In this module, we will review promotion needs, strategies, and tools. Using this knowledge, you will be able to launch the promotional and production plans generated in this and previous modules.

1. Media and Promotion Strategies

Target Audience Revisited

In our first module, we discussed the target audience for your show as an essential element. Understanding the target audience is essential for guiding decisions in design, marketing, and overall presentation, ensuring that the fashion show experience and content resonate with the anticipated viewers. This includes peers and faculty, whose evaluations shape the production, alumni who provide valuable insights, the general public and family whose attendance fosters community engagement, and potential employers, sponsors, and industry partners whose support is crucial. Academic shows bear a greater responsibility than industry shows to align with the values and expectations of their audience for sustained partnership and support, making thoughtful strategies in promotions and production imperative. While we briefly discussed how to do this in Module 2.1, a few more approaches are detailed in this module with tools and applications.

Storytelling in Fashion

Karen Yakymishen from Franky Dune is talking about fashion brands, but what she discusses is exceptionally relevant to fashion show production, too. Think about what she has to say about creativity, focusing on growth rather than competition, and starting with what you have available to create an authentic connection with your audience. What are you trying to communicate? With whom are you communicating? How can you deliver your message in a way that is true and that your audience will understand? (hint: cohesion helps)

Formats & Platforms Overview

We have spent time curating a cohesive theme and a collaborative environment. Now, months before show day, you have the opportunity to communicate your collective creativity to your audience and begin generating excitement for your production. You might use some of the following options to start telling your story.

2. Creating Content

To post and share content, you have to create it first. Here, you will find some resources to help you start generating content.

Cohesion & Quality

As we discussed in Module 3.1, cohesion is key to a successful event. Not only does it help you plan and build your identity as a collaborative, but it increases your credibility with your audience.^[3] Along with cohesion, it is important to ensure your content is professional and represents your program and your production team well. It may even require the appointment of quality assurance and/or quality control on content and communications.^[4] As part of quality assurance, which is proactive, it is important to understand design principles and AI options available for editing and polishing.

Design Principles

AI Support

While AI cannot replace your ideas, your goals, or your preferences, it can help you generate better-quality content more quickly.

Remember to visit the style guide walkthrough and apply it to all of the content for your production. 

Graphics & Visual Content

For your production, you might create promotional materials such as flyers, posters or banners; social media content such as stories, collages, or other graphics; runway and stage designs for planning and showcasing; backdrops and decor elements; logos and other branding materials; a digital program and a digital magazine.

Adobe Express is a great starting point for graphics, and you have a premium license through the university.

You have access to Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, too. See the appendix for access instructions.

Podcasts & Audio Content

Creating a podcast can expand the show’s audience and build a community around the event while developing your skills and experience in diverse marketing strategies. Some other audio content options for promoting a fashion show include creating a runway soundtrack. You can publish podcasts, and music, on Spotify or Apple. Consider creating episodes on the fashion show’s inspiration, design process, and interviews with alumni, designers, models, and other collaborators.

Audition is an Adobe app you have access to through the university. See the appendix for access instructions. Audition is great for podcast editing.

Aside from podcasts, you can create music playlists on Spotify to build anticipation and communicate your theme. You will also need music for the runway. Always be aware of licensing and content restrictions. Using copyrighted music without documented permission can lead to legal consequences, including potential lawsuits and financial penalties. Additionally, sometimes it can be challenging to proof all of the content in a song for offensive lyrics. Finally, as a public performance and a documented video, potentially live-streamed, there are several challenges in acquiring the appropriate rights^[5].

Some options for runway music with limited or no licensing restrictions include:

Pixabay: Royalty-free content with some terms of use

Openverse: Creative Commons and public domain content

AI-Generated

Blogs & Written Content

Blogs give you the chance to connect with your audience more in-depth. Here, you can delve deeper into designer spotlights, behind-the-scenes stories, and trend analyses. It can also provide a platform to hone skills you are more interested in building for your future career, such as fashion tips, trend forecasting, and other fashion content^[6], as long as these contribute to and align with the show’s theme.

WordPress: A website builder optimized for blogs. You can request a free WordPress site from the university for the show to increase credibility, but you can also create one on WordPress.com with fewer features.

