How has PR in the fashion sector changed?
From a communications perspective, the media landscape has shifted wildly over the last several years, opening up new opportunities to connect brands directly with consumers while also limiting many of the traditional mainstays of agency and in-house work.
As the industry embarks on the last quarter of 2018 and on the heels of yet another fashion week season, five leaders within the fashion and lifestyle field speak up about the shifts witnessed and how they plan to serve clients next year and beyond.
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In recent years, many PR agencies continue to move away from articulating results predominantly in secured press coverage. This approach aims to position themselves as true communication experts across all consumer touchpoints, ahead of the curve on relevant trends and technology. From dropping the PR in their company names entirely, to coining themselves as integrated marketing or brand consultancies, there is an industry-wide acknowledgment that thriving public relations agencies can no longer exist in a tactical silo.
As Caroline Suh, founder of BLANCERA and former CMO at luxury footwear brand Pollice Lee explains, “no longer is it sufficient to provide ‘services’ but rather to think of ourselves as long-term strategists who understand the larger ecosystem at play, helping clients make key business decisions as a true partner.”
This mentality also extends into the breadth of campaign development, with PR often driving a multipronged approach.
“We can no longer simply choose one medium and expect an ROI,” says Kelly Howard, CEO at EightSixtySouth. “successful PR campaigns need to pull on traditional, online, digital and influencer elements to make an impact.”
Adrienne Dorsey, founder of Magnolia PR agrees, “Relying on one component—like paid influencers—to carry your whole campaign will be phased out.”
Speaking of influence, experts agree that we’ve hit a saturation point when it comes to influencer marketing.
There is growing frustration with both the lack of regulation with regard to budget expectations and how brands desire to work with certain influencers based on follower numbers alone as opposed to authentic brand alignment.
“Brands mistakenly invest their funds with influencers who don’t resonate with their target audience,” Dorsey continues. “We advise brands to focus on influencers that may not have millions of followers, but appeal to their specific demographic, have real engaged followers and reflect the brand’s aesthetic and values.”
In a digital world where the expectation is that more followers equals more reach and results, agencies and clients can easily lose sight of where and with whom brands can create the most impact. Savvy communicators should remember that quality over quantity is key.
This approach is working well for Magnolia PR client, Roco Clothing, who enlisted micro-influencer Aria de Chicchis to wear the label at several New York Fashion Week 2018 events. De Chiccis was photographed by paparazzi and with celebrities like Paris Hilton and stylist June Ambrose. These results successfully aligned with the company’s overall goal to help the UK-based brand “be a part of iconic NYFW as they further expand in the US market.”
Danielle Thur, Vice President at Los Angeles-based PR agency, Rogers and Cowan, echoes the actions of Magnolia PR in saying, “Collaborations between brands and celebrities—and brands with other brands—are very ‘in’ and effective. We are seeing more luxury and ready-to-wear designers collaborate with streetwear brands for exclusive and limited-edition collections. Celebrity collaborations will continue to evolve and are successful if there is a genuine connection between the celebrity and the brand.”
Beyond striving to make better use of budget and see a stronger return from influencer partnerships, the industry as a whole is slowly expanding to include—and in some cases explicitly develop—campaigns with more diversity.
“Has there ever been a time where more women of color have graced the covers of magazines or walked the runway? This will be the norm for generations to come,” says Nancy Vaughn, principal at White Book Agency. Vaughn has witnessed this transformation firsthand working with client The 3% Movement, who consults on this shift within creative, advertising and tech agencies, explaining that “PR and communications firms will experience the same.”
Finally, with the traditional publishing world in upheaval, the adherence to traditionally defined editor roles is also changing to allow for a new definition of “ideal” media coverage.
Lori Riviere, owner of The Riviere Agency, which handles PR for an average of nine shows each fashion week, acknowledges this change. Riviere says, “The consolidation of verticals in the major media houses such as Condé Nast and Hearst, as well as the fall of major print publications, means we are embracing digital editors, Instagram influencers with established blogs and freelance writers more than ever before to attend and cover shows.”
While many companies still focus on the result of publicity as a PR firm’s single deliverable, a PR agency’s core competencies in storytelling, media and consumer insights nowadays mean that those leading the charge are both poised and challenged to articulate this value across organizational channels.
However, the landscape is constantly advancing and with the rise of new forms of media including video and podcasts in addition to immersive written formats and the increasing need for creative content, we are presented with an exciting fresh territory from which to apply these intrinsic strengths, both as brands and practitioners.
Crosby Noricks is the founder of PR Couture, the industry-leading platform for fashion and lifestyle communicators.
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