Fashion Freak

I grew up in Wisconsin, but my dad liked to listen to Chicago area radio stations. One of the most interesting advertisements was for Irv's Men's Store. Their tagline was "inconveniently located."

Every ad ended with that line declaring that it would be hassle to get to their store. They didn't try to hide that weakness, they flaunted it.

And it worked.

It worked because their strengths (selection, service and price) were so powerful that their weakness (bad location) was irrelevant.

It worked because it was honest and people like companies that are authentic.

It worked because it was memorable. Few other companies will admit, much less brag about, their weaknesses.

And it still works.

I know that it still works because my friend Stosh called me the other day to tell me that he heard their ad. Thirty years later they are still successful. They haven't moved. They haven't fixed their apparent weakness. They still use the same tagline, "inconveniently located."

If Irv's can do it, you can to. Stop trying to hide what is wrong with you. Admit it. Brag about it. Flaunt it. Make it your slogan. Maybe you could even put it on a t-shirt.

Comments

[almostgotit]

"Inconveniently located." I LOVE it.

Hurray yet again for adopting one's own Freakiness. I have recently adopted George Bernard Shaw's "With Every Failure, My Reputation Grows" tagline. In fact, if you Google it, it seems I've pretty much completely obliterated poor George's original rights to that marvy quote.

Then again though, his current greatest weakness is that he's DEAD, so Long Live the Queen.

[Adam]

I have heard other ads in Northeast Wisconsin state that they are cleverly hidden. I am going to have to follow up and investigate whether or not their cloaked establishment is doing well. Cool ad nonetheless.