Dive Brief:
- After failing to get a meeting with mayor Eric Garcetti, upscale Los Angeles department store Kitson has used the window display of its flagship Robertson Boulevard store to taunt him about it, Racked LA reports.
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The window reads:
Eric Garcetti
Mayor of Los Angeles
WHY WON’T YOU TALK TO US?
WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
THE TRUTH? #getusameeting -
UPDATE: As of Friday, Jan. 16, the window now reads: Does Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles, Condone Corruption and Collusion at LAX?
- Kitson is trying to work with the mayor to end its relationship with the Hudson Group but remain operating at two Los Angeles airports. The Hudson Group licenses its stores at the airports and, according to Kitson, has maintained close ties to the mayor's office, while the local store says it can't get a meeting.
Dive Insight:
Maybe if you are an iconic department store frequented by celebrities, you can fight city hall after all, with a prominent window display.
Kitson is accusing the Hudson Group of several poor business practices, including overcharging, selling expensive chocolate well after its expiration date, defamation of its brand and the brands Kitson carries, and “attempting to mine and profit” from Kitson's intellectual property. Kitson calls its relationship with Hudson “untenable” and says it’s being forced to terminate their contract to protect its brand.