Calvin Klein takes more open brand stance with Periscope stream
Calvin Klein?s use of Periscope is aimed to position the brand as more accessible by opening its digital doors for an inside look at the fall 2016 campaign and comes at a time when the company is trying to deal with the controversy surrounding billboards deemed sexist by some.
The apparel brand has always held up an air of mystery around its campaigns, seducing consumers with the exclusiveness of its advertising, but consumers now expect a more conversational relationship with brands, prompting its behind-the-scenes stream on Periscope. Calvin Klein is hoping to solidify a positive relationship with consumers, after poster ads featuring rapper Fetty Wap sparked murmurs of sexism.
"Video is becoming an essential element in people?s digital experience and expectations today, 80 percent of internet users are consumer video," said Michael Becker, managing partner at mCordis. "There are some benefits that Calvin Klein can realize from leveraging Periscope for their 2016 fall campaign.
"First off, Periscope is a new and evolving medium for engaging people, in particular, the younger audience, an audience that increasingly demands transparent brand engagement," he said. "Secondly, this approach is amplifying the dollars and time that Calvin Klein is committing to this program.
"By inviting people to take part, albeit virtually, Clavin Klein marketing is turning the production process of the program into marketing in its own right, it is creating a new opportunity to build awareness and engage their audience, at scale, that was previously not possible. Moreover, when the audience sees the program once it goes live there is a good chance they will feel more emotionally connected with the program since they were part of the making."
No mystery on mobile
The marketer is hoping to attract a wide range of consumers by giving social media users a rare sneak peek into its next marketing campaign. While fans are used to Calvin Klein being more mysterious through its advertising, the new strategy stands out to consumers, broadening the reach of the campaign.
Viewers were given inside interviews with models and the campaign talent while they worked on set shooting the advertising content. For instance, model Lola Karce shared her values in an interview through the live stream in between her scheduled shoots.
The Periscope campaign comes after controversy regarding a billboard advertisement posts in New York. The ad features a model posing suggestively on a couch with text reading ?I seduce in #mycalvins.?
The brand ran into trouble by pairing it with a side-by-side shot of rapper Fetty Wap, with text that says ?I make money in #mycalvins.? Those opposed to the ad claim the poster solidifies the stereotype that women can only be sex objects while men are the breadwinners.
Calvin campaigns
Calvin Klein rolled out its first-ever campaign on the dating application Tinder, but the brand should beware of invasive advertising, as users on the app may not be as inclined to marketing in the same manner as on other platforms (see more).
The brand also celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Eternity fragrance with a global philanthropic initiative titled the #EternityProject (see more).
"The program gives Calvin Klein opportunity to innovate, to experiment and explore, a requirement for every brand that wants to thrive in the digital age," Mr. Becker said. "What may they be able to test?
"They will not just be able to test the medium of periscope, but the processes of transparent production, real-time people-engagement, post-production awareness and then ultimately an influence on sales and brand health," he said. "Could you also, look to opening up the production effort to gather real-time feedback from the views.
"As demonstrated by the team at Shopper Army in Canada, this feedback could be taken into account in real-time to influence the product effort and make the overall production better."