Rockin Product Placement: Ellie Goulding and SZA

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Product placement is an integral component to marketing your product to consumers. Why? It brings the products to life, gives them a personality and allows consumers to connect with it as something aspirational and tangible. Currently, leading fashion brands like RVCA and This is a Love Song are fitting singers like Ellie Goulding and SZA for their performances and photo shoots. And the interesting part, is that these pieces specifically, are moderately priced. This allows their fans to purchase and ultimately increase affinity by wearing their clothes.

Learn more about the brands these talented singers are wearing below. Oh, and while you’re reading,  listen to a few of favorite tunes I’ve chosen for your listening pleasure 🙂

Ellie Goulding, above, is wearing the Bali-born brand, THIS IS A LOVE SONG, which has already garnered the attention of an influential style set with the likes of notable names including but not limited to Cheryl Cole, Leigh Lezark, Kylie Jenner, Katy B, Cara Delevingne, Hannah Bronfman, Chelsea Leyland, Rita Ora, Katy B, Chloe Noorgard, Jourdan Dunn, and more…

Fun fact: THIS IS A LOVE SONG is the result of two best friends, many music festivals and not enough awesome stuff to wear. This Is A Love Song, commonly referred to as TIALS for short, was established by best friends Stephanie Vermaas and Nina Hadinata. The duo, who quite literally live and produce the brand out of Bali, first conceptualized the TIALS in hopes of delivering fun and affordable party clothes to party girls worldwide. With THIS IS A LOVE SONG the two best friends hope to bring party-ready clothes to the masses that evoke the care free spirit of a music festival (which, of course, is the duo’s favorite type of party).

https://soundcloud.com/topdawgent/teen-spirit-prod-wondagurl

Vocalist SZA performs in concert wearing RVCA’s Free Streets Overalls during the Maverick Music Festival at Maverick Plaza on March 21, 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage) RVCA describes it’s women’s collection as it “was built upon the balance of opposites: order, chaos…past, present…dark, light. The RVCA girl is no different. She’s inspired by street culture as much as the runway.”

 

PR Couture: The Fashion PR Book – Ready to Launch

It’s been a long time coming, but I’m finally able to post about my friend and colleague Crosby Noricks’s, founder of PR Couture,  “Ready to Launch,” a book filled with the knowledge and support needed for fashion PR interns and entry-level practitioners to successfully break into this media-rich career. The book also features a contribution from yours truly on starting your own blog!

The success of popular reality TV shows like “Project Runway,” “Kell on Earth” and “The City,” have inspired many public relations students and recent graduates to break into the world of fashion PR. However, undergraduate public relations programs rarely focus with any depth into the realities of working in this industry and top agencies are highly competitive at even the internship level. For five years, students and industry practitioners have solved this problem by turning to PRCouture, a top destination to discover and discuss the ever-evolving role of public relations, marketing and social media in the fashion industry.

This insider’s guide is the first of its kind, and pulls back the curtain on the catwalk with an information-dense, fun-to-read adventure through the fast-paced world of fashion PR. Highlights include contributions from more than two dozen fashion PR pro’s working with brands like Betsey Johnson, Elie Tihari, Coach, Tom’s and Nine West, as well as top agencies Edelman Digital , Style House PR, and Regan Communications. Topics covered in this insider’s guide to fashion PR include:

•  The difference between PR, marketing and advertising
• What to expect from a career in public relations
•  Title and salary breakdown
• How to position yourself to get noticed for the job you want
• Actual job interview questions from top fashion PR agencies
• Contact information for 20 of the top New York-based fashion PR agencies
• How to use Twitter as a job search tool
• Identifying personal goals and a career vision to carry you into the future

 

“Ready to Launch: The PR Couture Guide to Breaking into Fashion PR” is available in print for $17.99 or digital format for $14.99 on Amazon.com.

ESCADA Launches E-commerce in USA

Luxury fashion brand ESCADA will launch today its online store in the United States of America, following the successful introduction of ESCADA.com to the European markets in 2013. Welcome to the 21st Century, ESCADA!

The E-Store will offer a wide range of ESCADA lifestyle products, including apparel and accessories from the ESCADA and ESCADA SPORT brands.

Bruno Sälzer (CEO ESCADA SE) “In the new positioning of ESCADA there is a special focus on the digital world. Especially highlighted are multi-channel-experiences, interaction with the client and an integrated experience of the brand. After our successful launch in Europe one year ago, we are now present in the most important E-Commerce market, the USA.”

Usability and design is likewise important in the ESCADA E-Store. The navigation is easy and intuitive; the elegant design with large-scale images reflects the ESCADA brand identity.

And check this out: All social media channels are integrated into the new online store. The site, which is optimized for mobile applications, ensures an ideal display on all devices. Remember readers, always keep in mind mobile. You’d think it’s a no brainer, but many companies forget all about optimizing and scaling for different devices.

The store finder is placed on all relevant ESCADA E-Store pages and is supposed to stimulate multichannel experiences. In selected ESCADA retail stores sales staff will carry iPads to directly assist clients in placing orders in the E-Store for items that might not be available in the store.

