As COVID-19 continues to challenge day-to-day living around the world, people in China are beginning to return to their old ways of life. As consumers spend more time at home, logged on to social media, they are more anxious than ever, confused about the future, their jobs, families, and even how to feel about fashion.
Up until now, communication in fashion has favored a “top down” messaging style; communicating glossy dreams, aspirations or lofty values that the shopper gets to enjoy with a purchase of course. In a sense, this strategy has given the consumer access to a “club,” and a sense of escape that they get to enjoy with every wear and with every purchase.
The reality is, this communication style actually de-values the impact fashion can have and the role that they can play in truly connecting with customers who have the potential to be with you for the duration. While it can be argued that we want to escape more than ever, customers are also looking for support, connection, honesty, empathy and even a little optimism.
How we interact with consumers today will determine the future of fashion. Brands have a real opportunity to understand that what worked in the past will not work in the present; that the luxury touch points we’ve been taught have nothing to do with current strategies; that more than ever, a shifting dialogue style, level-to-level, one-to-one communication and messaging needs to happen and fast.
So how do we get there?
Address the Issue
If you haven’t addressed what has been going on by now, you’re missing a real opportunity to connect with your customer. How is your brand impacted by this global and very real epidemic? How does it make you feel as an organization? How are you thinking about your customer as you participate in best business practices? Having a conversation-style approach with your network and audience positions you for mutuality. Establish a sense of clarity and direct communication to show your brand is listening. Within the process, don’t be afraid to update the consumer along the way, through the messaging mediums and touch points that make sense for your brand.
Lead with Vulnerability
Having a voice is not the same as having a brand point-of-view. Brands must lead and communicate with compassion, empathy, and vulnerability. Sharing your thoughts as a designer and brand are in fact relevant. Your role and responsibility is beyond creating and selling “pretty things.” Shoppers expect a tone that addresses the sentiments of today and it’s important that your brand message humanizes your place in the world. Think about impact on many levels from the consumer, production, your workers, etc. How will that affect the feeling you are trying to communicate?
Honesty is Always the Best Policy
Do not hide. While it may be an uncertain point in your business, sharing the next steps in your process and journey is essential. The more transparent you are, the more customers and clients will feel connected to your brand. Additionally, you may also get feedback and real time responses to the actions you are taking. Don’t be afraid of those reactions; embrace those responses and use them to take a pulse and help influence your next messaging direction or update.
Share your Why
With the many emotional and physical choices and trade-offs customers now need to make, understanding your purpose or “why” is more essential than ever. Why do you care and how does that connect with your collection/brand or creative point of view? How has your “why” evolved or changed since the pandemic? In your communication efforts and touch points, make sure this becomes an important thread and component that is clear.
Engagement is Not One-Size-Fits-All
As brands get creative in navigating their interactions, be mindful that mimicking other’s efforts may not make sense for your brand. It’s important to be inspired by what you’re seeing and reading but at the same time, use the opportunity to utilize your resources and message points that are unique to you. Show the parallel lives and nuances of your brand and those who support it. Understand that how you use your mediums may be similar but the details should be different.
The Medium is the Message
Today, the tools and opportunities that brands have to connect with current and future customers are endless and those mediums are just as important as the message itself. How are you utilizing your channels to communicate with customers? How do those efforts differ? How can you also think about your channels as windows of a house – each room can share a small unique story and the overall house representing your beliefs, values and your why. These are also great touch points to feel close to your customer, crowd connect and share a glimpse into the brand experience in new ways. Invite your customers in and let them stay for a while.
Share your Joy & Take Action
Despite all the heaviness around us, customers are looking for joy. So how do you strike the right balance? The world needs your creativity and inspiration but don’t let it carry you too far into the clouds. Think about what you’re offering means and action plan paths that address the short and long-term. While longer-term paths may be more obvious to plan for, think about the connection between your why, message, and products. How can you use your mediums (social, newsletters, video, handwritten notes!) to take action today? How can you share your vulnerability in a way that is still uplifting and sparks joy? How can you give the customer access that goes a little bit deeper than what they know or what they’ve seen?
In understanding that there are two pathways right now (a short-term and a long-term), be open to using this time to engage with customers a little bit more and for a little bit longer. Ultimately, the customer will be open to connecting and when they can, there’s a greater chance that they will continue to support with the spending power that will be even more meaningful than it was before.
Ashley Orfus founded ALAB Group with the intent of disrupting outmoded models by developing a more responsive, integrated approach communications — one that pilots clients through an ever-shifting business landscape, keeps pace with current audiences, and can be tailored to serve companies big or small.
