Fashion brands turn to unexpected mediums to communicate their story
Implications - With many of the leading brands in the fashion space being decades-old, staying relevant is an ongoing and highly competitive pursuit. Helping many companies in the fashion industry to that end is a new approach to branding that focuses on the adoption of unexpected mediums, like virtual maps or podcasts, to breathe new life into these brands and their stories. More broadly, this signals an openness to an unexpected marketing approach by even the most storied brands.
Workshop Question - What's an unexpected medium your company could use to tell its brand story?
Trend Themes
1. Unexpected Marketing Approach - Fashion brands are adopting unexpected marketing approaches like podcasts and virtual maps to breathe new life into their stories and stay relevant, which signals an openness to an unexpected marketing approach by even the most storied brands.
2. Brand Transparency - The rise of brand transparency and ethical modes of production are prompting fashion companies like Hermès to create podcasts that embrace the behind-the-scenes of their brand and call attention to their workers, thereby giving consumers a glimpse into the legacy and heritage beyond the products.
3. Branded Content Publications - Fashion brands like visvim are launching limited edition arts and crafts magazines as part of their branding strategy to explore the intricacies of the techniques belonging to passionate craftsmen and artists alike, which adds value to their products and positions them as experts in their field.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - Creativity and innovation are constantly driving the fashion industry to adopt new approaches to branding and marketing in order to stay relevant and excite consumers.
2. Media - The rise of podcasts and virtual maps as marketing tools shows that these media platforms continue to offer new opportunities for brands to connect with target audiences in unique ways.
3. Retail - Branded content publications and shoppable virtual maps give fashion companies like Raf Simons and Fred Perry new ways to create immersive brand experiences that extend beyond just selling products, ultimately helping to build brand loyalty and increase sales.
