People always think they know better than you. It’s true, even when they have no idea who they really are. About 2 weeks ago, I saw an ad for “Men’s Wearhouse” and I looked at the “Leader George Zimmer”. I thought to myself, man, that brand has really been going strong, for a long time. Then I looked at George and thought ” I appreciate that they didn’t can him, just because he is “aging”. The problem was, I was just 2 weeks early.
The Board gave George Zimmer (not to be confused with “George Zimmerman” the killer man) his walking papers.
What is fascinating about this, is that it was George’s Company he literally “Started from the Bottom!” (Now he’s here!)
Out the trunk of his car! That is passion unheard of, he was like a starting rapper, only with raincoats.
But, I get the boards decision, they figure. “We can’t have a grand daddy selling suits to the new generation!” We have to do something else. (really funny “something else”) But this just means, the board got “cloudy and greedy”.
George Zimmer has something that you really can’t create in a board room or anywhere else for that matter. That is PASSION AND BELIEF in the BRAND! This is his BABY! Some people have kids, Some people start businesses. Either way both of them are “Babies that they raise”. What the brand may not recover from is, “You can’t Fire Daddy!”
Now, “Dads do leave” and people make it. But what you can’t do is “Fire Daddy”. The family falls apart. People can handle death, people can handle when a person isn’t right. But they don’t understand “Firing”.
George was still excellent at his Job. But the “easy way” is to Fire. The hard way is to modify and find “new ways to fit”.
Everyone always wants the easy way out. It remains to be seen as to what happens with the Men’s Wearhouse brand.
But I assure you, this isn’t the end. Just a new beginning. And what I believe, GZ will be back.
The Alternative
There are several ways they could have created a “happier ending”. Keep George on ” Lady Eloise” style. The face of the brand with some new people.
They could have taken some of the “Real Younger Staff” that have been there say 10 -15 years and given their Testimony.
They could have did a “Crowd Source” and solicited REAL STORIES of Young Shoppers that Men’s Wearhouse came in Super Handy for. Say a Prom or Dance. A funeral. A wedding.
Real life is serious. People like to see stories they can relate to.
They could have George Telling some of his “greatest stories” of shopping experiences.
This could have really taken the brand up a notch.
But to be a “bully” is “easier”. We are not there, so we don’t know the true details of what has happened at Men’s Wearhouse. But I know, if you had a kid, that was now 40 and some people rolled up on you and said, yea, thanks for your kid, but you are not his daddy anymore.
What would you do? How would you feel?
