Gone are the days when we relied purely on television and the revered rating to reach our target market. The world that we live in today is for the want of a better word, ‘eventful’. Through the use of modern technology, one is always busy no matter where you are, and the same demanding lifestyles are impacting on consumers, clients and target markets. Reaching any particular demographic effectively requires the use of multi faceted advertising platforms.
What should be critical to any potential advertiser in today’s economy is the ROI (Return on Investment) of every Rand spent on advertising and marketing. The best form of ROI that advertising can achieve is a direct increase to sales. This is where Fashion Media has a direct impact on mall shoppers through the use of window displays and in-store fashion displays.
Window displays are important in retail stores throughout the world extending from high streets to the mall environment. They are the shop front to consumers and influence the consumer’s decision on whether to enter the store or not. Retailers spend vast amounts of money to build enticing displays that capture their customer’s attention and attract them to the store.
Attention grabbing three dimensional displays have a direct impact on the rate of sale of the brand being advertised. The displays need to be eye catching and suitably designed for the respective brand positioning and target market. A “prestige” brand must have a display that is of a high quality and is unique. The look and feel of these international brands are often dictated to by overseas principles that provide strict guidelines for window displays, and having a media company looking after these strict criteria can smooth over the entire process.
When window-shopping, consumers don’t see that shop front or window display as overt advertising, it is considered part of the shop. Therefore this is an underrated piece of advertising turf that advertisers and brands can take advantage of. The advertising and displays are clues as to the contents and values of the shop and fits perfectly within the “ambient media” space.
This is the closest potential advertisers can get to the point of purchase to influence the purchasing decision.
Fashion Media is an Unlimited company and holds the exclusive rights to static media within Red Square, Edgars, Boardmans and Edgars Active Retail outlets within Southern Africa. Edgars and Red Square are hugely influential and account for the majority of sales within the cosmetic and fragrance industry.
Case studies have proven the success of the fashion media types. Each campaign is measured in terms of sales achieved within the store. There are not too many media offerings that can show a direct correlation to sales. This media platform is not only about creating brand awareness but driving direct sales.
Demand for this platform has become very high, particularly in premium stores, with advertisers like Gucci, Chanel, Dior, Clinique, Aramis, DKNY, Prada Candy, Escada, Issey Miyaki and Carolina Herrera 212 VIP Men taking full advantage of appealing to passing shoppers. The reason for the high demand is that these clients are aware of the positive impact this form of advertising has on sales.
Fashion Media also offers the opportunity for brands to dominate all aspects of the shopping mall environment by running campaigns in conjunction with sister Unlimited companies Primall Media, Mall Active and TLC.
