Life After Bad Press

She’s been dumped on and ridiculed by the media, and most of us will never forgive her for that infamous “Chicken of the Sea” blunder, but no matter what you say about Jessica Simpson, she’s still making more money than you are. In a year that has been drawn out by embarrassing headlines, Ms. Simpson has no reason to fret about her overall image when staring down the pipeline at her earnings projections for 2011. The Jessica Simpson clothing line is expected to collect an estimated $1 billion in earnings over the course of the next year as reported by Women’s Wear Daily.

The success of Jessica Simpson’s clothing line is not surprising, but this alarmingly successful earnings report seems no less gluttonous, leaving many a naysayer scratching their heads and asking themselves, how? How is the air headed, washed up, pop singer from “Newlyweds with Nick and Jessica” running a $1 billion fashion enterprise? The answer is years and years of market penetration.

Having originally attained commercial success as a pop singer, Jessica Simpson then moved to ingrain her image within America’s mind by starring in her own reality TV show with then husband Nick Lachey. The alarming success of “Newlyweds” made the pop star a household name and secured her viability as a mainstream actress capable of starring in the major motion picture, “Dukes of Hazzard.” From her debut as Daisy Duke, Simpson attained favor with the “red state” audience and used that image to move into producing country music hits. By the time the entertainer moved into fashion, she had already successfully marketed herself to a range of demographics through a variety of mediums. The penetration of Simpson’s name into several markets made her brand relatable to a variety of consumers.

Instantly recognizable, the widespread knowledge of her brand is one of the contributing factors to the success of the Jessica Simpson clothing line. And she can attribute that to years of promoting herself in different settings. Combined with the strength of her name however, Simpson took this business plan a step further by offering a quality product that is also affordable and can be worn by women without modeling contracts. In addition, the line has expanded to offer perfumes, make-up items, and in 2011, Jessica Simpson will offer a line of athletic wear, thereby generating sales in yet another market.

Available at mid-range stores like Macy’s, the clothing line is reasonably priced yet elegant, and by no means ostentatious; exactly what today’s consumer, hip yet downtrodden by economic woes, is looking for. Combined with the strength of the Jessica Simpson brand on each item, the entire line appeals to a wide range of consumers from different economic and artistic backgrounds. In essence, the Jessica Simpson brand has found success because it offers something for everyone. With musical, theatrical, and stylistic products available to consumers across the globe, Jessica Simpson is relishing in the power of quantity over quality.

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