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Marc Jacobs sees 2pc click-through rate with advertorial

June 7, 2011

Apparel and accessories designer Marc Jacobs International saw strong site traffic and click-through rates with an advertorial launch celebrating 10 years of its Marc by Marc Jacobs line.

Fashion blogger Elin Kling posed in 10-year-anniversary Marc Jacobs dresses and shoes, and displayed content of the photoshoot on the blog NOWMANIFEST.com. Because of this initiative, the brand saw tremendous traffic to the Marc Jacobs Web site and an impressive amount of interaction from consumers.

“Banner ads and pop ups are impersonal, annoying and ineffective,” said Daniel Plenge, Web and digital manager at Marc Jacobs International, New York. “We wanted to continue our online advertising initiative and experiment with an advertorial.

“We love what NOWMANIFEST is doing and Elin Kling was a perfect fit for this project,” he said.

NOWMANIFEST.com gathers the world’s most famous bloggers in fashion under one roof. Ms. Kling’s blog, Style by Kling, is part of this site.

Other known bloggers such as Bryan Boy and fashiontoast are on NowManifest.

Manifestly clear
Ms. Kling’s photoshoot was shot by Rachel Chandler, a photographer for Vogue and Purple.

“[Ms. Chandler] captured the vibe and spirit that is Marc by Marc Jacobs,” Mr. Plenge said.

Ms. Kling published the photos on her blog for the first time on June 3.

The blogger discussed the experience and included the photos that were taken.

Also, Ms. Kling provided images of products and links to the Marc by Marc Jacobs Web site.

Meanwhile, Marc Jacobs is advertising on NOWMANIFEST to boost its presence on the site.

As of June 4, MarcJacobs.com saw 94,000 impressions as a result of the blog.

On June 3 alone, there were 2,000 visits to the Marc Jacobs Web site and the brand saw a 2 percent click-through rate from the blog.

This is a strong showing, as the industry click-through standard is 0.02 percent, per Mr. Plenge.

“This is a creative way to show our product offering without being intrusive and we hope to increase our conversion rate from all the traffic coming from Elin’s blog post,” Mr. Plenge said.

“Marc Jacobs the company will continue to find creative ways to integrate our lines into the digital space, with a focus on social media and connection technologies,” he said.

Blog jog
Fashion bloggers are in themselves a kind of celebrity.

Therefore, by connecting with bloggers – who also happen to be some of the brands’ biggest fans – luxury companies get the benefit of recognition from both its fans and those who follow the bloggers.

Although some may not consider bloggers a form of marketing, the kind of publicity that they bring to a brand is undeniable.

In fact, many luxury brands have been using bloggers to better connect with their core audience.

For instance, Dolce & Gabbana invited some of the industry’s most well-known bloggers to its flagship store in Milan to decorate the store windows.

Bloggers have a way of inspiring luxury consumers, per Mr. Plenge. This can only benefit a brand.

“It’s fun to see what other people are doing with looks and accessories to get ideas for our own style,” Mr. Plenge said. “If there’s a story, it increases the impact, which is why we love Elin.

“She’s always running around with her friends and we feel like we’re right there in the moment,” he said. “The bloggers that are doing it right take you with them on their adventures and you can’t help but feel inspired.”

Rachel Lamb is an associate reporter 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 rachel@napean.com.