MAC puts fans in front of camera for autumn collection campaign

MAC Cosmetics is paying its fans “the ultimate compliment” by making six of them the face of its new three-part autumn colour collection.

The result of its MAC Me Over! online casting call launched in November 2010, the five females and one male were chosen by the brand’s senior vice president and creative director, James Gager, because they “best expressed the MAC Me Over! motto – style, heart and soul”.

To win they had to send in either a photo or a video of themselves as well as complete the sentence “MAC Me Over! because…”

Gager said: “We have a huge fan base that we respect and cherish, so we are always thinking about the ways we can keep engaging them in fresh and interesting new ways, and of course more than ever that pertains to the digital space. We think of our fans first and foremost. I think especially for this collection, this was a way to say, ‘We admire you so much that we want you to be the new face of MAC’. That’s kind of the ultimate compliment, right?”

The collection launches in September 2011. Check out the exclusive video from behind-the-scenes of the shoot, below:

The Corner’s China launch to partner with FedEx for luxury standby service

With the increasing integration of luxury and e-commerce, an ever-present hot topic is customer service. How best can upmarket designers replicate what they offer in-store in the online space?

It was interesting to read a piece on The Wall Street Journal recently therefore (A wish of e-shoppers everywhere, now in China), about the forthcoming launch of Yoox Group’s The Corner in China, and its collaboration with FedEx.

When shoppers get a delivery from thecorner.com.cn, the deal means the courier will actually wait on the doorstep for them while they look at their purchases, try them on and decide whether to keep them. Now that’s service.

The aim is to appeal to China’s high-end consumers and draw more of their luxury spending online. In case you weren’t already aware of the power of China spending, it might be worth noting it is estimated the country will account for 20% of the expected $547bn worth of luxury purchases by 2020, according to investment research group CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets.

Attracting this booming market is now about doing more than just opening a store. As the Chinese consumer has become more sophisticated so have their expectations, meaning special perks and exceptional service do hold value.

“China’s luxury buyers started decades later than the rest of the world, but in many ways, they are not only catching up but are surpassing the others,” said Federico Marchetti, founder and CEO of Yoox.

The site will also offer a 24-hour call centre, and fashion advisers accessible via instant messenger who can answer questions on fabric, quality, style and sizing.

Interestingly, if the standby service with FedEx is successful in China (it launches in September), Marchetti has suggested it may roll out to other countries too. Watch this space…

Uniqlo launches NYC Voices project in build up to Fifth Avenue store opening

I love how Uniqlo has got into the habit of running a fun and innovative digital initiative alongside each of its more significant launches.

In this instance, it’s the opening of its new flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York, which comes with a campaign called NYC Voices; a “digital collage” of influential New Yorkers.

It profiles the likes of Tumblr founder, David Karp; principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, Paloma Herrera; and founder and editor-in-chief of Coolhunting.com, Josh Rubin. Each one has a personal story video, a series of Q&A boxes and links to their social profiles.

It was developed by Japanese studio Projector, who previously created the award-winning Uniqlock campaign for the brand.

Macy’s extends QR code campaign, educates with TV spot

Macy’s is continuing its “Backstage Pass” QR code campaign this autumn with additional content and a supporting television ad, in a bid to further enhance the consumer shopping experience via mobile technology.

Created in collaboration with JWT New York, the campaign offers shoppers access to videos that deliver trend advice from the store’s stable of star designers and industry experts, by scanning the custom-designed codes with their mobile phones.

The initiative builds on the success of its spring 2011 launch by introducing further inspirational content across the categories of fashion, home and cosmetics.

A 30-second television ad featuring Sean “Diddy” Combs, Tommy Hilfiger, Rachel Roy, Jessica Simpson and Martha Stewart, aims to educate consumers on the campaign, touching upon how QR codes work, as well as demonstrating some of the content featured and highlighting the chance to win Macy’s shopping sprees.

“This past spring we introduced QR code technology to our customers via Macy’s Backstage Pass and focused not only on delivering fun and informative video content via their mobile phones, but also on educating consumers on this new way of engaging with us,” said Martine Reardon, Macy’s executive vice president of marketing.

“This new layer of communication between Macy’s and shoppers delivers an enhanced in-store shopping experience and creates new opportunities for personal interaction. For the next phase of this campaign, we will usher in a new series of interactive videos and provide extra incentives for customers who scan the Backstage Pass.”

The store also offers an informative demo video called “How to use Macy’s Backstage Pass”, accessible to customers online at Macys.com, Facebook and YouTube, as well as to those on the go by texting “learn” to MACYS (62297).

