Conclusion

Conclusion

Image 1. Social Media (Simply Social, 2016)

The project topic is researching how the different fashion brands use social medias to promote their brand and products. There are three different type of fashion brands. They are Louis Vuitton which is a kind of luxury brand; Topshop is present for the high street brand; H&M is fast fashion brand. All of these fashion brands have their account on the various social media platforms. 

H&M is a kind of fast fashion brand. The characteristic of H&M's social media management is activity and have lots of fans. In order to target Chinese market, H&M also have account on Weibo and Youku. H&M’s digital identity was built by social media is same with the brand identity. The other strategy of H&M marketing is that fans culture is important on the social media information, such as on Google+. 

Topshop is present for the high street fashion brand. There are two points of Topshop's social media management for promotion. First is that interaction between company and consumers. For example, the "#topshopstyle" on Twitter and "haul" videos on Youtube is encouraging consumers to share their brought Topshop products. Secondly, hot topic is the main content in the Topshop's social media information, such as London Fashion Week. 

Louis Vuitton is luxury fashion brand. The social media function method and content is special compared to other fashion brands. The strategy of Louis Vuitton internet advertising strategy is providing digital experience, customers can get internal accessed to get more information of brand event on Youtube. The content of internet advertising is advanced and "wide open", such as game characters as the models. However, there also have the challenge for luxury brand to use social media in promotion. 

Reference:

Simply Social. (2016) “Turn social media into a group activity.” Available at: http://www.gosimplysocial.com/ [accessed 8^th March 2016]

Posted by Yucui Zhang

Digital marketing of luxury brand: Louis Vuitton

Brands, and in particular luxury brands with their high brand equity, ought to have a clear understanding of what social media could do for them, and develop a clear strategy of how they could enhance customers’ experience and perceptions of their brands (Thomas 2011). For instance, Louis Vuitton is the top luxury brand which take advantages from social media marketing in large part. Louis Vuitton’s Facebook page now has more than 9 millions fans and its Twitter’s account recorded more than 5,400,000 followers. 

                                              https://twitter.com/LouisVuitton

All the show videos and products images were immediately posted on Facebook for fans. These social media strategies helped Louis Vuitton to rejuvenate the brand and reposit it as a more fashionable one than ever. Louis Vuitton could attract more consumers with using these digital methods, especially increase its appeal to younger and web-savvier consumers. Beside, Louis Vuitton also does the support with the competitions or the charities to propagandize its brand.

                                                https://twitter.com/LouisVuitton

 Louis Vuitton’s social media performance could definitely be improved through the interaction between the public and the media vehicles. It will be with time, as social media will help it to run the business differently(Jin, 2012). Social media seem to play a key role in Louis Vuitton’s success. However, It can be balanced of the relationship among consumers’ perceptions of value-expressive and social-adjustive functions of the luxury brands? It needed to be explored on the next step.  



Reference：

Dosh Dosh. (2008). Social Media Networking and ROI: How to Maximize Value and Minimize Cost. Fetch 2009-11-03, from http://www.doshdosh.com/social-medianetworking-and-roi/

Kim A J, Ko E. Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of luxury fashion brand[J]. Journal of Business Research, 2012, 65(10): 1480-1486.

Phan M, Thomas R, Heine K. Social media and luxury brand management: The case of Burberry[J]. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 2011, 2(4): 213-222.

Seung‐A Annie Jin, (2012) "The potential of social media for luxury brand management", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 30 Iss: 7, pp.687 - 699

Posted by MINGXIN ZHANG

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

H&M's specific online strategies

There has been a growing interest in the use of social media marketing among fashion brands. As a fast-fashion brand, H&M has a big number of consumers to follow. Similar to other brands, H&M has its own online store providing a convenient access to their products and service. There are three sections in its online store : H&M BEAUTY, H&M SPORT and H&M LIFE.

                                                        https://twitter.com/hm

The link address could be found in different social media platforms for consumers to enter. Additionally, the products are priced with discounts and there are some gifts for customers. During the recent years, H&M has cooperated with many luxury brands, like Alexander Wang(2014), MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA(2012), Versace(2011) and David Beckham(2015).

                                https://twitter.com/hashtag/SelectedByBeckham?src=hash

This method of Cross

brand cooperation has created a beneficial effect, which attracts a huge number of fans.（Wigmo,2010)H&M is very active on Facebook and has over 1,350,000 fans. The pages of H&M has 1534 photos, which consists of its own products ads, fashion trends and, special events and activities. The photos are uploaded by H&M's staffs and fans wearing H&M clothes. H&M has used the social media to improve the quality of brand by creating more opportunities to communicate with its customers and fans, aggregating feedback and suggestions and taking advantage of them. 

Reference：

Alexa. (2009). Top Sites in Sweden. Fetched 2009-11-20, from

http://www.alexa.com/topsites/countries/SE

Brown, C. (2009). How to use Facebook for Marketing Your Business: Fetched 2009-11-24

from http://brandandmarket.com/how-to-use-facebook-for-marketing-yourbusiness

Mcivor, C. (2009). Guidelines For Turning Twitter Into An Online Marketing Tool. Fetched

2009-11-22, from: http://christinemcivor.com/guidelines-for-turning-twitterinto-an-online-marketing-tool

Wigmo J, Wikström E. Social media marketing: What role can social media play as a marketing tool?[J]. 2010.

Posted by MINGXIN ZHANG