I don’t know about you, but ever since my corona quarantine began, I’ve received what feels like a trillion promotional emails a day. Either I’ve subscribed to far too many online retail sites to get 10% off my first purchase or fashion brands are really starting to push their marketing efforts to the masses. I even noticed that my typical “Picked Just for You” emails from Intermix are 1. appearing in the unread section of my Gmail every morning and 2. showing me the same god damn A.L.C. sweater I can’t afford. As we’re all becoming more painfully aware of the power of smart devices – assuming you also spend a large chunk of your free time staring at your phone screen – it’s extremely clear that we can buy whatever we want or need in just a few clicks (except toilet paper or Clorox, that is). So why is it that fashion brands and retail outlets are upping the ante on push marketing in the face of a pandemic? Yes, it is utterly unsettling and tragic that the fashion and apparel markets are taking such a big hit. With factories closing, stores shutting down, and industry workers already losing their jobs, who knows what companies will face as we continue to fight this virus’ spread. But, in the interest of humanity and the survival of a positive brand reputation, should companies really be expediting their use of push marketing? Will flooding the inboxes of consumers with generic, impersonalized, insipid messages, signed by a fashion company’s CEO, really draw in more customers to support your brand? A lot of marketing professionals argue no. In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, brand communications expert and cofounder of NivenBreen, Ellen Niven, believes capitalizing on the virus as a selling tool “reeks of opportunism and strikes the wrong tone.” She argued that “it is OK for many companies to just be quiet right now and emphasize communication with employees, and individual, directly affected customers rather than mass outreach.”
On one hand, I do empathize with companies trying to stay afloat by sending out mass emails – including those just telling consumers to “shop now.” I admit, I’m even guilty for clicking on an email titled “the Best and Most Luxurious Loungewear to Wear While Working From Home,” so maybe some of these ‘marketing pusher’ brands are appealing to at least a portion of their vast customer base. But on the other hand, it seems to really be pissing some people off. Cecilia Gates, CEO of creative agency Gates Creative, told WWD that “It does start to feel not genuine, and like [they’re] taking advantage of the situation…It’s a time to step back. Everyone obviously is scared of what this is going to do to the economy, and consumers are holding purse strings tight right now, but we have to ride out these next few weeks and then take stock.”
So, is it worth it for companies to exploit the pandemic hysteria? Some consumers will make a purchase but others might form a negative impression of the brand. In my opinion, as a 22-year-old with minimal marketing (I took an Advanced Marketing class one semester) or entrepreneurial experience, I’d say to hold off on any mass push marketing endeavors while the world’s population is still getting comfortable with the new normal. I mean in reality, fashion industry professionals are not the only ones getting laid off. I can only imagine that those who’ve lost their job won’t react too promisingly at a sales email for pajamas and self-care must-haves.
Although this form of generalized marketing is seemingly frowned upon, there are still other ways for companies to remain relevant. Take social and influencer marketing, for example. In a time where people are looking to their phones for entertainment, information, and connection, it is the perfect opportunity for brands to engage their communities via social media and influencer, blogger moguls (click here to see how fashion influencers are bringing relief to the virus). With all of us locked up in our homes, all we’re looking for is a way to connect. And we do so through social media channels. So why not use what’s already there – a hyper concentration of social media users – and throw your brand name into the mix. Plus, social media can be a way to send a more personalized and meaningful message. Many designers and apparel brand owners have taken to using their platforms as a way to send good vibes, give back, and inspire others. They are inviting consumers to understand what their company cares about, what it values. Brandon Maxwell, fashion designer and creative director of luxury women’s ready-to-wear label Brandon Maxwell, posted the following to his Instagram page on March 20th:
Cynthia Rowley, a fashion designer based in NYC, shared the following DIY mask initiative to her social pages and blog site to give back to those affected in her community:
These personal messages and efforts shared through social media are both a valorous act and a solid marketing tool. Marketing elites argue that the key to marketing is understanding your consumer and appealing to their fantasies. They say consumers instinctively form opinions and brand references in their minds when they come across advertisements that either please or displease their psyche. (I’m getting all this information from my Advanced Marketing textbook, by the way) So, when potential customers interact with influencers promoting a brand or a designer contributing to a rightful cause, they remember, and usually, they form positive opinions.
After some consideration, I do believe that I react better to fashion marketing stunts (& honestly ads for any brand in any industry) on my social platforms than in my inbox. There’s something about the ones I see on Instagram that make me click the link to purchase and at least consider actually buying it. Maybe it’s the lives of the fashion designers, influencers, and other industry elites that sparks that sense of lust for their lifestyle (and for the things they own or make). Maybe our social feeds are just personally customized followings of all our alluded fantasies. At the end of the day, who’s to say I didn’t drool at the sight of Chrissy Teigen’s robe on my Instagram feed and then proceed to purchase one for myself?
FASHION X EXPRESSION 