Macy’s is also set to be among the first retailers to launch Google Wallet, the NFC-enabled mobile payment system, this September. It will do so in five markets including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington DC.

Missoni for Target campaign to include interactive video

US retailer Target is set to push shoppable videos as part of a campaign surrounding the launch of its collaboration with Italian design house Missoni.

Created with ad agency Olson, the online videos will allow consumers to click on items shown to open a pop-up window that enables them to add to their shopping cart without leaving the stream.

Olson’s chief creative officer Dennis Ryan told The New York Times the interaction offers an experience that is “far less disruptive – you just follow your bliss”.

The products on offer in the Missoni for Target range include apparel, footwear, luggage and home accessories, for $3 to $600.

The campaign stars Margherita Missoni, the granddaughter of Missoni founders, Ottavio and Rosita Missoni, and daughter of current creative director, Angela Missoni. It was directed by Alex Prager and inspired by Italian films of the 1960s.

In the videos, Margherita can be seen talking on a rotary telephone, having cappuccinos at a cafe and walking into a room featuring Missoni products. All the while she is carrying a postcard with a secret message revealed at the end saying: “Missoni for Target”.

“In the ’50s and ’60s, the Missoni brand really developed a voice that transported it out of Italy and into the United States, and that is what the aesthetic is inspired by in the campaign,” said Will Setliff, vice president of marketing at Target.

A further series of videos online will show Margherita demonstrating how to wear the Missoni brand’s bold prints. The campaign also extends to print with inclusion in numerous September magazines, as well as to mobile, with a dedicated site offering access to the video ads and the opportunity to download Missoni for Target prints to use as wallpaper.

The collection itself will launch in Target stores from September 13 through to October 22.

 

Tatler and Holition partner for augmented reality jewellery experience

UK society magazine Tatler is offering readers the chance to “try on” jewellery worth millions of pounds from the comfort of their own desks through a partnership with augmented reality solutions provider Holition.

The initiative makes it possible for consumers to see themselves in virtual rings from the likes of Cartier and De Beers by cutting pictures out from the September issue and holding them up to a webcam.

“So many people are looking online for their favourite fashion or jewellery item but what about trying it on before going to buy – it’s all about experiencing the brand in a different way using a webcam – you don’t need to know the technical details you just want to try it on!” said Jonathan Chippindale, CEO of Holition.

Tatler jewellery editor Jessica Walsh, added: “What excites me is that we have brought together the oldest magazine in the world with an industry steeped in heritage and tradition – and combined the two to create a ‘first-time’ digital innovation. Digital technologies are changing the way in which people interact with both media and brands and I am excited to be contributing to this shift through such an exciting initiative.”

Other brands involved include Boodles, Chanel Fine Jewellery, Chopard, Fabergé, Graff, Harry Winston, Louis Vuitton, Mikimoto, Tiffany and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Holition has previously worked with brands including Tissot, Boucheron and Garrard.

Earlier this month, Chippindale, who was previously head of marketing at Garrard, and marketing director at De Beers, told Luxury Society we’re in the middle of a revolution in the way brands and retailers are communicating with consumers.

“Pre-digital, marketing channels operated in conjunction with each other while rarely touching. Digital marketing is changing this, by intertwining all these marketing ‘strands’ of multi-communications into one combined digital experience,” he said.

For the luxury market specifically, he added: “One aspect of augmented reality that offers real tangible communication benefit to luxury is that it can highlight the tradition, design and craftsmanship that obviously typifies luxury, but it does so using a medium that today’s modern digitally aware consumer finds highly compelling.”

Read the full interview here: Augmenting Luxury Realities: Jonathan Chippindale, Holition

Or check out the Tatler initiative, here.

Digital snippets: Prada, Gucci, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ray Ban, Levi’s, Gap, Hunter, ASOS

Back in the office with a week’s worth of stories to catch up on surrounding all things fashion and digital. Here are some highlights:

 

• Prada’s autumn/winter 2011/12 campaign video by Steven Meisel (as above) [The Cut]

• Gucci’s new iPad app focuses on editorial [WWD]

• Saks Fifth Avenue to launch own flash sales site [Forbes]

• Ray Ban pushes new Flip Out sunglass line with kaleidoscope-themed integrated campaign [The Inspiration Room]

• Levi’s leads denim brands in Facebook ‘likes’ [WWD]

• Gap to release series of short documentary videos under “1969: L.A. and Beyond” heading [Associated Press]

• Hunter unveils country-themed tagging app [Creativity Online]

• ASOS launches iPad magazine app [New Media Age]

• British Vogue publishes DVD trend guide with September issue [Vogue.co.uk]

• New York Magazine’s The Cut launches iPad app for fashion week [The Cut]