Designer Kenneth Cole is no stranger to politics. So, it should come as no surprise that his company has adopted the patriotic spirit and infused its fall advertising campaign with a politically correct post-Sept. 11 attitude. But should it?
The slogan, "Some statements are more fashionable than others," has been a staple of Kenneth Cole ads for the last several seasons. This slogan is always accompanied by a rotating series of catch-phrases that attempt to be insightful and provocative. This fall the chosen catch phrases include "Security... The Accessory for Fall," as well as "Not Voting is So Last Season." Though these ads do not promote a specific Sept. 11-inspired product like the "Have Courage" bag in the kate spade ad, what Kenneth Cole is doing with his ads is actually worse. These ads claim the entire Kenneth Cole line, from shoes and watches to sweaters and jackets, represent the blind American patriotism that all fashionable men and women should want to express right now. While you're still digesting that notion, I would like to point out that the Kenneth Cole ads also share a similarity with the kate spade "Have Courage" ad: Nowhere does the text mention that any proceeds from this blatant misuse of the tragedy will be donated to Sept. 11 charities.
When Kenneth Cole first started including these political messages in his advertisements several seasons ago, I admired the decision to take a risk and attempt to make fashion something more than a spectator sport for the "ladies who lunch" set. Unfortunately, the decision to give his ads a Sept. 11 spin has only served to lump him into the pack of simple-minded marketeers who have lost sight of what it means to be tasteful.
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