Steve,

Thank you for taking a leading position in this important matter and for helping to bring it to the forefront.  The events unfolding in our industry are following the exact pattern predicted in the Industry Review we had commissioned three years ago as part of our longer term planning for the Top 10 Prom group.  Unfortunately these are unfolding even faster than we had first thought which is VERY fast.  This does not bode well for many of the current prom and bridal vendors, especially those that have not focused on relationships with the brick and mortar stores.  The structure of the final outcome has already been set in motion and is unlikely to change very much, but which businesses are left standing within that structure is still very much undetermined.

As in other consumer driven industries that are already well ahead of us on this curve, the steps taken must be equally strong on two fronts.  It seems you are moving quickly on the first front which is more legal and political attacking the supply side.  This is an important front to take action on, but as you pointed out it is a game of whack-a-mole.  Legal processes as well as government protection and customs enforcement will likely take time and the vendors are certainly in the best position to work together doing so.

The second front is consumer education to attack the demand side.  This is an area that we can all likely work together very effectively.  Jane Fort, David Liu, Peter Grimes and others have taken a lead by offering to help with possible editorial and/or PSA ad space.  The Top 10 Prom publications and website reach several million girls across the country as well.  All book groups, all vendors, all retailers and all advertisers (magazines, websites, etc) should include a consistent professionally created PSA educational campaign.  This would be included on all print materials and advertising, mailers, websites, in-store materials from localized press releases to dressing room posters all the way down to information printed on each hangtag on every dress and more.  Doing so would make a major impact with quite literally hundreds of millions of impressions.

The consumer education should include strong why-not and what-can-go-wrong components to protect the consumer from the downsides of how they may be cheated, lose their money or ruin their own prom night.  The use of strong emotional testimonials is recommended.  This type of consistent marketing across all platforms at this rate of gross impressions would make a significant impact to the demand side through consumer education.

We started committing more space to this message in recent years and believe working together is in everyone’s best interest.  We would be glad to work with everyone in the industry, vendors, stores, groups and advertisers to help protect all of the vendors’s valuable tradenames and products, not just those in the Top 10 Prom group but everyone.  What is best for the industry as a whole is certainly best for our 100+ stores as well.  While a rising tide raises all boats, a falling tide hurts us all just as much.

Again, thank you for taking a leading position on this important topic.  There will be parts of this topic in which some affected parties will have opposing goals, but the areas where we share common goals are significant and those items should remain the focus to make real progress and will help the industry while protecting the consumer.  Top 10 Prom is in a strong position to dedicate our marketing resources to the consumer education front and stand ready to do so.

-dave knapp

Top 10 Prom

eWedNewz continues our investigation into this story, including allegations and suspicions that some of the manufacturers and personalities that have not stepped forward to support the move could be harboring and aiding foreign companies involved with websites that sell direct to consumers.

eWedNewz

All Rights Reserved

2012