Wrap Up: Fashion in
the Social and Digital Media World
In Cannes, ‘fashion’ does not mean ‘clothes’;
it means making a statement. This does not come easy, especially when the
streets are lined with designer brands like Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton,
Fendi, Marc Jobs, Escada, Hermés and many more. In order to make that fashion
statement, many fashion labels are turning to social and digital media, as well
as the use of digital products.
Ballentino, a whisky company,
digitized t-shirts in order to make a statement (TshirtOS noted on June 15th
post). The t-shirt contains an LED screen, camera, headphone jack, Bluetooth
capability and 3-axis accelerometer, all programmed by an phone app. This is
sure to stand out more than just another Chanel chiffon blouse.
Other brands are also getting on
the bandwagon with going digital. Kate Spade uses storefront augmented reality glass
(noted on June 15th post). This allows consumers to window-shop and
browse the selection of clothes by logging on to their phones and using the
window storefront as their virtual shopping bag. This improves the shopping
experience and attracts more people to the front of the store.
While some brands go digital, some
brands decide to go social and expand on their appeal to consumers. Burberry (noted
on June 21st post) is very innovative, as they strive to not only be
a fashion brand, but also invite consumers to view their online portfolio of
interaction. In addition to Burberry’s selection of clothing, accessories,
perfumes and cosmetic options on their web page, Burberry also has Burberry
Acoustic, Art of the Trench (Burberry’s social media trench coat platform), multimedia
of their fashion shows, Burberry Foundation and a timeline of images of the
brand’s heritage. All of these links are interactive and meant to help engage
their consumers and show that they care. Additionally, Burberry understands
that in a world of digital women (Digital Divas noted on June 17th post)
it is very important to cater to their technological needs. With both men and
women’s needs to stay connected in a digital space, Burberry has allowed
consumers to incorporate Burberry, as a whole unit, a brand, into their lives.
It is no longer about just finding that perfect trench coat (but if you do,
post a picture and story on Art of the Trench). Now, consumerism is about
sharing ideas, connecting and becoming appealing to those digital thinkers, who
really value facts and statistics, the data
believers (noted on June 20th post), as well as the fable seekers and the new age artisans.
With the world’s advances, allowing
consumers to shop online, scan your own grocery items and consider your iPhone
5 to be your lover and best friend, brands really need to stand out and use
digital and social media to promote themselves and connect with their
audiences.
Target understands this need to
connect digitally, and so the retail store created Cartwheel, a grocery shopping gamification app. The app allows you
to trade and rack up social currency. It allows you to save on the products you
need, creating a unique and specified coupon distribution.
Target isn’t the only retail store
cashing in on this retail genius. Quick Silver, South Africa (noted on June 20th
post), uses a consumer’s social media influence with that brand to
generate their coupon system. The more influential the consumer is, via Klout
score, the more coupons the consumer will receiver. This brand realizes that
consumers are the most effective advertisement. Word of mouth now accounts for
91—92% of influenced purchases. With this in mind, the more consumers tweet,
post and comment about a Quick Silver product, the more influential that
consumer will become. The higher the Klout score, the more you save.
Louis Vutton, known for their
lovely leather bags and products, now turns to social media, as well. With the
Louis Vutton app Amble, consumers can travel and track their favorite places,
as well as see where celebrities’ favorite places are within that same area. It
takes travel to the next level, recording memories and inspiring consumers to create
an unforgettable trip.
These innovations are the latest in
the fashion industry, from sharing a Google Chrome Burberry digital kiss around
the world, to planning a trip in Spain based on Selena Gomez’s favorite
restaurants, the fashion industry has created a new way to communicate with consumers.
It is essential for these brands to hear from and understand consumers points
in order to create better products and a better way to target and market their
trendy consumers. These advances are happening because brands need to do much
more and prove themselves in a world of user generated content, cultural
accessibility, crowdsourcing, 3D printing and refined technology. No longer
does a cutesy commercial appeal to consumers. Brands need to speak to consumers
on a more personal level and socialize via social media platforms.
Additionally, brands need to digitize advertisements to make the stores more
appealing to consumers, which many brands like Burberry and Kate Spade are
beginning to do. It is all about appearing authentic (mentioned in every
seminar) and telling a great story (also mentioned in every seminar). Consumers
are hyper-aware of phoniness and can see right through a false advertisement.
Consumers are smart and want to be treated as such.
At the end of the day, let’s face
it, whether you are a Digital Diva or you still enjoy the print New York Times, this is a digital world,
and women are becoming digital girls.
Culture/Cannes Lions:
Cannes is like no other place in
the world. Days do not start until 11 a.m. and they do not end until 6 a.m.
(Granted, the sun does not set until 9:17 p.m.) Cannes is as if Hollywood and
Las Vegas gave birth to an innovative Brazilian baby with incredible taste in
food, fashion and wine. Unfortunately for the many students who come to the
Cannes Lions Festival, we start off our journey into our careers with the
expectations that if you are successful, you will live the Cannes Lions’ dream
of Rose, Google Sandbox and parties with CEOs and CMOs who are willing to add you
on LinkedIn.
The best advice I have received
while on this trip is, “This is not real life. This does not happen anywhere
else,” and honestly, it is a shame it does not.
This has been one of the best
experiences in my college career. I feel more cultured, more knowledgeable,
more fashionable and more put together than I have ever felt in my entire life.
As the youngest member on the Syracuse University trip, I feel that I have matured.
I have engaged in some meaningful conversations, networked and created some great
contacts and listened to the wise words of professionals who truly know the
meaning of success in his/her industry. I really pushed myself to go beyond my
realm of comfort and introduce myself to people to get my name, my personal
brand, out there. This experience has really created personal growth for me:
mentally, my knowledge of the fashion industry incorporated with the digital
and social world and physically (my hair grew a little).
This experience has truly been
eye-opening and I am so honored and blessed to have been able to participate in
the Cannes Lions Festival.
Hopefully, I will continue to get wifi at my other hotels in France, and I will post more on my French adventures.
Continue to follow me on Twitter: @mona_lisap
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