Good man brand- Is the QB starting to get above his station?

[GeekHawk]

The real point to this thread is how very British it is to say that somebody is getting 'above their station'...

 

[DJrmb]

When you give less than 5% of revenues in a high margin product to charity, then it isn't a "charity item". And pasting it with the "good man" label as if to convey some kind of social benefit status is borderline ridiculous, if not insulting that someone thinks we could buy into the blatant effort to project a social benefit that does not exist. Less than 3% barely passes the smell test.

I didn't know they had released their margins for you to come up with these numbers. Can you please provide the link to their business financials?

 

[McGruff]

So after this brand sells 1000 items they will donate $3000 to charity... $3000?!?!. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sell 1000 items as a start up brand even with Russell Wilson as your face? And also what is $3000 going to do? Literally nothing. Hell they need to sell 10,000 items to donate $30,000 and even that will do absolutely nothing. I would respect this more if he took the BS philanthropy angle out and just launched a high end clothing line. Another PR fumble from Russell. He really needs to change his team up, whoever is in charge or his partnerships/marketing is really tone deaf.

I love me some Russell Wilson, but agree whole-heartedly with this post.

Either its a good-deed clothing line, and 25%+ goes to charity (or whatever substantial amount seems reasonable) or its a high end clothing line for rich people. I'm fine with either.

But trying to be one while marketing another is dishonest.

 

[Greenhell]

Should be called Rich Man Brand. Sorry Russ but this is Kardashian level marketing shenanigans. Despite his intentions nothing good will come of this. $100 for a polo? Maybe if it had a Seahawks logo on it :lol:

Not even with a Hawks logo on it. A whole bunch of "nope" on this.

 

[kobebryant]

Marshawn priced and marketed his brand towards the people, environment, and economic situation that he came up in. A little more common man.

Russ did the same, but he is most at home with Virginia prep school boys, Hollywood producers, and celebrities.

Love him as a QB, but sure could use some Hasselbeck (pretty much the most naturally cool qb ever) in his personality.

Russ is Tiger Woods.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Don't care. If this bugs you, don't buy the product.
I don't care about his religion, or his off field business dealings, as long as he isn't breaking any laws or hurting anyone.

All I care about is him scoring touchdowns for my team, and my team winning football games.

I will not lose any sleep over this.

 

[AgentDib]

Despite his intentions nothing good will come of this.

I think the issue many have with this is that his intentions aren't great. Like most in this thread I don't care how much celebrities want to charge for stuff i'll never buy, but claiming it is for some greater purpose is straight up shady when only a minuscule percentage goes to charity. It doesn't change my opinion of him as a football player but this kind of stuff (and the water nonsense, and the other stuff) does affect my opinion of him as a person.

 

[Seanhawk]

you can buy a Cam Newton button down for $16 and send the $150 you saved to charity

http://www.belk.com/products/made-cam-n ... b44328.jsp

I tried to order it but Von Miller stopped me.

too soon bro

I know a sure fire way to avoid it.

 

[firebee]

So after this brand sells 1000 items they will donate $3000 to charity... $3000?!?!. Do you have any idea how hard it is to sell 1000 items as a start up brand even with Russell Wilson as your face? And also what is $3000 going to do? Literally nothing. Hell they need to sell 10,000 items to donate $30,000 and even that will do absolutely nothing. I would respect this more if he took the BS philanthropy angle out and just launched a high end clothing line. Another PR fumble from Russell. He really needs to change his team up, whoever is in charge or his partnerships/marketing is really tone deaf.

Hey... I resent that remark... I'm tone deaf and I wouldn't try pulling the wool over people's eyes, pun intended, like they're trying to do here. Perhaps what he really needs is someone who's tone deaf... like me.

 

[scutterhawk]

Jessica Alba opened up a clothing line in 2012. Since then, the company has earned her a billion. It's just smart business for a celebrity, even a B-lister, to open up clothing lines. And Alba was hardly the first to get rich doing it. It's worth noting, neither Alba or Wilson included their names in their clothing lines.

There's no doubt that Wilson's company is targeting the upper 5% of purchasers. I don't see anything that's wrong with that personally. I don't suddenly get upset walking into a high end retail store thinking about the insane amounts of money they are making. Some people want high end stuff and are willing to pay way more for it.

Russell has never been one of the common man. Wilson may be African American, but he grew up in the rich part of town. His father attended Dartmouth and his grandfather was president of a university. So I think this clothing line actually makes a lot of sense given his background.

The "changing the world" commentary by Russell seems pretty silly given that only about 1% of proceeds go to charity. But if you look up Alba's comments on her company, she said a lot of the same things about changing the world and making people's lives better. And as far as I know she didn't donate any proceeds to charity at all. I get the sense that this type of commentary is par for the course in the clothing industry.

I don't see anything wrong here. That said, "Eat the ball" is pretty dumb.

I honestly have no issue with that but the name and marketing suggest philanthropy and it's very far away from that IMHO. I guess I'm disappointed because it's from a guy who I respect so much and who genuinely does much good.

What happened to pass the peace and all the other stuff like that. Is it all pure marketing?

