Sunday, June 21, 2009
Audi Fashion Festival
Compare its marketing strategy with a similar festival in another city
A similar festival that has been successful in another city in terms of its marketing strategy will be the “2009 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival”. Based on my research, it stated that this Festival is Australia’s largest consumer and retail driven fashion event and it will launch the latest autumn/ winter designs, while celebrating the best of Victoria’s fashion, retail and creative sectors. It will be held on 15 to 22 March 2009.
The marketing strategy consists of experiential and facilitating components. Experiential components refer to Product, Place, Programming and People. Facilitating components refer to Partnerships, Promotion (Communications), Packaging & Distribution and Price.
Both the fashion festivals, Audi Fashion Festival and “2009 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival” have clearly identified that what their potential customers seek for will be the new fashion designs and the new market opportunity. It is essential to note that what the potential customers need, want and will pay for when purchasing a product.
Both the fashion festivals have located their runway shows at an awesome location. They were located at a destination that is well-known for both the foreigners and locals. “Audi Fashion Festival” was held Tent@Orchard, Ngee Ann City whereas “2009 L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival” was held at Peninsula, Central Pier, Docklands. Based on my research, it stated that Peninsula at Central Pier Docklands is Melbourne’s largest and most avant-garde waterside event space setting with new standards in culinary innovation and design. Peninsula can also host 1,400 people for a sit down event or 2,800 for a cocktail party.
Tent@Orchard
Ngee Ann City
In terms of the setting and atmosphere, both Fashion Festivals have its own distinction. Tent@Orchard has a glass facade around its VIP lounge, whereby it will be visible to passerby on Singapore’s busiest shopping street. Luxurious furniture which was designed by Baker, the legendary furniture lifestyle brand will be used as the decoration. Whereas Peninsula projected in a majestic style with stunning 66-metre crystal chandelier designed by Melbourne lighting designer Dean Phillips that spans the length of the room comprising 1,188 cut crystal pendants. Furthermore, it has an impressive custom built 46.5 metre white concrete catwalk whereby audiences will see Australia's top models strut almost 100m each walk to showcase the latest autumn/winter fashions.
Glass Facade
Both the Fashion Festivals have done fabulous programming within its event. Their official shows and parties have indeed captured the needs and wants of their target markets. Audi Fashion Festival has a total of 11 official shows which included the opening gala and closing show and 6 satellite events such as the afterparty series, exhibition and in conversation hosted by Colin McDowell with Gareth Pugh. Whereas, L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival has organised a Designer Award programme, 17 official shows such as the Opening Party, L’Oreal Paris Runway, Fashion Collections and Independent Runway and 16 special events. The quality of their shows and parties in term of their music, lighting, colour of the stage and time span were well designed and organised. Their shows and parties have provided escapism for the public during this bad economy periods.
Both the Fashion Festivals have outstanding and vibrant team members. The hospitality offered by the staffs and volunteers will directly shape the customers experience. They will constitute a large part of the event experience which is vital to the success of the event. Furthermore, having important casts such as the fashion designers and international top models that both the Fashion Festivals have invited also contributed to the success of the event.
Both the Fashion Festivals have a number of sponsors and partners supporting their events. Audi Fashion Festival has 5 sponsors and 17 partners. Whereas L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival has 11 major partners, 5 event partners, 15 official product partners, 10 platinum partners, 10 gold partners, 21 media partners and 1 official charity partner.
Promotion refers to the full range of “communication mix” which included advertising, public relation and sales promotions. The communication mix requires ongoing management and relationship building, not just one-off efforts.
Both the Fashion Festivals have done marvellous promotion for their events. Ashley Isham has worked with Coca-Cola Singapore to put his design on over 100,000 commemorative bottles and one million cans of Coca-Cola light for the Audi Fashion Festival 2009. This will help to promote the Festival through an outdoor campaign. Besides having the fashion catwalk shows, they also provided a diverse range of immersive experiences such as having exhibition, forums, satellite events and engaging talks to further enhanced and advertised the event. For instance, L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival signed up twitters which provided the latest news and updates and it also allowed the public to exchange information about the event.
In terms of packaging, Audi Fashion Festival offered 1 dinner and runway show, 3 timeout after party series and 3 cocktail receptions and runway show. Whereas, L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival offered 1 runway show and supper, 5 runway show which includes refreshments and a gift bag, 1 L’Oreal Paris Beauty Workshop which includes light refreshments, Marie Claire magazine and a L’Oreal Paris gift bag.
Distribution network is crucial when selling tickets. Intermediaries of various types will be required. The tickets for Audi Fashion Festival can be purchased online; tickets.com and SISTIC while the tickets for L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival can also be purchased online; ticketmaster.com.au.
Both the Fashion Festivals have a standard and reasonable pricing for each show. Besides this, Audi Fashion Festival offered 8 “by invitation” admissions and 2 free admissions whereas L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion offered 3 “by invitation” admissions and 4 free admissions.
