I love this campaign from Y&R Dubai for Harvey Nichols in the United Arab Emirates. Called “Be Seen”, it plays on missing or broken images online, displaying instead a white silhouette surrounding the familiar error icon.
One model in the centre is seen in full wearing items from the new spring/summer 2012 collections.
UK Elle magazine provided its Twitter and Facebook fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes access to its July 2012 cover shoot with David Beckham in Los Angeles yesterday.
The initiative followed the success of a similar one with Twilight actress Kristen Stewart last month (she will cover the June issue). This however marks the first time the mag has had a solo male appear, which provided the editorial team with a wealth of opportunity to build hype around the event before Beckham’s name was revealed. A poll was cast on the website, alongside a series of teaser stories.
The live tweets began last night following the official announcement yesterday morning. Although full shots of Beckham weren’t ever shown, the editors set the scene with descriptions and snaps of everything from their lunch to the clothes rail being selected from. There was even a close-up on the football player’s tattoos – proof if it was ever needed. Followers were also invited to send in their own questions to @ELLEuk and through its #BeckhamElle hashtag.
The move is an interesting one for a magazine; tapping into the all-important notion of ‘real-time’ in today’s social media world by opening up the one part of its publication that tends to remain under wraps until it hits the shelves. On each occasion Elle has done it just enough to grab attention amid the “noise”, and yet not so much so as to damage levels of interest when the issue is actually printed. It’ll be interesting to see newsstand sales and subscription growth in relation for both.
The choice of Beckham is said to be a nod to the 2012 Olympic Games this summer. Elle’s editor-in-chief Lorraine Candy, said: “David Beckham is a national hero, so we saw an opportunity to shoot a celebratory cover to support an historical and patriotic year. He is an icon and Elle is known for featuring icons on its cover.”
The issue will be available from May 30. View more of the behind-the-scenes pics, here.
How do brands determine which of the multiple social media platforms available today are actually relevant to them, was one of the key questions posed by Elizabeth Canon, founder of Fashion’s Collective, at the first in a series of new workshops called FC Labs hosted in New York recently.
It’s all too easy to get swept up in the buzz of something such as Pinterest, but does that mean every brand should be there? What about Instagram? Tumblr? Even Twitter? And then beyond those, the yet newer ones again. The sheer volume of choice is overwhelming, even amid media hype for certain in particular, so how as a brand do you figure out whether to jump on board or not?
The most important thing, explained Canon, is to consider each platform’s purpose. She referenced the importance of understanding from the off what each site is actually about to be able to factor in your own place within that.
This includes user behaviour, so literally how consumers use and interact within the space. And equally of course, functionality; in terms of what each site actually lets you do. It’s worth spelling out that Twitter for instance in its most basic form is about short form text, communicating directly with consumers via the @ sign, joining in external conversations via trending topics and the hashtag, linking out to images and videos and so forth.
Canon emphasised that in understanding those things first and foremost, you’ll be able to better understand your own brand purpose on that platform. Or more importantly, whether what you’re setting out to achieve can in fact be done. “The two have to align to be successful,” she explained.
She urged for brands to step back and really think about whether they should be on a new platform or not. In pushing for a vetting process, she highlighted five key areas to consider; assessing each platform based on a series of factors relevant to fit with your brand content (the distinction variable in the equation):
Find out more about FC Labs at: fclabs.fashionscollective.com
A big day for the fashion industry with news of both Raf Simons appointment at Dior, and the sale of Instagram to Facebook for $1bn (undoubtedly impactful).
In the meantime, here’s a look at some of the other fashion and digital stories from the past week; Pinterest heavy it seems:
Material Wrld, a peer-to-peer marketplace due in beta this spring, launched an online pop-up shop to drive awareness of its new concept last week.
The start-up partnered with New Yorkers including Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller and stylist Chelsa Skees; enabling consumers to raid some of the items from within their stylish closets.
One happy customer tweeted: “Shop the very cool closets of very cool people.” Meanwhile, the tagline of the site itself refers to them as “your favorite tastemakers”.
Eventually users will be able to create their own shop, tell the stories behind each piece they’re selling and follow other people they find of interest. Co-founder Jie Zheng, explains the concept as “a prettier and friendlier eBay with social features”, reports BetaBeat.
Further tastemaker pop-up sales are set to follow during April – and this time on a global scale – while the launch of the full site will include “100 hand-selected sellers and slowly scale up to preserve the quality of our community and content.” The aim is to do so through a referral system.
“We’ll have strict guidelines around types of product that can be sold. So no fast fashion (Zara, H&M, Forever 21),” says Zheng.
Zheng’s partner is Rie Yano, a former digital media marketer for Coach (Zheng comes from J. Crew). “Rie and I have been bouncing around ideas since graduating from b-school,” she explained.
“Last summer, two of our ideas converged during a trip to Montauk. My idea was a P2P marketplace for pre-owned fashion with community elements (like Etsy but not just vintage/handmade) and Rie’s idea was a platform to allow self-expression (e.g. uploading fav items and outfits).”
AnOther magazine is celebrating the launch of its new site design with an animated short by Polly Dedman.
Referred to as the brand’s “Spring Clean”, the video showcases highlights from the publication over the past year, including its Rachel Weisz, Alexander McQueen, Rick Owens and Victoria Beckham exclusives and its favourite fashion week moments.
The relaunched site brings renewed focus to the magazine’s established AnOther Loves section, a stream featuring luxury products handpicked by contributors worldwide on the basis of inspiration they want to share.
Under the “Current” section meanwhile, it pools content as varied as conversations with leading cultural figures to a meet-the-pets of creatives including Tom Ford and Frida Kahlo column, and a pronounciation guide.
Some more great stories from around the web surrounding all things fashion and digital over the past week:
