Topshop’s festival campaign sees Kate Bosworth return, star in interactive film

Topshop has launched a new festival-themed campaign fronted by actress Kate Bosworth that combines product, content and entertainment.

Inspired by “the attitude and energy of British festivals”, the initiative is anchored by an interactive film directed by Bosworth’s fiancé Michael Polish, who also shot her in the brand’s Winter Wonderland ad for Christmas 2012. It sees her on her journey to this year’s Coachella music festival in the Californian desert, wearing items from the new collection (16 pieces of which were based on her personal style).

Each item is “clickable, shareable and shoppable” via a custom-built player on Topshop.com, while the soundtrack is also downloadable on iTunes.

“This is about entertaining the customer and immersing them in our world, we want them to spend more time with the brand, share things with their friends. If they do that it will lead to a longer relationship rather than trying to get any short-term gains,” says Topshop’s CMO, Justin Cooke.

 

He also explains how many of the shots in the film (a selection of which are shown below), purposely lend themselves to social platforms like Instagram and Pinterest. “[They] are landscapes, architecture and not just clothing, so it will appeal to people beyond fashion which is something we always look to do,” he explains. His team has also been working with Pinterest to optimise all images so they can be pinned directly from the experience yet link straight back to the specific product pages on Topshop.com for the first time. The Pin It button will become a permanent fixture on the Topshop homepage in the future too.

The campaign will also see “Secret pop-up gigs” from new artists and established acts hosted worldwide, with invitations given at random to shoppers on mobile, on tablets or in-store, as well as made available through a variety of online competitions.

The concept continues in Topshop stores where the music playlists can be scanned using the Shazam app to gain access to content including an interactive festival guide on Topshop.com of the best festivals around the world.

Shoppers can also use the Topshop app to scan the barcode of products in the collection while in-store to unlock further hidden tracks and extra content related to artists playing at key festivals in their cities.

Digital snippets: Gap and DVF, JC Penney, Nike, eBay and Kate Spade Saturday, Burberry

A round-up of recent stories from around the web surrounding all things fashion and digital:

• GapKids launches photo filters and stickers with Aviary to promote Diane von Furstenberg collection (as pictured) [TechCrunch]

• JC Penney says ‘We’re Sorry’ and ‘Come Back’ with social media blitz [BrandChannel]

• Nike gears customised shoe campaign to Instagram users [ClickZ]

• eBay and Kate Spade Saturday to launch touchscreen store window [PSFK]

• Fashion meets music with Burberry’s new eyewear campaign [Vogue Australia]

• Condé Entertainment previews video channels for Vogue, Wired and Vanity Fair [WWD]

• Is Primark mad to ignore e-commerce? [Econsultancy]

• Making the best of a digital situation: what luxury brands can do to catch up online [Forbes]

• The best fashion/tech start-ups at NY Tech Day [Fashion’s Collective]

• Online, everyone can be a make-up critic [NYTimes]

Net-a-Porter’s Massenet uses Instagram to share her life story

The coverage of Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massanet’s talk at last weekend’s Vogue Festival might have been largely focused on her juggling motherhood and business, but for those that didn’t spot it, one of the most interesting things about her delivery was its accompanying digital component.

Massenet used Instagram – a platform she’s already very familiar with – to share images from her life. A digital autobiography if you will at nataporter_mystorysofar. It features over 120 shots, some of them photographs of her past, others quotes or captions, as well as titles marking off the chapters of her career. Each one is accompanied by a caption that explains its significance.

As Susie Bubble wrote: “It recounts her life, from her early years to studying at UCLA, to dabbling in modelling, film production and then moving into fashion journalism at WWD and Tatler to finally starting up Net-a-Porter in 2000.”

Do check it out here – it sparks some beautiful ideas on the way brands could have a little fun with the platform too.  As Bubble says: “You can’t peruse this Instagram autobiography and NOT be inspired and motivated to do something, anything.”

Matthew Williamson in Net-a-Porter Instagram takeover for #matthewmapped campaign

Matthew Williamson is guest posting on Net-a-Porter’s Instagram this week in a campaign that teases his own arrival on the social platform.

The London-based designer is sharing images of his favourite places from around the world on Net-a-Porter’s account twice daily for seven days. Each is tagged with #matthewmapped and the relevant location, therefore curating a geographic story of his travels that will result in a ‘Matthew Map’; an image that showcases all the shots together in one place.

“All week we will be sharing photos of [Matthew’s] inspirational travel destinations on our Instagram. Get inspired!” reads the intro post from Net-a-Porter.

