Olympic Update:
Team Canada A for outfits, D for logo--C+?. Team Ralph Laurenistan ....is that a country- D?
The man is not dress for mountain skiing ... that is for sure.
Ralph Lauren was given the task to design the Olympic outfits for Team USA, WINTER Olympics in Vancouver.
Here are actual photos of the team at the ceremonies. http://press.ralphlauren.com/2010_olympics/download/01_PL01241384.jpg
I couldn't tell what country they were representing. I was guessing it was somewhere near Saudi Arabia, due to the light clothing and pride in the horses.
Their official press release on their website says, and I kid you not.
“Polo Ralph Lauren has outfitted the team with a timeless look – one that fellow Americans will be proud to wear,” said Lisa Baird, USOC Chief Marketing Officer. “They truly understand the honor bestowed upon Team USA athletes who will represent our nation at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver... For more information about Polo Ralph Lauren’s partnership with the 2010 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams Games please visit: http://press.ralphlauren.com/2010_olympics/ and http://www.RalphLauren.com/OlympicGames.
-- and yes that end of the quotation mark is missing in the original press release.
"Truly understand the honor bestowned upon Team USA." By putting an oversized summer pony stamp on jackets that can be seen for miles... and a tiny US flag that is barely visible? Is the “n” on bestowned archaic?
Actually maybe it is not such a sarcastic quote, as crass commercialism, capitalism and white picket fences are the three key pillars of the American dream? The fences are most essential as they are made to prevent the horses from running into the socialite ladies drinking champagne as they nibble on delicacies at the Bridgehampton Polo field in Sag Harbor. You can actually buy Ralph Lauren gear as you watch the game there, by the way.
In France, Americans have a reputation of being loud and having little taste. It is perfectly excusable for a construction worker, who, by the way makes more than a university professor in Canada. Yet, the designer of the elite, aristocracy or pseudo aristocracy should have better taste. Garbage collectors have better uniforms: at least they don't have a honking designer logo covering half their chest.
" one that fellow Americans will be proud to wear,”... What idiot would be proud to wear a shirt to the winter Olympics with half their chest obscured with a man in summer clothes strutting on a pony? There are only 4,000 polo players in the US, so maybe it is a summer preview? The outfits look many things, but the one word that they cannot be described is professional winter sports gear. That is the image the United States is exporting to the world shortly after the financial crisis. If you look at the Team USA pictures, you wonder if it is Team Nepal or Team Cambodia sending a surprising large maladroit contingent to the wrong Olympics.
Team Canada, however, is very recognizable. They have large Canadian lettering. The only problem is that the logo has a distinct resemblance to the logo of the ruling party. Is that more sinister than the giant summer sport logo for the winter Olympics of our obscure friend down south?
The same guys who did the branding for Phillip Morris and made cigarettes good for you, H&K, immortalized in the film Thank You for Smoking, with Katy Holmes are also designing the our Prime Minister's Conservative Party's branding campaigns to get him re-elected. When multi-party government consisting of four political parties hands out funding, a Conservative member of parliament holds up a giant lottery cheque with a blue version of the Canadian Olympic logo on it even though it's not their money. "Pork barrel and proud of it, even if there is no pork in the barrel we can pretend I'm a porker!" Is that more crass or the Ralph Lauren logo remains to be seen.
Both signal arrogance. If you look at the press release for Ralph Lauren, exhibit A, you'll see what I mean.
"New York, N.Y. – Polo Ralph Lauren.." Agghh.. AP stylebook, like hello, says that place lines are capitalized, and the big cities do not need the name of the province or state after them, such as "NEW YORK - ". My wire company wouldn't let me post the press release if I made this mistake- they'd call me and change it. Their lead paragraph is freaking 68 words!!! And we are taught that 40 is a lot!!!! 68 is actually twice 35 words that a lead paragraph should have. Journalists read it only because it's Ralph Lauren. At least it is followed by a quote.
"and a traditional wool hat adorned withAmerican flag adding a distinct feel of patriotic spirit." -Adorned with an American flag because that is the country the athletes are representing you silly!
Also, has their writer heard of the no-adjective rule in News stories. In the ideal world, you write a press release like a news story so that the report can actually use it without wasting time mucking around. If it wasn't Ralph Lauren, they'd be looking at the next release. Hiring a professional to write press releases for such a large brand is a sign of respect. For Further information doesn't give a contact email nor phone, which makes it sound all the more aloof, user unfriendly and arrogant.
