New York is widely regarded as the Mecca of fashion. This is never more apparent than during New York Fashion Week where the world’s most stylish influencers gather to set the fashion agenda for the next season. Unfortunately, not every fashion enthusiast has the chance to participate in New York Fashion Week and until now, most have had to resign themselves to poring over the post-show media coverage for updates. Over the last few years, a digital revolution has been building steam amongst major labels in the fashion industry, as they seek new ways to connect the audience on the catwalk sidelines and transfer more of the fashion show experience online.
As part of this evolution, we are seeing an increasing move toward real-time digital live streaming – popular not only for its immediacy, but for delivering the type of authentic images that consumers want to see and to which they can best relate. Compare the difference between passively looking at a set of glossy retouched images to the feeling of being right in the centre of a fashion show as it happens. For international fashion labels, live streaming events allow more people to get involved in the fashion shows than ever before, at minimum effort for the labels and the consumer.
Companies like Hugo Boss have been successfully implementing live streaming for the past few years. Brightcove recently supported the live streaming of the new BOSS Womenswear Spring/Summer 2016 Fashion Show from Artistic Director Jason Wu.
The benefits of using video content, including live streaming, extend far beyond a single moment (event) in time. The ability to share exciting, high-quality content directly on a label’s website opens a realm of storytelling possibilities and is a powerful way to build brand awareness.
Not only does video content help build brand awareness and increase consumer engagement, but it helps sell more products! Using video to create an interactive shopping experience is a tool that has already been adopted by many online retailers. These retailers recognise the multiple benefits of video:
- Allowing a brand to showcase its individuality and stand out from the competition
- Increasing awareness of an individual product, as well as the overall brand
- Informing the purchase decision through the integration of 360 degree views
- Enabling the easy integration of logos, additional copy and audio content for more complex products
Videos allow consumers to connect digitally with products in a manner quite similar to shopping in a brick and mortar store environment. The integration of e-commerce sites with multimedia from fashion labels offers consumers the opportunity to ‘come in and try it on’ digitally at the shopper’s convenience, thus offering labels increased sales opportunities.
Video content is a perfect solution for brands looking to integrate the physical/tangible elements of the offline experience, with the ease and immediacy of the online experience.
Today’s consumer has never been more demanding in terms of the relationship they want with a brand. Immediacy, authenticity, and personalization - both online and off - are increasingly vital for companies in today’s market. As companies look to stand out from the increasing online crowd, video content and live streaming provide an essential bridge to link the online and offline world – on a global level.
Captivate audiences with flawless live video experiences