Lacoste is a very sophisticated brand, with lots of messages packed into what are essentially very simple products. The company was founded in 1933 by Rene Lacoste, a famous French tennis player. His wife and daughter were famous golf players. The family promoted the chemise Lacoste, a polo shirt, and this item of clothing was purchased by huge numbers of people who wanted to be associated with the Lacoste style (elegance of movement, effortless success, wholesome attractiveness). It is a marketing technique that relies upon very deep-seated human beliefs. Sir James Frazer, writing in The Golden Bough, said that ancient priests and warriors would wear the skins of animals (lions, bears, tigers) in the belief that they would acquire the attributes of the creatures they were impersonating (in some societies such as the Aztecs, captured warriors would be flayed and their skins worn so that their courage would be transferred to the wearer).
The chemise Lacoste was one of the defining products of the 1980s, and in recent years this cult image has experienced a revival. Recently they announced a celebrity endorsement deal with Andy Roddick, rising British tennis star. This indicates they are re-positioning the brand as an up and coming contender (rather than the established old-timer it actually is).
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