Who knew London fashion week was first held in 1984? Well I for one didn’t…I thought it started in 1964. Despite getting this question wrong, I still received the Guardian fashion seal of approval: ‘You’ve won a seat on the front row of fashion week wisdom. Mwah. You look fabulous!’

YES fashion quiz, take that! What a sigh of relief I passed. What did this mean? Absolutely nothing, it turned out. Instead, I experienced AW13 London Fashion Week on the FROW of social media.

After the success of last year’s partnership with Facebook, the British High St giant Topshop continued to push the boundaries of the digital space, which saw them collaborate with Google +. Together they successfully developed products to allow customers to experience the show as if they were there. I wasn’t alone in being made to feel like I was part of the FROW (or the ‘model’ walking the catwalk…or the fashion ‘buyer’), over 4 million people clearly did too. The clever products Google + produced created an intimate, engaging and personal experience for people watching online.

My second FROW experience came from the luxury brand, Burberry. Live streamed through their website, the show experience was captivating, alluring and intimate. Content is King when it comes to Burberry, and they didn’t disappoint. The British fashion label gave viewers the chance to click to buy from the catwalk, the opportunity to personalise their purchases, go backstage with the models and share their Burberry experience on social media platforms. Whether you’re a regular customer or a fan like me, Burberry offered innovative ways to interact socially, leaving your Facebook friends wondering: did you actually attend?

The new video app from Twitter, Vine, caught on with the fashion set in a big way, as Paul Smith, Burberry, Matthew Williamson, Topshop, Jonathan Saunders and journalists were noticeable Vine advocates. The British designer, Paul Smith, partnered with London-based artist Kate Moross, who shot a series of imaginative six-second clips in the run-up to Paul Smith’s London Fashion Week show.

Established designer Matthew Williamson collaborated with esteemed photographer Sean Cunningham, who exclusively shot the designers collection using Vine and posted his own six-second clips just before the ensemble hit the catwalk.  The idea was to give Williamson fans the ultimate FROW experience, focusing on the intricate craftsmanship and detail of each garment in the collection – often overlooked by regular FROWers. Fans were able to follow the Vines on Twitter through #MatthewMagnifield and on Facebook. Like Burberry, Williamson also released his catwalk soundtrack on Spotify.

Fashion socialite and acclaimed designer Henry Holland (of House of Holland) developed a capsule collection exclusively for eBay.co.uk with all proceeds from items sold on the auction site during London Fashion Week going to Cancer Research UK.

Sponsor of London Fashion Week, American Express launched ‘Fashion Insiders’ based at Somerset House. Their purpose was to assist, navigate and advise fashion week guests when needed. Sporting the latest colour block trend, American Express exclusively partnered with new gen designer Jonathan Saunders to ensure the ‘Fashion Insiders’ were suitably dressed for the occasion. The brand also partnered with fashion blogger, Disney Roll, who created a series of sponsored posts for the brand.

The British Fashion Council (BCF) made a strong statement that 2013 would be the start of the digital revolution for fashion in this country and London Fashion Week AW13 would be the starting place. For the first time ever the BFC partnered with You Tube to live-stream 21 of the on-schedule catwalk shows through the LFW channel. The BFC continues to lead British Fashion in the right direction, showing our fashion counterparts that pioneering new technologies need to be integrated into Fashion Week and remain at the forefront of the global fashion industry for the future.

Finally, it’s hard to mention LFW without a nod to the biggest talk of the town, model Cara Delevingne, the coolest girl in the world right now. Opposed to the quieter Kate Moss, Cara is a social media addict and posts her journey through life across all social media sites such as Instagam, Google +, Tumblr, Twitter and You Tube. Out with the model talk on weight issues and in with social buzz of this new, fresh-faced exciting British talent, who doesn’t take herself too seriously, is everyone’s best friend and loves to eat McDonald’s.

Which brand wouldn’t want her as the face of their campaign? #modelbehaviour

Noticeably this season, London Fashion Week was dominated by the designers’ innovative desire to give their fans and customers the most intimate experience possible. Where traditionally big sponsors of the event may have capitalised on their dominant position, designers and models have re-emerged, laying claim on digital innovation and consumer engagement.

