Digital Power

My current outcome for my project is 'Digital', a marketing method that has tripled in popularity within a matter of years due to our highly advanced society. So over this Christmas, I have been looking into how brands use digital marketing and techniques to create innovative campaigns. Over these few weeks, I have found some very successful and interesting digital marketing campaigns that all rely on the power of social media and the audiences reaction over these channels.

Social Media - One of the most popular and effective ways to promote is the power of social media, the idea that within seconds that new campaign that Gucci or Prada launch can be seen around the world. There is the 4 major ones - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. And of course I have all of them as a 18 year old Fashion Communication and Promotion Student. Social media creates a buzz and excitement around a launch, its all exciting and new. The retweets, shares and reposts mean millions can see it making that product more desirable than if it was just seen on a poster in a city. Hashtags have always become an innovative way for brands to get their voice to everyone but do it in a way that gives it context. For example, NastyGal's #GirlBoss campaign and #CastMeMarc by Marc Jacobs. It creates almost an event/ thing for consumers to connect to and get behind. There isn't a day that I don't flick through my social media at least 5 times and brands know that as a society our lives revolve round whats on our phones. Our interest in social media is most defiantly at a peak and there isn't a brand in sight that doesn't understand and tap into that.

Bloggers and YouTube - Now linking to social media again, YouTube and Bloggers have become the new publicity stunt to capture the young, active audience. You see brands and bloggers working together all the time, its the perfect way to connect with all different consumers types. If a blogger 'loves it', their fan base will follow suit. 'Instagram bloggers' has become a massive thing with the rise of this social media channel, ads on here with a blogger face to front it have become more and more common. It also creates a hyped around the mixture of that brand and blogger - the conversations all be did you see she is working with them? Therefore fulfilling what the brand want for a hyped, desired product.

Online - Probably the most obvious digital outcome, a online space for consumers to interact with. This could be in the form of website to facility online shopping or digital features physically in the store. The online shopping craze has taken over in store retail shopping, the ease and convenience of simply putting it in your basket and paying from the comfort of your home. For me it bets the annoyance of shopping in-store sometimes and in our crazy, busy life most people don't have time to spend hours walking round shops. However, shops are slowly being made more interesting and worth the trip due to digital features being added - for example, Tommy Hiligiers virtual fitting room and app to help promote their products when nearby. Many other retailers have used the deaf QR codes to speed up the process of shopping in store, allowing consumers to pay via a phone and app - whilst still having the ability to try clothes on before buying.

Subscriptions - We have all heard of the rise of subscriptions beauty boxes, the idea you can customise a beauty box online and get it sent to your door. An online subscription creates a kind of relationship between the brand and the consumer - a loyalty to their products and services. Its a way to keep a consumer hooked, the intrigue of what they can get in their next subscription sparks an excitement and need for that next box or product. Personally I love the idea of them, as a promotion tool and from a consumers point of view. It keeps the consumers active and also makes the thought of the product exciting for the consumer.

Fashion Film/Advertisements - This could be argued as a lens outcome but in my opinion its digital too, especially the post-production and manipulation that takes place after the initial shoot. There is a power in post-production to convey a message and theme that can't be achieved in just a photo or a fashion film. The careful decisions made when editing the film and photo are all for a purpose to enhance the overall outcome. To me live streams could also fall under this, a live stream is usually done through a social media channel with hashtags to really promote it and create hype.

To me digital is probably the most powerful channel/outcome, its most current and in tune with the way society is. We can relate to it more as its more of a routine part of our lives therefore meaning exposure on these channels is inevitable. I mean what would be really be without our online shopping or Instagram?