What Anna Wintour Can Teach SM

For those of you how have read my past stuff you know that I often get inspiration from movies and documentaries. I recently watched “The September Issue,” which chronicles the creation of the important issue of Vogue, the September issue..

Yes, I watched a documentary about Vogue. In my defense, it was more so about Anna Wintour and her domination of fashion and the magazine industry. Regardless, I’ve considered a take away, one that resonates with us social media folks, young and old.

Business is Business

To assume we can do something for the sake of doing it is just plain ignorance. With two anchors at Vogue, Anna Wintour and Grace, the lead creative director, they both offered a different view. Anna came headstrong from a progressive business angle while Grace looked at fashion as a work of art. At the end of the day Anna won. Not because she is the Anna Wintour, but because the magazine has to sell money. Art lasts only so long.

Social media is the same way. As a student, when I first entered the realm I was mesmerized by the idea of two-way engagement and openness that social media and the social web embraced. Now, as I get closer to graduation I realize while that is a major player, so is the bottom line. A social campaign that doesn’t accept the fact that revenue is somehow connected may be a failing campaign.  Just as it was in the documentary, the fight for what is right and what produces revenue will always live. Quite honestly, there never seems to be a balance.

Progressing Forward

As we move forward so should our work. Creating campaigns based on numbers from previous campaigns and reports creates a perpetual placement in your industry and in social media. Yea, twitter is cool, but what can you do with twitter that a competitor hasn’t done? Ann Wintour is quoted saying this about fashion:

“Fashion is not about looking back, it’s always been about looking forward.“

It can be said for social media and it’s value in business. If we continue to play within the confines of what has preceded we will only produce within those constrains. Basically, we should all follow suit with Old Spice. Not in the critical sense of, “hey lets all make people swan dive a man off of a boat and onto a bike.” It’s about breaking the already created mold as to what a campaign should be. Yea, you might be confined as to the mediums you use, but what hasn’t been done within those mediums? If we fail to progress gradually we will fail to progress as a whole.

Hope this is as interesting to you as it is to me. Thanks for reading.

New York Fashion Week 2010 Recap

Fashion week just ended and unfortunately it was the last time at Bryan Park. Factory PR championed events all last week. None were in the tents but regardless, it was an experience I’ll never forget. I was involved in the Eryn Birnie presentation, and my favorite, Commonwealth Utilities fashion show.

To make this post one of learning and reflection, there was a valuable “lesson” from my short time in fashion PR and living in the city. Creativity is everywhere.

Cliché once again, but I’ll elaborate. The Eryn Brinie show was in their store on Broadway. They took their retail store and transformed it into an elegant space for their presentation. The space was created into a casual, loung-esq space where everyone in attendance could take pictures, view the clothes and have a drink while mingling amongst others. Talk about a soothing relaxing atmosphere, while still presenting an incredible line of versatility and style. Their idea to use their own space rather than renting one worked well. Why not present your clothes in the same place they are sold.

The Commonwealth Utilities show was my favorite. They took a completely mid-construction location and made it into a great venue for their show. Their show was held at the Nomad Hotel. To give you a description it had exposed dry wall and brick, both were not for aesthetic purposes. We were closing doorways and window openings with duct-tape, cardboard and industrial strength, black, trash bags. The hotel was very grungy but it created an atmosphere that focused on nothing but the clothes

For me, I think it created an amazing contrast for the show. The line was clean and well presented; the theme was an officer & a gentleman. Where as the venue was dark, dirty, and half finished, the line was crisp with unique styles. I snagged some video of the show. I filmed everything but the final walk of all the models and the designer, but regardless it was insane. To be in the city less than a month and take part in fashion week was incredible.

Commonwealth Utilities Spring 2010 from patrick johnson on Vimeo.