When Tommy Hilfiger was an unknown brand, advertising announced his membership as a great US designer by associating him with Geoffrey Beene, Stanley Blacker, Calvin Klein, and Perry Ellis, who were recognized members of that category

Tommy Hilfiger conveyed the brand's category membership by ________.
A) relying on the product descriptor
B) focusing on reliability
C) comparing to exemplars
D) announcing category benefits
E) identifying counter examples

C