“Follow me around the world in 7 days! MW x,” quotes the copy in the first shot from Matthew – one of him in Mauritius. Others so far have also come from Goa, Lake Tahoe, Venice and the Nevada Desert.

The initiative is being pushed across Net-a-Porter’s social platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and its blog, Fashion Fix. There are also posts showing relevant product from Matthew Williamson, such as an ombré sweater inspired by the sunset hues from the Nevada desert snap (as below).

It all leads to Matthew launching his own Instagram account from April 1. This will be run by the designer himself and include everything from shots of his creative inspiration to insight into his daily life (the profile picture for his account is shown at the bottom).

Rosanna Falconer, head of digital at Matthew Williamson, said: “We both felt it was crucial Matthew was posting his own visual story and personal photo diary. His aim is to encapsulate our core brand DNA, be it about colour or travel, art, nature, or interiors. He’ll share his sketching and his styling when he’s in the studio, as well as shots when he’s out and about with friends.”

The new feed will also see images shared from the brand’s #MatthewMagnified and #OhMW campaigns – the former stitching together different shots that zoom in to the details of collection pieces, and the latter featuring fans themselves wearing Matthew Williamson. “They have both proved so popular on Facebook and Twitter, and I always find fans taking the images from those platforms to Instagram on their own accounts, so it’s an obvious fit.” Falconer added.

Matthew can be followed via @matthewwilliamson on Instagram from April 1.

Cara Delevingne’s outdoor ad flies on social media

Here’s one way to grab attention with your outdoor campaign: stick a famous model on it and hope she’ll snap a pic of it to send out to her 1.5m or so combined social media fans.

That’s what happened with Love magazine’s billboard of Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne on Ocean Outdoor’s Holland Park roundabout space in London last week. In place for just three days to celebrate the cover stars of its latest issue, an image of it went viral when Delevingne herself shared it over Instagram and Twitter.

“Check me out on that round a bout! LOVE @thelovemagazine,” she wrote, attaching a shot of the poster showing each of the models posing in the bath nude.

That Instagram shot (taken on March 14) now has nearly 60,000 likes on it.

Digital snippets: Facebook, 3D printing, Weibo, Topshop, Calvin Klein, Anthropologie

It’s set to be a little bit quiet on here over the space of the next week as I head down to Austin to check out this year’s SXSW. In the meantime therefore, here’s a quick round-up of some of the best fashion and digital stories from around the web these last few days:

• Facebook redesigns news feed: what’s in it for brands [Inc]

• Dita Von Teese debuts 3D-printed dress (as pictured) [Mashable]

• Dior, Prada, Marchesa, Elie Saab and Giorgio Armani top Sina Weibo’s most buzzed about brands from Oscars red carpet [WWD]

• Topshop is fashion’s most social high street brand [The Wall Blog]

• Calvin Klein launches Dark Obsession fragrance ad starring model Matthew Terry [The Cut]

• Content marketing with Instagram: five lessons from Anthropologie [The Bureau]

• Dove Canada’s Photoshop ‘hack’ reverts airbrushed, edited photos [Huffington Post]

• Five brands that reaped rewards after adopting responsive design [Econsultancy]

• One e-commerce winner, one loser; two lessons – Farfetch vs Luxup [Material World, FT]

• Shangpin taps China’s fashion e-shoppers [Financial Times]

Digital snippets: Donna Karan, Kate Spade, Natalie Massenet, Tommy Hilfiger, Alexander Wang

Some more great stories from around the web surrounding all things fashion and digital over the past week:

• Anjelica Huston gets behind the camera for Donna Karan hosiery film (as pictured) [Telegraph Fashion]

• Kate Spade’s digital play [WWD]

• British fashion gets a web dynamo: Natalie Massenet [NY Times]

• Tommy Hilfiger launches “le voyage seafarious” campaign, first ever webisode [Vogue.it]

• T by Alexander Wang taps Bon Qui Qui for spring video [AdAge]

• Rachel Roy opts for digital runway show [WWD]

• Whistles launches new website [Whistles]

• Milk Made’s top 10 Instagrams to follow for NYFW [Milk Made]

• How Pose became the ‘Instagram of fashion’ [Mashable]

• Here’s Net-a-Porter’s new magazine The Edit [Fashionista]

• Pinterest’s retail problem [AdWeek]

• Ebay in agency talks over fashion project [Campaign]

• Seven apps perfect for fashion week (or any week) [Refinery29]

• Branded mini-movies as China marketing tool: boom or bust? [JingDaily]

Louis Vuitton video highlights 2012 digital activity

Louis Vuitton has released a short video summarising its digital efforts during 2012.

