Disney's Smart Gamble on Demi Lovato's D-Signed Line for Tweens
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Behind all the blockbuster movies and theme parks, Disney's (DIS) been quietly cultivating another successful sales channel â€" teen fashion. The media conglomerate's foray into licensed apparel is broadening as it transforms the girl stars of its hit TV shows into "designers." First, Miley Cyrus landed at Walmart (WMT) with a little help from real world designer Max Azria. Next, Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) forged a partnership with Kmart (SHLD). But Demi Lovato's (Sonny with a Chance) debut on the racks at Target (TGT) promises to be the biggest hit.
Here's why:
The Right Store â€"- Target does designer collaborations right. From its hotly anticipated GO International partnerships with high-end brands such as Zac Posen and Rodarte, to the runaway success of its Liberty merchandise, the discount retailer has perfected the balance between maintaining a designer's signature style with collections that are reasonably priced. "D-Signed" clothing and accessories are all priced between $4.99 and $19.99.
The Right Target Market â€"- While Selena Gomez's line for Kmart, dubbed "Dream Out Loud" is geared toward juniors (think 13+ or, older than the average viewer) Lovato's merchandise is aimed at tween girls ages 8-14 -- most definitely the target audience of the TV show.
The Right Show â€" Disney's riding the crest of a tasty wave. The new one-hour Sonny with a Chance that aired in mid-July ranked as the series' No. 1 telecast of all time in total viewers (6.1 million), kids 6-11 (2.6 million) and tweens 9-14 (2.6 million). Gomez's Wizards of Waverly Place trailed with 3.6 million viewers.
The Right Products â€"- The assortment is less about splashing the show's logo or picture graphics of the stars on t-shirts a la Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana merchandise. Tweens are much more sophisticated than their parents even want to admit, therefore clothing inspired by what Lovato actually sports on her show will be much more attractive to these young fashionistas.
The Right Promotion -â€" The 18-year old is an accomplished chanteuse (of course) in her own right. Though she's not quite reached the star power of Miley Cyrus, Lovato's often showcased in music videos on Disney Channel. As such, it was a given to use a music video to promote the D-Signed collection. "Me, Myself, and Time" is a song from the show and the video features a girl designing her own clothing while a television in the background features Lovato performing the bubbly pop tune. She appears at the beginning to discuss her personal style and Target adds its bullseye at the end. Can you say ka-ching?
Image via YouTube
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