Dubai Mall August 2013
[from FB post: August 19, 2013]
OK PA friends.... what do you say about this? When I was in London a couple of months ago I noticed a few people with Franklin and Marshall shirts and thought it was random. Now I found a whole brand of it in Dubai Mall (very upscale). Does F&M in Lancaster know about this? It seems to have a whole college feel to it too.
Comments:
Matthew Glotfelter: I wonder how F&M feels about it, or do they get a cut?
SF: Hmmm, good question. We were just there!
SF: Matt, Dan Porterfield, who was in your class, is president of F&M. You should ask him!
Matthew Glotfelter: Thanks S! maybe I will!!
Entrepreneurs in a small world
Halfway around the world, I see a shop selling T-shirts and branded items from Franklin and Marshall College. I just can't believe a small, liberal arts college in Lancaster, PA has suddenly gone international with its brand. In fact, before seeing the shop in Dubai Mall, I randomly saw a few people in London with F&M shirts and found it "unusual".
So I queried social media in the metaverse.
As it turned out, SF informed me that a classmate (I didn't know him personally) from Georgetown was the current president of F&M. I cannot recall if I emailed him or SF did, but we got a response. He explained that he was approached by an apparel brand from China to license the F&M name. In short, for a cut of the profit, he agreed. I mean, what a no-brainer - some income for using the name and free advertising worldwide. How could that be a bad thing?
I think the branding might have been a "flash in the pan" as such things usually are. We see many brands rise rapidly, become over-loved, and fade away. Gap? Banana Republic? Aeropostale? A&F? Anthropologie? Superdry? The list is endless. I haven't been in a big, international mall in some time to see if F&M is still a phenomenon.
I still love the story. I noticed, I asked, and my question was answered from the source!
Comments