David Fontana

​How do you increase sales for a fashion-like brand targeting 20-somethings?

Convince them to act like a retailer and take advantage of data showing that the core consumer was really a late 30-something with a 20-something sense of style - a person who still connected with traditional channels; however was extremely discriminating in her choices.   

And as new technologies became more significant and changed consumer behavior adjust the efforts to be more engaging, provide better targeting and create customer growth.

The media strategy resulted in significant sales growth, more customers, higher average sales and an increase in awareness of bluefly. The strategy was highlighted in the book “Why She Buys”.

Media Touchpoints

• Partnerships and branded content replaced traditional fashion print buys:
• Negotiated brand integration sponsorship of “Project Runway” that included active sponsorship elements and in-programming elements (“the bluefly style wall”)
  
• When creative budgets were tight worked with Bravo to create ads using “Bravo-celebrities”. This lead to shared extended web based content on Bravo sites and bluefly
  
• Worked with the CW in creating programing  / online original content
  
• Extended: 90 second units after midnight allowing the brand to “push the limits” with a more provocative content, in line with the bluefly user profile. At the same time acting more like a DR advertiser to generate site traffic
  
• In Print, customized units to feel native to the publication (i.e. shopping tabs in Lucky)
  
• In-movie sponsorships / partnerships – “Sex and The City” and “Confessions of a Shopaholic”
  

Revised tactics reflected changes in our use of media

• On-going optimization based on site visits to maximize effectiveness - looking at sales by days, time, media channel etc.
• The Bravo partnership included running the first QR Code on Network TV within a commercial in the US. This tactic appealed to the multiple screen bluefly user who watched TV while using their smartphone to connect directly to the site.
  
• Recognizing that our very social target went out on Thursday and Friday nights and recovered on the weekend - we took advantage of the rise of Saturday/Sunday marathon-viewing / binge-watching.  We worked with networks to sponsor blocks of marathons – which we internally called “hangover recovery targeting”.
  

Marketing & Media professional