New data recently released by eBay advertising shows that this year‘s fashion trends were greatly influenced by London Fashion Week, Prince George‘s first royal tour and unseasonable weather. The data demonstrates a major marketing opportunity available to retailers if they nimbly target in real time.
Following London Fashion Week in February, where plaid was seen sprinkled all over the catwalks, eBay.co.uk recorded a 50% spike in searches for “plaid”. Similarly, in a move that has been coined ‘The Prince George effect‘, searches for “dungarees” in eBay‘s ‘baby‘ category rose by 20% after the little prince was photographed wearing a pair of Petit Bateau dungarees in New Zealand earlier this year.
Weather extremes made the most impact on fashion brands, for example this March, the coldest since 1962, saw the “onesie” search jump by 113% compared with the previous year. Although generally associated with a younger target market, onesies were in fact searched for by almost half a million consumers aged over 45.
Phuong Nguyen, Director of eBay Advertising in the UK, commented:
“The internet age has totally transformed the fashion industry. A deep understanding of the latest consumer trends and external triggers, as well as the ability to flex campaigns in real time offers clothes and accessories brands huge opportunities throughout the year.
In what is an increasingly competitive market, this can give the right brands a point of differentiation and grow their market share. With more and more outlandish outfits on The X Factor, an apparent cold snap on its way and another royal baby in the offing, there isn‘t a shortage of opportunities for brands over the next six months.”
Celebrity endorsement, high-profile fashion events and weather have all been found to create a wave in shopping behaviour. If brands flex campaigns rapidly, these “fashion moments” could give them a significant competitive advantage when it comes to securing custom.
Pauline Robson, Director, Real World Insight, MediaCom added:
“Fashion has long been a fast moving business and real time audience data allows brands in this sector to respond even more quickly to consumer demand. By listening to their customers and better understanding what influences them, brands can build campaigns which tap into the latest trends as they happen, in order to be in the right place at the right time, with the right message.”
