The Sex Pistols… A Marketing Case Study?
Posted on | August 14, 2009 | No Comments
So, last night I was lucky enough to catch a Biography Channel “new release” on the Sex Pistols. As I watched, the creator of the Sex Pistols, a guy named Malcolm McLaren, talked about how he started the band to help promote his clothing store “Sex” in London. This worked quite well and not only sold clothes but gained enough momentum to create the movement we know as “Punk”. (Insert Malcolm Gladwell Tipping Point Reference HERE 
)… You might think they just got lucky or were in the right place at the right time… Sounds easy enough right? Well think again…
As I was thumbing through the new issue of Fast Company I ran across an article about Hot Topic, the teenage mall clothing shop. It was interesting, as I read it, I realized they were using the same strategies that Malcolm used back in 1975. They were highlighted in an “Innovation” section of the magazine.
The reason I bring this to your attention is to make an important point. In today’s world you must know your customer. You must understand how to bring value. Not how to sell them stuff. Hot Topic bet on music as a big part of their business model in the middle of the iTunes rage. They saw an opportunity in the music market and capitalized on it and as an output sell a bunch more stuff while they are at it. Sounds crazy right? Well they happen to be one of a few retailers increasing sales in this economy. Oh, they also engage their employees in this process and give them ownership and inclusion in the Hot Topic culture. They are the culture. Their employee is their customer. Gee what a novel idea.
Kudos to Hot Topic for taking an old idea from the days of the Sex Pistols and repackaging it for today. In 1975 they called it a “movement”, “anti-establishment” or a “counter culture”. I think fancy marketing 2.0 folks call it “Community” today.
Catch the show if you can and look at the Fast Company article on Hot Topic.
Biography Channel “Sex Pistols” -
http://www.biography.com/listings/episode_details.do?episodeid=385070&airingid=470238
Fast Company “Hot Topic” -
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/138/rock-solid.html
In honor of our post topic and the history of Rock N Roll… The Sex Pistols…
Stop by a Hot Topic next time you are in the mall and see if the style looks familiar…
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About Coley
Coley Perry is a 15 year veteran of the sales and marketing grind. Most of his experience is in and around the intersection of sales, marketing, change management, technology and business process helping clients solve business problems through innovative solutions and consulting. He has built sales teams, go-to-market strategies, demand generation engines and sustainable revenue streams. Currently his passion is focused on the convergence of sales, marketing and technology. He wrote a lot of checks to Columbia College and Northwestern University but learned the most from The “Second City” Training Center in Chicago where he studied the Art of Improv.