So, whether you want to dress up, invite your friends over or even don a pair of sunglasses for the occasion, fashion has a new set of FROWers, the ‘Socialistas.’

By Francesca Gamble on February 26th, 2013

Tags: Celebrity, Communications, Content, Default, Digital marketing, Facebook, Fashion, Media, Music, Public relations, Social Media, Sponsorship, Synergy, Twitter, YouTube

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A sponsorship opportunity outside of sport is something few brands consider. Sport is considered a safe environment for a brand to begin a sponsorship as it can reach the masses quickly, its assets are measurable and it has a proven track record of success.

Fashion, on the other hand is far more complex and its assets appear less obvious, resulting in many brands staying away. However, 2012 has seen a shift in emphasis as more and more brands are targeting consumers through fashion. Don’t just think of this as a female market though; the first Men’s Fashion Week, London Collections: Men launched earlier this year, putting the male influencers firmly on the fashion map and changing the way men are perceived in the industry.

Fashion has always been part of the British DNA. The industry has developed into a £21bn business, with its spending influence on other industries standing at over £37 billion. It is little wonder that brands are now waking up to the opportunities that this represents.

A great example of this is Diet Coke, who pledge to target females through fashion over the next three years. They’ve developed a sophisticated strategy of fully integrated investment in fashion through key touch points such as TV advertising, merchandising, packaging, events, media and digital to promote their ‘A lighter approach to fashion’ campaign. The brand has been strategic in their fashion partnerships by linking up with couture designers and producing a series of Limited Edition bottles; making high-end fashion accessible to the masses.

Through their partnership with Benefit make-up, Diet Coke  has also connected to a socially-savvy female audience. Their Facebook app has created a dialogue that enriches consumers’ lives, whilst going beyond the brand and giving consumers a credible reason as to why they are in this space. The brand has also successfully integrated its above the line ‘Puppet’ campaign with its digital offering, once again making fashion accessible to all. Diet Coke has stepped into the new era of sponsorship known as the ‘Social Era’, which has enabled them to engage with the female market on a scale and depth that has never been possible. It has created a sense of higher purpose, allowing the brand to create a sponsorship programme that truly resonates with its target audience. Since embarking on their 3-year strategy to implement their fashion objectives, Diet Coke claims sales have increased 4.9% year on year.

Mercedes-Benz is a luxury brand that has built-up its fashion portfolio over the last few years as a sponsor of Fashion Weeks around the globe. Staying ahead of the game, they quickly recognised the importance of bloggers within the fashion industry and signed the most decorated fashion blogger in the world, Liberty London Girl to bring the latest news from the front row at Fashion Week.  Changing perceptions of the typical Mercedes-Benz driver remains key for the brand, and associating themselves with the fashion-set has helped shift this change in attitude. They’ve also been quick to identify male growth in this area and recently sponsored GQ magazine’s Best Dressed List, which this year saw the brand working with the magazine on an exclusive photo shoot featuring three of the brand’s elite performance cars. Mercedes-Benz was also a sponsor of the first ‘London Collections: Men’, which the British Fashion Council (BFC) ran in June.

An unexpected brand that hit the runway during NYC Fashion Week this season was Google+, which showed off its rather fetching £1.5k augmented reality glasses in an exclusive tie-up with designer Diane Von Furstenberg. If Luke Skywalker were to make mobile phones, this is how he would have done it. However, despite how they look, Google are not risking the product flopping next year when they launch ‘Project Glass’, and have made a clear move to market this product as a fashion accessory. Turning geek into chic? I’ll let you decide.

It almost seems rude not to mention Vodafone when talking about fashion these days, as the brand has rapidly become the service provider for the fashion set. Last year they introduced mobile phone chargers under the seats at London Fashion Week; a move which quickly became the talk of Twitter, and was picked up by the majority of fashion blogs. The brand also gives customers once in a lifetime VIP experiences, with exclusive backstage access and tickets to London Fashion Weekend. Similar to Diet Coke, this makes high-end fashion accessible for the everyday consumer. Vodafone have never tried to be something they’re not and in entering the fashion world they’ve found a space in which very few brands are active.

