Social media emphasising or tarnishing luxury brands image?

At the emergence of web 2.0 and social media, fashion was probably one of the slowest industries to first adapt to the idea. As fashion, especially luxury fashion, is seen as one of the most ‘exclusive’ industries, and social media is usually about reaching consumers en masse, the two were not instantly seen as perfect match.

In fact, it was originally felt through the fashion PR world that social media would actually tarnish a brands image. In some cases, usually those that are mismanaged it can. The thought was that such an uncontrolled mass medium would cause for a muddling and loss of a brands identity, potential cause for damage to brand image and a loss of its exclusive market.

Though, my experience with Luxury fashion and social media has shown some excellent examples of how it can be used to communicate, emphasise and extend a brands already established brand image and ideals, directly to its consumers. Web 2.0 in its current and evolving, form provides the ultimate platform for a brand to identify its unique identity to consumers through a variety of means.

The instant sharing of content online that reflects brands ultimate identity and values, or engaging and including bloggers who influence circle coincides with the brands ideal customer. It gives the chance for brands to reinforce, act upon and push their existing brand image and values, communicated directly to the consumer and retaining their exclusivity.

Marc Jacobs for example, a well-known luxury fashion house, has wholeheartedly taken to social media platforms. Marc Jacobs, self-proclaimed to be “a little bit bohemian, a little off-colour”, brand image would be that of New York beat culture, personal-reflection, exclusive, and refined grunge. Their facebook, twitter, instagram not to mention their foursquare, youtube channel and google+ are regularly updated to reflect the Marc Jacobs ideals. Images of celebrities donning his clothes are alongside guest blog posts from influential bloggers, posted after a picture of Jacobs new puppy. All these social media interactions pushes brand ideal, engages with his consumers while retaining exclusivity.

(All pictures from Marc Jacobs Ltd. facebook page)

Another standout luxury fashion social media example would be DKNY PR Girl. Aliza Licht is head of communications for Donna Karan New York, and she provides a comprehensive and personal glimpse into the behind-the-scenes, culture, work atmosphere, glamour and the daily happenings at DKNY via her twitter. She manages to engage an incredible number of consumers with her brand through her personal musings while reflecting the DKNY brand values and ideal. She’s almost become a social media guru, and I look to her twitter as almost a 101 on using twitter in PR (you should really watch her TED talk).

What do you think about luxury brand image and its reflection in social media? Have you seen any luxury brands PR take on social media that have really impressed you or made you shudder?

The Social Media pressure to remain transparent within the fashion Industry

I stumbled across an article recently about a girl in America, calling for a boycott of Urban Outfitters over twitter. She had recently discovered that a friend of hers jewellery designs had been copied by Urban Outifitters and resold on their website as their own. You can read more on it here. It got me thinking about how PR in the fashion industry utilises and has been influenced by social media for transparency.

The fashion industry has long been thought of as an ‘exclusive’ industry and ‘secretive’ consumer industry. As web 2.0 has come to prominence its interesting to see how social media has reshaped, taken over, influenced and changed the face of the fashion industry particularly in its increasing desire to appear more ‘transparent’. 

Transparency, in its simplest form, is sharing the bad as well as the good in whatever form that may be. Sharing the processes, the people and the nuts and bolts behind an organisation. Social Media Today summarises nicely here transparency in the face of social media. As PR practitioners we are often seen as keepers of the truth, or attempting to hide the bad. However, as web 2.0 facilitates faster, easier, access to bottom-less depths of information (which is often uncontrolled and user-generated) the bad becomes just as important to share as the good.

There is an increasing pressure from consumers, for brands to keep a level of transparency with them. Keeping them informed with the processes that happen behind the scenes of a brand of organization. In response, we are seeing different ways in which these brands are utilizing different social media platforms in a bid to appear transparent, and allow dialogue to happen between the consumer and the brand.

Most players within the fashion industry utilise multiple different social media platforms; brands are live-streaming fashion parades, Victoria Secret has over 22 million likes on facebook, most labels or online shopping stores have personal blogs. 
This allows for brands to inform while engaging with their consumers and target publics, and to keep the appearance of remaining transparent. Most welcome feedback and invite customers to engage with suggestions, complaints or praise.

So lets look back at the case of Urban Outfitters. UO has an incredibly active social media presence. They have a regularly updated blog, showing design processes, model selection, and other cultural relevant topics. 

They have a strong Facebook presence, responding to most comments posted by consumers.

What I really like, and what really creates a feeling of transparency is the ability for consumers to review products online, without any censors.

However, the article about the ripped off jewellery designs shows that social media is always one step ahead and consumers will always still be searching for greater transparency from brands and organisations. In the face of social media and web 2.0, PR practitioners will constantly be battling with the need to remain honest and transparent, but as social media professional Ali Goldfield from Social Media Today says, Owning up to your own mistakes and responding to complaints is just as an important form of transparency.