The ESCADA online store provides a variety of different shipping options via Fedex, including free standard ground shipping as well as express shipping. Furthermore, the ESCADA E-Store offers its clients an easy and cost-free returns handling including a 14-day return policy. An exclusive packaging concept completes the range of service offers of the ESCADA E-Store.

Hermes NexTec, specialist in international full-service e-commerce solutions, provides all services along the online value chain including shop, content and IT management and in close collaboration with ESCADA performance marketing. In addition to these services Hermes Fulfilment supplies with warehousing, customer care, finance services and returns management.

Twitter: @ESCADA
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ESCADA

Live Twitter Forum Gives Insight Into Entertainment and Fashion Industry

Looking to connect with professionals in the entertainment and fashion industry?

Check out @entprchat to participate in a live Twitter conversation with professionals and peers alike. Previous topics include the W hotel hiring a fashion director, Marc Jacobs banning celebrities from the front row of his fashion shows, thoughts on new show SPINdustry and many other timely topics.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of contibuting to the discussion as a guest speaker. It was so much fun to participate in a live forum – very refreshing than the usual daily tweeting!

Now, there are a few rules according to @entprchat: 1. Give a quick intro (name, title) 2. Tweet using hashtag #entprchat 3. Send questions to @alexiaharris or @kionsanders without the hash tag  4. Have fun!

Check out @entprchat on Twitter every Tuesday at 5 p.m. PT facilitated by @alexiaharris and @kionsanders.

Pitching to Santa Claus: How To Pitch in the Current Market

It’s not about the must-have Tickle Me Elmo this year, it’s about the savings. This year, pitching holiday gift guides was much different from years past. It was important to be cognizant of the economic climate and to position products by highlighting  the added value or the savings.

When pitching a product, it’s necessary to understand the current environment. Public relations professionals must keep current on news and current events. Whether it is the Tiger Woods scandal or the health care reform, both events can play an important part in pitching any product.

Pitching is much more than picking up the phone, dialing a number and saying, “Hello, I’m so and so calling on behalf of blank.” Here’s a few things to remember for your next pitch:

1. Conduct a media audit. Research the journalist and their particular beat. Read at least six of their articles and find a commonality. Thoroughly investigating their writing builds trust in the future conversation.

2. Practice makes perfect. It might seem silly to close the door and read your pitch out loud, but give it a try! I promise this will command more respect over the phone -confidence is key when selling a product or idea.

3. Tailor your pitch. It’s o.k. to have a universal pitch, but when you have completed your research, it’s important to personalize  the conversation to create an open dialogue.

4. Lead with a current industry trend or event. Get in the trenches with your journalists. These people are constantly scouring the news for the next best story. If you are as up to speed as they are, then you can lend more credibility.

Also, check out fashion PR blogger Yuli Ziv sharing her e-mail tips on making your pitch blogger friendly. And, if you’re wondering how not to pitch, check out The Bad Pitch Blog for the best examples. Hopefully you don’t find your pitch posted!

How do you prepare to pitch? Share your tips and stories and have a fabulous holiday, fashionistas!

Job Seekers: Surving the Recession as a Public Relations Professional

Photo: What to wear to the office

Many people have recently asked for my advice on breaking into the public relations industry. There are many students eager to graduate and hop into their dream job. Don’t get me wrong, having a fire in the belly is a wonderful thing but you must be careful. It is a different world out there and nothing is what it seems. Everyone is fighting to save their job or land a job, so it is important to be smart and careful.

Are you graduating  soon and planning on job searching or currently seeking a new job? Here are a few things to remember before tackling the job market during this economy:

#1 Know the market. It is important to asses the nature and activity of top companies within the industry. Lay-offs, budget cuts and even stock prices determine whether or not there is better chance for you to score a job in fashion or consumer public relations.

#2 Be open to new opportunities. Of course you don’t want to flip burgers for the rest of your life, but what if you could flip burgers while offering your public relations skills to that burger joint? Aside from fast food, you may find yourself looking at thousands of non-PR jobs within your desired industry. Take a chance on one of those jobs and you may find out that the company actually needs PR! You can then offer your skills and gain experience!

#3 Stay active. Keep blogging and join PR organizations even if you end up at a job that does not involve practicing public relations. PRSA is a wonderful way to stay updated on the industry and build networks. Blogging and micro-blogging also exercises and refines your writing skills. Also, keep reading your favorite blogs and newspapers to stay current on trends and industry news. You never know when a potential PR job could present itself.

#4 Take your time. Don’t take the first job that falls in your lap. It’s also important to move on if you’ve been job searching for over three months without result. Moving back home with the parents or a few roommates will save you money and help build a nest egg. It’s never too early to start adding to your nest egg or emergency fund.

#5 Show your worth! Don’t be shy because modesty won’t get you anywhere in the world of public relations. Be confident in what you have learned in class, internships or previous jobs by building a portfolio of related work. Share every single piece of media you’ve earned and any tactics you’ve helped implement, even if you think your job was insignificant. Every helping hand is the building block for a successful brand!

#6 Stay positive. It’s always important to keep a positive outlook. Talk yourself up before entering into a job interview. I always say to myself, “You’re the best and they would be nothing without you!” I know, it’s a pretty bold statement but it tricks your brain into staying calm and collected. Also, remember to never give up. Don’t be discouraged if over five companies have turned you down. There’s a job out there for you, I promise!