Topshop & YouTube

Topshop, a high street fashion brand, has a digital campaign ‘Wish you were at Topshop’. That means the customers were provided with a special online and in-store experience. Through this campaign their customers could have make-up sessions and feel a free styling. Moreover, they could be encouraged to create their own postcards by using social media such as Instagram, Facebook and some social shared video on YouTube. There is a competition for customers to win a 1,000 pounds summer shopping time. (KIM, et al, 2014, p. 12) Topshop is also a successful example in co-branding. They collaborated with Google and YouTube company to interact with their customers by letting them to access Topshop London Fashion Week show. (JEAN, 2014, p. 276)

YouTube is a popular social media for most of  consumers of Topshop. Topshop is a popular fashion brand, so most of their consumers would expect to see numbers of videos about fashion. Therefore, Topshop video on YouTube is various on fashion and make-up tips. That is direct for the company’s target clients.

Image 1: Topshop on YouTube page includes fashion and make-up information.

A special type of fashion brands video is called “haul” videos. That means young shoppers upload videos to tell other the bargains they found at different retailers. In other word, making and seeing haul video could help Topshop’s customers know and discuss their purchases. It is easier to gain information about what different products are being popular and how to buy them in the exact various retailers. This is a benefit for Topshop’s customers. By using this video, some discounts and sales information of Topshop could be known easily without paying too much money to advertise. Hence, this way on YouTube would be smart for a fashion brand. (BROWN, 2012, p.192)

Image 2: Topshop haul video 2016 on YouTube

Reference:

KIM, H. and AHN, S. (2014) Shifting paradigms for fashion: from total to global to smart consumer experience, Fashion and Textiles, publish online http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40691-014-0015-4.  

JEAN, W. A. and YAZDANIFARD, R. (2014) How Fast-Fashion Apparel Stores are able to Operate Sustainably in New Global Economy, Techmind research, vol. 3, no.2, October.

Image 1 from https://www.youtube.com/user/TopshopPodcasts/videos

Image 2 from https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=topshop+haul+2016

BROWN, S. (2012) Social Information: Gaining competitive and business advantage using social media tools. Oxford: Chandos Publishing Ltd.       

Posted by Ziyan Zhao

Topshop in social media

Facebook and Twitter have a big influence in the social media campaigns for fashion brands. In 2012, Topshop collaborate with Facebook to gain the largest online customers of a live London fashion show. Over 200 million audiences watched the content and images from Topshop runway show. Therefore, the influence was clear, as the consumers were able to know immediately what garments they could buy and see directly on the runway show. It was an efficient and time-saving way to promote and sale the new products for Topshop. For example, the first dress on the runway show had already sold out before the end of their show. From this case, the big influence and power of social media could be study and use in the fashion industry. (BANSAL, 2015, p.3924)

Instagram is an efficient tool to connect with customers for a fashion brand. Nowadays 5 million images are posted on Instagram in one-day basis. It is easy to have minimal conversation. Moreover, pictures on Instagram have a longer time than other social media network. YouTube has a better benefit than Instagram in visuals. There are 52% people prefer to watch a video about a product and decide to buy. A 74% increase of buying garments when consumers see the video on YouTube. (WALLY, 2014, p.5)

Therefore, there are more various ways like video not only just images appeared in social media network. Customers could share words, pictures, and video on Facebook and Instagram.  

Reference:

BANSAL, E. (2015) A Literature Review: Impact of Social Media on Customer Behaviour in Apparel Industry, International Journal of Scientific Research and Education, vol. 3, issue 7, July.

WALLY, E. and KOSHY, S. (2014) The use of Instagram as a marketing tool by Emirati female entrepreneurs: an exploratory study, 29^th International Business Research Conference, Australia: World Business Institute Australia.

Posted by Ziyan Zhao

# Topshopstyle

# Topshopstyle

Image 1. # Topshopstyle

The image 1 is from Topshop official website which accessed on 6^th, March. Customer can type “#Topshopstyle” in Twitter and Instagram, then the communication between different users can be updated about this topic. “#” like a square in digital social network, which provide a public space to talk in one topic.

Image 2. Difference Between Social Networks (Social Media Marketing, 2016)

There are many different platforms to contribute person’s digital identity. For example, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. They have different mission and shape for digital activities (Baym, 2015). People’s activities in Twitter mostly are joining the public social network. So “#” used is popular in Twitter. If Twitter users update the information with “#”, it means they have joined one public topic. The news and update information will be showed on the users drivers. And the users’ fans also will see these information. So “#” in Twitter not just attract people to talk hot topic, users also is an important comportment to inspire these information.

“#Topshopstyle” is a new interaction between Topshop company and customers. Customers who brought Topshop products and want to share on the social media and appear on the Topshop website can upload one picture wore Topshop product, the information will automatic add “#Topshopstyle”. It is efficient for fashion brand to promote new products as the fashion item awareness is the most important buying motivation in the fashion industry. The Topshop promotion content both include the brand name and fashion products.

Reference:

Topshop (2016) Topshop. Available at: http://www.topshop.com/ [ accessed 7^th March 2016]

Baym, N. (2015) ‘New relationships, new selves?’ from Personal Connections in a Digital Age. Cambridge, Polity, pp. 112-141.

Social Media Marketing. (2016) “ Social Media Humor- The difference between the various social networks” Available at: http://dzeyznfiverr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/social-media-humor-difference-between.html [ accessed 7^th March 2016]

Posted by Yucui Zhang