In the lead paragraph, "February 12, 2010" is a major style error!!! It's Feb. 12, 2010! http://www.scribd.com/doc/2664713/Associated-Press-AP-Style-Guide-the-basics
I'll give you the lead paragraph which is just not journalist writing. It makes those poor guys who receive 100-500 emails a day do extra work. I highlighted the mistakes in red and bolded the worst offenders.
"New York, N.Y. – Polo Ralph Lauren celebrates the commencement of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver with in unveiling of the official U.S. Opening Ceremony Parade Uniforms to be worn on February 12, 2010. As the proud outfitter of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, the Company has designed the Official Opening Ceremony andClosing Ceremony Parade Outfits as well as a unique collection of village wear apparel and accessories.
http://press.ralphlauren.com/2010_olympics/Download/Ralph%20Lauren%20Olympic%20Press%20Release.pdf
If they spend that much money in image and branding, they might as well hire someone who can actually write a press release.
As for the American Olympic Association... they should be careful who they associate with. This choice was so bad that the team doesn't look serious. I know it's not NFL, but the world is watching here, so please. We understand U.S. invaded Iraq, but now is not the time to use an arrogant brand on a world stage, as the world thought the U.S. repented.
This is arguably worse than Lindsey Lohan's collection for Ungaro. Yes, big name, but so breathtakingly inappropriate that it causes more damage than good to the brand. However, if one looks at the Canadian Olympic logo, coordinated with that of the ruling party who prorogued parliament because --many believe-- they didn't want to listen to the torture inquiry... there are arguably worse offenders out there than Ralph Lauren.
Considering that Soviet Russian athletes wore their ruling party's logo, I would think H&K would be smarter than to advise the Conservatives to reference Soviet Olympic fashions. Fashionistas around the world dwell on obscure references. If I were in charge of image of the Conservative Party of Canada, I would be up in arms against the Olympic logo, as it is just bad branding. Bad enough to lose a copyright law-suit in court.
-Jacqueline Joubert
Team Canada A for outfits, D for logo--C+?. Team Ralph Laurenistan ....is that a country- D?
The man is not dress for mountain skiing ... that is for sure.
Ralph Lauren was given the task to design the Olympic outfits for Team USA, WINTER Olympics in Vancouver.
Here are actual photos of the team at the ceremonies. http://press.ralphlauren.com/2010_olympics/download/01_PL01241384.jpg
I couldn't tell what country they were representing. I was guessing it was somewhere near Saudi Arabia, due to the light clothing and pride in the horses.
Their official press release on their website says, and I kid you not.
“Polo Ralph Lauren has outfitted the team with a timeless look – one that fellow Americans will be proud to wear,” said Lisa Baird, USOC Chief Marketing Officer. “They truly understand the honor bestowed upon Team USA athletes who will represent our nation at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver... For more information about Polo Ralph Lauren’s partnership with the 2010 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams Games please visit: http://press.ralphlauren.com/2010_olympics/ and http://www.RalphLauren.com/OlympicGames.
-- and yes that end of the quotation mark is missing in the original press release.
"Truly understand the honor bestowned upon Team USA." By putting an oversized summer pony stamp on jackets that can be seen for miles... and a tiny US flag that is barely visible? Is the “n” on bestowned archaic?
Actually maybe it is not such a sarcastic quote, as crass commercialism, capitalism and white picket fences are the three key pillars of the American dream? The fences are most essential as they are made to prevent the horses from running into the socialite ladies drinking champagne as they nibble on delicacies at the Bridgehampton Polo field in Sag Harbor. You can actually buy Ralph Lauren gear as you watch the game there, by the way.
In France, Americans have a reputation of being loud and having little taste. It is perfectly excusable for a construction worker, who, by the way makes more than a university professor in Canada. Yet, the designer of the elite, aristocracy or pseudo aristocracy should have better taste. Garbage collectors have better uniforms: at least they don't have a honking designer logo covering half their chest.
