Bloggers in Retail

Blogs aren’t new but this phenomenon is: more than ever before, bloggers are grabbing seats at the runways and premieres, featured in retail promotions, testing products, designing clothes, modeling and becoming entrepreneurs. They have fans, followers, and yes, shoppers. Retailers are empowering bloggers to talk about products in real time while technology captures inspiration from the “now” with Instagram, street style and blogs.

Coach had four guest bloggers individually create and design their own limited edition bag; while Lucky Magazine recently created Luckystylecollective, a blogger network that consists of its favorite voices from fashion blogs; they’re intended to be used in magazine editorial and on Lucky’s website. Nordstrom is using bloggers as brand ambassadors to travel to shows, fashion week and fashion parties. And in 2012, Urban Outfitters sponsored U.S. teen-fashion-blogger, Tavi Gevinson, on a 16-state road trip. These retailers are not only gaining visibility, but are reaching the bloggers’ audiences as well.

With commerce-enabling technology, blogs are turning recommendations into actual sales. Retailers can post ads to blogs, “gift” bloggers with clothing to test and create a relationship that can be leveraged for promotions in-store. Liberty London Girl (Sasha Wilkins) has 100,000 followers and her blog contains its own bookstore featuring her edited selections. In the September issue of Vogue, a spread highlighted Michelle Phan, a beauty guru and YouTube star who now has her own line of cosmetics called emcosmetics (she has also created makeup lines with Lancome and L’oreal).. In her store displays, customers can make videos via an iPad to share with others. Leandra Medine, of Manrepeller.com, has a book, a line of clothing and a funny tone of voice about wearing incredible fashion that may – no, should – repel the opposite sex. It is interactive, as most blogs are, which makes the writer an accessible person consumers can relate to.

Retailers can partner up and find amazing talent through bloggers. For their 2011-2012 Fall Campaign, Lanvin did a video on Lanvintube of models dancing to music in Lanvin clothes.

This was copied by Ivy Kirzhner and titled, “Saint & Libertine Loves Lanvin” on Vimeo, which playfully uses her pet rabbit named Bonkers in a dance mimicking Lanvin’s choreography. Lanvin loved the video so much that they used it in their social media channels in order to promote the brand and the blogger. It’s a win-win. Brands love the creativity and free advertising and consumers love getting a high-five from their favorite brands.

Bloggers are “real” time. Right now. If there was volume on the Internet, their voices would be loud. Engage them and tap into a whole new customer base because these social butterflies drive sales.

Faith Bartrug of FBD Studios (Columbus, Ohio) has more than a decade of experience in transforming national brands. Her background includes brand strategy, environmental design and visual merchandising, and she has been able to practice what she preaches with leading design firms and clients such as Neiman Marcus, JCPenney and Mark Pi’s.