Danielle Crook, Vodafone’s UK director of brand marketing, argues that Vodafone are “helping people to do the job they’re there to do”. She says Vodafone has heeded the warnings of fashion industry insiders, who point out that brands have failed in their marketing objectives when they have come in and tried to take over the space.

Sponsorship in this industry isn’t as straightforward as sticking a badge on London Fashion Week and hoping for the best. Brands need to look beyond and think strategically, offering a deeper engagement and an insightful brand experience that genuinely enriches the customer’s experience. The UK fashion industry is dominated by many rights holders, including retailers on the high street that are driven through touch points such as magazines, TV, film, radio, social media and amplified through events, awards, designers, stylists, retailers…all held together by just one governing body, The British Fashion Council.

There are no obvious restrictions to this creative industry and that’s the beauty of it. It’s a wide open space ready to be challenged and moved by brands that want to make a meaningful contribution and enrich the lives of females, and increasingly males, through content, dialogue, and entertainment. We should all be aware of the fashion industry that follows us round on a daily basis; fashion is all-inclusive and no brand should claim that they don’t ‘do’ fashion. If they delve below the surface, these brands may just discover more than they first realised.

By Francesca Gamble on October 30th, 2012

Tags: Advertising, Ambush campaign, Ambush Marketing, Awards, Brand marketing, Broadcast sponsorship, Communications, Default, Fashion, Media, Public relations, Social Media, Sponsorship, Sponsorship consultants

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SSE is a proud sponsor of the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA), demonstrating its commitment to the development of one of the UK’s most successful Olympic medal sports. SSE provides assistance with energy reduction schemes such as installing photovoltaic cells which has helped the Academy achieve outstanding environmental credentials and a host of green awards.

Synergy created a PR campaign to raise awareness of SSE’s WPNSA sponsorship and bring to life their commitment to sailing as well as continuing their support of local communities. In order to do this, Synergy conceived and created a ‘mini regatta’, working with St George’s, a local primary school, and British Windsurfer Nick Dempsey. Nick acted as the SSE ambassador and helped draw in both local and national media.

The local children spent the morning with Nick, where they wrote ‘waves of support’ on to SSE-branded toy boats, wishing Nick and all British sailors good luck on the water this summer. They also wrote their messages on a large, full-size sail which is now displayed at the WPNSA. Nick and the schoolchildren then took to the water to release their boats into the sea, competing to see which one reached the shoreline first.  All the children that took part in the race had their boat returned to them and the winner received a voucher to complete their Level 2 sailing course.

SSE sailing activity gained a high level of national and regional cut-through, across both online and print titles, which highlighted the brand’s development and commitment to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy and energy reduction schemes.

By Francesca Gamble on July 3rd, 2012

Tags: Celebrity, community, Default, London 2012, Media, Sailing, Sponsorship, Synergy

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This week Yves Saint Laurent announced it is changing its name, as Hedi Slimane made his mark on the iconic global brand as new Creative Director.

The new signature ‘Saint Laurent Paris’ will be used for the ready-to-wear collection, moving away from the iconic and infamous acronym ‘YSL’, which we’ve all become accustomed to, whether part of the fashion set or not.

Apparently Slimane has used YSL’s fashion history as creative inspiration, looking back to 1966 when the fashion house was known as ‘Saint Laurent Rive Gauche’, as his main source of reasoning behind the re-brand.  As you can imagine, this sudden name change has caused a stir with the fashion set, raising the question as to whether Slimane gone too far, when he hasn’t even completed a season?

To change a brand name of such stature takes a powerful, headstrong individual who has the audacity to send a message around the world that he’s doing things his way. Who can fault that? After all, in 1966 Saint Laurent did the same when he launched the YSL ready-to-wear line.

I still haven’t come around to the idea of ‘SLP’ (it doesn’t quite roll off the tongue) although I admire his determination to make the brand his own. The 1966 brand ‘Rive Gauche’ defiantly gave off more of an air of romantic Parisian chic, which I’m not convinced ‘SLP’ achieves.  After announcing the brand will move its creative studio from Paris to Los Angeles, I can’t help but think the rich heritage the brand has built over 50 years is losing its ‘exclusivity’.

