Today’s fashion industry is changing to meet the demands of its audience. In this era of 24X7 connectivity and conversations – when the fate of a new season’s collection is decided in a matter of hours on social media – traditional marketing is just not enough. Digital content marketing, especially supported by a video strategy, is required not just to stand out but also to keep up.
As a medium, video lends itself very well to an industry like fashion. It is far more impactful than static images, and creates a more immersive experience for the target audience. The Internet has given it a further boost by allowing video to be delivered across devices to reach an audience that is unprecedented in size. Not only are fashion labels using this to their advantage but traditional fashion platforms like magazines, blogs (yes blogs are now ‘traditional’ in this fast-changing industry), fashion weeks or events, and online stores are also experimenting and reinventing themselves in terms of how they deliver content and engage with their audience.
Online TV is gaining popularity with consumers demanding a more interactive “deep dive” into their favourite fashion brands. A branded, online TV channel can be used to support multiple marketing goals and according to recent research conducted by ExactTarget, driving increased conversion rates is the highest priority for digital marketers today. Online retailers are not only using videos for personalised TV channels, but as a way to guide consumers through the consumer cycle. Companies are now using technology to create shoppable videos, encouraging people to add products to their shopping carts while they are being demonstrated and communicated in videos. These videos support sales goals and help to engage consumers in a way that traditional text and images can’t. The use of digital marketing tools such as video is part of a growing trend within the retail sector to customize the online shopping experience and reach audiences through a medium that they enjoy.
The customization of the consumer experience with video content has also allowed brands to be more innovative when reaching their audiences. Hugo Boss did a 3D live stream of its Boss Black Fall/Winter 2012 collection to a worldwide audience of audience 50,000 viewers. 3D glasses were made available by the company prior to the show through its website and retail stores. After the initial success, Hugo Boss live streamed their recent Spring/Summer 2015 show at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) on September 10. The content was made available through a dedicated Hugo Boss website and its social media pages. At an event such as NYFW, the use of video helped the brand to stand out from the other fashion labels vying for attention, and reach a larger audience base in a way that delivered a front row experience.
Consumers want to feel like they are part of an event and video is an immersive medium that delivers a unique experience to its viewers. Puma, the popular footwear and apparel company, produces and publishes a wide range of video content to strengthen its relationship with consumers and take them on a journey. This “experience strategy” was put to good use at the 2012 London Olympics, where Puma created an entire brand environment for its customers to interact with – both in person and remotely – through live video content, with events and content timed around Puma-sponsored Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt.
These are just some of the ways that digital marketers are leveraging video technology in the fashion world. The heightened experience for consumers is delivered through the artistic nature of fashion and the creative, storytelling properties of video. It also gets propelled to a wider audience base than ever before via the Internet. This partnership between online video and fashion will continue to grow as more brands and businesses realise its potential reach and impact.
