Comments (0)

By daliastrum, May 15, 2012 1:13 pm

WHAT’S TRENDING

Louis Vuitton is going back to its roots and what they’re originally known for; their luggage and trunks by creating an iPad application.  The 100 Legendary Trunks iPad application provides exclusive brand information through unpublished texts and documents, videos, sound clips and images. The Louis Vuitton app price seems to be a luxury item in and of itself, with a price point of $18.99 in Apple’s App Store.

The application’s vivid representation of the history of Louis Vuitton’s design’s and usage is truly representative of the company’s evolution throughout the years.

The history of the Trunks, also include the globe-trotters (celebrities) whom have owned them and have been carrying their possessions for some time. While they’re more nostalgia pieces nowadays, they still draw attention for their classic lines and sticker friendly surfaces.

Louis Vuitton’s luxury experience backstory was translated into an application, similarly like the details and quality of their products. Their clientele understands the value behind the brand, and LV has established a sense of trust with their customer base, so they shouldn’t have an issue with the price point of the app.

Dalia Strum teaches SXF 120: Blogging Smarts for Business and SXF 130: The Social Media-Social Commerce Revolution: What You Need to Know to Keep Up

Comments (0)

By Donald McMichael, May 12, 2012 1:55 pm

In business the most valuable tool you possess is the ability to gather information. You’re constantly on the lookout for insights on industry trends, competitor actions, economic forces, key supplier grumblings, and most importantly what job(s) your idea customer needs done.

Good insights are worth their weight in gold, but bad information can be deadly. Actions predicated on it waste not only money (salaries, prototype expenses, misdirected marketing efforts, etc.) but more importantly can tank professional relationships and your business’ reputation.;

But how do you avoid being burned from unreliable information?

Think like a reporter.

They aren’t compensated for finding the story but for verifying to the best of their ability all sources and ensuring that the information they’re using to weave the full story is authentic before it hits the light of day. Unfortunately for most, but great for those who excel at it, evaluating the reliability of information is an art as well as work – much of which is detective work.

Here are three ways that you can find key data/proof points that support your primary research.

Climb to the mountaintop. Confirm your information with a 3^rd party. Seek out 2 to 3 experts to cross verify the information. These could be individuals who are deeply familiar with an area like the targeted market, industry economics, or the particular company.

Dig for details. Ask pointed follow-up questions, not only to your source but also to the world. Tap into the knowledge of the collective by utilize tools such as Twitter and LinkedIn to push a specific question to a knowledgeable sub-set of your connections. Granted individual data that comes from ‘crowdsourcing’ has its own creditability issues, but widespread beliefs can verify trends and core issues.

Extrapolate upon existing creditable sources. Utilize sources of secondary information, the main providers of which are governments, trade associations, academic institutions, research houses, and national & international institutions.

Do you agree? What other methods can you add to our knowledgebase?

Donald McMichacel teaches BE 261 – Starting a Small Business.
Follow him on Twitter at @DonaldMcMichael or Google+ at +Donald McMichael

Comments (3)

By Paige Smith, May 4, 2012 11:50 am

English is the language of the global fashion business!

Do you want to improve your English language skills?
Are you interested in fashion design, promotion, retail buying, the fragrance business, fashion trend forecasting or global fashion business development?  
Would you like to spend several weeks in New York City?  
Then FIT’s Summer English as a Second Language / Fashion Business Program is for you!

July 5, 2012 – July 26, 2012
This three-week intensive session offered in partnership with FIT’s Educational Skills department includes an ESL course and classes in fashion business and design topics. Attendees meet a variety of fashion-related industry experts in the classroom and at special events.
Earn a Professional Studies Certificate of Completion.

Standard Programs:
Fashion Design
Fashion Merchandising
Fragrance Product Development
Fashion Promotion

Elite/Accelerated Programs:
Fashion Trend Forecasting
Global Fashion Business

For a complete brochure, download this PDF.
To register, go to fitnyc.edu/noncreditregister, select ESL Programs, choose the track of your choice, and proceed to check out.
Registration Deadline: May 25, 2012.