The rebrand will be rolled out over the coming months, and I’m sure after time everyone will come around to enjoy his new creative direction.

By Francesca Gamble on June 29th, 2012

Tags: Art & Design, Default, Fashion, Synergy

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Over the last two weeks at Synergy towers, two very different stories got us talking for two very different reasons. They aren’t normally comparable, but in the name of PR they both gathered an immense amount of coverage and whipped the nation into a frenzy!

Firstly, The Sun sparked fury across the country – with several journalists, footballers and fans tweeting their disgust – after the front page headline ‘BWING ON THE EUWOS (WE’LL SEE YOU IN UKWAINE AGAINST FWANCE)’, referencing the newly-unveiled England manager, Roy Hodgson. The timing was impeccable, just days before Rupert Murdoch had stated that his papers would produce serious journalism, and then the mocking of Hodgson appeared.

Many have accused the Sun of bullying and perhaps rightly so. The Sun certainly felt the backlash and many sportsmen reached out to Twitter to voice their opinions. Days later, The Sun followed up with a story from Jonathan Ross, claiming ‘life is too short’ and Hodgson was a big enough person to deal with such ‘bullying’.

Phil Neville (@fizzer18) tweeted: ‘Have u seen front page of The Sun this morning disgraceful journalism – what chance have we got!’

Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) commented:  ‘I think today’s headline in The Sun is offensive.’

I think it’s fair to say The Sun went too far with this headline, and given the scrutiny News International are currently experiencing, this sort of headline is distasteful.

The second news of note was that The Prince of Wales delivered not The Sun, but rain for the people of Scotland this week. HRH had a go at presenting the weather during a tour of BBC Scotland’s Pacific Quay headquarters and what a good job he did! The heir to the throne gave weather reading a winderful go and delivered a specially-written script inspired by the royal residences of Scotland.

If you haven’t yet seen the fantastic royal performance then take a look here:

By Francesca Gamble on May 14th, 2012

Tags: Default, Media, Public relations, Synergy

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Synergy has once again been recognised as the UK’s leading sponsorship agency after scooping three Hollis Sponsorship Awards. Our Chairman Karen Earl, who founded the company in 1984 as Karen Earl Sponsorship, was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award; Synergy won Agency of the Year; and our client Betfair was awarded the Best Use of PR for its ground-breaking ‘Bum-vertising’ campaign for Betfair Mobile.

The judges were full of praise for Synergy’s work, with Rosemary Sarginson, organiser of Hollis Sponsorship stating:

“Synergy demonstrated revenue growth, profitability, high levels of client retention, numerous new business wins, campaign creativity, a good grasp of the digital domain and a commitment to developing its people…[A] cleverly constructed campaign saw Betfair use QR codes as a way to drive people to its mobile betting service [generating] high levels of consumer interest and PR coverage, thus securing a significant number of mobile betting account sign ups.”

Receiving her award Karen Earl commented:

“It’s a great honour to be recognised by those I respect and work alongside in the sponsorship industry. Since we began the agency in 1984, sponsorship has developed exponentially and now presents clients and agencies with very exciting opportunities. The industry has never been better placed to communicate with audiences and London 2012 will be a great example of its effectiveness.”

Tim Crow, Synergy CEO said:

“We’re incredibly proud to have been recognised both as an agency for what was a great year, and for the Betfair campaign which was a stand-out piece of work by any measure. And it was just wonderful to see Karen honoured for the pioneering contribution she’s made to our business and to the industry.”

By Francesca Gamble on April 5th, 2012

Tags: Awards, Media, Sponsorship, Synergy

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Jameson were back again this year with the popular and truly global film competition, Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds, which sees amateur directors re-make their favourite movie masterpiece in just 60 seconds. Yes, exactly, how do you begin to cram the epic storyline of a classic like War Horse into just 60 seconds…surely that’s impossible?

