Product Placement is Boss...

Whether they know it or not, the public relations team for Kohl's Department Stores got a little added product placement this past Sunday in CBS' “Undercover Boss.” It seems when Belfor CEO Sheldon Yellen was getting ready to get down and dirty on the job site, he chose to wear work boots from the sportwear-inspired Kohl's-exclusive collection Sonoma life + style(R).

An opening shot in the program pictured Yellen  in his closet, which looks more like a small clothing and footwear emporium. “He likes shoes...” quipped Yellen's wife. The thing is, Yellen  has very expensive taste, preferring fine European goods to mass-market synthetics.

So perhaps I was a bit surprised when Yellen was getting ready for his first day on the job site that he chose work boots from Kohl's. Hey, I work as a Kohl's shoes department supervisor, and I know our stuff...those work boots were Woody by Sonoma. How can I be so sure—after all—couldn't they be a look alike? I can't know 100 percent that they were Woody, but compare the still frame of Yellen's feet to the Kohl's.com product photo following this post. The tan-with-red laces. The same-shaped toe and stitching. The faux dirt and distress markings. Convinced yet?

First and foremost, for a guy who confessed to having an affection for fine luxury goods, what is he doing wearing Kohl's merchandise? Woody, with its synthetic sole and upper, is not exactly Armani-quality footwear.

Regardless, Kohl's got a little bit of product placement. This is just like the incident I blogged about last spring when the seasonal Croft & Barrow misses sandal collection got some press in an AP photograph. Now the big question is, can Kohl's exploit this to its advantage? Perhaps a Facebook and Twitter mention of the product placement? How about a mini-blog entry featuring a model sporting a pair of Woody by Sonoma along with some Sonoma distressed denim and a complimentary polo shirt?

I'm just saying—Woody hasn't exactly been the most popular seller from this season's collection. It's not steel toed or waterproof—two virtues of a heavy-duty work boot—while the faux dirt has served to confuse some shoppers who think the boot is actually dirty. Kohl's has an opportunity to exploit this little bit of product placement and perhaps build some awareness for a product that, as its selling season quickly winds down, has not been the most popular shoe of the shelf.

Kohls.com product photo

CBS still frame

"Wynn"-er Takes All

During my commute to/from work, I often listen to podcasts, one of them being CBS’ 60 Minutes. What can I say? I have more productive things to do than plant myself in front of a TV on Sunday nights, and downloading free podcasts is a lot cheaper than buying CDs to keep me entertained during my drive.

On Easter Sunday (April 12), 60 Minutes ran a segment containing an interview with casino-resort powerhouse Steve Wynn. I found this piece particularly intriguing for several reasons:

The first reason is because I have been there, done that. I’ve toured every hotel and casino on the Vegas Strip that Mr. Wynn has built.

Secondly, I read a book this past summer Winner Takes All…and the Race to Own Las Vegas by Wall Street Journal reporter Christina Binkley. It was a fascinating take on Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, and others that gave birth to modern-day Las Vegas. You can read my review of it here. (And to think, in elementary school I hated reading books and then having to do a book report!)

Anyway, listening to the audio portions of the interview with Wynn intrigued me to visit CBS.com and view the video as well. Many of the incidents referenced in 60 Minutes’ clip were also outlined in the book, such as when Wynn accidentally punctured a rare Picasso painting in his multi-million dollar art collection.

Steve Wynn is quite an impressive guy. I’d love to meet him. He’s got an amazing eye for aesthetics and cutting-edge visuals with just enough fearlessness in him to make him take the risks necessary to be a success in business. He knows how to market a company that is unconventional. And his personality is beyond eccentric, it really shows through when he’s before the camera (although his clearly fake white teeth are a bit annoying).

A little background on this post’s picture: I took that last May when I visited Las Vegas. Encore tower (next door) was not quite finished then, but is open now. I’d love to stay there. Unfortunately, I don’t think even recession-era room rates are within my budget. But I did get to walk around the lobby, and let me say, this place is first-rate, over-the-top everything. Steve Wynn micromanages every detail of his resorts and leaves nothing to chance—that is, except at the casino tables and slots. Gratefully, I didn't waste my time and money in that part of the resort...