Why are companies suddenly so eager to rep Brooklyn?
Lately there has been a flurry of media attention being given to the hub of art and culture that is Brooklyn, New York. From national dailies to independent bloggers, everyone is trying to find out if “Brooklyn” is turning into a brand. With companies such as ABSOLUT Vodka, Starbucks and Ford Motor Company all utilizing Brooklyn in their recent advertising campaigns, one wonders if these large corporations only want their piece of the “Brooklyn Gold Rush.”
Avi Abel is President of Watermark Designs, a Brooklyn-based manufacturer of decorative plumbing fixtures for more than thirty years. A driven and passionate third generation business owner, Avi recently offered his perspective of what it means to be a Brooklynite and tells us what effect this trend stands to have on the Brooklyn design community.
Avi Abel, President of Watermark Designs
In a recent New York Times article, writer Steve Stern stated that “Small restaurants and large companies…are lining up to hitch their wagons to Brooklyn’s D.I.Y. chic…It’s not that Brooklyn artisans are going corporate, but that corporations are Brooklynizing.” Why are so many businesses and large corporations trying to tap in on Brooklyn’s popularity?
Avi Abel: I think businesses are attracted to Brooklyn because it offers a distinctive brand personality that embodies the Creative Class. Businesses, by nature, are in a constant, feverish search to retain their market share, and they know they can only accomplish this by evolving their brand. Thus, they’re tapping Brooklyn because Brooklyn epitomizes evolution. Over the past few years, Brooklyn has gone from being in the ‘shadow’ of NYC to becoming a destination in its own right — attracting artists, students, young families and furniture designers. It has become more and more clear that Brooklyn itself plays muse to many creative types, and businesses are anxious to tap into that power.
What does the name Brooklyn represent?
Abel: Brooklyn means different things to different people, but I think it’s safe to say that millions of people across the world share some sort of emotional connection to Brooklyn — whether it be from watching The Cosby Show in the 1980s, or seeing Brooklyn romanticized in a movie about “Old New York,” or maybe they’re fortunate enough to reside here themselves. Interestingly enough, many who reside in Brooklyn aren’t necessarily native to Brooklyn — they’re soul searchers from all over the world who have come here to create and live the American dream. Similar to the phenomenon that occurred in NYC during the Industrial Revolution and after the World Wars, that same influx still occurs in Brooklyn today. But to me, there’s an undeniable authenticity to all things Brooklyn, and that authenticity is rooted in pride and promise. Brooklyn represents something much more than just a borough or a community — it represents a warm, artistic climate, rich in heritage and diversity.
What are the adverse effects of using the name Brooklyn?
Abel: I’d say “Brooklyn Fatigue.” Over-using anything breeds mediocrity and stands to diminish what so many generations have worked so hard to cultivate and sustain. Unfortunately, there also seem to be anecdotes brewing of a “corporate-infused Brooklyn Renaissance” going on right now. It’s a slippery slope when cities or neighborhoods are branded like commercial.
Brooklyn Faucet by Watermark Designs
What does all of this mean for the Brooklyn design community?
Abel: Because Brooklyn is a real part of my company, my personal inspiration and a driving force behind the quality of my products, I don’t want Brooklyn to become synonymous with a cliché or passing trend. I, along with the Brooklynites I know, work diligently every day to protect our name. And at Watermark, we protect our name through the quality of our products. At Watermark, each day we walk the fine line of wanting to share our story without being perceived as falling into all the hype. We recently created a faucet called “Brooklyn,” and we were hesitant to name it such because of the recent controversy over the semantics of Brooklyn. However — in true Brooklyn spirit — we stood by our choice because we have the faculty to back it up: similar to all of our products, the Brooklyn faucet is a Watermark original design, it was a unique collaboration between Incorporated Architecture & Design and our engineers and artisans — all at work down on the factory floor, and it’s a true reflection of the neighborhood that we all know and love. Watermark was deeply rooted in Brooklyn before it was popular to do so; we plan on weathering this fad and we look forward to continuing being a leader in the decorative plumbing industry.
