Warc, 26 May 2014
NEW YORK: Patagonia, Hollister and Warby Parker are among
the brands making effective use of Instagram to engage consumers, according to
a leading executive from the social media platform.
Jim Squires, Instagram's director/market operations,
discussed how marketers are leveraging its service – both organically and with
paid-for ads – during the Advertising Age Digital Conference 2014.
(For more, including how ads from Levi's and Ben &
Jerry's performed on Instagram, read Warc's exclusive report: How brands can
succeed on Instagram.)
Outdoor apparel and equipment specialist Patagonia was one
of several companies he drew attention to, praising it for focusing on a way of
life, rather than simply uploading images of products.
"They highlight, through Instagram, the outdoor
lifestyle that their products enable. I don't think I've ever seen an actual
product shot inside of the photography that they do," said Squires.
"They also have brand ambassadors that are out surfing,
and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle, that represent Patagonia."
Hollister, the premium fashion line, has similarly avoided
the obvious, and instead encapsulated an aspirational appeal with its visuals.
"They are capturing moments," said Squires.
"The way they've captured these moments feels right inside of the
Instagram community, and is true to the Hollister brand."
Elsewhere, Warby Parker, the online eyewear retailer, has
succeeded by playing into photographic techniques that are already popular on
Instagram, such as the "thingsorganisedneatly" hashtag.
This structured form of composition, where related items are
arranged in a striking and stylised way, works "really well in the retail
setting", according to Squires.
Whether it is GoPro, which makes durable and high-definition
cameras frequently used in action sports, or Burberry, the high-end fashion
label, authenticity is the key.
"Both of these are, again, communicating through
imagery, but it's true to the brand. I've seen brands try to do gimmicky stuff,
and it just doesn't work," Squires continued.
"You want to go back to the basics of great brand
advertising, and do something that will fit with the community."
Data sourced from Warc
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