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How tapping into the fashion market can significantly enhance brand perception
A s a f o r e m e n t i o n e d , w i t h i n t h e s p o r t s i n d u s t r y , w e a r e s e e i n g m o r e a n d m o r e c o l l a b o r a t i v e partnerships showcasing both sport and fashion ; P o g b a & A d i d a s , R h i a n n a & P u m a a n d F K A T w i g s & N i k e . T h e s e b r a n d s a r e u s i n g t h e e x c i t e m e n t o f fashion to move their products into a new sector .
The fashion industry in the UK has a market value o f 6 6 b i l l i o n p o u n d s , w i t h 5 % o f c o n s u m e r spending being spent on clothing . Indeed , f a s h i o n i s a r e f l e c t i o n o f w h a t ’ s g o i n g o n i n o u r l i v e s a n d d r a w s i n s p i r a t i o n f r o m t h e w o r l d o f a r t , d e s i g n and culture .
Fashion weeks are the pinnacle of the industry calendar with t h e m o s t p r e s t i g i o u s t a k i n g p l a c e i n N e w Y o r k , L o n d o n , M i l a n a n d P a r i s . T h u s , i t s e e m s l o g i c a l b r a n d s w a n t a p i e c e o f t h e a c t i o n , especially given that a n a s s o c i a t i o n t h r o u g h sponsorship c a n o f t e n d o m o r e f o r a b r a n d t h a n t h r o u g h t r a d i t i o n a l a d v e r t i s i n g ; d o i n g i s o f t e n m o r e p o w e r f u l t h a n s a y i n g . T h e r e s u l t i s a f a r r i c h e r b r a n d - c o n s u m e r e x p e r i e n c e , b e n e f i t t i n g t h e business by cultivating a stronger positive relationship with its c u s t o m e r s .
W h a t e v e r t h e b r a n d , t h e m e a s u r e o f b r a n d perception is n e v e r s e t i n s t o n e ; i t ’ s a f l u c t u a t i n g , unpredictable metric . K i n d e r B u e n o h a v e i s s u e s b e i n g a s s o c i a t e d a s a child- only s n a c k d u e t o t h e i r n a m e , a n d Mercedes i s a p p a r e n t l y o n l y f o r t h o s e w h o a c h i e v e a c e r t a i n p o i n t i n l i f e , o r s t a g e o f success in their c a r e e r . I n d e e d , M e r c e d e s B r a n d a n d L i f e s t y l e m a n a g e r d e s c r i b e d f a s h i o n a s “ e x c i t i n g , s t y l i s h , s e x y , a n d f u n ” , a l l b r a n d attributes with w h i c h M e r c e d e s w a n t e d t o b e associated to t a r g e t a y o u n g e r a u d i e n c e . T h e y sponsor most Fashion W e e k s g l o b a l l y a n d e v e n host their own : R u s s i a , G e r m a n y , a n d A u s t r a l i a t o n a m e a f e w .
O n a d i f f e r e n t t a c t , Kinder ’ s i n t e n t w i t h a sponsorship in fashion was not to associate t h e m s e l v e s w i t h f a s h i o n i t s e l f , a s a s l e e k , stylish product , but one more as a “ light i n d u l g e n c e t o f e e l g o o d a b o u t ” . A ccording to t h e i r r e s e a r c h , t h i s w a s a n a s s o c i a t i o n w o m e n h a d w i t h f a s h i o n a s a w h o l e . I t i s c l e a r t h a t c h a n g i n g t h e i r b r a n d p e r c e p t i o n by sponsoring fashion c o u l d y i e l d p o s i t i v e results , no matter how difficult it is to place a n R O I o n t h e c h a n g e i n b r a n d p e r c e p t i o n t o t h e c o n s u m e r .
S o m e b r a n d s , h o w e v e r , s p o n s o r f a s h i o n n o t f o r a n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e m , b u t t o s h o w c a s e product functionality . Something that you m i g h t n o t i c e w h e n p e r u s i n g t h e “ s u p p l i e r s ” c a t e g o r i e s o f f a s h i o n w e e k s p o n s o r s , a n d f o r t h e l e s s s e x y , f u n c t i o n a l b r a n d s , t h i s i s a g r e a t w a y t o s h o w h o w t h e y operate within an industry which is culturally relevant .
D H L E x p o r t e d i s a n e x c e l l e n t c a s e s t u d y w h e r e a c o u r i e r s e r v i c e h a v e s h o w c a s e t h e i r l o g i s t i c s c a p a b i l i t i e s t h r o u g h t h e g l o b a l m a r k e t i n g p l a t f o r m o f f a s h i o n w e e k s . A s well a s b e i n g t h e O f f i c i a l L o g i s t i c s P a r t n e r t o Fashion W e e k e v e n t s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d ; D H L Exported helps established fashion designers expand t h e i r b r a n d a c r o s s i n t e r n a t i o n a l borders . S o , w h e t h e r i t i s t o s t y l i s e , m o d e r n i s e a n d p u t t h e i r b r a n d o n - t r e n d o r t o s i m p l y showcase their product efficiency and potential , fashion is an increasingly utilised industry and we expect to see many more i n n o v a t i v e t i e - u p s i n 2 0 1 7 .