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Mobile marketing struts through New York Fashion Week

Brands such as Clorox, AccuWeather and Pilot are thinking outside the box to effectively place themselves in the center of events during this season?s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, with mobile playing a key role in activating these efforts. 

Marketers are using a variety of mobile platforms and social campaigns with fashion-inspired aspects to extend their reach at the annual event that draws designers, editors, photographers, models and fashion-savvy consumers from around the world. As attendees of large-scale events are increasingly adopting mobile functionalities, brands can jump at the opportunity and will likely reap rewards from activating a mobile-centric campaign or event.

?We think that AccuWeather?s mobile offering lends itself naturally to an event like New York Fashion Week,? said Steve Smith, chief digital officer at AccuWeather, New York. ?In mobile tech as in fashion, it is always about the new, now, next and MinuteCast campaign at NYFW is showcasing precisely that, providing users with the latest in weather technology to help attendees stay one step ahead of the storm and navigate around any Prada-ruining puddles.?

Some way, somehow
Brands with collaborating mobile apps are easily tapping into mobile efforts at Fashion Week.

American media company AccuWeather will be providing a Storm Squad at Fashion Week, armed with umbrellas and mobile phones to be best prepared for inclement weather situations.


As its promise to offer minute-by-minute weather forecasts, AccuWeather inserts its brand into Fashion Week in a unique way by solving an unforeseeable issue, such as weather. As designers and attendees have long awaited such an event, they will likely be appreciative of this kind of offering.

?There has been a massive shift in the way our consumers access information in mobile and web spaces, and AccuWeather understand this,? Mr. Smith said. ?As the world?s largest weather media company and digital leader, AccuWeather?s apps and widgets being preloaded on an estimated 1.3 billion mobile devices around the world. 

?So naturally, mobile is a huge part of many of our campaigns including our campaign promoting AccuWeather?s MinuteCast at this year?s NYFW. And as it happens, MinuteCast is a very relevant tool for an event like NYFW, where large numbers of people and VIPs will be exposed to the elements while travelling between venues and spending time outside. 

?At events like NYFW, where looking your best is an absolute imperative, avoiding that sudden rain shower can be the difference between attendees having a great day or a fashion fail.?

Similarly, Japanese pen manufacturer Pilot is aiming to be present during Fashion Week?s activities given its social fundraising effort inspired by fashion this month.

Teaming with Dress to Success, a nonprofit organization aimed to provide disadvantaged women with career opportunities and guidance, Pilot will be donating professional interview kits, Pilot pens and folios, along with hand-written messages of encouragement. Pilot plans to obtain some of these messages by celebrities who are attending Fashion Week. 

Part of this fundraiser will be hosted on social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, and Pilot will donate $5 for every share. 

Outsourcing for mobile
Other brands are outsourcing their efforts with other mobile platforms, such as Uber and Vine.

Glamsquad is teaming with Uber to offer a special package deal to riders during Fashion Week. 

Uber users can book a beauty appointment, including hair and make up, for only $40 given the regular price is $125. The promo code Uberglam will lend access to this deal.


This type of promotion gives an average Fashion Week attendee a taste of VIP treatment. Consumers show a great desire for exclusive offers and are more likely to buy when a promotional discount is offered.

Clorox is leveraging Vine to introduce its new product Smart Sleek Bleach through a digital fashion line using a play-on-words called Cloey De La Rox. Known for its iconic ?tighty whitey,? Clorox features these underwear with bright patterns and stripes, aiming to show that Smart Sleek Bleach is safe to use on colors while removing stains on white parts of clothes.


While men?s white underwear is a classic article of clothing, the brand coins its promotional underwear commercial with a name to relate to designers featured at Fashion Week.

Department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue is heightening its sense of community through a new content hub that streamlines social media interactions with consumers.

Using New York Fashion Week as a backdrop, Saks? content page is housed on the retailer?s Web site. The new aspect of Saks? Web site, dubbed as a ?fanreel,? will create a center for the retailer?s fashion-forward consumers to gather and share via social media (see story).

AccuWeather, similar to other brands, aims to be present in mobile-centric ways at high-profile events such as Fashion Week.

?We already know that mobile weather is the most popular form of mobile news content,? Mr. Smith said. ?AccuWeather is connecting the dots between forecasts with its Superior Accuracy technology, fantastic usability, and immediate relevancy. 

?We deliver accurate forecasts on whatever device you choose, wherever you are, and whenever you need us. Events like NYFW are a great opportunity to connect those dots in a public way, as the stakes are so high and looking ideal is a must.?

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon is an editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York