Fashion PR: Keep Calm & Create a Brandifesto



keeping it calm with fashion public relations



Written by  Pertunia



 







  

Whether you collect    inspirational quotes & images in a folder on your desktop, create elaborate mood boards or simply tumble or Pin your favorite online finds, the saving, sharing and viewing of words and images is de rigeur for creative types looking for a hit of inspiration throughout the day (myself included).



Taking this into account, its not surprising that when fashion brands & designers put their thoughts, motivations and values down on paper, these “brandifestos” begin to make the rounds. The right pairing of word and image can be a powerful way to visually communicate brand values, and with luck, drive relationship and mutuality between a label and its target customer.

Many of us are skilled creative strategists who think carefully about the brand values and attributes of our own projects and those of our clients. Below are a few ideas to kickstart your own creative manifesto:

• Define the difference – take a piece of paper and on one side write “We are” and on the other “We are not.” Fill up the page with as many adjectives, examples and ideas as possible. If you have a business partner, have each of you do this independently, and then compare notes!
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  Play with Personas – play with your target customer and go deeper than basic demographics. Start to tell the story of Julia, your 30something single woman who loves yoga, jazz and bulldogs. What can you tell her about who your are or what you believe in that will motivate her to act, to share, to be inspired
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  Mine your Motivations – what motivates you to create? Why do you do the work that you do? Who do you work for? What does the perfect day look like for you? What words or creeds do you live by?
• Crowdsource the Community – create a manifesto that combines the values and contributions of your customers. This could be a campaign, or even a simple Facebook status update asking for ideas

Once you are done, consider making the final product easily embeddable from your website, reading it aloud over a short film, printing it on your packaging, using it as the backdrop for store window displays, incorporating it into sales material, business cards, or hang tags. As a key piece of content marketing, the manifesto communicates your authenticity and your truth while at the same time driving brand conversation, loyalty and consumer connection.

fashion Pr: creating a better world for yourself









http://www.prcouture.com/2011/03/24/fashion-pr-the-manifesto/

Front Row Fashion PR:How to work with Celebrities & Celeb Stylists for Product Placement

Celebrity outreach can be important component of designer outreach, after all, no one can deny the power of celebrity to send yoga pants, red string bracelets and moccasins flying off the shelves!

successful fashion pros.
left to right: Anna,David and Coetzee

 The celebrity placement process involves a few things: hard work, the right timing, the right product, the right connections and good old-fashioned luck.

There are many ways to approach celebrity placement opportunities, but the main thing is forming relationships with celebrity handlers. Celebrities have many handlers or gatekeepers, as I like to call them. Celebs typically have at least one personal assistant, a manager, publicist, agent and style teams for wardrobe, hair and makeup. I constantly reach out to stylists and publicists on behalf of the designers, manufacturers and retailers Luxury Brand Group represents.

How do I get celebrites to wear my product?

 When a stylist is choosing wardrobe for a celebrity, they start-out by selecting the dress and the overall style and then they consider the accessories. Most stylists pull several garment racks full of options, and the celeb usually decides the final selection a few days before and even the day of the event. The stylist has to pull accessories, shoes, purses and jewelry for all wardrobe options.

It is quite the process for the stylist, so when requests come in, I work very quickly, often with a day or two notice. If any designs are chosen, the merchandise is arranged to be delivered to the stylist. After that, I cross my fingers and toes that pieces are worn. Many times the pieces are worn and other times, they are not. There is never a guarantee until you see it!

 

How can I develop relationships with celebrities and their  stylists?

A designer or brand can develop relationships with celebrities by connecting with a celeb’s stylist, publicist or handlers. This requires research, networking, cold calls and constantly delivering what they need, when they need it. With so many designers and brands vying for a celeb’s attention, forming relationships with these key contacts is no easy feat.

As a result, many designers and brands hire product placement and publicity agencies. The advantage of hiring a PR agency like LBG is that they have solidified relationships with celebrities and their handlers. In addition, most PR companies represent multiple clients, making it much easier for a stylist to request product.

How do I make sure nothing gets broken or stolen?  Who’s responsible if something goes wrong?

How does a publicist or designer ensure the safety of their merchandise when they are loaned out?  The safety of merchandise is a very important factor that must be considered before a designer or brand loans merchandise. Merchandise can be lost, stolen or damaged so proper precautions must be taken in the event that something occurs. I strongly recommend the designer or brand have some type of company insurance policy for lost or damaged merchandise. I also advise designers, brands and other agencies only to loan merchandise to trusted stylists that provide either insurance, a letter of responsibility or a credit card while the merchandise is in their procession.

A few examples of questions I ask before I loan merchandise include:

• Where will the merchandise be kept?
• When will it be returned?
• Who will take responsibility for the merchandise while it’s in your possession?

http://www.prcouture.com/2010/08/26/front-row-fashion-pr-celebrity-placement-with-luxury-brand-group/

How to write fashion PR goals,objectives and tactics



Setting goals for fashion Public Relations



Goals, strategies, objectives, tactics….it’s enough to make the fashion PR planning process feel as much like getting your eyelashes died (stinging, tearing, lots of blinking and terror-filled “when will it stop!” thoughts racing through your mind) than anything.

The next time you sit down to rock out a smart, sizzling and strategic fashion PR plan, drink a martini (kidding – but seriously how great is that photo!), and first make sure your planning process is up to code. Extra points if you can memorize and then recite the key differences – just watch your client/boss melt with awe because seriously, most of us have flubbed this up at least once or twice.

Behold, your PR plan refresher course/cheat sheet:

Goals

Think of goals like overarching long-term needs/hopes and dreams. They are typically broad, abstract and potentially difficult to quantify.

Objectives

Think of objectives like those desired achievements that will assist with meeting the determined goals. They are statements of intent that explain what needs to happen, what needs to be achieved, or where the brand needs to be in order for goals to be met. They also need to be expressed in concrete, measurable terms.

Tips for writing PR objectives

• Start with an action verb – words like increase, reduce, improve, maintain work well
• If you are using “by” you are writing a strategy, not an objective. Try again.

Strategies

One step down in the PR planning process are the strategies. Poor strategies, they are the most misunderstood of all! Strategies are simply the “how” that, when done correctly, will help to ensure you meet your stated objective. Your strategies are also the guidelines that set up the strategic direction of your programs (ie your tactics).

Tips for writing PR strategies

• Use action verbs like Develop, Create, Promote, Target, etc
• Did you just write Develop a look book to….. sorry kitten, strategies do not include the “to” phrase. The “to” in this case is to meet the stated objective. The stinker.
• Also omit your tendancy to use “by” – as in “Promote my brand by developing a look book to – that look book you are all amped about? That, my friend is a tactic. What you DO with that look book is your strategy.

Tactic

Oh tactics…these are the specific “who’s” and “whats” that define your program and plan. Seems silly it took so long to get here, right? But here we are. Tactics are specifics, they are action items.

Tips for writing PR tactics

• Tactics work best when accompanied by verbs like Implement, Utilize, Add, Contact, or Participate.
• Add measurable outcomes like dates.http://bbs.globalintimatewear.com/yaf_postst82_How-to-Write-Fashion-PR-Goals-Objectives-Strategies-and-Tactics.aspx