Stand behind your brand

A recent episode of “Ellen,” the talk show with Ellen DeGeneres, had its host talking about the One Million Moms boycotting her partnership with JCPenney.

Along with a lot of laughs as to the size and tenets of this association, a clip from this monologue had Ellen roughly saying to her audience, “haters are [her] motivators.”  You can find this video by searching “ Ellen Addresses Her JCPenney Critics.” A tough yet rather cool thought that took her through this short-lived controversy.

Whether or not you believe in Ellen, who she is and what she stands for, is not the issue of this column. From a marketing standpoint the issue is how a marketer didn’t desert its decision, its spokeswoman and as a result, found a new loyal audience.

Depending on what you hear and read, the social media groundswell that centered on this event had many people praising the retailer for standing up to what it deemed to be hatred and bullying tactics. And the concern for traditional values from One Million Moms seemed to be of little concern to the most vocal supporters of this comedian and her corporate partner.

Imagine finding a way to successfully move forward despite those who openly dislike you – even if they see your representation of a brand to be wrong without necessarily knowing what you believe in?  And oh yes, besides JCP, imagine how Ellen felt, too.

There is a lot to come from this retailer. Mike Fisher, now senior vice president of Visual Presentation, just recently joined JCPenney from Apple in order to redefine how the stores will look – including their new street, square and shops format. 

There’s also a new logo and determination to make this store America’s store and a favorite shopping destination. And there’s a new approach to pricing and promotions that will stop the cyclical discounting that has recently hurt the retailer’s sales and revenue.

What’s more, the boycott was declared over on March 8 and Ellen still finds herself in many moments in history, promoting the values of JCPenney in their latest commercials.

Standing behind its brand and averting crisis is a unique move from a retailer who stayed resolute.