I agree with Wood when she writes, "[a]s an investment drawcard, Hawkins epitomises nothing ... Her face tells us nothing about the company ... its dynamism, its competitive position, its momentum." Wood further highlights how Hawkins is being used as a semiotic sign to connote particular ideals relevant to the Myer department store, and to establish an emotional connection.
An article by Adam Ferrier, Managing Partner of Naked Communications, on giving people utility over emotion in marketing is especially significant in this context. Ferrier writes that positive emotions are a natural corollary of giving them (people) what they want -- value. Although Myer are playing strong on the loyalty stakes by offering Myer One members an option to pre-purchase shares, the unidimensional emotional appeal through Hawkins as an ambassador is, in my opinion, a poor move. It positions Myer the fashion brand in the same manner as Myer the safe financial investment. Weird.
