Marketing and storytelling have always gone together. With Facebook, Youtube, blogs, video, and other social media there are more opportunities to market your business by telling an engaging story. In order to stand out, you need to provide valuable, interesting and client focused content. Interrupting potential clients with repeated 50% off sales offers will no longer work.
The fashion industry has been doing this with branded content online. Using videos, photos and blogs to incorporate a storyline that associates their product with a lifestyle. There are also some great examples of how they integrate all their marketing, both online and offline, with social media.
Mashable did a great story recently on examples of fashion industry branded content, and I thought it related well to the photography industry.
Like the fashion industry, photography is over saturated. Standing out in a crowded marketplace is more challenging than ever.
Below are a couple of examples of how the fashion industry is creating branded content videos, images and social media. Granted they are big budget productions. However there’s a lot to be inspired by, and ideas you can incorporate on a DIY small business budget.
Louis Vuitton Journeys
This campaign is a collaboration with Annie Leibowitz which features print ads, videos, and dedicated websites that showcase various influential people. If you come across any of the ads in different magazine, you’ll notice a link in the print ad to drive viewers online to further engage with the story.
Anthropologie
I always look forward to the latest Anthropologie catalog. Each one is based on a different theme, and they always take me somewhere exciting. The latest catalog also features a video online. The mood, the lighting, the color – I love everything about this video. It goes brilliantly with their product line. They aren’t simply selling clothes. Would I keep visiting the Anthropologie site if they always had a 50% off sale going on? Would I want to be a fan of their Facebook page if it was all status updates that shouted at me with discount offers?
Below is the video from their most recent campaign.
There is also a blog, the Anthropologist, that reinforces their brand. All of the content, the articles, ideas shared on the site, are things that personify the brand. There’s no mention of sales, products or other “push” type marketing.
Free People
Besides being totally crazy about their clothing line, I also look forward to the new catalog each month. Free People, like Anthropolgie (both are owned by Urban Outfitters) combined video and story telling images in their new January catalog. Below are some images from their most recent catalog.
Below is a video that goes with the printed and online catalog.
Free People also has a blog, BLDG 25, that gives readers a behind the scenes look at Free People headquarters, and where they find their inspiration.
I’m on the email list for both Anthropolgie and Free People. Each day I receive an email, that sends me to an outfit, a piece on their blog – always something interesting. The emails make use of the images and videos from their current campaign to keep reinforcing the story. This is also combined with Free People’s other social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Flickr. There is consistent branded content throughout.
I am also a fan of the Free People Facebook Page, and it would be worth becoming a fan of their page, just to see their status updates and posts. They post a lot of images and videos, all which tie into their current product and campaign. However, it’s done in a way that makes we look forward to their posts. There are rarely, if ever posts on sales and discounts. Anyway, it’s a great example of content marketing at it’s best.
Their content strategy goes offline as well. I get a printed catalog from Anthropologie, Free People and Urban Outfitters. I had signed up online to receive them, and it is a great example of combining online with direct mail. And more importantly, I opted in. None of this was sent to me randomly with an in my face offer.
Artshesaid
Art She Said is Ann Taylor’s site that features a selection of Artists. Just like Anthropolgie there is very little mention about the Ann Taylor brand itself. It’s simply a way to making the brand less of a commodity, and more relevant to it’s target audience.
Art of The Trench
Art of the Trench is Burberry’s social networking site that is all about the history of their iconic Trench Coat. The Sartorialist shot the photos for the original campaign. However visitors can submit their own trench coat images along with voting and marking favorites on the site, and share on Facebook.
Just a little inspiration for you. Think about what story you want your images to portray. How can video be incorporated to your sessions. Your clients come to you for an experience. How can that experience be translated in your marketing?
Below are some resources if you’re interested in more information or tools for incorporating branded content into your marketing.
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