Today we had a lecture on the consumer. It focused on how brands connect to the consumer and how that consumer is effected by different brand messages. It got me thinking about brands which I think target their customer most effectively. I immediately thought of my favourite fashion and lifestyle brand Free People. This brand represent the lifestyle I lead and how to better it to make it more wholesome, make the most out of my days and really inspire me to be the best person I can. Free People are not just a fashion brand, they are a whole lifestyle.
Free People have managed to create such a loyal following by really connecting to their niche audience of bohemian creative people. They connect to the audience over every form of social media and dive right into, not leaving any corner unturned.
“Our goal is to build a strong emotional bond with the customer.To do this we must build lifestyle environments that appeal emotionally, and offer fashion correct products on a timely basis.Our customers are the reason and the inspiration for everything we do.”
The Free People Girl
“she is a free spirit...
wakes up to see the sun shine.
stays up to catch a falling star...
she is our free people girl.
and she is the reason we do what we do.
free people has opened three wholesale showrooms in new york, LA and
Chicago. our sales teams cater to over 1,500 speciality stores and department store
accounts so our girl can visit us anywhere across the world.”
- from the Free People site
This creates a very specific audience that is being targeted. As a consumer of the brand, reading this makes Free People trustworthy as I can tell that they know what kind of thing I will like, what lifestyle I intend to lead and what sort of things I will be interested in, in the future.
The Free People Blog
"Building 25 is where the magic of Free People happens. In the Navy Yard on the edge of
Philadelphia a cluster of renovated warehouses sit alongside the Delaware River, and in
one of them a group of young, fashionable, creative people – mostly women – delve into
the details of living the life of the Free People girl. We sort through fabric swatches, take
photos, share ideas, video, art, food and culture, and travel the world in search of
inspiration to create fashion that reflects our creative, independent, impressively-bold
and free-spirited FP girl.
The BLDG 25 Blog is a way for us to open the doors of our home to let you peek inside,
come in, and hang out for a while. We wanted to create a place that merged our worlds
and offered insight into the illuminating culture of Free People. We hope that this blog
inspires you to embark on creative, fun, enlightened, and fashionable adventures each
day, and that you return again to share your experiences with us."
- from the Free People blog
Bldg25 is probably my favourite blog of all time. It is consistent, themed, high quality and easy but fun to read. Each day there is a different theme, for example Mondays is quotes, Tuesdays are recipes etc. This makes it really easy to follow and keep up to date with.
Social Media
Free People are extremely active on social media sites. They have a very thriving community on Instagram, having an account for each store which really connects the brand with the consumer as people from each area can connect t stores that they are familiar with which makes the band appear more friendly.
Pinterest is also a social media site that FreePeople are very active on. Having a number of different boards and repining pictures which are both taken by Free People photographers or other creatives.
Facebook and Twitter are other social media sites which the brand are active on. These are very effective for the consumer as they can send direct messages and really connect to the brand on them.
Overall Free People connects to the consumer effectively through consistent content. This allows the brand to have a constant presence in the consumers life. Everything about the way that Free People communicate and promote themselves is clever and brilliant, through the short films, linked pieces with musicians, the FPme platform and all of the social media activity, Free People have managed to create a loyal following which will stick with them for many years to come.
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