Grammarly: A super spell checker. This a a great way to make sure you are coming across professionally and academically. The are multiple plugins for this, too, so you can use it anywhere on your computer. All of the content you post with words should be checked for grammar and spelling.

Video & Multimedia Content

Fashion shows are often recorded and live-streamed since the challenges of the pandemic thrust the industry into a digital age^[7]. Video offers accessibility, longevity, and cumulative growth of the show’s recognizability. Aside from a live-stream, there are many other options that similarly overlap with promotion and documentation.

Interviews: Provide insights into creative processes, design inspiration, and designer visions. Showcase the behind-the-scenes work and the collaborative efforts of the production team. Revisit show alumni to see how the show impacted them and what they remember most.

Teasers: Share you theme and key information quickly while generating interest by splicing clips of previous shows and/or new video content, highlighting the date, location, and a call-to-action^[8].

Behind-the-Scenes: As mentioned in interviews, remember that the work you do is exciting and interesting! Record yourselves creating your show. Late night mood board creation, early morning committee meetings, venue decoration – these are all memorable, unique, and something your audience will want to see.

Record video on your phone, with equipment from the Student Technology Center on campus, or over video conferencing like Teams or Zoom, then edit videos with Adobe Premiere Pro or Adobe Premiere Rush for a less intensive and mobile-friendly editing experience.

3. Social Media Platforms

Once you have content, you are ready to share it. Here, you will find some options and insights for optimizing the platform(s) you choose for the content you share.

Facebook: Geared towards an older crowd, Facebook offers a wide range of advertising and targeting options. This is typically the best place to live-stream the show.

Instagram: Instagram is a go-to platform for graphics and quick updates. Videos and images are the primary content posted here.

YouTube: Exclusively for videos, Youtube can host the recording of your show. Additionally, you might post other engaging video content, such as designer interviews, collection highlights, and behind-the-scenes footage. Though the show has been hosted on the university channel, there is not one specific to your show.

TikTok: A host for videos again, but with an emphasis on short-form and flash trends. More popular with younger demographics, TikTok is another platform without an account for your show.

Threads: Threads is a new social network that has rapidly gained users and is marketed as a competition to Twitter. Owned and operated by Meta Platforms, it is an option.

Planning, Scheduling, and Content Analytics: Keep in mind that anything you post on these can and should be shared with Bumpers and the School of Human Environmental Sciences accounts. Katie Himes is your contact for that. The university encourages you to use Hootsuite for all of these, and you have a contact within the university to help. See this webpage for links and information or go to Hootsuite directly.

4. Connecting with Collaborators

The fashion industry thrives on collaborations, whether it’s with guest designers, brands, or professionals with complementary skill sets^[9]. Identifying partners who align with the show’s essential elements is key. This can include designers, models, sponsors, colleges and majors across campus, and other industry professionals who bring diverse talents and perspectives to the production.

Fostering relationships with collaborators is key to a successful fashion show. This involves effective leadership, which we discussed in Module 2.3. By prioritizing collaboration, respect, and appreciation for diverse talents and perspectives, as discussed in Module 1.4, a fashion show can achieve its goals and leave a lasting, positive impression on both personnel and the audience. Remember that inclusive, kind, and accessible communication extends beyond the production team to the target audience (Module 3.4).

Start by revisiting established collaborations, such as from previous shows. You can also look at similar productions or fashion-focused exhibitions in the area presently or recently to see if there are groups or people to connect with. Make sure you have your strategy and communication etiquette ready to go.

5. Digital & Physical

As mentioned before, the fashion industry is shifting towards digital, virtual, and augmented reality experiences. However, many still experience stronger emotional and cognitive ties to physical items^[10]. When deciding between digital and physical experiences and materials for your show, consider the pros and cons of each content type.

Digital Promotional Materials

Physical Promotional Materials

A Hybrid Approach

Your show will likely include both digital and physical elements. It is your and your committee’s role to decide what best fits your goal and audience. You can always increase engagement with both live-stream and in-person attendance, as well as promotional strategies leading up to the show. It is important to understand how to leverage and optimize both channels for a career in the fashion industry^[11].

Activity 4. Committee Collaboration 1