In it is everything from its partnership with The Selby to 10 million fans on Facebook, highlights from its mobile initiatives, its campaign with Muhammad Ali as well as all-things polka dot with Yayoi Kusama. So too are there multiple backstage shots and product close-ups throughout, as well as Instagram pics and catwalk videos. It closes on frames from its L’Invitation au Voyage ad, shot over the Louvre in Paris.

Reads the write-up: “As an innovative and creative fashion brand at the forefront of digital, Louis Vuitton aims to produce qualitative and diversified content, highlighting the different aspects of the House, its values, heritage and the Art of Travel.”

[via BrandChannel]

British Fashion Council announces series of digital initiatives for #LondonCollections: Men

The autumn/winter 2013/14 catwalk season kickstarts on Monday with London Collections: Men, the second season of a dedicated menswear event in the British capital. We’ve already heard about Topman’s planned interactive 360° live-stream experience, now, and as expected, comes news of a flurry of digital activity from the British Fashion Council once again…

The aim, it says, is to “unite fashion and digital innovation, encouraging engagement with the menswear showcase through social media, live streaming and digital presentations”.

One particularly participatory initiative is its crowdsourcing of street style content again using the #ManAboutTown hashtag. Fans on Twitter and Pinterest can contribute to an ongoing online archive of menswear looks housed on a dedicated pinboard as well as in a Facebook album. The result is designed to present the best of British Men’s Style.

Also on the BFC Pinterest page will be diary-like contributions from menswear designer Lou Dalton and journalist Charlie Porter. Dalton is showcasing inspirations and preparations ahead of her show already, followed by backstage shots and catwalk looks as they hit the runway on Monday. Porter meanwhile, will be creating an online moodboard of his favourite collection looks, street style shots and inspiring moments.

For those in attendance at The Hospital Club in London, the home of LC:M, there are also digital windows to experience. Referred to as a life-sized catwalk installation, they will feature daily video highlights from all the shows when users scan the display with their mobile phones thanks to another partnership with augmented reality app, Aurasma.

In addition to all that, the BFC will also be showcasing behind-the-scenes images over Instagram, live-streaming all the shows from The Hospital Club via www.londoncollections.co.uk/live. and screening a variety of digital presentations and fashion films. Finally, it will also be continuing its Twitter conversations throughout the event – live Q&As will be held on the @BFC account with Tinie Tempah, Toby Wiseman, editor of Men’s Health, and model Oliver Cheshire, using the #AskLCM hashtag.

Topshop teases holiday film with social game of celebrity guess who – #whosthatgirl

Given the fact online films now pop-up left, right and centre from fashion brands and retailers, it’s always fun to see those who go the extra mile to make sure their fans are fully engaged ahead of launch, almost securing the spot’s virality before it does so.

Kudos then to Topshop, who has made its first holiday campaign an altogether more significant affair by using social media to tease who its star is.

“Winter Wonderland” will premier tomorrow on YouTube, fronted by a Hollywood A-lister. Accordingly, Topshop has been using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram to build anticipation as to who she is.

 

Five teaser trailers reveal shots of her from the neck down, pictures on Instagram capture her in London over the weekend from behind, and comments on Twitter provide clues into where she’s from and what she likes doing. A board on Pinterest houses everything together in one space.

All of it is accompanied with the hashtag #whosthatgirl encouraging consumers to guess for the chance to win a £500/$1000 shopping spree at the store.

Justin Cooke, CMO at Topshop, said: “We are very excited about the launch of our first Christmas movie, its a true 360 degree campaign with some surprise elements that you will see tomorrow! We wanted to create real anticipation before it premiered and it looks likes its working with over 100,000 people watching 10 second teasers and an incredible number of posts and tweets across all platforms.”

Some of the clues have included:

This one is particularly fabulous:

And the guesses have been flying in. “From Elizabeth Olsen & Georgia May Jagger to Whitney Port & Diane Kruger…” tweeted Topshop on Saturday, December 1. So too have there been suggestions such as Cara Delevingne, Kate Bosworth, Chloë Grace Moretz, Emma Stone and more.

Fans themselves have been saying things like: “@Topshop’s #whosthatgirl competition is so addictive, keep trying to guess who it is, I really haven’t got a clue!”

And: “@Topshop #whosthatgirl can’t wait til Tuesday to find out if I’m correct, most fun game I’ve played in a long time, feel like a detective!”

And: “Tortured by @Topshop’s #whosthatgirl campaign. Talk about brilliant social media marketing. Can’t wait to find out who she is tomorrow!”

As for the film itself, Topshop says its inspired by The Fabulous Baker Boys – the film that made Michelle Pfeiffer famous. Until tomorrow then… (and some more pics below in the meantime).