Social networking and fashion seem to have a bright future ahead of them. The rise of social networks has transformed fashion brands' communication processes. More and more brands are using them as their main tool for distributing their products. In this digital age, many questions are being asked about the resilience of traditional communication media in the face of 2.0 communication.
Is it possible today for a fashion brand to do without social networks? Conversely, can a brand make a living solely from its visibility on social networks? Let's find out.
Social networks as communication and marketing channels
At first, social networks were referred to as such because they were a digital communication medium for interaction between people. Today, we make the distinction with social media, which are a space for disseminating content intended for a community, without there necessarily being any interaction. Examples include blogs. Social media often include advertising. In the context of the fashion and luxury industries, we speak of social media. If you're just a user, you're talking about social networks.
The digital transition has undoubtedly led the fashion and luxury goods industry to position itself on social networks. Some brands were quick to realize that, in addition to being a new kind of communication medium for the younger generation, they could also be a genuine sales medium.
Sézane, the good example.
The Sézane brand is a perfect example. Its designer, Morgane Sézalory, is a former blogger. She kept a personal blog, presenting her latest thrift-store finds. In her articles, she systematically challenged her readers, asking for their opinions, advice and so on. It was a huge success. More and more readers flocked to her blog. The designer then decided to found her own brand: Sézane. Her core values are transparency and listening to her customers. For Morgane Sézalory, Instagram is the perfect communication tool, since it's her customers who comment, like and share her posts. She establishes a direct link with them. Authenticity is the name of the game.
In addition, Facebook and more recently Instagram, are defined as real sales boosters for a fashion brand present on these networks. Social networks and fashion go hand in hand. In fact, Instagram has recently installed a number of features to make shopping easier for users, such as displaying the price of a garment on a photo, or direct redirection to the e-shop.
In the space of just a few years, social media have made possible what every fashion brand needs to target its marketing strategies as effectively as possible: precise identification of its customers. Traditionally, to best target their consumers, fashion companies have carried out market research, surveys and the like. Today, with the explosion of social networks, we can receive a wealth of data in a very short space of time.
Social networks and data profusion.
In fact, users of Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest are keen to define their personality and style through a group, a community. They are therefore ready to communicate about their tastes, aspirations, interests and so on.
In any group, there's a leader, a hierarchy. On Instagram, the new decision-makers and wizards of fashion are the influencersThey've been elevated to star status. Kim Kardashian and her sisters - to name but a few of the best-known - are the first to decide what to wear tomorrow. They publish a photo of themselves wearing this or that type of clothing, bag or jewelry... Fans are then inspired by these looks, and a veritable community is created. Brands then seize on the phenomenon, analyze the behavior of these different users and try their best to meet the needs of Internet users. More and more, they are grasping the link between social networks and fashion.
The more active a brand is on the networks, the more Internet users will flock to it, and the better the brand will be able to understand the community it wants to reach. What's more, social networks such as Snapchat or Instagram induce an unprecedented form of proximity with customers. With StoriesWith this new technology, brands can broadcast their upcoming events on a massive scale, as well as behind-the-scenes information on a fashion show or the production of a collection. The aim is to achieve a very close connection with customers, to involve them in the life of the brand. In short, brands are tending to tighten the link between social networks and fashion.
Social networks aren't a magic wand, they have to be used intelligently.
It's dangerous to think that an Instagram page and the appeal to a few influencers will do all the work for you. In fact, there are now real professionals in digital communications, whose job it is to develop strategies for social networks and fashion. Every fashion brand has its own identity, which needs to be reflected in advertising campaigns and communication strategies.
The ease and speed with which you can communicate on social networks is mind-boggling. Developing communication strategies on traditional media, such as billboards, TV commercials or advertising campaigns in paper magazines, requires much more time, investment and reflection. Consequently, the immediacy of social media and the constant demand for new products should not result in a lower-quality communications strategy. It has to be just as effective as a traditional advertising campaign.
The search for intimacy with customers must also be thought through and measured against the brand's reputation. Some luxury brands, like Hermès, can't decide overnight to address their customers on social media in the same way as a brand like Nike. Each brand has a well-defined customer base. For a major luxury brand, it's important to find the right balance between proximity and an image of excellence.
Storytelling at the heart of fashion brand strategy.
Another fundamental element in strengthening the link between social networks and fashion is storytelling. Indeed, the art of telling a story around a collection, a product, or a brand's history is essential to master on Instagram or Facebook. What's more, this story must be as authentic as possible, with the quest for transparency and identification never lost sight of. The creator of Sézane has understood this very well. On her website, she tells her story of how she came to create her brand.
Throughout his StoriesThe strategy is simple and highly effective: to be authentic, to be as close as possible to customers, without concealing almost anything about the life of the brand. In fact, social networks have the power to cross all boundaries - those of distribution, communication and the profusion of information.
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