Branding Blog

Virtual Fashion Becomes Real
May. 12, 2011

As William Gibson offhandedly noted, ‘Customers don’t buy products so much as narratives.’ Just how little offhand this comment reads is well attested in the most recent byplay between the real and the virtual as seen in the shift into fashion within the gaming industry, which has long since made active use of product placement but which is now producing fashion collections to sell pertinent clothing to its fans—an obvious ploy to market its narrative in a further step.

For instance a clothing line has been created for the Sony racing games, Gran Turismo. Another more recent and perhaps even more telling example comes from the Peace Walker collection, whose hero, Naked Snake (Konami Digital Entertainment) wears a T-shirt with the logo for Axe on it, simple product placement. And now they offer the Metal Gear Solid field coat. And there is the Deus Ex series, Human Revelation by Eidos Montreal as well as Call of Duty: Black Ops, whose protagonist drives a Jeep Wrangler; Chrysler has put out the 2011 model as a limited edition for $ 33,500, only available in black, with the game logo featured. And finally Musterbrand will be coming out soon with a collection for Human Revolution.

These and other examples indicate the extent to which product placement since its major introduction in the series Miami Vice has leaked narrative into marketing strategies and further muddied the border between the imagined and the lived.  

Photo: Gran Turismo

As William Gibson offhandedly noted, ‘Customers don’t buy products so much as narratives.’ Just how little offhand this comment reads is well attested in the most recent byplay between the real and the virtual as seen in the shift into fashion within the gaming industry, which has long since made active use of product placement but which is now producing fashion collections to sell pertinent clothing to its fans—an obvious ploy to market its narrative in a further step.

For instance a clothing line has been created for the Sony racing games, Gran Turismo. Another more recent and perhaps even more telling example comes from the Peace Walker collection, whose hero, Naked Snake (Konami Digital Entertainment) wears a T-shirt with the logo for Axe on it, simple product placement. And now they offer the Metal Gear Solid field coat. And there is the Deus Ex series, Human Revelation by Eidos Montreal as well as Call of Duty: Black Ops, whose protagonist drives a Jeep Wrangler; Chrysler has put out the 2011 model as a limited edition for $ 33,500, only available in black, with the game logo featured. And finally Musterbrand will be coming out soon with a collection for Human Revolution.

These and other examples indicate the extent to which product placement since its major introduction in the series Miami Vice has leaked narrative into marketing strategies and further muddied the border between the imagined and the lived.  

Photo: Gran Turismo

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Introducing m-Commerce
Aug. 5, 2010

In an increasingly digital environment, the onus is on retailers to predict shopping trends. And with Smartphones becoming the standard of communication, it’s no wonder retailers are funneling many resources towards the mobile shopping experience – “m-commerce.” The iPhone introduced the term “app” to the public, and since then these nifty mini-programs have titillated Smartphone users everywhere.

In an increasingly digital environment, the onus is on retailers to predict shopping trends. And with Smartphones becoming the standard of communication, it’s no wonder retailers are funneling many resources towards the mobile shopping experience – “m-commerce.” The iPhone introduced the term “app” to the public, and since then these nifty mini-programs have titillated Smartphone users everywhere.

The appeal of apps, specifically in the context of retail industry, is that they allow retailers to access consumers at all times. Products are given higher visibility because they can be viewed whenever the Smartphone user decides to run the application. The advantage for the shopper is that they can shop from anywhere they have a signal.

As simple as they sound, effective apps require a well-informed team and a well-executed idea. Retailers and the app creators they commission must stay abreast of trends, constantly assessing the way consumers interact with the changing technology. Women’s Wear Daily reports that only 5% of women surveyed by the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor purchase clothing online. Although e-commerce is touted as the biggest movement in the apparel industry, that figure doesn’t quite reflect the level of buzz.

Maybe the fact that people take their Smartphones everywhere will push the number of m-commercers past the number of online shoppers. Or perhaps it will simply be an ill-fated experiment in marketing. In any case, it will be interesting to see how people respond to the Smartphone strategy. As long as consumers believe they are gaining something more than convenience, m-commerce might stand up well against traditional retail avenues.

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The Next Phase in Fashion Marketing
Jul. 8, 2010

Christopher Bailey, CEO of London-based luxury brand Burberry, has pioneered the next phase in fashion marketing history. With the contribution of the UK’s hottest photographers, indie musicians and artists, Bailey has developed an entirely novel way of showcasing Burberry’s runway collections. 

Christopher Bailey, CEO of London-based luxury brand Burberry, has pioneered the next phase in fashion marketing history. With the contribution of the UK’s hottest photographers, indie musicians and artists, Bailey has developed an entirely novel way of showcasing Burberry’s runway collections. 

The new interactive Burberry is not just your typical website; users can manipulate models and their favorites pieces from the Autumn/Winter 2010 collection. The mélange of music and models is the perfect antidote to the increasingly ephemeral nature of fashion. The digital site allows users to play around with semi-panoramic views of the Burberry-clad models, and even share their likes through social media networks Facebook and Twitter.

Burberry isn’t the only brand that is looking to increase its web cachet. Women’s Wear Daily recently announced the redesign of the Bottega Veneta site, which also hopes to rebrand the Italian luxury designer for the Internet age. Bottega Veneta, however, will take it a step further. The Fifth Avenue flagship store will incorporate iPads into their sales strategy so that sales associates and consumers alike can access the new site in a mobile fashion. 

In essence, what we are seeing from luxury retailers is a respect for consumer trends and consumer behavior. Executives are acknowledging the way that shoppers interact with garments, and they are in turn using the Internet in a more practical and interesting way. Expect to see many design houses doing the same thing. 

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