" one that fellow Americans will be proud to wear,”... What idiot would be proud to wear a shirt to the winter Olympics with half their chest obscured with a man in summer clothes strutting on a pony? There are only 4,000 polo players in the US, so maybe it is a summer preview? The outfits look many things, but the one word that they cannot be described is professional winter sports gear. That is the image the United States is exporting to the world shortly after the financial crisis. If you look at the Team USA pictures, you wonder if it is Team Nepal or Team Cambodia sending a surprising large maladroit contingent to the wrong Olympics.
Team Canada, however, is very recognizable. They have large Canadian lettering. The only problem is that the logo has a distinct resemblance to the logo of the ruling party. Is that more sinister than the giant summer sport logo for the winter Olympics of our obscure friend down south?
The same guys who did the branding for Phillip Morris and made cigarettes good for you, H&K, immortalized in the film Thank You for Smoking, with Katy Holmes are also designing the our Prime Minister's Conservative Party's branding campaigns to get him re-elected. When multi-party government consisting of four political parties hands out funding, a Conservative member of parliament holds up a giant lottery cheque with a blue version of the Canadian Olympic logo on it even though it's not their money. "Pork barrel and proud of it, even if there is no pork in the barrel we can pretend I'm a porker!" Is that more crass or the Ralph Lauren logo remains to be seen.
Both signal arrogance. If you look at the press release for Ralph Lauren, exhibit A, you'll see what I mean.
"New York, N.Y. – Polo Ralph Lauren.." Agghh.. AP stylebook, like hello, says that place lines are capitalized, and the big cities do not need the name of the province or state after them, such as "NEW YORK - ". My wire company wouldn't let me post the press release if I made this mistake- they'd call me and change it. Their lead paragraph is freaking 68 words!!! And we are taught that 40 is a lot!!!! 68 is actually twice 35 words that a lead paragraph should have. Journalists read it only because it's Ralph Lauren. At least it is followed by a quote.
"and a traditional wool hat adorned withAmerican flag adding a distinct feel of patriotic spirit." -Adorned with an American flag because that is the country the athletes are representing you silly!
Also, has their writer heard of the no-adjective rule in News stories. In the ideal world, you write a press release like a news story so that the report can actually use it without wasting time mucking around. If it wasn't Ralph Lauren, they'd be looking at the next release. Hiring a professional to write press releases for such a large brand is a sign of respect. For Further information doesn't give a contact email nor phone, which makes it sound all the more aloof, user unfriendly and arrogant.
In the lead paragraph, "February 12, 2010" is a major style error!!! It's Feb. 12, 2010! http://www.scribd.com/doc/2664713/Associated-Press-AP-Style-Guide-the-basics
I'll give you the lead paragraph which is just not journalist writing. It makes those poor guys who receive 100-500 emails a day do extra work. I highlighted the mistakes in red and bolded the worst offenders.
"New York, N.Y. – Polo Ralph Lauren celebrates the commencement of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver with in unveiling of the official U.S. Opening Ceremony Parade Uniforms to be worn on February 12, 2010. As the proud outfitter of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, the Company has designed the Official Opening Ceremony andClosing Ceremony Parade Outfits as well as a unique collection of village wear apparel and accessories.
http://press.ralphlauren.com/2010_olympics/Download/Ralph%20Lauren%20Olympic%20Press%20Release.pdf
If they spend that much money in image and branding, they might as well hire someone who can actually write a press release.
As for the American Olympic Association... they should be careful who they associate with. This choice was so bad that the team doesn't look serious. I know it's not NFL, but the world is watching here, so please. We understand U.S. invaded Iraq, but now is not the time to use an arrogant brand on a world stage, as the world thought the U.S. repented.
This is arguably worse than Lindsey Lohan's collection for Ungaro. Yes, big name, but so breathtakingly inappropriate that it causes more damage than good to the brand. However, if one looks at the Canadian Olympic logo, coordinated with that of the ruling party who prorogued parliament because --many believe-- they didn't want to listen to the torture inquiry... there are arguably worse offenders out there than Ralph Lauren.
Considering that Soviet Russian athletes wore their ruling party's logo, I would think H&K would be smarter than to advise the Conservatives to reference Soviet Olympic fashions. Fashionistas around the world dwell on obscure references. If I were in charge of image of the Conservative Party of Canada, I would be up in arms against the Olympic logo, as it is just bad branding. Bad enough to lose a copyright law-suit in court.
-Jacqueline Joubert
Have your say: Are the Ralph Lauren Logos appropriate? Canadian Olympic logo?
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