AÏLLE DESIGN MARKETING ANALYSIS
Executive Summary.
Aille Design is a Canadian clothing brand that produces clothing decorated with Swarovski Crystal Pearls that are hand beaded to form fully legible Braille phrases. These designs are placed front and centre, seamlessly integrated into the clothing. A beautiful assimilation of truly inclusive design that caters toward sighted and visually impared people alike, Aille struggles to retain sighted consumers long-term. This particular section of their consumer base struggles with seeing themselves dressed in the clothing despite supporting Aille Design. The proposed solutions consisted an Instagram content and engagement strategy.
Instagram indicating a better outreach towards new audiences and increased opportunity for customer education, in terms solving their initial problem. Implemented through styling and educational clips on Reels, and a roundup and sharing of consumer content under the hashtag #ailleandi to be featured on the brands page, showing the diverse consumer base.
Objectives.
Aille Design has broken barriers when it comes to representation of the visually impared and blind identifying community. Through the implementation of luxury and strong design the integration of disability in fashion impresses on audiences the feeling of unity and community. However, Aille’s challenge lies in the retention of sighted consumers. Sighted audiences view the brand in a positive light and support the mission and movement Aille is coveting, but are not being retained as consistent consumers of the brand. Supporting the brand from afar or reservedly, in comparison to Aille’s visually impaired and blind identifying consumers. They struggle to view themselves as customers of the brand and remain supporters, ironically continuing the isolation and perpetuating the social stigma of disability in fashion.
This detachment ultimately lies in the barriers and lack of knowledge the day to day sighted consumer has in the blind or visually impared community. A lack of knowledge on the topic prevents consumers from visibly or consistently supporting the brand as many do not want to seem performatively active or lacking the proper education towards backing a brand that is so heavily ingrained in activism. Societal pressures and the false ideal that an individual must be infinitely knowledgeable in a subject or experience to perfectly support a cause contributes towards the absence of sighted customer retention.
Ideally, implementing the proposed solution to these barriers, softens the disconnect that sighted consumers have when supporting Aille Design. Opening a safe and equitable space where potential customers can learn about the community as to better support it. Sighted customers will feel confident in their own awareness and be open to sharing the knowledge they have gained from supporting the brand to their own communities and inner circles.
Solution.
Instagram content focus is ultimately the preferred alternative due to the ease of restructure and adaptability. The ability to reach the wider audience through social media is the far improved option. The platform itself is free, and brands are able to generate user or brand oriented content that can be catered towards multiple target markets through a variety of different methods without that are easily accessible and consumable for a consumer (Anada, 2019). As the digital platform moves quite quickly in terms of trends, innovation and changes, it is a strategy best implemented as soon as possible as opposed to planned and drawn out. Social media strategy can ultimately be seen as a marketing tactic that allows for trial and error, in addition to adaptation on the fly (Anada, 2019).
The image of an innovative, inclusive, and trailblazing fashion brand fits the user base of Instagram. Many users have created jobs, broken societal molds, changed age-old ideals and concepts perpetuated through behemoth brands and companies through the ability to adapt and create without the confines of structure. Aille represents all these things and more.
Implementation.
Content
Content consisting of two categories, that may ultimately overlap as the brand innovates and grows to see what works best with their user base, fashion and education. Fashion content consisting of styling videos with Aille’s clothing, through either influencer affiliation or ambassadors ideally through the Reels feature. The concept is open with collaboration abilities with other brands or personalities on the platform that can increase exposure towards new potential consumers. Quick 15-second videos that showcase the luxury aspect of the clothing, while also giving sighted consumers an ability to see the way the clothing sits and moves on a model, in tandem, allowing potential sighted consumers to envision themselves in the clothing. Aille’s clothing is also unisex, a marketing opportunity that has not been capitalized on due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the inability to gather production staff to shoot and model with a variety of people. The short styling videos can be done by anyone, in any location with minimal production staff. Showing the clothing on a variety of body types, opens the exposure to a larger target audience. The Reels feature provides the opportunity to show an audience quick and consumable doses of content in a way that reduces the time for an audience to create or pull from preconceived notions or stigma they may have.
The educational component is a step towards bridging the gap between consumers who do not feel confident enough to support the brand as they lack the knowledge in the community.
Short educational clips demonstrating beginner basics on how to read braille, personal tidbits of information that the visually impaired community would like sighted consumers to know, and other facts and information can be contributed through these Reels. Educating sighted consumers and creating an environment without the societal pressure to be the most knowledgeable on the topic increases the incentive of brand loyalty and retention.
Project Alternatives.
Charity and Community
The current state of ecommerce and fast fashion has seen heavy emphasis on sale and discount periods throughout the year. Days or weeks leading up to events like Boxing Day, Cyber Monday and Black Friday alike have trained most consumers to expect discounts and savings from the companies and brands they often purchase from (Frost, 2020). A small percentage of brands have opted out of the events, choosing to bring attention towards the problems associated with overproduction.
The suggestion is to use this consumer hype and expectation of “Discount Days” to promote the brands ethics and core values through their sales that can be adapted to any event. Very simply broken down, the adaptation of an “Anti-Sale” campaign where the brand emphasises on thoughtful purchases that benefit the community.
