What's the, ah, Difference?

OK, so I'm a woman, and I do enjoy shopping, and I have been to the occasional TJ Maxx spring dress sale.  And I've got to admit, I've never really been able to tell the difference between TJ Maxx and Marshalls, which are two sister companies that seem to me to sell basically all the same stuff.  They are all generally a mess, the dresses are inevitably either too short or two dressy to be worn out, the left shoe of the pair in my size has always disappeared, and the delineation between sizes or categories of clothes is often so ambiguous there was never really a hope of keeping them separate.  I am almost always disappointed with my shopping experience when I go, especially because the supposed deals are never quite as, thrifty, as I would like, and I think I'm not hip-urban-youth enough for their targeted market.

TJ Maxx and Marshalls have a third company in the TJX Companies family, Home Goods, and I have no problem understanding how it is different from the other two.

This ad doesn't help me see that difference.  I feel like the intention was to give a showdown between the Maxxinstas and the Marshalls Marsh-instas(?), but, maybe I'm blind, they look the same to me.  There is one Marshalls girl whose shorts are definitely shorter than her jacket, and her compadre looks like she brought a tee-shirt to a dress fight, so I guess the TJ Maxx girls are supposed to be dressier and less casual, but, seriously, they look exactly the same.  

The risk the TJX Companies are running here is cannibalizing their sister companies.  I looked the parent firm up, you can check out their company here, and they seem like a fairly standard international fashion retailer, but for the last 30 years, the TJX bread and butter has been this brand pair.  And a company with two main lines should make clear the difference between them.  (The TJX Companies recently acquired Sierra Trading Post, which is a really great discount outdoor clothing and gear online retailer.  Sierra Trading Post is coming in with a really clear market, so I think they'll be alright, although this explains the recent influx of oh-so-rugged outdoorsy high heeled sandals...  Quite the change from the Tevas and Chacos to which we had all become accustomed to seeing out of Sierra Trading Post.)

Compare this with how Gap, Inc. has kept Gap v. Old Navy v. Banana Republic separate.  Bravo, Gap, Inc., bravo.

Please see exhibit funny Old Navy Wardrobe Interview commercial with Amy Poehler:

Please see exhibit classy, understated Gap Back to Blue commercial featuring Alexa Ray Joel (as in, daughter of Billy):

And, finally, see Banana Republic's vintage-feeling, luxurious road-trip ad featuring Nate Berkus (as in, Oprah):

This is how you keep your brands separate, distinct, and classy, people.  And use some serious star power.  (And somehow Gap, Inc. knows how to hire enough people to keep the racks organized.  Good job Gap.)