I’m probably in no position to offer credible judgement on the business plans presented there but something did really strike me, so I’ll throw it out anyway. Perhaps it’ll trigger some discussion or end up being useful to the company at hand.  

 

The company that struck me as most feasible was silkinabox.com.  Here’s a simple idea (sell panties online), with a convincing proposition (buying panties online is much more convenient than braving the retail hell of the real world), and it looks feasible too (low-price purchase, feasible/affordable logistics).  But it lacked something.  The company’s vision is to become a household name in the panties (and socks) segment.  Thus, it needs visibility.  And it tried to get some via the Betagroup: ‘bloggers please write about us, spread the news!’   But I kept thinking: why should they?  The concept looks feasible in a dry rational sort of way, but it has very little newsworthiness.  There’s nothing new about it.  Ok, the model itself (sell something online) isn’t new, nor does it have to be.  But you can work with the brand story, and that’s where the missed opportunity is.  Where’s the brand identity or personality?  Where’s the brand story, the tale that anchors the concept to a higher mission or set of values?  The website looks deadpan dry.  ‘Yes, but it’s simple and easy to find stuff’ was the reply.  Sure, but that’s still no excuse for a soulless brand.

 

I suspect this company may gain a lot more pulling power and PR if it applied some of the lessons applied by companies like Razwar (www.razwar.com). Here’s a similar business (selling razors online) but the way they put that business in the market seems to be based on a lot more branding savvy.  Look at the name, it’s a play on the French word ‘rasoir’ but it also expresses the brand story: the ‘war’ against the rip-off prices charged by the established brands.  This is a brand with a mission, a higher calling; it tries to rally the troops.  It’s got recall power.  And its communication is recognisable: a coherent ‘house style’ that is expressed in the logo, the website and the product packaging.  I suspect there’s a good lesson in there for silkinabox.  What is your higher calling? Fighting the terror of the mall? Offering the world’s biggest and weirdest range of panties?  Or are you making a statement about female sexuality?  Come on; there’s potential there.   Also have a look at www.lafilledo.com.   What a statement, beautiful.