Hang Tag Review #42 - Nike Dry 2 Piece Set

This hangtag is from Nike Dry and is a three parter (despite being a "2 piece set"). The top tag is a small square that is clearly an add on over the top, and most likely added to lots of garments sold as sets. It has the swoosh, and then says "2 Piece Set" in 4 languages. The reverse has the UPC space indicator, open on this one. Let's start calling them UPC Landing Zones, shall we?

The next two tags are the ones that actually have the goods on them, and are larger rectangles. The first is more or less blank, with only the Nike Swoosh and what looks like a sublimated thumb print design. The reverse is similarly plan, a matte black with handling numbers at the top and a couple logos at the bottom. It also contains a very bizarre Name.com, made even more so considering Nike is one of the most famous brands on the planet.

The third tag is the features tag - defining Nike Dry and giving the basics of the technology. Oddly enough, its referred to as "Dry" and "Nike Dry" but there is also usage of "DRI-FIT" technology. This tag as a sublimated cross-hatch design. The reverse has the same description of Nike Dry but in French this time. It also has a UPC tag and the same assortment of trademarks as the previous.

Overall, this tag is interesting because it demonstrates some of the failings of the optimization of global brands. For example it has three different pieces that are somewhat contradictory - since this specimen has the bar code stickers still attached, it is clear that these were two separate items that were stuck together and sold as a set. Also, the design changes - both have very difficult to see sublimations, but one is a finger print style wave, the other is a cross hatch. Why use two different designs across what is essentially a single product, unless someone got their lines crossed.

I'll also mark this one down for Faux French, if for no other reason than because the first hang tag has 4 languages, but oddly enough the Feature Tag only has English and French. The choice only makes sense if you are impressed by having French text on your apparel.

Enough with the bad though - I love the weight and texture to these (which I know comes through great over the internet). They are heavy and have a nice almost rubbery texture to them. Also, the top 2 piece set tag is has probably my favorite UPC Landing Zone of any tag I have looked at. Its tiny with a tiny box, clearly labeled UPC. I love it.

HangTag Review #40 - Old Navy "Active" HangTag

This hang tag is from discount brand Old Navy, and specifically their "Active" line. The tag is nearly black, with a yellow double line logo, and then OLD NAVY ACTIVE displayed beneath. There is also a half banner that says "Go Dry" and a short line about moisture wicking in two languages. The reverse is pretty spartan, with another product description of "BREATHABILITY" followed by a few words explaining, again in two languages. The rest is just the price sticker.

Well, Old Navy is a discount brand, so the hang tag expectation is a little lower, but this one is pretty rough. The paper is cheap, and while I think the tag is supposed to be black, its actually just a washed out sort of black-ish color. I'm also really not a fan of the completely forgettable and generic logo - I'm sure a design consultant can point to the fact that it looks like a runner with their arms raised in victory (as the Olympics does from time to time). I also wish that someone would have made an executive decision to not put "ACTIVE" in italics. We get it, italics convey motion, great.

I'm also going to hit this one with the Faux-French designation. First of all, I'm not entirely sure that those translations are anything more than machine translations (or bottom dollar service). I don't know French especially well but it looks suspect. Further, I'm not sure that Old Navy's (itself a Gap sub-brand) Active sub-brand really needs to have an air of French design or taste. We know you took a look at the latest Nike designs and reproduced them as cheaply as possible, we don't need french text.

This hangtag is about as generic as they come, and a miss in my book.

Hang Tag Review #20 - Banana Republic "Petite" Hang Tag

This specialty hang tag is from prep brand Banana Republic. This is a special hang tag for their Petite sized items. The front is a soft pink with black text in all caps. It is simple, the only words are the brand name and two uses of petite, one on what would otherwise be the gift receipt space. There are also three diamonds used to set the space.

The reverse is where the action is. It contains a slim paragraph describing the Petite Collection. It quickly outlines that products marked petite are not just smaller, they are reduced proportionally to fit petite bodies. Every inseam, sleeve, hem and rise is adjusted individually. 

This paragraph is a disaster. Petite Collection is written in Victorian Caps, perhaps in an effort to demonstrate trademark use, or perhaps to really let you know what Banana Republic thinks is important. Petite is later used by itself but capitalized, as a proper known, which makes one wonder if Petite is perhaps being used as a class, such as a race or medical disability. Labeling customers as a separate class seems like an odd choice. "Style" appears twice in the four lines, which is predictable.

Just beneath the text is the same text in Faux French. It is obviously designed to call to mind a bespoke French fashion designer, creating one of a kind clothing for the petite woman, imported specially here for you. Except that this is the only French that these items will ever encounter. It is not a labeling requirement as the two passages are slightly different. Interestingly, "Petite" is capitalized but "collection" is not. Trademarks should generally not be translated but should be consistently used as trademarks. The marketing team won out over the legal team here, weakening a (potential) trademark at the expense of faux authenticity.

This hang tag is a great specimen. It uses "Petite" as a size, which is great for the smaller woman, but also really undercuts the idea that the clothes are specially sized. "Customized for you, as long as you are the one size that Petite fits." I give Banana Republic points for courage and direction though, they label their ideal customer as Petite with a capital P, a proper class of people. This is a bold choice that clearly says to a lot of potential buyers "Not for you." It is great to see them pick a direction and go for it, even if the copy needs some work in other areas.