Digital Luxury Digest | Vogue Italia Features Twitter, Keyword Campaigns Need A Long Tail, Facebook Changes Online Retail Game, Rent The Runway Sees Success
“Twitter Is So In Vogue Right Now” (Tech Crunch)
Who says Twitter isn’t mainstream? Vogue Italia has just dedicated an issue to the microblogging network. The magazine’s December cover features a montage of TwitPics of some of the world’s most famous models, including Gisele Bundchen, Christy Turlington, and Natalia Vodianova.
“Keyword Campaigns Must Grow Longer Tails” (MediaPost)
Most marketers “suck” at building out long-tail keyword campaigns, Avinash Kaushik told Search Insider Summit conference attendees in Park City, Utah, Thursday. During the keynote Thursday, Google’s analytics evangelist described how the long tail can pull in what he calls “impression virgins,” but most marketers don’t know how to take advantage of the opportunity.
“How Facebook is changing the rules of online retail” (VentureBeat)
The business model for online retailers is being turned on its head. It used to be that consumers would visit individual company websites to shop. But now companies are seeking out consumers where they spend most of their time: on Facebook.
“Rent the Runway Ramps Up” (NY Times)
Last month, I wrote an article about an upstart New York company called Rent the Runway that aimed to make high-end fashion as accessible and easy as renting a movie from Netflix. We, and several of our readers, noted that the idea, which allows women to rent designer dresses for roughly one-tenth the purchase price, was clever but risky.
Digital Luxury Digest | Retailers Get Familiar With Web Customers, Brands Do The Social Media Dance, Luxury’s Comeback For The Affluent, Lacroix’s Non-Fairytale Ending
“Retailers’ websites are getting smarter about shoppers” (LA Times)
Emerging technologies for online merchants can predict consumer preferences, including who they are and what they want to buy. Will people welcome that familiarity or will it breed contempt?
“Brands begin to dance to the tune of social media” (Brand Republic)
Brands participating in social media often evoke images of reluctant dancers at an exuberant wedding disco. They know they don’t want to get too involved, but after a certain point, they begin to wonder if they don’t look more foolish sitting on the sidelines.
“Luxury makes a comeback” (Fortune)
Jaguar, Oakley, and other brands are trying to put the ‘lux’ back in luxury, despite the recession. Here’s what the financial crisis sounds like at the top of the income ladder: When asked how the recession had impacted her life, one banker’s wife said, “The waiting list for a Birkin bag is a lot shorter.”
“End of a fairytale: Christian Lacroix fashion house to strip down” (The Guardian)
Christian Lacroix, the celebrated French designer whose fantastical creations and luxurious image captured the decadence of its age, was told today that the fashion house he founded over two decades ago is to cease making haute couture .
Digital Luxury Digest | Brands Tweet The Deals, Italian Retailers Sell Online, New Categories For Luxe, Brands Become Storytellers, Luxury Targets Morocco
“Retailers Reach Shoppers with Tweeter Holiday Deals” (MarketingVOX)
Major retailers in the US are using Twitter this holiday season to engage in instant, one-on-one conversations with their customers about sales, service and technical issues, shopping news, and other topics. The move represents the growing emergence of Twitter as a medium that can serve a range of previously separate outreach functions – including advertising, customer service, and news.
“Upscale Italian Retailers Join The Online Shopping Boon” (MediaPost)
David Holthaus reports that online shoppers spent about $900 million online yesterday and that employees will spend an average of 14.4 hours shopping from a work computer this holiday season, according to the Information Systems Audit and Control Association. That’s not only great news for the likes of “traditional” online retailers such as Amazon, Macys.com and Bestbuy.com, but also for some upscale newcomers to the Web such as the Italian fashion houses Giorgio Armani and Valentino.
“Key to Luxe Boost: Turning to New Categories” (WWD)
Down but not out, the luxury market should look to new categories — along with female and older consumers — to boost its bottom line in 2010. That was one of the messages at “Luxury Beyond The Crisis,” a conference organized by The International Luxury Business Association at the Hotel Westin in Paris last week.
“Four Tips for Brands Embracing the New Methods of Storytelling” (AdAge)
The fourth Futures of Entertainment conference hosted by the Convergence Culture Consortium took place at MIT before the holidays, bringing together scholars and key thinkers from across TV, advertising, activism, new media and beyond. The hot topic of the weekend was transmedia.
