With the continuing pandemic and the rise of the death toll, connecting with consumers has been difficult than ever for the advertising and business industry. Brands are struggling to adjust to the quarantines, having to rethink how to connect with their customers.
Apart from face-to-face campaigns, certain fashion pieces are now deemed least important. Dresses and high-end blouses, tuxedos, and suits have become t-shirts and overalls. With work shifting to home and many establishments still closed, there’s no point in buying them soon.
The fashion and beauty sector relies on events to introduce their products. Ad campaigns and events are still being postponed or canceled, saying goodbye to engagement boost. But just like other industries, they have adapted to a fast-moving crisis by changing the way they connect with their audience.
Brands have also produced useful products rather than just selling their own since consumers appreciate companies that are doing what they can to help during the pandemic. Coco & Rico have produced masks and medical outfits for health workers.
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The Power of Social Media
With people spending more time online, brands have now one goal: to make high-quality content to boost engagement with consumers online, adjusting to their needs and what might be trendy. Enhanced quarantine and social distancing are making people find ways to connect through video chat. Facebook Live and Instagram views doubled in just a week last April 2020.
Everything has now shifted to social media. Brands have been capitalizing on social media influencers, who have also made adjustments with how they interact with their followings. Instagram models use their sponsored clothes for a photoshoot, video content, or a virtual meet and greet instead of using it with the usual parties they attend.
Fashion brands’ social media are now a pool of engagements: virtual talks, styling games, tutorials, how-to’s, and articles filled with a hybrid of fashion, guides, and pandemic-centered content.
As many businesses fight to survive this hard time, they have invested in online communication, not just to sell their brand but to still interact as well, not wanting to be forgotten or lost in the list of now closed companies.
A good example would be Alexander McQueen’s Spotify playlist, a collection of tracks inspired by their shows has now 2,900+ subscribers while Bottega Veneta launched “Residency”, a cultural project across multiple social media channels that features cooking and recipes, performances, and Sunday movie night recommendations. Burberry released a computer game called “B Bounce” to promote their monogram puffers.
Brand challenges have been sweeping Instagram as well, encouraging people to post content related to the brand, making them feel that they are a part of a community like Coperni’s #DrawMeASwipeBag, urging followers to create a digital version of their top-selling bag.
Creating A Space Within Your Home
Quarantine is still not letting studios, establishments, and stores open. Some have but are still limited to the public. This has made brands make content at home. Some models can be booked from home to try on clothing or take their own photos while wearing the given product. The marketing department of Zara used images shot at home by their models. Meanwhile, Jacquemus had Barbie Ferreira and Bella Hadid do a shoot via Facetime by photographer Pierre-Ange Carlotti .
Producing engaging and studio-like content can be achieved by creatively directing how you want your products to be perceived. This can be achieved by good lighting with the help of lamps, LED lights, and high-quality residential windows that can provide natural lighting. Props are a huge plus too like colored fabrics, unique furniture, and a fitting background.
Don’t have a camera? It’s okay. Big brands actually used phones and laptops to take the pic! It’s actually what influencers and content creators are using now, they too have been resourceful with sponsored products. Besides their social media post, they have also been making Tiktoks and Youtube videos, featuring products, showing that they use them in their daily lives at home.
Our private spaces have now become the platform for everything. From Zoom conference meetings to virtual talks, we have now exposed them to the world. Brands now use them to their advantage, exploring spaces and using them as a playground, experimenting with how to produce the best content while secluded in their own houses.
Brands have used their time to form closer relationships with their customers, thanks to social media. They have provided engagement, entertainment, and inclusivity to their consumers. Also, a brand should consider reducing face-to-face campaigns, events, runways, and other normal marketing efforts as it may come off as insensitive with everything going on.
Meta title: How Fashion Brands Connect with Customers during the Pandemic
meta desc: With the pandemic still here, brands still struggle to interact with their customers. They would need to think of cost-efficient and sensitive ways to accomplish this. Thankfully, social media might just be the answer.