Portions, or percentages of the brands sales will go towards an affiliated charity, allowing consumers to contribute monetarily towards a cause through their purchase. For example, a Boxing Week campaign where 15% of every purchase goes towards Braille Literacy Canada. Consumers being able to physically see and participate in contributing towards a good cause will be more likely to purchase from the company again or maintain loyalty (Forte, 2018). Allowing consumers to feel actively participatory in a positive contribution in their community increases confidence in their purchase and incites motivation to share the knowledge and benefits, especially through word of mouth (Carlson, 2019). Aille’s target consumer identifies as an early adopter and trend setter who enjoys luxury and one-of-a-kind storylines. The narrative of an innovative, impactful brand setting an example of how fashion can be inclusive and impactful through unapologetic campaigns that represent their core values appeals towards Aille’s target market in addition to attracting and retaining consumers adjacent.
References.
Engagement
Additional opportunity for potential customer reach and retention is digital consumer engagement. This will be implemented through consumer curated content that creates a rapport between the brand and consumers.
Ultimately creating an online presence that encapsulates a digital version of ‘positive word of mouth’. There was a plethora of tagged photos of consumers dressed in Aille clothing, which could be compiled into routine (ideally weekly) roundup of shares or posts. Showing everyday consumers dressed in Aille bridges the gap between supporting a brand from afar, as potential consumers are viewing everyday consumers like themselves expressing themselves in the clothing.
The “positive word of mouth” concept through these personal interactions gives an air of luxury or high-end exclusivity in comparison to a heavily involved and staged marketing plan across multiple platforms. It is individual to the platform and therefore the consumer. These roundups of posts can be implemented through a variety of ways that can be adapted.
A hashtag (#ailleandi) can be created for consumers who are willing to be featured on the brands Instagram, wearing the brands clothing or a “tag to be featured” implementation creates incentive to share purchases and experiences.
The implementation ultimately overlaps with the content creation, as consumers will often want to showcase their own styling methods in Aille’s products. Leaving methods and room for growth in the implementation depending on the content being produced.
Instagram Reach and Rehaul
Social media in the current climate of ecommerce can easily be a catalyst towards virality and reaching a variety of audiences that just would not be possible with a classic marketing campaign. Instagram in particular boasts large returns in the fashion market, with streamline features like in app shopping and influencer marketing (Lipsman, 2019). It comes with no surprise many brands have opted towards marketing primarily on the social media platform, as the user base strays mostly towards many brands' age demographic (Kontu, 2014).
Jovanovic mentioned the social media platform Instagram as a large component towards the outreach towards sighted and visually impaired consumers alike. The ability to engage with consumers directly in addition to the creation of unique content to the app itself through a variety of methods lends itself towards a brand's benefit. And with increased accessibility for visually impaired users on the app, like the option to post photos with Alt Text or auto-generated captions to Instagram videos and stories, the ease of marketing and audience reach through the platforms unfolds easily.
The suggestion is to maintain focus on Instagram through content production and consumer engagement. Currently the algorithm on Instagram Reels is fairly new and allows for quick consumer growth and increased chances of virality. Short consumable clips of styling videos using Aille’s garments reach the fashion audience of the platform in a current and trendy way. Additional content production geared towards a more educational concept, for example, short clips of a model or ambassador teaching sighted consumers the beginner basics of how to read braille. Consumer engagement through routine story features and shares, and consumer interaction through likes and comments give a more personalized perspective to the brand. All amount towards sighted individual customer retention through the platform.
Ananda, A. S., Hernández-García, A., E, A., & L, L. (2019). What makes fashion consumers 'click'? Generation of eWoM engagement in social media. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://re.public.polimi.it/retrieve/handle/11311/1079596/349407/APJML%20Proof%20Sub2.pdf
Carlson, N. (2019, June 10). Why Giving Back Increases Brand Loyalty. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from forbes.com/sites/theyec/2019/06/10/why-giving-back-increases-brand-loyalty/?sh=19f7e18570d2
Forte, D. (2018, March 15). How More Brands Are Choosing to Build Loyalty by Giving Back. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://multichannelmerchant.com/marketing/how-more-brands-are-choosing-to-build-loyalty-by-giving-back/
Frost, R. (2020, November 12). DO YOU KNOW THE TRUE COST OF YOUR BLACK FRIDAY PURCHASES? Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://www.euronews.com/living/2019/11/24/do-you-know-the-true-cost-of-your-black-friday-purchases
Geissinger, A., & Laurell, C. (2016). User engagement in social media – an explorative study of Swedish fashion brands. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 20(2). Retrieved November 24, 2020, from https://www-emerald-com.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JFMM-02-2015-0010/full/html
Gill, C. J. (1997). Four types of integration in disability identity development. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 9, 39-46. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from nisonger.osu.edu/media/bb_pres/marks_11-12/handouts/Handout%203%20-%20Four%20types%20of%20integration%20in%20disability%20identity%20development%20(Gill).pdf
Kontu, H., & Vecchi, A. (2014). Why all that noise – assessing the strategic value of social media for fashion brands Hanna KontuAlessandra Vecchi. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 5(3), 235-250. Retrieved November 24, 2020, from journals-scholarsportal-info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/details/20932685/v05i0003/235_watnatosmffb.xml
Watson, M. Z., & Yan, R. (2013). An exploratory study of the decision processes of fast versus slow fashion consumers. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, 17(2).