“Luxe Brands Target Morocco” (WWD)
European luxury brands, in their continuing quest for emerging markets, have found a new one very close to home. High-end boutiques have been opening in the last five years in Morocco’s main cities, with a renewed flurry of activity in recent months, thanks to the reopening of the landmark luxury hotel La Mamounia in Marrakech.
Digital Luxury Digest | Luxe Prepares Markdowns, Gilt Groupe Sets E-tail Example, Luxury Recovery Premature, Mobiles Role In Cyber Monday, Oxygen’s Online Gift Guide, Posen Designs For Target
“Luxe Retailers Set Markdowns” (WWD)
What a difference a year makes. With at least 20 percent less inventory on hand, luxury retailers say they’re back to a “normal” markdown cadence and will break prices on major designer collections this week, generally at up to 40 percent off.
“E-tailer of the Year: Gilt Groupe” (WWD)
Ready, set, shop. At e-tailer Gilt.com, it’s often a race against the clock to snag a deal on a pair of shoes from the likes of Cole Haan, Casadei, Alexander McQueen and A. Testoni. The site creates immediate urgency by giving shoppers just 10 minutes to complete a purchase of coveted brands at sample-sale prices — or risk letting someone else buy it out from under them.
“Why the Luxury ‘Rebound’ May Be Premature” (WSJ)
Luxury is making a quiet comeback–at least according to the luxury industry. A spate of recent reports suggests that luxury goods, which were clobbered during the downturn, are being revived by global financial markets.
“Shop By Phone: Mobile Makes Dent In Cyber Monday Sales” (MediaPost)
About 96.5 million Americans plan to shop online during this year’s Cyber Monday — up from 85 million in the prior year, according to Shop.org, the National Retail Federation’s online division. While some Cyber Monday shoppers say they will shop online from their office, the majority will shop from their living room or kitchen.
“Oxygen Puts The ‘O’ In ShopOholic.com” (MediaPost)
Oxygen Media and Personal Shopper launched shopOholic.com, highlighting a Holiday Gift guide and tighter integration between the Web and television shows like Bad Girls Club, which premieres Tuesday. While Shopoholic.com launched Monday, portions of the site will roll out in phases. The first phase of shopOholic.com is the Holiday Gift guide.
“Zac Posen to Design for Target” (WWD)
Zac Posen, who has dressed stars such as Kate Winslet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez, will be the next limited edition designer of Target’s Go International series. Posen’s Go International collection will be available at most Target stores nationwide and online at Target.com from April 25 through May 30.
Digital Luxury Digest | Vogue Takes Notes From Obama, Gucci Faces Burberry In Twitter Poll, YouTube Captions Change Game For SEO, NASA Blasts Off With Social Media
“Vogue Sees Web Lessons in Obama’s Campaign” (WSJ)
The Web consulting firm Blue State Digital helped the Obama campaign raise some $500 million online, catapulting a relative political novice into the Oval Office. Its next challenge: Help fashion bible Vogue magazine cash in on its far-reaching influence at a time when advertising dollars are bleeding out of print.
“Techno Luxury Conference Examines Digital Space” (WWD)
Seen as both an opportunity and a threat, technology is now an unavoidable factor to be reckoned with in the luxury market. And whether it’s virtual retailing, social networking or any manner of digital or cyberspace advance, luxury brands no longer have the option of sidestepping technology.
“BoF Twitter Poll | Gucci Eyeweb versus Burberry’s Art of the Trench” (Business of Fashion)
In recent weeks, two major luxury fashion brands have taken the plunge and launched social networks built around their brands and products. It’s not a new idea by any means, and indeed I wrote a piece on this very idea for the Financial Times almost two years ago. But, that doesn’t make it any less notable because, as far as I can tell, it is the first time top fashion brands have used social media in this way.
“YouTube Automated Captioning Changes Game For SEO” (MediaPost)
Google launched an automatic video captioning service for YouTube videos in an effort to make the visual clips more accessible to deaf people or anyone searching for videos online, but some see advantages for search engine optimization, too.
“NASA Puts Social Media on Rocket Trajectory” (MarketingVOX)
“NASA’s move to give 100 Twitter users front-row seats at the Kennedy Space Center for the Nov. 16 liftoff of the space shuttle Atlantis propelled the US space agency into the stratosphere of trending topics the day before the launch. The 100 tweeters, also known as tweeps, attracted more than 150,000 followers, making the event the third-most-popular topic for the day.”
