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Armani taps Twitter fans via in-depth chat series

May 30, 2012

Armani Tweet Talks

Italian designer Giorgio Armani is engaging fans during a series of global chats that will offer expert commentary on fashion-related topics.

The discussions will take place on Twitter using the hashtag #ArmaniTweetTalks to let consumers participate along with industry experts. The first chat will center on the label’s One Night Only in Beijing fashion event with a chat June 1 called “China, the new fashion superpower.”

“Branded tweet chats provide insights and create accessibility to personalities, while building social fan base and community,” said Paul Farkas, co-founder of DailyHeels.com, New York. “The connected consumer exponentially demands more quality online brand access, content and value.

“Strong programming sets an ongoing schedule for online fan appointment participation,” he said. “Continuity is extremely important for efforts to be effective and brands need to blueprint and implement seasonal or monthly social campaigns and not one-offs.”

Mr. Farkas is not affiliated with Armani, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Armani did not respond before press deadline.

Talk the talk
Armani began raising awareness for the #ArmaniTweetTalks live chat series May 25 via social media and its Web site.

The label will gather experts to discuss a fashion-related topic and answer user-submitted questions. All chat content will have the hashtag #ArmaniTweetTalks.

Each chat will be a Q&A session with people chosen from the fashion world for their expertise and large number of Twitter followers, per the brand. Armani will facilitate each chat.

The first #ArmaniTweetTalks chat will take place the day after the online live stream of the label’s One Night Only in Beijing fashion event May 31. The chat will discuss how China is becoming an influential fashion market.

Participants include editor and author Peter Howarth, Vogue China editor in chief Angelica Cheung, publisher and blogger Hung Huang, fashion critic Godfrey Deeny, YOOX Group founder/CEO Federico Marchetti , Stylebubble.co.uk writer Susanna Lau and JakandJil.com photographer Tommy Ton.

The chats will be divided into volumes. For example, the first chat is titled “Vol 01. China, the new fashion superpower.”

A microsite at http://www.armani.com/tweettalks acts as the hub of the #ArmaniTweetTalks series. Users can connect their Twitter accounts to the site.

#ArmaniTweetTalks microsite

The site contains three sections including an explanatory front page, a profile page featuring chat participants and a live feed of the hashtag called The TweetWall.

Users can participate in the chat from Twitter or the microsite.

The TweetWall

Tweeting the day away
Many high-end brands are using Twitter as an outlet for brand personalization.

Marketers and retailers such as Oscar de la Renta and Bergdorf Goodman seemed to have developed Twitter accounts that not only share brand news and product information, but interact with other users and share personal opinions.

In addition, many luxury brands, especially retailers, are incorporating Twitter into digital campaigns.

For example, New York-based retailer Bergdorf Goodman held a chat on Twitter to answer questions regarding skin, makeup, hair and beauty with editors from http://www.beautyhigh.com.

The chat used the hashtag #BeautyChat and was part of the retailer’s campaign with the Melanoma Research Alliance (see story).

Also, London-based department store Harrods used Twitter as an entry point for a contest on Pinterest that let users design their own store window based on the idea of the “Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Street Party.”

Consumers were required to tweet with Harrods’ Twitter handle @HarrodsofLondon and a link to the board with the hashtag #HarrodsWindows (see story).

Armani may stand out on Twitter due to its use of expert commentators to whom fans will likely want to pay attention.

“The live-tweeting format has become another staple for brands and magazines in the post-digital era,” Mr. Farkas said. “It brings industry conversation to a more social and interactive medium than caged and static magazine interviews.

“Beyond ‘like’ and follower count, it is paramount for brands to strengthen engagement metrics for passionate ambassadors, word-of-mouth sharing and, ultimately, trust and conversion to sales,” he said.

Final Take
Tricia Carr, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York

Tricia Carr is an editorial assistant on Luxury Daily. Her beats are apparel and accessories, arts and entertainment, education, food and beverage, fragrance and personal care, government, healthcare, home furnishings, jewelry, legal/privacy and nonprofits. Reach her at tricia@napean.com.