When I see a commercial aimed so blatantly at new adults in my general demographic (twentysomething media-types), I can’t help but analyze whether the spot was successful at speaking the language of the brand. So, if you take the time to watch the below spot, you’ll probably feel like George Zimmer, the old dude who has been the old dude in Men’s Wearhouse commercials since I was a kid, is, for the first time in your life, trying to talk directly to you. He says that now, the dudes who wear suits are the hip, young creative types. “The digital guys.” Check it out and meet me below.
First of all, I appreciate that George Zimmer acknowledges that he’s super old. As noted above, he is. What the spot basically boils down to is a blatant call to young people who might need a suit that, hey, you can buy a suit at the Men’s Wearhouse. Which is fair enough. Most people our age probably associate Men’s Wearhouse with this schmucky old Jew who used to tell bank managers in the 90s, “You’re going to like the way you look.”
What I find funny is that the people featured in the spot are probably not the guys who are really going to shop at the Men’s Wearhouse. The cool, be-vested bro in the fedora, or the dreadlocked, black creative director dude with the hip pocket-square – these dudes are so aspirational they feel like the living the an issue of Monocle. But be honest, though. These “suits”, the “creators”, they’re not shopping at Men’s Wearhouse. The twentysomethings who shop at Men’s Wearhouse have a cousin getting married this summer or are gearing up for their first job interview in a while. Guys who need suits, but who kind of don’t give a fuck, because they’re not really gonna wear it that often
Free marketing advice for Zimmer. Want to be “hip”, with the digital generation? Put either Diddy or Gosling in the next spot. Those dudes can wear the fuck out of a suit.
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Henry Goldman is founder of yr an adult, and would happily help Men’s Wearhouse out with their marketing. And if you’re reading this, George Zimmer, he’s sorry he called you old.