Hollister. When people hear this brand name there is typically an immediate association with a particular image and a perception of what the store is like. Although many people are aware of what type of merchandise Hollister sells, going inside the store allows consumers to experience the atmosphere and gain a deeper awareness of the brand’s image. Hollister has a very unique atmosphere and feel. The outside of the store alone exudes an undeniable relaxed surfer vibe. The surf hut style and huge poster of sexy models are displayed outside of each Hollister along with two vintage chairs and magazines. Once a person walks through the stylistically designed store front, that same cool, relaxed image is echoed throughout the entire store.
The first thing you notice when you walk into Hollister is: it’s dark and there’s really loud music playing. This music has an undeniable California feel, and the obvious lack of fluorescent lighting creates a laid back atmosphere. By taking a left at the entrance, you will enter the “Bettys” or female side, and to the right is the “Dudes” or male section of apparel. As you move deeper inside of the store, you will notice that the walls are adorned with large posters of beautiful, mostly white models clad in limited amounts of clothing. Every mannequin in the store is headless and is made out of a tan fabric and dressed in various Hollister outfits with a female mannequin typically standing in front of a male mannequin. These posters and mannequins work together to convey the idea that Hollister clothes will make you pretty, popular, and cool.
Looking around at the other consumers in the store, I noticed that most of them were white, assumedly upper-middle class girls, ranging from middle school to college age. There were fewer boys, and these shoppers also seemed to be high school or college aged students. According to an employee, their target age group are consumers between the ages 12 and 18. These employees, all dressed in Hollister gear, casually greeted me as I entered the store and asked if I needed any help, but then left me to my own devices and were distant. Most of the employees were folding clothes, while one worker managed the cash register. Each worker was aloof and they portray the Hollister brand as superior in the character of the worker and the clothing.
Hollister is a niche store that has a defined style and targets a very specific consumer. What works and what does not work about this store is the same: the atmosphere. Hollister has a unique atmosphere that is beneficial to the store because from a juvenile standpoint it acts as a cool hangout spot for shoppers. This is because it goes beyond merely a clothing store and creates a culture. Hollister sets up the idea that this store is a trendy surf shop by playing indy and alternative rock music and by providing abundant areas to sit and relax in comfortable chairs. It further differentiates itself from the “clothing stores their parent’s buy from” by having extreme sports magazines and selling CD's of the band they play over the stereos. However, this atmosphere is not accessible to the widest range of possible consumers. By implanting a piece of Southern California surf culture approximately 3000 miles away from the Pacific Ocean it achieves the very definition of fake, which automatically is a turnoff to many buyers. Furthermore, requiring flashlights to see the merchandise and having employees that barely communicate with you only adds to people’s disdain for the company. Possibly the most damaging aspect of the Hollister store itself is the overtly sexual images portrayed by young people. The reason this is so hurtful to Hollister is because most people that shop there are young teenagers that are completely dependent upon their parents, and these multiple sexual images reflect the style of the clothes. By removing these more controversial elements, Hollister may open itself up to being a more widely bought brand, however it would lose the style that made it popular to begin with.