Well, this year saw exactly that and more from entrants spanning 20 countries, with hundreds of entries whittled down to a shortlist of just five finalists by the 16,000 avid film fans voting online at Empire Magazine. The UK entries were up against 33 finalists from around the world who came together to showcase their films at the London Film Museum in front of  a judging panel of cinematic experts, including Editor of Empire Magazine, Mark Dinning, Sky Movies Premiere presenter Alex Zane, Bridesmaids award-winning actor and comedian, Chris O’Dowd and the director of Monsters, Gareth Edwards.

The 2012 UK finalists included three budding directors who have previously entered the competition: Jack Kendall, Simon Jago and Michael Whaite. Jack Kendall re-created The King’s Speech, the Oscar-winning picture directed by last year’s Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds judge, Tom Hooper. Simon Jago created a remake of the cult sci-fi horror movie The Thing and Michael Whaite reduced the Star Wars Trilogy down to 60 seconds with his quirky animated film. New to the competition were David Smith, with his remake of Steven Spielberg’s epic War Horse and Philip Askins with his 60-second animation of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Jameson Empire Done in Sixty Seconds ambassador and star of Bridesmaids and The IT Crowd, Chris O’Dowd spoke of his support for the competition and the opportunity it gives aspiring young film-makers:

“I am delighted to be on the judging panel of such a great competition. Jameson Empire Done in 60 Seconds is a fantastic way for amateur directors to showcase their talent in the film world. Empire and Jameson have created a novel award that really tests entrants’ creativity and editing skills. Making a movie in 60 seconds is a tough challenge, one that even an experienced film-maker would find daunting – I’m excited to see what they deliver!”

Synergy also worked alongside eight key influential film bloggers to ensure depth of messaging for Jameson,  giving them access to the Done in 60 Seconds (DISS) judges, Alex Zane, Mark Dinning and Gareth Edwards.  As a group they did a fantastic job of reviewing the event and in turn Jameson received a vast amount of well-branded coverage. Hurray!

At the Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds global final, Philip Askins from the UK was confirmed as one of the five contenders with his entry of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The overall winner, which was announced at the star-studded Jameson Empire Awards went to Indira Suleimenova from Kazakhstan, who recreated Black Swan in 60 seconds, and even managed to pay homage to some of Natalie Portman’s other films including Léon in a very clever way.

A true winner in our eyes, Philip Askins with the DISS Judges

On Sunday, the Jameson Empire Awards kicked off in true style, as a whole host of Hollywood stars made their way up the red carpet. Synergy worked closely with film blogger Hey U Guys and lifestyle publication MSN to capture and document the evening as it unfolded.

Michael Fassbender Wins the Jameson Hero Award

Olivia Colman Wins Best Actress and Gary Oldman Wins Best Actor

The cast of The Inbetweeners Win Best Comedy

Synergy ran a VIP competition in the Metro to give one very lucky film enthusiast the chance to mingle with A-list celebrities for the night, socialising in the same room as Olivia Wilde and Gary Oldman. The prize also included VIP tickets to the after-show party at Café de Paris.

It was a star-studded weekend from start to finish and flew past in what felt like 60 seconds. Both Synergy and Jameson are very proud of all our UK DISS Finalists and wish them lots of luck in the future. We have made some lovely friends and look forward to working with extremely knowledgeable film bloggers Hey U Guys, MSN,  Who’s Jack, Film Pilgrim, Establishing Shot, Best of Film, Cine Vue and Hollywood News in the future.

To all budding film directors: one day it could be you attending the Jameson Empire Film Awards. Keep your eyes peeled for the 2012 Done in 60 Seconds competition and in the meantime, log on to the Jameson Empire Done In 60 Seconds Film Academy to learn top movie-making tips from the stars: www.jamesonwhiskey.com/DISS.

By Francesca Gamble on April 5th, 2012

Tags: Alcohol, Awards, Celebrity, Film, Media, PR, Public relations, Social Media, Sponsorship, Synergy, Twitter

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What happened:

English handmade tailors Lutwyche partnered with premium Scottish whisky brand, The Dalmore to launch their first tailor-made, luxury men’s shoe. Traditionally known for its tailoring, Lutwyche needed something special to mark the launch their first made-to-measure brogue.

