Steps forward in Social Media consumer engagement

Perhaps a mile-stone in Social Media, today marks the first time that TV media behemoth the X Factor (USA) has given its public voters an alternative to calling or texting for their favourite musical act on the show: After an initial reluctant approach towards Twitter, media mogul and X Factor producer Simon Cowell has since declared, “the only powerful people on TV are the people on Twitter and Facebook.”

Twitter has invested in this new technological advancement (which sees voters submitting vote via Direct Messaging) and at this stage is reluctant to reveal whether the move is likely to be profitable. The hope however, is that the financial benefits in the future are worth the initial investment.

But what does the X Factor USA aim to achieve through a partnership with Twitter? As Mr Cowell professed himself, “it’s like having millions of producers working with you” in regards to the immediate feedback the show constantly receives, searchable via the Twitter’s own search function. The method could also be a way of obtaining more meaningful information around voters. From Twitter’s perspective, the move signifies a change “from focusing just on engagement” to getting into the creative fabric of shows, letting the audience help change the outcome.

So what does this mean for the future of social media within the infrastructure of brands? Recent research by Constant Contact has found that consumers who engage with brands on Twitter and Facebook are year-on-year increasingly more likely to invest in that brands products, and it’s not just media companies and retailers – social media is influencing everything from politics to the way our services are provided. Companies have to reassess how they communicate now that their customers have a voice: a voice that can ultimately make or break them.

It was recently revealed that US President Barack Obama will be returning to the use of social media channels for his 2012 presidential campaign. Obama famously embraced the power of Facebook and Twitter throughout his 2008 campaign, which ultimately saw him being voted president. This time free blogging site Tumblr has been harnessed with an aim at encouraging voters to interact and share campaign stories. Time will tell if his previous campaign’s success can be repeated, but Obama’s digital marketing strategy of the 2008 election famously spawned many other international politicians into following in his footsteps.

Yet despite social media’s continued success stories and more companies than ever apparently embracing the digital age, there is still a worrying lack of response to the individual customer. Information in social media travels fast, and it is crucial that companies don’t attempt to attempt to overly-control communication in a social media context. Similarly, simply issuing content isn’t enough anymore: Customers are looking to be heard and acknowledged.

Socialbakers is a company who measure and analyse company responses within social media and its findings worryingly show that on Facebook, companies respond to just 5% of customer enquiries on average. More media focused brands however seem to be continuing to pioneer the new way of engaging with customers in an effort to achieve valuable and compelling customer experiences.

Coca Cola have recently made the bold move to no longer rely on traditional ad agencies for their creative ideas. Instead, the global soft drinks brand will be adopting a “crowd-sourcing” approach whereby their feedback and ideas all come via their Facebook and Twitter fans. (Incidentally Coca Cola’s Facebook page is now ran by two genuine brand fans who decided they could do a better job at representing Coca Cola than Coca Cola itself. Coca Cola agreed.)

In an effort to shape the creativity of its portfolio of brands, Coca Cola has realised the potential in allowing consumers to produce the content they want to see, giving the customer a voice and actually listening to what their fans and followers have to say.

A McQueen Halloween

Even after the untimely passing of their namesake, Alexander McQueen continues to grow under the leadership of Sarah Burton and still has the ability to wow me. Here, a short film by Parisian director Babette Pauthier showcases their Fall/Winter scarf collection. The scarves flow and mutate in a mirrored symmetry, with skull print and sinister musical undertones sitting perfectly with the soft flow of silk and more delicate shapes. Who knew scarves could be so captivating?

Coincidently, I went as a skeleton for Halloween last night having painted a full skeleton onto my black catsuit from Halloweens past as Katwoman. Unfortunately I have no shots of the catsuit, but here's my skull!

My Week With Marilyn

Very excited.

Lunch With An Old Bag 2011

Last week, as a volunteer for the Prince's Trust, I worked at a fabulous event held at the very grand Prestonfield House in Edinburgh: Lunch With An Old Bag 2011.

The event - currently in it's third year - brings together 50 of Scotland's most high profile ladies who each host a table of 10, enjoy a beautiful lunch and fabulous entertainment (this year in the form of singer Russell Watson) and bid on some of the most sought after handbags of the season. Luxury design houses, designers and celebrities donated a selection of bags which were auctioned to the highest bidders in aid of the Prince's Trust who are aiming to change the stereotype of disadvantaged young people.

Yours truly was asked to style the bags on stage, sell raffle tickets then prepare the designer bags for auction. I then also somehow ended up on stage "modeling" the bags as they were being auctioned. See below for me (in a fetching red Prince's Trust t-shirt) and a fabulous Prada bowling bag.

Images Copyright of Alan Simpson

Luxury Fashion & Social Media

The words Luxury and Exclusivity are often considered synonymous. As luxury brands increasingly feel more pressure to conquer marketing online, how do they remain desirable in a medium that is open to the masses?

It is widely perceived that the web isn’t a luxury market and brands face the dilemma of either embracing social media or being left behind. As people spend more money online, in order to make profit luxury brands must find a way to engage these consumers.

The biggest challenge that faces luxury brands when approaching social media is that luxury implies exclusivity and therefore the product shouldn’t be accessible to everyone. Social media sites make it more challenging to selectively choose whom to interact with. Furthermore, some brands are hesitant to try new marketing techniques, which might be risky to their established brand image. If done incorrectly, they risk ruining their brand reputation and diminishing the perception of affluence.

