Currently I am studying digital marketing, which has opened my eyes to the evolution of companies using traditional marketing methods, to relying heavily, or even solely, on the digital landscape. Social networks and interactive websites are taking over and executives know it. In order to reach the masses these days, a strong online presence is the way to go.
Ironically enough, there is a new show, just three episodes broadcast so far, called Fashion Star, which, in a way, is going against the digital marketing trend. Fashion Star is a reality competition on NBC, in which designers create looks every week which are presented to buyers from Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, and H&M. The buyers decide, on the spot, whether or not to bid for each item of clothing. If a buyer purchases a garment, that garment will be available to the public online immediately following the show, or in that buyer’s store the next day. Instead of relying on viewers’ votes- phone calls, texts, tweets, or online, Ben Silverman, one of the producers of the show, has gone old school, according to David Knowles of The Hollywood Reporter, by taking the tech out of the scenario. See it, like it, buy it the next day.
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| Property of NBC |
However, I disagree with Knowles to some degree, because although, yes, the way this show is structured, clothing that airs one day can be bought off the rack the next, each of the stores, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, and H&M all have portions of their websites devoted entirely to the Fashion Star series. Consumers don’t have to wait until the next day to purchase the items. They don’t have to drive to the store, find the clothes, and wait in line. They can order the clothes online, right from their living room, and can do so the night the episode airs. So, once again, the technology craze has given us just one more thing we don’t have to wait for and be patient about. I don’t know if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s definitely a fun thing.
As you can see in this video, Fashion Star is something that has never been done before.
So, although Silverman might have taken an “old school” approach, digital marketing is still present from every angle. Not only is there a Fashion Star website, www.nbc.com/fashion-star, which has pictures, bios, videos, and even interactive games; in addition to portions of Saks’, Macy’s, and H&M’s websites dedicated to the show; but viewers can also visit Fashion Star’s Facebook page, follow the show on Twitter, and post to NBC message boards.
The show hasn’t attracted many viewers, which leads me to wonder if it’s going to last. Although there are definitely some bugs that need to be ironed out, as discussed in this Huffington Post article, personally, I think the show is innovative and quite interesting. It allows viewers to see at least a portion of the business side of fashion, which is something Project Runway, the long-running reality show about fashion designers now on Lifetime, doesn’t cover. Fashion Star’s designers are introduced to different branding exercises each week. Unfortunately, most of the behind-the-scenes and preparation for the runway show isn’t highlighted, which leaves a lot viewers, including myself, disappointed and expecting more. At least we have all of the social networking sites on which to vent our frustration.
All in all, Fashion Star is yet another reality competition which has captivated my interest. Because all of the episodes were taped in advance in order to give the stores time to manufacture the purchased items and make them available to the public the night the show airs, most likely there won’t be any changes until next season…if there is one. Either way, because of my Entertainment Business degree, I have been able to find ways to validate this guilty pleasure by applying many of the topics we’ve covered in class. If I happen to purchase some of the items designed, I’ll chalk it off as a “learning experience”.
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