Select a brand that faced ethical or legal issues. Determine how these issues influenced consumer perceptions of the brand and how it impacted their engagement with the brand. What were the ultimate implications for the brand? What should the brand have done differently, and why?

Victoria’s Secret is a brand that has faced both ethical and legal issues throughout the years especially during 2017-2018 when the #MeToo movement was gaining lots of attention and media coverage. In 2019, the brand also received media backlash due to former CEO, Les Wexner who had close ties to the late Jeffrey Epstein and his former chief marketing officer, Ed Razek. Epstein and Razek were surrounded by reports from employees and models who experienced a “culture of misogyny, bullying, and harassment” that exposed the ugly side of Victoria’s Secret (Maheshwari & Friedman, 2021).

These issues have influenced consumer perceptions of the brand by causing sales to decrease over time and as more competitors entered the market and their famous runway fashion show was canceled in 2019. Along with the reports of sexual harassment and mistreatment of employees, this didn’t help to strengthen the Victoria’s Secret brand. Even though the Victoria’s Secret brand has been around since 1977, a shift in consumer behavior has changed. The definition of “sexy” has evolved from what men liked, desired, and fantasized about, to support empowering women, the LGBTQ+ community, inclusivity, and celebrating all shapes and sizes of all bodies. These issues have impacted consumer engagement with the brand by looking elsewhere to find meaning and relatability with other brands online, especially on social media. The ultimate implications for Victoria’s Secret was that their marketing was outdated and they were very slow to incorporate new changes that other retailers were doing. For example: brands celebrated pregnant women and nursing women, Victoria’s Secret only came out with a maternity line in recent years as they were not deemed “sexy enough” to have a maternity section in their product line. Many other companies also embraced the LGBTQ+ community and had a transgendered model, which was something that Victoria’s Secret changed after new management came in to change the marketing approach.

One idea that I think the brand could have done better are their interview responses, such as the Vogue interview back in 2018. If you read the entire conversation, the former Victoria’s Secret public relations team defends their work heavily, however, they don’t say much or address the topics of mistreated employees, sexual harassment, and misconduct that their staff and models experienced. This shows a lack of transparency and that rather “sweeping it under the rug” is a tactic in order to save face.

Some other ideas that I think should have been done differently are actually being done now, such as connecting more with your customers and making more of a personal connection with them. If you look back at previous ads and marketing campaigns, the lingerie was very shiny, full of jewels, and crystals, all bling, feathery, raunchy, and also comfort was not the key component. Now, there are more larger sizes available and more modesty and comfort in the designs of all the Victoria’s Secret lingerie. Of course, there is still sexy lingerie available with lace and all the frills, but there is more variety now compared to before management was changed. All the mannequins are also changed with different body shapes and body types and no longer just the tall, thin, and slender body type. As the new Creative Director Raúl Martinez said, he wants to“really cement our brand positioning and our commitment to our revolution and transformation” (Howland, 2022).

At the end of the day, it’s the customers who are the ones that are purchasing your products, so asking them for their feedback, having open conversations, and really listening to what’s going on in the world helps to keep your brand relatable, trustworthy, and relevant in today’s competitive market. This is important because there is a shift in customer behavior and consumer spending. Customers want to know that their hard-earned dollars are being spent on a “good” company that stands for something. If there is any sort of scandal or unethical practices or news that’s exposed, it angers people and they want to see a change. Women are also speaking up more and want to support brands with more realistic bodies, where they can see themselves in. As Victoria’s Secret experienced many ethical and legal battles, they could still turn the negativity into a positive change with their new marketing strategies as they work with new celebrities, athletes, and strong women that share a different, progressive thinking vision for the future. The women who formed “VS Collective” have a belief to change “where we’re moving from what men want to what women want. We’re moving from sexy for a few to sexy for all. We’re moving from a look to a feeling” (Ell, 2022).

References

Ell, K. (2022, January 5). What to Watch: Victoria’s Secret’s Continued Transformation The makeover continues at Victoria’s Secret. But will the lingerie and beauty retailer be able to win back consumers? WWD. https://wwd.com/fashion-news/intimates/victorias-secrets-makeover-1235023607/

Howland, D. (2022, October 3). Victoria’s Secret Unveils Latest Message in branding revamp. Retail Dive. https://www.retaildive.com/news/victorias-secret-unveils-campaign-branding-revamp/633171/

Maheshwari, S., & Friedman, V. (2021, June 16). Victoria’s secret swaps angels for “what women want.” will they buy it? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/business/victorias-secret-collective-megan-rapinoe.html

Phelps, N. (2018, November 8). “we’re nobody’s third love, we’re their first love”-the architects of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show are still banking on Bombshells. Vogue. https://www.vogue.com/article/victorias-secret-ed-razek-monica-mitro-interview

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