.

Earlier this year, Nick Griffin, the BNP leader, was pictured arriving at a local council election count in Oldham flanked by two minders wearing Burberry baseball caps, while it has been increasingly adopted by English football hooligans. As a result, some venues have introduced a complete ban on the fashion item, while others have a discretionary admission policy.

It would appear that perhaps Ms. Bravo’s attempts to evangelize the brand by emancipating its baser clientele is beginning to erode a venerable market position and is ultimately having an affect on the brand’s exclusivity among its most desirable customers.

- Arik