How Does A Fashion Brand Win Twitter Fame?
Luxury brands can no longer hide from the Internet and the social media opportunities available to them. But still, not every luxury brand is taking advantage of those opportunities and the ones that are, haven’t necessarily got it all figured out yet. But a few luxe brands (especially from the fashion/beauty category) are leading by example and one of the major arenas they are playing in is Twitter. While number of followers is not the only important factor to consider when judging a brand’s success, it is an indication of the fact that consumers care about a brand and what they have to say. So what’s all the hype about? What are these brands tweeting about and why do people care?
- Louis Vuitton: 55,073 followers - Besides tweeting about new stores, celebs decked out in Louis and other company news, Louis Vuitton recently started writing “Heritage Tweets” that contain history factoids about the iconic brand.
http://twitpic.com/qa29f - LV Heritage Tweet: Did you know that our Damier canvas was created in 1888, well before our Monogram canvas
- Yves Saint Laurent: 11,588 followers – Their tweets are chock-full of pictures whether it be behind the scenes shots, sneak previews or runway looks. They are not the most consistent tweeters, but when they do post something, it is always relevant to the YSL customer.
http://twitpic.com/kdfbb - The show space for tonight #pfw
- Lancome: 5,678 followers – Giveaways, contests, events and Lancome celeb sightings offer a lot of incentive to the makeup-minded consumer.
Win the Lancome makeup that Ashley Greene wore to the New Moon premiere!http://www.thelancomeblog.com/
Digital Luxury Digest | Luxury Brands Ready For Web, Affluent See Hope In Recession, Luxe Stores Nix Discounts, High Fashion Loves Twitter, When Traditional Traits Beat Innovation
“Once Wary of the Web, Luxury Brands Embrace It” (NY Times)
The luxury goods industry, struggling through a recession that has threatened some well-known names with extinction, is trying to use technology to its advantage. Many in the fashion business remain wary of the Internet, partly because of continuing legal battles over online sales of counterfeit goods and concerns about diluting carefully honed brand images.
“Recession Increases Affluents’ Happiness Levels” (MediaPost)
Overall consumer confidence may still be in the cellar, but there’s growing evidence that for the affluent, economic recovery appears to be right around the corner. Thanks to recent gains in the stock market, “the wealthy are feelingwealthier than they have,” Milton F. Pedraza, founder and CEO of the Luxury Institute, tells Marketing Daily.
“Luxury Stores Trim Inventory and Discounts” (NY Times)
After a brutal year in which the nation’s luxury retailers were forced to offer their wares at stunning discounts, they are trying to get their magic back. And they may have found a way: deliberately running low on merchandise. Saks, the chic Manhattan department store, is a prime example. Its inventory is down by double digits compared with last year.
“Twitter Comes to the Aid of High Fashion” (Guardian)
In the last few weeks, though, Twitter has made its move into high fashion. Long-established designer Stephano Gabbana, of Dolce and Gabbana, has been demonstrating an impressive grasp of modern technology to give us a thrilling insight into the world of a top Milan fashion house.
“Study: Consumers Value Traditional Attributes In Online Brands” (MediaPost)
While Google remains consumers’ favorite online brand, Yahoo and Amazon are not far behind, according to a new report from Forrester Research. ”In the minds of their fans, the top online brands exhibit very traditional attributes such as trustworthiness, helpfulness, and relevance, all at the expense of more-predictable tech-friendly characteristics such as innovation and speed.”
What Are All Those Tweets About?
A current, hot topic is the relationship between brands and social media – what are they doing on social sites and what are people saying about them. A lot of tools have surfaced recently to help brands monitor the chatter. One Web site, fairly simple in format, is TweetedBrands.com. Every day they report the 50 most mentioned brands on Twitter and a running tally of the 50 most mentioned brands in the last week.
So what luxury brands were tweeted about last week? In the fashion world we have Gucci with 34,825 tweets and Chanel with 14,187 tweets. In the auto industry we have Mercedes with 30,989 tweets, BMW with 28,328, and Audi with 13,307. The most mentioned brand of all? Twitter, of course! With 3,237,197 tweets last week, it seems the Twittersphere is forever all abuzz about the Web site that started it all.
