Kevin Hillstrom: MineThatData

Exploring How Customers Interact With Advertising, Products, Brands, and Channels, using Multichannel Forensics.

April 05, 2008

The J. Peterman Catalog ... And Blog

Many of you were exposed to the J. Peterman Catalog through the trials and tribulations of the J. Peterman character on Seinfeld, played by John O'Hurley.

Others may have actually purchased from the old catalog, or J. Peterman retail stores. The Peterman empire grew to $75 million in annual sales in the late 1990s, before crumbling under the simultaneous pressures of growth, multichannel retail expansion, and inventory management (multichannel CEOs should seriously read this article ... now!).

A unique series of events led to John O'Hurley assisting J. Peterman in the re-acquisition of the brand name.

Today, the J. Peterman brand lives via multiple channels.
J. Peterman also has a social media channel, hosting several unique blogs under the umbrella name Peterman's Eye.
If you want to follow along, here's a link to the Peterman's Eye RSS Subscription.

If there is one catalog brand that could benefit from the inclusion of social media as a channel, it should be J. Peterman. The blog illustrates ways in which catalogers differentiate themselves from online pureplays or big box retailers. One sees creativity and imagination in the articles. In a sense, the blogs help position Peterman as a media company / multichannel brand, not just a catalog brand.

Labels: , , ,

2 Comments:

At 11:09 AM , Anonymous Jonathan Sexton said...

Hey Kevin,

I was trolling the web and found your blog entry on the J. Peterman Company. I just wanted to thank you for your references to our site and hope you visit us often.

I'll look for you on Peterman's Eye!

Thanks again,

Jonathan Sexton
Director of Marketing | The J. Peterman Company
jsexton@jpeterman.com

 
At 4:53 AM , Blogger Pleasantly Eccentric said...

Peterman's Black Eye social connection on very thought provoking and interesting topics have lowered what would have been a great concept. The social chat has a few same members which dominate the site often harassing new people.. its a pecking order of women dancing in cyber bikinis on cyber boats with a cyber queenbee who is cyberly crowned with a tiara. Harrassment and vile name calling is accepted by Sexton and Peterman the younger. I don't think that will help sales.. proof in the fact they have to have a photography contest to draw in new people. A family site should not have vile harrassment and name calling using womens private parts. THis Customer of 15 yrs has taken our money elsewhere.. Its too bad because I always loved J Peterman and the eye has a lot to offer ..their cyber Gilligans Island will not attract families, especially if such violence is accepted by the management. Must be a younger generation concept of retail..

 

Post a Comment

Links to this post:

Create a Link

<< Home