5 Fashion Companies That are Crushing it With Content

When planning to align editorial content with online marketing strategy, look no further than the world’s top fashion brands. In terms of digital media, the best social networking communities had their start thanks to those with a “passion for fashion” such as Tumblr, Polyvore and Pinterest.

Will your online audience start creating fan Tumblogs in honor of your monthly research reports? Maybe not right away. But borrowing some tactics from the following brands might help start that trend.

1. Net-a-Porter

net a porter

With a robust customized YouTube channel integrated into its Facebook Page, iPhone and iPad apps, and biannual magazine available in print, Net-A-Porter is the epitome of a fashion brand creating its own media company in the digital space.

The most important part of creating a strong online presence is making sure all entities are consistently branded and easily recognized. For example, millions of people are visiting YouTube channels every day, but you want people to remember visiting your channel. Fans and customers of Net-A-Porter know it by the cut of its cloth … and the strength of its multi-platform content.

2. Ann Taylor “Art She Said”

 

 

Ann Taylor’s project “Art She Said” is one of the best examples of a brand utilizing a new platform, Tumblr, to create a truly innovative project and connect with its audience.

The project involved four teams with one artist and one writer each. Each team had to write two posts a day for three weeks following the theme, “The Smartest Thing She Ever Said.”  Each post was placed with an image of a single woman in a beautiful setting – wearing Ann Taylor of course. What would the creative team come up with each week? A growing audience checked in to find out, and the buzz grew accordingly.

3. Alice + Olivia

Proving that curating content is as important as creating it, quirky yet sophisticated brand Alice + Olivia launched its blog column “4AM Finds” with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey sharing his product selections. While at first glance it seems like the typical spread found in Teen Vogue, the lists are created by celebrity guest bloggers and have a feel similar to Polyvore sets.

4. Burberry

Another champion of curated content is fashion titan Burberry. Two years ago it launched “Art of the Trench” with Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist featuring street photos of people from all walks of life sporting the signature trench coat. It had a beautiful interface and was social in nature since visitors can like, share, or comment on each photo.

5. J Brand Jeans

J Brand Jeans took Burberry’s idea for “Art of the Trench” and brought it to the next level. When visiting J World, visitors can upload a photo of themselves wearing the brand and it will be curated onto the site. When clicking on a photo, you can find out the style of the jean the consumer is wearing and purchase it. Soliciting users to create content on behalf of your brand allows them to showcase their loyalty in a public way.

These five brands have found success in their content strategy in three ways:

  • Effective branding — With so many platforms available to distribute content, investing in customizing your channel to show strong brand presence will leave a lasting impression.
  • Utilizing emerging platforms — When introducing a new initiative or catering to a new audience, using an emerging platform or new technology will make the difference between communicating brand messaging effectively and getting lost in the noise.
  • Allowing audience participation — The ideal audience members brands want to attract are “content creators”: people who are constantly sharing and distributing content either they or a brand they adore produces.  Showcasing user-generated content shows you are tuned in to your online community and want to acknowledge your loyalists.

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