If you're strapped for money, you wouldn't even give an ounce of consideration for purchasing what he's selling, but
there are a LOT of people with a lot of money, that seldom if ever even look at the price tag... totally different clientele.
Think of it this way... there are a lot of poor in this country that think it's ridicules and uppity to buy clothing anywhere than Target, or Wall-Mart, or the Goodwill, but a lot of the wealthy wouldn't be caught dead by stooping so low.

 

[Marlin Man]

So which one of us will be the first dumb ass to run down and buy a $76 t-shirt??? Would be a cold day in hell before it were I.

M.M.

 

[vin.couve12]

This reminds me of a tweet by Doug, actually. As usual, one of the more annoying things about the offseason is when RW talks, whether it's delusions of holy grandeur or his hollow "charity."

Awesome to have him playing QB though.

 

[lukerguy]

Why should the percentage he donates matter and who are we to tell him how much to donate? Do other people tell you how to spend your money? If he can get $300 for his shoes more power to him. The problem you have with what he is doing is jealousy. I have no doubt you would do the same thing....and you wouldn't donate 50%. Do you donate 50% of anything currently? NOPE.

It matters because 1% donation to charity says "I'm adding this component so I appear to be benevolent, but really I'm just using the appears of generosity to further my greed."

Donations of 10%+ says, "I'm really doing this to make a difference. The charity is the main reason I started this brand."

I'm slightly offended by the fact you said "Anyone would do the same thing." I for one wouldn't. I run a very successful business and would never use charity in such a minor % to benefit myself. I also believe personally that giving is something that should be done in private, not for the benefit of the applause of other. If he wants to sell clothes, good for him. He's going to fail miserably at that price point, but I don't blame him for starting a clothing brand. Nothing at all wrong with this...

The manner in which he started the brand, however, has made me lose respect for him.

 

[lukerguy]

If you're strapped for money, you wouldn't even give an ounce of consideration for purchasing what he's selling, but
there are a LOT of people with a lot of money, that seldom if ever even look at the price tag... totally different clientele.
Think of it this way... there are a lot of poor in this country that think it's ridicules and uppity to buy clothing anywhere than Target, or Wall-Mart, or the Goodwill, but a lot of the wealthy wouldn't be caught dead by stooping so low.

I totally agree, however people who don't look at price tags are probably less than 0.01% of Americans.. Even some of the wealthiest people look at price tags.. So you're saying it will sell based on the smallest demographic of Americans.. I can guarantee you the brand will fail based on the current price tag.

If he wanted this thing to take off, he should have advertised it as a competitor to old navy ect.. There's no way the majority of people are going to purchase this stuff. Moreover, I understand clothing is all in the eye of the wearer but I don't think there's anything too special here. I could pick up much nicer clothes for 1/5th the price at the banana republic outlet by my house.

http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=66299&vid=1&pid=423451022

$39 for a high end brand vs. $128

The above link is for retail, not even considering a sale or outlet clothing.

 

[HawKnPeppa]

I call that getting swindled and pimped - shiiieeeeet, I call that getting tricked by a business

And it goes far beyond "fifty dollars for a T-shirt"

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Bunch of hypocrites in here. Any one of you would do the exact same thing in his situation.

That would appear to include me, so I whole-heartedly disagree.

 

[scutterhawk]

If you're strapped for money, you wouldn't even give an ounce of consideration for purchasing what he's selling, but
there are a LOT of people with a lot of money, that seldom if ever even look at the price tag... totally different clientele.
Think of it this way... there are a lot of poor in this country that think it's ridicules and uppity to buy clothing anywhere than Target, or Wall-Mart, or the Goodwill, but a lot of the wealthy wouldn't be caught dead by stooping so low.

I totally agree, however people who don't look at price tags are probably less than 0.01% of Americans.. Even some of the wealthiest people look at price tags.. So you're saying it will sell based on the smallest demographic of Americans.. I can guarantee you the brand will fail based on the current price tag.

If he wanted this thing to take off, he should have advertised it as a competitor to old navy ect.. There's no way the majority of people are going to purchase this stuff. Moreover, I understand clothing is all in the eye of the wearer but I don't think there's anything too special here. I could pick up much nicer clothes for 1/5th the price at the banana republic outlet by my house.

http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=66299&vid=1&pid=423451022

$39 for a high end brand vs. $128

The above link is for retail, not even considering a sale or outlet clothing.

If you guarantee a fail, maybe you should do the right thing and contact the folks that are putting this business enterprise together, so's to enlighten them of their folly.
People bitch about buying knock-offs, but most of the time?, you get what you pay for.

 

[erik2690]

One thing I'm totally over is the concept of Athlete Charities.

There are a ton of places out there to give money too. Just because some athlete comes into town and starts a 'foundation' means little to me.

You should give money away. Give a LOT of money away. Give it to organizations that you know and have a good history in the community you want to help.

So in case people didn't understand the money this year goes to Friends of the Children. It's a pretty reputable thing from all I can see.

 

[Greenhell]

Give it some time. His brand will be found in Ross, TJ Maxx, and similar discounted department stores next season. Then if you like his stuff, stock up.

 

[Seymour]

"Outrageous".....

A bit lame yes, but people only care because it's off season.