Jimmy
Choo is a fashion brand I have been somewhat obsessed with for a few years now.
Since I first saw Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City with her collection of
Choo's, Manolo's and Louboutin's, it has
been the Choo's that have always
remained my favourite. Whilst my wardrobe does not have the pleasure of
including a pair of Choo's and does not look likely to anytime in the near
future, the brand is one I remain watchful of. Regular emails from the company
and visits to the website keep me up-to-date with the latest news and
collections.
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| 'Lace' One of my favourite designs |
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| 'Fable' These will be my wedding shoes |
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| The original and the reworked shoes from 'I Lost my Choo' episode in Sex and the City |
The Company
Jimmy
Choo is a 21st century luxury accessories brand, with shoes at its heart,
offering an empowered sense of glamour and a playfully daring spirit.
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| Jimmy Choo |
A
bespoke shoemaker named Jimmy Choo operated from the East
End of London and catered for the global jet set and included Princess Diana
amongst his clients. He met Tamara Mellon, then Vogue Accessories Editor, and
together with his niece Sandra Choi they founded the Jimmy Choo company
that we know today. They opened the first boutique in 1996 in
Knightsbridge.
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| Tamara Mellon |
The
first collection was an immediate success and the brands reputation as a
celebrity favourite has instilled its status as a complete
luxury accessories brand. Women’s shoes remain the core of the
product offer, alongside handbags, small leather goods, scarves, sunglasses,
eye wear, belts, fragrance and men’s shoes.
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| Sandra Choi |
Neither
Jimmy Choo or Tamara Mellon are still involved with the company which has
currently grown to include 167 stores across 35 countries.
Jimmy Choo & Digital Marketing
Jimmy
Choo joined the social media network in 2009 with Facebook and Twitter accounts
emerging. In 2010 they launched 'Catch-a-Choo' Foursquare campaign. This had
roughly 4,000 people running all over London to check in at various locations
broadcast over Facebook and Twitter to win a pair of the company's
trainers. This resulted in trainer sales increasing by 33%. A successful
campaign. Since then a number of on and off site engagement activities have
been promoted on both media websites.
In
2011 'The Choo Connection' was launched as part of the Jimmy Choo website as an
interactive space where followers of the brand could share their personal Jimmy
Choo experiences. 'Your Choo Stories' was contributed to by not only the public
but by celebrities including Elizabeth Hurley, Elle McPherson and the wardrobe
director of Sex and the City. Contributors were also occasionally rewarded
with the chance to win a pair of shoes for sharing their story.
“There are so many people who feel a sense of connection
to the Jimmy Choo brand. It has always been my vision to capture the hearts of
women around the world and I am thrilled to give the passionate community of
Jimmy Choo fans a stronger voice on jimmychoo.com.” Tamara
Mellon OBE Founder and former Chief Creative Officer
#IDOINCHOO
This was also followed with #IDoInChoo. A community to unite
brides in sharing their wedding memories through not only their stories but
with imagery too. Brides were invited to upload their photos to Twitter or
Instagram with the hashtag #IDoInChoo.
Choo World
In 2013, the label
revamped it's digital presence with a redesigned website featuring
exclusive
video, editorials and news-based content to engage consumers on a level that
went beyond ecommerce. The brand announced “Choo World” to its enthusiasts
on its social media accounts, and with an email blast that targeted a more
precise audience. Jimmy Choo’s incorporation of content would help the brand
build deeper ties with core consumers who were already familiar with what
products the brand offered.
The
imagery that accompanied Jimmy Choo’s new Web site announcement asked consumers
to “step inside,” which was a playful take on the brand’s most well-known
product range.
In
the email enthusiasts received, the images were served on an iPad, another
clever take on how consumers would be engaging with the brand. Additional
details such as a wish list, enhanced search and the source of all things Jimmy
Choo, Choo World. Choo World includes “The Edit” where fans can explore
the brand’s inspiration, view celebrity wish lists and read blog posts from
creative director Sandra Choi.
In
addition, Choo World features “Stylemakers” where fans can view fan-submitted
branded looks from around the world or upload their own, “Spotting” which lists
celebrities wearing Jimmy Choo, a “News” section and a timeline of brand’s
history.
The Virtual Showroom
In
2014 the brand further enhanced their approach to digital marketing
by introducing a virtual showroom where the AW14 collection could be viewed and
pre ordered before the products arrived in-store. This amenity
was previously reserved for buyers, editors and industry insiders. The
virtual showroom was giving a large scale audience the chance to
experience and shop in advance from a facility conventionally
reserved for the most prominent people in the fashion industry.
On reviewing Jimmy Choo's activities in relation to digital marketing, the company have instilled an extremely successful element by developing the features of 'Choo World'. The interest globally in not only the brand but how its worn from country to country has seen growth in website visitors. Lets face it, we all love to see what the fashionistas are wearing and how. That they are accessorised with some Choo makes it all the more appealing to me. Engaging the brands fans by allowing them to interact via the site only increases their passion for the products and in turn increases the sale of them.
