Vineyard Vines is a classic American success story. The company, founded in 1998, sells a classic vision: that everyone should enjoy the simple New England seaside life and through their products you can. In times like these, full of turmoil, fear and uncertainly, that message is very attractive.Vineyard Vines was built by two brothers, Shep and Ian Murray, who both had suit-and-tie Manhattan careers but really wanted to live and play by the water. They quit, started making quirky ties and the rest, as they say is history. Self financed by the seat of their pants, it’s an authentic story. And the company's hats, ties, shirts, short and bags all carry this inherent authenticity that resonates with Vineyard Vines’ customers.
Though host to a variety of product lines, the most well known are their ties which have a similar cache’ to Hermes ties and so are regularly snapped up by suit wearing lawyers, bankers and even politicians.
Founders Shep & Ian Murray
As Ian says, “We started making neckties so we didn’t have to wear them.” That feeling has effectively translated to their customers. For many, wearing a Vineyard Vines tie is a little like saying, “I may have to wear a tie, but I’m wearing a vineyard Vines tie because that’s who I really am – someone who doesn’t need to wear a tie.”
Classic Beachy Designs & Colors
Vineyard Vines’ ties send a message about the wearer, or at least what the wearer wants you to believe about him. Their designs are tastefully neutral but topically ironic. Where Hermes may have interlinking horse bits, Vineyard Vines ties have interlinking beach chairs or gin & tonics. They are statement ties at a very irreverent level and in fact require the wearer to possess some personal confidence; a little “in-your-faceness.”
Vineyard Vines Tie Detail
To my mind, one of the main reasons that Vineyard Vines remains a successful brand, even during these economically challenging times, is because its growth and brand recognition were both the result of an organic process. It’s grown slowly in terms of a national label and by doing so has achieved a certain cult status among the American preppy/Trad cognoscenti.
The brand and its products have a personal and timelessly classic appeal. Most companies spend small fortunes trying to manufacture that magic – Shep and Ian just seemed to stroll right into it. But once the brand stuck, they made a point of effectively managing its growth and sticking to their natural markets.
Branding the Life
At its core, Vineyard Vines can still be considered a cult brand. While its product lines are fairly strait forward New England preppy stand-bys - polos, khakis, shorts, fleece, tote bags - the buzz surrounding the company is still the visceral kind normally associated with newcomers. Not everyone knows about the brand, but those who do are often vocal advocates.
For a lot of their customers, sporting a Vineyard Vines martini glass tie or whale logoed hat, tells people that really they are an individual, not one of the corporate masses. And within the company, there is still a real passion to spread the gospel of Vineyard Vines. With products and price points that range from hundreds to just a few dollars, it’s also a lifestyle brand that people can buy a little piece at a time. This approach is the classic recipe for retail success practiced by the likes of Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren.
From the customer’s perspective, moving through the Vineyard Vines world is well thought out presented at a casually human scale. Everything reinforces not only the "VV" lifestyle but also the real people living it. For example, the catalogs feature real people whom the brothers have known for years, not professional models. This practice began out of necessity - the brothers could not afford to hire models - but became a staple of the local and real world ethos that has made the brand so popular and accessible.
The Nantucket Store
The stores are friendly, bright and inviting. You feel the Nantucket-ness in every inch of the place; from the large framed maps of New England coastline to the buoys and nautical paraphernalia scattered across the selling floor. For a native Connecticut Yankee who spent childhood summers on Long Island Sound, it's like going home. Of course, it's a clean, shiny, well designed version of home akin to Polo's take on the classic English country manor house. Better than the real thing but nonetheless inherently true to its roots.
If they'd let me, I would live in the Georgetown store.
The Georgetown Store
On the cyber end of things, the website is visually engaging and makes the visitor feel like they are part of the Vineyard Vines world, or at least that should want to be. There is even a photo gallery so that customers can send pictures of their exploits and celebrations while wearing or using Vineyard Vines products. This last feature is a very effective method for building brand personalization and identification because the customer is literally getting to be part of the culture. It also marries traditional “real world” marketing with aspects of social media and first person reporting.
Part II of this article will take a look at business end of Vineyard Vines, including their successful approach to college grassroots marketing, Vineyard Vines' political connections and their creative model for retail development.
