Lands’ End Corp. has long had a tradition of putting unusual faces on its catalogs. Mystery writer Elmore Leonard made the cover three years ago. Gracing the cover in March 1999 was 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew. And actress Rene Russo, disguised as Santa Claus, was the center of attention later in 1999.
Sometimes, there’s a direct connection with the Dodgeville, Wis.-based cataloger, sometimes not. Leonard, for instance, was chosen because he was offering a testimonial to the quality of Lands’ End’s white shirts. Russo, however, was just being a good sport.
But few Lands’ End covers are quite as odd as the one that appeared in mail boxes a few weeks ago sporting the visage of Alfred E. Neuman, MAD Magazine’s gap-toothed mascot.
Neuman is his usual cartoon self but the polo shirt he is wearing appears quite real. In fact, it’s Lands’ End’s hottest new product, the “super polo,” a T-shirt with a collar.
Lands’ End chose Neuman for the cover because he evokes adolescent memories for millions of Baby Boomers who are the target audience for the super polo, said Lee Eisenberg, Lands’ End’s creative director.
“We were talking one day that this is the perfect shirt for a Baby Boomer who is hanging around relaxing in a T-shirt and then wants to go out for a casual dinner,” Eisenberg says. “At a certain point in life, you wonder whether you should go out to dinner in a T-shirt–or you should wonder.”
Neuman’s name stood out because he represents “the sheer irreverence of being an adolescent boy,” Eisenberg says. “He was a smart aleck. He was goofy. He was the very essence of iconoclasm.” His motto, “What, me worry?” also reminds them of that teenage sense of invulnerability.
MAD’s mascot wasn’t the only candidate under consideration. Disgraced Vice President Spiro Agnew, who resigned in 1973 amid a bribery investigation, was considered and quickly rejected. Aging rock stars would have been logical choices but the negotiations would have been a hassle, man.
So somebody suggested Neuman, and the folks at MAD were more than happy to cooperate, Eisenberg says. They even suggested carrying the theme through to the second and third pages of the catalog.
Still, the choice carried some risk. The super polo is targeted at both men and women, while Neuman obviously resonates more with MAD’s male-oriented audience. But that hasn’t proved to be a problem so far.
Sales have been strong since the catalog arrived in homes several weeks ago. “The super polo is off to a great start,” Eisenberg says.
Egg-cited: For many people, Easter is a time to rejoice whether it’s at a religious celebration or an elegant brunch. This year, those festivities are likely to be even more heartfelt given the events of last fall.
Indeed, consumers appear ready to be more indulgent when it comes to things such as frilly children’s dresses, gaudy Easter baskets and chocolate candy. A recent survey by the International Mass Retail Association found shoppers are planning to increase their spending on Easter gifts by 29 percent this year to an average of $137.50.
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“This is wonderful news for our economy, which appears to have left the recession behind,” crows Robert Verdisco, president of the retail group.
This year, many more shoppers are planning to give Easter gifts to their spouses or significant others–48 percent compared with 43 percent last year.
Still, children remain first on nearly everyone’s list to receive Easter goodies. And a small group of eager gift givers–9 percent–will be indulging their pets. Egg-shaped dog biscuits, perhaps?
Surprisingly, the nation’s lagging department store sector isn’t losing ground in this category. Thirty-nine percent of Easter shoppers said they will head to a department store for Easter gifts, up from 38 percent last year.
But that doesn’t mean frugality is passe. More than three-quarters of those surveyed said they intend to do their shopping at the nation’s discount stores, up slightly from last year.
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