The solution for the luxury sector is to embrace social media: Just as product can be desirable and exclusive, so websites can be.

Burberry is a fantastic example of a brand who have created their own online community. Rather than shun Facebook and Twitter because of their mass audiences, Burberry has embraced them.

Burberry’s Facebook page boasts over 7 million followers, and the face of the brand’s new ‘Body’ fragrance (and fashion ‘It girl’ of the moment) Rosie Huntington-Whitely appears in a short video to thank fans for the achievement. The page introduces new content, which keep the consumer engaged in the brand and lusting for the product. Whilst remaining exclusive, the brand offers a mass audience the chance to be part of their brand in the same way that a new fragrance does.

Their Twitter page similarly offers snapshots into the world of Burberry with Creative Director Christopher Bailey even taking over the account during Fashion Weeks.

But significantly on top of this, Burberry launched its ArtOfTheTrench internet community, allowing those who sign up to comment, favourite and – if their image is selected - even share their own real-life shots of them in the famous Burberry trench. Bailey even commissioned The Sartorialist’s Scott Schuman to launch the site in a tactical move which would appeal to young internet-savvy fashion fans. Through this site and the younger audience appeal of a renowned fashion blogger, Burberry give their users another outlet that is more refined than the larger social media sites open to the masses.

Other luxury brands have also embraced social media to fantastic effect. Jimmy Choo started an Internet frenzy by launching a “Shoe Treasure Hunt” in London via location-based social networking website Foursquare, whilst Tiffany & Co. and Chanel were quick to realize the potential of iPhone applications which interact with Facebook.

Whilst some hold back attempting to guard their brand identity of desirability, most luxury brands are increasingly realising the need to focus on creating unique online experiences. Social media is a tool that any brand can ill afford not to be involved with. Acknowledging that exposing your brand to consumers through social networks is the only way to engage today’s customers consistently.

Vogue's Fashion Night Out

So I wasn't at Vogue's Fashion Night Out this year because I am no longer living in London but here's me "papped" by a fashion blogger outside Selfridges from last year's Night Out.

(Hareem pants (Next) and aviator jackets (A|wear) were all the rage. Also wearing Chanel necklace and bag, and Clarks Originals desert wedges.)

Hope all my London friends had a great time this year!

Nike: Back for the Future

Remember how space-age the idea of having self-lacing Nike sneaks seemed in BTTF? Well we are now well and truly in the future and apparently they're not that space-aged. Nike have produced a pair which were relatively simple to make and the limited stock will go up for auction with all proceeds go to Michael J. Fox Parkinson Disease Foundation. Awesome.

Style crush: Johnny and Kate (circa '94)

I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Louis Vuitton window bag display.

Very cool.

Scottish designers lead the way in designing social change

I recently wrote an article for www.newsnetscotland.com. Please find here, or read below.

A new breed of designer is emerging in Scotland. In the midst of public sector cuts they are showcasing the value of giving local citizens a voice. But how can design tools and methods be used to create a positive social change?

As part of the legislative programme of the Conservative – Liberal Democrat coalition agreement, the 'Big Society' proclamation declared its intention “to create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building a big society that will take power away from the politicians and give it to the people.”

However, service designers in the UK have already been impressively pioneering such a movement for some years and are leading discussions with both the government and general public alike in how to implement creative action which can transform our daily experiences with public services.

Most people think of designers as creating tangible products such as chairs, a dress or packaging. Instead service designers challenge the role of design within the public sector by placing design thinking at the heart of the service process.

Recent Scottish design graduates Sarah Drummond and Lauren Currie are not only part of this new movement towards a social conscience, but are firmly in the driver’s seat in Scotland (and indeed internationally) in their quest to change attitudes to the way we experience public services.
“Our job is not only to understand what is going on inside people’s heads, but to find ways of getting that thinking out into the world," said the duo.



Together they have formed Snook, a social innovation outfit with a determined ambition to change the lives of the people of Scotland. Within its first two years, Glasgow based Snook has expanded to create three additional roles within their permanent team and have attracted a host of clients ranging from the Scottish Government to the National Museums of Scotland looking for their skills in transforming how people view and interact with their services.

The concept of designing a service is a difficult one to translate. How does one communicate an experience or for that matter design a new one? Designers such as Snook see their skills as easily translatable and perfect tools for the new and evolving discipline, which might otherwise be considered intangible. Using design techniques, they work closely with people to visualize and communicate aspects of their lives, their ideas and opinions, and they do so with an infallible enthusiasm and empathy for the people and communities they aim to help.

“Snook love working with people to improve the things that determine the quality of their life – Education, Health, Welfare and Social Care – and giving people the opportunity to take more control over these services.”

One such example of Snook’s design application is MyPolice.org – an online feedback tool for the interaction between police and public. Currently being piloted in Tayside, its success in improving communication between Tayside police and its public looks set to result in the initiative being applied on a national scale.

Start-up companies such as Snook are proof that as the political landscape in Scotland continues to change, a growing number are pushing the boundaries of how public services could look in the future.

On 22nd September in Edinburgh, the Guardian newspaper sponsors the first Public Services Summit for Scotland. The summit is a significant step in recognizing that public services need to be re-examined and re-worked to deliver better people experiences. Design might just be the answer in doing this.