Diesel's video fun

http://www.diesel.com/ahundredlovers/

Many of my university projects have focused on an increased digital element of advertising and after trawling through Marketing Week and many other website I have become really interested in what the future holds! Brands are becoming more and more innovative with the ways in which they engage with their audience and a basic shop layout or transactional website just doesn't cut it anymore!

One of my favourite campaigns recently has been the Diesel Be Stupid campaign. The concept mixes humour and sex to create a fun and captivating campaign. Perfect for their young and fun loving target audience. The campaign features images of people....well being stupid! Along with catchy slogans. To coincide with this Diesel have released a video catalogue on their website which I think is a great idea. Consumers can view a video of people dancing in the local pub wearing Diesels latest collection. As you hover the cursor over the garments the video pauses allowing you to purchase or view details for that particular piece. This heightens consumer interaction and is a fun and exciting way of displaying clothes online. It is much better to see how the garment fits on the body rather than just laid out flat! And it adds more humour than the catwalk styles used by ASOS.

The Diesel website as a whole is great with loads of interactive applications and imagery. It has also given me plenty of ideas for my next project!

Kathryn x

Lagerfeld for Coca Cola Light!

As a big fan of Diet Coke and Karl Lagerfeld I like this collaboration a lot! Coca Cola Light are known for their marketing partnerships and large scale branding, having previously teamed up with the likes of ASOS and Patricia Field. As you have probably guessed the latest sees Chanel designer Karl Lagerfeld featured on the iconic bottle. The limited edition bottle is opaque aluminium and features a classic black and white silhouette of Karl Lagerfeld in his trademark suit and ponytail. The bottle cap is bright pink and the overall look will fit well in the fashion industry where Coca Cola Light is the popular choice! Lagerfeld who is also a talented photographer shot the new campaign too, it stars his favourite model Baptiste Giacobini who has appeared in many Chanel campaigns. He is serving the beautiful Coco Rocha who sips out of a crystal goblet! WWD says:

"Lagerfeld has long been a fan of diet cola, and says he prefers to drink it in a delicate crystal goblet to accentuate the taste"

The bottles are currently on sale in Parisian boutique Colette and the launch of a limited edition boxed version of planned, which will retail at 47 Euros. I want one now!

Kathryn x

Levi's opens Experiential Experience

I like seeing ways in which retailers transform their shopping environments for their customers and innovative ideas for an experiential experience. And I really like this new concept...

Denim brand Levi's have just opened their new flagship store, located in Regents Park and the main focus is to create an experiential experience for the customer. The two-floor store has been designed by Checkland Kindleysides who amongst many design skills transform retail and in-store environments. The idea is to create a story of the denim production process and show customers beyond the products they see in-store. The shop has a factory inspired feel and inside customers are faced with a large atrium, used for exhibitions. This area is currently showcasing work and portraits of young creative people from around London, most customers these days are looking for more from a basic shopping experience and this offers a broader educational aspect.

Craft is a major influence on this space and original Levi's jeans are lined up and displayed in glass cabinets alongside bottled indigo dyes, again emphasising the production process. A basement area can be used for different displays and even has a stage to accommodate live acts. Finally to top off the experience instead of your traditional 'customer assistant', customers are served by drapers, artisans and tyros.

I think all this is fab and create a really unique and experiential experience for the customer. It highlights the strong history and heritage behind the brand and also the quality, which in this financial crisis is what customers are looking for and are comforted by. Also with growing competition the product alone isn't enough anymore. Retail environments need to constantly evolve and meet consumer needs and I can't wait to visit the new Levi's!

Kathryn x

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

For a while now fashion has had a strong initiative to target Breast Cancer and their new campaign for 2010 is no disappointment. Fashion Targets Breast Cancer was initially launched in 1994 by Ralph Lauren and has gained many influential supporters. The new campaign will feature Sienna Miller, Kylie Minogue and Claudia Schiffer to name a few and features the women posing covered by a silk sheet displaying the target logo. As well as these big names the campaign was shot by renowned fashion photographer Mario Testino. These images will be displayed through print and media advertising and the campaign has an aim to raise over £1 million in total. The charity has raised £10.5 million since its launch.

Alongside this a number of fashion retailers will launch products associated with the cause. Retailers include Marks and Spencer's, Topshop, River Island, Coast, Laura Ashley and Whistles.

Kathryn x

Augmented Reality

Many brands are climbing on the augmented reality band wagon in order to offer their audiences more in terms of service. This has been seen before with cosmetic brands allowing you to upload your image onto a PC via webcam in order to virtually try on different cosmetic products and colours. This cutting edge technology is offering exciting times for many companies and a completely new shopping experience for us!

The latest company to pick up on this is watch brand TAG Heuer. They are to be the first watch company to introduce this reality application in which consumers can stand in front of their webcam and alternate through a variety of styles and colours. The application will allow you to see yourself and the product in 3D from all angles! Although this is an innovative move and saves on shopping time I personally enjoy visiting the shops and trying products first hand!

Kathryn x

Harvey Nichols Pops up!

Pop-up shops are being used increasingly by brands to showcase collections and trail retail concepts in different areas. They are great at raising brand awareness and can show off fun and innovative ideas. The latest pop-up hub from Harvey Nichols has toured London for four days giving consumers a sneak view of the feminine fourth floor. Consumer interaction was emphasised through competitions - which were glamorously run through their jewel encrusted phone booth! Harvey Nics also introduced a vending machine idea, but rather than picking up a chocolate bar customers could get their hands on ipods and Comme De Garcons wallets! I think this was a great idea and certainly something to be remembered.

The pop-up hub was located in key fashion areas including Hanover Square, Spitalfields Market, Notting Hill and the Southbank Centre. Along with all the fun and games visitors were treated to performances from Samantha Ronson and new star Daisy Dares You.

This marketing technique engages the audience and allows Harvey Nics to communicate with their consumers on a personal level. Shame I missed it!

Kathryn x

Benetton 'It's My Time' Campaign

Benetton are known for their...interesting and edgy campaigns and their latest, 'It's My Time' invited real people to represent the brand. They took full advantage of technology and social networking and offered us the opportunity to create a profile to help them find interesting people. The first 100 winners were chosen by the public themselves - allowing consumers to get involved with the brand and therefore increasing word of mouth advertising. The final 20 were then flown to New York to appear in the Fall 2010/2011 catalogue.

The idea of the campaign was to mix old and new advertising methods, take advantage of technology and celebrate different ideals of beauty. This was helped along by the one competition rule...NO models!

Kathryn x