Why we Love it:

As far as I know this is the first time an alcohol brand has partnered with a shoe brand, marrying together my two favorite things! In many ways, this is the perfect partnership, as both brands encapsulate the authenticity and craftsmanship of truly luxury brands, while complementing each other’s style and ethos.

Both brands extended their core audience while staying true to their brand values. By sharing their credibility in these complementary markets, both brands managed to define ‘luxury’ and ‘premium’ in a new sphere.

Lutwyche took its inspiration from the aesthetics of The Dalmore single malt and, in particular, the stag whose head appears on every bottle. This iconic image is built into the design of the shoe with the regal stag’s head crest stamped on the inside of each sole. Everyone who purchases a pair of Dalmore Brogues can  have them personalised with their name and, of course, receive a bottle of The Dalmore’s award-winning King Alexander III single malt whisky.

At Synergy, we love it when brands successfully manage to combine passion points, so when fashion and alcohol decide to come together, we always know we’re in for a treat and this is no exception. What is there not to love?

What the brand said:

The Dalmore Master Distiller, Richard Paterson commented:

“The Dalmore, like Lutwyche, prides itself on qualities of artisanship, exclusivity and excellence, so we’re delighted to be partnering with a like-minded brand on such a creative project. The skills that have been passed down through generations to create each drop of our whisky are matched by the craftmanship that goes into the creation of this shoe. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between the two brands.”

By Francesca Gamble on December 6th, 2011

Tags: Alcohol, Default, Fashion, Synergy Loves, Synopsis

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To celebrate the 55^th BFI London Film Festival and Jameson’s third year as ‘Official Spirit’, the brand introduced The Jameson Apartment, a pop-up cinematic speakeasy in the heart of London’s Soho.

Synergy’s role was to maximise PR communication around the Jameson Apartment through different media, including print and social media channels. The ultimate aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of Jameson’s association with film through the BFI partnership and to recruit more consumers by driving awareness amongst target consumers.  

To launch the Jameson Apartment Synergy held a press evening, inviting key journalists and bloggers from lifestyle, film and drink titles, not only to enjoy the concept of the 1920s speak-easy and new Jameson cocktails, but to help build key relationships and leverage coverage.

In addition, Synergy successfully negotiated media partnerships with Who’s Jack, Hey U Guys, Empire Magazine, Urban Junkies and Eat Sleep Live Film, who hosted individual nights at the Apartment to generate coverage and recruit key target consumers. Over the course of the festival, the Jameson Apartment was heaving with budding film-makers, actors, actresses, film buffs, drink experts, and general bar enthusiasts.

Throughout the festival, Synergy also ran a comprehensive press office, placing listings in London’s most influential titles, The Evening Standard and City AM, plus ticket competitions for screenings with influential film blogs like Hollywood News and Vue Cinema. Overall, Synergy delivered 76 pieces of coverage, reached over 3 million consumers and generated an ROI of 5:1.

Keep up to date with the latest from Jameson and visit: www.jamesoncultfilmclub.com or www.facebook.com/jamesoncultfilmclub.

By Francesca Gamble on December 6th, 2011

Tags: Alcohol, Brand marketing, Event management consultants, Film, PR, Public relations, Synergy

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Ssshhh… we have something you might like to know about, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. It’s a secret, OK?

A 1920s cinematic speakeasy has landed in the heart of Soho, just in time for the BFI London Film Festival. The Jameson Apartment provides an unforgettable experience in a pop-up style vintage bar hidden away on the top floor of Kettners. Complete with a discreet entrance, a real life ‘Dandy’ and tantalising cocktails, the Jameson Apartment is the perfect hideaway for a nostalgic evening with friends. 

In order to gain entry to the Jameson Apartment you will need to first obtain the secret password, and on arrival remember to relay this to our Dandy who will be waiting for your call.

Log on to www.jamesoncultfilmclub.com and all will be revealed!

Ssshhh… please don’t tell.

By Francesca Gamble on October 21st, 2011

Tags: Alcohol, Public relations, Sponsorship, Synergy

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