{"id":101612,"date":"2013-10-08T14:49:00","date_gmt":"2013-10-08T19:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/london-social-media-week-exploring-the-impact-future-of-marketing-in-mens-fashion\/"},"modified":"2025-01-03T05:21:45","modified_gmt":"2025-01-03T10:21:45","slug":"london-social-media-week-exploring-the-impact-future-of-marketing-in-mens-fashion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/en-gb\/insights\/blog\/strategy\/london-social-media-week-exploring-the-impact-future-of-marketing-in-mens-fashion\/","title":{"rendered":"London Social Media Week: The Future and Impact of Social Media in Men\u2019s Fashion"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Social<\/a> Heading out on a miserable Monday evening to brave the wet streets of a heaving Covent Garden is not a sortie I would usually relish. Last Monday, however, was different. It was the opening party to London Social Media week, a hugely successful 5-day bash of conferences and socialising that saw the hashtag #SMWLDN fired off<\/strong><\/span> 28,527 times<\/a> into the Twittersphere.<\/strong><\/span> This first-night introduction was full of fun, complete with free bar, red carpet, a graffiti battle, DJs and an endless stream of lobster-based goodies, prepared in a converted ice cream truck parked outside the venue. The rest of the week only improved and the Make It Rain team managed to get out and take part in a broad range of seminars, debates and lectures, from the future of Instagram to modern marketing in the alcohol industry.<\/span> \"Social<\/a>Despite not being an aficionado in the sector, the event I particularly enjoyed was hosted and organized by SMWLDN veterans,<\/span> Like Minds<\/a>, with help from <\/span>The Organic Agency<\/a>. It dealt with the impact & future of social media in the men\u2019s fashion industry.<\/strong> <\/span> I think it worked so well because it was a discussion rather than a lecture and ambled along casually, giving all participants time to get their points across and impart their knowledge. Topics could be steered, without resistance, in any direction to deal with \u2018popular\u2019 issues that could be sent in via Twitter, from the audience and people watching live at home.<\/span> The five experienced panellists, smoothly moderated by Gareth Scourfield, Senior Fashion Editor for Esquire Magazine,<\/strong> were knowledgeable and clear, covering the subject from a range of interesting angles and backgrounds.<\/span> These included:<\/span> James Nuttal<\/a>, Digital Director at Starworks,<\/span> Zach Barfield of<\/span> The Perfect Gentleman<\/a>,<\/span> Richard Martin, the Marketing Director of<\/span> Lyle & Scott<\/a>,<\/span> and David Hellqvist, online editor of <\/span>PORT Magazine<\/a>.<\/span> The nature of the discussion makes it slightly tricky to summarise in a blog post; however, from my frantically scribbled and just-about-readable notes, along with further online research, I hope to touch upon some of the marketing principles and ideas that I found most interesting and that can be applied to a much wider range of sectors than male fashion.\u00a0<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Traditional advertising always played an important part in the fashion industry: how are companies adapting to the new media?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Screen<\/span> British company,<\/span> Burberry<\/a>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>are widely considered to be the yardstick in terms of marketing clothing online. The brand was applauded by all the panellists as being the real digital pioneer in the fashion world.<\/span> Their <\/span>Art of Trench<\/a> campaign remains a benchmark of how to sell luxury-branded products through social media<\/strong> without eroding the image of exclusivity and high quality associated with the brand. With its class and style the campaign continued to appeal to its high-end customer base while luring in the new youthful fashionistas who would make up their future market.<\/span> Laura explained how, these days, the company\u2019s whole marketing strategy revolves around digital. Photographers are instructed to make their images beautiful for tablets and phones rather than magazines and posters.<\/strong> They understand the voice of the brand and have a deep knowledge of those they are trying to reach, and this combination, something touched upon again and again, is the key to any successful marketing strategy.<\/span> Despite not being associated with the world of fashion, a company that was discussed at some length and championed as being a prime example of traditional media adapting to the online world with great aplomb was<\/span> VICE magazine<\/a>. Although dividing opinion like no other, their adventurous choice of subjects brings most readers back again and again. A quick scan of any article\u2019s comment section reveals the split, defenders of the mag. attacking its critics in a melee of f-words and personal attacks.<\/strong> Despite the consistent negativity, the style of VICE remains unchanged. It is this unwavering steadfastness, their refusal to bend under criticism that makes them so popular. They know their voice.<\/em><\/span><\/span> Richard summed it up nicely<\/strong>: \u00a0They took a strong editorial standpoint, but they understood that extremity worked. They are the prime example of taking niche and turning global.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Benefits of Digital<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n

When looked at next to traditional advertising the two most significant factors in favour of a digital approach are the lack of restriction<\/strong>, a benefit analysed at some length by James Nuttall, and possibility of interaction<\/strong>. Buying marketing space in the past was a hugely expensive affair and companies were often charged for their advertisements by the page or the word. These days, of course, unlimited memory with which to play and previously non-existent features such as drop-down menus and internal linking<\/strong> allow brands to present as much information as possible without overwhelming an interested browser.<\/span> Social media\u2019s interactivity has turned marketing into a two-way street. Brands can home in on interested parties with remarkable ease as well as advising and responding to comments and queries. Customers – and men in a particular – find it remarkably encouraging to see others interact with their favourite brands<\/strong>, particularly, as I\u2019ll touch upon briefly later, regarding positive comments, feedback and reviews.<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the note-worthy differences between online shopping and high-street shopping?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Ultimately, both experiences have their positives and negatives.<\/span> \"Ralph-Lauren-Store\"<\/a>The set up and presentation of certain mono-brand stores is used as a marketing technique with a powerful brand emphasis. A great example mentioned by James and discussed by the panel is the Ralph Lauren chain. Upon entering one of these high-end stores you are struck by the atmosphere and immediately assailed by a multi-sensory blizzard<\/strong> of images, music, colours, patterns and even smells \u2013 an experience impossible to replicate via a computer screen.<\/strong> Helpful store attendants dressed in trendy garments also provide encouragement, authority and eye candy. This, along with the touch and feel of high-quality clothing, is a huge part of visiting a store built from bricks and cement. Browsing the brand online comes nowhere near creating the same impact.<\/span> Obviously the most attractive reason for shopping online is simply the ease of it all. In a world in which we have less and less time to ourselves, the option of one-click purchasing, immediate personal recommendations and permanent shopping baskets<\/strong> is hugely appealing.<\/span> In terms of social media and digital marketing (rather than eCommerce), it should not be thought of as detracting from real-life shops at all. Online marketing is simply another arm of a big brand\u2019s marketing strategy \u2013 a powerful Popeye arm. These channels should work hand-in-hand with traditional advertisements to bring in new customers, keep people interested and ultimately steer people to the high street to visit the stores in person.<\/span> \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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