Comments (0)

By daliastrum, April 5, 2012 1:16 pm

WHAT’S TRENDING

Department Store, Barneys New York is experimenting with how social integrates into e-commerce through the second release of their shoppable video this quarter.

The focus is “Transform the Everyday Black Dress,” which features fashion blogger Geri Hirsch (www.becauseimaddicted.net and founder of LeafTV), whom is actually videoed while shopping in Barneys’ Beverly Hills store location. The goal of this campaign is to target a younger demographic through this trendy strategy, while incorporating the classic aspects of the Company Brand which synergizes with the classic look of the ‘Black Dress’ and how some additional accessories could give it a ‘face-lift.’

This clip features links to Barneys’ ecommerce site in order for consumers to actually purchase the items that are featured.

This video goes through some real-life experiences that women deal with on a daily basis, which is why it made it relatable and translatable in their lifestyles.

This strategic approach of utilizing an average woman that their target market could relate to, as opposed to their typical model was quite interesting, and decreased the focus on constantly improving their cosmetic appearance.  This should allow their consumers to focus on the actual apparel/accessories and should result in an increase of sales.

Dalia Strum teaches SXF 120: Blogging Smarts for Business.

Comments (1)

By Joan Volpe, March 22, 2012 11:15 am

HOTTOPICSINSIDER  recommends that if you have not seen the new  Cartier 3 min+ ad you absolutely have to.  Not only is it stunning, but it absolutely embodies a breakthrough concept in advertising style and  exemplifies what Brand strategy is all about.  The emphasis here is about authenticity, passion, dreams, and desire.
Get in on the buzz.   View it now.

Related articles:
- Is the Cartier ad the start of something new?
- Cartier Watches the Luxury Market

Comments (0)

By daliastrum, March 13, 2012 8:00 am

WHAT’S TRENDING

Bloomingdale’s is launching a new campaign, which is essentially aiming to build ‘Loyalists’ via QR Codes and SMS call-to-action strategies, starting with a print campaign in the April Edition of Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair magazine.

The company recognizes that their consumer has transitioned to one whom is typically mobile; it would be more efficient to reach them on the technology that they have ‘in-hand.’

The advertisement located in Vanity Fair is a two-page spread, which features Michael by Michael Kors and Marc by Marc Jacobs’ dynamic Spring/Summer 2012 Collections.

The strategic ‘calls-to-action’ are located in a blue box on the top right-hand side of the second page.

Consumers can scan a QR code, send an SMS message, or enter the URL address http://www.bloomingdales.com/loyallist on their mobile devices.

The QR code forwards consumers to a tutorial video that explains the new Bloomingdale’s Loyallist program. (A similar concept is established when a consumer sends an SMS to the number provided)

Essentially, consumers receive one point for every dollar they spend in-store, online or in outlets. There are also chances to earn double points on cosmetics and fragrances.

If consumers get 5,000 points, they receive a $25 rewards card.

This allows Bloomingdales to establish a more personalized, one-to-one relationship with their consumers.

Dalia Strum teaches SXF 120: Blogging Smarts for Business.

Comments (0)

By daliastrum, February 28, 2012 4:08 pm

WHAT’S TRENDING

As we enter the digital market, physical mailers and catalogs are becoming less prevalent to engage the younger more affluent demographic. Barneys New York is focusing more energy to target the younger consumer through digital videos for its Co-Op Line.

The Brand is not eliminating direct marketing and catalogs completely, and they will be offering it for other lines that engage with an older demographic with a “touch and feel” mentality.  However, Co-Op’s Spring Line will be released completely in digital format for the first time.

Currently, Barneys has two videos on its ecommerce site at http://www.barneys.com for both the Men’s and Women’s Co-Op lines.

The videos have a different dynamic than others than consumers might have been accustomed to in the past.  Typically there would be loud music, some dancing/or movement – Barneys’ tried to create some type of interaction with the models such as an interview or more specific movement so consumers can better see how the apparel moves/fits.

While watching the video, consumers are able to click on an article of clothing, which will expand the product and allow them to add it to their shopping cart to checkout at their convenience.

Consumers are also able to scroll through different looks, which are accompanied by the designer’s name.

Promotion for this launch was done though email as well as social media outreach to connect with their direct clientele.

Opportunities for this outreach are endless, especially when it comes to relatability.  Models could essentially be anyone that their target customer could connect with, which would create appeal for those particular products.

Dalia Strum teaches SXF 120: Blogging Smarts for Business.

Comments (0)

By Peggy & Arthur Winters, February 23, 2012 8:54 am

Talkin-2-Me content on social media has reinvented retailing. Interactive digital innovations have enabled fashion brands and retailers to reorient shopping behaviors designed for multi-level retailing. By utilizing opportunities for talkin’ between brand-2-customer and customer-2-customer, the fashion industries have also changed merchandising production time-lines and supply lines.

By Talkin’-2-U about self-styling, many fashion brands are getting more and more ROI from their use of social media. We are now experiencing Talkin’-2-Me strategic content that offers on-line customer-centric promotions (CCP), e.g., members only sales and events, and provides unique customer experiences (CX), e.g., instant shopping options.

drawing by Dr. Arthur Winters… who thanks Robert DeNiro for “Taxi Driver”

As designers are live-streaming their fashion shows, they are able to talk intimately with their digital attendees. Social Media Talkin’-2-Me content has effectively created communications that benefit fashion brands from promotional to luxury levels… for genuine cultural exchanges in retailing. Luxury and premium fashion brands had been criticized for their reluctance to get online. This was often because they did not want to be perceived as mass-market brands. But now, they are creating unique content for social media and initiating their own style of creative strategies for online retailing. They are inventing new mobile interfaces and online experiential marketing models that encourage interactive responses from customers who thank the brands for Talkin’-2-Me!

We have observed that luxury brands have found their techno-egos and are eager to build and grow their multi channel presence. Many brands are being helped by the newer social networking sites like: Pinterest. Pioneered by Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom, Pinterest makes posting and sharing pictures easier than other sites. It also has an invite-only strategy providing a feeling of exclusivity for the more affluent customer.

Heuristics is the process of discovery, learning and invention. We see the social media development and integration in brand marketing as a most helpful aide in the delight and joy of discovery, as it opens up the fashion conversation Brand-2-Customer.

BrandPsych Resources:
WWD.com and the Women’s Wear Daily Digital Forum
Mashable.com – Macala Wright Lee / Samantha Murphy
LuxuryDaily.com – Rachel Lamb

Arthur & Peggy Winters co-teach SXB 200 Brand Marketing Communications for Image & Meaning and SXR 050 Intro to Branding: The Art of Customer Bonding.

Comments (0)

By daliastrum, February 14, 2012 1:07 pm

WHAT’S TRENDING

As SXSW Music festival is right around the corner, Neiman Marcus has been on the quest for some ‘street-style’ photographers to take photos for their NMDaily blog through a Facebook contest on Neiman Marcus’s Facebook page.

To enter, applicants are asked to fill out a questioner as well as send in a few samples of their photography.  The winner of this contest will attend SXSW music festival as a correspondent photographer on behalf of Neiman Marcus and their photos will be posted on NM’s Facebook, Twitter as well as their blog.

SXSW is held in Austin, TX from March 9^th until March 18th. The festival, which is hosted by the SXSW Austin-based music station, includes films, live music and activities.

This is a great opportunity to focus on various curated forms of expression, as neither the photographer is a selected professional, nor are the people they would be photographing.

Users can access this contest through Neiman Marcus’ Facebook page, by clicking on the SXSW Tab http://www.facebook.com/neimanmarcus as well as on their blog, http://www.nmdaily.com

Dalia Strum teaches SXF 120: Blogging Smarts for Business.